bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phylogeny, Taxonomy and Evolutionary Trade-Offs in Reproductive Traits of Gomphoid Fungi (Gomphaceae, Gomphales)
Authors: Fan Xue-Ping , Liu Jian-Wei , Yang Zhuliang
Published: May 2023

Although functional ecology is a well-established field, our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological significance of the reproductive traits in macrofungi is still limited. Here, we reconstructed a phylogeny tree of gomphoid fungi in the narrower sense, including the species of the genera Gomphus and Turbinellus and used it to uncover the evolution of reproductive traits. Our analyses indicated that fungal fruit bodies and spores did not enlarge at a steady rate over time. Early gomphoid fungi essentially maintained their fruit body size, spore size and spore shape through the Mesozoic. In the Cenozoic, gomphoid fungi acquired significantly larger and more spherical spores by simultaneously expanding in length and width, with the fruit body size first decreasing and then enlarging. We argue that these trade-offs were driven by the effect of biological extinction and the dramatic climate changes of the Cenozoic. Gomphoid fungi initially increased in spore size and fruit body number as extinction survivors filled vacant niches. Both fruit bodies and spores eventually became larger as ecosystems saturated and competition intensified. One new species of Gomphus and nine new species of Turbinellus are described.
Multilingualism as a Mirror of Strangeness in the Translation of Contemporary Literary Texts
Authors: Valdés Cristina
Published: May 2023

This paper focuses on the issue of multilingualism in contemporary literary texts, which contain examples of code-switching or words and expressions in different languages, which contribute to placing emphasis on the foreignness and strangeness of the characters or narrators of the stories. This study stems from the edition of a compilation of short narrative and dramatic texts translated into Spanish by authors who build up stories from a position of in-betweenness, rejection, or displacement. In this context, the presence of different languages contributes to revealing the multilingual and multicultural reality that provides the background for the different stories. They are all concerned about manifesting their vital experiences of (un)belonging to a certain labelled culture or identifiable group, often from a diasporic point of view. Some real examples of translation processes will be provided to show the strategies employed to preserve an effect of strangeness on readers, to reveal feelings of (un)belonging, to manifest a variety of identities, or to make explicit culturally marked terms. Translation is then approached from the perspectives of cosmopolitism, diversity, and postcolonial studies, which rely on multilingualism as a signal of a diversified and multicultural identity.
Using a Resnet50 with a Kernel Attention Mechanism for Rice Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Al-Gaashani Mehdhar S. A. M. , Samee Nagwan Abdel , Alnashwan Rana , Khayyat Mashael , Muthanna Mohammed Saleh Ali
Published: May 2023

The domestication of animals and the cultivation of crops have been essential to human development throughout history, with the agricultural sector playing a pivotal role. Insufficient nutrition often leads to plant diseases, such as those affecting rice crops, resulting in yield losses of 20–40% of total production. These losses carry significant global economic consequences. Timely disease diagnosis is critical for implementing effective treatments and mitigating financial losses. However, despite technological advancements, rice disease diagnosis primarily depends on manual methods. In this study, we present a novel self-attention network (SANET) based on the ResNet50 architecture, incorporating a kernel attention mechanism for accurate AI-assisted rice disease classification. We employ attention modules to extract contextual dependencies within images, focusing on essential features for disease identification. Using a publicly available rice disease dataset comprising four classes (three disease types and healthy leaves), we conducted cross-validated classification experiments to evaluate our proposed model. The results reveal that the attention-based mechanism effectively guides the convolutional neural network (CNN) in learning valuable features, resulting in accurate image classification and reduced performance variation compared to state-of-the-art methods. Our SANET model achieved a test set accuracy of 98.71%, surpassing that of current leading models. These findings highlight the potential for widespread AI adoption in agricultural disease diagnosis and management, ultimately enhancing efficiency and effectiveness within the sector.
Modification of Concrete Composition Doped by Sewage Sludge Fly Ash and Its Effect on Compressive Strength
Authors: Kalak Tomasz , Szypura Patrycja , Cierpiszewski Ryszard , Ulewicz Malgorzata
Published: May 2023

The sustainable development of construction materials is an essential aspect of current worldwide trends. Reusing post-production waste in the building industry has numerous positive effects on the environment. Since concrete is one of the materials that people manufacture and use the most, it will continue to be an integral element of the surrounding reality. In this study, the relationship between the individual components and parameters of concrete and its compressive strength properties was assessed. In the experimental works, concrete mixes with different contents of sand, gravel, Portland cement CEM II/B-S 42.5 N, water, superplasticizer, air-entraining admixture, and fly ash from the thermal conversion of municipal sewage sludge (SSFA) were designed. According to legal requirements in the European Union, SSFA waste from the sewage sludge incineration process in a fluidized bed furnace should not be stored in landfills but processed in various ways. Unfortunately, its generated amounts are too large, so new management technologies should be sought. During the experimental work, the compressive strength of concrete samples of various classes, namely, C8/10, C12/15, C16/20, C20/25, C25/30, C30/37, and C35/45, were measured. The higher-class concrete samples that were used, the greater the compressive strength obtained, ranging from 13.7 to 55.2 MPa. A correlation analysis was carried out between the mechanical strength of waste-modified concretes and the composition of concrete mixes (the amount of sand and gravel, cement, and FA), as well as the water-to-cement ratio and the sand point. No negative effect of the addition of SSFA on the strength of concrete samples was demonstrated, which translates into economic and environmental benefits.
Enhancement of the Desorption Properties of LiAlH4 by the Addition of LaCoO3
Authors: Sazelee Noratiqah , Ali Nurul Amirah , Ismail Mohammad , Rather Sami-Ullah , Bamufleh Hisham S. , Alhumade Hesham , Taimoor Aqeel Ahmad , Saeed Usman
Published: May 2023

The high hydrogen storage capacity (10.5 wt.%) and release of hydrogen at a moderate temperature make LiAlH4 an appealing material for hydrogen storage. However, LiAlH4 suffers from slow kinetics and irreversibility. Hence, LaCoO3 was selected as an additive to defeat the slow kinetics problems of LiAlH4. For the irreversibility part, it still required high pressure to absorb hydrogen. Thus, this study focused on the reduction of the onset desorption temperature and the quickening of the desorption kinetics of LiAlH4. Here, we report the different weight percentages of LaCoO3 mixed with LiAlH4 using the ball-milling method. Interestingly, the addition of 10 wt.% of LaCoO3 resulted in a decrease in the desorption temperature to 70 °C for the first stage and 156 °C for the second stage. In addition, at 90 °C, LiAlH4 + 10 wt.% LaCoO3 can desorb 3.37 wt.% of H2 in 80 min, which is 10 times faster than the unsubstituted samples. The activation energies values for this composite are greatly reduced to 71 kJ/mol for the first stages and 95 kJ/mol for the second stages compared to milled LiAlH4 (107 kJ/mol and 120 kJ/mol for the first two stages, respectively). The enhancement of hydrogen desorption kinetics of LiAlH4 is attributed to the in situ formation of AlCo and La or La-containing species in the presence of LaCoO3, which resulted in a reduction of the onset desorption temperature and activation energies of LiAlH4.
High-Resolution Characterization of Deformation Induced Martensite in Large Areas of Fatigued Austenitic Stainless Steel Using Deep Learning
Authors: Mikmeková Šárka , Man Jiří , Ambrož Ondřej , Jozefovič Patrik , Čermák Jan , Järvenpää Antti , Jaskari Matias , Materna Jiří , Kruml Tomáš
Published: May 2023

This paper aims to demonstrate a novel technique enabling the accurate visualization and fast mapping of deformation-induced α′-martensite produced during cyclic straining of a metastable austenitic stainless steel, refined by reversion annealing to different grain sizes. The technique is based on energy and angular separation of the signal electrons in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Collection of the inelastic backscattered electrons emitted under high take-off angles from a sample surface results in the acquisition of micrographs with high sensitivity to structural defects, such as dislocations, grain boundaries, and other imperfections. The areas with a high density of lattice imperfections reduce the penetration depth of the primary electrons, and simultaneously affect the signal electrons leaving the specimen. This results in an increase in the inelastic backscattered electrons yielded from the vicinity of α′-martensite, and a bright halo surrounds this phase. The α′-martensite phase can thus be separated from the austenitic matrix in SEM micrographs. In this work, we propose a deep learning method for a precise α′-martensite mapping within a large area. Various deep learning-based methods have been tested, and the best result measured by both Dice loss and IoU scores has been achieved using the U-Net architecture extended by the ResNet encoder.
Manufacturing of Novel Nanostructured TiCrC Carbides Using Mechanical Alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Mhadhbi Mohsen , Dağ İlker Emin , Avar Barış , Khitouni Mohamed , Bousnina Mohamed Ali , Schoenstein Frédéric , Jouini Noureddine
Published: May 2023

Dense nanostructured carbides existing in ternary system Ti-Cr-C were elaborated thanks to a two-steps method. In the first step, nanostructured Ti0.9Cr0.1C carbides were prepared by high-energy planetary ball milling under various times (5, 10, and 20 h), starting from an elemental powder mixture of titanium, chromium, and graphite. In the second step, these nanostructured powders were used to produce densified carbides thanks to the spark plasma sintering (SPS) process under a pressure of 80 MPa. The temperature was fixed at 1800 °C and the holding time was fixed at 5 min. Microstructural characteristics of the samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was used to investigate the morphology and elemental composition of the samples obtained using SPS. The novelty of this work is to understand the effect of SPS on the microstructural and electrochemical properties of the nanostructured Ti0.9Cr0.1C carbides. The XRD results showed that, during sintering process, the (Ti,Cr)C carbide was decomposed into TiC, Cr7C3, and Cr3C2 phases. An amount of iron was detected as contamination during milling, especially in the case of a sample obtained from 20 h milled carbide. The bulk obtained from the milled powders for 5 and 20 h present similar relative densities of 98.43 and 98.51%, respectively. However, the 5 h milled sample shows slightly higher hardness (93.3 HRA compared to 91.5 HRA) because of the more homogeneous distribution of the (Ti,Cr)C phases and the low iron amount. According to the 0.0011 mm/year corrosion rate and 371.68 kΩ.cm2 charge transfer resistance obtained from the potentiodynamic polarization and EIS tests, the 20 h carbide was the specimen with the highest corrosion resistance.
Early Differentiation Signatures in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Determined by Non-Targeted Metabolomics Analysis
Authors: Abdalkader Rodi , Chaleckis Romanas , Fujita Takuya
Published: May 2023

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) possess immense potential as a valuable source for the generation of a wide variety of human cells, yet monitoring the early cell differentiation towards a specific lineage remains challenging. In this study, we employed a non-targeted metabolomic analysis technique to analyze the extracellular metabolites present in samples as small as one microliter. The hiPSCs were subjected to differentiation by initiating culture under the basal medium E6 in combination with chemical inhibitors that have been previously reported to direct differentiation towards the ectodermal lineage such as Wnt/β-catenin and TGF-β kinase/activin receptor, alone or in combination with bFGF, and the inhibition of glycogen kinase 3 (GSK-3), which is commonly used for the diversion of hiPSCs towards mesodermal lineage. At 0 h and 48 h, 117 metabolites were identified, including biologically relevant metabolites such as lactic acid, pyruvic acid, and amino acids. By determining the expression of the pluripotency marker OCT3/4, we were able to correlate the differentiation status of cells with the shifted metabolites. The group of cells undergoing ectodermal differentiation showed a greater reduction in OCT3/4 expression. Moreover, metabolites such as pyruvic acid and kynurenine showed dramatic change under ectodermal differentiation conditions where pyruvic acid consumption increased 1–2-fold, while kynurenine secretion decreased 2-fold. Further metabolite analysis uncovered a group of metabolites specifically associated with ectodermal lineage, highlighting the potential of our findings to determine the characteristics of hiPSCs during cell differentiation, particularly under ectodermal lineage conditions.
A Physics-Informed Automatic Neural Network Generation Framework for Emerging Device Modeling
Authors: Guo Guangxin , You Hailong , Li Cong , Tang Zhengguang , Li Ouwen
Published: May 2023

With the rapid development of semiconductor technology, traditional equation-based modeling faces challenges in accuracy and development time. To overcome these limitations, neural network (NN)-based modeling methods have been proposed. However, the NN-based compact model encounters two major issues. Firstly, it exhibits unphysical behaviors such as un-smoothness and non-monotonicity, which hinder its practical use. Secondly, finding an appropriate NN structure with high accuracy requires expertise and is time-consuming. In this paper, we propose an Automatic Physical-Informed Neural Network (AutoPINN) generation framework to solve these challenges. The framework consists of two parts: the Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) and the two-step Automatic Neural Network (AutoNN). The PINN is introduced to resolve unphysical issues by incorporating physical information. The AutoNN assists the PINN in automatically determining an optimal structure without human involvement. We evaluate the proposed AutoPINN framework on the gate-all-around transistor device. The results demonstrate that AutoPINN achieves an error of less than 0.05%. The generalization of our NN is promising, as validated by the test error and the loss landscape. The results demonstrate smoothness in high-order derivatives, and the monotonicity can be well-preserved. We believe that this work has the potential to accelerate the development and simulation process of emerging devices.
Live Biomass of Rigidoporus vinctus: A Sustainable Method for Decoloration and Detoxification of Dyes in Water
Authors: Shehnaz  , Prasher I. B. , Ahmad Naushad , Ahmed Mukhtar , Raghuwanshi Shivani , Kumar Vijay , Siddiqui Sharf Ilahi , Oh Seungdae
Published: May 2023

In this study, white-rot fungus, Rigidoporus vinctus, collected from an unidentified fallen twig from Pathankot, Punjab, India, was used for biosorption of anionic Congo red and cationic Methylene blue dyes from an aqueous medium. The biosorption efficiency of the live biomass of Rigidoporus vinctus was investigated to optimize biosorbent dosage, process time, concentrations of dyes, and pH of solutions. The results indicated that Rigidoporus vinctus is more efficient than other reported bio-adsorbents for Congo red and Methylene blue dyes. The maximum biosorption activity of Rigidoporus vinctus for Congo red was found at pH 2, and that for Methylene blue was at pH 10, after 24 h of the reaction period. The process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, which indicated that the interaction of both dyes to the adsorption sites on the surface of Rigidoporus vinctus was responsive to biosorption. The biosorption process could be well explained by the Langmuir isotherm for both dyes. The maximum monolayer biosorption capacity of Rigidoporus vinctus for Congo red and Methylene blue was observed to be 54.0 mg/g and 80.6 mg/g, respectively. The seed germination test was carried out, and it was assessed that the toxicity of dyes was reduced up to significant levels. Based on the present experimental findings, it can be concluded that biosorption using the live biomass of Rigidoporus vinctus can effectively decolorize dye-containing wastewater, thus reducing the hazardous effects of dyes on human beings.
Copper-Contaminated Substrate Biosorption by Penicillium sp. Isolated from Kefir Grains
Authors: Oliveira Antonio Ferreira de , Machado Raquellyne Baia , Ferreira Adriana Maciel , Sena Iracirema da Silva , Silveira Maria Eduarda , Almeida Ana Maria Santos de , Braga Francinaldo S. , Rodrigues Alex Bruno Lobato , Bezerra Roberto Messias , Ferreira Irlon Maciel , Florentino Alexandro Cezar
Published: May 2023

In this bioremediation study, the fungus Penicillium sp. isolated from kefir grains was evaluated for its resistance to copper in the culture medium. Penicillium sp. was cultivated in liquid medium prepared using 2% malt-agar at pH 7.0. Biomass of the fungus was significantly reduced, but only when 800 mg·L−1 of Cu(NO3)2 copper nitrate was used. The effect on radial growth of the fungus in experiments combining different pH values and the inorganic contaminant showed an inhibition of 73% at pH 4.0, 75% at pH 7.0 and 77% at pH 9.0 in liquid medium. Thus, even though the growth of Penicillium sp. could be inhibited with relatively high doses of copper nitrate, images obtained with scanning electron microscopy showed the preservation of fungal cell integrity. Therefore, it can be concluded that Penicillium sp. isolated from kefir grains can survive while performing bioremediation to minimize the negative effects of copper on the environment through biosorption.
Bacterial Communities Associated with Houseflies (Musca domestica L.) Inhabiting Hospices in South Africa
Authors: Monyama Maropeng C. , Taioe Oriel M. , Nkhebenyane Jane S. , van Wyk Deidre , Ramatla Tsepo , Thekisoe Oriel M. M.
Published: May 2023

Houseflies are alleged reservoirs as well as vectors of human and animal pathogens, including bacteria, because they frequently have contact with animal excreta and decaying organic substances. The rapid adaptation process of ingested microbes in the insect gut may involve gene transfer, including antibiotic resistance determinants among different bacterial strains. Six hundred and fifty-seven (n = 657) houseflies were collected from hospices and were identified morphologically and genetically using the 16S rRNA, CO1, and ITS2 barcoding genes. This study also characterized the bacterial communities harboured by the captured houseflies using 16S rRNA metabarcoding on the next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform and further sought to detect antibiotic resistance traits by using gene-specific PCR assays. Generated sequences for the targeted gene fragments matched with Musca domestica and all the sequences were deposited to the GenBank database. The 16S rRNA metabarcoding analysis revealed that the most abundant phyla detected with variable abundance observed among all the houseflies were Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Furthermore, the NGS data revealed the presence of multiple bacterial genera, including Providencia, Enterobacter, Dysgonomonas, Escherichia-Shigella, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, and Streptococcus, which are known to harbour potentially pathogenic species of animals and humans. Antibiotic resistance genes detected from the housefly DNA in this study included ermB, tetA, blaSHV, and blaTEM. Moreover, these genes are associated with resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, and beta-lactams antibiotics, respectively. The presence of bacterial pathogens and the detection of antibiotic resistance genes from the houseflies collected from the hospices indicates the possible health risk to patients in hospices and the surrounding community. Therefore, it is imperative to keep high standards of hygiene, food preparation, safety, and control of houseflies in hospices.
Ionized Jet Deposition of Calcium Phosphates-Based Nanocoatings: Tuning Coating Properties and Cell Behavior by Target Composition and Substrate Heating
Authors: Montesissa Matteo , Borciani Giorgia , Rubini Katia , Valle Francesco , Boi Marco , Baldini Nicola , Boanini Elisa , Graziani Gabriela
Published: May 2023

Calcium phosphate-based coatings are widely studied in orthopedics and dentistry for their similarity to the mineral component of bone and their capability to promote osseointegration. Different calcium phosphates have tunable properties that result in different behaviors in vitro, but the majority of studies focus only on hydroxyapatite. Here, different calcium phosphate-based nanostructured coatings are obtained by ionized jet deposition, starting with hydroxyapatite, brushite and beta-tricalcium phosphate targets. The properties of the coatings obtained from different precursors are systematically compared by assessing their composition, morphology, physical and mechanical properties, dissolution, and in vitro behavior. In addition, for the first time, depositions at high temperature are investigated for the further tuning of the coatings mechanical properties and stability. Results show that different phosphates can be deposited with good composition fidelity even if not in a crystalline phase. All coatings are nanostructured and non-cytotoxic and display variable surface roughness and wettability. Upon heating, higher adhesion and hydrophilicity are obtained as well as higher stability, resulting in better cell viability. Interestingly, different phosphates show very different in vitro behavior, with brushite being the most suitable for promoting cell viability and beta-tricalcium phosphate having a higher impact on cell morphology at the early timepoints.
Inhibition of MAOB Ameliorated High-Fat-Diet-Induced Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting Endothelial Dysfunction and Modulating Gut Microbiota
Authors: Tian Zhen , Wang Xinyue , Han Tianshu , Wang Maoqing , Ning Hua , Sun Changhao
Published: May 2023

In this study, monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) was activated under pathological conditions, and was the novel source of cardiovascular reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS-induced endothelial dysfunction results in sustained and chronic vascular inflammation, which is central to atherosclerotic diseases. However, whether MAOB regulates endothelial oxidative stress and its related mechanism and whether gut microbiota mediates the anti-atherosclerosis effect of MAOB inhibitor remains unclear. In our study, MAOB expressions were elevated in high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice aortas, but only in vascular endothelial cells (not in smooth muscle cells). MAOB small interfering RNA significantly attenuated the palmitic-acid (PA)-induced endothelial oxidative stress and dysfunction. Furthermore, RNA-sequencing data revealed that MAOB knockdown decreased the levels of proinflammatory and apoptotic gene induced by PA. Microarray analysis and qPCR assay showed that miR-3620-5p was significantly decreased under the HFD condition. The dual-luciferase reporter, Western blot and qPCR assay confirmed that miR-3620-5p directly regulated MAOB by binding to its mRNA 3′UTR. Moreover, inhibition of MAOB by selegiline significantly ameliorated endothelial dysfunction and reduced atherosclerotic burden in HFD-fed ApoE−/− mice. Finally, 16S rRNA sequencing showed that selegiline significantly altered the community compositional structure of gut microbiota. Specifically, selegiline treatment enriched the abundance of Faecalibaculum and Akkermansia, decreased the abundance of unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae, Desulfovibrio, and Blautia, and these genera were significantly correlated with the serum biochemical indices. Taken together, our findings showed that MAOB controlled endothelial oxidative stress homeostasis, and revealed the anti-atherosclerotic effect of selegiline by ameliorating endothelial dysfunction and modulating the composition and function of gut microbiota.
Use of Dietary Fibers in Reducing the Risk of Several Cancer Types: An Umbrella Review
Authors: Hu Jun , Wang Junjing , Li Yuxing , Xue Kun , Kan Juntao
Published: May 2023

(1) Background: Numerous meta-analyses have shown that a high intake of dietary fiber plays a protective role in preventing the development of various types of cancer. However, previous studies have been limited by focusing on a single type of dietary fiber and variations in outcome measures, which may not be effectively applied to provide dietary guidance for the general population. (2) Object: We summarized the meta-analysis of dietary fiber and cancer, and provided references for residents to prevent cancer. (3) Methods: Systematic search of relevant meta-analyses on the association between dietary fiber and cancer occurrence in PubMed, Web of Science and other databases was conducted from the time of database construction to February 2023. The method logical and evidence quality assessments were performed by applying the criteria in the “A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews-2” (AMSTAR2) scale and the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) Expert Report, respectively. (4) Results: Our analysis included 11 meta-analyses, and the AMSTAR 2 assessment revealed that the overall methodological quality was suboptimal, with two key items lacking sufficient information. Nonetheless, our findings indicate that a high intake of dietary fiber is associated with a reduced risk of several types of cancer, including esophageal, gastric, colon, rectal, colorectal adenoma, breast, endometrial, ovarian, renal cell, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. The majority of these associations were supported by a “probable” level of evidence. (5) Conclusions: Dietary fiber intake has different protective effects on different cancers.
Synthesis, Physicochemical Characterization, Biological Evaluation, In Silico and Molecular Docking Studies of Pd(II) Complexes with P, S-Donor Ligands
Authors: Khan Hizbullah , Sirajuddin Muhammad , Badshah Amin , Ahmad Sajjad , Bilal Muhammad , Salman Syed Muhammad , Butler Ian S. , Wani Tanveer A. , Zargar Seema
Published: May 2023

One homoleptic (1) and three heteroleptic (2–4) palladium(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by various physicochemical techniques, i.e., elemental analysis, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR. Compound 1 was also confirmed by single crystal XRD, showing a slightly distorted square planar geometry. The antibacterial results obtained via the agar-well diffusion method for compound 1 were maximum among the screen compounds. All the compounds have shown good to significant antibacterial results against the tested bacterial strains, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus, except 2 against Klebsiella pneumonia. Similarly, the molecular docking study of compound 3 has shown the best affinity with binding energy scores of −8.6569, −6.5716, and −7.6966 kcal/mol against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. Compound 2 has exhibited the highest activity (3.67 µM), followed by compound 3 (4.57 µM), 1 (6.94 µM), and 4 (21.7 µM) against the DU145 human prostate cancer cell line using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) method as compared to cisplatin (>200 µM). The highest docking score was obtained for compounds 2 (−7.5148 kcal/mol) and 3 (−7.0343 kcal/mol). Compound 2 shows that the Cl atom of the compound acts as a chain side acceptor for the DR5 receptor residue Asp B218 and the pyridine ring is involved in interaction with the Tyr A50 residue via arene-H, while Compound 3 interacts with the Asp B218 residue via the Cl atom. The physicochemical parameters determined by the SwissADME webserver revealed that no blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeation is predicted for all four compounds, while gastrointestinal absorption is low for compound 1 and high for the rest of the compounds (2–4). As concluding remarks based on the obtained in vitro biological results, the evaluated compounds after in vivo studies might be a good choice for future antibiotics and anticancer agents.
Target-Specific Delivery and Bioavailability of Pharmaceuticals via Janus and Dendrimer Particles
Authors: Jeevanandam Jaison , Tan Kei Xian , Rodrigues João , Danquah Michael K.
Published: May 2023

Nanosized Janus and dendrimer particles have emerged as promising nanocarriers for the target-specific delivery and improved bioavailability of pharmaceuticals. Janus particles, with two distinct regions exhibiting different physical and chemical properties, provide a unique platform for the simultaneous delivery of multiple drugs or tissue-specific targeting. Conversely, dendrimers are branched, nanoscale polymers with well-defined surface functionalities that can be designed for improved drug targeting and release. Both Janus particles and dendrimers have demonstrated their potential to improve the solubility and stability of poorly water-soluble drugs, increase the intracellular uptake of drugs, and reduce their toxicity by controlling the release rate. The surface functionalities of these nanocarriers can be tailored to specific targets, such as overexpressed receptors on cancer cells, leading to enhanced drug efficacy The design of these nanocarriers can be optimized by tuning the size, shape, and surface functionalities, among other parameters. The incorporation of Janus and dendrimer particles into composite materials to create hybrid systems for enhancing drug delivery, leveraging the unique properties and functionalities of both materials, can offer promising outcomes. Nanosized Janus and dendrimer particles hold great promise for the delivery and improved bioavailability of pharmaceuticals. Further research is required to optimize these nanocarriers and bring them to the clinical setting to treat various diseases. This article discusses various nanosized Janus and dendrimer particles for target-specific delivery and bioavailability of pharmaceuticals. In addition, the development of Janus-dendrimer hybrid nanoparticles to address some limitations of standalone nanosized Janus and dendrimer particles is discussed.
Effect of Selected Crosslinking and Stabilization Methods on the Properties of Porous Chitosan Composites Dedicated for Medical Applications
Authors: Biernat Monika , Woźniak Anna , Chraniuk Milena , Panasiuk Mirosława , Tymowicz-Grzyb Paulina , Pagacz Joanna , Antosik Agnieszka , Ciołek Lidia , Gromadzka Beata , Jaegermann Zbigniew
Published: May 2023

Chitosan is one of the most commonly employed natural polymers for biomedical applications. However, in order to obtain stable chitosan biomaterials with appropriate strength properties, it is necessary to subject it to crosslinking or stabilization. Composites based on chitosan and bioglass were prepared using the lyophilization method. In the experimental design, six different methods were used to obtain stable, porous chitosan/bioglass biocomposite materials. This study compared the crosslinking/stabilization of chitosan/bioglass composites with ethanol, thermal dehydration, sodium tripolyphosphate, vanillin, genipin, and sodium β-glycerophosphate. The physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties of the obtained materials were compared. The results showed that all the selected crosslinking methods allow the production of stable, non-cytotoxic porous composites of chitosan/bioglass. The composite with genipin stood out with the best of the compared properties, taking into account biological and mechanical characteristics. The composite stabilized with ethanol is distinct in terms of its thermal properties and swelling stability, and it also promotes cell proliferation. Regarding the specific surface area, the highest value exposes the composite stabilized by the thermal dehydration method.
Cellulose (Nano)Composites
Authors: Panaitescu Denis Mihaela , Frone Adriana Nicoleta
Published: May 2023

The environment has been severely affected by the intensive production and use of plastics derived from fossil fuels, and their uncontrolled end-of-life disposal [...]
A Humane Kings Convocation Held in the Zhongxing Palace: A New Study of the P. 3808 Sutra Sermon
Authors: Pei Changchun , Li Wei
Published: May 2023

P. 3808 records a popular sermons ceremony, which was a Buddhist folk preaching event held in the Zhongxing Palace to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang. Through the analysis of this text, it is possible to conduct a more comprehensive study of Buddhist popular sermons that formed and gradually developed during the mid-Tang Dynasty. Additionally, this analysis can provide a more systematic understanding of the Humane Kings Convocations (Renwang hui 仁王會), which have had a significant impact on East Asia since the late Southern Dynasty.
R-MFNet: Analysis of Urban Carbon Stock Change against the Background of Land-Use Change Based on a Residual Multi-Module Fusion Network
Authors: Wang Chunyang , Yang Kui , Yang Wei , Qiang Haiyang , Xue Huiyuan , Lu Bibo , Zhou Peng
Published: May 2023

Regional land-use change is the leading cause of ecosystem carbon stock change; it is essential to investigate the response of LUCC to carbon stock to achieve the strategic goal of “double carbon” in a region. This paper proposes a residual network algorithm, the Residual Multi-module Fusion Network (R-MFNet), to address the problems of blurred feature boundary information, low classification accuracy, and high noise, which are often encountered in traditional classification methods. The network algorithm uses an R-ASPP module to expand the receptive field of the feature map to extract sufficient and multi-scale target features; it uses the attention mechanism to assign weights to the multi-scale information of each channel and space. It can fully preserve the remote sensing image features extracted by the convolutional layer through the residual connection. Using this classification network method, the classification of three Landsat-TM/OLI images of Zhengzhou City (the capital of Henan Province) from 2001 to 2020 was realized (the years that the three images were taken are 2001, 2009, and 2020). Compared with SVM, 2D-CNN, and deep residual networks (ResNet), the overall accuracy of the test dataset is increased by 10.07%, 3.96%, and 1.33%, respectively. The classification achieved using this method is closer to the real land surface, and its accuracy is higher than that of the finished product data obtained using the traditional classification method, providing high-precision land-use classification data for the subsequent carbon storage estimation research. Based on the land-use classification data and the carbon density data corrected by meteorological data (temperature and precipitation data), the InVEST model is used to analyze the land-use change and its impact on carbon storage in the region. The results showed that, from 2001 to 2020, the carbon stock in the study area showed a downward trend, with a total decrease of 1.48 × 107 t. Over the course of this 19-year period, the farmland area in Zhengzhou decreased by 1101.72 km2, and the built land area increased sharply by 936.16 km2. The area of land transfer accounted for 29.26% of the total area of Zhengzhou City from 2001 to 2009, and 31.20% from 2009 to 2020. The conversion of farmland to built land is the primary type of land transfer and the most important reason for decreasing carbon stock. The research results can provide support, in the form of scientific data, for land-use management decisions and carbon storage function protections in Zhengzhou and other cities around the world undergoing rapid urbanization.
SIVED: A SAR Image Dataset for Vehicle Detection Based on Rotatable Bounding Box
Authors: Lin Xin , Zhang Bo , Wu Fan , Wang Chao , Yang Yali , Chen Huiqin
Published: May 2023

The research and development of deep learning methods are heavily reliant on large datasets, and there is currently a lack of scene-rich datasets for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image vehicle detection. To address this issue and promote the development of SAR vehicle detection algorithms, we constructed the SAR Image dataset for VEhicle Detection (SIVED) using Ka, Ku, and X bands of data. Rotatable bounding box annotations were employed to improve positioning accuracy, and an algorithm for automatic annotation was proposed to improve efficiency. The dataset exhibits three crucial properties: richness, stability, and challenge. It comprises 1044 chips and 12,013 vehicle instances, most of which are situated in complex backgrounds. To construct a baseline, eight detection algorithms are evaluated on SIVED. The experimental results show that all detectors achieved high mean average precision (mAP) on the test set, highlighting the dataset’s stability. However, there is still room for improvement in the accuracy with respect to the complexity of the background. In summary, SIVED fills the gap in SAR image vehicle detection datasets and demonstrates good adaptability for the development of deep learning algorithms.
Normalized Temperature Drought Index (NTDI) for Soil Moisture Monitoring Using MODIS and Landsat-8 Data
Authors: Tao Liangliang , Di Yangliu , Wang Yuqi , Ryu Dongryeol
Published: May 2023

As the fundamental regulator of energy exchange in the vegetation–soil–atmosphere circulation system, soil moisture is a key parameter for drought monitoring and is indispensable to the land surface hydrological processes. In order to overcome the constraints of the Perpendicular Drought Index, PDI (performs poorly over the fields with dense vegetation and hard to construct the soil line), and the Temperature Vegetation Drought Index, TVDI (requires similar atmospheric forcing and large enough dimension of mapping area), in soil moisture monitoring, a new drought index (Normalized Temperature Drought Index, NTDI) is proposed to explore the spatiotemporal changes of soil moisture by substituting red and near-infrared reflectances with vegetation index and normalized land surface temperature on the basis of the PDI framework. Victoria, Australia, was selected as the study area as it experiences many severe droughts and has been affected for more than ten years. Time series of satellite-based data were applied to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of the NTDI at the regional scale. Results indicated that the expression of the soil line representing the water condition of the bare soil is easier to obtain in the new trapezoid framework and has good fits with the coefficients of determination (R2) of more than 0.8. Compared with PDI, TVDI and Modified PDI (MPDI) at the cropping sites, NTDI exhibits a relatively better performance in soil moisture monitoring for most days where the R2 achieved can reach to more than 0.7 on DOY 242, 254 and 272. Meanwhile, spatial–temporal mappings of the four drought indices from satellite data were conducted, and the NTDI presented the slightly seasonal variation and effectively described the real spatial characteristics of regional drought. Overall, the NTDI seems to a viable approach and can provide insight into spatial and temporal soil moisture monitoring at different scales.
Mapping Maize Cropland and Land Cover in Semi-Arid Region in Northern Nigeria Using Machine Learning and Google Earth Engine
Authors: Abubakar Ghali Abdullahi , Wang Ke , Koko Auwalu Faisal , Husseini Muhammad Ibrahim , Shuka Kamal Abdelrahim Mohamed , Deng Jinsong , Gan Muye
Published: May 2023

The monitoring of crop quantity and quality is vital for global food security. National food security has recently been at the forefront of local and regional research, and has become a vital priority for most developing countries. Therefore, ensuring reliable classification of cropland and other land cover is crucial for sustainable agricultural development and ensuring national food security. A good understanding of the Nigerian agricultural sector is essential to making better decisions and managing operations more efficiently. Scientists, practitioners, and policymakers must exchange reliable information to develop and support agricultural programs and policies. It is essential to develop and implement novel methods for mapping maize cropland and other land cover types. Thus, Seasonal Crop Inventory (SCI) is a valuable tool for farmers, researchers, and policymakers, as it provides critical information on crop production. It informs decisions related to land management, food security, and agricultural policy. In this study, Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 images have been combined to map maize cropland and other land covers in northern Nigeria during the 2016–2019 growing season. We employed a technologically advanced space-based remote sensing technique. As a pioneer study that obtained detailed information on northern Nigeria’s cropland, the research utilized platforms such as Google Earth Engine (GEE), a cloud-computing engine using various classification techniques that include Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Classification Regression Trees (CART) algorithms to produce a pixel-based Seasonal Crop Inventory of the study area. The outcome demonstrated a reliable GEE-based mapping of the region’s cropland with satisfactory classification accuracy. It revealed the overall accuracy values and the Kappa coefficients to be above 97% during the different time nodes under study. It also indicated a 98% and 93% producer and user accuracy for the cropland. The research further revealed that the Random Forest performed the best among the three machine-learning models tested in this study for mapping the maize cropland and other land cover classes. Therefore, the study’s findings and the derived crop mapping would greatly help provide valuable information that helps farmers, policymakers, and other stakeholders make more informed decisions about agricultural production, land use planning, and resource management.
Activity-Based Prospective Memory in ADHD during Motor Sleep Inertia
Authors: Occhionero Miranda , Tonetti Lorenzo , Conca Andreas , Giovagnoli Sara , Giupponi Giancarlo , Zoppello Marina , Natale Vincenzo
Published: May 2023

Prospective memory (PM) is essential in everyday life because it concerns the ability to remember to perform an intended action in the future. Individuals diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often show poor performance in PM. Because age can be confounding, we decided to test PM in ADHD patients (children and adults) and healthy controls (children and adults). We examined 22 children (four females; mean age = 8.77 ± 1.77) and 35 adults (14 females; mean age = 37.29 ± 12.23) with ADHD, in addition to 92 children (57 females; mean age = 10.13 ± 0.42) and 95 adults (57 females; mean age = 27.93 ± 14.35) as healthy controls. Each participant originally wore an actigraph around the non-dominant wrist and was requested to push the event-marker at get-up time. To assess the efficiency of PM performance, we calculated the time elapsing between the end of sleep in the morning and the pushing of the event-marker button. The results showed lower PM performance in ADHD participants, regardless of age. However, the differences between ADHD and control groups were more evident in the children group. Our data seem to confirm that PM efficiency is compromised in individuals diagnosed with ADHD regardless of age, and agree with the idea of considering the PM deficit as a neuropsychological marker of ADHD.
MIMO 5G Smartphone Antenna with Tri-Band and Decoupled Elements
Authors: Hou Jianqiang , Peng Yuxuan , Huang Jiajun , Wang Zhefei , Denidni Tayeb A.
Published: May 2023

In this article, a miniaturized antenna is proposed for 4G/5G multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) applications for smartphones. The proposed antenna is composed of an inverted L-shaped antenna with decoupled elements to cover 4G (2000–2600 MHz), and a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) with a J-slot to cover 5G (3400–3600 MHz and 4800–5000 MHz). Furthermore, to achieve the purposes of miniaturization and decoupling, the structure adopts a feeding stub, shorting stub, and outstanding floor, additionally adding the slot to the PIFA, to generate additional frequency bands. Due to the advantages such as multiband operation, MIMO configuration for 5G communications, high isolation, and a compact structure, the proposed antenna design is attractive for 4G/5G smartphones. The antenna array is printed on an FR4 dielectric board, measuring 140 × 70 × 0.8 mm3, with the 4G antenna located on a top 15 mm-long headroom.
Dissemination of a “Fake Miracle Cure” against COVID-19 on Twitter: The Case of Chlorine Dioxide
Authors: Sauvayre Romy
Published: May 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to all types of beliefs, theories, and explanations, whether scientific, religious, or conspiratorial. At the beginning of the pandemic, science did not yet have a medicinal product for this new disease, and alternative medicines offering “miracle cures” were acclaimed by some citizens looking for an effective treatment for COVID-19. This article aims to study a specific “miracle cure”, namely, chlorine dioxide, a bleaching agent for textiles or paper that also has disinfectant properties (water, surfaces). The dissemination of information about chlorine dioxide to French-speaking people on the social network Twitter from 1 December 2019 to 30 November 2021 is analyzed using a graph network. The results show that messages promoting misinformation, even if they are likely to be quantitatively less numerous, spread more widely than those based on more reliable information. In addition, this article shows that chlorine dioxide was promoted as an effective cure by medical doctors and peer-reviewed articles, which consequently increased the dissemination of this belief in the social space. Consequently, the process of misinformation entered the sphere of scientific controversy. The boundary between science and misinformation is becoming blurred to the point that it is no longer possible until proven otherwise to call chlorine dioxide a “false miracle cure” but a controversial treatment against COVID-19.
A Bridge Damage Visualization Technique Based on Image Processing Technology and the IFC Standard
Authors: Tian Yuan , Zhang Xuefan , Chen Haonan , Wang Yujie , Wu Hongyang
Published: May 2023

As an important part of the traffic infrastructure, the bridge has attracted much attention for its health conditions. Bridge damage detection is an important way of evaluating bridge health conditions. However, the bridge damage could not be directly expressed by traditional bridge damage detection methods. With the emergence of new technologies and engineering applications, it is possible to achieve visual expression of bridge damages, improve the digitization of bridge detection, and promote sustainable development in bridge maintenance. In this paper, a method of bridge damage visualization based on image processing technology and the IFC standard description is proposed for common bridge damages. An existing cable-stayed bridge is taken as the engineering background, and the collected damage images are processed and analyzed utilizing cutting-edge technology to obtain specific damage information such as the length and width of bridge cracks and concrete defects. Then based on the IFC standard, the bridge damage and its attribute information are visualized and stored through an established REVIT model of the bridge.