bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leveraging AI in Photonics and Beyond
Authors: Alagappan Gandhi , Ong Jun Rong , Yang Zaifeng , Ang Thomas Yong Long , Zhao Weijiang , Jiang Yang , Zhang Wenzu , Png Ching Eng
Published: January 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have been spreading in most scientific areas and have become a heated focus in photonics research in recent years. Forward modeling and inverse design using AI can achieve high efficiency and accuracy for photonics components. With AI-assisted electronic circuit design for photonics components, more advanced photonics applications have emerged. Photonics benefit a great deal from AI, and AI, in turn, benefits from photonics by carrying out AI algorithms, such as complicated deep neural networks using photonics components that use photons rather than electrons. Beyond the photonics domain, other related research areas or topics governed by Maxwell’s equations share remarkable similarities in using the help of AI. The studies in computational electromagnetics, the design of microwave devices, as well as their various applications greatly benefit from AI. This article reviews leveraging AI in photonics modeling, simulation, and inverse design; leveraging photonics computing for implementing AI algorithms; and leveraging AI beyond photonics topics, such as microwaves and quantum-related topics.
Putative Genes of Pathogenesis-Related Proteins and Coronatine-Insensitive Protein 1 in Ribes spp.
Authors: Juškytė Ana Dovilė , Mažeikienė Ingrida , Stanys Vidmantas
Published: January 2022

In response to pathogen attacks, plants activate a complex of defense mechanisms including an accumulation of the endogenous signaling compounds salicylic acid and jasmonic acid. The activity of pathogenesis-related genes (PRs) and coronatine-insensitive 1 (COI1) in defense-response pathways are established in plants. The aim of this study was to identify homologs of the PRs and COI1 in blackcurrants. Primers with degenerate nucleotides were designed based on the most conservative parts of PR1 and COI1 genes from other plants and applied for amplification of specific fragments of PRs and COI1 in Ribes spp. Seven heterogeneous sequences of PR with a diversity of 66.0–98.3% at nucleic acid level were found. The phylogenetic analysis revealed the dependence of R. nigrum PR homologs on the PR1 and PR6 families. Four heterogeneous sequences of R. nigrum COI1 with an identity of 95.9–98.8% at nucleic acid level were isolated. Specific primers for newly detected genes’ homologs were designed in this study and could be useful for evaluating the defense response to pathogen attacks in blackcurrants.
Effects of Leonardite Amendments on Vineyard Calcareous Soil Fertility, Vine Nutrition and Grape Quality
Authors: Olego Miguel Ángel , Cuesta Lasso Mateo , Quiroga Miguel Javier , Visconti Fernando , López Roberto , Garzón-Jimeno Enrique
Published: January 2022

Vineyard calcareous soils are usually low in organic matter, which makes them prone to physical, chemical, and biological degradation. Besides, these soils are also usually poor in various nutrients in plant-available form, e.g., iron. To make up for this lack of soil fertility, on the one hand, manures, and on the other, iron chelates are usually used. However, the soil application of these materials is not free from problems, and other amendments based on leonardites could be advantageously used as an alternative. Therefore, two organic amendments, one leonardite alone (1 Mg/ha), and the other leonardite (1 Mg/ha) plus ferrous sulphate heptahydrate (0.5 Mg/ha), were tested for three years in a commercial vineyard calcareous plot under Mediterranean climate. The effects of these amendments on soil fertility, plant nutrient contents, and berry quality were studied against a control of bare soil by means of a fully randomized trial with three repetitions per treatment. Soil organic matter (SOM) increased as a consequence of both leonardite treatments, but much more than expected on the basis of a simple mass transfer from the amendments. With the ferrous-sulphate-heptahydrate-supplemented leonardite, the increase in SOM was noticeably higher. This is explained on the basis of nutrient quantity and intensity-pH-related effects, which increased soil nutrient plant-availability and presumably enhanced vine root growth. In response to the higher plant availability of nutrients, the petiole nutrient concentrations were observed to increase under the leonardite treatments. However, only a trend to increase potassium in petioles and in grape must, linked to a decrease of grape must pH, was observed in harvest quality under the leonardite treatments. Leonardite and adequately supplemented leonardite seem to have potential for increasing SOM contents and nutrient plant-availability, thus improving the soil fertility of vineyard calcareous soils.
Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, In Vitro and In Situ Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm, and Anti-Insect Activity of Cedar atlantica Essential Oil
Authors: Kačániová Miroslava , Galovičová Lucia , Valková Veronika , Ďuranová Hana , Štefániková Jana , Čmiková Natália , Vukic Milena , Vukovic Nenad L. , Kowalczewski Przemysław Łukasz
Published: January 2022

The present study was designed to evaluate commercial cedar essential oil (CEO), obtained by hydrodistillation from cedar wood, in relationship to its chemical composition and antioxidant, in vitro and in situ antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and anti-insect activity. For these purposes, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, DPPH radical-scavenging assay, agar and disc diffusion, and vapor phase methods were used. The results from the volatile profile determination showed that δ-cadinene (36.3%), (Z)-β-farnesene (13.8%), viridiflorol (7.3%), and himachala-2,4-diene (5.4%) were the major components of the EO chemical constitution. Based on the obtained results, a strong antioxidant effect (81.1%) of the CEO was found. CEO is characterized by diversified antimicrobial activity, and the zones of inhibition ranged from 7.33 to 21.36 mm in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and from 5.44 to 13.67 mm in yeasts and fungi. The lowest values of minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) were noted against gram-positive Micrococcus luteus (7.46 µL/mL) and against yeast Candida krusei (9.46 µL/mL). It seems that the vapor phase of CEO can inhibit the growth of the microscopic filamentous fungi of the genus Penicillium according to in situ antifungal analysis on bread, carrots, and celery. This finding confirms the impact of CEO on the change in the protein structure of older biofilms of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. Insecticidal activity of a vapor phase has also been demonstrated against Pyrrhocoris apterus. CEO showed various advantages on antimicrobial activity, and it is an ideal substitute for food safety.
Transcriptome Analysis Revealed the Key Genes and Pathways Involved in Seed Germination of Maize Tolerant to Deep-Sowing
Authors: Wang Yang , He Jinna , Ye Haotian , Ding Mingquan , Xu Feiwang , Wu Rong , Zhao Fucheng , Zhao Guangwu
Published: January 2022

To improve our understanding of the mechanism of maize seed germination under deep sowing, transcriptome sequencing and physiological metabolism analyses were performed using B73 embryos separated from ungerminated seeds (UG) or seeds germinated for 2 d at a depth of 2 cm (normal sowing, NS) or 20 cm (deep sowing, DS). Gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated that “response to oxidative stress” and “monolayer-surrounded lipid storage body” were the most significant GO terms in up- and down-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of DS. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis suggested that “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis” and “starch and sucrose metabolism” were critical processes in maize seed germination under deep-sowing conditions. Consistent with DEGs, the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidases and α-amylase, as well as the contents of gibberellin 4, indole acetic acid, zeatin and abscisic acid were significantly increased, while the jasmonic-acid level was dramatically reduced under deep-sowing stress. The expressions of six candidate genes were more significantly upregulated in B73 (deep-sowing-tolerant) than in Mo17 (deep-sowing-sensitive) at 20 cm sowing depth. These findings enrich our knowledge of the key biochemical pathways and genes regulating maize seed germination under deep-sowing conditions, which may help in the breeding of varieties tolerant to deep sowing.
The Fluorescence Detection of Phenolic Compounds in Plicosepalus curviflorus Extract Using Biosynthesized ZnO Nanoparticles and Their Biomedical Potential
Authors: Amina Musarat , Al Musayeib Nawal M. , Alarfaj Nawal A. , El-Tohamy Maha F. , Al-Hamoud Gadah A. , Alqenaei Muneerah K. M.
Published: January 2022

A facile, eco-friendly fluorescence approach based on the biogenic formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles using the biomass of Plicosepalus curviflorus shoots was developed. The suggested approach was employed to analyze three phenolic compounds (catechin, curviflorside, and curviflorin) isolated from the shoots of P. curviflorus. The surface morphology of the prepared ZnONPs was characterized by carrying out different microscopic and spectroscopic investigations. A significant UV-Vis absorption peak of ZnONPs was recognized at 345 nm and the FT-IR spectra of the isolated catechin, curviflorside, and curviflorin in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and ZnONPs were recorded at λem 470, 490, and 484 nm after excitation at λex 380, 420, and 410 nm. The suggested fluorescence method displayed linear concentration ranges of 10–120, 5–100, and 10–150 μg mL−1 for the three isolated compounds, respectively. The shoot extract, isolated compounds, and ZnONPs were screened for antibacterial and anticancer effects against four different types of bacterial strains and HeLa cells, respectively. The ZnONPs exhibited the highest zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains when compared with pure, isolated compounds and shoot extract. The anticancer potential of ZnONPs (64%) was stronger as compared to the 160 µg mL−1 of shoot extract (49%), catechin (52%), curviflorside (54%), and curviflorin (58%) at 160 µg mL−1. Moreover, all the samples were investigated for hemolysis activity and showed a potent anti-hemolytic effect. The developed analytical method showed excellent sensitivity and reliability for the concurrent analysis of the isolated bioactive markers.
Evaluation of Barley Cultivars for Competitive Traits in Southern New South Wales
Authors: Mwendwa James M. , Brown William B. , Weston Paul A. , Weston Leslie A.
Published: January 2022

The potential of multi-purpose barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars to suppress weeds while maintaining optimal yield and grain quality has been reported but not recently evaluated in replicated field trials performed under southern Australian field conditions. Therefore, to investigate this potential, aboveground competitive traits were assessed in nine genetically diverse commercial barley cultivars in 2015, 2016 and 2017, in two locations in the Riverina region of NSW in replicated field trials performed in the absence of pre-emergent herbicide treatment. Crop and weed establishment, early vigour, leaf area index, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and biomass were assessed at various crop growth stages, including early growth, vegetative, flowering, grain fill and harvest. Cultivar differences in crop and weed biomass accumulation at ~50, 100 and 150 days after planting were noted at both locations. Early barley biomass accumulation was inversely related to weed biomass in both locations and most years, suggesting strong (over 90%) potential for heritable competitive barley interference against weeds. The current study also observed a positive relationship between PAR light interception and crop biomass in all three years at both locations, suggesting that PAR light interception contributed positively to crop biomass accumulation by directly increasing photosynthesis (50–70%) and growth or indirectly influencing weed biomass accumulation (10–15%) and weed interference (50–75). Partial least squares modelling was performed with 2015 and 2016 datasets to assess the interactions between crop developmental traits and weed suppression. Cultivars exhibiting enhanced early vigour and PAR light interception were generally more weed suppressive under optimal higher soil moisture conditions. Our results indicate that the choice of barley cultivar has a significant impact on weed establishment, fecundity and seedbank dynamics. The use of competitive barley genotypes is, thus, a cost-effective strategy to reduce weed seedbank numbers over time and may reduce potential herbicide use.
Characterization of Rhizosphere and Endophytic Microbial Communities Associated with Stipa purpurea and Their Correlation with Soil Environmental Factors
Authors: Liu Haoyue , Cheng Jinan , Jin Hui , Xu Zhongxiang , Yang Xiaoyan , Min Deng , Xu Xinxin , Shao Xiangfeng , Lu Dengxue , Qin Bo
Published: January 2022

This study was to explore the diversity of rhizosphere and endophytic microbial communities and the correlation with soil environmental factors of Stipa purpurea on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The bacterial phylum of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidota, and the fungal phylum of Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Zygomycota were dominant in microbial communities of S. purpurea in all three sampling sites. Multiple comparison analysis showed that there were significant differences in the composition of microbial communities in the roots, leaves and rhizosphere soil. Whether it is fungi or bacteria, the OTU abundance of rhizosphere soils was higher than that of leaves and roots at the same location, while the difference among locations was not obvious. Moreover, RDA analysis showed that Zygomycota, Cercozoa, Glomeromycota, Chytridiomycota and Rozellomycota possessed strongly positive associations with altitude, dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, neutral phosphatase, available kalium and available phosphate, while Ascomycota was strongly negatively associated. Changes in ammonium nitrate, alkaline phosphatase, polyphenol oxidase, total phosphorus, and altitude had a significant impact on the bacterial communities in different habitats and altitudes. Taken together, we provide evidence that S. purpurea has abundant microbial communities in the alpine grassland of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, whose composition and diversity are affected by various soil environmental factors.
Genome-Wide Association Reveals Trait Loci for Seed Glucosinolate Accumulation in Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.)
Authors: Tandayu Erwin , Borpatragohain Priyakshee , Mauleon Ramil , Kretzschmar Tobias
Published: January 2022

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are sulphur- and nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites implicated in the fitness of Brassicaceae and appreciated for their pungency and health-conferring properties. In Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.), GSL content and composition are seed-quality-determining traits affecting its economic value. Depending on the end use, i.e., condiment or oil, different GSL levels constitute breeding targets. The genetic control of GSL accumulation in Indian mustard, however, is poorly understood, and current knowledge of GSL biosynthesis and regulation is largely based on Arabidopsis thaliana. A genome-wide association study was carried out to dissect the genetic architecture of total GSL content and the content of two major GSLs, sinigrin and gluconapin, in a diverse panel of 158 Indian mustard lines, which broadly grouped into a South Asia cluster and outside-South-Asia cluster. Using 14,125 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as genotyping input, seven distinct significant associations were discovered for total GSL content, eight associations for sinigrin content and 19 for gluconapin. Close homologues of known GSL structural and regulatory genes were identified as candidate genes in proximity to peak SNPs. Our results provide a comprehensive map of the genetic control of GLS biosynthesis in Indian mustard, including priority targets for further investigation and molecular marker development.
Grain Composition and Quality in Portuguese Triticum aestivum Germplasm Subjected to Heat Stress after Anthesis
Authors: Scotti-Campos Paula , Oliveira Karliana , Pais Isabel P. , Bagulho Ana Sofia , Semedo José N. , Serra Octávio , Simões Fernanda , Lidon Fernando C. , Coutinho José , Maçãs Benvindo
Published: January 2022

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a major crop worldwide, and it is highly susceptible to heat. In this work, grain production and composition were evaluated in Portuguese T. aestivum germplasm (landraces and commercial varieties), which was subjected to heat after anthesis (grain filling stage). Heat increased the test weight (TW) in Nabão, Grécia and Restauração, indicating an improved flour-yield potential. Mocho de Espiga Branca (MEB) and Transmontano (T94) showed higher thousand-kernel weight (TKW). Gentil Rosso presented increased soluble sugars, which are yeast substrates in the bread-making process. Ardila stood out for its protein increase under heat. Overall SDS was unaffected by higher temperature, but increased in T94, indicating a better dough elasticity for bread-making purposes. Under heat, lipid content was maintained in most genotypes, being endogenous fatty acids (FAs) key players in fresh bread quality. Lipid unsaturation, evaluated through the double bond index (DBI), also remained unaffected in most genotypes, suggesting a lower flour susceptibility to lipoperoxidation. In Grécia, heat promoted a higher abundance of monounsaturated oleic (C18:1) and polyunsaturated linoleic (C18:2) acids, which are essential fatty acids in the human diet. This work highlighted a great variability in most parameters both under control conditions or in response to heat during grain filling. Cluster analysis of traits revealed a lower susceptibility to heat during grain filling in Ardila, Restauração, and Ruivo, in contrast to MEQ, which seems to be more differentially affected at this stage. Characterization and identification of more favorable features under adverse environments may be relevant for agronomic, industrial, or breeding purposes, in view of a better crop adaptation to changing climate and an improved crop sustainability in agricultural systems more prone to heat stress.
Enhancement of the Properties of Hybridizing Epoxy and Nanoclay for Mechanical, Industrial, and Biomedical Applications
Authors: Merzah Zainab Fakhri , Fakhry Sokina , Allami Tyser Gaaz , Yuhana Nor Yuliana , Alamiery Ahmed
Published: January 2022

The strong demand for plastic and polymeric materials continues to grow year after year, making these industries critical to address sustainability. By functioning as a filler in either a synthetic or natural starch matrix, nanoclay enables significant reductions in the impact of nonbiodegradable materials. The effect of treated nanoclay (NC) loading on the mechanical and morphological properties (EP) of epoxy is investigated in this research. The NC-EP nanocomposites were prepared via casting. The investigation begins with adding NC at concentrations of 1, 2, and 3 weight percent, followed by the effect of acid treatment on the same nanocomposites. The evaluation is focused on four mechanical tensile strength parameters: Young’s modulus, maximum load, and % elongation. The addition of NC improved the mechanical properties of the four components by 27.2%, 33.38%, 46.98%, and 43.58%, respectively. The acid treatment improved 35.9%, 42.8%, 51.1%, and 83.5%, respectively. These improvements were attributed to NC’s ability to alter the structural morphology as assessed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), a tool for analysing the microstructure. FESEM images were used to visualise the interaction between the NC and EP nanocomposites. The dynamic mechanical properties of the hybrid nanocomposites were investigated using storage modulus, loss modulus, and tan(delta). The results have shown that the viscoelastic properties improved as the fraction of NC increased. The overall findings suggest that these nanocomposites could be used in various industrial and biomedical applications.
Estimating the Relative Crystallinity of Biodegradable Polylactic Acid and Polyglycolide Polymer Composites by Machine Learning Methodologies
Authors: Wang Jing , Ayari Mohamed Arselene , Khandakar Amith , Chowdhury Muhammad E. H. , Uz Zaman Sm Ashfaq , Rahman Tawsifur , Vaferi Behzad
Published: January 2022

Biodegradable polymers have recently found significant applications in pharmaceutics processing and drug release/delivery. Composites based on poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) have been suggested to enhance the crystallization rate and relative crystallinity of pure PLLA polymers. Despite the large amount of experimental research that has taken place to date, the theoretical aspects of relative crystallinity have not been comprehensively investigated. Therefore, this research uses machine learning methods to estimate the relative crystallinity of biodegradable PLLA/PGA (polyglycolide) composites. Six different artificial intelligent classes were employed to estimate the relative crystallinity of PLLA/PGA polymer composites as a function of crystallization time, temperature, and PGA content. Cumulatively, 1510 machine learning topologies, including 200 multilayer perceptron neural networks, 200 cascade feedforward neural networks (CFFNN), 160 recurrent neural networks, 800 adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems, and 150 least-squares support vector regressions, were developed, and their prediction accuracy compared. The modeling results show that a single hidden layer CFFNN with 9 neurons is the most accurate method for estimating 431 experimentally measured datasets. This model predicts an experimental database with an average absolute percentage difference of 8.84%, root mean squared errors of 4.67%, and correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.999008. The modeling results and relevancy studies show that relative crystallinity increases based on the PGA content and crystallization time. Furthermore, the effect of temperature on relative crystallinity is too complex to be easily explained.
Infrared Efficiency and Ultraviolet Management of Red-Pigmented Polymethylmethacrylate Photoselective Greenhouse Films
Authors: Alwadai Norah , El-Bashir Samah
Published: January 2022

Red-pigmented photoselective polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) films were prepared by casting from polymer/chloroform solution. The films were doped with efficient red fluorescent perylene dyes specialized for plastic coloration, namely KREMER 94720 and KREMER 94739, which have excellent weathering stability and a high fluorescence quantum yield. The effect of the doping concentration was studied using the atomic force microscope (AFM), optical transmission, color measurement, time-resolved fluorescence, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The obtained results suggested the potential usefulness for photoselective greenhouse cladding applications as the lowest doping concentration (10−5 wt%) displaying the UV-open effect, whereas the best UV-blocking and thermic effects were obtained for the highest doping concentration (10−1 wt).
Electrospinning Nanofiber Mats with Magnetite Nanoparticles Using Various Needle-Based Techniques
Authors: Mamun Al , Sabantina Lilia , Klöcker Michaela , Heide Alexander , Blachowicz Tomasz , Ehrmann Andrea
Published: January 2022

Electrospinning can be used to produce nanofiber mats containing diverse nanoparticles for various purposes. Magnetic nanoparticles, such as magnetite (Fe3O4), can be introduced to produce magnetic nanofiber mats, e.g., for hyperthermia applications, but also for basic research of diluted magnetic systems. As the number of nanoparticles increases, however, the morphology and the mechanical properties of the nanofiber mats decrease, so that freestanding composite nanofiber mats with a high content of nanoparticles are hard to produce. Here we report on poly (acrylonitrile) (PAN) composite nanofiber mats, electrospun by a needle-based system, containing 50 wt% magnetite nanoparticles overall or in the shell of core–shell fibers, collected on a flat or a rotating collector. While the first nanofiber mats show an irregular morphology, the latter are quite regular and contain straight fibers without many beads or agglomerations. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveal agglomerations around the pure composite nanofibers and even, round core–shell fibers, the latter showing slightly increased fiber diameters. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) shows a regular distribution of the embedded magnetic nanoparticles. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) reveals that mechanical properties are reduced as compared to nanofiber mats with smaller amounts of magnetic nanoparticles, but mats with 50 wt% magnetite are still freestanding.
An Enamel Based Biopolymer Prosthesis for Dental Treatment with the Proper Bond Strength and Hardness and Biosafety
Authors: Piemjai Morakot , Santiwarapan Patcharee
Published: January 2022

Although dental prosthesis materials such as metal alloys, ceramics, and cured resin composite have long been utilized to restore teeth, their bond strength and hardness values are not well matched to human enamel. Prosthesis detachment and opposing enamel wear are major concerns in restorative dentistry. An experimental biopolymer, hybridized enamel, was synthesized and utilized as a dental prosthesis to compare hardness and tensile bond strength (TBS) with those of commercial materials. Vickers hardness (VHN) with a 100 g loading for 15 s at eight indentations on each specimen (n = 20) was measured. TBSs between prostheses and two types of resin luting agents (n = 10), Super-Bond C&B and All-Bond2 + Duo-Link, were tested. Fractured surfaces and the luting resin-prosthesis interface were examined under a stereomicroscope or a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Statistically significant differences in the TBS and hardness were revealed (p < 0.05). The experimental biopolymer provided a hardness value comparable with human enamel and the highest TBS for both luting agent types. The SEM micrograph demonstrated a honeycomb-like pattern interface between the experimental biopolymer and luting resin. These results suggest that this experimental biopolymer may be a better restorative material to protect from natural enamel loss from tooth reduction or attrition and prevent prosthesis detachment during mastication.
Ground Tire Rubber Modified by Elastomers via Low-Temperature Extrusion Process: Physico-Mechanical Properties and Volatile Organic Emission Assessment
Authors: Wiśniewska Paulina , Zedler Łukasz , Marć Mariusz , Klein Marek , Haponiuk Józef , Formela Krzysztof
Published: January 2022

In this paper, low-temperature extrusion of ground tire rubber was performed as a pro-ecological waste tires recycling method. During this process, ground tire rubber was modified with constant content of dicumyl peroxide and a variable amount of elastomer (in the range: 2.5–15 phr). During the studies, three types of elastomers were used: styrene-butadiene rubber, styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene grafted with maleic anhydride and ethylene-octene copolymer. Energy consumption measurements, curing characteristics, physico-mechanical properties and volatile organic compounds emitted from modified reclaimed GTR were determined. The VOCs emission profile was investigated using a passive sampling technique, miniature emission chambers system and static headspace analysis and subsequently quantitative or qualitative analysis by gas chromatography. The VOCs analysis showed that in the studied conditions the most emitted volatile compounds are dicumyl peroxide decomposition by-products, such as: α-methylstyrene, acetophenone, α-cumyl alcohol, methyl cumyl ether, while the detection level of benzothiazole (devulcanization “marker”) was very low. Moreover, it was found that the mechanical properties of the obtained materials significantly improved with a higher content of styrene-butadiene rubber and styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene grafted with maleic anhydride while the opposite trend was observed for ethylene-octene copolymer content.
Compositions and Structural Geometries of Scaffolds Used in the Regeneration of Cleft Palates: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Reyna-Urrutia Víctor A. , González-González Arely M. , Rosales-Ibáñez Raúl
Published: January 2022

Cleft palate (CP) is one of the most common birth defects, presenting a multitude of negative impacts on the health of the patient. It also leads to increased mortality at all stages of life, economic costs and psychosocial effects. The embryological development of CP has been outlined thanks to the advances made in recent years due to biomolecular successions. The etiology is broad and combines certain environmental and genetic factors. Currently, all surgical interventions work off the principle of restoring the area of the fissure and aesthetics of the patient, making use of bone substitutes. These can involve biological products, such as a demineralized bone matrix, as well as natural–synthetic polymers, and can be supplemented with nutrients or growth factors. For this reason, the following review analyzes different biomaterials in which nutrients or biomolecules have been added to improve the bioactive properties of the tissue construct to regenerate new bone, taking into account the greatest limitations of this approach, which are its use for bone substitutes for large areas exclusively and the lack of vascularity. Bone tissue engineering is a promising field, since it favors the development of porous synthetic substitutes with the ability to promote rapid and extensive vascularization within their structures for the regeneration of the CP area.
Best Operating Conditions for Biogas Production in Some Simple Anaerobic Digestion Models
Authors: Sari Tewfik
Published: January 2022

We consider one-step and two-step simple models of anaerobic digestion that are able to adequately capture the main dynamical behaviour of the full anaerobic digestion model ADM1. We do not consider specific growth functions. We only require them to satisfy certain qualitative assumptions. These assumptions are satisfied for concave growth functions, but they are also satisfied for a large class of growth functions found in many applications. We consider the maximisation of the biogas production with respect to the operating parameters of the model, which are the dilution rate and the substrate input concentration. We give the best operating conditions and we describe them as a subset of the set of operating parameters. Our models incorporate biomass decay terms, corresponding to maintenance. Numerical plots with specified growth functions and biological parameters illustrate the obtained results.
Design of Experiment (DoE) for Optimization of HPLC Conditions for the Simultaneous Fractionation of Seven α-Amylase/Trypsin Inhibitors from Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Authors: Sagu Sorel Tchewonpi , Huschek Gerd , Braga Tess Waldbach , Rackiewicz Michal , Homann Thomas , Rawel Harshadrai M.
Published: January 2022

Wheat alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors remain a subject of interest considering the latest findings showing their implication in wheat-related non-celiac sensitivity (NCWS). Understanding their functions in such a disorder is still unclear and for further study, the need for pure ATI molecules is one of the limiting problems. In this work, a simplified approach based on the successive fractionation of ATI extracts by reverse phase and ion exchange chromatography was developed. ATIs were first extracted from wheat flour using a combination of Tris buffer and chloroform/methanol methods. The separation of the extracts on a C18 column generated two main fractions of interest F1 and F2. The response surface methodology with the Doehlert design allowed optimizing the operating parameters of the strong anion exchange chromatography. Finally, the seven major wheat ATIs namely P01083, P17314, P16850, P01085, P16851, P16159, and P83207 were recovered with purity levels (according to the targeted LC-MS/MS analysis) of 98.2 ± 0.7; 98.1 ± 0.8; 97.9 ± 0.5; 95.1 ± 0.8; 98.3 ± 0.4; 96.9 ± 0.5, and 96.2 ± 0.4%, respectively. MALDI-TOF-MS analysis revealed single peaks in each of the pure fractions and the mass analysis yielded deviations of 0.4, 1.9, 0.1, 0.2, 0.2, 0.9, and 0.1% between the theoretical and the determined masses of P01083, P17314, P16850, P01085, P16851, P16159, and P83207, respectively. Overall, the study allowed establishing an efficient purification process of the most important wheat ATIs. This paves the way for further in-depth investigation of the ATIs to gain more knowledge related to their involvement in NCWS disease and to allow the absolute quantification in wheat samples.
Crosstalk Noise of Octagonal TSV Array Arrangement Based on Different Input Signal
Authors: Liu Ziyu , Jiang Han , Zhu Ziyuan , Chen Lin , Sun Qingqing , Zhang Wei
Published: January 2022

This paper proposes an octagonal layout for enhancing the ability of resisting electromagnetic interference in Through Silicon Via (TSV) array. The influential factors of crosstalk noise between TSVs are investigated, including the TSV pitch, signal and ground TSVs location, and signal types (single-end and differential signal) by using a coplanar wave guide (CPW) testing structure. These results, based on traditional TSV arrays, show that a staggered TSV layout with differential signals had lower crosstalk noise. On this basis, the octagonal layout of TSV array is proposed and we show that it has obvious superiority in reducing occupied silicon area and crosstalk noise. Compared with traditional TSV arrays, the crosstalk noise is almost reduced by 44%. In order to further reduce the silicon area occupied by TSV without worsening crosstalk noise, the new division TSV structure is proposed in which a large TSV was substituted by four smaller TSVs. The area occupied by a single TSV and TSV array are both reduced by 60% without decreasing signal integrity when the regular TSV in the octagonal layout are replaced by a new TSV structure.
SUMOylation Regulates BmNPV Replication by Moderating PKIP Intracellular Localization
Authors: Shen Rui , Lü Dingding , Chen Guanyu , Liu Mengjin , Pu Shiqi , Zhang Yiling , Wang Qiang , Qian Ping , Tang Xudong
Published: January 2022

SUMOylation is a reversible covalent process between a small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) and its target protein and has become a crucial regulator of protein functions. Here, we report that Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) may take advantage of the host SUMOylation system to enhance its own replication, similar to many other viruses. Both the knockdown of BmSUMO by RNAi and chemical blocking by ginkgolic acid both impaired BmNPV replication. Using site mutation and pull-down assays, we found that lysine K70 of the protein kinase-interacting protein (PKIP), which is conserved in all Alphabaculoviruses, was modified by SUMO. Mutation of K70 in PKIP led to its translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Knockout and rescue experiments showed that the rescue of PKIP mutant virus with wild-type PKIP restored BmNPV replication to the normal level, but this was not true for the K70R mutation. Altogether, these results show that SUMOylation of PKIP plays a key role in BmNPV replication.
Forecasting the 10.7-cm Solar Radio Flux Using Deep CNN-LSTM Neural Networks
Authors: Luo Junqi , Zhu Liucun , Zhang Kunlun , Zhao Chenglong , Liu Zeqi
Published: January 2022

Predicting the time series of 10.7-cm solar radio flux is a challenging task because of its daily variability. This paper proposed a non-linear method, a convolutional and recurrent neural network combined model to achieve end-to-end F10.7 forecasts. The network consists of a one-dimensional convolutional neural network and a long short-term memory network. The CNN network extracted features from F10.7 original data, then trained the feature signals in the long short-term memory network, and outputted the predicted values. The F10.7 daily data during 2003–2014 are used for the testing set. The mean absolute percentage error values of approximately 2.04%, 2.78%, and 4.66% for 1-day, 3-day, and 7-day forecasts, respectively. The statistical results of evaluating the root mean square error, spearman correlation coefficient shows a superior effect as a whole for the 1–27 days forecast, compared with the ordinary single neural network and combination models.
Performance Optimization of a Steam Generator Level Control System via a Revised Simplex Search-Based Data-Driven Optimization Methodology
Authors: Kong Xiangsong , Shi Changqing , Liu Hang , Geng Pengcheng , Liu Jiabin , Fan Yasen
Published: January 2022

A Steam generator is a crucial device of a nuclear power plant. Control performance of the steam generator level control system is key to its normal operation. To improve its performance, the control system parameters should be optimized by utilizing a proper optimization method. Furthermore, the method’s efficiency is critical for its operability in the actual plant. However, the steam generator level process is a complex process, with high nonlinearity and time-varying properties. Traditional parameters tuning methods are experience-based, cumbersome, and time-consuming. To address the challenge, a systemic data-driven optimization methodology based on the model-free optimization with a revised simplex search method was proposed. Rather than the traditional controller parameter tuning method, this method optimizes the control system directly by using control performance measurements. To strengthen its efficiency, two critical modifications were incorporated into the traditional simplex search method to form a knowledge-informed simplex search based on historical gradient approximations. Firstly, with the help of the historical gradient approximations, the revised method could sense the optimization direction more accurately and accomplish the iteration step size tuning adaptively, significantly reducing the optimization cost. Secondly, a revised iteration termination control strategy was developed and integrated to monitor the optimization progress, which can promptly terminate the progress to avoid unnecessary iteration costs. The effectiveness and the efficiency of the revised method were demonstrated through simulation experiments.
Microplastics in the New Zealand Environment
Authors: Mazlan Nur , Lin Lilian , Park Heon
Published: January 2022

It is a concern that microplastics have been discovered in the food sources and water that we consume. This research was to evaluate the methods to isolate microplastics from organisms and how much of the environment of New Zealand (NZ), which is one of the least polluted countries, is contaminated by microplastics. New Zealand green-lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) are considered to be an important product in the NZ food industry. For this reason, the existence of microplastics in these were investigated. Tarakihi fish (Nemadactylusmacropterus) consume food near the bottom of ocean, so this fish can be an indicator of the contamination of microplastics denser than water. In addition, bottled water, tap water and sea salt samples were also investigated. To isolate solid particles in an animal body, its tissues were chemically digested. It was found that 10% (w/w) potassium hydroxide (KOH) was a practical digestive protocol on biological tissues since polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) are relatively resistant to KOH. Thus, treating tissues with KOH can be considered a viable method to remove tissues and isolate microplastics. Nile red was used to stain the plastic particles from the samples for visual inspection. Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) was performed to identify the particles. It was evaluated that all those samples had traces of microplastics.
The Parascientific Communication around Didier Raoult’s Expertise and the Debates in the Media and on Digital Social Networks during the COVID-19 Crisis in France
Authors: Longhi Julien
Published: January 2022

Didier Raoult has acquired media authority in the debates on the treatment of COVID-19 in France thanks to his professional competence, raising issues of legitimacy and authority. He presents himself as a “star of infectious diseases”, belonging to the “elite”. In the press and online comments, the scientificity of the subject is mixed with considerations that may seem trivial. This paper will analyze the way in which scientificity is expressed in the media coverage of the scientist but also the way in which online communities discuss, argue, and become involved in polemics and controversies concerning him. It will analyze the links and shifts between scientific and parascientific communication. It will, therefore, deal with both the discourse and the staging around the scientist Didier Raoult and the circulation of his words and positions through online media and citizen communities.
Simple Analytical Expression of the Voigt Profile
Authors: Chib Salma , Belafhal Abdelmajid
Published: January 2022

This work examines several analytical evaluations of the Voigt profile, which is a convolution of the Gaussian and Lorentzian profiles, theoretically and numerically. Mathematical derivations are performed concisely to illustrate some closed forms of the considered profile. A representation in terms of special function and a simple and interesting approximation of the Voigt function are well demonstrated, which could have promising applications in several fields of physics, e.g., atmospheric radiative transfer, neutron reactions, molecular spectroscopy, plasma waves, and astrophysical spectroscopy.
Writing and Worship in Deng Zhimo’s Saints Trilogy
Authors: Ganany Noga
Published: January 2022

Around the turn of the seventeenth century, the prolific writer-editor Deng Zhimo produced three illustrated books narrating the lives of Lü Dongbin (The Flying Sword), Xu Xun (The Iron Tree), and Sa Shoujian (The Enchanted Date). This article focuses on the textual hybridity of Deng Zhimo’s hagiographic Saints Trilogy and argues that it offers encyclopedic, practical, and entertaining guidebooks for worshipping the three immortals and pursuing Daoist attainment. The cultic lore woven into the fabric of Deng’s Saints Trilogy reflects the important contribution of authors and publishers to popular reverence, highlighting the close interplay between “literature” and “religion” in late-imperial China.
Exploring the Spatiotemporal Coverage of Terrestrial Snow Mass Using a Suite of Satellite Constellation Configurations
Authors: Wang Lizhao , Forman Barton A. , Kim Edward
Published: January 2022

Terrestrial snow is a vital freshwater resource for more than 1 billion people. Remotely-sensed snow observations can be used to retrieve snow mass or integrated into a snow model estimate; however, optimally leveraging remote sensing observations of snow is challenging. One reason is that no single sensor can accurately measure all types of snow because each type of sensor has its own unique limitations. Another reason is that remote sensing data is inherently discontinuous across time and space, and that the revisit cycle of remote sensing observations may not meet the requirements of a given snow applications. In order to quantify the feasible availability of remotely-sensed observations across space and time, this study simulates the sensor coverage for a suite of hypothetical snow sensors as a function of different orbital configurations and sensor properties. The information gleaned from this analysis coupled with a dynamic snow binary map is used to evaluate the efficiency of a single sensor (or constellation) to observe terrestrial snow on a global scale. The results show the efficacy achievable by different sensors over different snow types. The combination of different orbital and sensor configurations is explored to requirements of remote sensing missions that have 1-day, 3-day, or 30-day repeat intervals. The simulation results suggest that 1100 km, 550 km, and 200 km are the minimum required swath width for a polar-orbiting sensor to meet snow-related applications demanding a 1-day, 3-day, and 30-day repeat cycles, respectively. The results of this paper provide valuable input for the planning of a future global snow mission.
Changes of Chinese Coastal Regions Induced by Land Reclamation as Revealed through TanDEM-X DEM and InSAR Analyses
Authors: Tang Maochuan , Zhao Qing , Pepe Antonio , Devlin Adam Thomas , Falabella Francesco , Yao Chengfang , Li Zhengjie
Published: January 2022

Chinese coastal topography has changed significantly over the last two decades due to human actions such as the development of extensive land reclamation projects. Newly-reclaimed lands typically have low elevations (<10 m) and often experience severe ground subsidence. These conditions, combined with the more frequent occurrence of extreme sea-level events amplified by global climate change, lead to an increased risk of flooding of coastal regions. This work focuses on twelve Chinese coastal areas that underwent significant changes from 2000 to 2015 in their environments, correlated to relevant land reclamation projects. First, the ground changes between 2000 and 2015 were roughly computed by comparing the TanDEM-X and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation models of the investigated areas. These results indicate that six of the analyzed coastal zones have reclaimed more than 200 km2 of new lands from 2000 to 2015, with five of them in northern China. Second, we focused specifically on the city of Shanghai, and characterized the risk of flood in this area. To this purpose, two independent sets of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data collected at the X- and C-band through the COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) and the European Copernicus Sentinel-1 (S-1) sensors were exploited. We assumed that the still extreme seawater depth is chi-square distributed, and estimated the probability of waves overtopping the coast. We also evaluated the impact on the territory of potential extreme flood events by counting the number of very-coherent objects (at most anthropic, such as buildings and public infrastructures) that could be seriously affected by a flood. To forecast possible inundation patterns, we used the LISFLOOD-FP hydrodynamic model. Assuming that an extreme event destroyed a given sector of the coastline, we finally computed the extent of the flooded areas and quantified its impact in terms of coherent structures potentially damaged by the inundation. Experimental results showed that two coastline segments located in the southern districts of Shanghai, where the seawalls height is lower, had the highest probability of wave overtopping and the most significant density of coherent objects potentially subjected to severe flood impacts.