bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Graduate Students Adapting Flexible Learning Modality Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Delgado Jenelyn E. , Arellano Josefine
Published: March 2021

The Lived Experiences of Graduate Students Adapting Flexible Learning Modality due to COVID-19 Pandemic was examined in this study. It tackles how the graduate students can cope with the many challenges the new normal of our educational system could offer. Using a qualitative, phenomenological research framework, this study uses in-depth individual interviews to collect data. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. To further explore the perception of the participants in taking PhD class despite of flexible learning, there are four questions to get the reactions, like: The aspects of an online course that they are worried about or thought would be beneficial. Advantage and disadvantage of online course. Comparison of graduate students’ experiences in flexible learning modality to normal classes. Experience with the online technologies that they utilized. With that questions as a guide, themes, sub themes and significant statement were identified. They think that flexible modality does not affect or hinder learning for their professional advancement and growth. They took advantage of the online class, not to travel to school anymore. Worry on the first meeting because they could not easily join the Google meet. Enjoyable but Brain draining. Compared to normal classes they said: Convenient because it lessens the fare for transportation, more time at home, can attend the class even without taking a bath, save expenses for food and fare. Inconvenient in the sense that they could not cope with the discussion because of poor internet connectivity.  As to the delivery of knowledge, they are the same. The online technologies quantify their eagerness to learn new and advance technology Recommendations for online instructors to support students about the flexible learning modality. There should be provision for modules, videos and other links. Be lenient and understanding of the submission of requirements because of limited time and poor connectivity. Minimize the activities.
The Effectiveness of Using Prednisolone in Children with Community – Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Sadikov Nematullo , Yue Xu Chao , Hong Xin Zhi , Odilov Bekzod , Hua Zhang Zhao
Published: March 2021

Community-acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is an infection of the lung parenchyma that is acquired outside of hospital, [1] involved approximately 150 million new cases annually, among children younger than 5 years old worldwide. We retrospectively evaluated the effect of Prednisolone in 89 children with CAP who were admitted to the 2nd hospital of Shandong University (China) and Infectious diseases of Andijon region (Uzbekistan).  The mean age was 6.3 in China (Placebo) and 9.3 in Uzbekistan (control) years, 54% and 52% of them were boys respectively. All children had received broad spectrum antibiotics (cephalosporin) or Macrolides (Azithromycin) and Oxygen. In addition to these we added Prednisolone 1 mg/kg on day 2 of admission to control group. 24 (68.5% from all febrile) children were became afebrile within 24 hours after Predisolone use on day 3 of admission, and their clinical status developed in control group, when it was achieved on day 7 in Placebo group. Hospital days also shortened in control group (6 days) than placebo (8 days) (p value ≤ 0.01). In conclusion, steroid therapy helpful for reducing hospital stay and morbidity in children with community-acquired Pneumonia and no observed side effects.
Estimation of Indole Acetic Acid and Phosphate Solubilisation by the Yeasts Isolated from the Leguminous Crops
Authors: K. Archana , C. Mallesha B.
Published: March 2021

Aim: The present study was aimed to estimate the quantity of IAA production and Phosphate solubilisation by the isolated yeasts from the leguminous crops.

Place and Duration of Work: The experiments were carried out in the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru during 2019-2020.

Methodology: Yeasts were isolated from the leguminous crops such as Red gram, Cowpea, Green gram, Black gram and Bengal gram. Thirty-five yeast isolates were obtained using four media and were subjected to IAA production test and Phosphorus solubilisation by Spectrophotometry method. All the yeast isolates were subjected to the temperature tolerance test at 25, 30, 35 and 40°C.

Results: Yeast isolate, CP15SI21 has found to produce the highest IAA under in vitro conditions 30.50 μg/ml and the lowest was found to be 17.16μg/ml by yeast isolate BG20SI29. 24 yeast isolates were found to produce above 20 μg/ml. In the case of Phosphate solubilisation highest was observed in GG7SI9 (25.70 mg/l) and lowest in BG6SI8 (1.20 mg/l). Seven isolates showed Phosphate solubilisation above 10 mg/l. At 35°C all the yeast isolates have shown very good growth compared to other lower temperatures. All the yeast isolates were found to grow in the media supplemented with micronutrients such as zinc and potassium.

Conclusion: Our study highlights the potential of yeasts isolated from the leguminous crops that can help in plant growth promotion as the yeast isolates are capable of producing higher amounts of IAA. Some of the yeast isolates can solubilise phosphate under in vitro conditions which in turn helps in the utilization of unavailable P from soils thereby improves plant growth and tolerance to a higher temperature can alleviate abiotic stress.
Investigation on the Influence of Building Materials Price Fluctuation on Cost of Building Products in Nigeria
Authors: Ikechukwu Felix Uche
Published: March 2021

Volatility in the fluctuation of prices of building materials has made price forecast on the cost of the materials less reliable in building project management in Nigeria. In the light of this, the study examines the causes of the constant increase in the prices, as well as the implication of the price fluctuation on building projects in the study area. Survey research designs used to gather information for the study are non-parametric in nature. Data were analyzed using chi-square and likert scale to rank the various factors involved in the price fluctuation, as well as the effects of the variation on building projects respectively. Other analytical tools are price index for the rate of changes in the prices of the materials from time to time on average, and simple regression analysis for the relationship between changes in the average price of building materials and the average house rent within the last ten years. Findings reveal that inflation, force of demand and supply, and exchange rate, as economic factors among others are the most significant ones responsible for the building materials price fluctuations in the study area. Difficulty in forecast and planning, project cost overrun, as well as shortage and high cost of accommodation however, are found as the most common effects of the building materials price fluctuations. Besides, the mean un-weighted aggregate price index, and the mean house rent index for each of the successful year are discovered to be 11.02% and 8.73% respectively. Increase in the aggregate price of the building materials however caused approximately a proportional increase in the house rent, especially in the early part of the period. The variables therefore have a positive and linear relationship with the regression model of Y=5776+0.98xi, as derived from Equ.6. It is therefore recommended that research, development and improvement on local material resources be encouraged by the government and the construction stakeholders with legislative instruments against the importation of the basic building materials in Nigeria. Nevertheless, an appropriate framework designed with the aggregate building materials price indices, the model relationship between the effect of change in the aggregate price of the building materials and the consequent change in the residential house rent should be adopted in the management of building projects; for effective forecast and planning of the projects towards sustainable delivery in the study area.
Assessing the Carbon Sequestration Potential of Coconut Plantation in Vellore District of Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Boomiraj K. , Jagadeeswaran R. , Karthik S. , Poornima R. , Jothimani S. , Sudhagar R. Jude
Published: March 2021

Agriculture, very often falls victim of climate change around the world. Adopting a cost efficient system of agricultural production with minimal environmental impacts, depends on the selection of best cropping system and associated farming practices. The coconut farming and coconut agroecosystem is one of the country’s largest agricultural systems and sectors that could substantially preserve carbon dioxide (CO2) through sequestration. Tamil Nadu state is one of the largest growers of coconut with an area of 443000 ha. In the present investigation the Vellore district was chosen as study area. Coconut data such as tree diameter and tree height were collected from the Tall (Aliyar nagar 1), Dwarf (Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD)) and Chowghat Green Dwarf (CGD) varieties at different ages (five, fifteen, twenty and twenty-fifth years) at various plantations of Vellore district. The carbon sequestered by five, ten, fifteen, twenty and twenty-five-years old coconut tall variety trees were found to be 1.32, 1.97, 2.11, 3.10 and 3.96 tons per acre per year, respectively. Similarly, five, ten, fifteen, twenty and twenty-five-year-old coconut dwarf variety could able to sequester 1.45, 1.27, 1.58, 2.03 and 2.63 tons per acre per year, respectively in Vellore district. The C sequestration potential of ten year old coconut tree (Tall or Dwarf) were 18 to 28 kg per tree per year approximately. The fifteen years (2003-04 to 2017-18) coconut plantation of both tall and dwarf varieties in Vellore district had sequestered 1.15 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere.
An İn vitro Study on Anticancer Activity of Noscapine
Authors: Çoban Funda Karabağ , Bulduk İbrahim , İslam İzzet , Aytuğ Hande
Published: March 2021

Aims: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women and ranks second among the causes of female death in the world. In order to find a solution to breast cancer, different studies are being conducted for the treatment and the effects of different drugs and substances on this disease are intensively investigated. Boric acid has been shown to control the proliferation of certain types of cancer cells.Noscapine is one of the ingredients in Papaver somniferum (opium). It was first isolated from Papaver somniferum (opium) in 1817. It is one of the most abundant opioids found in the opium plant (up to 10% of the total composition) after morphine. It is also known as Narcotine, Nectodon, Nospen, Anarcotine, and (archaic) Opiane and occurs in the (-)α isomer which has S, R stereochemistry (S stereochemistry at phthalide-carbon and R at isoquinoline-carbon). Noscapine is structurally and chemically different from other opium alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine, and narceine.

Materials and Methods: Based on this information, this study was conducted in vitro to optimize the pure form of noscapine (obtained from the poppy capsule) by applying different concentrations on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. HPLC technique which is one of the most widely analytical techniques has been used in this study. Determination of the LD50 value and cell proliferation by viability test was also performed to investigate the predicted effects of noscapine on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines using VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) and PARP (Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase) Analysis.

Discussion: According to the results, it was observed in proliferation experiment that the vitality values decreased in direct proportion to the concentration and time at concentrations of 5 ppm, 10 ppm, 25 ppm, 50 ppm, 75 ppm, and 100 ppm. The LD50 value was determined as 50 ppm. There was no significant difference in VEGF values. It was also observed that the PARP level was lower than control group.

Conclusion: As a result of the vitality test performed with the CCK-8 kit, it was determined that noscapine has an antiproliferative effect in various concentrations. The low PARP data in the noscapine groups suggests that the cell goes to apoptotic death.
Effect of the milk heat treatment on properties of low-fat yogurt manufactured with microbial transglutaminase
Authors: Gómez Belén García , Odériz M Lourdes Vázquez , Ferreiro Nieves Muñoz , Rodríguez M Ángeles Romero , Vázquez Manuel
Published: March 2021

The effect of milk heat treatment (UHT vs HTST) on physicochemical properties of low-fat set-style yogurt manufactured with microbial transglutaminase was evaluated. It was also evaluated the sensory profile of microbial transglutaminase yogurt and conventional fortified yogurt using skim milk powder. The UHT treatment of milk to make yogurts treated with microbial transglutaminase showed poorer texture results (firmness, consistency, cohesiveness and index of viscosity) than the HTST treatment of milk. Yogurt texture of UHT treatment was also worse than low-fat commercial yogurts, despite of the positive effect of the microbial transglutaminase. The microbial transglutaminase addition avoided the syneresis, regardless of the type of heat treatment. A microbial transglutaminase doses at low levels (0.76 U·g-1 of milk protein) added simultaneously with the starter culture was useful for improving the textural properties and sensory characteristics of low-fat yogurt, avoiding the normal syneresis of low-fat yogurt and without increasing the protein content that happen with the addition of skim milk powder. Yogurts made with microbial transglutaminase with HTST treatment showed significantly lower whey odor than yogurt fortified with skimmed milk powder. The application of microbial transglutaminase is a useful treatment for improving textural properties of low-fat yogurt with the usual pasteurization treatment applied in the dairy industry.
Organic and conventional tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus): Differences in nutritional, antioxidant and microbiological properties
Authors: Bosch Lourdes , Ayuela María Auxiliadora Dea , Rico Hortensia , Soriano Jose M.
Published: March 2021

Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.), also known as chufa (European sedge), is a member of the Cyperaceae family, which is used in organic and conventional agriculture for its small edible tubers and grown in temperate and tropical zones of the world being consumed raw, roasted or pressed for its juice as beverage. The aim of this study is analyzing the proximate composition (AOAC methods), total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteu method), total antioxidant capacity (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC) and microbiological profile (International Standard Organization norms, ISO) of samples of Spanish organic and conventional, Nigerian conventional and unknown origin tiger nuts obtained from supermarkets and local markets in Spain. No significant differences in proximate composition and antioxidant properties were found between Spanish organic and conventional tiger-nuts, except in total phenolic level (p<0.005). No significant differences were found in all samples about ash, lipid, total sugar and carbohydrate values, but significant differences (p<0.005) were found for moisture, protein, fiber and antioxidant capacity between Spanish samples and Nigerian or unknown origin samples. No coagulase-positive staphylococci, nor Salmonella spp. were detected in any of the studied samples. Significant differences (p<0.005) were found for moulds and yeasts between analysed samples, but no significant differences were detected in other microorganisms.
Raw and cooked meat emulsion stability as affected by starches determined by principal component analysis
Authors: Toledo Octavio , Totosaus Alfonso
Published: March 2021

This work aimed to study the relationship between meat emulsion in both raw and cooked states employing two different types of starch, potato, and wheat, in meat batters formulated with different fat percent. Emulsion stability as related to water retention capacity, thermal denaturation temperature, and enthalpy plus thermal diffusivity were determined in the raw and cooked state. There was an inherent difference in potato starch functionality, with higher emulsion stability and yield, but the Pearson correlation analysis and PCA demonstrated that water holding capacity and the denaturation enthalpy resulted in higher cook yield as a consequence of lower expressible moisture. This results in establishing the importance to maintain meat extensors as starches functionality before and during mixing and thermal processing to obtain better yield and less water release in fat-reduced meat products, both important quality parameters, related to sensory (juiciness) and texture (hardness) properties of comminuted meat products.
EXTRACTIVE SUBSTANCES OF FRUIT BODY GOLDEN CHANTERELLE (CANTHARELLUS CIBARIUS FR.) AND HEDGEHOG MUSHROOM (HYDNUM REPANDUM FR.)
Authors: Antonyuk Volodymyr , Panchak Lidiia V. , Antonyuk Lidiia Ya , Zyn Alina R.
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this work was to perform a comparative study of the chemical composition of Cantharellus cibarius Fr. and Hydnum repandum Fr.  and the revision of the data in the occurrence of carotenoids, ergocaliferol, tocopherols and phenolic compounds.

Substances extracted with 80% ethanol from dried fruit bodies of both fungi were investigated. The fatty acids quantitative and qualitative contents were examined by Gas chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).

Lipophilic substances of hexane extract were investigated by chemical reactions and Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) after the separation of compounds from this fraction on a silica gel column.

It was determined that the hexane fraction of both mushrooms contained a large amount of higher fatty acids and their esters. Linoleic acid (31.42 %) and oleic acid (57.89 %) were the dominant components in Cantharellus cibarius and Hydnum repandum accordingly.

Tocopherols, carotenoids and ergocalciferol were also found in the hexane extracted fraction. The estimated content of tocopherols was ≈0.82% of the total mass of ethanolic extract for chanterelle and ≈0.22% for hedgehog mushroom, respectively.

Chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions did not contain tocopherols, carotenoids and ergocalciferol and their mass was insignificant.

Carbohydrates content was ≈ 54% and ≈ 49 % of the total mass of ethanolic extract and the content of aminoacids was found as ≈ 4.5% and ≈ 4.7%  for Cantharellus cibarius and Hydnum repandum accordingly.

Flavonoids, phenolic substances and hydroxycinnamic acids were not found in the fractions of ethanol extracts of both mushrooms.
The peel essential oil composition of bergamot fruit (Citrus bergamia, Risso) of Reggio Calabria (Italy): a review.
Authors: Gioffrè Giuseppina , Ursino Domenica , Labate Maria Laura Concetta , Giuffrè Angelo Maria
Published: March 2021

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia, Risso) grows exclusively in the province of Reggio Calabria (Southern Italy). Most part of this territory lies on by the Ionian or the Tyrrhenian sea, with over 700 kilometers of coastline, it has one of the highest values of heliophany in Italy and it is protected, from the Northern winds, by the Aspromonte mountain massif. Most part of the bergamot cultivation area is located between Scilla (West) and Monasterace (East) in a coastal strip with a width up to 12 km from the coast. Bergamot fruit is produced between November and March in relation to the geographical area. Over the last decades, environmental climate changes occurred also in this area. This phenomenon, together with new applied industrial processes may have influenced the bergamot essential oil composition. In addition, the modern analytical apparatus gives more detailed information. The aim of this review is to describe the evolution of studies on the volatile fraction of the bergamot peel essential oil over the years.
Potential impacts of climate change on agriculture - A review
Authors: Pais Isabel P. , Reboredo Fernando H. , Ramalho José C. , Pessoa Maria F. , Lidon Fernando C. , Silva Maria M.
Published: March 2021

Greenhouse gases content in the atmosphere significantly raised since the beginning of the industrial revolution, mainly associated to anthropogenic emissions, namely those related to altered land use. Such rise is driving changes in the climate, which will worsen throughout the 21st century. Agricultural systems are particularly vulnerable to Climate Changes (CC) thus the attempts to achieve higher crop productivities, simultaneously with more efficient use of resources, while minimizing environmental impacts could fail. The CC mitigation/adaptation measures require a major effort to decarbonise the economy, which includes a global greenhouse gas emissions reduction of ca. 50-60% by 2050, as compared to 1990. These actions should be used in a complementary manner, in order to greatly reduce the vulnerability of agri-food systems, thus, contributing to food security and safety. The water shortage and increase of extreme events episodes in Southern Europe may lead to abandonment of agricultural practices, whereas in the northern Europe it is foreseen the expansion of suitable crop´s areas and yield increases, thus emphasizing that the estimated impacts of climate changes will not be uniform throughout the world.
Edaphic respiration in bell pepper cultivation under biological fertilizers, doses and application times
Authors: Leal Ygor Henrique
Published: March 2021

Biological fertilizers promote several benefits to the soil, and one of the ways to evaluate their quality is to determine the edaphic respiration. The present study aimed to evaluate edaphic respiration in bell pepper cultivation under doses and times of application of biological fertilizers. Two experiments were performed with applications of biological fertilizers prepared from manure and enriched organic compost, one using bovine manure (BM) and the other, sheep manure (SM). The experimental design used was in randomized blocks, in a 4 x 3 + 1 factorial scheme, with three replications, referring to the doses of biological fertilizers (100, 200, 300 and 400 dm³ ha-1), application times (0, 30 and 60 days after transplanting – DAT) and the absolute control. The following variables were evaluated during the night and day: soil surface temperature (Tsurf) and 10 cm deep (T10), soil moisture (M) and edaphic respiration (ER). SM provided the highest ER in the two shifts evaluated. The use of 400 and 300 dm³ ha-1 of SM, at times of 0 and 30 DAT, respectively, provided greater edaphic respiration in relation to the absence of manure during the day.
Citrus bergamia, Risso: the peel, the juice and the seed oil of the bergamot fruit of Reggio Calabria (South Italy).
Authors: Maria Giuffrè Angelo , Riccardo Nobile
Published: March 2021

Bergamot is a characteristic citrus fruit of the province of Reggio Calabria (South Italy) and until today it was mainly known for the production of its peel essential oil. Since some year, due to the positive feedback from consumers, there has been a growing interest in the bergamot juice which in the past was not used as a beverage because it was considered very sour. The recent studies on the functional aspects of citrus fruits and therefore also on bergamot have made this fruit known to a new youth. They exist three cultivars: Castagnaro, Fantastico and Femminello. In this study the biometrics of the fruits and the physico-chemical characteristics of the juice have been taken into consideration, such as: Brix degrees, pH, pulp content in the squeezed juice, turbidity, acidity, vitamin C, Formol number, single and total flavonoids. Total flavonoids in the bergamot juice ranged between 362 and 520 mg/L whereas in the Cloudy juice they ranged between 4660 and 8468 mg/L. The composition in fatty acids and in sterols of the seed oil of this fruit was also analysed to evaluate its potential. Oleic acid (30.15-34.36%) and linoleic acid (27.01-29.84%) were found in similar quantity, while the most present sterol was β-sitosterol (76.9-79.2%).
Potassium fertilization in the quality improvement and centesimal composition of pitaya
Authors: Mendes Rabelo Josimara , Cruz Maria do Céu Monteiro da , Sena Cíntia Gonçalves , Pantoja Lílian de Araújo , Santos Alexandre Soares dos , Reis Letícia Alves Carvalho , Guimarães Amanda Gonçalves
Published: March 2021

Pitaya stands out in the market for presenting exotic appearance species, high water content, vitamins and minerals, low calories, and bioactive compounds that makes it attractive for consumption However, the composition of this fruit may change according from the place of cultivation, orchard management and harvesting season. Regarding orchards management, variations have been observed in the fact that the pitaya species are considered rustic, able of tolerating adverse conditions of low availability of water and nutrients, and mainly because lack information on fertilization. Thus, the research was carried out to evaluated the potassium fertilization in the quality and in the centesimal composition in pitayas of the species Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus polyrhizus. The evaluations were carried out during two harvests, in pitayas harvested mature from plants that received different fertilizations. The fruits of the pitaya species reach larger sizes and better flavor with the potassium fertilization. The fruits centesimal composition is altered with the management of the fertilization of the orchards. The fruits produced by plants with higher availability of potassium oxide (K2O) present higher contents of dry matter, fiber, ashes, carbohydrates and energetic value and lower moisture content, allowing conservation for longer if stored properly. The increase of these constituents in the fruit pulp is related to the function of potassium (K) in the enzyme’s activation, which are fundamental in the metabolic processes and the transport of photoassimilates, evidencing their role in improving fruit quality characteristics. Orchards that are fertilized with potassium produce fruits with better composition and final quality, increasing the acceptance by consumers, size classification and market prices.
Three‐dimensional microscopy and image fusion reconstruction analysis of the thyroid gland during morphogenesis
Authors: Zhang Rui‐jia , Yang Liu , Sun Feng , Fang Ya , Ye Xiao‐ping , Song Huai‐dong , Dong Mei
Published: March 2021

Thyroid dysgenesis (TD) is a major cause of primary congenital hypothyroidism; however, the molecular mechanism underlying this process is unclear. Current knowledge regarding the morphogenesis of the thyroid gland and vascular anomalies affecting thyroid development is limited. To monitor the early stages of thyroid gland development, we generated double transgenic zebrafish embryos Tg(tg:mCherry/flk1:EGFP). We described the volume of the thyroid from 2 days postfertilization (dpf) to 5 dpf using 3D reconstruction images. We treated zebrafish embryos with the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) inhibitor PD166866 to better understand the impact of vascular defects on thyroid development and the effects of drug administration at specific time periods on different stages of thyroid development. The 3D reconstruction data revealed that the thyroid glands underwent significant transformation at critical time points. PD166866 treatment from 48 to 72 hours postfertilization (hpf) and from 72 to 96 hpf did not cause obvious reductions in thyroid volume but did result in observable abnormalities in thyroid morphology. The treatment also affected thyroid volume from 36 to 48 hpf, thus indicating that there are time‐point‐specific effects of drug administration during thyroid development. Three‐dimensional image reconstruction provides a comprehensive picture of thyroid anatomy and can be used to complement anatomical fluorescence information. The effects of an FGF pathway inhibitor on thyroid development were determined to be time‐point‐dependent.
Applicability of displacement ventilation and impinging jet ventilation system to heating operation
Authors: Yamasawa Haruna , Kobayashi Tomohiro , Yamanaka Toshio , Choi Narae , Cehlin Mathias , Ameen Arman
Published: March 2021

This study aims to acquire an understanding of the fundamental feature of IJV and DV under heating operation. Full‐scale experiments were conducted under these two different systems and supply air conditions along with temperature distribution and ventilation effectiveness. A wall surface of the test room was cooled as a heating load, and heating elements simulating occupants were located as internal heat load and contaminant emission source. Three cases of supply temperature were tested and the flow rate was also varied correspondingly. The position of the supply terminal was also changed to see its effect on heating performance, that is, mounted on the interior/exterior wall. For DV, the temperature/contaminant distribution differed significantly depending on the supply conditions, while that of IJV remained almost the same as a perfect mixing condition. Generally, IJV can achieve better temperature distribution compared to DV; however, the ventilation effectiveness of DV was superior to that of IJV with large supply flow rate. The correlation between the Archimedes number based on supply conditions and indices expressing local temperature and ventilation effectiveness is obtained. For IJV, the position of the terminal was found to have a larger impact on air distribution than the supply flow rate, while the opposite feature was obtained for DV.
Polymer Chemistry for Haptics, Soft Robotics, and Human–Machine Interfaces
Authors: Schara Steven , Blau Rachel , Church Derek C. , Pokorski Jonathan K. , Lipomi Darren J.
Published: March 2021

Progress in the field of soft devices—that is, the types of haptic, robotic, and human‐machine interfaces (HRHMIs) in which elastomers play a key role—has its basis in the science of polymeric materials and chemical synthesis. However, in examining the literature, it is found that most developments have been enabled by off‐the‐shelf materials used either alone or as components of physical blends and composites. A greater awareness of the methods of synthetic chemistry will accelerate the capabilities of HRHMIs. Conversely, an awareness of the applications sought by engineers working in this area may spark the development of new molecular designs and synthetic methodologies by chemists. Several applications of active, stimuli‐responsive polymers, which have demonstrated or shown potential use in HRHMIs are highlighted. These materials share the fact that they are products of state‐of‐the‐art synthetic techniques. The progress report is thus organized by the chemistry by which the materials are synthesized, including controlled radical polymerization, metal‐mediated cross‐coupling polymerization, ring‐opening polymerization, various strategies for crosslinking, and hybrid approaches. These methods can afford polymers with multiple properties (i.e., conductivity, stimuli‐responsiveness, self‐healing, and degradable abilities, biocompatibility, adhesiveness, and mechanical robustness) that are of great interest to scientists and engineers concerned with soft devices for human interaction.
Shape‐Memory Balloon Structures by Pneumatic Multi‐material 4D Printing
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Kuang Xiao , Weng Shayuan , Yue Liang , Roach Devin J. , Fang Daining , Qi Hang Jerry
Published: March 2021

4D printing is an attractive approach for manufacturing structures that can adopt new shapes or functionalities after printing. However, 4D printing methods and materials that can be used to achieve structures with complex shapes and excellent mechanical properties simultaneously are still lacking. Here, a novel 4D printing is developed where multi‐material digital light process 3D printing of shape memory polymers (SMPs) fabricates a structure that is later transformed into a complex 3D shape with robust mechanical properties by pneumatic manipulation. In this method, the shape change is controlled by the spatial distributions of SMPs, which is designed by finite element analysis. Experimental investigations are carried out to print various structured balloons with predefined intricate shapes, including a structure in dog‐like shape and a surface with the human face contour. These structures are also endowed with robust mechanical stiffness and lightweight features, which allow this new 4D printing approach for potential applications in biomedical devices, reconfigurable structures, and metamaterials.
Deterministic Modification of CVD Grown Monolayer MoS2 with Optical Pulses
Authors: Turunen Mikko T. , Hulkko Eero , Mentel Kamila K. , Bai Xueyin , Akkanen Suvi‐Tuuli , Amini Mohammad , Li Shisheng , Lipsanen Harri , Pettersson Mika , Sun Zhipei
Published: March 2021

Transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers have demonstrated a number of exquisite optical and electrical properties. Here, the authors report the optical modification of topographical and optical properties of monolayer MoS2 with femtosecond pulses under an inert atmosphere. A formation of three‐dimensional structures on monolayer MoS2 with tunable height up to ≈20 nm is demonstrated. In contrast to unmodified monolayer MoS2, these optically modified structures show significantly different optical properties, such as lower photoluminescence intensity and longer fluorescence lifetime. The results suggest a novel way to modify transition metal dichalcogenide materials for mechanic, electronic and photonic applications.
Enhanced Optical Sensitivity of Polyvinyl Alcohol–Reduced Graphene Oxide Electrospun Nanofiber Coated Etched Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor for Detection of Myoglobin a Cardiac Biomarker
Authors: Srinivasan Kavitha B. , Raghavan Vikram S. , Shorie Munish , Sabherwal Priyanka , Gorthi Sai S , Asokan Sundarrajan , Sood Ajay. K.
Published: March 2021

Etched fiber Bragg grating (eFBG) sensors have shown to be highly sensitive with the capability of giving accurate real‐time response to a variety of measurands such as pressure, gas, biomolecules, to name a few. These sensors have not shown their mettle as competitive products mainly due to nonreproducibility in results and inefficiency in upscaling for large‐scale production; the main reason being nonuniform and complicated coating procedures. Herein, the enhancement in refractive index (RI) sensitivity (≈4 times) obtained with electrospinning of polyvinyl alcohol–reduced graphene oxide (PVA–rGO) nanofibers onto eFBG sensor using a customized target and a unique sandwich arrangement is demonstrated. The enhancement in RI sensitivity has led to a lower detection limit and increased sensitivity and linear range for a case study using myoglobin (Mb), an early‐stage cardiac biomarker with high reproducible results (standard error ≤±2.3%). rGO embedded PVA nanofiber electrospun onto an eFBG sensor (PVA–rGO sensor) is the first of its kind and has significant importance in developing cost‐effective, label‐free, multianalyte, portable, real‐time, point‐of‐care (POC) kits at ambient conditions.
Triple Stiffness: A Bioinspired Strategy to Combine Load‐Bearing, Durability, and Impact‐Resistance
Authors: Khaheshi Ali , Gorb Stanislav , Rajabi Hamed
Published: March 2021

Structures with variable stiffness have received increasing attention in the fields of robotics, aerospace, structural, and biomedical engineering. This is because they not only adapt to applied loads, but can also combine mutually exclusive properties. Here inspired by insect wings, the concept of “triple stiffness” is introduced and applied to engineering systems that exhibit three distinct deformability regimes. By implementing “flexible joints,” “mechanical stoppers,” and “buckling zones,” structures are engineered to be not only load‐bearing and durable, but also impact‐resistant. To practice the performance of the design concept in real‐life applications, the developed structures are integrated into 3D printed airplane wing models that withstood collisions without failure. The concept developed here opens new avenues for the development of structural elements that are load‐bearing, durable, and impact‐resistant at the same time.
Metal‐Organic Frameworks for Practical Separation of Cyclic and Linear Polymers
Authors: Sawayama Taku , Wang Yubo , Watanabe Tomohisa , Takayanagi Masayoshi , Yamamoto Takuya , Hosono Nobuhiko , Uemura Takashi
Published: March 2021

The purification step in the manufacturing of cyclic polymers is difficult as complete fractionation to eliminate linear impurities requires considerable effort. Here, we report a new polymer separation methodology that uses metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) to discriminate between linear and cyclic polyethylene glycols (PEGs) via selective polymer insertion into the MOF nanopores. Preparation of a MOF‐packed column allowed analytical and preparative chromatographic separation of these topologically distinct pairs. In addition, gram‐scale PEGs with only cyclic structures were successfully obtained from a crude reaction mixture by using MOF as an adsorbent.
Role of silicotungstic acid on the catalytic performance over CeO2‐HSiW catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3
Authors: Jin Junjie , Song Zhongxian , Zhang Xuejun , Mao Yanli
Published: March 2021

The CeO2 modified by silicotungstic acid (impregnation method [SiW/CeO2] and one pot method [CeO2‐Si‐W]) was investigated in the NH3‐SCR reaction. The surface nitrate species and surface acid sites were improved by the introduction of silicotungstic acid into CeO2, which stopped forming stable nitrate, and then improved the N2 selectivity. The interaction between Ce and W species existed and caused the formation of Ce2(WO4)3 at CeO2‐Si‐W, resulting in the abundance of unsaturated W=O, which contributed to the generation of Brønsted acid sites and was responsible for the superior SCR performance. Thus, CeO2‐Si‐W exhibited the best NOx conversion and nearly 100% NOx conversion was obtained at 225–450°C.
Additional U/Th dates for the Lapita settlement of Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga
Authors: BURLEY DAVID V. , WEISLER MARSHALL , EDINBOROUGH KEVAN
Published: March 2021

We present three unreported U/Th dates on coral abraders recovered from Lapita occupations at the ‘Otea and Vuna sites, in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga. Integrated with existing radiocarbon and U/Th dates for Vava'u, we also provide a single‐phase Bayesian model for Lapita chronology in these islands.
Ultralong PtPd Alloyed Nanowires Anchored on Graphene for Efficient Methanol Oxidation Reaction
Authors: Shen Ling , Ying Jie , Tian Ge , Jia Mingpu , Yang Xiao‐Yu
Published: March 2021

The rational synthesis of Pt‐based alloyed nanowires still remains a great challenge because of the different reduction potentials between Pt and another metal and the intrinsic feature of isotropic growth in face‐centered cubic (fcc) structured Pt. In this work, PtPd alloyed nanowires with ultrahigh aspect ratio anchored on graphene (PtPd NWs/graphene) were synthesized by a facile solvothermal method without the use of any templates or surfactants. Due to the integration of ultralong PtPd nanowires and stable graphene support, PtPd NWs/graphene exhibited outstanding electrochemical activity toward methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in comparison with pure Pt NWs/graphene and commercial Pt/C catalysts. Meanwhile, PtPd NWs/graphene had a much higher current density than Pt NWs/graphene and commercial Pt/C catalysts at a constant potential for 7200s in alkaline methanol solution. Moreover, after 1000 cycles of durability testing, PtPd NWs/graphene retained 89.2% of its initial mass activity, much superior to the 63.7% retained for commercial Pt/C.
Luminescence Switching of Organogold(I) Complexes between Aggregation‐induced Phosphorescence Enhancement and Aggregation‐caused Quenching by Balancing Auxiliary Ligands around the AuI Center
Authors: Zhuo Hao , Chi Xin , Jiang Mengtian , Xu Haibing , Zeng Minghua
Published: March 2021

Attaching AIE‐active L1 ([1,1′:2′,1′′:4′′,1′′′‐quaterphenyl]‐2‐yldiphenylphosphane) to AuCl, shortened the distances of P−C bonds to promote electron cloud overlap between AuI and L1, affords 1 (L1AuCl) with aggregation‐induced phosphorescence enhancement (AIPE) activity by 3LMCT transitions. Then substituting the coplanar L2 (9‐ethynylanthracene) for the Cl− in 1 providing 2, switches the luminescence to aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ) activity. Furthermore, we restore the performance from ACQ to AIPE by metathesis reactions to transfer 2 into 1. It is versatile synthetic strategy of reversible transformation between 1 and 2 that switches the luminescence of organogold(I) between AIPE and ACQ through balancing auxiliary ligands around the given metal.
Generalized expectile regression with flexible response function
Authors: Spiegel Elmar , Kneib Thomas , von Gablenz Petra , Otto‐Sobotka Fabian
Published: March 2021

Expectile regression, in contrast to classical linear regression, allows for heteroscedasticity and omits a parametric specification of the underlying distribution. This model class can be seen as a quantile‐like generalization of least squares regression. Similarly as in quantile regression, the whole distribution can be modeled with expectiles, while still offering the same flexibility in the use of semiparametric predictors as modern mean regression. However, even with no parametric assumption for the distribution of the response in expectile regression, the model is still constructed with a linear relationship between the fitted value and the predictor. If the true underlying relationship is nonlinear then severe biases can be observed in the parameter estimates as well as in quantities derived from them such as model predictions. We observed this problem during the analysis of the distribution of a self‐reported hearing score with limited range. Classical expectile regression should in theory adhere to these constraints, however, we observed predictions that exceeded the maximum score. We propose to include a response function between the fitted value and the predictor similarly as in generalized linear models. However, including a fixed response function would imply an assumption on the shape of the underlying distribution function. Such assumptions would be counterintuitive in expectile regression. Therefore, we propose to estimate the response function jointly with the covariate effects. We design the response function as a monotonically increasing P‐spline, which may also contain constraints on the target set. This results in valid estimates for a self‐reported listening effort score through nonlinear estimates of the response function. We observed strong associations with the speech reception threshold.
Effects of Pooling Operations on Prediction of Ligand Rotation‐Dependent Protein–Ligand Binding in 3D Graph Convolutional Network
Authors: Kim Yeji , Kim Jihoo , Kim Won June , Lee Eok Kyun , Choi Insung S.
Published: March 2021

3D graph convolutional network (3DGCN) is a graph neural network (GNN) variant that utilizes the 3D bond information on molecules for chemical tasks. In 3DGCN, the pooling operation extracts the molecular features from the atomic features for molecule embedding and dimensionality reduction. In this work, we investigated the pooling effects on the performance of 3DGCN in the classification of protein–ligand binding events, especially when a ligand is rotated with respect to a target protein in the 3D Cartesian coordinate. 3DGCN showed the general ability for recognizing the ligand rotation, and its prediction accuracy was found to be pooling‐dependent. For example, 3DGCN with max pooling did not recognize the rotations of known active ligands for human β‐secretase 1 faithfully, compared with the other pooling operations (sum, avg, and set2set). This work would contribute to augmented architecture evolution of 3DGCN for the chemical tasks that require the 3D molecular information including chirality.
The implications of efficiency differences in sustainable development: An empirical study in the consumer product industry
Authors: Fu Wayne , Su Che‐Ping (Jack)
Published: March 2021

Firms often invest in sustainable development projects to improve their environmental and societal performance. Given the broad spectrum of these projects and limited resources, managers face challenges in determining where to improve (e.g., improving water consumption and reducing carbon footprint). The study examines the connection between environmental performance and firm performance from a new angle to help managers make informed decisions. The study examines firms in the consumer product industry regarding their efficiency in the operational aspect, the resource‐related environmental aspect, and the climate‐related environmental aspect. It then employs panel data models to investigate the implications of efficiency differences across these aspects on firms' financial performance and business risk. The results indicate that the effects of these differences are adverse in general. Additionally, the relationship between the operational and environmental efficiency difference and financial performance is in an inverted‐U shape. The study contributes to the literature by offering theoretical support and empirical evidence for the balanced portfolio approach in managing multiple environmental concerns. The study findings also provide managerial guidelines for decision‐making. To gain a greater benefit, managers should aim to minimize the performance differences across multiple environmental aspects and manage a subtle balance between operational performance and environmental performance.
Meiotic nuclear divisions 1 (MND1) fuels cell cycle progression by activating a KLF6/E2F1 positive feedback loop in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Quanli , Shi Run , Bai Yongkang , Meng Lijuan , Hu Jingwen , Zhu Hongyu , Liu Tongyan , De Xiaomeng , Wang Siwei , Wang Jie , Xu Lin , Zhou Guoren , Yin Rong
Published: March 2021

Background

Considering the increase in the proportion of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cases among all lung cancers and its considerable contribution to cancer‐related deaths worldwide, we sought to identify novel oncogenes to provide potential targets and facilitate a better understanding of the malignant progression of LUAD.

Methods

The results from the screening of transcriptome and survival analyses according to the integrated Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data were combined, and a promising risk biomarker called meiotic nuclear divisions 1 (MND1) was selectively acquired. Cell viability assays and subcutaneous xenograft models were used to validate the oncogenic role of MND1 in LUAD cell proliferation and tumor growth. A series of assays, including mass spectrometry, co‐immunoprecipitation (Co‐IP), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), were performed to explore the underlying mechanism.

Results

MND1 up‐regulation was identified to be an independent risk factor for overall survival in LUAD patients evaluated by both tissue microarray staining and third party data analysis. In vivo and in vitro assays showed that MND1 promoted LUAD cell proliferation by regulating cell cycle. The results of the Co‐IP, ChIP and dual‐luciferase reporter assays validated that MND1 competitively bound to tumor suppressor Kruppel‐like factor 6 (KLF6), and thereby protecting E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) from KLF6‐induced transcriptional repression. Luciferase reporter and ChIP assays found that E2F1 activated MND1 transcription by binding to its promoter in a feedback manner.

Conclusions

MND1, KLF6, and E2F1 form a positive feedback loop to regulate cell cycle and confer DDP resistance in LUAD. MND1 is crucial for malignant progression and may be a potential therapeutic target in LUAD patients.