bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do Large Datasets or Hybrid Integrated Models Outperform Simple Ones in Predicting Commodity Prices and Foreign Exchange Rates?
Authors: Shang Jin , Hamori Shigeyuki
Published: June 2023

With the continuous advancement of machine learning and the increasing availability of internet-based information, there is a belief that these approaches and datasets enhance the accuracy of price prediction. However, this study aims to investigate the validity of this claim. The study examines the effectiveness of a large dataset and sophisticated methodologies in forecasting foreign exchange rates (FX) and commodity prices. Specifically, we employ sentiment analysis to construct a robust sentiment index and explore whether combining sentiment analysis with machine learning surpasses the performance of a large dataset when predicting FX and commodity prices. Additionally, we apply machine learning methodologies such as random forest (RF), eXtreme gradient boosting (XGB), and long short-term memory (LSTM), alongside the classical statistical model autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), to forecast these prices and compare the models’ performance. Based on the results, we propose novel methodologies that integrate wavelet transformation with classical ARIMA and machine learning techniques (seasonal-decomposition-ARIMA-LSTM, wavelet-ARIMA-LSTM, wavelet-ARIMA-RF, wavelet-ARIMA-XGB). We apply this analysis procedure to the commodity gold futures prices and the euro foreign exchange rates against the US dollar.
Recursivity and Focus in the Prosody of Xitsonga DPs
Authors: Lee Seunghun J. , Riedel Kristina
Published: June 2023

This paper explores the prosodic patterns of complex DP structures in Xitsonga by looking at penultimate lengthening in DPs with marked and unmarked word orders of different types. We discuss the underlying syntactic structures and prosodic realizations of Xitsonga DPs. We are particularly interested in the way in which recursion applies in the Xitsonga DP, where it surfaces in DPs with multiple modifiers of the same or different categories that appear in fronted (i.e., pre-nominal) positions. We propose that in Xitsonga nominal constituents move to a left-periphery-like position within the DP domain and that this position matches to a focus-marked phonological phrase. This type of phonological phrase is forced to remain in the phonology even if the one-word phrase violates the Binarity constraint. We argue that the penultimate lengthening effects found in Xitsonga with the reordering of DP internal elements are best analyzed as showing sensitivity to this focus-marked phonological phrase.
A Variational Model for Wrapped Phase Denoising
Authors: May-Cen Ivan , Legarda-Saenz Ricardo , Brito-Loeza Carlos
Published: June 2023

This paper presents a variational model for the denoising of wrapped phase images. By enforcing the required Pythagorean trigonometric identity between the real and imaginary components of the signal, this model improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the restored signal. To preserve phase map discontinuities, the model is based on total variation. The existence and uniqueness of the model’s solution are demonstrated using standard techniques. In addition, the convergence of a rapid fixed-point method to determine the numerical solution is demonstrated. Experiments on both synthetic and actual patterns validate the model’s performance.
Bifurcation Analysis, Synchronization and FPGA Implementation of a New 3-D Jerk System with a Stable Equilibrium
Authors: Vaidyanathan Sundarapandian , Azar Ahmad Taher , Hameed Ibrahim A. , Benkouider Khaled , Tlelo-Cuautle Esteban , Ovilla-Martinez Brisbane , Lien Chang-Hua , Sambas Aceng
Published: June 2023

This research paper addresses the modelling of a new 3-D chaotic jerk system with a stable equilibrium. Such chaotic systems are known to exhibit hidden attractors. After the modelling of the new jerk system, a detailed bifurcation analysis has been performed for the new chaotic jerk system with a stable equilibrium. It is shown that the new jerk system has multistability with coexisting attractors. Next, we apply backstepping control for the synchronization design of a pair of new jerk systems with a stable equilibrium taken as the master-slave chaotic systems. Lyapunov stability theory is used to establish the synchronization results for the new jerk system with a stable equilibrium. Finally, we show that the FPGA design of the new jerk system with a stable equilibrium can be implemented using the FPGA Zybo Z7-20 development board. The design of the new jerk system consists of multipliers, adders and subtractors. It is observed that the experimental attractors are in good agreement with simulation results.
An Adaptive Controller Design for Nonlinear Active Air Suspension Systems with Uncertainties
Authors: Zhang Jinhua , Yang Yi , Hu Cheng
Published: June 2023

Active air spring suspensions can improve the vehicle ride comfort and meanwhile realize the vehicle height regulation, and therefore, they have been widely used and studied. However, to achieve better ride comfort and a satisfactory vehicle body height adjustment, the active air suspension controller becomes an indispensable and significant part of the system. Since the nonlinear suspension system possesses uncertainties, it is difficult to take into account both ride comfort and height regulation. This study innovatively proposes an adaptive control algorithm to specifically address the problem of vehicle height regulation and ride comfort for nonlinear active air suspension systems with uncertainties. The accurate tracking to reference vehicle body height curves is realized, and the ride comfort is also improved. Through simulations with two scenarios, it is illustrated that the active air suspension controller owns better control effectiveness than the PID controller. Compared with the PID controller, the designed controller can track the reference vehicle body height curves faster and more accurately. The result also verifies the priority of the designed controller.
Polynomial-Time Constrained Message Passing for Exact MAP Inference on Discrete Models with Global Dependencies
Authors: Bauer Alexander , Nakajima Shinichi , Müller Klaus-Robert
Published: June 2023

Considering the worst-case scenario, the junction-tree algorithm remains the most general solution for exact MAP inference with polynomial run-time guarantees. Unfortunately, its main tractability assumption requires the treewidth of a corresponding MRF to be bounded, strongly limiting the range of admissible applications. In fact, many practical problems in the area of structured prediction require modeling global dependencies by either directly introducing global factors or enforcing global constraints on the prediction variables. However, this always results in a fully-connected graph, making exact inferences by means of this algorithm intractable. Previous works focusing on the problem of loss-augmented inference have demonstrated how efficient inference can be performed on models with specific global factors representing non-decomposable loss functions within the training regime of SSVMs. Making the observation that the same fundamental idea can be applied to solve a broader class of computational problems, in this paper, we adjust the framework for an efficient exact inference to allow much finer interactions between the energy of the core model and the sufficient statistics of the global terms. As a result, we greatly increase the range of admissible applications and strongly improve upon the theoretical guarantees of computational efficiency. We illustrate the applicability of our method in several use cases, including one that is not covered by the previous problem formulation. Furthermore, we propose a new graph transformation technique via node cloning, which ensures a polynomial run-time for solving our target problem. In particular, the overall computational complexity of our constrained message-passing algorithm depends only on form-independent quantities such as the treewidth of a corresponding graph (without global connections) and image size of the sufficient statistics of the global terms.
Method for the Detection of Functional Outliers Applied to Quality Monitoring Samples in the Vicinity of El Musel Seaport in the Metropolitan Area of Gijón (Northern Spain)
Authors: Menéndez-García Luis Alfonso , García-Nieto Paulino José , García-Gonzalo Esperanza , Lasheras Fernando Sánchez , Álvarez-de-Prado Laura , Bernardo-Sánchez Antonio
Published: June 2023

Air pollution affects human health and is one of the main problems in the world, including in coastal cities with industrial seaports. In this sense, the city of Gijón (northern Spain) stands out as one of the 20 Spanish cities with the worst air quality. The study aims to identify outliers in air quality observations near the El Musel seaport, resulting from the emissions of six pollutants over an eight-year period (2014–2021). It compares methods based on the functional data analysis (FDA) approach and vector methods to determine the optimal approach for detecting outliers and supporting air quality control. Our approach involves analyzing air pollutant observations as a set of curves rather than vectors. Therefore, in the FDA approach, curves are constructed to provide the best fit to isolated data points, resulting in a collection of continuous functions. These functions capture the behavior of the data in a continuous domain. Two FDA approach methodologies were used here: the functional bagplot and the high-density region (HDR) boxplot. Finally, outlier detection using the FDA approach was found to be more powerful than the vector methods and the functional bagplot method detected more outliers than the HDR boxplot.
Enabling High-Quality Machine Learning Model Trading on Blockchain-Based Marketplace
Authors: Li Chunxiao , Wang Haodi , Zhao Yu , Xi Yuxin , Xu Enliang , Wang Shenling
Published: June 2023

Machine learning model sharing markets have emerged as a popular platform for individuals and companies to share and access machine learning models. These markets enable more people to benefit from the field of artificial intelligence and to leverage its advantages on a broader scale. However, these markets face challenges in designing effective incentives for model owners to share their models, and for model users to provide honest feedback on model quality. This paper proposes a novel game theoretic framework for machine learning model sharing markets that addresses these challenges. Our framework includes two main components: a mechanism for incentivizing model owners to share their models, and a mechanism for encouraging the honest evaluation of model quality by the model users. To evaluate the effectiveness of our framework, we conducted experiments and the results demonstrate that our mechanism for incentivizing model owners is effective at encouraging high-quality model sharing, and our reputation system encourages the honest evaluation of model quality.
Supplementation of n-3 PUFAs in Adulthood Attenuated Susceptibility to Pentylenetetrazol Induced Epilepsy in Mice Fed with n-3 PUFAs Deficient Diet in Early Life
Authors: Zhao Ying-Cai , Wang Cheng-Cheng , Li Xiao-Yue , Wang Dan-Dan , Wang Yu-Ming , Xue Chang-Hu , Wen Min , Zhang Tian-Tian
Published: June 2023

The growth and development of the fetus and newborn throughout pregnancy and lactation are directly related to the nutritional status of the mother, which has a significant impact on the health of the offspring. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the susceptibility of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency in early life to seizures in adulthood. The n-3 PUFAs-deficient mice’s offspring were established and then fed with α-LNA diet, DHA-enriched ethyl ester, and DHA-enriched phospholipid-containing diets for 17 days at the age of eight weeks. During this period, animals received intraperitoneal injections of 35 mg/kg of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) every other day for eight days. The results showed that dietary n-3 PUFA-deficiency in early life could aggravate PTZ-induced epileptic seizures and brain disorders. Notably, nutritional supplementation with n-3 PUFAs in adulthood for 17 days could significantly recover the brain n-3 fatty acid and alleviate the epilepsy susceptibility as well as raise seizure threshold to different levels by mediating the neurotransmitter disturbance and mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, demyelination, and neuroinflammation status of the hippocampus. DHA-enriched phospholipid possessed a superior effect on alleviating the seizure compared to α-LNA and DHA-enriched ethyl ester. Dietary n-3 PUFA deficiency in early life increases the susceptibility to PTZ-induced epilepsy in adult offspring, and nutritional supplementation with n-3 PUFAs enhances the tolerance to the epileptic seizure.
A Possible Case of Centronuclear Myopathy: A Case Report
Authors: Castillo-Ferrán Narjara , Junco-Rodriguez Juan Mario , Lestayo-O’Farrill Zurina , Robinson-Agramonte María de los Angeles , Camejo-León Zoilo , Gómez-Suárez Héctor Jesús , Salinas-Olivares Mercedes , Antiguas-Valdez Evelyn , Falcón-Lamazares Elizabeth , Siniscalco Dario
Published: June 2023

Congenital myopathies (CMs) are a group of diseases that primarily affect the muscle fiber, especially the contractile apparatus and the different components that condition its normal functioning. They present as muscle weakness and hypotonia at birth or during the first year of life. Centronuclear CM is characterized by a high incidence of nuclei located centrally and internally in muscle fibers. Clinical case: a 22-year-old male patient with symptoms of muscle weakness since early childhood, with difficulty in performing physical activity according to his age, with the presence of a long face, a waddling gait, and a global decrease in muscle mass. Electromyography was performed, showing a neurogenic pattern and not the expected myopathic one, neuroconduction with reduced amplitude of the motor potential of the peroneal nerve and axonal and myelin damage of the posterior tibial nerves. The microscopic study of the studied striated muscle fragments stained with hematoxylin–eosin and Masson’s trichrome showed the presence of fibers with central nuclei, diagnosing CM. The patient meets most of the description for CM, with involvement of all striated muscles, although it is important to note the neurogenic pattern present in this case, due to the denervation of damaged muscle fibers, which contain terminal axonal segments. Neuroconduction shows the involvement of motor nerves, but with normal sensory studies, axonal polyneuropathy is unlikely, due to normal sensory potentials. Different pathological findings have been described depending on the mutated gene in this disease, but all coincide with the presence of fibers with central nuclei for diagnosis by this means, which is so important in institutions where it is not possible to carry out genetic studies, and allowing early specific treatment, according to the stage through which the patient passes.
Foreign Body Aspiration in Children—Retrospective Study and Management Novelties
Authors: Mîndru Dana Elena , Păduraru Gabriela , Rusu Carmen Daniela , Țarcă Elena , Azoicăi Alice Nicoleta , Roșu Solange Tamara , Curpăn Alexandrina-Ștefania , Ciomaga Jitaru Irina Mihaela , Pădureț Ioana Alexandra , Luca Alina Costina
Published: June 2023

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a frequent diagnosis in children. In the absence of other lung conditions, such as asthma or chronic pulmonary infections, this manifests as a sudden onset of cough, dyspnea, and wheezing. The differential diagnosis is based on a scoring system which takes into account the clinical picture as well as the radiologic aspects. The treatment that is considered the gold-standard for FBA in children remains to be rigid fibronchoscopy, however it comes with several potentially crucial local complications such as airway edema, bleeding, and bronchospasm, along inherent issues due to general anesthesia. Material and methods: Our study is a retrospective study analyzing the medical files of the cases from our hospital over the span of 9 years. The study group consisted of 242 patients aged 0–16 years diagnosed with foreign body aspiration in the Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children “Sfânta Maria” Iași, between January 2010–January 2018. Clinical and imaging data were extracted from the patients’ observation sheets. Results: In our cohort, the distribution of children with foreign body aspiration was uneven, with the highest incidence being reported in children from rural areas (70% of cases), whereas the most affected age group was 1–3 years, amounting to 79% of all cases. The main symptoms which led to emergency admittance were coughing (33%) and dyspnea (22%). The most important factors that determined the unequal distribution were socio-economic status, which relates to a lack of adequate supervision by parents, as well as the consumption of food inappropriate for their age. Conclusions: Foreign body aspiration is a major medical emergency that may be associated with dramatic clinical manifestations. Several scoring algorithms designed to establish the need for bronchoscopy have been proposed, taking into account both the clinical and radiological results. The issue with asymptomatic or mild symptomatic cases, as well as difficulties managing cases with radiolucent foreign bodies, remains a challenge.
Angiogenesis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Molecular Mechanisms to Systemic Therapies
Authors: Pinto Elisa , Pelizzaro Filippo , Farinati Fabio , Russo Francesco Paolo
Published: June 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy. The hypervascular nature of the majority of HCCs and the peculiar vascular derangement occurring during liver carcinogenesis underscore the importance of angiogenesis in the development and progression of these tumors. Indeed, several angiogenic molecular pathways have been identified as deregulated in HCC. The hypervascular nature and the peculiar vascularization of HCC, as well as deregulated angiogenic pathways, represent major therapeutic targets. To a large extent, intra-arterial locoregional treatments (transarterial-(chemo)embolization) rely on tumor ischemia caused by embolization of tumor feeding arteries, even though this may represent the “primum movens” of tumor recurrence through the activation of neoangiogenesis. Considering systemic therapies, the currently available tyrosine kinase inhibitors (sorafenib, regorafenib, cabozantinib and lenvatinib) and monoclonal antibodies (ramucirumab and bevacizumab, in combination with the anti-PD-L1, atezolizumab) primarily target, among others, angiogenic pathways. Considering the importance of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis and treatment of liver cancer, in this paper, we aim to review the role of angiogenesis in HCC, addressing the molecular mechanisms, available antiangiogenic therapies and prognostic biomarkers in patients receiving these treatments.
Three Novel Marine Species of Paracoccus, P. aerodenitrificans sp. nov., P. sediminicola sp. nov. and P. albus sp. nov., and the Characterization of Their Capability to Perform Heterotrophic Nitrification and Aerobic Denitrification
Authors: Zhang Kun , Zeng Qi , Jiang Rouyun , Shi Songbiao , Yang Jian , Long Lijuan , Tian Xinpeng
Published: June 2023

Heterotrophic nitrification–aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) is an efficient nitrogen removal process and the genus Paracoccus is one important group of the HN-AD bacteria. During an investigation of the microbial diversity in marine ranching of the Pearl River Estuary (PR China), three bacterial strains, designated SCSIO 75817T, SCSIO 76264T and SCSIO 80058T, were isolated from sediments. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the three strains belonged to the genus Paracoccus and their closest neighbors were P. isoporae DSM 22220T (97.6–98.0%), P. aurantiacus CGMCC 1.13898T (97.3–97.6%) and P. xiamenensis MCCC 1A16381T (97.1–97.4%), respectively. The analysis results of 16S rRNA gene similarity, ANI, AAI and dDDH showed that the pairwise similarities between these three strains and their closest neighbors were 97.4–98.5%, 76.9–81.0%, 75.5–79.6% and 20.3–23.3%, respectively. Polyphasic taxonomic data of the phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses indicate that these strains represent three novel species in the genus Paracoccus, for which the names Paracoccus aerodenitrificans sp. nov., Paracoccus sediminicola sp. nov. and Paracoccus albus sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. The study also demonstrated the heterotrophic nitrification–aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) ability of the novel species P. aerodenitrificans SCSIO 75817T. When it was aerobically cultivated at 28 °C using NH4+-N, NO3−-N and NO2−-N as the sole nitrogen sources, the nitrogen removal efficiencies were 73.4, 55.27 and 49.2%, respectively, and the maximum removal rates were 3.05, 1.82 and 1.63 mg/L/h, respectively. The results suggest that it has promising potential for wastewater treatment.
Exopolysaccharides Producing Bacteria: A Review
Authors: Netrusov Alexander I. , Liyaskina Elena V. , Kurgaeva Irina V. , Liyaskina Alexandra U. , Yang Guang , Revin Viktor V.
Published: June 2023

Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are essential natural biopolymers used in different areas including biomedicine, food, cosmetic, petroleum, and pharmaceuticals and also in environmental remediation. The interest in them is primarily due to their unique structure and properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, higher purity, hydrophilic nature, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, antibacterial, and immune-modulating and prebiotic activities. The present review summarizes the current research progress on bacterial EPSs including their properties, biological functions, and promising applications in the various fields of science, industry, medicine, and technology, as well as characteristics and the isolation sources of EPSs-producing bacterial strains. This review provides an overview of the latest advances in the study of such important industrial exopolysaccharides as xanthan, bacterial cellulose, and levan. Finally, current study limitations and future directions are discussed.
Harmonic Vibrational Frequency Simulation of Pharmaceutical Molecules via a Novel Multi-Molecular Fragment Interception Method
Authors: Wang Linjie , Zhang Pengtu , Geng Yali , Zhu Zaisheng , Yuan Shiling
Published: June 2023

By means of a computational method based on Density Functional Theory (DFT), using commercially available software, a novel method for simulating equilibrium geometry harmonic vibrational frequencies is proposed. Finasteride, Lamivudine, and Repaglinide were selected as model molecules to study the adaptability of the new method. Three molecular models, namely the single-molecular, central-molecular, and multi-molecular fragment models, were constructed and calculated by Generalized Gradient Approximations (GGAs) with the PBE functional via the Material Studio 8.0 program. Theoretical vibrational frequencies were assigned and compared to the corresponding experimental data. The results indicated that the traditional single-molecular calculation and scaled spectra with scale factor exhibited the worst similarity for all three pharmaceutical molecules among the three models. Furthermore, the central-molecular model with a configuration closer to the empirical structure resulted in a reduction of mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) in all three pharmaceutics, including the hydrogen-bonded functional groups. However, the improvement in computational accuracy for different drug molecules using the central-molecular model for vibrational frequency calculation was unstable. Whereas, the new multi-molecular fragment interception method showed the best agreement with experimental results, exhibiting MAE and RMSE values of 8.21 cm−1 and 18.35 cm−1 for Finasteride, 15.95 cm−1 and 26.46 cm−1 for Lamivudine, and 12.10 cm−1 and 25.82 cm−1 for Repaglinide. Additionally, this work provides comprehensive vibrational frequency calculations and assignments for Finasteride, Lamivudine, and Repaglinide, which have never been thoroughly investigated in previous research.
Predictions of the Biological Effects of Several Acyclic Monoterpenes as Chemical Constituents of Essential Oils Extracted from Plants
Authors: Dascalu Daniela , Isvoran Adriana , Ianovici Nicoleta
Published: June 2023

Acyclic terpenes are biologically active natural products having applicability in medicine, pharmacy, cosmetics and other practices. Consequently, humans are exposed to these chemicals, and it is necessary to assess their pharmacokinetics profiles and possible toxicity. The present study considers a computational approach to predict both the biological and toxicological effects of nine acyclic monoterpenes: beta-myrcene, beta-ocimene, citronellal, citrolellol, citronellyl acetate, geranial, geraniol, linalool and linalyl acetate. The outcomes of the study emphasize that the investigated compounds are usually safe for humans, they do not lead to hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity and endocrine disruption, and usually do not have an inhibitory potential against the cytochromes involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics, excepting CYP2B6. The inhibition of CYP2B6 should be further analyzed as this enzyme is involved in both the metabolism of several common drugs and in the activation of some procarcinogens. Skin and eye irritation, toxicity through respiration and skin-sensitization potential are the possible harmful effects revealed by the investigated compounds. These outcomes underline the necessity of in vivo studies regarding the pharmacokinetics and toxicological properties of acyclic monoterpenes so as to better establish the clinical relevance of their use.
Detection of Three Opioids (Morphine, Codeine and Methadone) and Their Metabolites (6-Monoacetylmorphine and 2-Ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine) in Larvae of Lucilia sericata Species by UHPLC-TF-MS and Validation
Authors: Buratti Erika , Mietti Gianmario , Cippitelli Marta , Cerioni Alice , Froldi Rino , Cingolani Mariano , Scendoni Roberto
Published: June 2023

Insects on corpses could be a useful tool for the detection of exogenous substances such as drugs of abuse. The identification of exogenous substances in carrion insects is critical for proper estimation of the postmortem interval. It also provides information about the deceased person that may prove useful for forensic purposes. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Fourier transform mass spectrometry is a highly sensitive analytical technique that can identify substances even at very low concentrations, such as in the case of searching for exogenous substances in larvae. In this paper, a method is proposed for the identification of morphine, codeine, methadone, 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) and 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP) in the larvae of Lucilia sericata, a common carrion fly widely distributed in temperate areas of the world. The larvae, which were reared on a pig meat substrate, were killed once they reached their third stage by immersion in hot water at 80 °C and aliquoted into 400 mg samples. The samples were fortified with 5 ng of morphine, methadone and codeine. After solid-phase extraction, the samples were processed with a liquid chromatograph coupled to a Fourier transform mass spectrometer. This qualitative method has been validated and tested on larvae from a real case. The results lead to the correct identification of morphine, codeine, methadone and their metabolites. This method could prove useful in cases where toxicological analysis must be conducted on highly decomposed human remains, where biological matrices are very limited. Furthermore, it could help the forensic pathologist to better estimate the time of death, as the growth cycle of carrion insects can undergo changes if exogenous substances are taken.
Assessment of the Effects of Structural Modification of Gastrodia elata Polysaccharide on Anti-Breast Cancer Activity Using Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation
Authors: Liu Xiaoying , Dou Yuwei , Hao Tingting , Wang Mu , Yang Liu , Zheng Hailiang , Liu Hongmei , Dou Haiyang
Published: June 2023

Gastrodia elata (“Tian Ma” in Chinese) is used as a food and medical ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, to enhance the anti-breast cancer activity of Gastrodia elata polysaccharide (GEP), GEPs were modified via sulfidation (SGEP) and acetylation (AcGEP). The physicochemical properties (such as solubility and substitution degree) and structural information (such as molecular weight Mw and radius of gyration Rg) of GEP derivatives were determined by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled online with multiangle light scattering (MALS) and differential refractive index (dRI) detectors (AF4-MALS-dRI). The effects of the structural modification of GEP on the proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of MCF-7 cell were studied systematically. The ability of MCF-7 cell for the uptake of GEP was studied by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). The results suggested that the solubility and anti-breast cancer activity of GEP were enhanced and the average Rg and Mw of GEP decreased after chemical modification. The AF4-MALS-dRI results showed that the chemical modification process simultaneously caused the degradation and aggregation of GEPs. The LSCM results revealed that more SGEP can enter the MCF-7 cell interior compared with AcGEP. The results indicated that the structure of AcGEP could play a dominating role in antitumor activity. The data obtained in this work can be used as a starting point for investigating the structure-bioactivity of GEPs.
A Ni(II) Coordination Polymer as a Multifunctional Luminescent Sensor for Detection of UO22+, Cr2O72−, CrO42− and Nitrofurantoin
Authors: Xue Yun-Shan , Zhang Xin-Yue , Tian Zheng-Chen , Cao Jing-Rui , Wang Wen-Jing , Tang Ru-Xiu , Guo Jie , Fei Zheng-Hao , Wang Jun
Published: June 2023

A new Ni coordination polymer [Ni(MIP)(BMIOPE)]n (1) was constructed (BMIOPE = 4,4′-bis(2-methylimidazol-1-yl)diphenyl ether, and H2MIP = 5-methylisophthalic acid), possessing two-dimensional (2D) twofold parallel interwoven net structure with a 44∙62 point symbol. Complex 1 has been successfully obtained based on mixed-ligand strategy. The fluorescence titration experiments revealed that complex 1 could act as multifunctional luminescent sensor to simultaneously detect UO22+, Cr2O72− and CrO42−, and NFT (nitrofurantoin). The limit of detection (LOD) values for complex 1 are 2.86 × 10−5, 4.09 × 10−5, 3.79 × 10−5 and 9.32 × 10−5 M for UO22+, Cr2O72−, CrO42− and NFT. The Ksv values are 6.18 × 103, 1.44 × 104, 1.27 × 104 and 1.51 × 104 M−1 for NFT, CrO42−, Cr2O72− and UO22+. Finally, the mechanism of its luminescence sensing is studied in detail. These results manifest that complex 1 is a multifunctional sensor for sensitive fluorescent UO22+, Cr2O72−, CrO42− and NFT detection.
Novel Cerium(IV) Coordination Compounds of Monensin and Salinomycin
Authors: Petkov Nikolay , Pantcheva Ivayla , Ivanova Anela , Stoyanova Radostina , Kukeva Rositsa , Alexandrova Radostina , Abudalleh Abedullkader , Dorkov Petar
Published: June 2023

The largely uncharted complexation chemistry of the veterinary polyether ionophores, monensic and salinomycinic acids (HL) with metal ions of type M4+ and the known antiproliferative potential of antibiotics has provoked our interest in exploring the coordination processes between MonH/SalH and ions of Ce4+. (1) Methods: Novel monensinate and salinomycinate cerium(IV)-based complexes were synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, a plethora of physicochemical methods, density functional theory, molecular dynamics, and biological assays. (2) Results: The formation of coordination species of a general composition [CeL2(OH)2] and [CeL(NO3)2(OH)], depending on reaction conditions, was proven both experimentally and theoretically. The metal(IV) complexes [CeL(NO3)2(OH)] possess promising cytotoxic activity against the human tumor uterine cervix (HeLa) cell line, being highly selective (non-tumor embryo Lep-3 vs. HeLa) compared to cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and epirubicin.
Green Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Pluchea indica Leaf Extract: Antimicrobial and Photocatalytic Activities
Authors: Al-Askar Abdulaziz A. , Hashem Amr H. , Elhussieny Nadeem I. , Saied Ebrahim
Published: June 2023

Nanotechnology is playing a critical role in several essential technologies with nanoscale structures (nanoparticles) in areas of the environment and biomedicine. In this work, the leaf extract of Pluchea indica was utilized to biosynthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) for the first time and evaluated for antimicrobial and photocatalytic activities. Different experimental methods were used to characterize the biosynthesized ZnONPs. The biosynthesized ZnONPs showed maximum Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) absorbance at a wavelength of 360 nm. The X-Ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the ZnONPs exhibits seven strong reflection peaks, and the average particle size was 21.9 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectrum analysis reveals the presence of functional groups that help in biofabrication. The existence of Zn and O was confirmed by the Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum and the morphology by SEM images. Antimicrobial studies showed that the biosynthesized ZnONPs have antimicrobial efficacy against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans where inhibition zones at concentration 1000 µg/mL were 21.83 ± 0.76, 13.0 ± 1.1, 14.9 ± 0.85, 24.26 ± 1.1, 17.0 ± 1.0, 20.67 ± 0.57 and 19.0 ± 1.0 mm respectively. Under both dark and sunlight irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of ZnONPs was evaluated towards the degradation of the thiazine dye (methylene blue-MB). Approximately 95% of the MB dye was broken down at pH 8 after 150 min of sunlight exposure. The aforementioned results, therefore, suggest that ZnONPs synthesized by implementing environmentally friendly techniques can be employed for a variety of environmental and biomedical applications.
Evidence of Immunomodulatory Food-Protein Derived Peptides in Human Nutritional Interventions: Review on the Outcomes and Potential Limitations
Authors: Rivero-Pino Fernando , Villanueva Álvaro , Montserrat-de-la-Paz Sergio , Sanchez-Fidalgo Susana , Millán-Linares Maria C.
Published: June 2023

The immune system is somehow related to all the metabolic pathways, in a bidirectional way, and the nutritional interventions affecting these pathways might have a relevant impact on the inflammatory status of the individuals. Food-derived peptides have been demonstrated to exert several bioactivities by in vitro or animal studies. Their potential to be used as functional food is promising, considering the simplicity of their production and the high value of the products obtained. However, the number of human studies performed until now to demonstrate effects in vivo is still scarce. Several factors must be taken into consideration to carry out a high-quality human study to demonstrate immunomodulatory-promoting properties of a test item. This review aims to summarize the recent human studies published in which the purpose was to demonstrate bioactivity of protein hydrolysates, highlighting the main results and the limitations that can restrict the relevance of the studies. Results collected are promising, although in some studies, physiological changes could not be observed. When responses were observed, they sometimes did not refer to relevant parameters and the immunomodulatory properties could not be clearly established with the current evidence. Well-designed clinical trials are needed in order to evaluate the role of protein hydrolysates in immunonutrition.
Encouraging (Nudging) People to Increase Their Fluid Intake
Authors: Spence Charles
Published: June 2023

This narrative historical review considers the various routes to nudging consumers towards drinking more, given self-reported evidence that many people are often not adequately hydrated. This review builds on the related notion of ‘visual hunger’. Interestingly, however, while many desirable foods are associated with distinctive sensory qualities (such as an appetizing smell), that may capture the consumer’s (visual) attention, it is less clear that there is an equivalent sensory attentional capture by hydration-related cues. One of the other important differences between satiety and thirst is that people tend to overconsume if they use interoceptive satiety cues to decide when to stop eating, while the evidence suggests that people typically stop drinking prior to being adequately hydrated. What is more, the increasing amount of time we spend in consistently warm indoor environments may also be exacerbating our need to drink more. A number of concrete suggestions are made concerning how people may be encouraged (or nudged) to imbibe sufficient water.
Short-Term Axial Length Changes in Myopic Eyes Induced by Defocus Spectacles for Myopia Control
Authors: Iribarren Rafael , Szeps Abel , Kotlik Carlos , Laurencio Liliana , De Tomas MartÍn , Impagliazzo Ricardo , Martin Gabriel
Published: June 2023

Background. This study tested short-term axial length changes with Lenstar using a simple peripheral plus-add spectacle design. Methods. The subjects for this study were current users of monofocal glasses or contact lenses, aged 18–25 years, with myopic spherical refractions ranging from −1.00 to −5.00 diopters in both eyes. This study tested subjects while using a pair of special defocus spectacles that possess a central zone with the distance myopic correction and a peripheral zone with +3.50 added diopters. The procedure consisted of reading an online book with black letters on white background on a desktop computer, in two periods—one with the usual spectacles and the second with special defocus spectacles. Before and after these periods, 10 axial length measurements of the right eye were made with Lenstar and averaged up to three decimal points. Results. Seventeen subjects (thirteen female and four male; mean age 22.3 ± 5.5 years) participated in this study. The mean spherical equivalent of their right eye was −2.31 ± 1.06 diopters. There was a significant difference of +8.1 microns which increased the axial length from baseline when reading the usual prescription levels during the first 40 min period. When subjects read in the same situation with the defocus spectacles, the axial length significantly returned to baseline measurements, which were shortened by −10.6 microns. Conclusions. The decrease in axial length with these spectacles might indicate an effect on axial elongation signals from the choroid. These spectacles could be tested for myopia control purposes.
Polarimetric Images of Biological Tissues Based on the Arrow Decomposition of Mueller Matrices
Authors: Gil José J. , San José Ignacio , Canabal-Carbia Mónica , Estévez Irene , González-Arnay Emilio , Luque Jordi , Garnatje Teresa , Campos Juan , Lizana Angel
Published: June 2023

Polarimetric techniques are widely used in a vast number of applications such as remote sensing, material characterization, astronomy and biological tissue inspection. In this last scenario, different polarimetric observables have proved their potential for enhancing imaging visualization. In this work we use a set of polarimetric observables derived from the arrow decomposition of the Mueller matrix for the first time: enpolarizing, retarding and depolarizing descriptors. In particular, the mean intensity coefficient and the three indices of polarimetric purity, the absolute values and Poincaré orientations of diattenuation, polarizance, entrance retardance and exit retardance vectors are considered. Results show images with enhanced visualization or even revealing invisible structures when compared to standard intensity images. In particular, thanks to these metrics, we improve the visualization of the necrotic areas of a Vitis rupestris leaf. In the case of animal samples, boundaries between different fascicles inside a tendon of an ex vivo chicken sample are revealed, as is the directionality of fiber tracts of the subcortical white matter in an ex vivo cow brain. The experimental results show the potential for biophotonics imaging and how polarimetric techniques could be useful for biomedical and botanical applications.
Interaction of Polyphenylsilsesquioxane with Various β-Diketonate Complexes of Titanium by Mechanochemical Activation
Authors: Libanov Vitalii , Kapustina Alevtina , Shapkin Nikolay , Tarabanova Anna , Rumina Anna
Published: June 2023

In the present work, we studied the interaction of polyphenylsilsesquioxane with various β-diketonate complexes of titanium by mechanochemical activation. Polyphenylsilsesquioxane, bis-(2,4-pentanedionate) titanium dichloride, bis-(1-phenyl-1,3-butanedionate) titanium dichloride, and bis-(1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanedionate) titanium dichloride were used as starting reagents. Various chemical and physicochemical methods of analysis were used to study the synthesis products. The composition of the obtained compounds has been determined. It is shown that under conditions of mechanochemical activation, high-molecular-weight products with a Si/Ti ratio different from the specified ones are formed. In addition, under the action of mechanical stresses, the initial titanium complexes (except for acetylacetonate complex) polymerize with the formation of coordination of high-molecular-weight compounds, which are destroyed by the addition of ethyl alcohol. It has been established that with an increase in the volume of the organic ligand, titanium atoms enter the polymer siloxane chain to a lesser extent. This work is aimed at finding efficient and environmentally friendly methods for the synthesis and modification of organometallic macromolecular compounds.
Biocompounds from Green Algae of Romanian Black Sea Coast as Potential Nutraceuticals
Authors: Cadar Emin , Negreanu-Pirjol Ticuta , Sirbu Rodica , Dragan Ana-Maria Laura , Negreanu-Pirjol Bogdan-Stefan , Axente Elena Roxana , Ionescu Ana-Maria
Published: June 2023

Three green algae, collected from the Romanian Black Sea coast, are studied: Ulva lactuca, Enteromorpha intestinalis, and Cladophora vagabunda, which were collected from six different coastal areas. This paper aims to identify the bioactive compounds of these green algae and their beneficial properties, in order to use them as potential nutraceuticals using different analytical methods. Pharmacognostic, microbiological, and physico-chemical methods used for the analysis of algal materials revealed a rich and diverse array of biocompounds with nutritional value. In the case of green algae, a high percentage of sulphates, carbohydrates and dietary fibers were identified. Moisture, ash, total nitrogen, protein and lipid contents were determined. The contents of pigments, vitamins, and metals determined complement the nutritional qualities of the three seaweed species studied as future nutraceuticals. The content of flavonoid and phenolic compounds identified in the composition of seaweeds justifies their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The antioxidant capacity was tested by means of DPPH, reducing power, and TEAC methods, and the algae studied exhibit important antioxidant properties that can be used to enhance their potential as nutraceuticals. The studied algae show good antibacterial activity on both Gram (+) and Gram (−) bacteria, with slightly better activity on Gram (−) bacteria. Biocompounds from green algae from the Black Sea coast may represent an important source of marine nutraceuticals with medical and nutritional potential.
Special Issue: Intelligent Control and Maintenance of Fluid Component and System
Authors: Zhu Yong , Zhou Tao , Gao Qiang , Yuan Xiaoming , Wang Chuan , Hu Bo
Published: June 2023

Fluid components and systems are major components of modern mechanical equipment and have been widely used in various fields such as engineering machinery, rotating machinery, and hydraulic machinery [...]
Recycling Silicon Waste from the Photovoltaic Industry to Prepare Yolk–Shell Si@void@C Anode Materials for Lithium–Ion Batteries
Authors: Ji Hengsong , Liu Zhijin , Li Xiang , Li Jun , Yan Zexuan , Tang Kai
Published: June 2023

Silicon is considered to have significant potential for anode materials in lithium–ion batteries (LIBs) with a theoretical specific capacity of 4200 mAh g−1. However, the development of commercial applications is impacted by the volume shift that happens in silicon when charging and discharging. In this paper, a yolk–shell–structured Si@void@C anode material has been developed to address this problem. The silicon nanoparticle yolk material is obtained by recycling kerf loss (KL) Si waste from the process of slicing silicon block casts into wafers in the photovoltaic industry; the carbon shell is prepared by a hydrothermal method with glucose, and the sacrificial interlayer is Al2O3. The produced material is employed in the production of anodes, exhibiting a reversible capacity of 836 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 100 cycles, accompanied by a Coulomb efficiency of 71.4%. This study demonstrates an economical way of transforming KL Si waste into materials with an enhanced value for LIBs.
Predicting Grassland Fire-Occurrence Probability in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
Authors: Chang Chang , Chang Yu , Xiong Zaiping , Ping Xiaoying , Zhang Heng , Guo Meng , Hu Yuanman
Published: June 2023

Fires greatly threaten the grassland ecosystem, human life, and economic development. However, since limited research focuses on grassland fire prediction, it is necessary to find a better method to predict the probability of grassland-fire occurrence. Multiple environmental variables impact fire occurrence. After selecting natural variables based on remote sensing data and anthropogenic variables, we built regression models of grassland fire probability, taking into account historical fire points and variables in Inner Mongolia. We arrived at three methods to identify grassland fire drivers and predict fire probability: global logistic regression, geographically weighted logistic regression, and random forest. According to the results, the random forest model had the best predictive effect. Nine variables selected by a geographically weighted logistic regression model exercised a spatially unbalanced influence on grassland fires. The three models all showed that meteorological factors and a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were of great importance to grassland fire occurrence. In Inner Mongolia, grassland fires occurring in different areas indicated varying responses to the influencing drivers, and areas that differed in their natural and geographical conditions had different fire-prevention periods. Thus, a grassland fire management strategy based on local conditions should be advocated, and existing fire-monitoring systems based on original meteorological factors should be improved by adding remote sensing data of grassland fuels to increase accuracy.