bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proper Dietary and Supplementation Patterns as a COVID-19 Protective Factor (Cross-Sectional Study-Silesia, Poland)
Authors: Krupa-Kotara Karolina , Grajek Mateusz , Murzyn Anna , Słoma-Krześlak Małgorzata , Sobczyk Karolina , Białek-Dratwa Agnieszka , Kowalski Oskar
Published: November 2022

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has become a challenge for the world today, so it is very important to create healthy eating habits in society to support immunity and raise awareness of the benefits of supplementation. Objective. The purpose of this study is to evaluate diet and dietary supplementation, since previous studies indicate the protective nature of these in building immunity during the pandemic and post-pandemic period (COVID-19). The hypothesis of the study is whether the dietary regimen presented by the COVID-19 respondents can be considered protective in building immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Material and methods. The study included 304 subjects, with an average age of 39.04 ± 23.59. The main criteria for inclusion in the study were that the respondent was ≥18 years old and participated voluntarily. The study was conducted using an original questionnaire. Results. In the study group, no change was noticed in the previous diet during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the level of physical activity among the respondents decreased. Too low a percentage of people regularly consumed, among other foods. legume seeds—only 10.5% of respondents consumed them several times a week—and citrus fruits—the largest number of respondents, as many as 39.8%, only consumed them several times a month. The largest percentage of respondents with mild/scanty COVID-19 disease regularly took vitamin C-containing preparations (n = 61; 59.80%). Statistical analysis showed that there was a correlation between the incidence of mild/scanty COVID-19 and the regularity of taking vitamin C-containing preparations (T = 11.374; r = 0.611; p = 0.04603). A statistical significance level was also obtained for the regularity of supplementation of multivitamin preparations, which were taken by 68% (34) of respondents affected by mild/scanty COVID-19 (T = 13.456; r = 0.711; p = 0.02191). Conclusions. The study’s hypothesis was supported. Respondents characterized by a normal dietary pattern and taking supplements commonly recognized as immune “boosters” were more likely to mildly survive COVID-19. Moreover, it was shown that the pandemic in most of the respondents did not significantly affect their dietary strategy. It is reasonable to conclude that the dietary patterns adopted may be a common way to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections and their possible complications.
Co-Prevalence of Virulence and Pathogenic Potential in Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Aeromonas spp. from Diseased Fishes with In Silico Insight on the Virulent Protein Network
Authors: Chakraborty Nabanita , Das Basanta , Bera Asit , Borah Simanku , Mohanty Debasmita , Yadav Anil , Kumar Jeetendra , Koushlesh Satish , Chanu Thangjam , Panda Soumya , Vallangi Ravali
Published: November 2022

Aeromonas species exhibit widespread presence in food, poultry, and aquaculture. They are major multi-drug-resistant fish pathogens. This study aims to identify Aeromonas species harbouring virulence genes aerolysin, flagellin, and lipase from diseased fishes of Assam wetlands with association with antibiotic resistance and in vivo pathogenicity. One hundred and thirty-four Aeromonas strains were isolated and thirty representative species identified using genus-specific 16S rRNA gene amplification. A. veronii was most prevalent (53.7%) followed by A. hydrophila (40.2%), A. caviae (4.47%), and A. dhakensis (1.49%). Ninety percent (90%) of strains harboured at least one of the studied virulence genes: aerA (73.3%), lip (46.6%), and flaA (26.6%). The highest multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index 0.8 corresponded to A. hydrophila DBTNE1 (MZ723069), containing all the studied genes. The lowest LD50 values (1.6 × 106 CFU/fish) corresponded to isolates having both aerA and lip. β-lactams showed utmost resistance and lowest for aminoglycosides. There was a significant (p < 0.05) Pearson chi-square test of association between the occurrence of virulence and antibiotic resistance. The in silico protein–protein interaction revealed important drug targets, such as σ28 transcription factor, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, and diacylglycerol kinase, with significant (p < 0.05) enrichment. This study suggests that fish-isolate Aeromonas strains represent potential threat to aquaculture with subsequent risk of transferring antibiotic resistance to human pathogens.
Overexpression of Nitrate Transporter 1/Peptide Gene OsNPF7.6 Increases Rice Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Authors: Zhang Min , Lai Liuru , Liu Xintong , Liu Jiajia , Liu Ruifang , Wang Yamei , Liu Jindong , Chen Jingguang
Published: November 2022

Overuse of nitrogen fertilizer in fields has raised production costs, and caused environmental problems. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of rice is essential for sustainable agriculture. Here we report the cloning, characterization and roles for rice of OsNPF7.6, a member of the nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family (NPF). The OsNPF7.6 protein is located in the plasma membrane, expressed in each tissue at all stages and is significantly regulated by nitrate in rice. Our study shows that the overexpression of OsNPF7.6 can increase the nitrate uptake rate of rice. Additionally, field experiments showed that OsNPF7.6 overexpression increased the total tiller number per plant and the grain weight per panicle, thereby improving grain yield and agronomic NUE in rice. Thus, OsNPF7.6 can be applied to be a novel target gene for breeding rice varieties with high NUE, and provide a reference for breeding higher yielding rice.
An Investigation of the Thermal Transitions and Physical Properties of Semiconducting PDPP4T:PDBPyBT Blend Films
Authors: Hajduk Barbara , Jarka Paweł , Tański Tomasz , Bednarski Henryk , Janeczek Henryk , Gnida Paweł , Fijalkowski Mateusz
Published: November 2022

This work focuses on the study of thermal and physical properties of thin polymer films based on mixtures of semiconductor polymers. The materials selected for research were poly [2,5-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-pyrrolo [3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4(2H,5H)-dione-3,6-diyl)-alt-(2,2′;5′,2″;5″,2′′′-quater-thiophen-5,5′′′-diyl)]—PDPP4T, a p-type semiconducting polymer, and poly(2,5-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-3,6-di(pyridin-2-yl)-pyrrolo [3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4(2H,5H)-dione-alt-2,2′-bithiophene)—PDBPyBT, a high-mobility n-type polymer. The article describes the influence of the mutual participation of materials on the structure, physical properties and thermal transitions of PDPP4T:PDBPyBT blends. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate the phase diagram for PDPP4T:PDBPyBT blend films, constructed on the basis of variable-temperature spectroscopic ellipsometry and differential scanning calorimetry. Both techniques are complementary to each other, and the obtained results overlap to a large extent. Our research shows that these polymers can be mixed in various proportions to form single-phase mixtures with several thermal transitions, three of which with the lowest characteristic temperatures can be identified as glass transitions. In addition, the RMS roughness value of the PDPP4T:PDBPyBT blended films was lower than that of the pure materials.
Serum Uromodulin, a Potential Biomarker of Tubulointerstitial Damage, Correlates Well with Measured GFR and ERPF in Patients with Obstructive Nephropathy
Authors: Vukmirović Papuga Marija , Bukumirić Zoran , Ilinčić Branislava , Mijović Romana , Šašić Ostojić Tanja , Žeravica Radmila
Published: November 2022

Background and Objectives: In chronic kidney obstruction, the severity of tubulointerstitial damage correlates best with the loss of kidney function and the risk for progression to end-stage kidney disease. The present study aimed to investigate the potential clinical significance of serum uromodulin (sUmod) as a marker of early kidney disfunction in patient with obstructive nephropathy (ON). Materials and Methods: Serum Umod level was measured by sensitive ELISA method in 57 adult patients with obstructive nephropathy and 25 healthy subjects in control group. Kidney function was precisely evaluated via measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) (renal clearance of 99 mTc-diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid), effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and Cystatin C level. Recruited patients were divided into subgroups based on the mGFR: group I—GFR ≤ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (N = 31), group II—GFR > 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (N = 26). Results: A significantly lower level of serum uromodulin was measured in patients with ON (50.2 ± 26.3 ng/mL) compared to the control group (78.3 ± 24.5 ng/mL) (p < 0.001). The mean level of serum Umod was significantly different between group I (30.5 ng/mL ± 11.1) and group II (73.6 ng/mL ± 18.6) (p < 0.001), but not between group II (73.6 ng/mL ± 18.6) and control group (78.3 ± 24.5 ng/mL). There was a positive correlation between sUmod and mGFR (R = 0.757, p < 0.001) and ERPF (R = 0.572 p < 0.001), with lower sUmod levels in patients with impaired renal function. An inverse relationship was detected between sUmod and filtration markers—cystatin C (R = −0.625, p < 0.001), creatinine, urea and uric acid. ROC analysis of sUmod to differentiate between ON patients with GFR below 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and above 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 resulted in AUC of 0.98 (p < 0.001, 95% CI 0.922 vs. 0.998) at a cut-off value of 46 ng/mL (specificity 96.8%, sensitivity 92.2%). Conclusions: The significant correlation of sUmod with kidney function parameters may imply potential clinical significance as a noninvasive biomarker of early kidney disfunction in obstructive nephropathy.
New CagL Amino Acid Polymorphism Patterns of Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcer and Non-Ulcer Dyspepsia
Authors: Caliskan Reyhan , Polat Sari Silva , Ercan Bahadir , Peker Kivanc Derya , Omac Sonmez Mehtap , Akgul Ozer , Sapmaz Burcu , Soylu Aliye , Adas Gokhan Tolga , Oner Yasar Ali , Yuksel Mayda Pelin
Published: November 2022

Background and Objectives: Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with chronic gastritis, ulcers, and gastric cancer. The H. pylori Type 4 secretion system (T4SS) translocates the CagA protein into host cells and plays an essential role in initiating gastric carcinogenesis. The CagL protein is a component of the T4SS. CagL amino acid polymorphisms are correlated with clinical outcomes. We aimed to study the association between CagL amino acid polymorphisms and peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD). Materials and Methods: A total of 99 patients (PUD, 46; NUD, 53) were enrolled and screened for H. pylori by qPCR from antrum biopsy samples. The amino acid polymorphisms of CagL were analyzed using DNA sequencing, followed by the MAFFT sequence alignment program to match the amino acid sequences. Results: Antrum biopsy samples from 70 out of 99 (70.7%) patients were found to be H. pylori DNA-positive. A positive band for cagL was detected in 42 out of 70 samples (PUD, 23; NUD, 19), and following this, these 42 samples were sequenced. In total, 27 different polymorphisms were determined. We determined three CagL amino acid polymorphism combinations, which were determined to be associated with PUD and NUD. Pattern 1 (K35/N122/V134/T175/R194/E210) was only detected in PUD patient samples and was related to a 1.35-fold risk (p = 0.02). Patterns 2 (V41/I134) and 3 (V41/K122/A171/I174) were found only in NUD patient samples and were linked to a 1.26-fold increased risk (p = 0.03). Conclusions: We observed three new patterns associated with PUD and NUD. Pattern 1 is related to PUD, and the other two patterns (Patterns 2 and 3) are related to NUD. The patterns that we identified include the remote polymorphisms of the CagL protein, which is a new approach. These patterns may help to understand the course of H. pylori infection.
Topographic and Morphometric Study of the Foramen Spinosum of the Skull and Its Clinical Correlation
Authors: Sugano Gustavo Tenório , Pauris Carolina Chen , Silva Yggor Biloria e , Pandini Fabrício Egídio , Palermo Raíssa Balabem Said , Buchaim Daniela Vieira , Buchaim Rogerio Leone , Chacon Erivelto Luís , Aparecida de Castro Cynthia , Pagani Bruna Trazzi , Cunha Marcelo Rodrigues da
Published: November 2022

Background and Objectives: The spinous foramen (FS) of the skull is an opening located in the greater wing of the sphenoid bone at the base of the skull, and it includes the middle meningeal vessels and the meningeal branch of the mandibular trigeminal nerve. The FS is commonly used as an anatomical landmark in neurosurgical procedures and neuroimaging of the middle cranial fossa because of its relationship with other cranial foramina and surrounding vascular and nervous structures. Thus, specific knowledge of its topography and possible anatomical variations is important regarding some surgical interventions and skull imaging. The aim of this study was to provide further details on the morphology of the FS of the skull by evaluating its topographic and morphometric relationships and correlating the findings with clinical practice. Materials and Methods: Thirty dried skulls of human skeletons from body donors from the collection of the Laboratory of Anatomical Microdissection at a medical school were used. The metric dimensions and variations of the FS and its relationship with adjacent bone structures were analyzed with an interface digital microscope. Results: The results showed the bilateral presence of the FS in all skulls; however, differences were observed in the shape, diameter, and topography in relation to the foramen ovale and the spine of the sphenoid. The FS was present in the greater wing of the sphenoid bone; however, in one skull, it was located in the lateral lamina of the pterygoid process. The FS was smaller than the foramen ovale. A round and oval FS shape was the most common (42.1% and 32.8% of the samples, respectively), followed by drop-shaped (12.5%) and irregular-shaped (12.5%) foramina. Conclusions: In conclusion, FS variations among individuals are common and must be considered by surgeons during skull base interventions in order to avoid accidents and postoperative complications.
Primary Care Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Potential Referral Barriers towards Bariatric Surgery: A Northern Saudi Study
Authors: Alenezi Anfal Mohammed , Thirunavukkarasu Ashokkumar , Alrasheed Abdulaziz Khalid , Alsharari Talal Ahmed , Almadhi Khalid Bsam A. , Almugharriq Malek Mohammed N. , Alshalan Ragad Ahmed , Alshalan Khalid Muteb , Alanazi Abdullah Alturqi Kurdi , Albayyali Wesam Sultan
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is the most effective procedure for sustained weight loss and control of obesity-associated comorbidities among morbidly obese patients. Successful bariatric surgery depends on a multidisciplinary approach involving all healthcare workers, including the primary care physicians, from the referral of patients to long-term follow-up. The present study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and potential referral barriers of primary care physicians to bariatric surgery and associated sociodemographic factors. Materials and methods: The present analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 280 randomly selected primary care physicians using a standard and validated data collection tool. We performed an independent t-test and one-way ANOVA to find the association between sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge, attitude, and referral barrier scores. Furthermore, multilinear regression analysis was executed to determine the association among knowledge, attitude, and barriers. Results: The current study found that 52.9%, 19.3%, and 59.3% had a low score in the knowledge, attitude, and barriers categories. The attitude scores were significantly associated with the education status (p = 0.005) and current position at primary health centers (p = 0.012), and the referral barriers score was significantly associated with the work experience duration (p = 0.004). We found a positive relationship between knowledge and attitude (regression coefficient (β) [95% CI]:0.389 [0.154 to 0.585], p = 0.001) and a negative relationship between knowledge and referral barriers (β [95% CI]: −0.291 [−0.127 to −0.058], p = 0.007). Conclusions: Our survey findings suggest that a lack of knowledge regarding bariatric surgery led to several concerns and referral barriers among the physicians. Therefore, the recommendation is to improve the primary care physicians’ knowledge through continuing medical education, symposium, and other suitable training methods with a special focus on obesity care in the curriculum. Furthermore, a mixed-method survey involving other provinces of the KSA is warranted to formulate the region-specific training needs.
Electrodialysis Tartrate Stabilization of Wine Materials: Fouling and a New Approach to the Cleaning of Aliphatic Anion-Exchange Membranes
Authors: Tsygurina Kseniia , Pasechnaya Evgeniia , Chuprynina Daria , Melkonyan Karina , Rusinova Tatyana , Nikonenko Victor , Pismenskaya Natalia
Published: November 2022

Electrodialysis (ED) is an attractive method of tartrate stabilization of wine due to its rapidity and reagentlessness. At the same time, fouling of ion-exchange membranes by the components of wine materials is still an unsolved problem. The effect of ethanol, polyphenols (mainly anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins) and saccharides (fructose) on the fouling of aliphatic ion-exchange membranes CJMA-6 and CJMC-5 (manufactured by Hefei Chemjoy Polymer Materials Co. Ltd., Hefei, China) was analyzed using model solutions. It was shown that the mechanism and consequences of fouling are different in the absence of an electric field and during electrodialysis. In particular, a layer of colloidal particles is deposited on the surface of the CJMA-6 anion-exchange membrane in underlimiting current modes. Its thickness increases with increasing current density, apparently due to the implementation of a trap mechanism involving tartaric acid anions, as well as protons, which are products of water splitting and “acid dissociation”. A successful attempt was made to clean CJMA-6 in operando by pumping a water-alcohol solution of KCl through the desalination compartment and changing electric field direction. It has been established that such a cleaning process suppresses the subsequent biofouling of ion-exchange membranes. In addition, selective recovery of polyphenols with high antioxidant activity is possible.
A Versatile Suspended Lipid Membrane System for Probing Membrane Remodeling and Disruption
Authors: Sannigrahi Achinta , Rai Vishwesh Haricharan , Chalil Muhsin Vannan , Chakraborty Debayani , Meher Subrat Kumar , Roy Rahul
Published: November 2022

Artificial membrane systems can serve as models to investigate molecular mechanisms of different cellular processes, including transport, pore formation, and viral fusion. However, the current, such as SUVs, GUVs, and the supported lipid bilayers suffer from issues, namely high curvature, heterogeneity, and surface artefacts, respectively. Freestanding membranes provide a facile solution to these issues, but current systems developed by various groups use silicon or aluminum oxide wafers for fabrication that involves access to a dedicated nanolithography facility and high cost while conferring poor membrane stability. Here, we report the development, characterization and applications of an easy-to-fabricate suspended lipid bilayer (SULB) membrane platform leveraging commercial track-etched porous filters (PCTE) with defined microwell size. Our SULB system offers a platform to study the lipid composition-dependent structural and functional properties of membranes with exceptional stability. With dye entrapped in PCTE microwells by SULB, we show that sphingomyelin significantly augments the activity of pore-forming toxin, Cytolysin A (ClyA) and the pore formation induces lipid exchange between the bilayer leaflets. Further, we demonstrate high efficiency and rapid kinetics of membrane fusion by dengue virus in our SULB platform. Our suspended bilayer membrane mimetic offers a novel platform to investigate a large class of biomembrane interactions and processes.
Improving the Performance of a Salt Production Plant by Using Nanofiltration as a Pretreatment
Authors: Turek Marian , Mitko Krzysztof , Skóra Paweł , Dydo Piotr , Jakóbik-Kolon Agata , Warzecha Aleksa , Tyrała Klaudia
Published: November 2022

The Dębieńsko plant in Czerwionka-Leszczyny, Poland, producing evaporated salt from the saline mine water, faces increasing operating costs due to its high energy consumption. To improve the performance of the plant, a two-pass nanofiltration with intermediate crystallization of gypsum was proposed as a pretreatment. Based on the results of pilot-scale research, it was found that the removal of most of the calcium, magnesium, and sulfate allows a substantial reduction in the concentration of these components in the concentrated brine, which is then directed to a sodium chloride crystallization evaporator. This makes it possible to increase salt yield from the current 58.8% to 76.1% and indirectly reduce energy consumption from 1350 kWh/t to 1068 kWh/t. At the same time, the volume of the highly saline post-crystallization lyes is decreased by 66%, and a new stream is obtained: a Mg-rich solution, which could be used for magnesium hydroxide recovery.
Separation of Neodymium (III) and Lanthanum (III) via a Flat Sheet-Supported Liquid Membrane with Different Extractant-Acid Systems
Authors: Li Lin , Yu Ben , Davis Krystal , King Aaron , Dal-Cin Mauro , Nicalek Andrzej , Du Naiying
Published: November 2022

The increasing demand for neodymium (Nd) permanent magnets in electric motors has revived research interest of Nd recovery and separation from other rare earth elements (REEs). Typically, Nd/La separation is necessary for Nd recovery from primary ores and secondary resource recycling. This research used a flat sheet-supported liquid membrane (FSSLM) with different extractant-acid systems to extract Nd from a Nd/La mixture. The recovery and separation of Nd/La with 204P-H2SO4, 507P-HCl, and TBP-HNO3 were discussed. The results showed effective Nd recovery and promising Nd/La selectivity could be achieved in the 507P-HCl system, compared to 204P-H2SO4 and TBP-HNO3. The addition of citric acid to the feed solution was effective for pH buffering but did not improve the Nd transport or Nd/La selectivity. Long-term stability of the 507P-HCl extractant system was demonstrated by extending the processing time from 6 h to 6 days.
Preparation of Chemically Resistant Cellulose Benzoate Hollow Fiber Membrane via Thermally Induced Phase Separation Method
Authors: Takao Shota , Rajabzadeh Saeid , Shibata Masahide , Otsubo Chihiro , Hamada Toyozo , Kato Noriaki , Nakagawa Keizo , Kitagawa Tooru , Matsuyama Hideto , Yoshioka Tomohisa
Published: November 2022

For the first time, we have successfully fabricated microfiltration (MF) hollow fiber membranes by the thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) and non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) methods using cellulose acetate benzoate (CBzOH), which is a cellulose derivative with considerable chemical resistance. To obtain an appropriate CBzOH TIPS membrane, a comprehensive solvent screening was performed to choose the appropriate solvent to obtain a membrane with a porous structure. In parallel, the CBzOH membrane was prepared by the NIPS method to compare and evaluate the effect of membrane structure using the same polymer material. Prepared CBzOH membrane by TIPS method showed high porosity, pore size around 100 nm or larger and high pure water permeability (PWP) with slightly low rection performance compared to that by NIPS. On the contrary, CBzOH membranes prepared with the NIPS method showed three times lower PWP with higher rejection. The chemical resistance of the prepared CBzOH membranes was compared with that of cellulose triacetate (CTA) hollow fiber membrane, which is a typical cellulose derivative as a control membrane, using a 2000 ppm sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) solution. CBzOH membranes prepared with TIPS and NIPS methods showed considerable resistance against the NaClO solution regardless of the membrane structure, porosity and pore size. On the other hand, when the CTA membrane, as the control membrane, was subjected to the NaClO solution, membrane mechanical strength sharply decreased over the exposure time to NaClO. It is interesting that although the CBzOH TIPS membrane showed three times higher pure water permeability than other membranes with slightly lower rejection and considerably higher NaClO resistance, the mechanical strength of this membrane is more than two times higher than other membranes. While CBzOH samples showed no change in chemical structure and contact angle, CTA showed considerable change in chemical structure and a sharp decrease in contact angle after treatment with NaClO. Thus, CBzOH TIPS hollow fiber membrane is noticeably interesting considering membrane performance in terms of filtration performance, mechanical strength and chemical resistance on the cost of slightly losing rejection performance.
Metabolic Analysis of Nucleosides/Bases in the Urine and Serum of Patients with Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease
Authors: He Liqing , Vatsalya Vatsalya , Ma Xipeng , Klinge Carolyn M. , Cave Matthew C. , Feng Wenke , McClain Craig J. , Zhang Xiang
Published: November 2022

Accumulating evidence supports the important role of RNA modifications in liver disease pathogenesis. However, RNA modifications in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) have not yet been reported. Modified ribonucleosides/bases are products of RNA degradation; therefore, we investigated whether modified ribonucleosides/bases in human urine and serum are changed and whether these changes are associated with the severity of ALD. Human urine and serum samples from patients with ALD and appropriate controls were collected. Free nucleosides/bases were extracted from these samples and quantified using untargeted and targeted metabolomic approaches. Thirty-nine and forty free nucleosides/bases were respectively detected in human urine and serum samples. Twelve and eleven modified nucleosides are significantly changed in patients’ urine and serum (q < 0.05 and fold-change > 20%). The abundance of modified nucleobase and ribonucleoside, 7,9-dimethylguanine in urine and 2-methylthio-N6-threonylcarbamoyladenosine (ms2t6A) in serum are strongly associated with the severity of ALD. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of these two metabolites with the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score are 0.66 and 0.74, respectively. Notably, the abundance changes in these two metabolites are sufficiently large to distinguish severe alcohol-associate hepatitis (AH) from non-severe ALD and non-severe ALD from healthy controls.
The Effect of Bacteria on the Stability of Microfluidic-Generated Water-in-Oil Droplet
Authors: Mohd Isa Nur Suaidah , El Kadri Hani , Vigolo Daniele , Gkatzionis Konstantinos
Published: November 2022

Microencapsulation in emulsion droplets has great potential for various applications such as food which require formation of highly stable emulsions. Bacterial-emulsion interactions affect the physiological status of bacteria while bacterial cell characteristics such as surface-active properties and metabolic activity can affect emulsion stability. In this study, the viability and growth of two different bacterial species, Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Lactobacillus paracasei, encapsulated in water-in-oil (W/O) droplets or as planktonic cells, were monitored and their effect on droplet stability was determined. Microencapsulation of bacteria in W/O droplets with growth media or water was achieved by using a flow-focusing microfluidic device to ensure the production of highly monodispersed droplets. Stability of W/O droplets was monitored during 5 days of storage. Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe bacterial growth behaviour. Encapsulated cells showed different growth to planktonic cells. Encapsulated E. coli grew faster initially followed by a decline in viability while encapsulated L. paracasei showed a slow gradual growth throughout storage. The presence of bacteria increased droplet stability and a higher number of dead cells was found to provide better stability due to high affinity towards the interface. The stability of the droplets is also species dependent, with E. coli providing better stability as compared to Lactobacillus paracasei.
A New Approach of Modelling Bottom Edge Cutting in 4-Axis Rough Milling of Complex Parts and Its Application on Feed Rate Optimization
Authors: Zhao Jie , Chang Zhiyong
Published: November 2022

Complex mechanical parts such as a blisk of aero-engines are commonly used in aerospace industry. These parts are complex in shape and their rough machining are conducted in 4-axis machine tools with end mills. The end mills are fully engaged into the workpiece material to be removed. Because of the complex cutter motion in 4-axis milling, the bottom edges of the end mills are involved in cutting with high possibility, resulting in an undesirable increase of cutting forces, tool deflection, and quick tool wear. To address this technical challenge, an analytical method is proposed to identify and evaluate the bottom edge cutting in 4-axis milling in this work. The motion of the cutter’s tool tip with respect to the workpiece is analyzed and the equations are formulated based on a basic interpolation algorithm. An approach to identifying and evaluating the bottom edge cutting is proposed. The increment of the cutting forces caused by the bottom edge cutting is taken into consideration to precisely evaluate the overall cutting forces. A feed rate optimization model is then established to control the cutting forces. The simulation and the experiment of rough milling of a blisk verify that the bottom edge cutting can be identified and the cutting force can be controlled by optimizing the feed rates without losing much machining efficiency.
Structure and Photoluminescence of WO3-x Aggregates Tuned by Surfactants
Authors: Wang Biben , Zhong Xiaoxia , Xu Haiyan , Zhang Yongcai , Cvelbar Uros , Ostrikov Kostya (Ken)
Published: November 2022

The optoelectronic properties of transition metal oxide semiconductors depend on their oxygen vacancies, nanostructures and aggregation states. Here, we report the synthesis and photoluminescence (PL) properties of substoichiometric tungsten oxide (WO3-x) aggregates with the nanorods, nanoflakes, submicro-spherical-like, submicro-spherical and micro-spherical structures in the acetic acid solution without and with the special surfactants (butyric or oleic acids). Based on theory on the osmotic potential of polymers, we demonstrate the structural change of the WO3-x aggregates, which is related to the change of steric repulsion caused by the surfactant layers, adsorption and deformation of the surfactant molecules on the WO3-x nanocrystals. The WO3-x aggregates generate multi-color light, including ultraviolet, blue, green, red and near-infrared light caused by the inter-band transition and defect level-specific transition as well as the relaxation of polarons. Compared to the nanorod and nanoflake WO3-x aggregates, the PL quenching of the submicro-spherical-like, submicro-spherical and micro-spherical WO3-x aggregates is associated with the coupling between the WO3-x nanoparticles and the trapping centers arising from the surfactant molecules adsorbed on the WO3-x nanoparticles.
Flow Characteristics of Heat and Mass for Nanofluid under Different Operating Temperatures over Wedge and Plate
Authors: Rizwan Muhammad , Hassan Mohsan , Asjad Muhammad Imran , Tag-ElDin ElSayed M.
Published: November 2022

Background and Purpose: Nanofluids are a new class of heat transfer fluids that are used for different heat transfer applications. The transport characteristics of these fluids not only depend upon flow conditions but also strongly depend on operating temperature. In respect of these facts, the properties of these fluids are modified to measure the temperature effects and used in the governing equations to see the heat and mass flow behavior. Design of Model: Consider the nanofluids which are synthesized by dispersing metallic oxides (SiO2, Al2O3), carbon nanostructures (PEG-TGr, PEG-GnP), and nanoparticles in deionized water (DIW), with (0.025–0.1%) particle concentration over (30–50 °C) temperature range. The thermophysical properties of these fluids are modeled theoretically with the help of experimental data as a function of a temperature and volume fraction. These models are further used in transport equations for fluid flow over both wedge and plate. To get the solution, the equations are simplified in the shape of ordinary differential equations by applying the boundary layer and similarity transformations and then solved by the RK method. Results: The solution of the governing equation is found in the form of velocity and temperature expressions for both geometries and displayed graphically for discussion. Moreover, momentum and thermal boundary layer thicknesses, displacement, momentum thicknesses, the coefficient of skin friction, and Nusselt number are calculated numerically in tabular form. Finding: The maximum reduction and enhancement in velocity and temperature profile is found in the case of flow over the plate as compared to the wedge. The boundary layer parameters are increased in the case of flow over the plate than the wedge.
Hybrid Compression Optimization Based Rapid Detection Method for Non-Coal Conveying Foreign Objects
Authors: Zhang Mengchao , Yue Yanbo , Jiang Kai , Li Meixuan , Zhang Yuan , Zhou Manshan
Published: November 2022

The existence of conveyor foreign objects poses a serious threat to the service life of conveyor belts, which will cause abnormal damage or even tearing, so fast and effective detection of conveyor foreign objects is of great significance to ensure the safe and efficient operation of belt conveyors. Considering the need for the foreign object detection algorithm to operate in edge computing devices, this paper proposes a hybrid compression method that integrates network sparse, structured pruning, and knowledge distillation to compress the network parameters and calculations. Combined with a Yolov5 network for practice, three structured pruning strategies are specifically proposed, all of which are proven to have achieved a good compression effect. The experiment results show that under the pruning rate of 0.9, the proposed three pruning strategies can achieve more than 95% compression for network parameters, more than 90% compression for the computation, and more than 90% compression for the size of the network model, and the optimized network is able to accelerate inference on both Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) hardware platforms, with a maximum speedup of 70.3% on the GPU platform and 157.5% on the CPU platform, providing an excellent real-time performance but also causing a large accuracy loss. In contrast, the proposed method balances better real-time performance and detection accuracy (>88.2%) when the pruning rate is at 0.6~0.9. Further, to avoid the influence of motion blur, a method of introducing prior knowledge is proposed to improve the resistance of the network, thus strongly ensuring the detection effect. All the technical solutions proposed are of great significance in promoting the intelligent development of coal mine equipment, ensuring the safe and efficient operation of belt conveyors, and promoting sustainable development.
Design and Fabrication of a Novel Poly-Si Microhotplate with Heat Compensation Structure
Authors: Lu Xiaorui , Liu Jiahui , Han Guowei , Si Chaowei , Zhao Yongmei , Hou Zhongxuan , Zhang Yongkang , Ning Jin , Yang Fuhua
Published: November 2022

I Microhotplates are critical devices in various MEMS sensors that could provide appropriate operating temperatures. In this paper, a novel design of poly-Si membrane microhotplates with a heat compensation structure was reported. The main objective of this work was to design and fabricate the poly-Si microhotplate, and the thermal and electrical performance of the microhotplates were also investigated. The poly-Si resistive heater was deposited by LPCVD, and phosphorous doping was applied by in situ doping process to reduce the resistance of poly-Si. In order to obtain a uniform temperature distribution, a series of S-shaped compensation structures were fabricated at the edge of the resistive heater. LPCVD SiNx layers deposited on both sides of poly-Si were used as both the mechanical supporting layer and the electrical isolation layer. The Pt electrode was fabricated on the top of the microhotplate for temperature detection. The area of the heating membrane was 1 mm × 1 mm. Various parameters of the different size devices were simulated and measured, including temperature distribution, power consumption, thermal expansion and response time. The simulation and electrical–thermal measurement results were reported. For microhotplates with a heat compensation structure, the membrane temperature reached 811.7 °C when the applied voltage was 5.5 V at a heating power of 148.3 mW. A 3.8 V DC voltage was applied to measure the temperature distribution; the maximum temperature was 397.6 °C, and the area where the temperature reached 90% covered about 73.8% when the applied voltage was 3.8 V at a heating power of 70.8 mW. The heating response time was 17 ms while the microhotplate was heated to 400 °C from room temperature, and the cooling response time was 32 ms while the device was recovered to room temperature. This microhotplate has many advantages, such as uniform temperature distribution, low power consumption and fast response, which are suitable for MEMS gas sensors, humidity sensors, gas flow sensors, etc.
Quasi-Continuous Wave Pulsed Laser Welding of Copper Lap Joints Using Spatial Beam Oscillation
Authors: Sadeghian Amirhossein , Nath Subhasisa , Huang Yuze , Matharu Ranveer S. , Wadee Noppawee , Pembrey Nicolas , Waugh David G.
Published: November 2022

Laser beam welding of copper (Cu) using near-infrared radiation is extremely challenging due to its high thermal conductivity and large laser reflectivity. In the present study, the challenges and benefits of using spatial beam oscillation during quasi-continuous wave (QCW) pulsed laser beam welding of 0.4 mm Cu to 1 mm Cu in lap joint configuration are presented. This work demonstrates how laser beam oscillating parameters can be used to control the laser weld quality and laser weld dimensions for Cu-Cu joining. Compared to a non-oscillated laser beam, welds made using laser beam oscillation showed fewer spatters, porosities, and better surface quality. Four levels of oscillating amplitudes (0.2 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, and 0.8 mm) and oscillating frequencies (100 Hz, 200 Hz, 300 Hz, and 400 Hz) were compared to reveal the effect of beam oscillation parameters. The weld width was mainly controlled by oscillating amplitude, while weld penetration was affected by both oscillating amplitude and frequency. As the oscillating amplitude increased, the weld width increased while the weld penetration decreased. Increasing the oscillating frequency reduced the weld penetration but had a negligible effect on the weld width. The maximum tensile force of approximately 1944 N was achieved for the joint with a high width-to-depth ratio with an oscillating amplitude of 0.8 mm and an oscillating frequency of 200 Hz.
Bibliometric Analysis of Steelmaking Slag-Related Studies for Research Trends and Future Directions
Authors: Cui Peide , Ma Tao , Chen Feng , Zhang Yang , Liu Xiyin
Published: November 2022

Although steel slag has been used over the past years, the data-based evidence cannot even be found to indicate the development of steel slag-related technologies. To clarify the leading regions, reveal the research trends, and propose future research directions, a bibliometric and visualization analysis was conducted based on the Web of Science (WOS) core databases. China, the USA, and Italy are the top three eminent countries, and the institution of Tsinghua University and Wuhan University of Technology tied for the first place with an H-index of 27. The research focus of steel slag has changed from mechanical properties, such as durability and strength, to functional applications, pretreatment technology, carbon sequestration, and environment-friendly products. Finally, several research directions were proposed for future investigation. This was the first time steel slag was investigated from a bibliometric perspective. The information obtained could provide scholars with the current recycling situation and the following academic steps.
A Study on the Performance Modeling Method for a Deep-Sea Cobalt-Rich Crust Mining Vehicle
Authors: Xie Chao , Chen Ming , Wang Lan , Agee Casey , Yao Shaoming , Zheng Jinrong , Liu Jun , Xie Jiahua , Ou Wen , Xiao Jianyu , Chen Wei , Wang Liquan
Published: November 2022

To mine the cobalt-rich crust deposits at the substrate of the slope of the seamount, the mining vehicle needs to walk on the slope and strip the cobalt-rich crust from the substrate. To achieve safety and control, the vehicle needs to stably walk on the slope. In this paper, we propose a modeling method for mining vehicle performance based on slope stability and antislip and antiskid conditions. The specific energy of three types of mining vehicles is compared based on dimensionless parameters. The dual-drum type is determined to be the best choice in terms of energy costs, followed by the down-milling type. The performance of the compact mining vehicle based on different slope angles and two sea trial results in the South China Sea indicate that the slope angle, substrate, and crust have significant effects on the stability. The modeling method proposed in this paper can help designers estimate the structure and power of mining vehicles based on mining stability.
Numerical and Experimental Study on a Novel Filling Support Method for Mining of Closely Spaced Multilayer Orebody
Authors: Chi Xiuwen , Zhang Zhuojun , Li Lifeng , Wang Qizhou , Wang Zongying , Dong Haoran , Xie Yu
Published: November 2022

Mining of closely spaced multilayer orebodies brings the problems of significant disturbance between adjacent mining layers and drastic structural changes in surrounding rock, which brings the need for a more effective stope support method. Previous research has made sound analysis on filling or bolt support, but neither of them can solely provide ideal support effects. Thus, a novel bolt-filling support method is proposed by utilizing the synergistic effect of rock bolts (cable bolts) and filling. Numerical simulation and similarity experiments were conducted in this research to analyze the support effect of this method for multilayer ore mining. For numerical simulation, the distinct-element modelling framework PFC2D (Particle Flow Code in 2 Dimensions) was applied for four support scenarios based on the calibration of the microscopic parameters of particles in vanadium shale ores. The numerical simulation results show that the number of fractures decreases from 1311 without support through 652 with 95% filling support to 410 with bolt-filling support, which is resulted from the redistribution of the force chains due to support change. On the other hand, a 300 cm ×180 cm × 40 cm similarity model with a geometry similarity constant of 100 was established based on the 4# rock layer profile of Mount Shangheng. Two parts of similarity experiments were conducted to investigate the strains around the stopes in multi-layer ore mining for three support scenarios. The experiment results prove that the highest strain is in the center of the roof on the upper goaf, and the roof-bolt filling support induces smaller strains than zero support and conventional filling support. Finally, an effective bolt-filling support system has been developed and validated, which can improve the safety and the stability of the roofs and interlayers during the mining process of closely spaced multilayer orebody by reducing the overall load and fractures in surrounding rock.
Facies Changes, Evolution of Biogenic Structures, and Carbon Isotope Stratigraphy of the Cambrian Series 2 to Miaolingian Transition on the Southern North China Craton
Authors: He Wen-Yi , Qi Yong-An , Dai Ming-Yue , Liu Bing-Chen , Li Jing-Bo , Xu Gan-Xiao , Wang Min , Li Da
Published: November 2022

The Cambrian Series 2–Miaolingian transition is a pivotal period during Earth history, which witnessed the decline of biodiversity and the reduction in biomass, i.e., the redlichiid–olenellid trilobite extinction. The notable δ13C excursion (RECE) near the Cambrian Series 2–Miaolingian boundary in east Gondwana and China apparently corresponds with the redlichiid trilobite extinction. To better understand the causal mechanism of this biotic crisis, we report the carbon isotope stratigraphy and facies changes from Cambrian Series 2–Miaolingian transition of the Mantou Formation on the southern North China Craton. The carbon isotope excursions at the Cambrian Series 2–Miaolingian transition in the study area are 0.7‰ in the Chishanhe section and −0.2‰ in the Luoquan section, respectively, showing a weak negative excursion or even no negative excursion. The sedimentary environments in the study area gradually changed through time from a clastic tidal flat to a carbonate platform across the transition, which indicated a gradual rise in sea level, with anoxic conditions occurring predominantly before the RECE δ13C excursion. Microbially induced sedimentary structures and oncoids occurred widely at the top of Cambrian Series 2. Abundant metazoan trace fossils were preserved in the Miaolingian Series of the study area. The evolution of biogenic structures across the Cambrian Series 2–Miaolingian transition indicates the emergence of harsh environments associated with the proliferation of MISS and oncoids at the RECE horizon and the recovery of benthic metazoan fauna after the RECE biotic crisis.
Nano-Encapsulated Essential Oils as a Preservation Strategy for Meat and Meat Products Storage
Authors: Ojeda-Piedra Sergio A. , Zambrano-Zaragoza María L. , González-Reza Ricardo M. , García-Betanzos Claudia I. , Real-Sandoval Samantha A. , Quintanar-Guerrero David
Published: November 2022

Consumers today demand the use of natural additives and preservatives in all fresh and processed foods, including meat and meat products. Meat, however, is highly susceptible to oxidation and microbial growth that cause rapid spoilage. Essential oils are natural preservatives used in meat and meat products. While they provide antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, they also present certain disadvantages, as their intense flavor can affect the sensory properties of meat, they are subject to degradation under certain environmental conditions, and have low solubility in water. Different methods of incorporation have been tested to address these issues. Solutions suggested to date include nanotechnological processes in which essential oils are encapsulated into a lipid or biopolymer matrix that reduces the required dose and allows the formation of modified release systems. This review focuses on recent studies on applications of nano-encapsulated essential oils as sources of natural preservation systems that prevent meat spoilage. The studies are critically analyzed considering their effectiveness in the nanostructuring of essential oils and improvements in the quality of meat and meat products by focusing on the control of oxidation reactions and microbial growth to increase food safety and ensure innocuity.