bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adding Matrix Control: Insertion-Deletion Systems with Substitutions III
Authors: Vu Martin , Fernau Henning
Published: April 2021

Insertion-deletion systems have been introduced as a formalism to model operations that find their counterparts in ideas of bio-computing, more specifically, when using DNA or RNA strings and biological mechanisms that work on these strings. So-called matrix control has been introduced to insertion-deletion systems in order to enable writing short program fragments. We discuss substitutions as a further type of operation, added to matrix insertion-deletion systems. For such systems, we additionally discuss the effect of appearance checking. This way, we obtain new characterizations of the family of context-sensitive and the family of recursively enumerable languages. Not much context is needed for systems with appearance checking to reach computational completeness. This also suggests that bio-computers may run rather traditionally written programs, as our simulations also show how Turing machines, like any other computational device, can be simulated by certain matrix insertion-deletion-substitution systems.
Climate Change Impacts on Cacao: Genotypic Variation in Responses of Mature Cacao to Elevated CO2 and Water Deficit
Authors: Lahive Fiona , Handley Liam R. , Hadley Paul , Daymond Andrew J.
Published: April 2021

Climate change poses a significant threat to agricultural production in the tropics, yet relatively little research has been carried out to understand its impact on mature tropical tree crops. This research aims to understand the genotypic variation in growth and photosynthesis in mature cacao trees in response to elevated CO2 and water deficit. Six genotypes were grown under greenhouse conditions at ambient (ca. 437 ppm) and elevated CO2 (ca. 724 ppm) and under well-watered and water deficit conditions for 23 months. Leaf- and canopy-level photosynthesis, water-use efficiency, and vegetative growth increased significantly in response to elevated CO2. Water deficit had a significant negative effect on many photosynthetic parameters and significantly reduced biomass production. The negative effect of water deficit on quantum efficiency was alleviated by elevated CO2. Genotypic variation was observed in several parameters including stomatal conductance, stomatal density and index, quantum efficiency, and biomass production, indicating the potential to develop more climate-change-resilient genotypes that can cope with predicted future climate change conditions. Elevated CO2 reduced some of the negative effects of water deficit through changes in water-use efficiency and light utilisation and reduced the negative impact of water deficit on biomass accumulation, but this was genotype-specific.
Barriers and Opportunities for the Implementation of Sustainable Farming Practices in Mediterranean Tree Orchards
Authors: Calatrava Javier , Martínez-Granados David , Zornoza Raúl , González-Rosado Manuel , Lozano-García Beatriz , Vega-Zamora Manuela , Gómez-López María Dolores
Published: April 2021

This study identifies, through consultation with relevant stakeholders, low-input farming practices that can help to minimize the most pressing agronomic and environmental problems in some of the most relevant Mediterranean woody crops in Spain (almond, citrus, and olive) and enhance their sustainability. The results illustrate stakeholders’ perception regarding how each cropping system could be oriented towards a more sustainable production. Despite each case study’s particularities, there is consensus in the need for a shift towards the use of organic fertilizers, the maintenance of vegetation in the edges of plots and the use of integrated pest control strategies. On the contrary, stakeholders have selected different tillage and soil cover practices that are consistent with the characteristics and problems of each cropping system. This study also identifies relevant strengths and drawbacks for the implementation of low-input agricultural practices in each crop and study area. While stakeholders find the identified low-impact farming practices as easy and not costly, suggesting a significant potential for their successful implementation, the results also point out at the reduced knowledge of the practical benefits of some farming practices and the need for improved technical advice to foster the adoption of others.
Short- and Long-Term Effects of Lime and Gypsum Applications on Acid Soils in a Water-Limited Environment: 3. Soil Solution Chemistry
Authors: Anderson Geoffrey C. , Pathan Shahab , Hall David J. M. , Sharma Rajesh , Easton James
Published: April 2021

Aluminum (Al) toxicity imposes a significant limitation to crop production in South Western Australia. This paper examines the impact of surface-applied lime and gypsum on soil solution chemistry in the short term (1 year) and the long-term (10 years) in water limited environments. In the experiments, we measured soil solution chemistry using a paste extract on soil profile samples collected to a depth of 50 cm. We then used the chemical equilibrium model MINTEQ to predict the presence and relative concentrations of Al species that are toxic to root growth (Al associated with Al3+ and AlOH2 or Toxic-Al) and less non-toxic forms of Al bound with sulfate, other hydroxide species and organic matter. A feature of the soils used in the experiment is that they have a low capacity to adsorb sulfate. In the short term, despite the low amount of rainfall (279 mm), sulfate derived from the surface gypsum application is rapidly leached into the soil profile. There was no self-liming effect, as evidenced by there being no change in soil solution pH. The application of gypsum, in the short term, increased soil solution ionic strength by 524–681% in the 0–10 cm soil layer declining to 75–109% in the 30–40 cm soil layer due to an increase in soil solution sulfate and calcium concentrations. Calcium from the gypsum application displaces Al from the exchange sites to increase soil solution Al activity in the gypsum treatments by 155–233% in the short term and by 70–196% in the long term to a depth of 40 cm. However, there was no effect on Toxic-Al due to Al sulfate precipitation. In the long term, sulfate leaching from the soil profile results in a decline in soil solution ionic strength. Application of lime results in leaching of alkalinity into the soil profile leading to a decreased Toxic-Al to a depth of 30 cm in the long term, but it did not affect Toxic-Al in the short term. Combining an application of lime with gypsum had the same impact on soil solution properties as gypsum alone in the short term and as lime alone in the long term.
Latent Dirichlet Allocation and t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding Enhance Scientific Reading Comprehension of Articles Related to Enterprise Architecture
Authors: Horn Nils , Gampfer Fabian , Buchkremer Rüdiger
Published: April 2021

As the amount of scientific information increases steadily, it is crucial to improve fast-reading comprehension. To grasp many scientific articles in a short period, artificial intelligence becomes essential. This paper aims to apply artificial intelligence methodologies to examine broad topics such as enterprise architecture in scientific articles. Analyzing abstracts with latent dirichlet allocation or inverse document frequency appears to be more beneficial than exploring full texts. Furthermore, we demonstrate that t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding is well suited to explore the degree of connectivity to neighboring topics, such as complexity theory. Artificial intelligence produces results that are similar to those obtained by manual reading. Our full-text study confirms enterprise architecture trends such as sustainability and modeling languages.
Interactions among Natural Active Ingredients to Improve the Efficiency of Rumen Fermentation In Vitro
Authors: Temmar Rokia , Rodríguez-Prado María , Forgeard Gwenael , Rougier Cécile , Calsamiglia Sergio
Published: April 2021

Twelve essential oils (EO): Anise star, cassia, geraniol, lemongrass (LEM), limonene, thyme, tea tree, coriander (COR), capsicum, black pepper, turmeric and ginger (GIN), in Experiment 1 at three doses; and different combinations of LEM, COR and GIN oils in Experiment 2, were evaluated in in vitro batch microbial fermentation using ruminal fluid from four dairy cows fed a 50:50 forage: concentrate diet. In experiment 1, LEM tended to increase the propionate proportion and tended to decrease the acetate to propionate ratio. Anise star, COR, and thyme tended to increase butyrate proportion. Capsicum, COR, and thyme decreased ammonia-N concentration. In experiment 2, a synergy was observed between LEM and COR that resulted in an increase in total volatile fatty acids and propionate proportion, and a decrease in the acetate to propionate ratio. However, the addition of high doses of GIN to the mix had an antagonistic effect on the rumen fermentation profile of the LEM + COR mix. Careful selection and combination of these EO may result in useful mixtures with synergistic interactions to modulate rumen microbial fermentation profile.
Genetic Estimates for Growth and Shape-Related Traits in the Flatfish Senegalese Sole
Authors: Guerrero-Cozar Israel , Jimenez-Fernandez Eduardo , Berbel Concha , Espinosa Elena , Claros Manuel Gonzalo , Zerolo Ricardo , Manchado Manuel
Published: April 2021

Shape quality is very important in flatfish aquaculture due to the impact on commercialization. The Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) is a valuable flatfish with a highly elliptic body that slightly changes with age and size, and it is prone to accumulating malformations during the production cycle. The present study aims to investigate the genetic parameters of two growth traits (weight and standard length) and six shape quality predictors (ellipticity, three body heights (body height at the pectoral fin base [BHP], body maximum height [BMH] and caudal peduncle height [CPH]) and two ratios (BMH/BHP and BMH/CPH)). These traits were measured before the on-growing stage (age ~400 days (d)) and at harvest (~800 d). Phenotypic data, heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations between the traits are presented and discussed. High or very high heritabilities (0.433–0.774) were found for growth traits, body heights and ellipticity and they were higher at 400 than 800 d. In contrast, the ratios of BMH/BHP and BMH/CPH were less heritable (0.144–0.306). Positive and very high (>0.95) correlations between growth traits and the three heights were found and decreased with age. In contrast, ellipticity had negative and medium-high genetic correlations with growth traits and heights, indicating fish selected for bigger size would also become rounder. The ratio of BMH/CPH showed low genetic correlations with all traits and provided complementary information to ellipticity for a better fitting to the expected lanceolate body morphology of sole. The genetic correlations for all traits at both ages were very high, indicating that selection before entering the growth-out stage in recirculation aquaculture systems is recommended to accelerate genetic gains.
RNA-Seq Reveals Function of Bta-miR-149-5p in the Regulation of Bovine Adipocyte Differentiation
Authors: Guo Hongfang , Khan Rajwali , Abbas Raza Sayed Haidar , Suhail Syed Muhammad , Khan Hamayun , Khan Sher Bahadar , Abd El-Aziz Ayman Hassan , Zan Linsen
Published: April 2021

Intramuscular fat is a real challenge for the experts of animal science to improve meat quality traits. Research on the mechanism of adipogenesis provides invaluable information for the improvement of meat quality traits. This study investigated the effect of bta-miR-149-5p and its underlying mechanism on lipid metabolism in bovine adipocytes. Bovine adipocytes were differentiated and transfected with bta-miR-149-5p mimics or its negative control (NC). A total of 115 DEGs including 72 upregulated and 43 downregulated genes were identified in bovine adipocytes. The unigenes and GO term biological processes were the most annotated unigene contributor parts at 80.08%, followed by cellular component at 13.4% and molecular function at 6.7%. The KEGG pathways regulated by the DEGs were PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, MAPK signaling pathway, lipid metabolism/metabolic pathway, PPAR signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, cholesterol metabolism, Wnt signaling pathway, and FoxO signaling pathway. In addition to this, the most important reactome enrichment pathways were R−BTA−373813 receptor CXCR2 binding ligands CXCL1 to 7, R−BTA−373791 receptor CXCR1 binding CXCL6 and CXCL8 ligands, R−BTA−210991 basigin interactions, R−BTA−380108 chemokine receptors binding chemokines, R−BTA−445704 calcium binding caldesmon, and R−BTA−5669034 TNFs binding their physiological receptors. Furthermore, the expression trend of the DEGs in these pathways were also exploited. Moreover, the bta-miR-149-5p significantly (p < 0.01) downregulated the mRNA levels of adipogenic marker genes such as CCND2, KLF6, ACSL1, Cdk2, SCD, SIK2, and ZEB1 in bovine adipocytes. In conclusion, our results suggest that bta-miR-149-5p regulates lipid metabolism in bovine adipocytes. The results of this study provide a basis for studying the function and molecular mechanism of the bta-miR-149-5p in regulating bovine adipogenesis.
Histological and Immunohistochemical Characterization of Vomeronasal Organ Aging in Mice
Authors: Mechin Violaine , Pageat Patrick , Teruel Eva , Asproni Pietro
Published: April 2021

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) plays a crucial role in animal behavior since it is responsible for semiochemical detection and, thus, for intra- and interspecific chemical communication, through the vomeronasal sensory epithelium (VNSE), composed of bipolar sensory neurons. This study aimed to explore a well-recognized cause of neuronal degeneration, only rarely explored in this organ: aging. Murine VNOs were evaluated according to 3 age groups (3, 10, and 24 months) by histology to assess VNSE changes such as cellular degeneration or glycogen accumulation and by immunohistochemistry to explore nervous configuration, proliferation capability, and apoptosis with the expression of olfactory marker protein (OMP), Gαi2, Gαo, Ki-67, and cleaved caspase-3 proteins. These markers were quantified as percentages of positive signal in the VNSE and statistical analyses were performed. Cellular degeneration increased with age (p < 0.0001) as well as glycogen accumulation (p < 0.0001), Gαo expression (p < 0.0001), and the number of cleaved-caspase3 positive cells (p = 0.0425), while OMP and Gαi2 expressions decreased with age (p = 0.0436 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Ki67-positive cells were reduced, even if this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.9105). Due to the crucial role of VNO in animal life, this study opens the door to interesting perspectives about chemical communication efficiency in aging animals.
Environmental Impact of Rotationally Grazed Pastures at Different Management Intensities in South Africa
Authors: Smit Hendrik P. J. , Reinsch Thorsten , Swanepoel Pieter A. , Loges Ralf , Kluß Christof , Taube Friedhelm
Published: April 2021

Nitrogen fertilization, irrigation and concentrate feeding are important factors in rotational pasture management for dairy farms in South Africa. The extent to which these factors affect environmental efficiency is subject to current and intense debate among scientists. A three-year field study was conducted to investigate the yield response of different N-fertilizer treatments (0 (N0), 220 (N20), 440 (N40), 660 (N60) and 880 (N80) kg N ha−1 year−1) on grazed pastures and to calculate the carbon footprint (CF) of milk produced. Excessive N-fertilization (N60 and N80) did not increase herbage dry matter and energy yields from pastures. However, N80 indicated the highest N-yield but at the same time also the highest N surpluses at field level. A maximum fertilizer rate of 220 kg ha−1 year−1 (in addition to excreted N from grazing animals) appears sufficient to ensure adequate herbage yields (~20 t DM ha−1 year−1) with a slightly positive field-N-balance. This amount will prevent the depletion of soil C and N, with low N losses to the environment, where adequate milk yields of ~17 t ECM ha−1 with a low CF (~1.3 kg CO2 kg ECM−1) are reached. Methane from enteric fermentation (~49% ± 3.3) and N2O (~16% ± 3.2) emissions from irrigated pastures were the main contributors to the CF. A further CF reduction can be achieved by improved N-fertilization planning, low emission irrigation techniques and strategies to limit N2O emissions from pasture soils in South Africa.
Actinomycetes: A Never-Ending Source of Bioactive Compounds—An Overview on Antibiotics Production
Authors: De Simeis Davide , Serra Stefano
Published: April 2021

The discovery of penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928 provided us with access to a new class of compounds useful at fighting bacterial infections: antibiotics. Ever since, a number of studies were carried out to find new molecules with the same activity. Microorganisms belonging to Actinobacteria phylum, the Actinomycetes, were the most important sources of antibiotics. Bioactive compounds isolated from this order were also an important inspiration reservoir for pharmaceutical chemists who realized the synthesis of new molecules with antibiotic activity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), antibiotic resistance is currently one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development. The world urgently needs to adopt measures to reduce this risk by finding new antibiotics and changing the way they are used. In this review, we describe the primary role of Actinomycetes in the history of antibiotics. Antibiotics produced by these microorganisms, their bioactivities, and how their chemical structures have inspired generations of scientists working in the synthesis of new drugs are described thoroughly.
Antioxidant Activity of Frozen and Freeze-Dried Drone Brood Homogenate Regarding the Stage of Larval Development
Authors: Sidor Ewelina , Miłek Michał , Tomczyk Monika , Dżugan Małgorzata
Published: April 2021

Drone brood is a little-known and poorly studied bee product used and valued in the treatment of many diseases, including male infertility and women’s menopausal disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of drone brood depending on the stage of larval development and the method of preservation. Aqueous and ethanolic homogenate extracts of drone brood were assayed for antioxidant activity (with the DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS methods), polyphenol, and flavonoid content. The extracts’ polyphenolic profiles were compared by the HPTLC method. Drone brood has been shown to be more active in the earlier stages of development (between days 7–11), with a decline in antioxidant activity in the later period (by the 14th day). The freeze-drying process did not cause significant changes in the antioxidant activity of brood preparations converted to dry mass. Based on the higher activity of the aqueous compared to 70% ethanolic extracts, it was shown that the dominant fraction of brood consisted of hydrophilic antioxidants. The results obtained with different methods were highly correlated, excluding those from the ABTS assay. The HPTLC method showed that the polyphenol fraction of drone brood homogenate consisted mainly of phenolic acids and flavonoids. It was shown that drone brood has valuable antioxidant properties that can be compared with royal jelly.
Potential Risk of Consuming Vegetables Planted in Soil with Copper and Cadmium and the Influence on Vegetable Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Huang Wen-Lii , Chang Wei-Hsiang , Cheng Shu-Fen , Li Huai-Yuan , Chen Hsiu-Ling
Published: April 2021

Once in soil and water, metals can enter the food chain, and the consumption of contaminated crops can pose a serious risk to human health. This study used pot experiments to evaluate the accumulation of metal elements and their influence on levels of antioxidants in vegetables. The current study clearly demonstrates that metals accumulated in the five vegetables that were planted in the contaminated soils, especially so for water spinach. Cd accumulation of all of the vegetables planted in the contaminated soils was greater Cu. The low accumulation rate that was seen in sweet potato leaf, potato, and tomato indicated their suitability for planting in suspected contaminated soil, such as at farms nearby metal industries, in replacement of high accumulators, such as leafy vegetables. The non-carcinogenic HI of Cd exposure from water spinach and sweet potato were >1, whereas those for Cu were <1. This study suggests that residents may experience health risks due to vegetable consumption, and that children are vulnerable to the adverse effects of heavy metal ingestion.
Design and Control of a Open-Source, Low Cost, 3D Printed Dynamic Quadruped Robot
Authors: Kim Joonyoung , Kang Taewoong , Song Dongwoon , Yi Seung-Joon
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we present a new open source dynamic quadruped robot, PADWQ (pronounced pa-dook), which features 12 torque controlled quasi direct drive joints with high control bandwidth, as well as onboard depth sensor and GPU-equipped computer that allows for a highly dynamic locomotion over uncertain terrains. In contrast to other dynamic quadruped robots based on custom actuator and machined metal structural parts, the PADWQ is entirely built from off the shelf components and standard 3D printed plastic structural parts, which allows for a rapid distribution and duplication without the need for advanced machining process. To make sure that the plastic structural parts can withstand the stress of dynamic locomotion, we performed finite element analysis (FEA) on leg structural parts as well as a continuous walking test using the physical robot, both of which the robot has passed successfully. We hope this work to help a wide range of researchers and engineers that need an affordable, highly capable and easily customizable quadruped robot.
Diagnosis of Broken Rotor Bars during the Startup of Inverter-Fed Induction Motors Using the Dragon Transform and Functional ANOVA
Authors: Fernandez-Cavero Vanesa , García-Escudero Luis A. , Pons-Llinares Joan , Fernández-Temprano Miguel A. , Duque-Perez Oscar , Morinigo-Sotelo Daniel
Published: April 2021

A proper diagnosis of the state of an induction motor is of great interest to industry given the great importance of the extended use of this motor. Presently, the use of this motor driven by a frequency converter is very widespread. However, operation by means of an inverter introduces certain difficulties for a correct diagnosis, which results in a signal with higher harmonic content and noise level, which makes it difficult to perform a correct diagnosis. To solve these problems, this article proposes the use of a time-frequency technique known as Dragon Transform together with the functional ANOVA statistical technique to carry out a proper diagnosis of the state of the motor by working directly with the curves obtained from the application of the transform. A case study is presented showing the good results obtained by applying the methodology in which the state of the rotor bars of an inverter-fed motor is diagnosed considering three failure states and operating at different load levels.
Analysis of Solutions Improving Safety of Cyclists in the Road Traffic
Authors: Skoczyński Przemysław
Published: April 2021

Cycling safety management is particularly important due to the increasing use of this mode of transport and increasing car traffic flows. Cyclists—travelling on roadways or sharing the space with pedestrians—are exposed to considerable risks for their safety, as well as for the safety of other road users. Comprehensive and effective management of bicycle traffic safety is therefore essential for the protection of this group of road users. The article presents procedures, the implementation of which is aimed at increasing the safety of cyclists and effective implementation of measures to achieve that. The analyses aimed at the selection of appropriate measures and solutions to improve safety of cyclists in the road traffic have been presented. The procedures include: Selection of devices and measures, risk assessment and estimation of the potential to reduce the risk of collisions/accidents involving cyclists, selection of investment measures and devices reducing the risk of cyclists and other road users, implementation methods and monitoring of selected measures reducing the risk of collisions/accidents involving cyclists. The proposals contained in the article fill in the gap existing in this area of knowledge. The analyses conducted and the presented results show that the construction of infrastructure for cyclists is not the only way to improve the safety of this group of road users. Due to the high costs and deficit of the road surface in the road-street cross-section—other forms of measures in this area should also be analyzed.
Rock Emissivity Measurement for Infrared Thermography Engineering Geological Applications
Authors: Mineo Simone , Pappalardo Giovanna
Published: April 2021

Infrared thermography is a growing technology in the engineering geological field both for the remote survey of rock masses and as a laboratory tool for the non-destructive characterization of intact rock. In this latter case, its utility can be found either from a qualitative point of view, highlighting thermal contrasts on the rock surface, or from a quantitative point of view, involving the study of the surface temperature variations. Since the surface temperature of an object is proportional to its emissivity, the knowledge of this last value is crucial for the correct calibration of the instrument and for the achievement of reliable thermal outcomes. Although rock emissivity can be measured according to specific procedures, there is not always the time or possibility to carry out such measurements. Therefore, referring to reliable literature values is useful. In this frame, this paper aims at providing reference emissivity values belonging to 15 rock types among sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic categories, which underwent laboratory emissivity estimation by employing a high-sensitivity thermal camera. The results show that rocks can be defined as “emitters”, with emissivity generally ranging from 0.89 to 0.99. Such variability arises from both their intrinsic properties, such as the presence of pores and the different thermal behavior of minerals, and the surface conditions, such as polishing treatments for ornamental stones. The resulting emissivity values are reported and commented on herein for each different studied lithology, thus providing not only a reference dataset for practical use, but also laying the foundation for further scientific studies, also aimed at widening the rock aspects to investigate through IRT.
Fault Diagnosis via Neural Ordinary Differential Equations
Authors: Enciso-Salas Luis , Pérez-Zuñiga Gustavo , Sotomayor-Moriano Javier
Published: April 2021

Implementation of model-based fault diagnosis systems can be a difficult task due to the complex dynamics of most systems, an appealing alternative to avoiding modeling is to use machine learning-based techniques for which the implementation is more affordable nowadays. However, the latter approach often requires extensive data processing. In this paper, a hybrid approach using recent developments in neural ordinary differential equations is proposed. This approach enables us to combine a natural deep learning technique with an estimated model of the system, making the training simpler and more efficient. For evaluation of this methodology, a nonlinear benchmark system is used by simulation of faults in actuators, sensors, and process. Simulation results show that the proposed methodology requires less processing for the training in comparison with conventional machine learning approaches since the data-set is directly taken from the measurements and inputs. Furthermore, since the model used in the essay is only a structural approximation of the plant; no advanced modeling is required. This approach can also alleviate some pitfalls of training data-series, such as complicated data augmentation methodologies and the necessity for big amounts of data.
Review of Wind Tunnel Modelling of Flow and Pollutant Dispersion within and from Naturally Ventilated Livestock Buildings
Authors: Nosek Štěpán , Jaňour Zbyněk , Janke David , Yi Qianying , Aarnink André , Calvet Salvador , Hassouna Mélynda , Jakubcová Michala , Demeyer Peter , Zhang Guoqiang
Published: April 2021

Ammonia emissions from naturally ventilated livestock buildings (NVLBs) pose a serious environmental problem. However, the mechanisms that control these emissions are still not fully understood. One promising method for understanding these mechanisms is physical modelling in wind tunnels. This paper reviews studies that have used this method to investigate flow or pollutant dispersion within or from NVLBs. The review indicates the importance of wind tunnels for understanding the flow and pollutant dispersion processes within and from NVLBs. However, most studies have investigated the flow, while only few studies have focused on pollutant dispersion. Furthermore, only few studies have simulated all the essential parameters of the approaching boundary layer. Therefore, this paper discusses these shortcomings and provides tips and recommendations for further research in this respect.
Development and Validation of a UHPLC-qTOF MS Method for the Determination of Sorbitol-Based Nuclear Clarifying Agents in Food Simulants after Migration from Food Contact Materials
Authors: Tsochatzis Emmanouil D. , Theodoridis Georgios , Gika Helen G.
Published: April 2021

Nuclear clarifying agents (NCAs) are a class of substances frequently used as additives in the production of polymers to improve their physical properties. Some are EU regulated under Commission Regulation (EU) no. 10/2011 can be used as additives in the production of food contact plastics. However, limited analytical methods for their analysis are currently available, in part due to poor solubility in most common organic solvents and lack of analytical standards of known purity. In this work, a simple and sensitive method was developed to analyze 4 EU-regulated sorbitol-based nucleating agents in food simulants, following solubility studies to establish effective solvents. The method was shown to be accurate and precise and can be used with official food simulant D1 (50% v/v ethanol/H2O). Application to other ethanolic simulants is also possible, but due to solubility issues, a posteriori conversion of those simulants into simulant D1 is required. Finally, the method was applied to quantify the target analytes in simulants after migration testing with polypropylene (PP) beverage cups.
Separation of Zr from Zr-2.5Nb by Electrorefining in LiCl-KCl for Volumetric Decontamination of CANDU Pressure Tube
Authors: Hur Jungho , Jeong Seongjin , Sohn Sungjune , Park Jaeyeong , Hwang Il Soon
Published: April 2021

This study presents an experimental investigation on Zr separation from Zr-2.5Nb by anode potentiostatic electrorefining in LiCl-KCl-ZrCl4 0.5 wt. % at 773 K for irradiated CANDU pressure tube decontamination. By the ORIGEN-2 code calculation, radioactive characteristics were investigated to show that Nb-94 was the most significant radionuclide with an aspect of waste level reduction by electrorefining. Three electrorefining tests were performed by fixing the applied potential as −0.9 V (vs. Ag/AgCl 1 wt. %) at the anode to dissolve only Zr. A cathode basket was installed to collect detached deposits from the cathode. Electrorefining results showed Zr was deposited on the cathode with a small amount of Nb and other alloying elements. The chemical form of the cathode deposits was shown to be only Zr metal or a mixture of Zr metal and ZrCl, depending on the experimental conditions related to the surface area ratio of the cathode to the anode. It was determined that the Zr metal reduction at the cathode was attributed to the two-step reduction reaction of Zr4+/ZrCl and ZrCl/Zr.
A Novel Intermittent Jumping Coupled Map Lattice Based on Multiple Chaotic Maps
Authors: Huang Rong , Han Fang , Liao Xiaojuan , Wang Zhijie , Dong Aihua
Published: April 2021

Coupled Map Lattice (CML) usually serves as a pseudo-random number generator for encrypting digital images. Based on our analysis, the existing CML-based systems still suffer from problems like limited parameter space and local chaotic behavior. In this paper, we propose a novel intermittent jumping CML system based on multiple chaotic maps. The intermittent jumping mechanism seeks to incorporate the multi-chaos, and to dynamically switch coupling states and coupling relations, varying with spatiotemporal indices. Extensive numerical simulations and comparative studies demonstrate that, compared with the existing CML-based systems, the proposed system has a larger parameter space, better chaotic behavior, and comparable computational complexity. These results highlight the potential of our proposal for deployment into an image cryptosystem.
An ANN Model for Predicting the Compressive Strength of Concrete
Authors: Lin Chia-Ju , Wu Nan-Jing
Published: April 2021

An artificial neural network (ANN) model for predicting the compressive strength of concrete is established in this study. The Back Propagation (BP) network with one hidden layer is chosen as the structure of the ANN. The database of real concrete mix proportioning listed in earlier research by another author is used for training and testing the ANN. The proper number of neurons in the hidden layer is determined by checking the features of over-fitting while the synaptic weights and the thresholds are finalized by checking the features of over-training. After that, we use experimental data from other papers to verify and validate our ANN model. The final result of the synaptic weights and the thresholds in the ANN are all listed. Therefore, with them, and using the formulae expressed in this article, anyone can predict the compressive strength of concrete according to the mix proportioning on his/her own.
Cultivating Microalgae in Desert Conditions: Evaluation of the Effect of Light-Temperature Summer Conditions on the Growth and Metabolism of Nannochloropsis QU130
Authors: Al Jabri Hareb , Taleb Aumaya , Touchard Raphaelle , Saadaoui Imen , Goetz Vincent , Pruvost Jeremy
Published: April 2021

Temperature and light are two of the most crucial factors for microalgae production. Variations in these factors alter their growth kinetics, macromolecular composition and physiological properties, including cell membrane permeability and fluidity. The variations define the adaptation mechanisms adopted by the microalgae to withstand changes in these environmental factors. In the Qatar desert the temperature varies widely, typically between 10° and 45 °C There are also wide variations in light intensity, with values of over 1500 μmolhν.m−2s−1 in summer. A study of the effects of these thermal and light fluctuations is therefore essential for large-scale outdoor production systems, especially during the summer when temperature and light fluctuations are at their highest. The aim of this work is to study the impact of temperature and light intensity variations as encountered in summer period on the Nannochloropsis QU130 strain, which was selected for its suitability for outdoor cultivation in the harsh conditions of the Qatar desert. It was carried out using lab-scale photobioreactors enabling simulation of both constant and dynamic temperature and light regimes. Biomass productivity, cell morphology and biochemical compositions were examined first in constant conditions, then in typical outdoor cultivation conditions to elucidate the adjustments in cell function in respect of fluctuations. The dynamic light and temperature were shown to have interactive effects. The application of temperature cycles under constant light led to a 13.6% increase in biomass productivity, while a 45% decrease was observed under light and temperature regimes due to the combined stress. In all cases, the results proved that N. sp. QU130 has a high level of adaptation to the wide fluctuations in light and temperature stress. This was shown through its ability to easily change its physiology (cell size) and metabolic process in response to different cultivation conditions.
Validation of Fresnel–Kirchhoff Integral Method for the Study of Volume Dielectric Bodies
Authors: Taleb Soumia Imane , Neipp Cristian , Francés Jorge , Márquez Andrés , Alvarez Mariela L. , Hernández Antonio , Gallego Sergi , Beléndez Augusto
Published: April 2021

In this work, we test a nondestructive optical method based on the Fresnel–Kirchhoff integral, which could be applied to different fields of engineering, such as detection of small cracks in structures, determination of dimensions for small components, analysis of composition of materials, etc. The basic idea is to apply the Fresnel–Kirchhoff integral method to the study of the properties of small-volume dielectric objects. In this work, we study the validity of this method. To do this, the results obtained by using this technique were compared to those obtained by rigorously solving the Helmholtz equation for a dielectric cylinder of circular cross-section. As an example of the precision of the method, the Fresnel–Kirchhoff integral method was applied to obtain the refractive index of a hair by fitting the theoretical curve to the experimental results of the diffraction pattern of the hair measured with a CCD camera. In a same manner, the method also was applied to obtain the dimensions of a crack artificially created in a piece of plastic.
HearIt: Auditory-Cue-Based Audio Playback Control to Facilitate Information Browsing in Lecture Audio
Authors: Hong Jeongmin , Jeon Hyesoo , Lee Hana , Kim Daehyun , Ko Minsam
Published: April 2021

Students often utilize audio media during online or offline courses. However, lecture audio data are mostly unstructured and extensive, so they are more challenging in information browsing (i.e., chaining, linking, extraction, and evaluation of relevant information). Conventional time-level skip control is limited in auditory information browsing because it is hard to identify the current position and context. This paper presents HearIt, which provides semantic-level skip control with auditory cues for auditory information browsing. With HearIt, users can efficiently change the playback position in the paragraph-level. Furthermore, two auditory cues (positional cue and topical cue) help grasp the current playback and its context without additional visual support. We conducted a pilot study with the prototype of HearIt, and the results show its feasibility and design implications for future research.
Bibliometric Analysis of Hydrocarbon Bioremediation in Cold Regions and a Review on Enhanced Soil Bioremediation
Authors: Yap How Swen , Zakaria Nur Nadhirah , Zulkharnain Azham , Sabri Suriana , Gomez-Fuentes Claudio , Ahmad Siti Aqlima
Published: April 2021

The increased usage of petroleum oils in cold regions has led to widespread oil pollutants in soils. The harsh environmental conditions in cold environments allow the persistence of these oil pollutants in soils for more than 20 years, raising adverse threats to the ecosystem. Microbial bioremediation was proposed and employed as a cost-effective tool to remediate petroleum hydrocarbons present in soils without significantly posing harmful side effects. However, the conventional hydrocarbon bioremediation requires a longer time to achieve the clean-up standard due to various environmental factors in cold regions. Recent biotechnological improvements using biostimulation and/or bioaugmentation strategies are reported and implemented to enhance the hydrocarbon removal efficiency under cold conditions. Thus, this review focuses on the enhanced bioremediation for hydrocarbon-polluted soils in cold regions, highlighting in situ and ex situ approaches and few potential enhancements via the exploitation of molecular and microbial technology in response to the cold condition. The bibliometric analysis of the hydrocarbon bioremediation research in cold regions is also presented.
Characterization of Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Sperm Based on Morphometric Traits
Authors: Fuentes-Albero María del Carmen , Abril Sánchez Silvia , Ros-Santaella José Luis , Pintus Eliana , Luongo Chiara , Ruiz Díaz Sara , Barros García Carlos , Sánchez Calabuig María Jesús , García Párraga Daniel , García Vázquez Francisco Alberto
Published: April 2021

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) males follow many reproductive strategies to ensure their paternity. However, little is known about the sperm traits, including morphometric features, that contribute to their reproductive success. Our aim was to study dolphin sperm morphometry (a total of 13 parameters) in two adult males to evaluate (i) presumptive sperm subpopulations, (ii) the correlation of sperm morphometry with testosterone levels and (iii) the effect of refrigerated storage on the sperm morphometry. Sperm populations were classified into four principal components (PCs) based on morphometry (>94% of cumulative variance). The PCs clustered into two different sperm subpopulations, which differed between males. Furthermore, the levels of serum testosterone were positively correlated with the length of the midpiece but negatively correlated with head width and the principal piece, flagellum and total sperm lengths. Most of the sperm morphometric parameters changed during the storage period (day 1 vs. day 7), but only the principal piece length was affected by the storage temperature (5 °C vs. 15 °C). This is the first study to identify dolphin sperm subpopulations based on morphometry and the influence of serum testosterone and refrigeration on sperm morphometry.
Impact of Implant Surface Material and Microscale Roughness on the Initial Attachment and Proliferation of Primary Human Gingival Fibroblasts
Authors: Rausch Marco Aoqi , Shokoohi-Tabrizi Hassan , Wehner Christian , Pippenger Benjamin E. , Wagner Raphael S. , Ulm Christian , Moritz Andreas , Chen Jiang , Andrukhov Oleh
Published: April 2021

Due to the rising demand for zirconia (Zr) based implant systems, it is important to understand the impact of Zr and titanium (Ti) implants and particularly their topography on soft tissue healing. As human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) are the predominant cells in peri-implant soft tissue, we focused on examining the effect of implant material and surface roughness on hGFs’ initial attachment, growth and the expression of proteins involved in the focal adhesion. hGFs isolated from eight healthy donors were cultured on the following surfaces: smooth titanium machined surface (TiM), smooth zirconia machined surface (ZrM), moderately rough titanium surface (SLA), or moderately rough zirconia surface (ZLA) for up to 14 days. The initial attachment of hGFs was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Cell proliferation/viability was assessed by cell counting kit 8. Focal adhesion and cytoskeleton were visualized by a focal adhesion staining kit. The gene expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and integrin subunits ITG-β1, ITG-β4, ITG-α4, ITG-α5, ITG-α6, was evaluated by qPCR. Cell proliferation/viability was slightly decreased by moderately rough surfaces, whereas no effect of surface material was observed. Cell morphology was strikingly different between differently treated surfaces: on machined surfaces, cells had elongated morphology and were attached along the grooves, whereas on moderately rough surfaces, cells were randomly attached. Surface roughness had a more pronounced effect on the gene expression compared to the surface material. The expression of FAK, α-SMA, ITG-β4, ITG-α5, and ITG-α6 was enhanced by moderately rough surfaces compared to smooth surfaces. Within the limitations of this in vitro study, it can be concluded that the behavior of primary hGFs is primarily affected by surface structure, whereas no apparent advantage of Zr over Ti could be observed.
Overcoming the Challenges of High Quality RNA Extraction from Core Needle Biopsy
Authors: Locy Hanne , Correa Rohann J.M. , Autaers Dorien , Schiettecatte Ann , Jonckheere Jan , Waelput Wim , Cras Louise , Brock Stefanie , Verhulst Stefaan , Kwan Keith , Vanhoeij Marian , Thielemans Kris , Breckpot Karine
Published: April 2021

The use of gene expression profiling (GEP) in cancer management is rising, as GEP can be used for disease classification and diagnosis, tailoring treatment to underlying genetic determinants of pharmacological response, monitoring of therapy response, and prognosis. However, the reliability of GEP heavily depends on the input of RNA in sufficient quantity and quality. This highlights the need for standard procedures to ensure best practices for RNA extraction from often small tumor biopsies with variable tissue handling. We optimized an RNA extraction protocol from fresh-frozen (FF) core needle biopsies (CNB) from breast cancer patients and from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue when FF CNB did not yield sufficient RNA. Methods to avoid ribonucleases andto homogenize or to deparaffinize tissues and the impact of tissue composition on RNA extraction were studied. Additionally, RNA’s compatibility with the nanoString nCounter® technology was studied. This technology platform enables GEP using small RNA fragments. After optimization of the protocol, RNA of high quality and sufficient quantity was obtained from FF CNB in 92% of samples. For the remaining 8% of cases, FFPE material prepared by the pathology department was used for RNA extraction. Both resulting RNA end products are compatible with the nanoString nCounter® technology.
Functional Interfaces, Biological Pathways, and Regulations of Interferon-Related DNA Damage Resistance Signature (IRDS) Genes
Authors: Padariya Monikaben , Sznarkowska Alicja , Kote Sachin , Gómez-Herranz Maria , Mikac Sara , Pilch Magdalena , Alfaro Javier , Fahraeus Robin , Hupp Ted , Kalathiya Umesh
Published: April 2021

Interferon (IFN)-related DNA damage resistant signature (IRDS) genes are a subgroup of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) found upregulated in different cancer types, which promotes resistance to DNA damaging chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Along with briefly discussing IFNs and signalling in this review, we highlighted how different IRDS genes are affected by viruses. On the contrary, different strategies adopted to suppress a set of IRDS genes (STAT1, IRF7, OAS family, and BST2) to induce (chemo- and radiotherapy) sensitivity were deliberated. Significant biological pathways that comprise these genes were classified, along with their frequently associated genes (IFIT1/3, IFITM1, IRF7, ISG15, MX1/2 and OAS1/3/L). Major upstream regulators from the IRDS genes were identified, and different IFN types regulating these genes were outlined. Functional interfaces of IRDS proteins with DNA/RNA/ATP/GTP/NADP biomolecules featured a well-defined pharmacophore model for STAT1/IRF7-dsDNA and OAS1/OAS3/IFIH1-dsRNA complexes, as well as for the genes binding to GDP or NADP+. The Lys amino acid was found commonly interacting with the ATP phosphate group from OAS1/EIF2AK2/IFIH1 genes. Considering the premise that targeting IRDS genes mediated resistance offers an efficient strategy to resensitize tumour cells and enhances the outcome of anti-cancer treatment, this review can add some novel insights to the field.