bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Energetics and Topology of Grain Boundaries in Magnesium: An Ab Initio Study
Authors: Mahjoub Reza , Stanford Nikki
Published: February 2022

First principles calculations were carried out on six different grain boundaries with complex, non-symmetrical, crystallography’s. Solute species (Gd and Zn) were placed in multiple locations to investigate their effect on the boundary energetics. The grain boundaries were found to have an intrinsic grain boundary energy, and this energy was not markedly affected by the solute concentration at the boundary. However, the work of separation (WSEP) was very sensitive to grain boundary chemistry. Boundaries of higher disorder were found to be more sensitive to boundary chemistry and showed higher values of WSEP and in the case of Gd, were more sensitive to solute concentration at the boundary. No correlation between the boundary behaviour and crystallography could be found, apart from the over-riding conclusion that all six boundaries showed markedly different behaviours, and the effect of solute on each were unique.
Detection of Canine Urothelial Carcinoma Cells in Urine Using 5-Aminolevulinic Acid
Authors: Kaji Kenjiro , Yonezawa Tomohiro , Momoi Yasuyuki , Maeda Shingo
Published: February 2022

This study aimed to establish a method to detect canine urothelial carcinoma cells in urine using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and to evaluate its diagnostic accuracy. Urine samples were collected from 21 dogs diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma and three urothelial carcinoma cell lines were used. Urine samples obtained from seven healthy dogs were used as controls. Cells in the urine sediment, or urothelial carcinoma cell lines, were cultured with 5-ALA and then observed under a fluorescence microscope. Moreover, we examined the relationship between fluorescence intensity and the presence of metastasis as well as tumor invasion into the bladder wall in cases of urothelial carcinoma. Urine-derived cells from urothelial carcinoma and urothelial carcinoma cell lines showed clearer red fluorescence with the addition of 5-ALA compared to that exhibited by the cells from healthy dogs. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma were 90% and 86%, respectively. Significant associations were found between fluorescence intensity and tumor metastasis and bladder wall invasion. This study showed that 5-ALA can be used to detect urothelial carcinoma cells in dogs with relatively high diagnostic accuracy. Further, the fluorescence intensity of tumor cells caused by 5-ALA correlated with the clinical condition of urothelial carcinoma cases, which suggested that 5-ALA could be used as a prognostic marker for canine urothelial carcinoma.
Assessing Knowledge, Beliefs, and Behaviors around Antibiotic Usage and Antibiotic Resistance among UK Veterinary Students: A Multi-Site, Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Golding Sarah E. , Higgins Helen M. , Ogden Jane
Published: February 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a profound threat to human and animal health. Antimicrobial prescribing behaviours are influenced by psychological factors such as knowledge, beliefs, and emotions. As future antimicrobial prescribers, it is important to understand beliefs about AMR and stewardship among veterinary (vet) students. This cross-sectional online survey assessed vet students’ self-reported behavior, knowledge, and beliefs in specific relation to antibiotic resistance (ABR) and antibiotic usage. Participants were early years (first- and second-year; n = 460) and later-years (third- and fourth-year; n = 113) undergraduate vet students from three UK universities. Self-reported antibiotic-related behaviors were responsible among most students. Knowledge about ABR and stewardship was moderate among early years students and good among later years students. Vet students typically believed that vets had less responsibility for both causing and preventing ABR than other groups (animal owners, human medics, and the public). This study offers evidence that vet students (along with other groups) tend to lay greater responsibility for ABR/AMR outside of their own profession, which may impact their future prescribing behaviors. It is vital that AMR and antimicrobial stewardship are embedded across veterinary curricula, and that the One Health nature of the challenge posed by AMR is emphasized to encourage shared responsibility across all stakeholder groups, thereby helping to reduce ‘other-blaming’ for AMR.
Influence of Glucose on Candida albicans and the Relevance of the Complement FH-Binding Molecule Hgt1 in a Murine Model of Candidiasis
Authors: Harpf Verena , Kenno Samyr , Rambach Günter , Fleischer Verena , Parth Nadia , Weichenberger Christian X. , Garred Peter , Huber Silke , Lass-Flörl Cornelia , Speth Cornelia , Würzner Reinhard
Published: February 2022

Candidiasis is common in diabetic patients. Complement evasion is facilitated by binding complement factor H (FH). Since the expression of high-affinity glucose transporter 1 (Hgt1), a FH-binding molecule, is glucose-dependent, we aimed to study its relevance to the pathogenesis of Candida albicans. Euglycemic and diabetic mice were intravenously challenged with either Candida albicans lacking Hgt1 (hgt1-/-) or its parental strain (SN152). Survival and clinical status were monitored over 14 days. In vitro, Candida albicans strains were grown at different glucose concentrations, opsonized with human serum, and checked for C3b/iC3b and FH deposition. Phagocytosis was studied by fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled opsonized yeast cells incubated with granulocytes. The murine model demonstrated a significantly higher virulence of SN152 in diabetic mice and an overall increased lethality of mice challenged with hgt1-/-. In vitro lower phagocytosis and C3b/iC3b deposition and higher FH deposition were demonstrated for SN152 incubated at higher glucose concentrations, while there was no difference on hgt1-/- at physiological glucose concentrations. Despite C3b/iC3b and FH deposition being glucose-dependent, this effect has a minor influence on phagocytosis. The absence of Hgt1 is diminishing this dependency on complement deposition, but it cannot be attributed to being beneficial in a murine model.
Dynamic Responses of Antioxidant and Glyoxalase Systems to Seed Aging Based on Full-Length Transcriptome in Oat (Avena sativa L.)
Authors: Sun Ming , Sun Shoujiang , Mao Chunli , Zhang Han , Ou Chengming , Jia Zhicheng , Wang Yifan , Ma Wen , Li Manli , Jia Shangang , Mao Peisheng
Published: February 2022

Seed aging is a major challenge for food security, agronomic production, and germplasm conservation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and methylglyoxal (MG) are highly involved in the aging process. However, the regulatory mechanisms controlling the abundance of ROS and MG are not well characterized. To characterize dynamic response of antioxidant and glyoxalase systems during seed aging, oat (Avena sativa L.) aged seeds with a range of germination percentages were used to explore physiological parameters, biochemical parameters and relevant gene expression. A reference transcriptome based on PacBio sequencing generated 67,184 non-redundant full-length transcripts, with 59,050 annotated. Subsequently, eleven seed samples were used to investigate the dynamic response of respiration, ROS and MG accumulation, antioxidant enzymes and glyoxalase activity, and associated genes expression. The 48 indicators with high correlation coefficients were divided into six major response patterns, and were used for placing eleven seed samples into four groups, i.e., non-aged (Group N), higher vigor (Group H), medium vigor (Group M), and lower vigor (Group L). Finally, we proposed a putative model for aging response and self-detoxification mechanisms based on the four groups representing different aging levels. In addition, the outcomes of the study suggested the dysfunction of antioxidant and glyoxalase system, and the accumulation of ROS and MG definitely contribute to oat seed aging.
Epigallocatechin Gallate Modulates Essential Elements, Zn/Cu Ratio, Hazardous Metal, Lipid Peroxidation, and Antioxidant Activity in the Brain Cortex during Cerebral Ischemia
Authors: Lin Ming-Cheng , Liu Chien-Chi , Lin Yu-Chen , Hsu Ching-Wen
Published: February 2022

Cerebral ischemia induces oxidative brain injury via increased oxidative stress. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) exerts anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metal chelation effects through its active polyphenol constituent. This study investigates whether EGCG protection against cerebral ischemia-induced brain cortex injury occurs through modulating lipid peroxidation, antioxidant activity, the essential elements of selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu), Zn/Cu ratio, and the hazardous metal lead (Pb). Experimentally, assessment of the ligation group was performed by occlusion of the right common carotid artery and the right middle cerebral artery for 1 h. The prevention group was intraperitoneally injected with EGCG (50 mg/kg) once daily for 10 days before cerebral ischemia. The brain cortex tissues were homogenized and the supernatants were harvested for biochemical analysis. Results indicated that cerebral ischemia markedly decreased SOD, CAT, Mg, Zn, Se, and Zn/Cu ratio and increased malondialdehyde (MDA), Fe, Cu, and Pb in the ischemic brain cortex. Notably, pretreating rats with EGCG before ischemic injury significantly reversed these biochemical results. Our findings suggest that the neuroprotection of EGCG in the ischemic brain cortex during cerebral ischemia involves attenuating oxidative injury. Notably, this neuroprotective mechanism is associated with regulating lipid peroxidation, antioxidant activity, essential elements, Zn/Cu ratio, and hazardous metal Pb.
Recent Advances in Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) Leaves Bioactive Compounds: Composition, Health Benefits, Bioaccessibility, and Dietary Applications
Authors: Kashyap Piyush , Kumar Shiv , Riar Charanjit Singh , Jindal Navdeep , Baniwal Poonam , Guiné Raquel P. F. , Correia Paula M. R. , Mehra Rahul , Kumar Harish
Published: February 2022

Based on the availability of many nutrients, Moringa oleifera tree leaves have been widely employed as nutrients and nutraceuticals in recent years. The leaves contain a small amount of anti-nutritional factors and are abundant in innumerable bioactive compounds. Recently, in several in vivo and in vitro investigations, moringa leaves’ bioactive components and functionality are highlighted. Moringa leaves provide several health advantages, including anti-diabetic, antibacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. The high content of phytochemicals, carotenoids, and glucosinolates is responsible for the majority of these activities as reported in the literature. Furthermore, there is growing interest in using moringa as a value-added ingredient in the development of functional foods. Despite substantial study into identifying and measuring these beneficial components from moringa leaves, bioaccessibility and bioavailability studies are lacking. This review emphasizes recent scientific evidence on the dietary and bioactive profiles of moringa leaves, bioavailability, health benefits, and applications in various food products. This study highlights new scientific data on the moringa leaves containing nutrient and bioactive profiles, bioavailability, health benefits, and uses in various food items. Moringa has been extensively used as a health-promoting food additive because of its potent protection against various diseases and the widespread presence of environmental toxins. More research is needed for utilization as well as to study medicinal effects and bioaccesibility of these leaves for development of various drugs and functional foods.
Effect of Brazil Nuts on Selenium Status, Blood Lipids, and Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Godos Justyna , Giampieri Francesca , Micek Agnieszka , Battino Maurizio , Forbes-Hernández Tamara Y. , Quiles José L. , Paladino Nadia , Falzone Luca , Grosso Giuseppe
Published: February 2022

Tree nuts, including Brazil nuts, have been hypothesized to impact cardiovascular health through the modulation of oxidative stress and inflammation. Nonetheless, a quantitative analysis of these effects has not been performed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically revise and quantify the effect of Brazil nut intervention on selenium status, blood lipids, and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation using a meta-analytical approach. To meet the goals of this study, a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases of published randomised clinical trials reporting on dietary interventions with Brazil nuts and their effects on selenium status, blood lipids, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation was performed. Eight articles were included for systematic review and meta-analysis. Based on the conducted analysis, a significant positive effect of Brazil nuts on selenium blood concentration (SMD = 6.93, 95% CI: 3.99; 9.87) was found. Additionally, a positive effect of Brazil nut intervention on glutathione peroxidase activity (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.07; 0.99) was observed. However, no significant results were found when considering blood lipid levels, including results for total cholesterol (SMD = −0.22, 95% CI: −0.57; 0.14), HDL cholesterol (SMD = −0.04, 95% CI: −0.28; 0.19) and LDL cholesterol (SMD = −0.15; 95% CI: −0.43; 0.13). In conclusion, the findings from this study suggest that Brazil nut consumption improves selenium status and exerts antioxidant effects, which could be considered a potential pathway for the prevention of metabolic disorders related to altered blood lipid profiles. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the effect of Brazil nuts toward blood lipid profile, also preferably controlling for other biomarkers.
CNS Redox Homeostasis and Dysfunction in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Goldsteins Gundars , Hakosalo Vili , Jaronen Merja , Keuters Meike Hedwig , Lehtonen Šárka , Koistinaho Jari
Published: February 2022

A single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. Neurodegenerative diseases (ND), such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pose a global challenge in the aging population due to the lack of treatments for their cure. Despite various disease-specific clinical symptoms, ND have some fundamental common pathological mechanisms involving oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. The present review focuses on the major causes of central nervous system (CNS) redox homeostasis imbalance comprising mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Mitochondrial disturbances, leading to reduced mitochondrial function and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, are thought to be a major contributor to the pathogenesis of ND. ER dysfunction has been implicated in ND in which protein misfolding evidently causes ER stress. The consequences of ER stress ranges from an increase in ROS production to altered calcium efflux and proinflammatory signaling in glial cells. Both pathological pathways have links to ferroptotic cell death, which has been implicated to play an important role in ND. Pharmacological targeting of these pathological pathways may help alleviate or slow down neurodegeneration.
Chainlet-Based Ear Recognition Using Image Multi-Banding and Support Vector Machine
Authors: Zarachoff Matthew Martin , Sheikh-Akbari Akbar , Monekosso Dorothy
Published: February 2022

This paper introduces the Chainlet-based Ear Recognition algorithm using Multi-Banding and Support Vector Machine (CERMB-SVM). The proposed technique splits the gray input image into several bands based on the intensity of its pixels, similar to a hyperspectral image. It performs Canny edge detection on each generated normalized band, extracting edges that correspond to the ear shape in each band. The generated binary edge maps are then combined, creating a single binary edge map. The resulting edge map is then divided into non-overlapping cells and the Freeman chain code for each group of connected edges within each cell is determined. A histogram of each group of contiguous four cells is computed, and the generated histograms are normalized and linked together to create a chainlet for the input image. The created chainlet histogram vectors of the images of the dataset are then utilized for the training and testing of a pairwise Support Vector Machine (SVM). Results obtained using the two benchmark ear image datasets demonstrate that the suggested CERMB-SVM method generates considerably higher performance in terms of accuracy than the principal component analysis based techniques. Furthermore, the proposed CERMB-SVM method yields greater performance in comparison to its anchor chainlet technique and state-of-the-art learning-based ear recognition techniques.
A Novel Dictionary-Based Method to Compress Log Files with Different Message Frequency Distributions
Authors: Marjai Péter , Lehotay-Kéry Péter , Kiss Attila
Published: February 2022

In the present day, virtually every application software generates large amounts of log entries during its work. The log files that are made from these entries are a collection of information about what happened while the program was running. This report can be used for multiple purposes such as performance monitoring, maintaining security, or improving business decision making. Log entries are usually generated in a disorganized manner. Using template miners, the different ‘event types’ can be distinguished (each log entry is an event), and the set of all entries is split into disjointed subsets according to the event types. These events consist of two parts. The first is the constant part, which is the same for all occurrences of the same event type. The second is the parameter part, which can be different for each occurrence. Since software mass-produces log files, in our previous paper, we introduced an algorithm that uses the templates mined from the data to create a dictionary, which is then used to encode the log entries, so only the ID and the parameter list would be stored. In this paper, we enhance our algorithm with the use of the frequency of the templates, by encoding the parameters and also making use of Huffman coding. With the use of these measures, compared to the previous 67.4% compression rate, a 94.98% compression rate can be achieved (where compression rate is 1 minus the ratio of the size of the compressed file to the uncompressed size). The running times of the different measures that we used to enhance our algorithm are also compared. We also analyze the difference between the compression rate of the enhanced algorithm and general compressors such as LZMA, Bzip2, and PPMd. We examine whether the size of the log files can be further decreased with the combined use of our enhanced method and the general compressors. We also generate log files that follow different distributions to examine the compression capability if the distribution does not follow the power law. Based on our experiments, we would recommend the use of the MoLFI (Multi-objective Log message Format Identification) template miner method with our enhanced algorithm together with PPMd.
Utilising Acknowledge for the Trust in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Alrahhal Hosam , Jamous Razan , Ramadan Rabie , Alayba Abdulaziz M. , Yadav Kusum
Published: February 2022

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are emerging networks that are being utilized in a variety of applications, such as remote sensing images, military, healthcare, and traffic monitoring. Those critical applications require different levels of security; however, due to the limitation of the sensor networks, security is a challenge where traditional algorithms cannot be used. In addition, sensor networks are considered as the core of the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart cities, where security became one of the most significant problems with IoT and smart cities applications. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel and light trust algorithm to satisfy the security requirements of WSNs. It considers sensor nodes’ limitations and cross-layer information for efficient secure routing in WSNs. It proposes a Tow-ACKs Trust (TAT) Routing protocol for secure routing in WSNs. TAT computes the trust values based on direct and indirect observation of the nodes. TAT uses the first-hand and second-hand information from the Data Link and the Transmission Control Protocol layers to modify the trust’s value. The suggested TATs’ protocols performance is compared to BTRM and Peertrust models in terms of malicious detection ratio, accuracy, average path length, and average energy consumption. The proposed algorithm is compared to BTRM and Peertrust models, the most recent algorithms that proved their efficiency in WSNs. The simulation results indicate that TAT is scalable and provides excellent performance over both BTRM and Peertrust models, even when the number of malicious nodes is high.
Impact of Different Access Cavity Designs and Ni–Ti Files on the Elimination of Enterococcus faecalis from the Root Canal System: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Andac Gizem , Kalender Atakan , Baddal Buket , Basmaci Fatma
Published: February 2022

The present research aimed to reveal the in vitro effects of different endodontic file systems utilizing different endodontic access cavity designs on the elimination of Enterococcus faecalis from root canal systems. One hundred and fifty mandibular molar teeth were separated into three groups with respect to the access cavity design: traditional endodontic cavity (TEC), conservative endodontic cavity (CEC), and truss access cavity (TAC) (n = 50). After access cavity preparation, inolulation of teeth with E. faecalis was undertaken for 21 days. Following the first sampling (S1), further division of the groups into five subgroups (n = 10) was performed: ProTaper Gold, 2Shape, TruNatomy, Reciproc Blue, and WaveOne Gold. After instrumentation, bacterial sampling (S2) was performed. Bacterial reduction was evaluated in colony-forming units/mL, and statistical analysis was carried out. The E. faecalis count decreased significantly in all groups (p < 0.05). The range of mean values for a decrease in E. faecalis in log numbers was lowest in the TAC and Reciproc Blue groups, while the highest values of bacterial reduction were detected in the TEC and ProTaper Gold groups. The highest level of antibacterial action was obtained with the use of ProTaper Gold compared to the other file systems tested.
Behaviour of Square and Rectangular Tunnels Using an Improved Finite Element Method
Authors: Nguyen Chi Thanh , Do Ngoc Anh , Dias Daniel , Pham Van Vi , Alexandr Gospodarikov
Published: February 2022

Due to its advantages (fast and accurate calculations), the Hyperstatic Reaction Method (HRM) was used to calculate the internal forces of circular tunnel linings in former works. This paper presents an improved HRM method that is developed to estimate the internal forces induced in square and rectangular tunnel linings. Based on the comparison of the internal forces induced in these linings obtained from the HRM method and the finite element method (FEM), the improved HRM method was validated. An extensive parametric analysis of the tunnel lining and ground parameters was then carried out using both the HRM and FEM. The results indicated a great influence of the lateral earth pressure coefficient K0, and the tunnel lining flexibility ratio F on the internal forces induced. Accordingly, the bending moments M, normal forces N, and shear forces T, induced in the tunnel lining decrease when the flexibility ratio of tunnel lining F increases. The maximum bending moment is observed at the tunnel sides that are perpendicular with the larger principal stress direction.
Advanced Technologies Used in Digitizing the Cultural Heritage of Northwestern Colchis: The Experience of the Markul Expedition
Authors: Trebeleva Galina , Glazov Konstantin , Kizilov Andrey , Kizilova Anastasya , Yurkov Vladlen , Yurkov Gleb
Published: February 2022

The article presents the experience of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Science’s Markul Expedition, which utilized digital technologies for the study, preservation, and popularization of cultural heritage. The objective of the Markul Expedition was to obtain a complete picture of the historical and cultural landscape of Northwestern Colchis in antiquity by applying two key digital technologies: geographic information systems (GIS) and photogrammetry. The results obtained from the latter were used both independently and were integrated into GIS as separate layers (orthophotomaps, digital terrain models) or as hyperlinks to objects (3D models, videos, plans, sections, etc.). The objects investigated by the expedition are very diverse both in size and in terms of shooting conditions. Accordingly, each category of archaeological site required an individual approach, and a separate methodology and equipment. The final visualization angles differ to a fair extent from the original samples even though photogrammetry provides more accurate results than manual measurements. There are several reasons for this, including the vegetation, which is a dominant factor in the Caucasus subtropical area and led to partial visual distortions of the photographed objects. For this reason, the final projections of architectural forms required corrections and some hand drawing. In this process, new aspects appeared in the final result, resulting from the archaeologist and artist’s differing views of the objects. Our experience of using modern remote sensing technologies is also presented in the article.
A Combined Deep Learning System for Automatic Detection of “Bovine” Aortic Arch on Computed Tomography Scans
Authors: Secchi Francesco , Interlenghi Matteo , Alì Marco , Schiavon Elia , Monti Caterina Beatrice , Capra Davide , Salvatore Christian , Castiglioni Isabella , Papa Sergio , Sardanelli Francesco , Marrocco-Trischitta Massimiliano M.
Published: February 2022

The “bovine” aortic arch is an anatomic variant consisting in a common origin of the innominate and left carotid artery (CILCA), associated with a greater risk of thoracic aortic diseases (aneurysms and dissections), stroke, and complications after endovascular procedures. CILCA can be detected by visual assessment of computed tomography (CT) chest scans, but it is rarely reported. We developed a deep learning (DL) segmentation-plus-classification system to automatically detect CILCA based on 302 CT studies acquired at 2 centers. One model (3D U-Net) was trained from scratch (supervised by manual segmentation), validated, and tested for the automatic segmentation of the aortic arch and supra-aortic vessels. Three DL architectures (ResNet50, DenseNet-201, and SqueezeNet), pre-trained over millions of common images, were trained, validated, and tested for the automatic classification of CILCA versus non-CILCA, supervised by radiologist’s classification. The 3D U-Net-plus-DenseNet-201 was found to be the best system (Dice index 0.912); its classification performance obtained from internal, independent testing on 126 patients gave a receiver operating characteristic area under the curve of 87.0%, sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 90.5%, positive predictive value 87.5%, negative predictive value 73.1%, positive likelihood ratio 7.0, and negative likelihood ratio 0.4. In conclusion, a combined DL system applied to chest CT scans was developed and proven to be an effective tool to detect individuals with “bovine” aortic arch with a low rate of false-positive findings.
Water Quality Problems Analysis and Assessment of the Ecological Security Level of the Transboundary Ural-Caspian Basin of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Authors: Amirgaliev Nariman Amirgalievich , Askarova Maulken , Opp Christian , Medeu Alikhan , Kulbekova Roza , Medeu Akhmetkal Rakhmetullayevich
Published: February 2022

Both the insufficiency of water resources and the contamination of even transboundary water bodies are serious problems. Water quality analyses of the transboundary (between Russia and Kazakhstan) Ural River and the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea, and their assessment are the main research questions of this study. It is shown that the Ural River is heavily contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls, heavy metals, oil contaminants, and pesticides, arising from industrial enterprises and agricultural objects. The results show that these toxicants are not only present in water, but they are also accumulated in the muscular tissues of all fish (Abramis brama, Sander lucioperca, Aspius aspius). The Caspian Sea is heavily contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons due to off shore oil production. A sufficiently high level of accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals was determined in the muscles of Caspian fish. All these contaminations lead to the loss of biodiversity and bio-productivity of the Caspian Sea. The authors propose a methodology for a quantitative assessment of the environmental safety level in relation to the Kazakh part of the Caspian Sea, based on bioindication methods. Recommendations, aimed for maintaining acceptable values of water resources quality, are suggested.
Experiment and Research on Cutting Mechanical Properties of Little Cabbage
Authors: Wang Wei , Wang Shilin , Zhang Jinqi , Lv Xiaolan , Yi Zhongyi
Published: February 2022

To reduce the cutting force and cutting power consumption during harvest, the cutting mechanical properties of the root of little cabbage were studied. The cutting experiment was carried out using a texture analyzer, and the influence of the individual factors, the cutting bevel angle, the sliding angle, and the cutting gap on the maximum cutting stress and specific cutting energy were studied, respectively. On the basis of single factor experiments, multi-factor experiments were carried out using the central composite design scheme of the response surface method (RSM), and finally, the cutting parameters were optimized. The single factor test results showed that the maximum cutting stress and specific cutting energy first decreased and then increased with the increase in the cutting bevel angle, decreased with the increase in the sliding angle, and first dropped and then went up with the increase in the cutting gap. Response surface test results showed that the order of significance of factors affecting the maximum cutting stress of the root were the oblique angle, sliding angle, and cutting gap in sequence, and the order of the significance of factors affecting the specific cutting energy are cutting gap, oblique angle, and sliding angle. The interaction between the sliding angle and the cutting gap had a significant impact on the maximum cutting stress, and the interaction between the oblique angle and the cutting gap had a significant impact on the cutting energy. The optimal parameter combination is as follows: oblique angle of 9.1°, sliding angle of 30°, and cutting gap of 1.3 mm. At this time, the predicted maximum cutting stress was 7.43 × 104 Pa, and the specific cutting energy was 0.28 mJ mm−2. Finally, a verification experiment was carried out, and the errors of the predicted and measured values of cutting under the optimal parameter combination were 6.9% and 10.8%, respectively, showing that the cutting parameter optimization results were reliable. This research can provide data support for the design and improvement in the cutting device of the little cabbage combine harvester.
Physics-Based Simulation of Sequences with Foreshocks, Aftershocks and Multiple Main Shocks in Italy
Authors: Console Rodolfo , Vannoli Paola , Carluccio Roberto
Published: February 2022

We applied a new version of physics-based earthquake simulator upon a seismogenic model of the Italian seismicity derived from the latest version of the Database of Individual Seismogenic Sources (DISS). We elaborated appropriately for their use within the simulator all fault systems identified in the study area. We obtained synthetic catalogs spanning hundreds of thousands of years. The resulting synthetic seismic catalogs exhibit typical magnitude, space and time features that are comparable to those obtained by real observations. A typical aspect of the observed seismicity is the occurrence of earthquake sequences characterized by multiple main shocks of similar magnitude. Special attention was devoted to verifying whether the simulated catalogs include this notable aspect, by the use of an especially developed computer code. We found that the phenomenon of Coulomb stress transfer from causative to receiving source patches during an earthquake rupture has a critical role in the behavior of seismicity patterns in the simulated catalogs. We applied the simulator to the seismicity of the northern and central Apennines and compared the resulting synthetic catalog with the observed seismicity for the period 1650–2020. The result of this comparison supports the hypothesis that the occurrence of sequences containing multiple mainshocks is not just a casual circumstance.
Method of Eliminating Helicopter Vibration Interference Magnetic Field with a Pair of Magnetometers
Authors: Feng Yongqiang , Zheng Yaoxin , Chen Luzhao , Qu Xiaodong , Fang Guangyou
Published: February 2022

The low-frequency electromagnetic fields and magnetic anomalies generated by ships and other underwater platforms are widely recognized as important features for ocean target detection. Low-frequency magnetic fields and anomalies are typically measured by optically pumped magnetometers installed on aircraft. However, the interference that is generated by the aircraft platform may significantly affect the detection performance. The traditional aeromagnetic compensation model has a good effect on eliminating the interference magnetic field that is caused by the carrier attitude variation. Usually, the magnetometer is fixed at the top of a long probe on the aircraft to avoid the influence from the main body in the aircraft. However, the probe is sensitive to external vibrations, and vibration-induced magnetic interference can occur in the measurements. The magnetometer is especially easily affected by the interference magnetic field, including the vibration frequency and harmonic frequency of the probe, in a moving platform, such as a helicopter. These interference fields usually have independent frequency characteristics that can be eliminated by compensation methods. In this paper, we propose a method based on the improved coherent noise suppression method with a pair of magnetometers to eliminate the effects from these magnetic field disturbances and improve the detection performance of the measurement system. The results of the flight experiment show that the method can effectively eliminate low-frequency vibration interference and improve the detection ability of weak signals from targets.
Applications of Electromagnetic Induction and Electrical Resistivity Tomography for Digital Monitoring and Assessment of the Soil: A Case Study of Al-Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Mohammed Maged , El Mahmoudi Ahmed , Almolhem Yousef
Published: February 2022

Al-Ahsa Oasis is one of the main and oldest agricultural centers in Saudi Arabia and one of the largest natural oases in the world. It is the largest irrigated agricultural oasis worldwide. The cultivated area is about 12,000 hectares in the region of Al-Ahsa. Groundwater was considered the main water source, if not the only source, for the different purposes of Al-Ahsa Oasis. However, due to groundwater depletion from these aquifers, treated wastewater is currently used to meet the shortage of irrigation water at Al-Ahsa Oasis. Today, several problems affect the agricultural productivity at Al-Ahsa Oasis, and modern geophysical techniques could contribute effectively to solving these problems; such problems are increasing soil salinity and the existence of a hardpan layer in some parts of the Al-Ahsa oasis. The soil texture is considered a critical factor to be taken into consideration. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of modern geophysical techniques to study the agricultural aspects of Al-Ahsa oasis. Ten profiles of 2-D electrical tomography using SuperSting R8/IP 8 channel multielectrode resistivity and IP imaging system with 112 electrodes at one-meter spacing were implemented. Moreover, twenty electrical conductivity profiles were measured of 2240 points using EM38-MK2 at vertical mode with transmitter–receiver coils of 0.5 and one meter spacing. The results indicated that the salinity variation along the measured profiles was changed vertically and laterally due to the changes in the soil type, texture, moisture content, sabkha, and the whole oasis. Analysis and interpretation of the interpreted resistively tomograms of the ten 2-D profiles indicate remarkably the different geoelectric units of different hydrogeological conditions and soil texture across the oasis. These results will be of good utility for farmers, development sectors, and research institutions, especially in agriculture development studies, at Al-Ahsa Oasis, to ensure the sustainability of agriculture in this important historical Oasis.
Modelling of Static Liquefaction of Partially Saturated Non-Cohesive Soils
Authors: Świdziński Waldemar , Smyczyński Marcin
Published: February 2022

Static soil liquefaction is widely known to be a serious danger to the stability of structures. The phenomena governing pore water generation, which leads to liquefaction in fully saturated soils, are already quite well described. However, much less is known of these phenomena occurring in partially saturated porous media, although this, too, is an important issue in geotechnics. This study presents the application of a semi-empirical model to predict the response of partially saturated soils under undrained conditions. The model proposed is based on an incremental equation describing the pre-failure undrained response of partially saturated non-cohesive soils during monotonic shearing in a standard triaxial test. Improved differential equations taking into account pore fluid compressibility were implemented together with empirical coefficients describing soil skeleton compressibility during the unloading phase. Model coefficients were determined in triaxial compression tests. The influence of the saturation level represented by Skempton’s parameter B on the full spectrum of predicted stress paths was shown. For the analyzed saturation range, the maximum stress deviator normalized by initial mean effective stress varied from 0.38 to 1.67 for B values between 0.93 and 0.29, respectively. Model predictions were confronted with the results of triaxial tests for two types of non-cohesive soils (quartz medium sand and copper ore post-flotation industrial tailings). Good agreement between experimental data and theoretical predictions was achieved.
Study of an Asymmetric and Anticyclonic Bow Echo Near Taiwan
Authors: Wang Chung-Chieh , Hou Jou-Ping , Tseng Chun-Hsiang , Chang Pao-Liang , Lee Dong-In
Published: February 2022

On 2 April 2007, a strong bow echo struck southern Taiwan, with a peak surface wind speed of 26 m s−1. On observation, the rear inflow jet (RIJ) was located at the northern flank and only one anticyclonic vortex dominated behind the bow structure. This case was different from commonly occurring cyclonic–anticyclonic pairs of bookend vortices, and was investigated through data analysis, model simulation, and vorticity budget diagnostics. The present bow echo formed at the leading edge of a cold front, with favorable ingredients of instability, large west-southwesterly vertical wind shear, and dry air aloft. Farther behind the front, however, stable conditions could not support deep convection and the portion north of the RIJ was therefore missing. Within a frontal flow structure, the developing mechanism of the anticyclonic vortex also differed from typical cases. As the low-level (west-southwesterly) vertical shear pointed from right to left of the line, and the tilting effect of updrafts generated positive (negative) vorticity at the front (rear) side. South of and below the RIJ, the anticyclonic vorticity was enhanced by the stretching and tilting effect of system-generated horizontal vorticity via a sinking motion. These sources of vorticity were then advected downward and southwestward by the postfrontal flow near the surface.
Effect of Diesel Soot on the Heterogeneous Reaction of NO2 on the Surface of γ-Al2O3
Authors: Wang Chao , Kong Lingdong , Jin Shengyan , Xia Lianghai , Tan Jie , Wang Yuwen
Published: February 2022

Soot and aged soot are often found to be mixed with atmospheric particles, which inevitably affect various atmospheric heterogeneous reactions and secondary aerosol formation. Previous studies have investigated the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 with different types of soot, but there are few studies on the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 with mixtures containing diesel soot (DS) or aged DS and mineral dust particles. In this study, the effects of DS and aged DS on the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 on the surface of γ-Al2O3 were investigated via in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry (DRIFTS). The results showed that the DS or DS n-hexane extract significantly inhibited the formation of nitrate on γ-Al2O3 particles and promoted the formation of nitrite. At 58% RH, with the increase of DS or DS n-hexane extract loading amount, the effect of DS or DS n-hexane extract on the formation of nitrate changed from promotion to inhibition, but DS or DS n-hexane extract always promoted the formation of nitrite. The results also showed that light was conducive to the formation of nitrate on the DS-γ-Al2O3 or DS-n-hexane extract-γ-Al2O3 particles. Furthermore, the influence of soot aging on the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 was investigated under light and no light. In the dark, O3-aged DS-γ-Al2O3 or O3-aged DS-n-hexane extract-γ-Al2O3 firstly inhibited the formation of nitrate on the mixed particles and then promoted it, while the effect of aged DS on nitrite formation was complex. Under light, the O3-aged DS-γ-Al2O3 firstly promoted the formation of nitrate on the mixed particles and then inhibited it, while the O3-aged DS-n-hexane extract-γ-Al2O3 promoted the formation of nitrate on the mixed particles. Our results further showed that the production of nitrate on the O3-aged particles under light or no light was greater than that of the UV-nitrate-aged particles. This study is helpful to deeply understand the atmospheric chemical behavior of soot and the heterogeneous conversion of atmospheric NO2.
A Second-Generation Nanoluc-IL27 Fusion Cytokine for Targeted-Gene-Therapy Applications
Authors: Salameh Janelle Wesleyn , Kumar Shreya , Rivera-Cruz Cosette Marie , Figueiredo Marxa Leao
Published: February 2022

An emerging approach in treating skeletal malignancies utilizes osteoimmunology to investigate new multifunctional immune-stimulatory agents that can simultaneously combat tumor growth and promote bone repair. We have hypothesized that cytokine Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is an excellent candidate biologic to help rebalance the prostate tumor cells and bone cell environment. In this work, we examined the proof of principle for a short, secreted luciferase (Nanoluc or Nluc) fusion with IL-27 to produce a novel cytokine-based biologic (Nluc-27), whereby we examined its efficacy in vitro in reducing prostate tumor growth and rebalancing bone cell proliferation and differentiation. This work demonstrates the targeting and anti-tumor efficacy of the Nluc-27 fusion cytokine in cancer and bone cell models. The fusion cytokine is detectable in conditioned media, and bioactive in different cell systems. This novel Nluc-27 cytokine will allow flexible incorporation of other targeting domains and may serve as flexible tool to augment IL-27′s bioactivity and reengineer its efficacy against prostate tumor or bone cells, and may prove applicable to several other cell types for targeted gene therapy applications.
Bioleaching of Heavy Metals from Printed Circuit Boards with an Acidophilic Iron-Oxidizing Microbial Consortium in Stirred Tank Reactors
Authors: Tapia Juan , Dueñas Alex , Cheje Nick , Soclle Gonzalo , Patiño Nila , Ancalla Wendy , Tenorio Sara , Denos Jorge , Taco Homar , Cao Weiwei , Alexandrino Diogo A. M. , Jia Zhongjun , Vasconcelos Vitor , Carvalho Maria de Fátima , Lazarte Antonio
Published: February 2022

In this study, bioleaching was carried out for the recovery of metals (copper, zinc, tin, lead, gold and silver) from printed circuit boards residues (PCBs), one of the most important wastes from electrical and electronic equipment, using an acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacterial consortium enriched with minerals from a gold mine in the Arequipa region, Peru. High-throughput sequencing and analysis of the 16S rRNA biomarker revealed that this consortium was predominantly composed of Tissierella, Acidiphilium and Leptospirillum bacteria, from which the latter is known to grow by chemolithotrophy through iron oxidation. After the enrichment process, the acidophilic iron-oxidizing consortium was first tested for its tolerance to different PCBs concentrations, showing best growth up to 10 g/L of PCBs and a tolerance index of 0.383. Based on these results, the bioleaching efficiency of the consortium was investigated for 10 g/L of PCBs in stirred tank reactors coupled to an aeration system, for 18 days. High bioleaching efficiencies were achieved for copper and zinc (69% and 91%, respectively), indicating that these two metals can be easily extracted in this leaching system. Lower extraction efficiencies were achieved for tin (16%) and gold (28%), while for lead and silver only a residual recovery (<0.25%) was detected. These results indicate that the enriched bacterial consortium originating from the Arequipa region, Peru, has a high capacity to recover different metals of economic importance.
Two Blautia Species Associated with Visceral Fat Accumulation: A One-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Ozato Naoki , Yamaguchi Tohru , Mori Kenta , Katashima Mitsuhiro , Kumagai Mika , Murashita Koichi , Katsuragi Yoshihisa , Tamada Yoshinori , Kakuta Masanori , Imoto Seiya , Ihara Kazushige , Nakaji Shigeyuki
Published: February 2022

Intestinal microflora has been associated with obesity. While visceral fat is more strongly associated with cardiovascular disorder, a complication linked to obesity, than the body mass index (BMI), the association between intestinal microflora and obesity (as defined in terms of BMI) has been studied widely. However, the link between visceral fat area (VFA) and intestinal microflora has been little studied. In this study, we investigate the association between intestinal microflora and VFA and BMI using a longitudinal study on Japanese subjects with different VFA statuses (N = 767). Principal component analysis of the changes in intestinal microflora composition over the one-year study period revealed the different associations between intestinal microflora and VFA and BMI. As determined by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, changes in the abundance ratio of two microbial genera—Blautia and Flavonifractor—were significantly associated with VFA changes and changes in the abundance ratio of four different microbial genera were significantly associated with BMI changes, suggesting that the associated intestinal microbes are different. Furthermore, as determined by metagenomic shotgun sequences, changes in the abundance ratios of two Blautia species—Blautia hansenii and Blautia producta—were significantly and negatively associated with VFA changes. Our findings might be used to develop a new treatment for visceral fat.