bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Progress and Challenges of Immunotherapy Predictive Biomarkers for Triple Negative Breast Cancer in the Era of Single-Cell Multi-Omics
Authors: Yu Jiangnan , Guo Zhikun , Wang Lei
Published: May 2023

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis. Despite conventional treatments, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, the overall response rate to PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors remains low, with limited predictive significance from current biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and tumor mutational burden (TMB). To address this challenge, recent advancements in single-cell sequencing techniques have enabled deeper exploration of the highly complex and heterogeneous TNBC tumor microenvironment at the single-cell level, revealing promising TNBC predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we discuss the background, motivation, methodology, results, findings, and conclusion of multi-omics analyses that have led to the identification of these emerging biomarkers. Our review suggests that single-cell multi-omics analysis holds great promise for the identification of more effective biomarkers and personalized treatment strategies for TNBC patients.
Optimization of Bead Geometry during Tungsten Inert Gas Welding Using Grey Relational and Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Hanif Muhammad , Shah Abdul Hakim , Shah Imran , Mumtaz Jabir
Published: May 2023

Mild steel welded products are widely used for their excellent ductility. Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding is a high-quality, pollution-free welding process suitable for a base part thickness greater than 3 mm. Fabricating mild steel products with an optimized welding process, material properties, and parameters is important to achieve better weld quality and minimum stresses/distortion. This study uses the finite element method to analyze the temperature and thermal stress fields during TIG welding for optimum bead geometry. The bead geometry was optimized using grey relational analysis by considering the flow rate, welding current, and gap distance. The welding current was the most influential factor affecting the performance measures, followed by the gas flow rate. The effect of welding parameters, such as welding voltage, efficiency, and speed on the temperature field and thermal stress were also numerically investigated. The maximum temperature and thermal stress induced in the weld part were 2083.63 °C and 424 MPa, respectively, for the given heat flux of 0.62 × 106 W/m2. Results showed that the temperature increases with the voltage and efficiency of the weld joint but decreases with an increase in welding speed.
Spiropyran-Based Soft Substrate with SPR, Anti-Reflection and Anti-NRET for Enhanced Visualization/Fluorescence Dual Response to Metal Ions
Authors: Jin Yuebo , Petrescu Florian Ion Tiberiu , Wang Yuan , Li Xin , Li Ying , Shi Gang
Published: May 2023

The photoluminescence of modified spiropyran on solid surfaces is poor, and the fluorescence intensity of its MC form is weak, which affects its application in the field of sensing. In this work, a PMMA layer containing Au nanoparticles and a spiropyran monomolecular layer are coated on the surface of a PDMS substrate with inverted micro-pyramids successively by means of interface assembly and soft lithography, and the overall structure is similar to insect compound eyes. The anti-reflection effect of the bioinspired structure, the SPR (surface plasmon resonance) effect of the Au nanoparticles and the anti-NRET (non-radiation energy transfer) effect of the PMMA isolation layer raise the fluorescence enhancement factor of the composite substrate vs. the surface MC form of spiropyran to 5.06. In the process of metal ion detection, the composite substrate can achieve both colorimetric and fluorescence response, and the detection limit for Zn2+ can reach 0.281 μM. However, at the same time, the lack of the ability to recognize specific metal ions is expected to be further improved by the modification of spiropyran.
Thermal Expansion and Thermal Conductivity of Ni/Graphene Composite: Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Murzaev Ramil T. , Krylova Karina A. , Baimova Julia A.
Published: May 2023

In the present work, the thermal conductivity and thermal expansion coefficients of a new morphology of Ni/graphene composites are studied by molecular dynamics. The matrix of the considered composite is crumpled graphene, which is composed of crumpled graphene flakes of 2–4 nm size connected by van der Waals force. Pores of the crumpled graphene matrix were filled with small Ni nanoparticles. Three composite structures with different sizes of Ni nanoparticles (or different Ni content—8, 16, and 24 at.% Ni) were considered. The thermal conductivity of Ni/graphene composite was associated with the formation of a crumpled graphene structure (with a high density of wrinkles) during the composite fabrication and with the formation of a contact boundary between the Ni and graphene network. It was found that, the greater the Ni content in the composite, the higher the thermal conductivity. For example, at 300 K, λ = 40 W/(mK) for 8 at.% Ni, λ = 50 W/(mK) for 16 at.% Ni, and λ = 60 W/(mK) for 24 at.% Ni. However, it was shown that thermal conductivity slightly depends on the temperature in a range between 100 and 600 K. The increase in the thermal expansion coefficient from 5 × 10−6 K−1, with an increase in the Ni content, to 8 × 10−6 K−1 is explained by the fact that pure Ni has high thermal conductivity. The results obtained on thermal properties combined with the high mechanical properties of Ni/graphene composites allow us to predict its application for the fabrication of new flexible electronics, supercapacitors, and Li-ion batteries.
Optimization of Friction Stir Spot Welding Process Using Bonding Criterion and Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Jo Deok Sang , Kahhal Parviz , Kim Ji Hoon
Published: May 2023

The objectives of this study were to analyze the bonding criteria for friction stir spot welding (FSSW) using a finite element analysis (FEA) and to determine the optimal process parameters using artificial neural networks. Pressure-time and pressure-time-flow criteria are the bonding criteria used to confirm the degree of bonding in solid-state bonding processes such as porthole die extrusion and roll bonding. The FEA of the FSSW process was performed with ABAQUS-3D Explicit, with the results applied to the bonding criteria. Additionally, the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian method used for large deformations was applied to deal with severe mesh distortions. Of the two criteria, the pressure-time-flow criterion was found to be more suitable for the FSSW process. Using artificial neural networks with the bonding criteria results, process parameters were optimized for weld zone hardness and bonding strength. Among the three process parameters used, tool rotational speed was found to have the largest effect on bonding strength and hardness. Experimental results were obtained using the process parameters, and these results were compared to the predicted results and verified. The experimental value for bonding strength was 4.0 kN and the predicted value of 4.147 kN, resulting in an error of 3.675%. For hardness, the experimental value was 62 Hv, the predicted value was 60.018 Hv, and the error was 3.197%.
The Design and User Evaluation of Body-Transfer System via Sliding Transfer Approach for Assisting Functionally Impaired People
Authors: Lin Chyi-Yeu , Masroor Salman , Bahrudin  , Bulut Hasan
Published: May 2023

Assistive devices can significantly improve caregivers’ ability to help disabled people with their daily activities. Existing assistive devices are not fully capable of safe transfer and are still in their early stages of development. In this research, a body-transfer system is designed and developed to ensure that the posture and body angle of the person in the sagittal plane remains unaltered while transferring from bed to wheelchair and vice versa. Two independently controlled conveyor belts (2-DOF) mounted on the indigenously developed bed are employed to transfer the disabled person using a sliding approach. Additionally, a wheelchair with conveyor belts that are fully automated is used to carry and transfer the user to and from the wheelchair. Furthermore, an integrated control architecture has been developed for safely operating the entire body-transfer system (from an indigenously developed bed and wheelchair). Finally, an experimental assessment of the body-transfer system’s performance has been conducted. The experimental findings demonstrate that the system can transfer up to 120 kg of body weight while the user’s posture remains unaltered in the sagittal plane. Users perceive a reduction in wrist and shoulder pain index using the body-transfer system. The system has great potential for relocating disabled persons safely while reducing the load on caregivers.
Comparative Study on Health Monitoring of a Marine Engine Using Multivariate Physics-Based Models and Unsupervised Data-Driven Models
Authors: Fu Chao , Liang Xiaoxia , Li Qian , Lu Kuan , Gu Fengshou , Ball Andrew D. , Zheng Zhaoli
Published: May 2023

The marine engine is a complex-structured multidisciplinary system that operates in a harsh environment involving high temperatures and pressures and gas/fluid/solid interactions. Many malfunctions and faults can occur to the marine engine and efficient condition monitoring is critical to ensure the expected performance. In this paper, a marine engine test rig is established and its process data are recorded, including various temperatures and pressures. Two data-driven models, i.e., principal component analysis and the sparse autoencoder, and a physics-based model are applied to the marine engine for two classic faults, i.e., lubrication oil filter blocking and cylinder leakage. Comparative studies and discussions are conducted regarding their performance in terms of anomaly detection and fault isolation. The data points collected for the filter blocking fault are generally two times higher than the fault thresholds set by the data-driven models. In the physics-based model, it is observed that the lubrication oil pressure falls from the predicted 3.2–3.8 bar to around 2.3 bar. For the cylinder leakage fault, the fault test data are nearly four times higher than the thresholds in the data-driven models. The exhaust gas temperature of the leaked cylinder falls from an estimated 150–200 °C to about 100 °C. The transferability and interpretability of these models are finally discussed. The findings of the present study offer insights into the two types of models and can provide guidance for the effective condition monitoring of marine engines.
Visual Place Recognition in Changing Environments with Sequence Representations on the Distance-Space Domain
Authors: Papapetros Ioannis Tsampikos , Kansizoglou Ioannis , Bampis Loukas , Gasteratos Antonios
Published: May 2023

Navigating in a perpetually changing world can provide the basis for numerous challenging autonomous robotic applications. With a view to long-term autonomy, visual place recognition (vPR) systems should be able to robustly operate under extreme appearance changes in their environment. Typically, the utilized data representations are heavily influenced by those changes, negatively affecting the vPR performance. In this article, we propose a sequence-based technique that decouples such changes from the similarity estimation procedure. This is achieved by remapping the sequential representation data into the distance-space domain, i.e., a domain in which we solely consider the distances between image instances, and subsequently normalize them. In such a way, perturbations related to different environmental conditions and embedded into the original representation vectors are avoided, therefore the scene recognition efficacy is enhanced. We evaluate our framework under multiple different instances, with results indicating a significant performance improvement over other approaches.
(∈´,∈´∨q´kˇ)-Uni-Intuitionistic Fuzzy Soft h-Ideals in Subtraction BG-Algebras
Authors: Balamurugan Manivannan , Alessa Nazek , Loganathan Karuppusamy , Amar Nath Neela
Published: May 2023

The main purpose of the present paper is to introduced the notions of (∈´,∈´∨q´)-UIFSSAs in subtraction BG-algebras. We provide different characterizations and some equivalent conditions of (∈´,∈´∨q´)-UIFSSAs in terms of the level subsets of subtraction BG-algebras. It has been revealed that the (q´,q´)-UIFSSA are (∈´,∈´)-UIFSSA but the converse does not hold and an example is provided. We introduced (∈´,∈´∨q´)-UIFSIDs and its some usual properties. In addition, h−1(N˜[ς]) is (∈´,∈´∨q´)-UIFSID. Moreover, if h−1(N˜[ς]) are an (∈´,∈´∨q´)-UIFSID, then N˜[ς] are an (∈´,∈´∨q´)-UIFSID. Finally, we characterize (∈´,∈´∨q´kˇ)-UIFSHID which is a generalization of (∈´,∈´∨q´)-UIFSHID.
Magnetic Field Dynamical Regimes in a Large-Scale Low-Mode αΩ-Dynamo Model with Hereditary α-Quenching by Field Energy
Authors: Sheremetyeva Olga
Published: May 2023

The article considers a large-scale model of an αΩ-dynamo in the low-mode approximation. The intensity of the α-effect is regulated by a process that depends on the energy of the magnetic field and has hereditarity properties (finite “memory”). The regulation process is included in the MHD-system in the form of an additive correction. The action character of the process is defined by the alternating kernel with variable parameters: the damping frequency and the damping coefficient. The Reynolds number and the α-effect measure are the control parameters of the system. Information about the action of a large-scale generator is contained in the Reynolds number, and that about the action of a turbulent one is contained in the measure of the α-effect. The stability of the solution of the MHD-system is studied depending on the values of the control parameters and the parameters of the alternating kernel. Based on the results of numerical simulation of the dynamical regimes, limitations are determined for the values of the model parameters at which the regimes are reproduced against the background of small oscillations of the viscous liquid velocity field. The results of the study of the stability of solutions and numerical simulations of the dynamical regimes are represented on the phase plane of the control parameters. The paper investigates the question of changing the pattern on the phase plane depending on the values of the damping coefficient, the damping frequency, and the waiting time. A comparison is made with the results obtained earlier, when the α-effect intensity is a constant or is regulated by a process with an exponential kernel and the same values of the damping coefficient.
seq2R: An R Package to Detect Change Points in DNA Sequences
Authors: Villanueva Nora M. , Sestelo Marta , Fonseca Miguel M. , Roca-Pardiñas Javier
Published: May 2023

Identifying the mutational processes that shape the nucleotide composition of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is fundamental to better understand how these genomes evolve. Several methods have been proposed to analyze DNA sequence nucleotide composition and skewness, but most of them lack any measurement of statistical support or were not developed taking into account the specificities of mitochondrial genomes. A new methodology is presented, which is specifically developed for mtDNA to detect compositional changes or asymmetries (AT and CG skews) based on nonparametric regression models and their derivatives. The proposed method also includes the construction of confidence intervals, which are built using bootstrap techniques. This paper introduces an R package, known as seq2R, that implements the proposed methodology. Moreover, an illustration of the use of seq2R is provided using real data, specifically two publicly available complete mtDNAs: the human (Homo sapiens) sequence and a nematode (Radopholus similis) mitogenome sequence.
Bounded Adaptive Function Activated Recurrent Neural Network for Solving the Dynamic QR Factorization
Authors: Yang Wenrui , Gu Yang , Xie Xia , Jiang Chengze , Song Zhiyuan , Zhang Yudong
Published: May 2023

The orthogonal triangular factorization (QRF) method is a widespread tool to calculate eigenvalues and has been used for many practical applications. However, as an emerging topic, only a few works have been devoted to handling dynamic QR factorization (DQRF). Moreover, the traditional methods for dynamic problems suffer from lagging errors and are susceptible to noise, thereby being unable to satisfy the requirements of the real-time solution. In this paper, a bounded adaptive function activated recurrent neural network (BAFARNN) is proposed to solve the DQRF with a faster convergence speed and enhance existing solution methods’ robustness. Theoretical analysis shows that the model can achieve global convergence in different environments. The results of the systematic experiment show that the BAFARNN model outperforms both the original ZNN (OZNN) model and the noise-tolerant zeroing neural network (NTZNN) model in terms of accuracy and convergence speed. This is true for both single constants and time-varying noise disturbances.
The Quantum States of a Graph
Authors: Raza Mohd Arif , Alahmadi Adel N. , Basaffar Widyan , Glynn David G. , Gupta Manish K. , Hirschfeld James W. P. , Khan Abdul Nadim , Shoaib Hatoon , Solé Patrick
Published: May 2023

Quantum codes are crucial building blocks of quantum computers. With a self-dual quantum code is attached, canonically, a unique stabilised quantum state. Improving on a previous publication, we show how to determine the coefficients on the basis of kets in these states. Two important ingredients of the proof are algebraic graph theory and quadratic forms. The Arf invariant, in particular, plays a significant role.
Exponentially Convergent Numerical Method for Abstract Cauchy Problem with Fractional Derivative of Caputo Type
Authors: Sytnyk Dmytro , Wohlmuth Barbara
Published: May 2023

We present an exponentially convergent numerical method to approximate the solution of the Cauchy problem for the inhomogeneous fractional differential equation with an unbounded operator coefficient and Caputo fractional derivative in time. The numerical method is based on the newly obtained solution formula that consolidates the mild solution representations of sub-parabolic, parabolic and sub-hyperbolic equations with sectorial operator coefficient A and non-zero initial data. The involved integral operators are approximated using the sinc-quadrature formulas that are tailored to the spectral parameters of A, fractional order α and the smoothness of the first initial condition, as well as to the properties of the equation’s right-hand side f(t). The resulting method possesses exponential convergence for positive sectorial A, any finite t, including t=0 and the whole range α∈(0,2). It is suitable for a practically important case, when no knowledge of f(t) is available outside the considered interval t∈[0,T]. The algorithm of the method is capable of multi-level parallelism. We provide numerical examples that confirm the theoretical error estimates.
Influence of Friction Coefficient on the Performance of Cold Forming Tools
Authors: Barba Eneko , Salcedo Daniel , Claver Adrian , Luri Rodrigo , Garcia Jose A.
Published: May 2023

The automotive industry has undergone significant advancements and changes over time, resulting in the use of more complex parts in modern vehicles. As a consequence, the parts used in the manufacturing process are subject to higher stress levels, which reduce their service life. To mitigate this issue, surface treatments can be applied to improve the mechanical properties of the tools. In this study, we examined the impact of surface treatments on reducing tool stress during a cold forming process. The process involved reducing the thickness of a sheet from 6 mm to 2.5 mm, which generated high stresses in the tooling. We used finite element stress calculations to analyze the process and found that by reducing the friction coefficient to 0.1, tool stresses can be reduced by 20%, leading to an increase in tool life. Moreover, the press force and tool wear were also reduced by 18%. To validate the theoretical calculations, we performed field tests in a real manufacturing process.
Infectious Eye Diseases and Prevention Control
Authors: Conrady Christopher D.
Published: May 2023

Ocular infections are rare but can be unfortunate, vision-threatening conditions that can affect any part of the eye, from the outer tissues including the episcleral, sclera, and cornea to inside the eye such as the anterior chamber, vitreous, optic nerve, and retina [...]
Association of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein Mutations with Patient Demographic and Clinical Characteristics during the Delta and Omicron Waves
Authors: Alsuwairi Feda A. , Alsaleh Asma N. , Alsanea Madain S. , Al-Qahtani Ahmed A. , Obeid Dalia , Almaghrabi Reem S. , Alahideb Basma M. , AlAbdulkareem Maha A. , Mutabagani Maysoon S. , Althawadi Sahar I. , Altamimi Sara A. , Alshukairi Abeer N. , Alhamlan Fatimah S.
Published: May 2023

SARS-CoV-2 genomic mutations outside the spike protein that may increase transmissibility and disease severity have not been well characterized. This study identified mutations in the nucleocapsid protein and their possible association with patient characteristics. We analyzed 695 samples from patients with confirmed COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia between 1 April 2021, and 30 April 2022. Nucleocapsid protein mutations were identified through whole genome sequencing. 𝜒2 tests and t tests assessed associations between mutations and patient characteristics. Logistic regression estimated the risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission or death. Of the 60 mutations identified, R203K was the most common, followed by G204R, P13L, E31del, R32del, and S33del. These mutations were associated with reduced risk of ICU admission. P13L, E31del, R32del, and S33del were also associated with reduced risk of death. By contrast, D63G, R203M, and D377Y were associated with increased risk of ICU admission. Most mutations were detected in the SR-rich region, which was associated with low risk of death. The C-tail and central linker regions were associated with increased risk of ICU admission, whereas the N-arm region was associated with reduced ICU admission risk. Consequently, mutations in the N protein must be observed, as they may exacerbate viral infection and disease severity. Additional research is needed to validate the mutations’ associations with clinical outcomes.
Characterization of Thymoquinone-Sulfobutylether-β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex for Anticancer Applications
Authors: Eid Eltayeb E. M. , Almaiman Amer A. , Alshehade Salah Abdalrazak , Alsalemi Wardah , Kamran Sareh , Suliman FakhrEldin O. , Alshawsh Mohammed Abdullah
Published: May 2023

Thymoquinone (TQ) is a quinone derived from the black seed Nigella sativa and has been extensively studied in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical research due to its therapeutic potential and pharmacological properties. Although the chemopreventive and potential anticancer effects of TQ have been reported, its limited solubility and poor delivery remain the major limitations. In this study, we aimed to characterize the inclusion complexes of TQ with Sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) at four different temperatures (293–318 K). Additionally, we compared the antiproliferative activity of TQ alone to TQ complexed with SBE-β-CD on six different cancer cell lines, including colon, breast, and liver cancer cells (HCT-116, HT-29, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, SK-BR-3, and HepG2), using an MTT assay. We calculated the thermodynamic parameters (ΔH, ΔS, and ΔG) using the van’t Holf equation. The inclusion complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), and molecular dynamics using the PM6 model. Our findings revealed that the solubility of TQ was improved by ≥60 folds, allowing TQ to penetrate completely into the cavity of SBE-β-CD. The IC50 values of TQ/SBE-β-CD ranged from 0.1 ± 0.01 µg/mL against SK-BR-3 human breast cancer cells to 1.2 ± 0.16 µg/mL against HCT-116 human colorectal cancer cells, depending on the cell line. In comparison, the IC50 values of TQ alone ranged from 0.2 ± 0.01 µg/mL to 4.7 ± 0.21 µg/mL. Overall, our results suggest that SBE-β-CD can enhance the anticancer effect of TQ by increasing its solubility and bioavailability and cellular uptake. However, further studies are necessary to fully understand the underlying mechanisms and potential side effects of using SBE-β-CD as a drug delivery system for TQ.
Recent Advances of Diketopyrrolopyrrole Derivatives in Cancer Therapy and Imaging Applications
Authors: Wang Lingyun , Lai Bihong , Ran Xueguang , Tang Hao , Cao Derong
Published: May 2023

Cancer is threatening the survival of human beings all over the world. Phototherapy (including photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT)) and bioimaging are important tools for imaging–mediated cancer theranostics. Diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) dyes have received more attention due to their high thermal and photochemical stability, efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and thermal effects, easy functionalization, and tunable photophysical properties. In this review, we outline the latest achievements of DPP derivatives in cancer therapy and imaging over the past three years. DPP-based conjugated polymers and small molecules for detection, bioimaging, PTT, photoacoustic imaging (PAI)-guided PTT, and PDT/PTT combination therapy are summarized. Their design principles and chemical structures are highlighted. The outlook, challenges, and future opportunities for the development of DPP derivatives are also presented, which will give a future perspective for cancer treatment.
Nematicidal Coumarins from Cnidium monnieri Fruits and Angelica dahurica Roots and Their Physiological Effect on Pine Wood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus)
Authors: Feng Jiale , Qin Chenglei , Liu Xiaohong , Li Ronggui , Wang Chao , Li Chunhan , Du Guicai , Guo Qunqun
Published: May 2023

Pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is a major pathogen of pine wilt disease (PWD), which is a devastating disease affecting pine trees. Eco-friendly plant-derived nematicides against PWN have been considered as promising alternatives to control PWD. In this study, the ethyl acetate extracts of Cnidium monnieri fruits and Angelica dahurica roots were confirmed to have significant nematicidal activity against PWN. Through bioassay-guided fractionations, eight nematicidal coumarins against PWN were separately isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of C. monnieri fruits and A. dahurica roots, and they were identified to be osthol (Compound 1), xanthotoxin (Compound 2), cindimine (Compound 3), isopimpinellin (Compound 4), marmesin (Compound 5), isoimperatorin (Compound 6), imperatorin (Compound 7), and bergapten (Compound 8) by mass and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral data analysis. Coumarins 1–8 were all determined to have inhibitory effects on the egg hatching, feeding ability, and reproduction of PWN. Moreover, all eight nematicidal coumarins could inhibit the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Ca2+ ATPase of PWN. Cindimine 3 from C. monnieri fruits showed the strongest nematicidal activity against PWN, with an LC50 value of 64 μM at 72 h, and the highest inhibitory effect on PWN vitality. In addition, bioassays on PWN pathogenicity demonstrated that the eight nematicidal coumarins could effectively relieve the wilt symptoms of black pine seedlings infected by PWN. The research identified several potent botanical nematicidal coumarins for use against PWN, which could contribute to the development of greener nematicides for PWD control.
Review: Structure-Activity Relationship of Antimicrobial Peptoids
Authors: Nyembe Priscilla L. , Ntombela Thandokuhle , Makatini Maya M.
Published: May 2023

Due to their broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their synthetic analogs have emerged as prospective therapies for treating illnesses brought on by multi-drug resistant pathogens. To overcome the limitations of AMPs, such as protease degradation, oligo-N-substituted glycines (peptoids) are a promising alternative. Despite having the same backbone atom sequence as natural peptides, peptoid structures are more stable because, unlike AMP, their functional side chains are attached to the backbone nitrogen (N)-atom rather than the alpha carbon atom. As a result, peptoid structures are less susceptible to proteolysis and enzymatic degradation. The advantages of AMPs, such as hydrophobicity, cationic character, and amphipathicity, are mimicked by peptoids. Furthermore, structure-activity relationship studies (SAR) have shown that tuning the structure of peptoids is a crucial step in developing effective antimicrobials.
Ultra-Broadband, Compact Arbitrary Ratio Power Splitters Enabled by Adiabatic Sub-Wavelength Grating
Authors: Liu Xiang , Zhao Yingxuan , Sheng Zhen , Gan Fuwan
Published: May 2023

An ultra-broadband, compact and CMOS-compatible arbitrary ratio power splitter that is based on a directional coupler is proposed on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. The proposed device consists of an adiabatic sub-wavelength grating (ASWG) and a conventional directional coupler. The wavelength dependence is greatly reduced by introducing an ASWG in the coupling region of the directional coupler. Simulation results show that our proposed device has an operating bandwidth of 250 nm for arbitrary power splitting ratios, with a transmission power variation of less than 8.5%, covering the wavelength range from 1400 nm to 1650 nm. Meanwhile, the device footprint has been narrowed to less than 46 μm. In addition, the power splitters also exhibit a low excess loss of below 0.24 dB. Our proposed ASWG-assisted power splitters show excellent potential for application in large-scale photonic integrated circuits.
A Model of Dual Fabry–Perot Etalon-Based External-Cavity Tunable Laser Using Finite-Difference Traveling-Wave Method
Authors: Du Xinhao , Xu Changda , Jin Ya , Zhai Kunpeng , Wang Wenting , Chen Wei , Zhu Ninghua
Published: May 2023

A physical model of an external-cavity tunable laser (ECTL) utilizing the vernier effect of a dual Fabry–Perot (FP) etalon is presented and simulated using the finite-difference traveling wave (FDTW) method. In this paper, we provide a detailed explanation of the physical principle and construction process of the model, as well as the simulation results for the laser. The model is precisely established by studying the time-dependent changes in the carrier concentration and optical field of different wavelengths inside the laser before reaching a steady state. By determining multiple parameters in the tuning region and gain region, the proposed model can calculate and predict various laser parameters, such as output power and side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR). Moreover, the FDTW method displays the change process of various parameters, such as carrier concentration and spectrum, in the convergence of various positions in the laser with femtosecond time resolution. This capability is promising for in-depth research on the inner mechanism of lasers.
Spraying Zinc Sulfate to Reveal the Mechanism through the Glutathione Metabolic Pathway Regulates the Cadmium Tolerance of Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz)
Authors: Cui Liwen , Chen Yu , Liu Jun , Zhang Qiang , Xu Lei , Yang Zhimin
Published: May 2023

Cadmium (Cd) is considered to be one of the most toxic metals, causing serious harm to plants’ growth and humans’ health. Therefore, it is necessary to study simple, practical, and environmentally friendly methods to reduce its toxicity. Until now, people have applied zinc sulfate to improve the Cd tolerance of plants. However, related studies have mainly focused on physiological and biochemical aspects, with a lack of in-depth molecular mechanism research. In this study, we sprayed high (40 mM) and low (2.5 mM) concentrations of zinc sulfate on seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) plants under 0.5 mM Cd stress. Transcriptome sequencing and physiological indicators were used to reveal the mechanism of Cd tolerance. Compared with the control treatment, we found that zinc sulfate decreased the content of Cd2+ by 57.03–73.39%, and that the transfer coefficient of Cd decreased by 58.91–75.25% in different parts of plants. In addition, our results indicate that the antioxidant capacity of plants was improved, with marked increases in the glutathione content and the activity levels of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and other enzymes. Transcriptome sequencing showed that the differentially expressed genes in both the 0.5 Zn and 40 Zn treatments were mainly genes encoding GST. This study suggests that genes encoding GST in the glutathione pathway may play an important role in regulating the Cd tolerance of seashore paspalum. Furthermore, the present study provides a theoretical reference for the regulation mechanism caused by zinc sulfate spraying to improve plants’ Cd tolerance.
Genetic Analyses of Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] Breeding Traits for Selecting Superior Genotype(s) Using Multivariate and Multi-Traits Indexing Approaches
Authors: Azam Mohammad Golam , Hossain Mohammad Amir , Sarker Umakanta , Alam A. K. M. Mahabubul , Nair Ramakrishnan M. , Roychowdhury Rajib , Ercisli Sezai , Golokhvast Kirill S.
Published: May 2023

Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] is an important food, feed, and cash crop in rice-based agricultural ecosystems in Southeast Asia and other continents. It has the potential to enhance livelihoods due to its palatability, nutritional content, and digestibility. We evaluated 166 diverse mungbean genotypes in two seasons using multivariate and multi-traits index approaches to identify superior genotypes. The total Shannon diversity index (SDI) for qualitative traits ranged from moderate for terminal leaflet shape (0.592) to high for seed colour (1.279). The analysis of variances (ANOVA) indicated a highly significant difference across the genotypes for most of the studied traits. Descriptive analyses showed high diversity among genotypes for all morphological traits. Six components with eigen values larger than one contributed 76.50% of the variability in the principal component analysis (PCA). The first three PCs accounted for the maximum 29.90%, 15.70%, and 11.20% of the total variances, respectively. Yield per plant, pod weight, hundred seed weight, pod length, days to maturity, pods per plant, harvest index, biological yield per plant, and pod per cluster contributed more to PC1 and PC2 and showed a positive association and positive direct effect on seed yield. The genotypes were grouped into seven clusters with the maximum in cluster II (34) and the minimum in cluster VII (10) along with a range of intra-cluster and inter-cluster distances of 5.15 (cluster II) to 3.60 (cluster VII) and 9.53 (between clusters II and VI) to 4.88 (clusters I and VII), suggesting extreme divergence and the possibility for use in hybridization and selection. Cluster III showed the highest yield and yield-related traits. Yield per plant positively and significantly correlated with pod traits and hundred seed weight. Depending on the multi-trait stability index (MTSI), clusters I, III, and VII might be utilized as parents in the hybridization program to generate high-yielding, disease-resistant, and small-seeded mungbean. Based on all multivariate-approaches, G45, G5, G22, G55, G143, G144, G87, G138, G110, G133, and G120 may be considered as the best parents for further breeding programs.
The Ancient Olive Trees (Olea europaea L.) of the Maltese Islands: A Rich and Unexplored Patrimony to Enhance Oliviculture
Authors: Passeri Valentina , Sammut Clayton , Mifsud David , Domesi Andrea , Stanzione Vitale , Baldoni Luciana , Mousavi Soraya , Mariotti Roberto , Pandolfi Saverio , Cinosi Nicola , Famiani Franco , Bufacchi Marina
Published: May 2023

A prospecting campaign in the Maltese Islands has ensured the survival of several ancient olive trees (Olea europaea L.), genetically distant from known cultivars. Most of these plants were abandoned or partially cultivated. A two-year evaluation of fruit characteristics and compositions was performed on samples collected from the main representatives of these indigenous genotypes. Analyses were carried out using Gas Chromatography, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Near Infrared Spectrometry. Among the fruit samples, a wide range of variations was observed. Some of the genotypes showed fruit traits suitable for table olive production. This is the case of samples with a pulp/pit ratio higher than four, such as 1Wardija, 1Caritas, 1Plattini, 1Bingemma Malta and 3Loretu, whilst 1Bidni, 1Mellieha, 2Qnotta, 3Loretu, 1Bingemma Malta and 1Caritas were suitable for dual purpose. The total phenol content ranged from 6.3 (1Wardija) to 117.9 (2Mtarfa) g/kg of fresh pulp. The average percentage of MUFA was quite low for most of the varieties. These genotypes, which presumably originated in the Maltese Islands and are well adapted to the local pedo-climatic conditions, are being propagated for the following evaluation of their bio-agronomical performance (production, suitability to intensive cultivation, environmental sustainability, product quality, etc.). The purpose is to select, among these local genotypes, the most outstanding varieties, in terms of phenolic and FA profile and agronomical potential, to spread into cultivation, thereby contributing to an increase in the quality of the local table and olive oil production, strongly linked to the territory.
Assessing the Spontaneous Spread of Climate-Adapted Woody Plants in an Extensively Maintained Collection Garden
Authors: Szabó Krisztina , Gergely Attila , Tóth Barnabás , Szilágyi Kinga
Published: May 2023

Climate change may strongly modify the habitat conditions for many woody plant species. Some species could disappear from their natural habitats and become endangered, while others could adapt well to the changed environmental conditions and continue to survive successfully or even proliferate more easily. A similar process can occur within the artificial urban environment as the hitherto popularly planted urban trees may suffer from the extremities of the urban climate. However, among the planted taxa, there are species that spread spontaneously and appear as weeds in extensively managed gardens. In our study, we evaluated the native and non-native species involved in spontaneous spreading in the institutional garden of Buda Arboretum (Budapest) during the COVID-19 period in 2020–2021 when entry was prohibited, and maintenance went on in a restricted, minimal level. We investigated the correlation between spontaneously settling and planted individuals, and then performed multivariate analyses for native and non-native spreading plants for spatial and quantitative data. During our studies, we observed the spontaneous spreading of 114 woody species, of which 38 are native and 76 are non-native. Taking the total number of individuals into account, we found that, in addition to the 2653 woody species planted, a further 7087 spontaneously emerged weeds developed, which creates an additional task in the maintenance.
Elasticity of a Grafted Rod-like Filament with Fluctuating Bending Stiffness
Authors: Razbin Mohammadhosein , Benetatos Panayotis
Published: May 2023

Quite often polymers exhibit different elastic behavior depending on the statistical ensemble (Gibbs vs. Helmholtz). This is an effect of strong fluctuations. In particular, two-state polymers, which locally or globally fluctuate between two classes of microstates, can exhibit strong ensemble inequivalence with negative elastic moduli (extensibility or compressibility) in the Helmholtz ensemble. Two-state polymers consisting of flexible beads and springs have been studied extensively. Recently, similar behavior was predicted in a strongly stretched wormlike chain consisting of a sequence of reversible blocks, fluctuating between two values of the bending stiffness (the so called reversible wormlike chain, rWLC). In this article, we theoretically analyse the elasticity of a grafted rod-like semiflexible filament which fluctuates between two states of bending stiffness. We consider the response to a point force at the fluctuating tip in both the Gibbs and the Helmholtz ensemble. We also calculate the entropic force exerted by the filament on a confining wall. This is done in the Helmholtz ensemble and, under certain conditions, it yields negative compressibility. We consider a two-state homopolymer and a two-block copolymer with two-state blocks. Possible physical realizations of such a system would be grafted DNA or carbon nanorods undergoing hybridization, or grafted F-actin bundles undergoing collective reversible unbinding.
A Flexible Sensor with Excellent Environmental Stability Using Well-Designed Encapsulation Structure
Authors: Zou Jian , Chen Zhuo , Wang Sheng-Ji , Liu Zi-Hao , Liu Yue-Jun , Feng Pei-Yong , Jing Xin
Published: May 2023

The hydrogel-based sensors suffer from poor stability and low sensitivity, severely limiting their further development. It is still “a black box” to understand the effect of the encapsulation as well as the electrode on the performance of the hydrogel-based sensors. To address these problems, we prepared an adhesive hydrogel that could robustly adhere to Ecoflex (adhesive strength is 4.7 kPa) as an encapsulation layer and proposed a rational encapsulation model that fully encapsulated the hydrogel within Ecoflex. Owing to the excellent barrier and resilience of Ecoflex, the encapsulated hydrogel-based sensor can still work normally after 30 days, displaying excellent long-term stability. In addition, we performed theoretical and simulation analyses on the contact state between the hydrogel and the electrode. It was surprising to find that the contact state significantly affects the sensitivity of the hydrogel sensors (the maximum difference in sensitivity was 333.6%), indicating that the reasonable design of the encapsulation and electrode are indispensable parts for fabricating successful hydrogel sensors. Therefore, we paved the way for a novel insight to optimize the properties of the hydrogel sensors, which is greatly favorable to developing hydrogel-based sensors to be applied in various fields.
Abatement of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) Using Ionic Liquids: A Review of Experimental Methods and Modelling Approaches
Authors: Rahimpour Hamid Reza , Zanganeh Jafar , Moghtaderi Behdad
Published: May 2023

Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) refers to the release of fugitive methane (CH4) emissions into the atmosphere during underground coal mining operations. Growing concerns regarding the greenhouse effects of CH4 have led to a worldwide effort in developing efficient and cost-effective methods of capturing CH4. Among these, absorption-based processes, particularly those using Ionic Liquids (ILs) are appealing due to their advantages over conventional methods. In this study, the solubility of CH4 in various ILs, expressed by Henry’s law constant, is first reviewed by examining a wide range of experimental techniques. This is followed by a review of thermodynamic modelling tools such as the extended Henry’s law model, extended Pitzer’s model, Peng–Robinson (PR) equation of state, and Krichevsky−Kasarnovsky (KK) equation of state as well as computational (Artificial Neural Network) modelling approaches. The comprehensive analysis presented in this paper aims to provide a deeper understanding of the factors that significantly influence the process of interest. Furthermore, the study provides a critical examination of recent advancements and innovations in CH4 capture by ILs. ILs, in general, have a higher selectivity for methane compared to conventional solvents. This means that ILs can remove methane more effectively from VAM, resulting in a higher purity of the recovered methane. Overall, ILs offer several advantages over conventional solvents for the after treatment of VAM. They are more selective, less volatile, have a wider temperature range, are chemically stable, and can be made from renewable materials. As a result of their many advantages, ILs are becoming increasingly popular for the after treatment of VAM. They offer a more sustainable, efficient, and safe alternative to conventional solvents, and they are likely to continue gaining market share in the coming years.
Equation of State Associated with Activity Coefficient Model Based on Elements and Chemical Bonds
Authors: Li Xinyu , Niu Baowei , Ma Wenjiao , Zhao Wenying , Sun Xiaoyan , Xia Li , Xiang Shuguang
Published: May 2023

A new element- and chemical bond-dependent GE-EoS model(SRK-UNICAC) is proposed to consider the deviation of the vapor and liquid phases from the ideal state. The SRK-UNICAC model combines the UNICAC model and the SRK cubic equation of state. It uses the original interaction parameters of the UNICAC model and uses this model to calculate the GE. The SRK-UNICAC model predicted vapor-liquid equilibria for 87 binary systems under low- and medium-pressure conditions, 12 binary systems under high-pressure conditions, and 14 ternary systems; a comparison of the predictions with five other activity coefficient models were also made. The new model predicted the vapor-phase fraction and bubble-point pressure, and temperature for the binary system at high pressure, with a mean relative error of 3.75% and 6.58%, respectively. The mean relative errors of vapor-phase fraction and bubble-point temperature or bubble-point pressure for ternary vapor–liquid phase equilibrium were 6.50%, 4.76%, and 2.25%. The SRK-UNICAC model is more accurate in predicting the vapor–liquid phase equilibrium of high-pressure, non-polar, and polar mixtures and has a simpler and wider range of prediction processes. It can therefore be applied to the prediction of vapor–liquid equilibrium.
Study on the Optimization of the Material Distribution Path in an Electronic Assembly Manufacturing Company Workshop Based on a Genetic Algorithm Considering Carbon Emissions
Authors: Zhu Xiaoyong , Jiang Lili , Xiao Yongmao
Published: May 2023

In order to solve the problems of high carbon emissions, low distribution efficiency and high costs related to the process of material distribution in manufacturing workshops, a multi-objective workshop material distribution path optimization problem model is established, and the model is solved using an improved genetic algorithm. The problem is processed using Gray code and crossover and variation operations with a genetic algorithm. To improve the search accuracy and convergence speed of the algorithm, an adaptive mutation method is proposed to enhance the diversity of the population and to achieve global optimal path objective finding. The improved algorithm is applied to workshop path multi-station logistics path planning, which effectively solves the transport path optimization and station solving problems in workshop logistics distribution, and the convergence speed and convergence accuracy of the algorithm are significantly improved. Finally, a simulation analysis is carried out on the optimization of the production material distribution of a smart gas meter workshop owned by K Company, which is an electronic assembly manufacturing company. We used MATLAB software for the case company logistics distribution route model for data analysis and solving. Due to the consideration of carbon emissions, we did not consider two kinds of experiments, which were two different cases of the optimal path. The experimental results verify that the distribution optimization scheduling model can meet the demands for immediate material distribution in the production workshop, which is conducive to improving material distribution efficiency, reducing logistics costs and achieving the goal of lowering carbon emissions. This optimization model has a certain utility in that in the current context of aiming for carbon neutral and carbon peaking, early low carbon distribution layout can reduce the environmental cost of the enterprise, making material distribution a more environmental economic path.