bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated p-n Junctions for Efficient Solar Water Splitting upon TiO2/CdS/BiSbS3 Ternary Hybrids for Improved Hydrogen Evolution and Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Meena Bhagatram , Kumar Mohit , Kumar Arun , Sinha Gudipati Neeraja , Nagumothu Rameshbabu , Subramanyam Palyam , Suryakala Duvvuri , Subrahmanyam Challapalli
Published: September 2022

The development of efficient and novel p-n heterojunctions for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is still a challenging problem. We have demonstrated the complementary nature of (p-type) BiSbS3 as a sensitizer when coupled with (n-type) TiO2/CdS to improve the photocatalytic activity and solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency. The as-prepared p-n heterojunction TiO2/CdS/BiSbS3 exhibits good visible light harvesting capacity and high charge separation over the binary heterojunction, which are confirmed by photoluminescence (PL) and electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The ternary heterojunction produces higher H2 than the binary systems TiO2/CdS and TiO2/BiSbS3. This ternary heterojunction system displayed the highest photocurrent density of 5 mA·cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) in neutral conditions, and STH of 3.8% at 0.52 V vs. RHE is observed. The improved photocatalytic response was due to the favorable energy band positions of CdS and BiSbS3. This study highlights the p-n junction made up of TiO2/CdS/BiSbS3, which promises efficient charge formation, separation, and suppression of charge recombination for improved PEC water splitting efficiency. Further, no appreciable loss of activity was observed for the photoanode over 2500 s. Band alignment and interfaces mechanisms have been studied as well.
Research on a New Drag Force Model for Cylindrical Particles in Fixed Bed Reactors
Authors: Yan Linbo , Wang Luchao , Wang Ziliang , Geng Cong , He Boshu , Fang Baizeng
Published: September 2022

Fixed bed reactors play an important role in converting solid wastes to high-quality products. The solid wastes, as well as the corresponding catalysts, are often made into cylindrical particles. However, research on the drag force for cylindrical particles is still rarely reported. In this work, the fixed bed porosity was firstly predicted with the unresolved CFD-DEM method and validated against experimental data. Then, the Ergun model, Di Felice model, and Ganser model were evaluated against the reported pressure drop data for both the spherical and cylindrical particles, so that a more solid drag force theory could be selected as a candidate for cylindrical particles. Finally, a new Ganser model was proposed for cylindrical particle drag force prediction based on the reported experimental results and validated by other experimental data. It was found that, for the spherical particle bed, the relative prediction errors of the Di Felice model are approximately 10%, while those of the Ergun model are approximately 15%. For the cylindrical particle bed, the relative prediction errors of the Ganser model are approximately 10%, while those of the Di Felice model are much higher than 10%. With the new Ganser model proposed in this work, the maximum error between the predicted pressure drop and the experimental data can be lowered to approximately 5%. The research is of reference value for drag force model selection when simulating similar FBRs with cylindrical particles.
Controlled Synthesis of Europium-Doped SnS Quantum Dots for Ultra-Fast Degradation of Selective Industrial Dyes
Authors: Murugadoss Govindhasamy , Prakash Jayavel , Rajesh Kumar Manavalan , Alothman Asma A. , Habila Mohamed A. , Peera Shaik Gouse
Published: September 2022

Herein, SnS and Eu-doped SnS QDs have been synthesized by a facile chemical co-precipitation method for efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic dye molecules. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of QDs were investigated by various physiochemical characterization techniques. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV) dyes have been studied under visible light irradiation under direct sunlight using a spectrophotometer. Enhanced photodegradation efficiency of 87% and 94% were attained for SnS and Eu (4%)-doped SnS, respectively. For CV dye, the pure SnS showed only 70.7% however the Eu (4%)-doped SnS achieved 99% efficiency. The rate constant value of the doped SnS was found to be much higher than that of pure SnS for both dyes. The obtained results from various characterization studies provided the reason for the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of Eu-doped SnS QDs due to the presence of Eu3+ in the SnS lattice, and also smaller crystallite size with high surface area and its morphological features. Moreover, the Eu3+ plays an essential role in reducing the band gap, hampering recombination, and the generation of free radicals, thus the QDs promoted attractive degradation activity and high stability.
TMEM43 Protects against Sepsis-Induced Cardiac Injury via Inhibiting Ferroptosis in Mice
Authors: Chen Zhen , Cao Zhe , Gui Feng , Zhang Mengli , Wu Xian , Peng Huan , Yu Bo , Li Wei , Ai Fen , Zhang Jun
Published: September 2022

A previous study found that transmembrane protein 43 (TMEM43) was highly associated with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy. However, as a transmembrane protein, TMEM43 may be involved in ferroptosis in cardiovascular disease. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of TMEM43 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cardiac injury and the underlying mechanism. Mice were injected with LPS (10 mg/kg) for 12 h to generate experimental sepsis. Mice were also subjected to AAV9-shTMEM43 to knock down TMEM43 or AAV9-TMEM43 to overexpress TMEM43 in hearts. H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes were also transfected with Ad-TMEM43 or TMEM43 siRNA to overexpress/knock down TMEM43. As a result, TMEM43 knockdown in hearts deteriorated LPS-induced mouse cardiac injury and dysfunction. LPS increased cardiac ferroptosis as assessed by malonaldehyde (MDA) and cardiac iron density, which were aggravated by TMEM43 knockdown. Moreover, TMEM43 overexpression alleviated LPS-induced cardiac injury, dysfunction, and ferroptosis. In vitro experiments showed that TMEM43 overexpression inhibited LPS-induced lipid peroxidation and cardiomyocyte injury while TMEM43 knockdown aggravated LPS-induced ferroptosis and injury in cardiomyocytes. Mechanistically, LPS increased the expression of P53 and ferritin but decreased the level of Gpx4 and SLC7A11. TMEM43 could inhibit the level of P53 and ferritin enhanced the level of Gpx4 and SLC7A11. Furthermore, ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), a specific inhibitor of ferroptosis, could protect against LPS-induced cardiac injury and also counteracted the deteriorating effects of TMEM43 silencing in the heart. Based on these findings, we concluded that TMEM43 protects against sepsis-induced cardiac injury via inhibiting ferroptosis in mice. By targeting ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes, TMEM43 may be a therapeutic strategy for preventing sepsis in the future.
m6A Modification of Long Non-Coding RNA HNF1A-AS1 Facilitates Cell Cycle Progression in Colorectal Cancer via IGF2BP2-Mediated CCND1 mRNA Stabilization
Authors: Bian Yibo , Wang Yang , Xu Shufen , Gao Zhishuang , Li Chao , Fan Zongyao , Ding Jie , Wang Keming
Published: September 2022

Background: Long non-coding RNAs modulate tumor occurrence through different molecular mechanisms. It had been reported that HNF1A-AS1 (HNF1A Antisense RNA 1) was differently expressed in multiple tumors. The role of HNF1A-AS1 in colorectal cancer was less analyzed, and the mechanism of regulating the cell cycle has not been completely elucidated. Methods: Differentially expressed lncRNAs were screened out from the TCGA database. HNF1A-AS1 was examined in CRC clinical samples and cell lines by RT-qPCR. CCK8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry, transwell assays, tube forming assay and vivo experiments were performed to study the function of HNF1A-AS1 in CRC tumor progression. Bioinformatic analysis, luciferase report assay, RNA pull-down and RIP assays were carried out to explore proteins binding HNF1A-AS1 and the potential downstream targets. Results: Our results showed that HNF1A-AS1 was upregulated in CRC and associated with unfavorable prognosis. HNF1A-AS1 promoted proliferation, migration and angiogenesis, accelerated cell cycle and reduced cell apoptosis in CRC. Bioinformatics prediction and further experiments proved that HNF1A-AS1 could promote CCND1 expression by suppressing PDCD4 or competitively sponging miR-93-5p. Meanwhile, METTL3 mediated HNF1A-AS1 m6A modification and affected its RNA stability. HNF1A-AS1/IGF2BP2/CCND1 may act as a complex to regulate the stability of CCND1. Conclusion: In summary, our result reveals the novel mechanism in which m6A-mediated HNF1A-AS1/IGF2BP2/CCND1 axis promotes CRC cell cycle progression, along with competitively sponging miR-93-5p to upregulate CCND1, demonstrating its significant role in cell cycle regulation and suggesting that HNF1A-AS1 may act as a potential prognostic marker of colorectal cancer in the future.
Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhances Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation and Restores Cognitive Function in the Rodent Model of Vascular Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Choi Seunghwan , Jang Dong Cheol , Chung Geehoon , Kim Sun Kwang
Published: September 2022

Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is a common sequela of cerebrovascular disorders. Although transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been considered a complementary treatment for various cognitive disorders, preclinical data on the effect of taVNS on VCI and its mechanism remain ambiguous. To measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation during taVNS, we used in vivo two-photon microscopy with CSF and vasculature tracers. VCI was induced by transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (tBCCAO) surgery in mice. The animals underwent anesthesia, off-site stimulation, or taVNS for 20 min. Cognitive tests, including the novel object recognition and the Y-maze tests, were performed 24 h after the last treatment. The long-term treatment group received 6 days of treatment and was tested on day 7; the short-term treatment group received 2 days of treatment and was tested 3 days after tBCCAO surgery. CSF circulation increased remarkably in the taVNS group, but not in the anesthesia-control or off-site-stimulation-control groups. The cognitive impairment induced by tBCCAO was significantly restored after both long- and short-term taVNS. In terms of effects, both long- and short-term stimulations showed similar recovery effects. Our findings provide evidence that taVNS can facilitate CSF circulation and that repetitive taVNS can ameliorate VCI symptoms.
Hypersensitivity to Intravenous Iron Preparations
Authors: Caimmi Silvia , Crisafulli Giuseppe , Franceschini Fabrizio , Liotti Lucia , Bianchi Annamaria , Bottau Paolo , Mori Francesca , Triggiano Paolo , Paglialunga Claudia , Saretta Francesca , Giannetti Arianna , Ricci Giampaolo , Caffarelli Carlo
Published: September 2022

Intravenous iron is widely used for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia when adherence to oral iron replacement is poor. Acute hypersensitivity reactions during iron infusions are very rare but can be life threatening. Major risk factors for hypersensitivity reactions include a previous reaction to an iron infusion, a fast iron infusion rate, multiple drug allergies, atopic diseases, high serum tryptase levels, asthma, and urticaria. The management of iron infusions requires meticulous observation, and, in the event of an adverse reaction, prompt recognition and severity-related interventions by well-trained medical and nursing staff. Avoidance of IV iron products in patients with iron hypersensitivity reactions may not be considered as a standard practice.
Dynamic Expression of Palmitoylation Regulators across Human Organ Development and Cancers Based on Bioinformatics
Authors: Jia Zixian , Long Deyu , Yu Yingcui
Published: September 2022

Protein palmitoylation is a reversible modification process that links palmitate to cysteine residues via a reversible thioester bond. Palmitoylation exerts an important role in human organ development and tumor progression. However, a comprehensive landscape regarding the dynamic expression of palmitoylation regulators in human organ development remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the dynamic expression of palmitoylation regulators in seven organ development and eight cancer types based on bioinformatics. We found that the expression levels of most palmitoylation regulators were altered after birth. In particular, ZDHHC7/20/21 exhibited converse expression patterns in multiple cancer types. Survival analysis showed that the poor prognosis in patients with kidney renal clear carcinoma (KIRC) is related to low expression of ZDHHC7/20/21, and a high expression of ZDHHC7/20/21 is related to worse survival in patients with liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). Furthermore, we found that the expression of ZDHHC7 is associated with infiltration levels of some types of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and we explored the relationship between ZDHHC7 expression and immune checkpoint (ICP) genes across 33 cancer types. In addition, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) results indicated that ZDHHC7 might regulate different genes to mediate the same pathway in different organs. In summary, the comprehensive analysis of palmitoylation regulators reveals their functions in human organ development and cancer, which may provide new insights for developing new tumor markers.
The Impact of Missing Data and Imputation Methods on the Analysis of 24-Hour Activity Patterns
Authors: Weed Lara , Lok Renske , Chawra Dwijen , Zeitzer Jamie
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study is to characterize the impact of the timing and duration of missing actigraphy data on interdaily stability (IS) and intradaily variability (IV) calculation. The performance of three missing data imputation methods (linear interpolation, mean time of day (ToD), and median ToD imputation) for estimating IV and IS was also tested. Week-long actigraphy records with no non-wear or missing timeseries data were masked with zeros or ‘Not a Number’ (NaN) across a range of timings and durations for single and multiple missing data bouts. IV and IS were calculated for true, masked, and imputed (i.e., linear interpolation, mean ToD and, median ToD imputation) timeseries data and used to generate Bland–Alman plots for each condition. Heatmaps were used to analyze the impact of timings and durations of and between bouts. Simulated missing data produced deviations in IV and IS for longer durations, midday crossings, and during similar timing on consecutive days. Median ToD imputation produced the least deviation among the imputation methods. Median ToD imputation is recommended to recapitulate IV and IS under missing data conditions for less than 24 h.
Chitosan: A Promising Multifunctional Cosmetic Ingredient for Skin and Hair Care
Authors: Guzmán Eduardo , Ortega Francisco , Rubio Ramón G.
Published: September 2022

The cosmetic industry has an undeniable need to design and develop new ecosustainable products to respond to the demands of consumers and international regulations. This requires substituting some traditional ingredients derived from petrochemical sources with new ones with more ecofriendly profiles. However, this transition towards the use of green ingredients in the cosmetic industry cannot compromise the effectiveness of the obtained products. Emerging ingredients in this new direction of the cosmetic industry are chitosan and its derivatives, which combine many interesting physicochemical and biological properties for the fabrication of cosmetic products. Thus, the use of chitosan opens a promising future path to the design of cosmetic formulations. In particular, chitosan’s ability for interacting electrostatically with negatively charged substrates (e.g., skin or damaged hair), resulting in the formation of polymeric films which contribute to the conditioning and moisturizing of cosmetic substrates, makes this polymer an excellent candidate for the design of skin and hair care formulations. This review tries to provide an updated perspective on the potential interest of chitosan and its derivatives as ingredients of cosmetics for skin and hair care.
Network Analysis Reveals That Headache-Related, Psychological and Psycho–Physical Outcomes Represent Different Aspects in Women with Migraine
Authors: Fernández-de-las-Peñas César , Florencio Lidiane L. , Varol Umut , Pareja Juan A. , Ordás-Bandera Carlos , Valera-Calero Juan A.
Published: September 2022

Evidence supports that migraine is a complex pain condition with different underlying mechanisms. We aimed to quantify potential associations between demographic, migraine-related, and psychophysical and psychophysical variables in women with migraine. Demographic (age, height, and weight), migraine-related (intensity, frequency, and duration), related-disability (Migraine Disability Assessment Scale, Headache Disability Inventory), psychological (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and psycho–physical (pressure pain thresholds -PPTs-) variables were collected from a sample of 74 women suffering from migraine. We calculated adjusted correlations between the variables by using a network analysis. Additionally, we also calculated centrality indices to identify the connectivity among the variables within the network and the relevance of each variable in the network. Multiple positive correlations (ρ) between PPTs were observed ranging from 0.1654 (C5-C6 and tibialis anterior) to 0.40 (hand and temporalis muscle). The strongest associations within the network were those between migraine attack frequency and diagnosis of chronic migraine (ρ = 0.634) and between the HDI-E and HDI-P (ρ = 0.545). The node with the highest strength and betweenness centrality was PPT at the second metacarpal, whereas the node with the highest harmonic centrality was PPT at the tibialis anterior muscle. This is the first study applying a network analysis to understand the underlying mechanisms in migraine. The identified network revealed that a model where each subgroup of migraine-related, psychological, and psycho–physical variables showed no interaction between each variable. Current findings could have clinical implications for developing multimodal treatments targeting the identified mechanisms.
Bioinformatics Analysis of the Prognostic Significance of CAND1 in ERα-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Alhammad Rashed
Published: September 2022

The identification of novel prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer is an unmet clinical need. Cullin-associated and neddylation-dissociated 1 (CAND1) has been implicated in mediating carcinogenesis in prostate and lung cancers. In addition, CAND1 is an established prognostic biomarker for worse prognosis in liver cancer. However, the prognostic significance of CAND1 in breast cancer has not yet been explored. In this study, Breast Cancer Gene-Expression Miner (Bc-GenExMiner) and TIMER2.0 were utilized to explore the mRNA expression of CAND1 in ERα-positive breast cancer patients. The Kaplan–Meier plotter was used to explore the relationship between CAND1 expression and several prognostic indicators. The Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA) web server was then used to explore the pathways of the genes that correlate with CAND1 in ERα-positive breast cancer. Immune infiltration was investigated using Bc-GenExMiner. Our bioinformatics analysis illustrates that breast cancer patients have higher CAND1 compared to normal breast tissue and that ERα-positive breast cancer patients with a high expression of CAND1 have poor overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and relapse-free survival (RFS) outcomes. Higher CAND1 expression was observed in histologic grade 3 compared to grades 2 and 1. Our results revealed that CAND1 positively correlates with lymph nodes and negatively correlates with the infiltration of immune cells, which is in agreement with published reports. Our findings suggest that CAND1 might mediate invasion and metastasis in ERα-positive breast cancer, possibly through the activation of estrogen and androgen signaling pathways; however, experiments should be carried out to further explore the role of CAND1 in activating the androgen and estrogen signaling pathways. In conclusion, the results suggest that CAND1 could be used as a potential novel biomarker for worse prognosis in ERα-positive breast cancer.
The Association of Cytomegalovirus IgM and Allostatic Load
Authors: Hill Matthew , Obeng-Gyasi Emmanuel
Published: September 2022

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a deoxyribonucleic acid virus that affects a significant proportion of the worldwide population; after primary infection, it goes into a latent state and can be reactivated, primarily after a reduction in host immune defenses. Methods: This study evaluated the association of acute cytomegalovirus infection (CMV IgM) and Allostatic Load (AL) by sociodemographic factors using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2004 among participants (aged 20–49 years). CMV infection was determined by the level of CMV IgM antibody in serum samples. AL was assessed as a combination of 10 biomarkers from the cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic systems. The evaluation of the association between CMV infection and AL included descriptive statistics and logistic regression models, which were adjusted for demographic and behavioral covariates. Results: AL was more elevated among those who were older, male, those with lower education, those performing limited physical activity, and smokers. CMV was more elevated in females than males among those who consumed alcohol and cigarette smokers. In Pearson’s correlation analysis, there was a slight positive correlation between CMV IgM and AL, with triglycerides and Body Mass Index (BMI) the most strongly correlated with AL. Binary logistic regression showed no significant relationship between high AL and positive CMV IgM but did show a significant relationship between high AL and age (OR = 1.0592, 95% CI 1.0215–1.0983, p = 0.00715). The findings of this study provide insight into the relationship between CMV and AL and provide awareness of factors that affect their relationship.
Automatic Volume Calculation and Mapping of Construction and Demolition Debris Using Drones, Deep Learning, and GIS
Authors: Jiang Yuhan , Huang Yilei , Liu Jingkuang , Li Dapeng , Li Shuiyuan , Nie Weijing , Chung In-Hun
Published: September 2022

This paper presents a time- and cost-efficient method for the management of construction and demolition (C&D) debris at construction sites, demolition jobsites, and illegal C&D waste dumping sites. The developed method integrates various drone, deep learning, and geographic information system (GIS) technologies, including C&D debris drone scanning, 3D reconstruction with structure from motion (SfM), image segmentation with fully convolutional network (FCN), and C&D debris information management with georeferenced 2D and 3D as-built. Experiments and parameter analysis led us to conclude that (1) drone photogrammetry using top- and side-view images is effective in the 3D reconstruction of C&D debris (stockpiles); (2) FCNs are effective in C&D debris extraction with point cloud-generated RGB orthoimages with a high intersection over union (IoU) value of 0.9 for concrete debris; and (3) using FCN-generated pixelwise label images, point cloud-converted elevation data for projected area, and volume measurements of C&D debris is both robust and accurate. The developed automatic method provides quantitative and geographic information to support city governments in intelligent information management of C&D debris.
How to Secure Valid Quantizations
Authors: Klauder John R.
Published: September 2022

Canonical quantization has created many valid quantizations that require infinite-line coordinate variables. However, the half-harmonic oscillator, which is limited to the positive coordinate half, cannot receive a valid canonical quantization because of the reduced coordinate space. Instead, affine quantization, which is a new quantization procedure, has been deliberately designed to handle the quantization of problems with reduced coordinate spaces. Following examples of what affine quantization is, and what it can offer, a remarkably straightforward quantization of Einstein’s gravity is attained, in which a proper treatment of the positive definite metric field of gravity has been secured.
Analysing Monetary Policy Shocks by Sign and Parametric Restrictions: The Evidence from Russia
Authors: Yıldız Bünyamin Fuat , Gökmenoğlu Korhan K. , Wong Wing-Keung
Published: September 2022

Most, if not all, of the studies in the existing literature that have examined the impacts of monetary policy implications on macroeconomic aggregates suffered from misleading impulse responses. To overcome the limitations in the existing literature and to fill the gap in the literature, this study applies the new Keynesian model by imposing the sign and parametric restrictions to investigate the effects of policy shocks on the economic aggregates for Russia by implementing SVARs, yielding a better understanding of the impacts of monetary policy shocks on the Russian economy and proving superior to other existing methods. Our approach avoids impulse response anomalies such as the price puzzle and eludes implausible overshooting responses to the subjected innovations by using prior information. Our findings indicate that although monetary policy shocks create a significant decrease in inflation in the short run within both median target responses and median responses, they have a tolerable negative effect on the output gap. On the other hand, demand shocks do not generate a significant rise in output but create inflation, while cost–push shocks generate significantly detrimental results in both inflation and output. The results draw a further step towards validating the new Keynesian theory in the Russian case by revealing the short-run nonneutrality of monetary policy intervention. Our findings also showed that the cost–push shocks have significant damaging effects on both inflation and output and that interest rates strongly respond to both cost–push and demand shocks. Our findings successfully solve the price puzzle problem, justify the new Keynesian theory that holds that monetary policy shocks only have a short-run effect, and imply that Volcker–Greenspan’s rule could be a useful guide for policy makers to solve the problem efficiently. In addition, our findings can be used to make important policy recommendations for policy makers as discussed in the conclusion section.
Conceptual Model of Differentiated-Instruction (DI) Based on Teachers’ Experiences in Indonesia
Authors: Hasanah Enung , Suyatno Suyatno , Maryani Ika , Badar M Ikhwan Al , Fitria Yanti , Patmasari Linda
Published: September 2022

Ideally, learning should help students optimally develop through various activities that enable students to pay attention to their well-being. Some teachers in Indonesia have participated in various professional development programs based on developing a progressive educational philosophy emphasizing the importance of differentiated learning to create Indonesia’s graduate profile, namely the Pancasila Student Profile. Implementing differentiated learning in Indonesia to realize the outcome of the Pancasila Student Profile is a novelty. Therefore, many teachers are still bewildered about the best practice to realize it. This study aims to construct a conceptual model of differentiated instruction based on the experiences of junior high school teachers in Indonesia through phenomenological studies. The number of participants in this study was 12 people selected through the purposive sampling method. Data collection is enacted through in-depth individual interviews. This study indicates that the conceptual model of differentiated learning is learning that provides opportunities for students to walk on their tracks; it also provides learning that emphasizes students’ physical and mental welfare and safety in the learning process. Teachers who comprehend and understand the philosophy of progressive education would possibly realize the concept of differentiated learning, which places students as empowered learners.
Direct Comparison of the Effect of Processing Conditions in Electrolyte-Gated and Bottom-Gated TIPS-Pentacene Transistors
Authors: Lago Nicolò , Buonomo Marco , Prescimone Federico , Toffanin Stefano , Muccini Michele , Cester Andrea
Published: September 2022

Among the plethora of soluble and easy processable organic semiconductors, 6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-P5) is one of the most promising materials for next-generation flexible electronics. However, based on the information reported in the literature, it is difficult to exploit in field-effect transistors the high-performance characteristics of this material. This article correlates the HMDS functionalization of the silicon substrate with the electrical characteristics of TIPS-P5-based bottom gate organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EGOFETs) fabricated over the same platform. TIPS-P5 transistors with a double-gate architecture were fabricated by simple drop-casting on Si/SiO2 substrates, and the substrates were either functionalized with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) or left untreated. The same devices were characterized both as standard bottom-gate transistors and as (top-gate) electrolyte-gated transistors, and the results with and without HMDS treatment were compared. It is shown that the functionalization of the silicon substrate negatively influences EGOFETs performance, while it is beneficial for bottom-gate OFETs. Different device architectures (e.g., bottom-gate vs. top-gate) require specific evaluation of the fabrication protocols starting from the effect of the HMDS functionalization to maximize the electrical characteristics of TIPS-P5-based devices.
Feature Subset Selection Hybrid Deep Belief Network Based Cybersecurity Intrusion Detection Model
Authors: A. Alissa Khalid , Shaiba Hadil , Gaddah Abdulbaset , Yafoz Ayman , Alsini Raed , Alghushairy Omar , A. Aziz Amira Sayed , Al Duhayyim Mesfer
Published: September 2022

Intrusion detection system (IDS) has played a significant role in modern network security. A key component for constructing an effective IDS is the identification of essential features and network traffic data preprocessing to design effective classification model. This paper presents a Feature Subset Selection Hybrid Deep Belief Network based Cybersecurity Intrusion Detection (FSHDBN-CID) model. The presented FSHDBN-CID model mainly concentrates on the recognition of intrusions to accomplish cybersecurity in the network. In the presented FSHDBN-CID model, different levels of data preprocessing can be performed to transform the raw data into compatible format. For feature selection purposes, jaya optimization algorithm (JOA) is utilized which in turn reduces the computation complexity. In addition, the presented FSHDBN-CID model exploits HDBN model for classification purposes. At last, chicken swarm optimization (CSO) technique can be implemented as a hyperparameter optimizer for the HDBN method. In order to investigate the enhanced performance of the presented FSHDBN-CID method, a wide range of experiments was performed. The comparative study pointed out the improvements of the FSHDBN-CID model over other models with an accuracy of 99.57%.
Effects of Exercise Type and Gameplay Mode on Physical Activity in Exergame
Authors: Kim Daeun , Kim Woohyun , Park Kyoung Shin
Published: September 2022

Exercise games (exergames) that combine both exercise and video gaming train people in a fun and competitive manner to lead a healthy lifestyle. Exergames promote more physical exertion and help users exercise more easily and independently in any place. Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the positive effects of exergames. However, in most studies, heart rate was mainly used to measure the effect of exercise. In this study, we evaluate the effects of exercise according to the exercise type (rest, walking, tennis, and running) and gameplay mode (single, competition, and cooperation) of exergaming via quantitative measurements using electrocardiogram (ECG) and Kinect. The multiple comparison results reveal that physical activity measured with Kinect was statistically significant even in exergames that did not show statistically significant differences according to ECG. Running was statistically significant compared to other exercise types, and there was a significant difference in competition compared to other gameplay modes.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Thermophysical Properties and the Microstructure of Na2CO3 Heat Storage Materials
Authors: Long Haiming , Lu Yunkun , Chang Liang , Zhang Haifeng , Zhang Jingcen , Zhang Gaoqun , Hao Junjie
Published: September 2022

In recent years, heat storage technology has attracted wide attention in the fields of renewable energy storage for its relatively high melting point, high heat storage capacity and economy, Na2CO3 and eutectic salt mixtures containing Na2CO3 are promising candidates in the field of solar energy storage. In this paper, a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of Na2CO3 was conducted with the Born–Mayer potential function. The simulated solid–liquid phase change temperature is 1200 K, and the error is 5.4%. The heat capacity at constant pressure (Cp) is higher in liquid than in solid, the average Cp of solid is 1.45 J/g and that of liquid is 1.79 J/g, and the minimum error is 2.8%. The simulation results revealed the change rules of density and thermal expansion coefficient of Na2CO3 in the process of heating up, and these changes were analyzed by radial distribution functions (RDF) and angular distribution functions (ADF). Moreover, the RDF and ADF results show that the atomic spacing of Na2CO3 increases, the coordination number decreases, and the angle distribution between atoms becomes wider as the temperature rises. Finally, this paper examined the microscopic changes of ions during the phase transition of Na2CO3 from solid to liquid. It is concluded that the angle change of CO32− in the liquid state is more sharply. This study improves the understanding of the thermodynamic properties and local structure of Na2CO3 and provides theoretical support for Na2CO3 heat storage materials.
Through the Eyes of Forest Visitors—Perception and Scenic Preferences of Munich’s Urban Proximate Woodlands
Authors: Lupp Gerd , Kantelberg Valerie , Fäth Julia , Hirschbeck Theresia , Käsbauer Corinna , Ritter Anna , Schisslbauer Julia , Pauleit Stephan
Published: September 2022

With the increasing individualization of society, perceptions and attitudes towards nature and forest management is changing. Knowledge about motives for visiting woodlands as well as the aesthetic perception of forests can support forest management and communication strategies. In Central Europe, multifunctional, close-to-nature silviculture aims to convert the still dominating conifer monocultures towards mixed, structured forests to establish forests that are better adapted to the changing climate, thus enhancing the value for nature conservation and increasing their ability to provide ecosystem services. Reflecting these management objectives, we examined the perception and scenic preferences of the resulting forest stands in Munich´s urban proximate woodlands. We applied both surveys with choice experiments using visualizations of different forest stands and conducted Photovoice walks. In the choice experiments, most interviewees preferred the visualizations of mixed forests. Deadwood was appreciated in mixed stands. Knowledge about the positive effects of deadwood influenced this choice. With the Photovoice walks, it could be shown that many forest types and even monocultures were perceived to be very attractive, such as tall Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands. In addition, small details such as single trees, colorful leaves, or small vegetation features contributed to a positive perception of the forest.
Microbial Astaxanthin Production from Agro-Industrial Wastes—Raw Materials, Processes, and Quality
Authors: de Carvalho Júlio Cesar , Goyzueta-Mamani Luis Daniel , Molina-Aulestia Denisse Tatiana , Magalhães Júnior Antônio Irineudo , Iwamoto Hissashi , Ambati RangaRao , Ravishankar Gokare A. , Soccol Carlos Ricardo
Published: September 2022

The antioxidant and food pigment astaxanthin (AX) can be produced by several microorganisms, in auto- or heterotrophic conditions. Regardless of the organism, AX concentrations in culture media are low, typically about 10–40 mg/L. Therefore, large amounts of nutrients and water are necessary to prepare culture media. Using low-cost substrates such as agro-industrial solid and liquid wastes is desirable for cost reduction. This opens up the opportunity of coupling AX production to other existing processes, taking advantage of available residues or co-products in a biorefinery approach. Indeed, the scientific literature shows that many attempts are being made to produce AX from residues. However, this brings challenges regarding raw material variability, process conditions, product titers, and downstream processing. This text overviews nutritional requirements and suitable culture media for producing AX-rich biomass: production and productivity ranges, residue pretreatment, and how the selected microorganism and culture media combinations affect further biomass production and quality. State-of-the-art technology indicates that, while H. pluvialis will remain an important source of AX, X. dendrorhous may be used in novel processes using residues.
Fermented Brewers’ Spent Grain Containing Dextran and Oligosaccharides as Ingredient for Composite Wheat Bread and Its Impact on Gut Metabolome In Vitro
Authors: Koirala Prabin , Costantini Alice , Maina Henry N. , Rizzello Carlo Giuseppe , Verni Michela , Beni Valentina De , Polo Andrea , Katina Kati , Cagno Raffaella Di , Coda Rossana
Published: September 2022

Brewers’ spent grain or BSG is a fiber and protein rich food-grade side stream that has remained underutilized due to its poor technological and sensory characteristics. In this study, BSG was fermented with Weissella confusa A16 in presence of sucrose to induce the synthesis of dextran and maltosyl-isomaltooligosaccharides. Fermented BSG with or without the above polysaccharides was used as ingredient in wheat bread. Digestion of BSG breads was simulated in vitro with Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem, and levels of fecal metabolites were analyzed. Enrichment of BSG breads with in situ dextran and maltosyl-isomaltooligosaccharides improved the baking quality compared to native BSG. Metabolism of free amino acids and synthesis of short chain fatty acids varied at different stages and parts of colon. The increase in butyric acid was similar in both the proximal and distal colon. In situ dextran and maltosyl-isomaltooligosaccharides, and higher content of proteins and fiber in BSG breads had a positive influence towards gut microbiota functionality. Along with several essential amino acids, an increase in amount of γ-aminobutyric acid was also observed after simulated digestion. BSG breads had a significant effect on the gut metabolome during in vitro digestion, showing increased production of microbial metabolites with potential health benefits.
Effect of Fermentation Parameters on the Anthocyanin Content, Sensory Properties, and Physicochemical Parameters of Potato Blueberry Yogurt
Authors: Li Meidan , He Zuyan , He Laping , Li Cuiqin , Tao Han , Ye Chun , Liu Lihua , Zeng Xuefeng , Ran Guangyan
Published: September 2022

Fruit yogurt with a variety of nutrients and fruit flavors is becoming increasingly popular among consumers. This study was conducted to achieve the optimum fermentation process parameters in preparing potato blueberry yogurt with high nutritional value and good flavor and taste by using one factor at a time experiment and response surface methodology. The optimum fermentation process was as follows: 33% potato saccharification solution, 22% blueberry juice, 38 °C fermentation temperature, 3.7% sucrose, 14% skimmed milk powder, 4% concentration of inoculum probiotics including Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BZ11, Lactobacillus plantarum LB12, and Streptococcus thermophilus Q-1 with their inoculum ratio of 1:1:2 and 12.5 h fermentation time. Potato saccharification solution, blueberry juice, fermentation temperature, and sucrose significantly affected the sensory value and quality of yogurt. Under this fermentation process, the sensory score of yogurt was 89.78. The prepared potato blueberry yogurt was rich in anthocyanins (9.41 mg/100 g), had a potential probiotic viable count of 9.31 log CFU/mL and pleasing color, and overcame the bitterness of potatoes. Electronic tongue analysis also shows that the potato blueberry yogurt had good sensory characteristics, such as high saltiness, umami, and aftertaste-A; low sourness, bitterness, and astringency; and moderate aftertaste-B and richness. This study laid the foundation for producing potato blueberry yogurt with good sensory value and high anthocyanin content.
Proteomic Analysis Associated with the Immune Response in Hemocytes of Portunus trituberculatus Challenged with Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Authors: Gao Baoquan , Ren Xianyun , Lv Jianjian , Meng Xianliang , Liu Ping , Li Jian
Published: September 2022

Vibrio parahaemolyticus belongs to an expanding group of aquatic pathogens that are widely distributed in aquatic environments. This species is a lethal pathogen for a number of economically important marine crabs. However, studies exploring host–vibrio interactions between V. parahaemolyticus and crabs are scarce, and therefore, the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. Herein, we performed a comprehensive proteomic analysis to investigate the immune response of Portunus trituberculatus hemocytes to V. parahaemolyticus infection. A total of 4433 proteins were identified using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ), and 526 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were subjected to Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, with six DEPs further subjected to quantitative real-time PCR. Several identified DEPs were found to be mainly involved in the immune defense of the crustacean, such as a hemocyanin subunit, C-type lectin, α-2-macroglobulin, Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase, and heat shock protein 70, playing a key role in the response to V. parahaemolyticus infection. Moreover, many immune-related KEGG pathways were markedly altered, such as cell adhesion molecules, complement and coagulation cascades, and phagosomes. Our results provide insights into how V. parahaemolyticus overcomes the innate immunity of P. trituberculatus to induce pathological alterations in affected tissues. We report the first iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis and highlight the key pathways and proteins involved in the host–vibrio interactions between P. trituberculatus and V. parahaemolyticus. These findings should enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying such interactions.
Combined Effects of Temperature and Salinity on Antioxidants in the Immune System of the Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata
Authors: Yang Jingru , Fu Zhengyi , Yu Gang , Ma Zhenhua , Wang Xiaomei
Published: September 2022

A water environment can impact many physiological processes of aquatic animals. The antioxidant response of immune system of the pearl oyster to temperature and salinity is of great significance to health. This study analyzed the physiological changes and immune responses under different temperature and salinity levels (temperature: 20, 25, and 30 °C; salinity: 23, 28, and 33‰) in the short term (7 d) in the hepatopancreas and other tissues of 405 pearl oysters. The combined effects of temperature and salinity on antioxidants in the immune system of the pearl oyster were evaluated via response surface methodology and Box–Benhnken design (BBD) under laboratory conditions. The secondary effects of salinity on the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significant, and CAT and SOD showed an inverted U-shaped trend with the increase in salinity. Temperature significantly impacted GSH-PX, CAT, glutathione (GSH), and SOD in primary and secondary effects, and the maximum values of CAT, GSH, and SOD were observed. The phenoloxidase (POX) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities increased with the increasing temperatures. The interaction of temperature and salinity was significant on CAT and SOD, but was not significant on GSH-PX. The interaction between salinity and temperature on AKP was significant, which was contrary to the results of AKP in the hemolymph. The expression levels of antioxidant genes varied between tissues, and the expression levels of different genes in the same tissue were different. Appropriate immunity and antioxidant index models were established under the combined temperature and salinity conditions. The optimal combination of temperature and salinity was 24.95 °C and 28.11‰, respectively, and the desirability was 0.803. This study provides theoretical reference points for the pearl oyster to respond to temperature and salinity changes and can be used to establish an index model for shellfish aquaculture.
Expression of Ion Transporters and Na+/K+-ATPase and H+-ATPase Activities in the Gills and Kidney of Silver Catfish (Rhamdia quelen) Exposed to Different pHs
Authors: Marx Morgana Tais Streck , Souza Carine de Freitas , Almeida Ana Paula Gottlieb , Descovi Sharine Nunes , Bianchini Adriane Erbice , Martos-Sitcha Juan Antonio , Martínez-Rodríguez Gonzalo , Antoniazzi Alfredo Quites , Baldisserotto Bernardo
Published: September 2022

Exposure to acidic and alkaline pHs results in an ionic imbalance. Cellular responses involved in osmoregulation in silver catfish exposed to different pHs (5.5, 7.5, and 9.0) for 24 h were evaluated. The gills and kidney were collected to measure Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) and H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) activities and to evaluate the expression of ion transporter-related genes: NKA (atp1a1), H+-ATPases (atp6v0a1b, atp6v0a2a, atp6v0a2b), Na+/H+ antiporter (slc9a3), K+/Cl− symporters (slc12a4, slc12a6, slc12a7a, slc12a7b), Na+/K+/2Cl− symporter (slc12a2), and ammonium transporter Rh type b (rhbg). The gills presented greater responses to pH changes than the kidney. The pH alterations changed the atp1a1 gene expression and NKA activity, whereas the H+-ATPase activity increased in the gills in alkaline water, probably to maintain ionic balance. The slc9a3 and slc12a2 genes play more prominent roles in the ion uptake at acidic pH than H+-ATPase. The slc12a7a was the only isoform of this transporter affected by pH. The rhbg is apparently related to ammonia excretion through the gills and kidney (minor scale). Exposure to alkaline pH seems to be battled by impairment of NKA and H+-ATPase activities in the gills, whereas the expression of some ion transporters in silver catfish changes during both acidic and alkaline pHs.