bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supporting Long-Term Archaeological Research in Southern Romania Chalcolithic Sites Using Multi-Platform UAV Mapping
Authors: Stal Cornelis , Covataru Cristina , Müller Johannes , Parnic Valentin , Ignat Theodor , Hofmann Robert , Lazar Catalin
Published: September 2022

Spatial data play a crucial role in archaeological research, and orthophotos, digital elevation models, and 3D models are frequently used for the mapping, documentation, and monitoring of archaeological sites. Thanks to the availability of compact and low-cost uncrewed airborne vehicles, the use of UAV-based photogrammetry matured in this field over the past two decades. More recently, compact airborne systems are also available that allow the recording of thermal data, multispectral data, and airborne laser scanning. In this article, various platforms and sensors are applied at the Chalcolithic archaeological sites in the Mostiștea Basin and Danube Valley (Southern Romania). By analysing the performance of the systems and the resulting data, insight is given into the selection of the appropriate system for the right application. This analysis requires thorough knowledge of data acquisition and data processing, as well. As both laser scanning and photogrammetry typically result in very large amounts of data, a special focus is also required on the storage and publication of the data. Hence, the objective of this article is to provide a full overview of various aspects of 3D data acquisition for UAV-based mapping. Based on the conclusions drawn in this article, it is stated that photogrammetry and laser scanning can result in data with similar geometrical properties when acquisition parameters are appropriately set. On the one hand, the used ALS-based system outperforms the photogrammetric platforms in terms of operational time and the area covered. On the other hand, conventional photogrammetry provides flexibility that might be required for very low-altitude flights, or emergency mapping. Furthermore, as the used ALS sensor only provides a geometrical representation of the topography, photogrammetric sensors are still required to obtain true colour or false colour composites of the surface. Lastly, the variety of data, such as pre- and post-rendered raster data, 3D models, and point clouds, requires the implementation of multiple methods for the online publication of data. Various client-side and server-side solutions are presented to make the data available for other researchers.
Development of Two-Stage Quartz-Crystal Oscillators Using Monolithic Four-Terminal CFOAs
Authors: Pandiev Ivailo Milanov
Published: September 2022

In this article, based on the well-known circuits of two-stage quartz-crystal oscillators, three electronic circuits with a small number of external components are presented. For the proposed circuit configurations, the active elements are composed of monolithic current-feedback operational amplifiers (CFOAs) with access to terminal z, between the first stage (positive second-generation current conveyor (CCII)) and the second stage (output buffer). In this way, the output signal for the developed circuits is obtained after the output buffer of the second CFOA, thereby providing a minimal effect on the resonant circuit of the oscillators. Based on a theoretical analysis of the operational principle for the proposed circuits, the linear characteristic equations and the related self-oscillation conditions are obtained. Moreover, the frequency stability coefficients are determined, which can be obtained with larger values compared to the coefficients of the known discrete transistor circuits. To verify the operability and efficiency of the proposed oscillator circuits, experimental results obtained from sample electronic circuits are presented, which confirm the analyses performed in the frequency range up to about 10 MHz.
Rational Distributed Bragg Reflector Design for Improving Performance of Flip-Chip Micro-LEDs
Authors: Sun Yuechang , Shi Lang , Du Peng , Zhao Xiaoyu , Zhou Shengjun
Published: September 2022

The distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) has been widely used in flip-chip micro light-emitting diodes (micro-LEDs) because of its high reflectivity. However, the conventional double-stack DBR has a strong angular dependence and a narrow reflective bandwidth. Here, we propose a wide reflected angle Ti3O5/SiO2 DBR (WRA-DBR) for AlGaInP-based red and GaN-based green/blue flip-chip micro-LEDs (RGB flip-chip micro-LEDs) to overcome the drawbacks of the double-stack DBR. The WRA-DBR consisting of six sub-DBRs has high reflectivity within the visible light wavelength region at an incident angle of light ranging from 0° to 60°. Furthermore, the influence of the WRA-DBR and double-stack DBR on performances of RGB flip-chip micro-LEDs is numerically investigated based on the finite-difference time-domain method. Owing to higher reflectivity and less angular dependence of the WRA-DBR, the RGB flip-chip micro-LEDs with the WRA-DBR have a stronger electric field intensity in the top side in comparison with RGB flip-chip micro-LEDs with the double-stack DBR, which indicates that more photons can be extracted from micro-LEDs with the WRA-DBR.
Dynamic Amplitude-Frequency Characteristics of Vertical–Torsional Coupling System with Harmonic Response in Hot Tandem Mill
Authors: Wang Lidong , Yan Xiaoqiang , Jia Xingdou , Wang Xiaoling
Published: September 2022

Vibration is a common and urgent technical issue in the steel industry. The world’s first multi-mode continuous-casting and rolling plant of Shou Gang Jing Tang Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. (Tangshan, China), has a finishing mill, F3, that experiences frequent, strong vibrations during the process of rolling thin-gauge (<1.5 mm) strip steel, which have seriously hindered the production of high-quality thin strip steel products. The changes in the strips’ surface quality are among the factors that induce rolling mill vibrations. In this study, considering the nonlinear surface quality of strip steel, a finite element model of the F3 mill was established, and the harmonic response method was used to obtain a rolling mill vertical system in the ANSYS environment. This study assesses the sensitive amplitude versus frequency characteristics curve of a torsional coupling system, the influence of strip thickness and strip hardness fluctuations on the vibration of the primary drive system, and the dynamic amplitude versus frequency characteristics of the three directions on the top of a torii. Finally, the field experiment verifies the correctness of the analytical results, which provides theoretical guidance for suppressing rolling mill vibrations and has a certain application value.
Comprehensive—Model Based on Time Series for the Generation of Traffic Knowledge for Bus Transit Rapid Line 6 of México City
Authors: Díaz-Casco Manuel A. , Carvajal-Gámez Blanca E. , Gutiérrez-Frías Octavio , Osorio-Zúñiga Fernando S.
Published: September 2022

Mobile sensor networks consist of different types of integrated devices that collect, disseminate, process and store information from the environments in which they are implemented. This type of network allows for the development of applications and systems in different areas for the generation of knowledge. In this paper, we propose a model called the Metrobus Arrival Prediction (MAP) model for predicting the arrival times of Line 6 buses of the bus rapid transit (BTR) system, known as the Metrobus, in Mexico City (CDMX). The network is composed of mobile and static nodes that collect data related to the speed and position of each Metrobus bus. These data are sent to the proposed time series model, which yields the Metrobus arrival time estimation. MAP allows the density of users projected during the day to be estimated with a time series model that uses the data collected and the historical data of each station. A comparison is made between the model results and the arrival time obtained with real-time traffic monitoring applications, such as Moovit and Google Maps. The proposed model, based on time series, takes the historical data (data of trajectory times) as reference to start the first arrival times. From these values, MAP feeds on the data collected through the sensor network. As the data are collected through the sensor network, the estimates present results, for example, the mean absolute error (MAE) of the expected time was less than 0.2 s and the root mean square error (RMSE) of the expected value was below 1 for the proposed model. Compared to real-time traffic platforms, it presents a value of 0.1650 of the average dispersion obtained in travel times. The obtained values provide certainty that the data shown presents results as accurately as a real-time platform that requires the data at the moments in which the traffic variations occur. Moreover, unlike other state-of-the-art models that rarely interact on the site, MAP requires a reduced number of variables, being an accessible tool for the implementation and scaling of real-time traffic monitoring.
Research on the Induced Electrostatic Discharge of Solar Arrays under the Action of ESD EMP
Authors: Hu Xiaofeng , Wang Huimin , Zhang Jianping , Wang Yingying
Published: September 2022

In this paper, the electrostatic discharge of solar arrays in spacecraft energy systems is taken as the research object. The influence and internal mechanism of external electromagnetic radiation on electrostatic discharge is studied. Meanwhile, the charging and discharging test platform of spacecraft solar arrays under a strong field is first established. Then, the influence of irradiation field strength, electron beam energy and beam density on electrostatic discharge of solar arrays is analyzed and summarized. The results show that during the irradiation process of solar arrays using a high-energy electron beam under vacuum conditions, the higher the electron beam energy and the beam current density, the higher the discharge frequency of the solar array. When the intensity of the external electromagnetic radiation field increases, the discharge frequency also increases. Under the action of external radiation field with the same peak field strength, the larger the gap, the smaller the discharge frequency. With the increase in the field strength, the potential difference of each part of the solar array becomes smaller, and the peak of the discharge current decreases. The research results can provide technical reference for electrostatic protection of spacecraft solar arrays.
Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient Acceleration on FPGA-Based Platforms
Authors: Malakonakis Pavlos , Isotton Giovanni , Miliadis Panagiotis , Alverti Chloe , Theodoropoulos Dimitris , Pnevmatikatos Dionisios , Ioannou Aggelos , Harteros Konstantinos , Georgopoulos Konstantinos , Papaefstathiou Ioannis , Mavroidis Iakovos
Published: September 2022

Reconfigurable computing can significantly improve the performance and energy efficiency of many applications. However, FPGA-based chips are evolving rapidly, increasing the difficulty of evaluating the impact of new capabilities such as HBM and high-speed links. In this paper, a real-world application was implemented on different FPGAs in order to better understand the new capabilities of modern FPGAs and how new FPGA technology improves performance and scalability. The aforementioned application was the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) method that is utilized in underground analysis. The implementation was done on four different FPGAs, including an MPSoC, taking into account each platform’s characteristics. The results show that today’s FPGA-based chips offer eight times better performance on a memory-bound problem than 5-year-old FPGAs, as they incorporate HBM and can operate at higher clock frequencies.
A Multitask Learning Approach for Named Entity Recognition by Exploiting Sentence-Level Semantics Globally
Authors: Huang Wenzhi , Qian Tao , Lyu Chen , Zhang Junchi , Jin Guonian , Li Yongkui , Xu Yongrui
Published: September 2022

Named entity recognition (NER) is one fundamental task in natural language processing, which is usually viewed as a sequence labeling problem and typically addressed by neural conditional random field (CRF) models, such as BiLSTM-CRF. Intuitively, the entity types contain rich semantic information and the entity type sequence in a sentence can globally reflect the sentence-level semantics. However, most previous works recognize named entities based on the feature representation of each token in the input sentence, and the token-level features cannot capture the global-entity-type-related semantic information in the sentence. In this paper, we propose a joint model to exploit the global-type-related semantic information for NER. Concretely, we introduce a new auxiliary task, namely sentence-level entity type sequence prediction (TSP), to supervise and constrain the global feature representation learning process. Furthermore, a multitask learning method is used to integrate the global-type-related semantic information into the NER model. Experiments on the four datasets in different languages and domains show that our final model is highly effective, consistently outperforming the BiLSTM-CRF baseline and leading to competitive results on all datasets.
Low-Frequency Noise Modeling of 4H-SiC Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors
Authors: Liu Yuan , Ye Weijie , Xiong Xiaoming , Deng Wanling
Published: September 2022

4H-silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (4H-SiC MOSFETs) show 1/f low-frequency noise behavior. In this paper, this can be explained by the combination of the mobility fluctuation (Δμ) and the carrier number fluctuation (ΔN) theories. The Δμ theory believes that LFN is generated by the bulk defects, while the ΔN theory holds that LFN originates from the extraordinarily high oxide traps. For 4H-SiC MOSFETs, significant subthreshold noise will appear when only the ΔN theory attempts to model LFN in the subthreshold region. Therefore, we account for the high density of bulk defects (Δμ theory) and characterize the subthreshold noise. The theoretical model allows us to determine the bulk density of the trap states. The proposed LFN model is applicable to SiC MOSFETs and accurately describes the noise experimental data over a wide range of operation regions.
Boosting Code Search with Structural Code Annotation
Authors: Kong Xianglong , Chen Hongyu , Yu Ming , Zhang Lixiang
Published: September 2022

Code search is a process that takes a given query as input and retrieves relevant code snippets from a code base. The relationship between query and code is commonly built on code annotation, which is extracted from code comments or other documents. The current code search studies approximately treat code annotation as a common natural language, regardless of its hidden structural information. To address the information loss, this work proposes a code annotation model to extract features from five perspectives, and further conduct a code search engine, i.e., CodeHunter. CodeHunter is evaluated on a dataset of 7 million code snippets and query descriptions. The experimental results show that CodeHunter obtains more effective results than Lucene and DeepCS. And we also prove that the effectiveness comes from the rich features and search models, CodeHunter can work well with different sizes of query descriptions.
A Multimodal Modulation Scheme for Electric Vehicles’ Wireless Power Transfer Systems, Based on Secondary Impedance
Authors: Liu Wei , Hu Chao , Xiang Lijuan
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to investigate a multimodal modulation scheme that takes into account the wide range of output characteristics, numerous constraints, and complex working conditions in the wireless charging of electric vehicles. Key electrical parameters and variables in the secondary stages of electric vehicle wireless power transfer (EV-WPT) systems were evaluated based on capacitive, inductive, and resistive impedance working modes. The limiting duty cycle values, D, of the rectifier were derived by detecting the mutual inductance, M. This multimodal modulation was adopted, based on the secondary equivalent impedance phase, to control the impedance working condition and, hence, achieve optimal working performance. The proposed method can modulate the system performance before and during wireless transmission. The proposed control scheme was verified using a 10 kW EV-WPT experimental prototype under a capacitive impedance working mode with 8.5 kW power output. Our proposed method achieved full power output by modulating the impedance working conditions.
Voltage Sag Causes Recognition with Fusion of Sparse Auto-Encoder and Attention Unet
Authors: Fan Rui , Li Huipeng , Zhang Tao , Wang Hong , Qi Linhai , Sun Lina
Published: September 2022

High-precision voltage sag cause identification is significant in solving the power quality problem. It is challenging for traditional deep learning models to balance training complexity and recognition performance when processing high-dimensional staging data samples, which affects the final recognition effect. This paper proposes a voltage sag identification method that fuses a sparse auto-encoder and Attention Unet. The model uses a sparse auto-encoder to perform unsupervised feature learning on the high-dimensional voltage sag waveform data and automatically obtains the deep low-dimensional features. Attention Unet, fused with cross-layer spatial and channel attention modules, further extracts these features to obtain recognition results with high performance. Compared with other deep learning recognition methods, the noise-adding experiments and the measured data are verified, indicating that the proposed method has low training complexity, higher recall, and better noise immunity. It benefits auxiliary decision-making for power quality management and governance.
Mechanized Wood Extraction: Impacts on Operators’ Hearing Health
Authors: Camargo Diego Aparecido , Munis Rafaele Almeida , Miyajima Ricardo Hideaki , Lima Roldão Carlos Andrade , Simões Danilo
Published: September 2022

The activity of the mechanized extraction of wood, carried out by means of self-propelled forest machines, consists of moving the wood cut inside the forest stand from the planted forests to the roadside. During displacements, these machines normally travel over forest residues and stumps, which can demand greater motor power from the engine, in addition to the possible increase in occupational noise levels. In this context, we evaluated whether, when operating different self-propelled forest machines in the wood extraction of planted Eucalyptus forests, operators are exposed to different levels of occupational noise, especially to thresholds above those established for prevention purposes. Occupational noise data were collected during the workday, weighing six self-propelled forest machine operators who performed the wood-extraction operation, performed by two forwarders, two self-loading tractors, and two grapple skidders, in three areas with Eucalyptus plantations located in the southeastern region of Brazil. The sound-pressure level was collected using two integrative meters following the strategic measurement criterion recommendation for the whole day in the guidelines of the acoustic determination of occupational noise exposure and analyzed according to the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists. Operators of forest machines for the mechanized extraction of wood were exposed to occupational noise levels above the recommended level, which can affect health and well-being; this occupation also required above-average levels of attention during the execution of work activities.
Potential Application of Invasive Plant Species Datura innoxia for the Scopolamine Extracts of the Plant Organs and Analysis Using UV–VIS Spectrophotometry
Authors: Mardare (Balusescu) Georgiana , Lazar Liliana , Malutan Teodor
Published: September 2022

Downy thorn-apple Datura innoxia (Solanaceae) is an invasive plant species which can be introduced either accidentally or deliberately and have the ability to acclimatize in new environmental conditions. Scopolamine is a natural alkaloid which occur in several Datura species, including Datura innoxia. Occurrence of alkaloid in all plant organs is crucially important from the viewpoint of medical use, but also as a risk of toxicity for humans and animals, this paper presents the influence of alcoholic solvents on the separation ability of tropane alkaloids using a conventional extraction method (Soxhlet extraction) in order to investigate the content of scopolamine from Datura innoxia dry biomass from Romania at the maturity stage. Two solvents were selected, investigated and compared, including ethanol (96%) and 1-butanol (99.6%). The results showed that 1-butanol was most suitable for the extraction of scopolamine from Datura innoxia areal parts (leaves, flowers, seeds, stem and root) then ethanol because of the high degree of lipophilicity of this alkaloid. The quantitative analysis was performed using UV–VIS spectrophotometry technique. The calibration curve for the analyte under the optimum conditions was obtained with a proper correlation coefficient of 0.9930. Scopolamine was identified in all vegetative organs with higher concentration in 1-butanol and the total content (µg g−1) was 186.87 in leaves, 150.89 in flowers, 63.27 in seeds, 42.50 in stem and 58.10 in root. These studies provide new insights into the potential use of invasive plant species Datura innoxia for extraction of the content of tropane alkaloids, especially scopolamine using different solvents regarding the toxicity and therapeutic potential of this plant alkaloid.
Development of a Methodology for the Conservation of Northern-Region Plant Resources under Climate Change
Authors: Yoo Youngjae , Choi Yuyoung , Chung Hye In , Hwang Jinhoo , Lim No Ol , Lee Jiyeon , Kim Yoonji , Kim Myeong Je , Kim Tae Su , Jeon Seongwoo
Published: September 2022

According to the guidelines of the Nagoya Protocol, species are now recognized as ‘resources’ and owned by each country, thereby emphasizing the significance of biological resources and the importance of the continuous efforts made to systematically manage them. Despite these efforts, climate change, which influences climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation, is expected to negatively impact the struggle for conservation of biological resources by affecting species’ habitats. We aimed to devise methodologies that could be utilized for the management of biological resources, especially valuable tree species, that are experiencing difficulties due to climate change. First, changes in habitat of the northern-region plant Needle fir (Abies holophylla) due to of climate change were estimated using the BIOMOD2 package in R under the RCP8.5 scenario. Second, the time period of management was estimated based on the change in habitat area over time. It is expected that 30% of the current habitat of A. holophylla will be lost by 2030 and 50% will be lost by 2042. Third, four management zones (maintenance, reduction, dispersal, and non-habitat areas) were derived by comparing habitats according to the period of management required. In this case, we compared the present and the time point at which 30% habitat loss (2030) is expected to occur. After that, the management steps that can be taken for each management zone were suggested. Our results show the impact of climate change, especially change in Bio1 (annual mean temperature) and Bio13 (precipitation of wettest month), on species distribution patterns and have potential applicability in biological resource management. We have specified the suitable point of time, area, and direction of management in this study, which will contribute to climate change management planning and policy-making. By doing so, we hope that when a management policy on biological resources is applied, by dividing the four management zones, policymakers will be able to apply a cost-efficient policy.
Value of Information on Root and Butt Rot Presence When Choosing Tree Species for a Previously Spruce-Dominated Stand in Norway
Authors: Aza Ana , Kangas Annika , Kallio A. Maarit I.
Published: September 2022

Because the two common tree species in Norway, Picea abies L. Karst (Norway spruce) and Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine), differ in their susceptibility to the fungus Heterobasidion spp., converting at least parts of the rot-infested spruce stands to pine pays-off economically in some cases. Pixel-level information on rot levels and site indexes (SI) across the stand are required to identify these cases to make decisions that increase the expected economic return of the stand. Applying the Value of Information (VoI) concept, we assessed the value of such information when choosing between planting spruce and pine on a clear-cut spruce stand. The VoIs were highest for the stands of medium–low dominant SI. There, the shift from spruce to pine in some pixels instead of planting spruce across the whole stand has the best-expected impact on the stand’s net present value. Additionally, planting densities are more often adjusted to the pixel SI in these dominant SIs. Given that the stand’s dominant SI is known, information on rot levels alone is more valuable than information on SI alone. The lower the interest rate in decision-making, the more the forest owner is willing to invest in information supporting forest management.
The Effect of Different Road Types on Timber Truck Drivers by Assessing the Load Environment of Drivers by Monitoring Changes in Muscle Tension
Authors: Škvor Pavel , Jankovský Martin , Natov Pavel , Dvořák Jiří , Zlatuška Karel
Published: September 2022

Our research aimed to quantify stress load in drivers by monitoring the load on the radial extensor carpi radialis (musculus extensor carpi radialis) on different types of forest and other categories of roads. We observed changes in the electrical potential of skeletal muscles using electromyographic measurements and changes in heart rate using a Biofeedback2000 x-pert recorder. We measured the loading of drivers during the normal operation of timber trucks and timber trucks with trailers, while the reference measurements took place in a passenger car. We obtained descriptive statistics from the individual measurements and evaluated the normality of the measured data. Differences in muscle load increased when driving on lower-grade roads. The muscle load increased significantly, especially when passing through villages, inversely proportional to the width of the roads and the radius of their bends. Experiments revealed that the drivers of loaded vehicles who drove on lower-grade roads were under higher stress. Muscle load of drivers a loaded timber truck with a trailer was more difficult on roads of lower grades than on roads of grade I by 41.3%. Driving a timber truck is 21.9% more difficult on lower grade roads than on grade I roads. For preventive health and safety reasons, it is optimal to alternate trucking with a different type of work, thus minimizing the chance of occurrence of health disabilities.
Distributed Big Data Storage Infrastructure for Biomedical Research Featuring High-Performance and Rich-Features
Authors: Xu Xingjian , Sun Lijun , Meng Fanjun
Published: September 2022

The biomedical field entered the era of “big data” years ago, and a lot of software is being developed to tackle the analysis problems brought on by big data. However, very few programs focus on providing a solid foundation for file systems of biomedical big data. Since file systems are a key prerequisite for efficient big data utilization, the absence of specialized biomedical big data file systems makes it difficult to optimize storage, accelerate analysis, and enrich functionality, resulting in inefficiency. Here we present F3BFS, a functional, fundamental, and future-oriented distributed file system, specially designed for various kinds of biomedical data. F3BFS makes it possible to boost existing software’s performance without modifying its main algorithms by transmitting raw datasets from generic file systems. Further, F3BFS has various built-in features to help researchers manage biology datasets more efficiently and productively, including metadata management, fuzzy search, automatic backup, transparent compression, etc.
Transcriptome Analysis of Greenfin Horse-Faced Filefish (Thamnaconus septentrionalis) Gills in Response to Amyloodinium ocellatum (AO) Infection
Authors: Yang Li-Guo , Wang Yue , Xu Wen-Bin , Qin Bo , Ying Na , Song Xue-Feng , Yue Yan-Feng , Wang Xiao-Shan , Zhang Bian-Bian , Wu Yan-Qing
Published: September 2022

The greenfin horse-faced filefish (Thamnaconus septentrionalis) is susceptible to recurrent Amyloodinium ocellatum (AO) infestation over the grow-out production cycle. This parasite breeds mainly on the gills, causing hypoxia in the fish body, and leading to many deaths. The host-parasite response drives a complex immune reaction, which is poorly understood. To generate a model for host-parasite interaction and the pathogenesis of AO in greenfin horse-faced filefish, an RNA-seq approach, differential gene expression, GO, and KEGG analyses were employed. Overall, 624 new genes and 2076 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected, including 942 upregulated and 1134 downregulated genes in the gills. Compared with the control group, the expression of leptin a, GTPase IMAP family member 4, and NLR family CARD domain-containing protein 3 was significantly higher in the AO-infected group. Conversely, cell wall integrity and stress response component 1-like, and hepcidin-like were significantly downregulated in the gills of AO-infected fish. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs were significantly enriched in signaling pathways associated with viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor and cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction. Collectively, this transcriptomic study provides novel molecular insights into the pathology caused by AO infestation and alternative theories for future research implementing strategies to control and manage AO.
Properties of Protein Hydrolysates and Bioinformatics Prediction of Peptides Derived from Thermal and Enzymatic Process of Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) Roe
Authors: Phetchthumrongchai Thithi , Tachapuripunya Viroj , Chintong Sutasinee , Roytrakul Sittiruk , E-kobon Teerasak , Klaypradit Wanwimol
Published: September 2022

Currently, the use of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) roe to produce hydrolysate is limited, although it is a potentially valuable resource. This study aimed to investigate the physical and chemical characteristics of protein hydrolysates from tuna roe using autoclave and enzymes (alcalase and trypsin at 0.5 and 1.0% w/v). Bioinformatics was also applied to analyze the identified peptides. The hydrolysates were determined for amino acid composition, peptide profile patterns, antioxidant activity, solubility and foaming properties. The proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE before tryptic digestion and peptide identification by nano LC-ESI-MS/MS. The putative bioactivities of the identified peptides were predicted using bioinformatics prediction tools. The main amino acids found in all hydrolysates were cysteine, glycine and arginine (16.26–20.65, 10.67–13.61 and 10.87–12.08 g/100 g protein, respectively). The hydrolysates obtained from autoclaving showed lower molecular weights than those by the enzymatic method. The 0.1 g/mL concentration of hydrolysates provided higher antioxidant activities compared to the others. All hydrolysates had high solubility and exhibited foaming capacity and foam stability. Putative anti-hypertensive, anti-virus and anti-parasite activities were highly abundant within the obtained peptides. Moreover, predicted muti-bioactivity was indicated for seven novel peptides. In the future work, these peptides should be experimentally validated for further applications.
Environmental DNA Metabarcoding Reflects Fish DNA Dynamics in Lentic Ecosystems: A Case Study of Freshwater Ponds
Authors: Shu Lu , Chen Shijing , Li Ping , Peng Zuogang
Published: September 2022

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a good indicator of fish diversity and distribution in aquatic environments. This study used metabarcoding to assess fish diversity and distribution in two connected ponds during two sampling periods. The eDNA analysis of surface samples displayed differences in the fish communities between the two connected ponds, while within each sampling site the species detected across the two time points were not always the same. These results revealed poor horizontal transport of eDNA between the two connected ponds alongside poor mixing of eDNA for a single pond’s stocked fish. Additionally, water temperature, pH, and total nitrogen were the key environmental factors affecting fish eDNA spatial and temporal distribution. These findings have important implications for designing eDNA sampling strategies in lentic ecosystems; for example, complete fish diversity in a lentic ecosystem cannot be detected by collecting only surface samples and in only one sampling period.
The Longer the Storage Time, the Higher the Price, the Better the Quality? A 1H-NMR Based Metabolomic Investigation of Aged Ya’an Tibetan Tea (Camellia sinensis)
Authors: Zhu Chenglin , Yang Zhibo , He Li , Lu Xuan , Tang Junni , Laghi Luca
Published: September 2022

As an essential beverage beneficial for Tibetan people, Ya’an Tibetan tea has received scarce attention, particularly from the point of view of the characterization of its metabolome. The aim of the study is to systematically characterize the metabolome of Tibetan tea by means of untargeted 1H-NMR. Moreover, the variations of its metabolome along ageing time are evaluated by taking advantage of univariate and multivariate analyses. A total of 45 molecules are unambiguously identified and quantified, comprising amino acids, peptides and analogues, carbohydrates and derivates, organic acids and derivates, nucleosides, nucleotides and catechins. The concentrations of amino acids, organic acids, carbohydrates and catechins are mainly determined by ageing time. The present study would serve as a reference guide for further work on the Ya’an Tibetan tea metabolome, therefore contributing to the related industries.
Understanding Young Taiwanese Consumers’ Acceptance, Sensory Profile, and Drivers of Liking for GABA Oolong Tea Beverages with Cold Infusions
Authors: Wu Mu-Chen , Liou Bo-Kang , Chen Yuh-Shuen , Lee Shih-Chieh , Xie Jia-Jin , Jaw Yih-Mon , Liu Shih-Lun
Published: September 2022

The sensory qualities of Taiwanese teas are evaluated by the experts from the Tea Research and Extension Station (TRES) at tea competitions held annually. The prices of Taiwanese teas are also influenced by the results of these tea competitions. However, a tea winning an award and having a high sensory quality and price does not mean that it is liked by Taiwanese consumers. The check all that apply method (CATA) is a scientific method of sensory evaluation. It is able to evaluate the sensory characteristics with consumers and is cheap and time-saving. Twelve samples of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) Oolong tea made by the Taiwan Tea No. 12 cultivar were selected from the first Taiwanese GABA tea competition in 2020. The aim of this research was to study young Taiwanese consumers’ acceptability for GABA Oolong tea infusions, and their opinions towards the sensory qualities of teas through questionnaires composed of CATA questions and hedonic scales. Based on the results, the CATA method identified 21 important descriptive terms for GABA tea that were selected by over 20% of consumers. It was found that the consumers like GABA Oolong teas with 13 specific sensory characteristics, but dislike the ones with another 6 specific sensory characteristics. We conjecture that the different process of tea production will affect consumers’ preference for GABA Oolong tea. Overall, GABA Oolong tea has the same delightful sensory characteristics as traditional Taiwanese specialty Oolong teas, and is liked by the young Taiwanese consumers.
Briot–Bouquet Differential Subordinations for Analytic Functions Involving the Struve Function
Authors: Çetinkaya Asena , Cotîrlă Luminita-Ioana
Published: September 2022

We define a new class of exponential starlike functions constructed by a linear operator involving normalized form of the generalized Struve function. Making use of a technique of differential subordination introduced by Miller and Mocanu, we investigate several new results related to the Briot–Bouquet differential subordinations for the linear operator involving the normalized form of the generalized Struve function. We also obtain univalent solutions to the Briot–Bouquet differential equations and observe that these solutions are the best dominant of the Briot–Bouquet differential subordinations for the exponential starlike function class. Moreover, we give an application of fractional integral operator for a complex-valued function associated with the generalized Struve function. The significance of this paper is due to the technique employed in proving the results and novelty of these results for the Struve functions. The approach used in this paper can lead to several new problems in geometric function theory associated with special functions.
In Situ Synthetic ZIF-8/Carbon Aerogel Composites as Solid-Phase Microextraction Coating for the Detection of Phthalic Acid Esters in Water Samples
Authors: Dong Zong-Mu , Zhang Peiyi , Sun Tong , Xia Qian , Wu Jian-Feng , Zhao Guang-Chao
Published: September 2022

In this study, a hybrid composite featuring zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/carbon aerogel (ZIF-8/CA) was synthesized via in situ nucleation and growth of ZIF-8 nanoparticles inside carbon aerogels. The novel material was used as the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coating for the five phthalic acid esters (PAEs) detection by coupling with a gas chromatography–flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Compared with bare carbon aerogel, the ZIF-8/CA presented the best performance, which is attributed to the unique advantages between the high surface area of CA and high hydrophobic properties, the thermal stability of ZIF-8, and their synergistic adsorption effects, such as molecular penetration, hydrogen bond, and π–π stacking interactions. Under the optimized conditions, the as-proposed ZIF-8/CA fiber provided a wide linearity range from 0.2 to 1000 μg L−1 and a low detection limit of 0.17–0.48 μg L−1 for PAEs analysis. The intra-day and inter-day of signal fiber and the fiber–fiber relative standard deviations were observed in the ranges of 3.50–8.16%, 5.02–10.57%, and 5.66–12.11%, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of five PAEs in plastic bottled and river water samples.
Cerebellar Abiotrophy in Australian Working Kelpies Is Associated with Two Major Risk Loci
Authors: Wade Claire M. , Pan Annie Y. H. , Taylor Rosanne M. , Williamson Peter
Published: September 2022

An autosomal recessive form of inherited cerebellar abiotrophy (CA) that is characterized by a degeneration of Purkinje and granule cells in the cerebellar cortex occurs in the Australian working kelpie dog breed. The clinical signs of CA include ataxia, head tremor, motor in-coordination, wide-based stance, and high-stepping gait. Investigation of clinical and pathological features indicated two closely related diseases with differences in age of onset. A genome-wide association study on 45 CA affected and 290 normal healthy Kelpies identified two significantly associated loci, one on CFA9 and a second on CFA20. Dogs homozygous for the risk haplotype on CFA20 (23 dogs) show clinical signs before ten weeks of age. Missense variants in the sixth exon of disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1Lp.R200Q) and in the only exon of Leucine Rich Repeat And Ig Domain Containing 3 (LINGO3p.R359C), both on CFA20, segregate with the associated risk marker which has incomplete penetrance (42%). Affected dogs homozygous for the risk haplotype on CFA9 have later onset ataxia. A missense variant in exon 5 of Vacuole Membrane Protein 1 (VMP1 p.P160Q) on CFA9 segregates as a fully penetrant Mendelian recessive with later-onset CA. Across mammals, the variety of causative loci so far identified as influencing cerebellar disorders reinforces the complexity of the pathways that contribute to cerebellar development and function, and to the pathophysiological mechanisms that may lead to cerebellar ataxia.
Relationship between Substantia Nigra Neuromelanin Imaging and Dual Alpha-Synuclein Labeling of Labial Minor in Salivary Glands in Isolated Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder and Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Mangone Graziella , Houot Marion , Gaurav Rahul , Boluda Susana , Pyatigorskaya Nadya , Chalancon Alizé , Seilhean Danielle , Prigent Annick , Lehéricy Stéphane , Arnulf Isabelle , Corvol Jean-Christophe , Vidailhet Marie , Duyckaerts Charles , Degos Bertrand
Published: September 2022

We investigated the presence of misfolded alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) in minor salivary gland biopsies in relation to substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) damage measured using magnetic resonance imaging in patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) as compared to healthy controls. Sixty-one participants (27 PD, 16 iRBD, and 18 controls) underwent a minor salivary gland biopsy and were scanned using a 3 Tesla MRI. Deposits of α-Syn were found in 15 (55.6%) PD, 7 (43.8%) iRBD, and 7 (38.9%) controls using the anti-aggregated α-Syn clone 5G4 antibody and in 4 (14.8%) PD, 3 (18.8%) iRBD and no control using the purified mouse anti-α-Syn clone 42 antibody. The SNc damages obtained using neuromelanin-sensitive imaging did not differ between the participants with versus without α-Syn deposits (irrespective of the antibodies and the disease group). Our study indicated that the α-Syn detection in minor salivary gland biopsies lacks sensitivity and specificity and does not correlate with the SNc damage, suggesting that it cannot be used as a predictive or effective biomarker for PD.
Temperature Changes during Implant Osteotomy Preparations in Human Cadaver Tibiae Comparing MIS® Straight Drills with Densah® Burs
Authors: Soldatos Nikolaos , Pham Huy , Fakhouri Walid D. , Ngo Binh , Lampropoulos Panagiotis , Tran Tiffany , Weltman Robin
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: Several studies showed a sustained temperature of 47 °C or 50 °C for one minute resulted in vascular stasis and bone resorption with only limited bone regrowth over a 3–4-week healing period. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the temperature changes (ΔΤ) that occur during the preparation of dental implant osteotomies using MIS® straight drills versus Densah® burs in a clockwise (cutting) drilling protocol. (2) Methods: Two hundred forty (240) osteotomies of two different systems’ drills were prepared at 6 mm depth at 800, 1000, and 1200 revolutions per minute (RPM), in fresh, unembalmed tibiae, obtained by a female cadaver. ΔΤ was calculated by subtracting the baseline temperature on the tibial surface, from the maximum temperature-inside the osteotomy (ΔT = Tmax − Tbase). The variables were evaluated both for their individual and for their synergistic effect on ΔΤ with the use of one-, two-, three- and four-way interactions; (3) Results: An independent and a three-way interaction (drill design, drill width, and RPM) was found in all three RPM for the Densah® burs and at 1000 RPM for the MIS® straight drills. As Densah® burs diameter increased, ΔΤ decreased. The aforementioned pattern was seen only at 1000 RPM for the MIS® straight drills. The usage of drills 20 times more than the implant manufacturers’ recommendation did not significantly affect the ΔΤ. A stereoscopic examination of the specimens confirmed the findings. (4) Conclusions: The independent and synergistic effect of drills’ diameter, design and RPM had a significant effect on ΔΤ in human tibiae, which never exceeded the critical threshold of 47 °C.
Methyl Jasmonate Induces Genes Involved in Linalool Accumulation and Increases the Content of Phenolics in Two Iranian Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) Ecotypes
Authors: Kianersi Farzad , Amin Azarm Davood , Fatemi Farzaneh , Pour-Aboughadareh Alireza , Poczai Peter
Published: September 2022

The medicinal herb coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), with a high linalool (LIN) content, is widely recognized for its therapeutic benefits. As a novel report, the goals of this study were to determine how methyl jasmonate (MeJA) affects total phenolic content (TPC), LIN content, flavonoid content (TFC), and changes in gene expression involved in the linalool biosynthesis pathway (CsγTRPS and CsLINS). Our findings showed that, in comparison to the control samples, MeJA treatment substantially enhanced the TPC, LIN, and TFC content in both ecotypes. Additionally, for both Iranian coriander ecotypes, treatment-induced increases in CsγTRPS and CsLINS expression were connected to LIN accumulation in all treatments. A 24 h treatment with 150 µM MeJA substantially increased the LIN content in the Mashhad and Zanjan ecotypes, which was between 1.48 and 1.69 times greater than that in untreated plants, according to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Our findings demonstrated that MeJA significantly affects the accumulation of LIN, TPC, and TFC in Iranian C. sativum treated with MeJA, which is likely the consequence of gene activation from the monoterpene biosynthesis pathway. Our discoveries have improved the understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind LIN synthesis in coriander plants.
Molecular Cloning and Expression Responses of Jarid2b to High-Temperature Treatment in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Zhou Min , Yao Zhilei , Zhao Min , Fang Qingfeng , Ji Xiangshan , Chen Hongju , Zhao Yan
Published: September 2022

Nile tilapia is a GSD + TE (Genetic Sex Determination + Temperature Effect) fish, and high-temperature treatment during critical thermosensitive periods (TSP) can induce the sex reversal of Nile tilapia genetic females, and brain transcriptomes have revealed the upregulation of Jarid2 (Jumonji and AT-rich domain containing 2) expression after 36 °C high-temperature treatment for 12 days during TSP. It was shown that JARID2 forms a complex with polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) that catalyzed H3K27me3, which was strongly associated with transcriptional repression. In this study, Jarid2b was cloned and characterized in Nile tilapia, which was highly conserved among the analyzed fish species. The expression of Jarid2b was upregulated in the gonad of 21 dpf XX genetic females after 12-day high-temperature treatment and reached a similar level to that of males. Similar responses to high-temperature treatment also appeared in the brain, heart, liver, muscle, eye, and skin tissues. Interestingly, Jarid2b expression was only in response to high-temperature treatment, and not to 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) or letrozole treatments; although, these treatments can also induce the sex reversal of genetic Nile tilapia females. Further studies revealed that Jarid2b responded rapidly at the 8th hour after high-temperature treatment. Considering that JARID2 can recruit PRC2 and establish H3K27me3, we speculated that it might be an upstream gene participating in the regulation of Nile tilapia GSD + TE through regulating the H3K27 methylation level at the locus of many sex differentiation-related genes.
Long-Read Transcriptome of Equine Bronchoalveolar Cells
Authors: Sage Sophie Elena , Nicholson Pamela , Leeb Tosso , Gerber Vinzenz , Jagannathan Vidhya
Published: September 2022

We used Pacific Biosciences long-read isoform sequencing to generate full-length transcript sequences in equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells. Our dataset consisted of 313,563 HiFi reads comprising 805 Mb of polished sequence information. The resulting equine BALF transcriptome consisted of 14,234 full-length transcript isoforms originating from 7017 unique genes. These genes consisted of 6880 previously annotated genes and 137 novel genes. We identified 3428 novel transcripts in addition to 10,806 previously known transcripts. These included transcripts absent from existing genome annotations, transcripts mapping to putative novel (unannotated) genes and fusion transcripts incorporating exons from multiple genes. We provide transcript-level data for equine BALF cells as a resource to the scientific community.