bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Boosting the Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO through the Incorporation of N-Doped for Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Hanif Md. , Kim Young , Ameen Sadia , Kim Hong , Kwac Lee
Published: April 2022

In the present work, we prepared N-doped ZnO by a facile chemical vapor deposition method and used it for the degradation of wastewater containing noxious rose bengal (RB) dye under visible-light stimulation. The as-prepared N-doped ZnO and the undoped ZnO (used as a control sample) were characterized by numerous spectroscopic and microscopic methods. These analyzing results confirmed the successful formation of the N-doped ZnO compound and it could be implemented for wastewater treatment. Interestingly, the N-doped ZnO material confirmed the maximum RB dye degradation efficiency (96.90%) and was shown to be 154% more efficient than undoped ZnO (62.95%) within 100 min of visible-light irradiation. The bandgap energy was considerably decreased after the incorporation of N onto the ZnO matrix compared to undoped ZnO. The improved photocatalytic performance is because of the reduction of bandgap energy, which suppressed the electron–hole pair recombination. In addition, a plausible photodegradation mechanism of RB dye was discussed employing N-doped ZnO under visible light. The findings show that our as-synthesized product can be used to eliminate contaminants, which provides a new avenue for effective implications.
Na0.76V6O15@Boron Carbonitride Nanotube Composites as Cathodes for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Capacitors
Authors: Xu Deqin , Jiang Hehe , Liang Zhenyan , Kong Zhen , Liu Shengfu , Deng Lequan , Shao Yongliang , Wu Yongzhong , Hao Xiaopeng
Published: April 2022

Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) are considered one of the most promising new-generation energy storage devices because they combine the advantages of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. However, the widely used commercial carbon cathode greatly limits the electrochemical performance of existing LICs due to its limited specific capacity. Improving the specific capacity of the cathode is one of the keys to solving this problem. To this end, the Na0.76V6O15 (NaVO)@boron carbonitride nanotube (BCNNT) cathode has been successfully synthesized via a facile solid phase reaction and hydrothermal reaction followed by annealing. Benefitting from the synergy between the high conductivity of BCNNTs and the high capacity of NaVO, the NaVO@BCN cathode exhibits excellent capacity and good cyclic stability. A LIC was assembled by a prefabricated NaVO@BCN cathode and a prelithiated commercial hard carbon (HC) anode. Notably, the NaVO@BCN−1//HC LIC delivered an energy density of 238.7 Wh kg−1 at 200 W kg−1 and still delivered 81.9 Wh kg−1 even at 20 kW kg−1. Therefore, our strategy provides a novel idea for designing high-performance LICs.
Early Adoption of Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients with Metastatic Gastric Adenocarcinoma—A Case Series of Non-Operative Long-Term Survivors
Authors: Kaakour Dalia , Ward Garrett , Dayyani Farshid
Published: April 2022

Checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy has only recently been introduced in the first-line treatment of advanced gastric cancer. However, later line monotherapy CPI efficacy in a subset of patients was presented about four years prior. Here, we present three cases of advanced gastric adenocarcinoma cancers treated with CPI in early lines years prior to the availability of randomized first line data. All three patients remain in remission without gastrectomy, with the median time from initial diagnosis of approximately 52 months. With long-term follow-up of more than four years, we present a proof of concept that, with early integration of CPI therapy, highly durable responses are possible even in the absence of surgery in patients with advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers.
Age of Information Minimization for Radio Frequency Energy-Harvesting Cognitive Radio Networks
Authors: Sun Juan , Zhang Shubin , Yang Changsong , Huang Liang
Published: April 2022

The Age of Information (AoI) measures the freshness of information and is a critic performance metric for time-sensitive applications. In this paper, we consider a radio frequency energy-harvesting cognitive radio network, where the secondary user harvests energy from the primary users’ transmissions and opportunistically accesses the primary users’ licensed spectrum to deliver the status-update data pack. We aim to minimize the AoI subject to the energy causality and spectrum constraints by optimizing the sensing and update decisions. We formulate the AoI minimization problem as a partially observable Markov decision process and solve it via dynamic programming. Simulation results verify that our proposed policy is significantly superior to the myopic policy under different parameter settings.
Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Driving Mechanical Transmission Fault Detection and Identification: A Model-Based Diagnosis Approach
Authors: Purbowaskito Widagdo , Wu Po-Yan , Lan Chen-Yang
Published: April 2022

This paper presents a model-based scheme for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) driving transmission fault detection and identification (FDI) in a steady-state condition. The proposed framework utilizes a PMSM state-space model and an approximated transmission model to construct the regression models for parameter estimation using the Recursive Least-Square (RLS) algorithm. The FDI are accomplished by the residual current spectrum thresholding method to assess the fault characteristic frequency magnitude and also by parameter clustering. Two types of mechanical transmission with three different fault conditions are tested in the experiments. As a preliminary effort in the condition monitoring of PMSM driving transmission, the study results demonstrate a promising approach by considering both residual current spectrum and parameter cluster, which achieved a satisfactory decision making in detecting and identifying the faulty condition.
Hybrid-Excited Permanent Magnet-Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Machine
Authors: Wardach Marcin , Prajzendanc Pawel , Palka Ryszard , Cierzniewski Kamil , Pstrokonski Rafal , Cichowicz Michal , Pacholski Szymon , Ciurus Jakub , Hao Chen
Published: April 2022

This paper presents the results of simulation tests of a unique hybrid-excited permanent magnet machine operating in in different working regimes. The common feature of analyzed machine is a presence of magnetic barriers in the rotor structure. Structurally, this machine combines the advantages of the PMa-SynRM machine (Permanent Magnet-assisted Synchronous Machine) and a wound synchronous machine. The paper presents, among other results, the voltage and torque characteristics as a function of the current in the stator and the additional DC control coil. Selected results of experimental studies are also shown.
Harris Hawks Optimization-Based Algorithm for STATCOM Voltage Regulation of Offshore Wind Farm Grid
Authors: Wang Ping-Kui , Liu Yu-Jen , Lin Jun-Tinn , Wang Zen-Wei , Cheng Hsu-Chih , Huang Bo-Xuan , Chang Gary W.
Published: April 2022

Wind energy is among the fastest-growing electric energy resources worldwide. As the electric power generated by wind turbines (WTs) varies, the WT-connected bus voltage fluctuates. This paper presents a study on implementing a swarm-based proportional and integral (PI) controller for GTO-STATCOM voltage regulator to mitigate the voltage fluctuation caused by the output variations of an offshore wind farm. The proposed swarm-based algorithm for the PI controller is Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO). Simulation results obtained by the HHO algorithm are compared with three other swarm-based algorithms and show that STATCOM with HHO-based PI controller can effectively regulate the WT-connected bus voltage under different wind power output conditions. It shows that the STATCOM compensation performance of the proposed algorithm is superior to that of the compared solutions in maintaining the stable WT-connected bus voltage.
Swept Blade Dynamic Investigations for a 100 kW Small Wind Turbine
Authors: Gözcü Ozan , Kim Taeseong , Verelst David Robert , McWilliam Michael K.
Published: April 2022

Most small–medium-sized turbine studies have focused on presenting new design methods and corresponding performance improvements rather than detailed dynamic investigations. This paper presents comprehensive dynamic investigations of a straight and a swept-back blade for a 100 kW turbine by performing modal analysis, dynamic load analysis, and flutter analysis. The considered load cases include steady wind and operational conditions under normal and extreme turbulence. Modal results show that although both blades have similar natural frequencies, their mode shapes are quite different due to the couplings in flapwise-torsion directions introduced by the back-swept geometry. This coupling alters the aeroelastic response of the blade, which results in different loads in the operational conditions. The load analysis results show that the blade damage equivalent fatigue loads for the swept blade are much lower (up to 29% for the flapwise bending moment and 31% for the edgewise bending moment) than the straight blade. For the ultimate loads, blade root edgewise load for the swept blade is almost 50% lower than the straight blade while the flapwise ultimate load is similar for both blades. Moreover, both blades have no aeroelastic instability near the operational conditions, and the flutter limit for the swept-back blade is lower than the straight blade.
Lignin Pellets for Advanced Thermochemical Process—From a Single Pellet System to a Laboratory-Scale Pellet Mill
Authors: Rueda Sergio Jaimes , Rego de Vasconcelos Bruna , Duret Xavier , Lavoie Jean-Michel
Published: April 2022

Lignin pellets were produced using a single pellet system as well as a laboratory-scale pellet mill. The feedstock used in this work was lignin isolated from poplar wood (Populus tremuloides) using a direct saccharification process. An investigation was performed on the influence of the initial moisture content on the dimensions, impact and water resistance, fines content, mechanical durability, calorific value, and ash content, and, finally, the ultimate analysis was performed. These properties were then compared to pellets made from softwood bark using the same pelletization unit. Lignin pellets were then manufactured using four different types of additives (corn oil, citric acid, glycerol, and d-xylose) and ultimately, they were stored in two different conditions prior being tested. In general, manufacturing pellets that were entirely made of lignin generated samples with an overall higher hydrophobicity and higher calorific value. However, the ash and sulfur content of the lignin pellets (1.58% and 0.32% in scenario 2, respectively) were slightly higher than the expected CANplus certification values for Grade A pellets of ≤0.7%, and ≤0.04%, respectively. This study intends to show that lignin could be used to produce this new kind of pellets, pending that the initial material has a low ash and moisture content.
Thermal Analysis of Dual-Axis-Direction Hybrid Excitation Generator for Electric Vehicles
Authors: Cao Yu , Zhu Shushu , Yu Junyue , Liu Chuang
Published: April 2022

Electric vehicle (EV) generators have characteristics of small volume and high power density, which leads to high temperature rise. The temperature rise will directly influence the service life and reliability of the generator, so thermal analysis of EV generators is necessary in machine design. This paper carries out thermal analysis of a dual-axis-direction hybrid excitation generator (DHEG) used in EVs. The lumped parameter thermal network (LPTN) method is used to build the three-dimensional thermal model of DHEG. Compared with finite element analysis, LPTN can significantly reduce the simulation time while ensuring a good accuracy. Then, the influence of heat dissipation rib on DHEG temperature rise is studied. The results prove that adding heat dissipation rib on the enclosure surface can effectively reduce the maximum temperature of DHEG.
Conjugate Heat Transfer Analysis of the Aero-Thermal Impact of Different Feeding Geometries for Internal Cooling in Lifetime Extension Processes for Heavy-Duty Gas Turbines
Authors: Laveneziana Lorenzo , Rosafio Nicola , Salvadori Simone , Misul Daniela , Baratta Mirko , Forno Luca , Valsania Massimo , Toppino Marco
Published: April 2022

Regulations from the European Union move towards a constant reduction of pollutant emissions to match the single-digit goal by 2050. Original equipment manufacturers propose newly designed components for the lifetime extension ofgGas turbines that both reduce emissions and allow for increasing thermodynamic performance by redesigning turbine cooling geometries and optimizing secondary air systems. The optimal design of internal cooling geometries allows for reducing both blade metal temperature and coolant mass-flow rates. In the present study, four different geometries of the region upstream from the blade’s internal cooling channels are investigated by using computational fluid dynamics with a conjugate heat transfer approach. The baseline configuration is compared to solutions that include turbulators, vanes, and a diffuser-like shapes. The impact of each solution on the blade metal temperature is thoroughly analysed. The diffuser-like solution allows for a more uniform distribution of the coolant and may reduce the metal temperature by 30% in the central part of the blade. There are also regions where the metal temperature increases up to 15%, thus requiring a specific thermal fatigue analysis. Eventually, the non-negligible impact of the coolant flow purged in the tip clearance region on the generation of the tip leakage vortex is described.
A Nature-Inspired Algorithm to Enable the E-Mobility Participation in the Ancillary Service Market
Authors: Falabretti Davide , Gulotta Francesco
Published: April 2022

In the present paper, a tool is proposed to optimally schedule the charging requests of a fleet of carsharing Electric Vehicles (EVs) in an urban area, to enable their participation in the Ancillary Service Market. The centralized scheduler minimizes the imbalance of an EV fleet with respect to the power commitment declared in the Day-Ahead Market, providing also tertiary reserve and power balance control to the grid. The regulation is carried out by optimizing the initial charging time of each vehicle, according to a deadline set by the carsharing operator. To this purpose, a nature-inspired optimization is adopted, implementing innovative hybridizations of the Artificial Bee Colony algorithm. The e-mobility usage is simulated through a topology-aware stochastic model based on carsharing usage in Milan (Italy) and the Ancillary Services requests are modeled by real data from the Italian electricity market. The numerical simulations performed confirmed the effectiveness of the approach in identifying a suitable schedule for the charging requests of a large EV fleet (up to 3200 units), with acceptable computational effort. The benefits on the economic sustainability of the E-carsharing fleet given by the participation in the electricity market are also confirmed by an extensive sensitivity analysis.
Performance Evaluation of Solar-Powered Atmospheric Water Harvesting Using Different Glazing Materials in the Tropical Built Environment: An Experimental Study
Authors: Al-Duais Husam S. , Ismail Muhammad Azzam , Awad Zakaria Alcheikh Mahmoud , Al-Obaidi Karam M.
Published: April 2022

Water scarcity is a global issue, and its severity is expected to worsen in the near future, prompting further efforts to find new sources of freshwater. Solar-Powered Atmospheric Water Harvesting (SPAWH) is a promising passive approach for atmospheric water generation. This study aims to examine the thermal performance of different glazing materials and water production in SPAWH. The research consists of two phases: a laboratory test of various glazing materials and an experimental study to assess system efficiency in producing water in the tropics. The preliminary results indicated that glass demonstrated better thermal performance than acrylic in the lab, with higher thermal conductivity and less heat loss. The experimental findings showed that the maximum water produced by the proposed SPAWH (60 cm length, 60 cm width and 30 cm height) placed on a 30° tilt angle using glass (3 mm) and acrylic (3 mm) was 0.61 L/m2/day and 0.44 L/m2/day, respectively. The cost analysis revealed that produced water costs $0.18/kg for glass and $0.40/kg for acrylic, respectively. Atmospheric water could be harvested using SPAWH in the tropics, which would help to provide new opportunities for sustainable water supplies and development in these regions.
Construction of Smart Grid Load Forecast Model by Edge Computing
Authors: Pang Xudong , Lu Xiangchen , Ding Hao , Guerrero Josep
Published: April 2022

This research aims to minimize the unnecessary resource consumption by intelligent Power Grid Systems (PGSs). Edge Computing (EC) technology is used to forecast PGS load and optimize the PGS load forecasting model. Following a literature review of EC and Internet of Things (IoT)-native edge devices, an intelligent PGS-oriented Resource Management Scheme (RMS) and PGS load forecasting model are proposed based on task offloading. Simultaneously, an online delay-aware power Resource Allocation Algorithm (RAA) is developed for EC architecture. Finally, comparing three algorithms corroborate that the system overhead decreases significantly with the model iteration. From the 40th iteration, the system overhead stabilizes. Moreover, given no more than 50 users, the average user delay of the proposed delay-aware power RAA is less than 13 s. The average delay of the proposed algorithm is better than that of the other two algorithms. This research contributes to optimizing intelligent PGS in smart cities and improving power transmission efficiency.
Thermodynamic, Exergetic and Thermoeconomic Analyses of Double-Effect LiBr–Water Absorption Refrigeration Systems with a 5 kW High Temperature PEMFC as Heat Source for Data Center Applications
Authors: Seo Seok-Ho , Oh Si-Doek , Kwak Ho-Young
Published: April 2022

Thermodynamic, exergetic and thermoeconomic analyses were performed on two types of double-effect LiBr–water absorption refrigeration systems (ARS) for use with a 5-kW high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) as a heat source. Proper temperatures of the high-pressure generator, combined generator and condenser, condenser, absorber and evaporator were determined to meet the requirements of constant cooling demands for data center operations. The heat balance of the combined unit of generator and condenser in the industrial double-effect LiBr-water ARS is important for determining the flow rate of the primary vapor refrigerant from the high-pressure generator. The industrial double-effect ARS system, whose analysis has not been studied analytically, outperformed the series double-effect system and provided 6.5 kW of cooling capacity with a coefficient of performance of 0.99. The unit cost of chilled water estimated by the modified productive structure analysis (MOPSA) method is approximately 7.18 USD/GJ (=0.026 US$/kWh). Effective exergetic efficiency of HT-PEMFC with the industrial ARS increases to 57.6% from 47.0%.
Topology Review of Three-Phase Two-Level Transformerless Photovoltaic Inverters for Common-Mode Voltage Reduction
Authors: Duong Truong-Duy , Nguyen Minh-Khai , Tran Tan-Tai , Vo Dai-Van , Lim Young-Cheol , Choi Joon-Ho
Published: April 2022

In grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems, a transformer is needed to achieve the galvanic isolation and voltage ratio transformations. Nevertheless, these traditional configurations of transformers increase the weight, size, and cost of the inverter while decreasing the efficiency and power density. The transformerless topologies have become a good solution. However, the problem is that commode-mode voltage and leakage current can occur via the stray capacitors between the PV array and the ground of the inverter. Various transformerless inverters have been introduced with different techniques, such as reducing the common-mode voltage or eliminating the leakage current. Furthermore, to introduce the development of transformerless PV inverters, especially in three-phase two-level inverter systems, this paper provides a comprehensive review of various common-mode voltage reduction three-phase two-level inverters.
Heat Transfer Enhancement Using Micro Porous Structured Surfaces
Authors: Zhang Kai , Jin Haichuan
Published: April 2022

The parabolic trough solar collector as a popular technique is widely used in solar concentrating technologies (SCTs). The solar absorber tube is the key position of the trough solar thermal power system. The internal modification of the absorber tube is one of the most interesting techniques for increasing the collector’s performance. At present, most of the methods to enhance heat transfer efficiency focus on designing alternative parabolic trough collectors (PTC) absorbers and improving the internal structure of absorption tubes. Due to the limitation of temperature range, most absorption tubes use oil as heat absorbing liquid, and very few heat absorbing tubes directly use water as working fluid. This is because water is limited by critical heat flux in high temperature environment, resulting in low heat transfer performance. In this work, we designed a new porous absorber tube with the function of allowing liquid resupply and vapor overflow from different paths, which can effectively improve the critical heat flux of the absorber tube when using distilled water as working fluid. In order to obtain better heat transfer performance of the absorber and verify the feasibility of vapor–liquid separation mechanism, a simplified model of the absorber was carried out in pool boiling. In this work, we fabricated an arterial porous structure with the function of regulating vapor–liquid flow path based on vacuum sintering technique, and the effect of different heating methods on boiling heat transfer performance are analyzed. The maximum heat flux of 450 W/cm2 was achieved without any dry-out at the superheat of 42 °C, and the unique evaporation/boiling curve was obtained.
Agriculture 5.0: A New Strategic Management Mode for a Cut Cost and an Energy Efficient Agriculture Sector
Authors: Ragazou Konstantina , Garefalakis Alexandros , Zafeiriou Eleni , Passas Ioannis
Published: April 2022

The farmers’ welfare and its interlinkages to energy efficiency and farm sustainability has attracted global scientific interest within the last few decades. This study examines the contribution of Agriculture 5.0 to the prosperity of the farmers in the post-pandemic era and the gradual transition to an energy-smart farm. To obtain an insight into the attributes of Agriculture 5.0 and the emerging technologies in the field, Bibliometrix analysis with the use of an R package was conducted based on 2000 data consisting of peer-reviewed articles. The data were retrieved from the Scopus database. A bibliometric approach was employed to analyze the data for a comprehensive overview of the trend, thematic focus, and scientific production in the field of Agriculture 5.0 and energy-smart farming. Emerging technologies that are part of Agriculture 5.0 in combination with alternative energy sources can provide cost-effective access to finance, weather updates, remotely monitoring, and future energy solutions for the establishment of smart farms. Keywords such as “renewable energy,” “Internet of Things,” and “emission control” remain the trending keywords. Moreover, thematic analysis shows that “economic and social effects”, “energy efficiency”, “remote sensing”, and “Artificial Intelligence” with their associated components such as “anaerobic digestion”, “wireless sensor network,” “agricultural robots”, and “smart agriculture” are the niche themes of Agriculture 5.0 in combination with green energy sources, which can lead to the cut cost, energy-efficient, and sustainable energy-smart farms.
Building Semantic Knowledge Graphs from (Semi-)Structured Data: A Review
Authors: Ryen Vetle , Soylu Ahmet , Roman Dumitru
Published: April 2022

Knowledge graphs have, for the past decade, been a hot topic both in public and private domains, typically used for large-scale integration and analysis of data using graph-based data models. One of the central concepts in this area is the Semantic Web, with the vision of providing a well-defined meaning to information and services on the Web through a set of standards. Particularly, linked data and ontologies have been quite essential for data sharing, discovery, integration, and reuse. In this paper, we provide a systematic literature review on knowledge graph creation from structured and semi-structured data sources using Semantic Web technologies. The review takes into account four prominent publication venues, namely, Extended Semantic Web Conference, International Semantic Web Conference, Journal of Web Semantics, and Semantic Web Journal. The review highlights the tools, methods, types of data sources, ontologies, and publication methods, together with the challenges, limitations, and lessons learned in the knowledge graph creation processes.
Numerical Analysis for Augmentation of Thermal Performance of Single-Phase Flow in Microchannel Heat Sink of Different Sizes with or without Micro-Inserts
Authors: Kumar Shailesh Ranjan , Singh Satyendra
Published: April 2022

With the development of miniaturized and enormous heat density generating novel technologies, the microchannel heat sink is rapidly establishing itself in modern cooling fields. Enhancement of heat transfer performance of microchannels is done by incorporating improved design structure, changing working fluids and flow conditions, using different materials for fabrication, etc. Coupling of two parameters influencing heat transfer performance of microchannels is in a nascent age, and complex coupling of heat transfer influencing parameters of microchannel sinks has not been clearly understood yet. This study provides the thermal-fluid flow features–fluid flow characteristics and heat transfer characteristics- of single-phase flow in microchannel of different sizes with or without microinserts by the use of computational fluid dynamics. The numerical simulation is performed by employing distilled water with thermophysical properties that depends on temperature for the Reynolds number range of 56–2242. The effect of microinserts on characteristics of fluid flow and heat transfer is analyzed. The results of numerical analysis show that heat transfer performance in microchannel with microinserts is enhanced effectively, however resistance in fluid flow is increased simultaneously. The 0.5 mm microchannel with microinserts shows the best performance of heat transfer characteristics with enhancement of 1–9% in the Reynolds number range of 56–2242 with simultaneous maximum increase in pressure drop by 14.5%. It’s overall performance, evaluated by thermal performance factor, is found to be best among all cases of three different channel sizes with and without microinserts. The maximum enhancement of heat transfer is found to be in case of 0.5 mm channel size with microinserts by a factor of 1.09. The maximum pressure drop is increased is found to be by factor of 2.28 in case of 2 mm channel size with microinserts.
Chemical vs. Enzymatic Refining to Produce Peanut Oil for Edible Use or to Obtain a Sustainable and Cost-Effective Protector for Stored Grains against Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Macaluso Monica , Farina Priscilla , Rossi Linda , Bianchi Alessandro , Venturi Francesca , Chiriboga Ortega Rodrigo Daniel , Bedini Stefano , Conti Barbara , Guidi Luca , Zinnai Angela
Published: April 2022

Among the various existing techniques, enzymatic degumming represents a process that is establishing itself as a valid alternative to the more classic chemical processes. Moreover, vegetable oils of various origins have been gaining more consideration as sustainable and affordable protectants for cereals and pulses against the attack of several insect pests. Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the key pests of cereal crops in the field and in stored and processed cereal products. Based on these highlighted issues, the overall aim of this research was twofold: (i) firstly, the effectiveness of the enzymatic degumming process was evaluated through the use of three different enzymes in order to verify the possible industrial application within the SALOV company as an alternative to the conventional chemical process; (ii) in a second phase, the possible use of the innovative refined oils was explored for sustainable stored grain protection towards S. zeamais. The results obtained confirm the strong possibility of applying the enzymatic process, which is innovative and, in a chemical way, more sustainable than the classical one. Regarding the toxicity towards S. zeamais, the crude peanut oil and the chemically refined peanut oil had lower LC50 values (1.836 and 1.372 g kg−1, respectively) than the oils rectified through enzymatic degumming (LC50 from 2.453 to 4.076 g kg−1), and, therefore, they can be suggested as sustainable stored grain protectants.
Biochemical and Microstructural Properties of Lizardfish (Saurida tumbil) Scale Collagen Extracted with Various Organic Acids
Authors: Jaziri Abdul Aziz , Shapawi Rossita , Mokhtar Ruzaidi Azli Mohd , Noordin Wan Norhana Md. , Huda Nurul
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this research was to extract collagen from the scales of lizardfish (Saurida tumbil) using various acids. Acetic acid-extracted collagen (AScC) produced a higher yield (1.8 mg/g) than lactic acid-extracted collagen (LScC) and citric acid-extracted collagen (CScC) although not significantly different (p > 0.05). All extracted collagens were categorized as type I collagens with the presence of alpha chains (α1 and α2) based on the SDS-PAGE profiles. The triple-helical structure of the collagen was maintained in the AScC, LScC, and CScC as confirmed by the FTIR spectra. The UV-vis and X-ray diffraction spectra observed in all collagens were in agreement with previous work on fish scale and calfskin (commercial) collagens. The thermal stability of AScC (Tmax = 31.61 °C) was greater than LScC (Tmax = 30.86 °C) and CScC (Tmax = 30.88 °C). The microstructure of acid-extracted collagens was characterized as complex, fibrous, and multilayered, with irregular sheet-like structures. All samples were highly soluble in acidic pH (1.0–4.0) and in low concentrations of NaCl (0–20 g/L). In conclusion, the lizardfish scale collagen, particularly AScC, may be used as an alternative to terrestrial animal collagen.
Fabrication of Self-Oscillating Gels by Polymer Crosslinking Method and Analysis on Their Autonomous Swelling-Deswelling Behaviors
Authors: Sato Komi , Enomoto Takafumi , Akimoto Aya M. , Yoshida Ryo
Published: April 2022

We have developed a new methodology for fabricating self-oscillating gels by a post-polymerization crosslinking. The method enables us to make the self-oscillating gels easily just by mixing two kinds of polymer solutions at room temperature with fast gelation. Moreover, the polymer crosslinking method has the advantage that the self-oscillating gels could be fabricated from well-defined linear polymers. We revealed that the dynamic swelling-deswelling behavior of the gels was simply affected by the net amount of the catalyst for the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction in the whole gels, although the equilibrium swelling behavior was influenced by the properties of the constituent linear polymers. Our results offer the opportunity to access the origin of the dynamic and equilibrium behavior of materials by the hierarchical assembly as well as enable easy microfabrication of the self-oscillating gel.
Effects of Elevated Temperature and Salicylic Acid on Heat Shock Response and Growth of Potato Microplants
Authors: Rudić Jelena , Pantelić Danijel , Oljača Jasmina , Momčilović Ivana
Published: April 2022

Potato is a globally important, highly heat-susceptible crop species. We investigated the effects of prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures and exogenous salicylic acid (SA) on microplant growth and heat-shock response (HSR) in three unrelated potato genotypes/cultivars. Long-term exposure to 29 °C (mild heat stress) caused a significant reduction in the number of surviving explants and shoot morphometric parameters in heat-sensitive genotypes, while exposure to 26 °C (warming) caused only a decline in shoot growth. Interestingly, 26 °C-temperature treatment stimulated root growth in some investigated genotypes, indicating a difference between favorable temperatures for potato shoot and root growth. SA showed a protective effect regarding potato shoot growth at 26 °C. At 29 °C, this effect was genotype-dependent. SA did not affect the number of roots and inhibited root elongation at all temperature treatments, indicating the difference between shoot and root responses to applied SA concentration. Although HSR is mainly considered rapid and short-lived, elevated transcript levels of most investigated HSFs and HSPs were detected after three weeks of heat stress. Besides, two StHSFs and StHSP21 showed elevated expression at 26 °C, indicating extreme potato heat-susceptibility and significance of HSR during prolonged warming. SA effects on HSFs and HSPs expression were minor and alterable.
Assessment of Hydrological Processes in an Ungauged Catchment in Eritrea
Authors: Baioni Elisa , Porta Giovanni Michele , Cattaneo Nelly , Guadagnini Alberto
Published: April 2022

This study investigates the surface processes taking place in an ungauged catchment in the Foro region in Eritrea (East Africa). We focus on estimating river discharge, sediment transport, and surface runoff to characterize hydrological fluxes in the area and provide a preliminary quantification of sediment transport and erosion. In this context, an overarching objective of the research is the study of the catchment associated with the Foro Dam. The latter comprises a silted reservoir formerly employed for agricultural water supply. The main traits associated with the system behavior across the watershed are assessed for a variety of combinations of the parameters governing the hydrological model selected. A detailed sensitivity analysis is performed to quantify the effects of the hydrological parameters on the estimated results. Numerical analyses are then performed to obtain an appraisal of expected water and sediment fluxes. Outputs of interest are largely dominated by the curve number parameter.
STN7 Kinase Is Essential for Arabidopsis thaliana Fitness under Prolonged Darkness but Not under Dark-Chilling Conditions
Authors: Węgrzyn Anna , Krysiak Małgorzata , Kulik Anna , Gieczewska Katarzyna B. , Mazur Radosław
Published: April 2022

Reversible phosphorylation of photosystem II light harvesting complexes (LHCII) is a well-established protective mechanism enabling efficient response to changing light conditions. However, changes in LHCII phosphorylation were also observed in response to abiotic stress regardless of photoperiod. This study aimed to investigate the impact of dark-chilling on LHCII phosphorylation pattern in chilling-tolerant Arabidopsis thaliana and to check whether the disturbed LHCII phosphorylation process will impact the response of Arabidopsis to the dark-chilling conditions. We analyzed the pattern of LHCII phosphorylation, the organization of chlorophyll–protein complexes, and the level of chilling tolerance by combining biochemical and spectroscopy techniques under dark-chilling and dark conditions in Arabidopsis mutants with disrupted LHCII phosphorylation. Our results show that during dark-chilling, LHCII phosphorylation decreased in all examined plant lines and that no significant differences in dark-chilling response were registered in tested lines. Interestingly, after 24 h of darkness, a high increase in LHCII phosphorylation was observed, co-occurring with a significant FV/FM parameter decrease. The highest drop of FV/FM was detected in the stn7-1 line–mutant, where the LHCII is not phosphorylated, due to the lack of STN7 kinase. Our results imply that STN7 kinase activity is important for mitigating the adverse effects of prolonged darkness.
Hybrid Core-Shell Polymer Scaffold for Bone Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Sartore Luciana , Pasini Chiara , Pandini Stefano , Dey Kamol , Ferrari Marco , Taboni Stefano , Chan Harley H. L. , Townson Jason , Viswanathan Sowmya , Mathews Smitha , Gilbert Ralph W. , Irish Jonathan C. , Re Federica , Nicolai Piero , Russo Domenico
Published: April 2022

A great promise for tissue engineering is represented by scaffolds that host stem cells during proliferation and differentiation and simultaneously replace damaged tissue while maintaining the main vital functions. In this paper, a novel process was adopted to develop composite scaffolds with a core-shell structure for bone tissue regeneration, in which the core has the main function of temporary mechanical support, and the shell enhances biocompatibility and provides bioactive properties. An interconnected porous core was safely obtained, avoiding solvents or other chemical issues, by blending poly(lactic acid), poly(ε-caprolactone) and leachable superabsorbent polymer particles. After particle leaching in water, the core was grafted with a gelatin/chitosan hydrogel shell to create a cell-friendly bioactive environment within its pores. The physicochemical, morphological, and mechanical characterization of the hybrid structure and of its component materials was carried out by means of infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical testing under different loading conditions. These hybrid polymer devices were found to closely mimic both the morphology and the stiffness of bones. In addition, in vitro studies showed that the core-shell scaffolds are efficiently seeded by human mesenchymal stromal cells, which remain viable, proliferate, and are capable of differentiating towards the osteogenic phenotype if adequately stimulated.
Probing and Manipulating the Lateral Pressure Profile in Lipid Bilayers Using Membrane-Active Peptides—A Solid-State 19F NMR Study
Authors: Grage Stephan L. , Afonin Sergii , Ieronimo Marco , Berditsch Marina , Wadhwani Parvesh , Ulrich Anne S.
Published: April 2022

The lateral pressure profile constitutes an important physical property of lipid bilayers, influencing the binding, insertion, and function of membrane-active peptides, such as antimicrobial peptides. In this study, we demonstrate that the lateral pressure profile can be manipulated using the peptides residing in different regions of the bilayer. A 19F-labeled analogue of the amphiphilic peptide PGLa was used to probe the lateral pressure at different depths in the membrane. To evaluate the lateral pressure profile, we measured the orientation of this helical peptide with respect to the membrane using solid-state 19F-NMR, which is indicative of its degree of insertion into the bilayer. Using this experimental approach, we observed that the depth of insertion of the probe peptide changed in the presence of additional peptides and, furthermore, correlated with their location in the membrane. In this way, we obtained a tool to manipulate, as well as to probe, the lateral pressure profile in membranes.
Highly Tough, Stretchable and Self-Healing Polyampholyte Elastomers with Dual Adhesiveness
Authors: Yin Pengfei , Liu Yang , Huang Dan , Zhang Chao
Published: April 2022

A new type of polyampholyte with unique viscoelastic properties can be easily synthesized by the copolymerization of butyl acrylate with dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and acid acrylate in one pot. The elastic modulus of the as-prepared polyampholyte can be easily tuned by adjusting the ratio between the butyl acrylate and ionic monomers. The polyampholyte synthesized by a low proportion of ionic monomer showed low tensile strength and high stretchability, resulting in good conformal compliance with the biological tissues and potent energy dissipation. Due to the existence of high-intensity reversible ionic bonds in the polymer matrix, excellent self-recovery and self-healing properties were achieved on the as-prepared polyampholytes. By combining the high Coulombic interaction and interfacial energy dissipation, tough adhesiveness was obtained for the polyampholyte on various substrates. This new type of polyampholyte may have important applications in adhesives, packaging and tissue engineering.
Ac/Ds-Induced Receptor-like Kinase Genes Deletion Provides Broad-Spectrum Resistance to Bacterial Blight in Rice
Authors: Mei Qiong , Fu Yu Wen , Li Tian Miao , Xuan Yuan Hu
Published: April 2022

Rice bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) seriously affects rice yield production. The discovery and application of broad-spectrum resistance genes are of great advance for disease resistance breeding. Previously, we identified that multiple receptor-like kinase (RLK) family gene deletions induced by the Ac/Ds system resulted in a lesion mimic symptom. In this study, the mutant #29 showed that this lesion mimic symptom was isolated. Further analysis identified that four RLK genes (RLK19-22) were deleted in the #29 mutant. The #29 mutant exhibited broad-spectrum resistance to Xoo and subsequent analyses identified that pathogenesis-related genes PR1a, PBZ1, and cellular H2O2 levels were significantly induced in the mutant compared to wild-type plants. A genetic analysis revealed that reconstruction of RLK20, RLK21, or RLK22 rescued the lesion mimic symptom of the #29 mutant, indicating that these three RLKs are responsible for broad-spectrum resistance in rice. Further yeast two hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays demonstrated that RLK20 interacts with RBOHB, which is a ROS producer in plants. Compared to wild-type plants, the #29 mutant was more, while #29/RLK20ox was less, susceptible to MV (methyl-viologen), an ROS inducer. Co-expression of RLK20 and RBOHB reduced RBOHB-promoted H2O2 accumulation in the cells. Taken together, our research indicated that the RLKs may inhibit RBOHB activity to negatively regulate rice resistance to Xoo. These results provide the theoretical basis and valuable information about the target genes necessary for the successful breeding of rice cultivars resistant to bacterial blight.
Monitoring Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Ripening Progression through Candidate Gene Expression Analysis
Authors: García-Gómez Beatriz E. , Salazar Juan A. , Egea Jose A. , Rubio Manuel , Martínez-Gómez Pedro , Ruiz David
Published: April 2022

This study aimed at the monitoring of the apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) ripening progression through the expression analysis of 25 genes related to fruit quality traits in nine cultivars with great differences in fruit color and ripening date. The level of pigment compounds, such as anthocyanins and carotenoids, is a key factor in food taste, and is responsible for the reddish blush color or orange skin and flesh color in apricot fruit, which are desirable quality traits in apricot breeding programs. The construction of multiple linear regression models to predict anthocyanins and carotenoids content from gene expression allows us to evaluate which genes have the strongest influence over fruit color, as these candidate genes are key during biosynthetic pathways or gene expression regulation, and are responsible for the final fruit phenotype. We propose the gene CHS as the main predictor for anthocyanins content, CCD4 and ZDS for carotenoids content, and LOX2 and MADS-box for the beginning and end of the ripening process in apricot fruit. All these genes could be applied as RNA markers to monitoring the ripening stage and estimate the anthocyanins and carotenoids content in apricot fruit during the ripening process.
The Endolysosomal System: The Acid Test for SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Cesar-Silva Daniella , Pereira-Dutra Filipe S. , Moraes Giannini Ana Lucia Moraes , Jacques G. de Almeida Cecília Jacques G.
Published: April 2022

This review aims to describe and discuss the different functions of the endolysosomal system, from homeostasis to its vital role during viral infections. We will initially describe endolysosomal system’s main functions, presenting recent data on how its compartments are essential for host defense to explore later how SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) and other coronaviruses subvert these organelles for their benefit. It is clear that to succeed, pathogens’ evolution favored the establishment of ways to avoid, escape, or manipulate lysosomal function. The unavoidable coexistence with such an unfriendly milieu imposed on viruses the establishment of a vast array of strategies to make the most out of the invaded cell’s machinery to produce new viruses and maneuvers to escape the host’s defense system.
AGEomics Biomarkers and Machine Learning—Realizing the Potential of Protein Glycation in Clinical Diagnostics
Authors: Rabbani Naila
Published: April 2022

Protein damage by glycation, oxidation and nitration is a continuous process in the physiological system caused by reactive metabolites associated with dicarbonyl stress, oxidative stress and nitrative stress, respectively. The term AGEomics is defined as multiplexed quantitation of spontaneous modification of proteins damage and other usually low-level modifications associated with a change of structure and function—for example, citrullination and transglutamination. The method of quantitation is stable isotopic dilution analysis liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This provides robust quantitation of normal and damaged or modified amino acids concurrently. AGEomics biomarkers have been used in diagnostic algorithms using machine learning methods. In this review, I describe the utility of AGEomics biomarkers and provide evidence why these are close to the phenotype of a condition or disease compared to other metabolites and metabolomic approaches and how to train and test algorithms for clinical diagnostic and screening applications with high accuracy, sensitivity and specificity using machine learning approaches.
Aluminium Nanoparticles as Efficient Adjuvants Compared to Their Microparticle Counterparts: Current Progress and Perspectives
Authors: Nazarizadeh Ali , Staudacher Alexander H. , Wittwer Nicole L. , Turnbull Tyron , Brown Michael P. , Kempson Ivan
Published: April 2022

Aluminium (Al) compounds are used as adjuvants in human and veterinary prophylactic vaccines due to their improved tolerability compared to other adjuvants. These Al-based adjuvants form microparticles (MPs) of heterogeneous sizes ranging from ~0.5 to 10 µm and generally induce type 2 (Th2)-biased immune responses. However, recent literature indicates that moving from micron dimension particles toward the nanoscale can modify the adjuvanticity of Al towards type 1 (Th1) responses, which can potentially be exploited for the development of vaccines for which Th1 immunity is crucial. Specifically, in the context of cancer treatments, Al nanoparticles (Al-NPs) can induce a more balanced (Th1/Th2), robust, and durable immune response associated with an increased number of cytotoxic T cells compared to Al-MPs, which are more favourable for stimulating an oncolytic response. In this review, we compare the adjuvant properties of Al-NPs to those of Al-MPs in the context of infectious disease vaccines and cancer immunotherapy and provide perspectives for future research.