bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical and Chemical Characterisation of the Pigments of a 17th-Century Mural Painting in the Spanish Caribbean
Authors: Flores-Sasso Virginia , Pérez Gloria , Ruiz-Valero Letzai , Martínez-Ramírez Sagrario , Guerrero Ana , Prieto-Vicioso Esteban
Published: November 2021

The arrival of Spaniards in the Caribbean islands introduced to the region the practice of applying pigments onto buildings. The pigments that remain on these buildings may provide data on their historical evolution and essential information for tackling restoration tasks. In this study, a 17th-century mural painting located in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo on the Hispaniola island of the Caribbean is characterised via UV–VIS–NIR, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, XRD and SEM/EDX. The pigments are found in the older Chapel of Our Lady of Candelaria, currently Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy. The chapel was built in the 17th century by black slave brotherhood and extended by Spaniards. During a recent restoration process of the chapel, remains of mural painting appeared, which were covered by several layers of lime. Five colours were identified: ochre, green, red, blue and white. Moreover, it was determined that this mural painting was made before the end of the 18th century, because many of the materials used were no longer used after the industrialisation of painting. However, since both rutile and anatase appear as a white pigment, a restoration may have been carried out in the 20th century, and it has been painted white.
Perinone—New Life of an Old Molecule
Authors: Łapkowski Mieczysław
Published: November 2021

A review of publications on the synthesis and properties of a family of compounds called perinones was carried out. The basic molecule has been known for several decades mainly as a photostable pigment, and in recent years it has become increasingly used in organic electronics. This paper describes the methods of synthesis of low molecular weight compounds and polymers based on that molecule; the basic spectroscopic, photochemical, electrochemical and electronic properties important for the construction of organic electronics and optoelectronics devices are also discussed.
Experimental Investigation of Unsteady Pressure Pulsation in New Type Dishwasher Pump with Special Double-Tongue Volute
Authors: Zhu Yilei , Zhang Jinfeng , Li Yalin , Huang Ping , Xu Hui , Zheng Feng
Published: November 2021

A pressure pulsation experiment of a dishwasher pump with a passive rotation double-tongue volute was carried out and compared with the pressure pulsation of a single-tongue volute and a static double-tongue volute. The pressure pulsation of the three volute models was compared and analyzed from two aspects of different impeller speeds and different monitoring points. The frequency domain and time–frequency domain of pressure pulsation were obtained by a Fourier transform and short-time Fourier transform, respectively. The results showed that the average pressure of each monitoring point on the rotating double-tongue volute was the smallest and that on the single-tongue volute was the largest. When the impeller rotates at 3000 rpm, there were eight peaks and valleys in the pressure pulsation time domain curve of the single-tongue volute, while the double-tongue volute was twice that of the single-tongue volute. Under different impeller speeds, the changing trends of pressure pulsation time and frequency domain curves of static and rotating double-tongue volutes at monitoring point p1 are basically the same. Therefore, a volute reference scheme with passive rotation speed is proposed in this study, which can effectively improve the flow pattern and reduce pressure inside the dishwasher pump, and also provide a new idea for rotor–rotor interference to guide the innovation of dishwashers.
A Multi-Stage GAN for Multi-Organ Chest X-ray Image Generation and Segmentation
Authors: Ciano Giorgio , Andreini Paolo , Mazzierli Tommaso , Bianchini Monica , Scarselli Franco
Published: November 2021

Multi-organ segmentation of X-ray images is of fundamental importance for computer aided diagnosis systems. However, the most advanced semantic segmentation methods rely on deep learning and require a huge amount of labeled images, which are rarely available due to both the high cost of human resources and the time required for labeling. In this paper, we present a novel multi-stage generation algorithm based on Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) that can produce synthetic images along with their semantic labels and can be used for data augmentation. The main feature of the method is that, unlike other approaches, generation occurs in several stages, which simplifies the procedure and allows it to be used on very small datasets. The method was evaluated on the segmentation of chest radiographic images, showing promising results. The multi-stage approach achieves state-of-the-art and, when very few images are used to train the GANs, outperforms the corresponding single-stage approach.
Platform Revenue Strategy Selection Considering Consumer Group Data Privacy Regulation
Authors: Lin Xudong , Liu Shuilin , Huang Xiaoli , Luo Hanyang , Yu Sumin
Published: November 2021

In the era of big data, consumer group privacy has become an important source of revenue for the digital platform. Considering the situation that the platform collects consumer group data privacy to generate business revenue, we explore how the service matching level and commission rate affect the platform revenue, social welfare, and seller benefits. Based on the theory of group privacy, the three-party equilibrium evolution is solved by constructing a sequential game model including platform, seller, and consumer alliance. It is found that when the service matching level of the platform is greater than the threshold value, there are two main situations: on the one hand, if using the data privacy of a consumer group is subject to market regulation, the platform will set a high commission rate and service matching level in order to maximize profit. However, social welfare and seller’s business benefit both reach a minimum in this case, and the three-party game cannot attain equilibrium. On the other hand, when the market governor relaxes the platform’s regulation on the use of consumer group privacy data and data revenue efficiency is high enough, the platform can maximize the revenue by increasing the service matching level and reducing the commission rate. The optimal commission rate depends on the data revenue efficiency of the platform. Moreover, when the platform sets the highest commission rate and the service matching level is at a medium level, a stable partial equilibrium among the three-party will be achieved. These conclusions can give some insights into platform’s business model choice decision.
Unravelling the Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential of the Marine Sponge Cliona celata from the Portuguese Coastline
Authors: Alves Joana , Gaspar Helena , Silva Joana , Alves Celso , Martins Alice , Teodoro Fernando , Susano Patrícia , Pinteus Susete , Pedrosa Rui
Published: November 2021

Inflammation is a double-edged sword, as it can have both protective effects and harmful consequences, which, combined with oxidative stress (OS), can lead to the development of deathly chronic inflammatory conditions. Over the years, research has evidenced the potential of marine sponges as a source of effective anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents. Within this framework, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory potential of the marine sponge Cliona celata. For this purpose, their organic extracts (C1–C5) and fractions were evaluated concerning their radical scavenging activity through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and anti-inflammatory activity through a (lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammation on RAW 264.7 cells) model. Compounds present in the two most active fractions (F5 and F13) of C4 were tentatively identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Even though samples displayed low antioxidant activity, they presented a high anti-inflammatory capacity in the studied cellular inflammatory model when compared to the anti-inflammatory standard, dexamethasone. GC-MS analysis led to the identification of n-hexadecanoic acid, cis-9-hexadecenal, and 13-octadecenal in fraction F5, while two major compounds, octadecanoic acid and cholesterol, were identified in fraction F13. The developed studies demonstrated the high anti-inflammatory activity of the marine sponge C. celata extracts and fractions, highlighting its potential for further therapeutic applications.
Anti-Allergic Effect of Low Molecular Weight Digest from Abalone Viscera on Atopic Dermatitis-Induced NC/Nga
Authors: Kim Tae-Hee , Heo Seong-Yeong , Oh Gun-Woo , Park Won Sun , Choi Il-Whan , Qian Zhong-Ji , Jung Won-Kyo
Published: November 2021

Abalone viscera (AV) is one of the byproducts of the seafood processing industry. The low molecular weight (<5 kDa) peptides (LMW-AV) obtained from gastrointestinal digestion of AV could suppress allergenic responses on activated HMC-1 human mast cells in our previous study. Regarding the allergenic response of LMW-AV, in the present study, we further investigated the potential of oral administration of LMW-AV against atopic dermatitis (AD) in a dermatitis-induced model stimulated with Dermatophagoides farinae. The results demonstrated that the LMW-AV reduced a number of clinical symptoms, such as the severity of the dermatitis and serum immunoglobulin E levels. Moreover, LMW-AV could inhibit the expression of chemokines and cytokines. The histological analysis indicated that the LMW-AV has suppressed the eosinophil count and the mast cell infiltration into the upper dermis. The results suggest that LMW-AV can be considered as a promising candidate for AD treatment.
A Real-World Effectiveness of Subcutaneous Immunotherapy on the Cost of Medication, Allergic Rhinitis, and Asthma Exacerbations, as well as Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in Subjects with Allergic Rhinitis with or without Asthma: A Retrospective Pilot Study
Authors: Pothirat Chaicharn , Chaiwong Warawut
Published: November 2021

Background and Objectives: Real-world studies are limited regarding the effectiveness of SCIT on allergic rhinitis (AR) with and without asthma and the cost of medication in Thailand. Moreover, limited data exist regarding the effectiveness of SCIT on worldwide upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the medication costs, rate of AR and asthma exacerbations, and rate of URTI in AR with or without asthma subjects before and during three years after receiving the maintenance phase of SCIT, compared with a standard usual care (SUC) group. Materials and Methods: A real-world retrospective study was conducted in AR subjects with or without asthma. From January 2001 to December 2018, 24 subjects with or without asthma received SCIT added to SUC, and 16 subjects were treated with SUC only at the Allergy and Chest Clinic of Chiang Mai Ram Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The cost of medication was recorded. AR and asthma exacerbations and URTI events were also collected. Results: From between-group comparisons, the cost of medication (THB) in the SCIT group at the one-, two-, and three-year follow up was significantly lower (587.4 (348.3–1374.6) vs. 1562.4 (1315.1–1857.3), p < 0.001, 501.2 (302.9–839.0) vs. 1728.3 (1190.0–2236.1), p < 0.001, and 372.4 (284.8–752.4) vs. 1500.3 (1217.9–1748.9), p < 0.001, respectively)), and AR and asthma exacerbations were significantly reduced at the three-year follow-up. From within-group comparisons, the cost of medication (THB) and AR and asthma exacerbations were significantly lower in the SCIT group at the one-, two-, and three-year follow-up. The URTI event was significantly reduced in the SCIT group at the two- and three-year follow-up. Conclusions: SCIT in subjects with AR with or without asthma was associated with a significantly reduced cost of medication, rates of AR and asthma exacerbations, and URTI events in the long term.
Syncope Time Frames for Adverse Events after Emergency Department Presentation: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis
Authors: Furlan Ludovico , Trombetta Lucia , Casazza Giovanni , Dipaola Franca , Furlan Raffaello , Marta Chiara , Numeroso Filippo , Pérez-Rodon Jordi , Quinn James V. , Reed Matthew J. , Sheldon Robert S. , Shen Win-Kuang , Sun Benjamin C. , Thiruganasambandamoorthy Venkatesh , Ungar Andrea , Costantino Giorgio , Solbiati Monica
Published: November 2021

Background and Objectives: Knowledge of the incidence and time frames of the adverse events of patients presenting syncope at the ED is essential for developing effective management strategies. The aim of the present study was to perform a meta-analysis of the incidence and time frames of adverse events of syncope patients. Materials and Methods: We combined individual patients’ data from prospective observational studies including adult patients who presented syncope at the ED. We assessed the pooled rate of adverse events at 24 h, 72 h, 7–10 days, 1 month and 1 year after ED evaluation. Results: We included nine studies that enrolled 12,269 patients. The mean age varied between 53 and 73 years, with 42% to 57% females. The pooled rate of adverse events was 5.1% (95% CI 3.4% to 7.7%) at 24 h, 7.0% (95% CI 4.9% to 9.9%) at 72 h, 8.4% (95% CI 6.2% to 11.3%) at 7–10 days, 10.3% (95% CI 7.8% to 13.3%) at 1 month and 21.3% (95% CI 15.8% to 28.0%) at 1 year. The pooled death rate was 0.2% (95% CI 0.1% to 0.5%) at 24 h, 0.3% (95% CI 0.1% to 0.7%) at 72 h, 0.5% (95% CI 0.3% to 0.9%) at 7–10 days, 1% (95% CI 0.6% to 1.7%) at 1 month and 5.9% (95% CI 4.5% to 7.7%) at 1 year. The most common adverse event was arrhythmia, for which its rate was 3.1% (95% CI 2.0% to 4.9%) at 24 h, 4.8% (95% CI 3.5% to 6.7%) at 72 h, 5.8% (95% CI 4.2% to 7.9%) at 7–10 days, 6.9% (95% CI 5.3% to 9.1%) at 1 month and 9.9% (95% CI 5.5% to 17) at 1 year. Ventricular arrhythmia was rare. Conclusions: The risk of death or life-threatening adverse event is rare in patients presenting syncope at the ED. The most common adverse events are brady and supraventricular arrhythmias, which occur during the first 3 days. Prolonged ECG monitoring in the ED in a short stay unit with ECG monitoring facilities may, therefore, be beneficial.
A Promising Role of TGF-β Pathway in Response to Regorafenib in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: De Summa Simona , Danza Katia , Pilato Brunella , Matera Giuseppina , Fasano Rossella , Calabrese Angela , Lacalamita Rosanna , Silvestris Nicola , Tommasi Stefania , Argentiero Antonella , Brunetti Oronzo
Published: November 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer types around the world. The prognosis of patients with advanced diseases is still poor in spite of currently available therapeutic options. Regorafenib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) approved to treat refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We investigated Somatic mutations in several genes involved in immunological response and cancer progression in both long/short responder mCRC patients who underwent third-line therapy with regorafenib to identify predictive biomarkers of response using Ion Torrent PGM sequencing and bioinformatic tools. We found Somatic mutations in TGFBR1, TGFBR2, and TGFBR3 genes in primary tumor and metastases samples of long-responder patients. Furthermore, our bioinformatic results show that they were mainly enriched in immune response, cell junction, and cell adhesion in long responder patients, particularly in primary tumor and metastatic sites. These data suggest that the TGF-b pattern could be the leading actor of a prolonged response to this drug.
The Incidence of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in Obese Patients—A Large Single Center Experience
Authors: Dowgiałło-Gornowicz Natalia , Sztaba Klaudia , Lech Paweł , Botulińska Anna , Michalik Maciej
Published: November 2021

Background and Objectives: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms located mainly in the fundus (60–70%). The incidence of GIST is approximately 10 per million population per year in Europe, with a peak incidence at the age of 63. Recent studies suggest that morbidly obese patients have a higher incidence of GIST than the general population. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of GIST in patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in our department. Materials and Methods: this paper present the retrospective study of prospectively collected data of 1564 patients who underwent LSG in a single large bariatric center from October 2013 to September 2021. After surgery, each sample of the resected stomach was sent for histopathological examination. For the analysis, we included patients diagnosed with GIST intraoperatively or postoperatively. Results: GISTs were found in five patients (0.31%). There were three men and two women. The mean age was 50.2 (range 32–63 ± 11.8) and the mean preoperative body mass index was 43.3 kg/m2 (40–49.4 ± 3.2). In four cases, GISTs were found in the fundus (80%), and in one in the pylorus (20%). None of the tumors were larger than 7 mm in diameter and all were diagnosed as a very low-risk category. No adjuvant treatment was required. All patients achieved good or satisfactory bariatric and metabolic results. Conclusions: The incidence of GIST in our study was estimated at 0.31%. All patients had a very low-risk GIST and no recurrence until follow-up. Recent literature suggests that the risk of GIST is higher in the obese population, and therefore surgeons should be aware of the risk of incidental GIST during LSG.
Delirium and Cognitive Impairment as Predisposing Factors of COVID-19 Infection in Neuropsychiatric Patients: A Narrative Review
Authors: Fabrazzo Michele , Russo Antonio , Camerlengo Alessio , Tucci Claudia , Luciano Mario , De Santis Valeria , Perris Francesco , Catapano Francesco , Coppola Nicola
Published: November 2021

SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasive and neurotropic abilities may underlie delirium onset and neuropsychiatric outcomes. Only a limited number of studies have addressed the potential effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on mental health so far. Most studies mainly reported the acute onset of mixed neuropsychiatric conditions in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, characterized by agitated behavior, altered level of consciousness, and disorganized thinking, regardless of psychological or socioeconomic triggering factors. The present narrative review aims to analyze and discuss the mechanisms underlying the neuroinvasive/neurotropic properties of SARS-CoV-2 and the subsequent mental complications. Delirium appeared as a clinical manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 brain infection in some patients, without systemic or multiple organ failure symptoms. A small number of studies demonstrated that neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with COVID-19, initially presenting as a confused state, may subsequently evolve in a way that is consistent with the patients’ neuropsychiatric history. A literature analysis on this topic prevalently showed case reports and case series of patients presenting delirium or delirium-like symptoms as the main outburst of COVID-19, plus a cognitive impairment, from mild to severe, which pre-existed or was demonstrated during the acute phase or after infection. Dementia appeared as one of the most frequent predisposing factors to SARS-CoV-2 infection complicated with delirium. Instead, contrasting data emerged on the potential link between COVID-19 and delirium in patients with cognitive impairment and without a neuropsychiatric history. Therefore, clinicians should contemplate the possibility that COVID-19 appears as delirium followed by a psychiatric exacerbation, even without other systemic symptoms. In addition, cognitive impairment might act as a predisposing factor for COVID-19 in patients with delirium.
Non-IgE Mediated Hypersensitivity to Food Products or Food Intolerance—Problems of Appropriate Diagnostics
Authors: Myszkowska Dorota , Zapała Barbara , Bulanda Małgorzata , Czarnobilska Ewa
Published: November 2021

The diagnosis of food intolerance is tricky due to the different etiologies of adverse reactions. There is also a lack of clear rules for interpreting alternative tests used to diagnose these problems. The analyses of IgG4 concentration in serum or cytotoxic tests became the basis of elimination diets. However, it can result in nutritional deficiencies and loss of tolerance to eliminated foods. Our study aimed to assess the necessity of food elimination in four cases with food intolerance symptoms based on alternative diagnostic tests. Four patients without food allergies, who manifested diverse clinical symptoms after food, were presented due to the following factors: clinical history, diagnostic tests, elimination diet, and filaggrin gene (FLG) mutation. It was found that higher IgG4 levels against foods and higher cytotoxic test values are not clinically relevant in each of the studied individuals. They should not be decisive for the elimination of food products. The study of FLG-SNVs revealed the association of some clinical symptoms in patients with hypersensitivity to several food allergens and reported genetic variants in the FLG gene.
From Inner Topological Structure to Functional Nanofibers: Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Verification
Authors: Tian Dan , He Chunhui
Published: November 2021

The mechanical strength of spider silk is the highest among all natural fibers, and its flexibility is also excellent; this phenomenon can be explained geometrically, due to its hierarchical structure, the last cascade of which beginning with well-ordered macromolecules. The inner topological structure of a nanofiber plays an important role in controlling its functions, e.g., its mechanical, electrical and chemical properties. This paper shows that nanoparticles can be well-ordered in the electrospinning process as a result, the nanofibers’ properties can be adjusted. Some experiments are designed to verify our theoretical prediction.
Studies with Rheological Behavior of Composite Lithium-Based Magnetorheological Grease
Authors: Yan Hua , Li Pingyang , Duan Chi , Dong Xiaomin
Published: November 2021

Magnetorheological (MR) grease has advantages of the anti-settlement behavior and excellent sealing property compared with conventional MR materials. However, the rheological behaviors of MR effect and shear yield stress are too small to limit the further applications with MR grease. This paper proposes a composite lithium-based MR grease with boric acid-hydroxyl stearic acid to improve the rheological behaviors. Eight different samples of composite lithium-based MR grease with different ratios of mass between lithium stearate and lithium borate are prepared by the saponification method. The rheological behaviors are tested and discussed with qualitative and quantitative analysis. The experimental results show that the off-state viscosity reduces with the decrement of the ratio of mass under low shear rate which changes from 68.7 Pa·s to 16.5 Pa·s. Lithium stearate content has more effects with off-state viscosity. Based on the Herschel-Bingham model, the shear stress of composite lithium-based MR grease can be improved dramatically by adjusting the ratio of mass which is increased by 170% under the magnetic flux density of 0.2 T. Compared with single lithium-based MR grease, the maximum yield shear stress is increased by 166.7% at off-state and the maximum MR effect is also increased by 19.1%. The MR effect can reach 23,600% with a specific mass ratio of the composite MR grease. The experimental results validate that the feasibility of the performance improvement by the composite lithium-based MR grease.
Mechanical Characterization of Nanocrystalline Materials via a Finite Element Nanoindentation Model
Authors: Tserpes Konstantinos , Bazios Panagiotis , Pantelakis Spiros G. , Pappa Maria , Michailidis Nikolaos
Published: November 2021

The difficulty of producing sufficient quantities of nanocrystalline materials for test specimens has led to an effort to explore alternative means for the mechanical characterization of small material volumes. In the present work, a numerical model simulating a nanoindentation test was developed using Abaqus software. In order to implement the model, the principal material properties were used. The numerical nanoindentation results were converted to stress–strain curves through an inverse algorithm in order to obtain the macroscopic mechanical properties. For the validation of the developed model, nanoindentation tests were carried out in accordance with the ISO 14577. The composition of 75% wt. tungsten and 25% wt. copper was investigated by producing two batches of specimens with a coarse-grain microstructure with an average grain size of 150 nm and a nanocrystalline microstructure with a grain diameter of 100 nm, respectively. The porosity of both batches was derived to range between 9% and 10% based on X-ray diffraction analyses. The experimental nanoidentation results in terms of load–displacement curves show a good agreement with the numerical nanoindentation results. The proposed numerical technique combined with the inverse algorithm predicts the material properties of a fully dense, nanocrystalline material with very good accuracy, but it shows an appreciable deviation with the corresponding compression results, leading to the finding that the porosity effect is a crucial parameter which needs to be taken into account in the multiscale numerical methodology.
Fabrication, Microstructure, and Properties of In Situ V2C-Reinforced Copper Composites
Authors: Quan Yu , Hu Baotong , Fu Shuai , Wan Detian , Bao Yiwang , Feng Qingguo , Grasso Salvatore , Hu Chunfeng
Published: November 2021

In this paper, in situ V2C-reinforced Cu composites were successfully fabricated by hot pressing at 750 °C under 25 MPa using Cu and V2SnC powders. Due to decomposition of V2SnC to V2C and Sn during sintering, Sn atoms entered the crystal structure of Cu. Therefore, final compositions of composites consisted of Cu(Sn) and V2C phases. Here, copper composites with 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 vol.% V2C were designed. Their microstructures and physical and mechanical properties were systematically investigated. It was observed that with increasing V2C content, electrical conductivity decreased from 0.589 × 108 S·m−1 to 0.034 × 108 S·m−1 and thermal conductivity decreased from 384.36 W⋅m−1⋅K−1 to 24.65 W·m−1·K−1, while Vickers hardness increased from 52.6 HV to 334 HV. Furthermore, it was found that composites with 20 vol.% V2C had the highest tensile strength (440 MPa).
Diffraction-Based Residual Stress Characterization in Laser Additive Manufacturing of Metals
Authors: Schröder Jakob , Evans Alexander , Mishurova Tatiana , Ulbricht Alexander , Sprengel Maximilian , Serrano-Munoz Itziar , Fritsch Tobias , Kromm Arne , Kannengießer Thomas , Bruno Giovanni
Published: November 2021

Laser-based additive manufacturing methods allow the production of complex metal structures within a single manufacturing step. However, the localized heat input and the layer-wise manufacturing manner give rise to large thermal gradients. Therefore, large internal stress (IS) during the process (and consequently residual stress (RS) at the end of production) is generated within the parts. This IS or RS can either lead to distortion or cracking during fabrication or in-service part failure, respectively. With this in view, the knowledge on the magnitude and spatial distribution of RS is important to develop strategies for its mitigation. Specifically, diffraction-based methods allow the spatial resolved determination of RS in a non-destructive fashion. In this review, common diffraction-based methods to determine RS in laser-based additive manufactured parts are presented. In fact, the unique microstructures and textures associated to laser-based additive manufacturing processes pose metrological challenges. Based on the literature review, it is recommended to (a) use mechanically relaxed samples measured in several orientations as appropriate strain-free lattice spacing, instead of powder, (b) consider that an appropriate grain-interaction model to calculate diffraction-elastic constants is both material- and texture-dependent and may differ from the conventionally manufactured variant. Further metrological challenges are critically reviewed and future demands in this research field are discussed.
Surface Integrity and Friction Performance of Brass H62 Textured by One-Dimensional Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Turning
Authors: Liu Xianfu , Zhang Jianhua , Li Li
Published: November 2021

The processing method, one-dimensional ultrasonic vibration-assisted turning (1D UVAT), is a potential and efficient way for fabricating a micro-textured surface. This paper aims at exploring the surface integrity and friction performance of brass H62 textured by the 1D UVAT. Four micro-textured surfaces with a specific distribution, size, and shape of dimples were fabricated by optimizing processing parameters, and the corresponding surface topography, subsurface microstructure, and surface roughness were observed and analyzed. A series of friction tests were carried out under oil-lubricating conditions to research the friction performance of micro-textured surfaces. The results show that the reason for the deviation between theoretical and experimental values of dimple depth was further revealed by observing the corresponding subsurface microstructure. The surface roughness of the micro-textured surfaces prepared is related to the number of micro-dimples per unit area and dimple size, which is greater than the surface generated by conventional turning. Compared with the polished surface and micro-grooved surface, the micro-textured surfaces have better friction performance with a lower frictional coefficient (COF) and wear degree. For the micro-textured surface fabricated by 1D UVAT, the number of micro-dimples per unit area has a great effect on the friction performance, and choosing a larger number is more conducive to improving the friction performance under the oil-lubricating condition. Consequently, this study proves that the proposed 1D UVAT can be a feasible candidate for preparing a micro-textured surface with better tribological property
Dynamics of Microbial Shedding in Market Pigs during Fasting and the Influence of Alginate Hydrogel Bead Supplementation during Transportation
Authors: Fernandez Mariana , Garcia Arlene , Vargas David A. , Calle Alexandra
Published: November 2021

The shedding of foodborne pathogenic bacteria by food-animals can be affected by multiple factors, such as animal health, diet, stress, and environmental conditions. The practices that come with transport involve fasting, handling, mixing with unfamiliar pigs, and fluctuating temperatures. These practices, especially fasting and transport, can increase the microbial load in the feces of animals. The use of alginate hydrogels is a novel delivery system that can be a potential food safety intervention during transport to induce satiety and provide electrolytes to the animal’s system. This study sought to observe microbial shedding as affected by fasting and hydrogel bead supplementation during transport. Sixty market pigs were subjected to a 12 h fasting period and an additional 4 h transport period, in which a treatment group was fed hydrogel beads and a control group was not. Sampling points were before fast (BF), before transport (BT), and after transport (AT). Fecal samples were collected from every animal at each sampling point. Results from this study showed a significant increase in the concentrations of both Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli between the before fast (BF) and after transport (AT) sampling points. However, no difference (p > 0.05) was found between the treatment (hydrogel) and control (no hydrogel) during transport. Moreover, no significant difference was found in the prevalence of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 at the three different sampling points, or between the treatment and control groups.
Periodontal Pathogens Inhabit Root Caries Lesions Extending beyond the Gingival Margin: A Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis
Authors: Takenaka Shoji , Edanami Naoki , Komatsu Yasutaka , Nagata Ryoko , Naksagoon Traithawit , Sotozono Maki , Ida Takako , Noiri Yuichiro
Published: November 2021

We performed a comprehensive microbiome analysis of root caries lesions using 22 teeth extracted from patients with severe periodontitis. The carious lesions were mechanically collected and cryo-pulverized following tooth extraction. Differences in the microbiome were compared between independent lesions at the supragingival site (SG) and lesions extending beyond the gingival margin (GCB). DNA was extracted and the microbiome was characterized on the basis of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene using paired-end sequencing on an Illumina MiSeq device. The microbiota in root caries lesions showed compositionally distinct microbiota depending on the location. The most abundant OTUs in the SG group were Streptococcus (26.0%), Actinomyces (10.6%), and Prevotella (7.6%). GCB presented Prevotella (11.1%) as the most abundant genus, followed by Fusobacterium (9.6%) and Actinomyces (8.7%). The SG group showed a lack of uniformity in microbiota compared with the GCB group. The bacterial profiles of GCB varied considerably among patients, including periodontal pathogens such as Porphyromonas, Selenomonas, Filifactor, Peptococcus, and Tannerella. Periodontal pathogens inhabit root caries lesions that extend beyond the gingival margin. This study provides a new perspective for elucidating the microbial etiology of root caries.
Proteomic Analysis Explores Interactions between Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae during Sourdough Fermentation
Authors: Zhang Guohua , Qi Qianhui , Sadiq Faizan Ahmed , Wang Wei , He Xiaxia , Wang Wei
Published: November 2021

Sourdough is a fermentation culture which is formed following metabolic activities of a multiple bacterial and fungal species on raw dough. However, little is known about the mechanism of interaction among different species involved in fermentation. In this study, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Sx3 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sq7 were selected. Protein changes in sourdough, fermented with single culture (either Sx3 or Sq7) and mixed culture (both Sx3 and Sq7), were evaluated by proteomics. The results show that carbohydrate metabolism in mixed-culture-based sourdough is the most important metabolic pathway. A greater abundance of L-lactate dehydrogenase and UDP-glucose 4-epimerase that contribute to the quality of sourdough were observed in mixed-culture-based sourdough than those produced by a single culture. Calreticulin, enolase, seryl-tRNA synthetase, ribosomal protein L23, ribosomal protein L16, and ribosomal protein L5 that are needed for the stability of proteins were increased in mixed-culture-based sourdough. The abundance of some compounds which play an important role in enhancing the nutritional characteristics and flavour of sourdough (citrate synthase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, pyruvate decarboxylase, pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 and acetyl-CoA) was decreased. In summary, this approach provided new insights into the interaction between L. plantarum and S. cerevisiae in sourdough, which may serve as a base for further research into the detailed mechanism.
Ceftazidime/Avibactam-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae Isolates in a Tertiary Italian Hospital: Identification of a New Mutation of the Carbapenemase Type 3 (KPC-3) Gene Conferring Ceftazidime/Avibactam Resistance
Authors: Fontana Carla , Favaro Marco , Campogiani Laura , Malagnino Vincenzo , Minelli Silvia , Bossa Maria Cristina , Altieri Anna , Andreoni Massimo , Sarmati Loredana
Published: November 2021

Several Klebsiella pneumoniae carpabenemase (KPC) gene mutations are associated with ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ-AVI) resistance. Here, we describe four Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae CAZ-AVI-resistant clinical isolates, collected at the University Hospital of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, from July 2019 to February 2020. These resistant strains were characterized as KPC-3, having the transition from cytosine to thymine (CAC-TAC) at nucleotide position 814, with histidine that replaces tyrosine (H272Y). In addition, two different types of KPC gene mutations were detected. The first one, common to three strains, was the D179Y (G532T), associated with CAZ-AVI resistance. The second mutation, found only in one strain, is a new mutation of the KPC-3 gene: a transversion from thymine to adenine (CTG-CAG) at nucleotide position 553. This mutation causes a KPC variant in which glutamine replaces leucine (Q168L). None of the isolates were detected by a rapid immunochromatographic assay for detection of carbapenemase (NG Biotech, Guipry, France) and were unable to grow on a selective chromogenic medium Carba SMART (bioMerieux, Firenze, Italy). Thus, they escaped common tests used for the prompt detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae KPC-producing.
Differing Dietary Nutrients and Diet-Associated Bacteria Has Limited Impact on Spider Gut Microbiota Composition
Authors: Zhang Wang , Liu Fengjie , Zhu Yang , Han Runhua , Xu Letian , Liu Jie
Published: November 2021

Spiders are a key predator of insects across ecosystems and possess great potential as pest control agents. Unfortunately, it is difficult to artificially cultivate multiple generations of most spider species. Since gut bacterial flora has been shown to significantly alter nutrient availability, it is plausible that the spiders’ microbial community plays a key role in their unsuccessful breeding. However, both the gut microbial composition and its influencing factors in many spiders remain a mystery. In this study, the gut microbiota of Campanicola campanulata, specialists who prey on ants and are widely distributed across China, was characterized. After, the impact of diet and diet-associated bacteria on gut bacterial composition was evaluated. First, two species of prey ants (Lasius niger and Tetramorium caespitum) were collected from different locations and fed to C. campanulata. For each diet, we then profiled the nutritional content of the ants, as well as the bacterial communities of both the ants and spiders. Results showed that the protein and carbohydrate content varied between the two prey ant species. We isolated 682 genera from 356 families in the ants (dominant genera including Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Paraburkholderia, Staphylococcus, and Novosphingobium), and 456 genera from 258 families in the spiders (dominated by Pseudomonas). However, no significant differences were found in the gut microbiota of spiders that were fed the differing ants. Together, these results indicate that nutritional variation and diet-associated bacterial differences have a limited impact on the microbial composition of spider guts, highlighting that spiders may have a potentially stable internal environment and lay the foundation for future investigations into gut microbiota.
Airborne/UAV Multisensor Surveys Enhance the Geological Mapping and 3D Model of a Pseudo-Skarn Deposit in Ploumanac’h, French Brittany
Authors: Martelet Guillaume , Gloaguen Eric , Døssing Arne , Lima Simoes da Silva Eduardo , Linde Johannes , Rasmussen Thorkild M.
Published: November 2021

Taking advantage of a multi-sensor (multispectral and magnetic) drone survey, we address the detailed geological mapping and modeling of a mineralization in its geological environment. We stress that these high-resolution data allow us to bridge the gap between field observations and a regional aeromagnetic survey. On the one hand, the combination of multispectral imagery with field geological observations enhances detailed geological mapping. On the other hand, the combination of field magnetic susceptibility measurement and their use in detailed to regional magnetic modeling, constrained respectively by UAV-borne and airborne magnetic surveys, allows deriving a model of the mineralization consistent across the scales. This is demonstrated in a case study in a complex polyphased magmatic-metamorphic environment on the coast of French Brittany. The target area hosts a pseudo-skarn mineralization, exhibiting an outstanding magnetic anomaly. The combination of remotely sensed and field data allows deriving a realistic conceptual and geometrical model of the magnetic mineralization in its geological environment, tightly constrained by field observations and measurements.
Editorial for Special Issue “Mineralogy, Petrology, and Geochemistry of Evaporites”
Authors: Bukowski Krzysztof
Published: November 2021

In his excellent and complete compendium “Evaporites” [...]
Structure and Undulations of Escin Adsorption Layer at Water Surface Studied by Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Tsibranska Sonya , Ivanova Anela , Tcholakova Slavka , Denkov Nikolai
Published: November 2021

The saponin escin, extracted from horse chestnut seeds, forms adsorption layers with high viscoelasticity and low gas permeability. Upon deformation, escin adsorption layers often feature surface wrinkles with characteristic wavelength. In previous studies, we investigated the origin of this behavior and found that the substantial surface elasticity of escin layers may be related to a specific combination of short-, medium-, and long-range attractive forces, leading to tight molecular packing in the layers. In the current study, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of 441 escin molecules in a dense adsorption layer with an area per molecule of 0.49 nm2. We found that the surfactant molecules are less submerged in water and adopt a more upright position when compared to the characteristics determined in our previous simulations with much smaller molecular models. The number of neighbouring molecules and their local orientation, however, remain similar in the different-size models. To maintain their preferred mutual orientation, the escin molecules segregate into well-ordered domains and spontaneously form wrinkled layers. The same specific interactions (H-bonds, dipole–dipole attraction, and intermediate strong attraction) define the complex internal structure and the undulations of the layers. The analysis of the layer properties reveals a characteristic wrinkle wavelength related to the surface lateral dimensions, in qualitative agreement with the phenomenological description of thin elastic sheets.
Briarane-Related Diterpenoids from Octocoral Briareum stechei
Authors: Huynh Thanh-Hao , Neoh Choo-Aun , Tsai Yu-Chi , Yao Zhi-Kang , Zheng Li-Guo , Huang Pin-Chang , Wen Zhi-Hong , Chen Jih-Jung , Wu Yu-Jen , Sung Ping-Jyun
Published: November 2021

A known polyoxygenated briarane, briaexcavatolide P (1), was isolated from a Formosan octocoral Briareum stechei. Moreover, the same species B. stechei, collected from Okinawan waters, yielded three chlorine-containing briaranes, including two new compounds, briastecholides B (2) and C (3) as well as a known analogue, briarenol R (4). The structures of 1–4 were established using spectroscopic methods. In addition, briarane 1 demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in lipo-polysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells by suppressing the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein.
Phytochemistry, Food Application, and Therapeutic Potential of the Medicinal Plant (Withania coagulans): A Review
Authors: Khan Muhammad Issa , Maqsood Maria , Saeed Raakia Anam , Alam Amna , Sahar Amna , Kieliszek Marek , Miecznikowski Antoni , Muzammil Hafiz Shehzad , Aadil Rana Muhammad
Published: November 2021

Herbal plants have been utilized to treat and cure various health-related problems since ancient times. The use of Ayurvedic medicine is very significant because of its least reported side effects and host of advantages. Withania coagulans (Family; Solanaceae), a valuable medicinal plant, has been used to cure abnormal cell growth, wasting disorders, neural as well as physical problems, diabetes mellitus, insomnia, acute and chronic hepatic ailments. This review provides critical insight regarding the phytochemistry, biological activities, and pharmacognostic properties of W. coagulans. It has been known to possess diuretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, cardio-protective, hepato-protective, hypoglycemic, anti-oxidative, and anti-mutagenic properties owing to the existence of withanolides, an active compound present in it. Apart from withanolides, W. coagulans also contains many phytochemicals such as flavonoids, tannins, and β-sterols. Several studies indicate that various parts of W. coagulans and their active constituents have numerous pharmacological and therapeutic properties and thus can be considered as a new drug therapy against multiple diseases.
High-Stability Silver Nanowire–Al2O3 Composite Flexible Transparent Electrodes Prepared by Electrodeposition
Authors: Ning Honglong , Chen Junlong , Li Zhihang , Xu Zhuohui , Yao Rihui , Liang Hongfu , Liu Taijiang , Su Guoping , Luo Dongxiang , Peng Junbiao
Published: November 2021

Silver nanowire (AgNW) conductive film fabricated by solution processing was investigated as an alternative to indium tin oxide (ITO) in flexible transparent electrodes. In this paper, we studied a facile and effective method by electrodepositing Al2O3 on the surface of AgNWs. As a result, flexible transparent electrodes with improved stability could be obtained by electrodepositing Al2O3. It was found that, as the annealing temperature rises, the Al2O3 coating layer can be transformed from Al2O3·H2O into a denser amorphous state at 150 °C. By studying the increase of electrodeposition temperature, it was observed that the transmittance of the AgNW–Al2O3 composite films first rose to the maximum at 70 °C and then decreased. With the increase of the electrodeposition time, the figure of merit (FoM) of the composite films increased and reached the maximum when the time was 40 s. Through optimizing the experimental parameters, a high-stability AgNW flexible transparent electrode using polyimide (PI) as a substrate was prepared without sacrificing optical and electrical performance by electrodepositing at −1.1 V and 70 °C for 40 s with 0.1 mol/L Al(NO3)3 as the electrolyte, which can withstand a high temperature of 250 °C or 250,000 bending cycles with a bending radius of 4 mm.
Dielectric Confinement and Exciton Fine Structure in Lead Halide Perovskite Nanoplatelets
Authors: Ghribi Amal , Ben Aich Rim , Boujdaria Kaïs , Barisien Thierry , Legrand Laurent , Chamarro Maria , Testelin Christophe
Published: November 2021

Owing to their flexible chemical synthesis and the ability to shape nanostructures, lead halide perovskites have emerged as high potential materials for optoelectronic devices. Here, we investigate the excitonic band edge states and their energies levels in colloidal inorganic lead halide nanoplatelets, particularly the influence of dielectric effects, in a thin quasi-2D system. We use a model including band offset and dielectric confinements in the presence of Coulomb interaction. Short- and long-range contributions, modified by dielectric effects, are also derived, leading to a full modelization of the exciton fine structure, in cubic, tetragonal and orthorhombic phases. The fine splitting structure, including dark and bright excitonic states, is discussed and compared to recent experimental results, showing the importance of both confinement and dielectric contributions.