bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Techno-Economic Assessment of Solid–Liquid Biogas Treatment Plants for the Agro-Industrial Sector
Authors: Hernández Regalado Roberto Eloy , Häner Jurek , Brügging Elmar , Tränckner Jens
Published: June 2022

The urgent need to meet climate goals provides unique opportunities to promote small-scale farm anaerobic digesters that valorize on-site wastes for producing renewable electricity and heat, thereby cushioning agribusinesses against energy perturbations. This study explored the economic viability of mono-digestion of cow manure (CWM) and piglet manure (PM) in small manured-based 99 kWel plants using three treatment schemes (TS): (1) typical agricultural biogas plant, (2) a single-stage expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor, and (3) a multistage EGSB with a continuous stirred tank reactor. The economic evaluation attempted to take advantage of the financial incentives provided by The Renewable Energy Sources Act in Germany. To evaluate these systems, batch tests on raw and solid substrate fractions were conducted. For the liquid fraction, data of continuous tests obtained in a laboratory was employed. The economical evaluation was based on the dynamic indicators of net present value and internal return rate (IRR). Sensitivity analyses of the electricity and heat selling prices and hydraulic retention time were also performed. Furthermore, an incremental analysis of IRR was conducted to determine the most profitable alternative. The most influential variable was electricity selling price, and the most profitable alternatives were TS1 (CWM) > TS1 (PM) > TS3 (CWM). However, further studies on co-digestion using TS3 are recommended because this scheme potentially provides the greatest technical flexibility and highest environmental sustainability.
Experimental Study of a Hybrid Solar Collector Using TiO2/Water Nanofluids
Authors: Elangovan Muniyandy , Srimanickam Baskaran , Čep Robert , Saranya Amirtharajan , Ramachandran Manickam
Published: June 2022

A case study of solar collector outdoor test of the experimental technique conducted at Avadi, Chennai. To lower the temperature of solar PV panels, water, and water-based nanofluids were utilized concurrently. Higher cell temperatures restrict the effectiveness of solar PV systems since only a minor amount of power from the sun is gathered as electricity from the energy conversion, and the remaining energy is squandered as heat. The study aimed to develop and build a hybrid collector while also analyzing its electrical and thermal energy performance. The effort was invested in improving the system’s performance; the PVT collector was tested at volume concentrations of two, such as 0.5 and 1.0 L per minute (LPM). The PV/T collector determined thermal efficiency as highest was 48.38 percent and 54.03 percent, respectively, at 0.5 LPM and 1.0 LPM of volume flow rates. The PV/T collector’s highest electrical efficiency was 18.32 percent and 19.35 percent, respectively, for 0.5 LPM and 1.0 LPM of volume flow rates. The results demonstrate that nanofluid has more excellent thermal conductivity than a base fluid with a little change in the fluid viscosity and density.
A Comprehensive Evaluation Method and Strengthening Measures for AC/DC Hybrid Power Grids
Authors: Zhang Junli , Wang Guoteng , Xu Zheng , Zhang Zheren
Published: June 2022

Due to the complex operation characteristics of AC/DC hybrid power grids, it is a great challenge to comprehensively evaluate their stability and formulate appropriate strengthening schemes for them. To address this challenge, the following studies are carried out in this paper. First, an evaluation system including six indicators is established for AC/DC hybrid power grids. Next, aiming at the problems that may be revealed by the comprehensive evaluation, strengthening measures that can be utilized are introduced. Then, a comprehensive evaluation method for AC/DC hybrid power grids and their potential strengthening schemes is proposed. This method can deal with three issues, including normalization of the indicators, weighting of the indicators, and the trade-off of technology and cost. Finally, in the case study of the Qujing Power Grid, the main problems faced by regional power grids are pointed out, and four feasible strengthening schemes are formulated and evaluated.
Incorporating Industrial and Climatic Covariates into Analyses of Fish Health Indicators Measured in a Stream in Canada’s Oil Sands Region
Authors: Arciszewski Tim J. , Ussery Erin J. , McMaster Mark E.
Published: June 2022

Industrial and other human activities in Canada’s oil sands region (OSR) influence the environment. However, these impacts can be challenging to separate from natural stresses in flowing waters by comparing upstream reference sites to downstream exposure locations. For example, health indicators of lake chub (Couesius plumbeus) compared between locations in the Ells River (Upper and Lower) in 2013 to 2015 and 2018 demonstrated statistical differences. To further examine the potential sources of variation in fish, we also analyzed data at sites over time. When fish captured in 2018 were compared to pooled reference years (2013–2015), results indicated multiple differences in fish, but most of the differences disappeared when environmental covariates were included in the Elastic Net (EN) regularized regression models. However, when industrial covariates were included separately in the EN, the large differences in 2018 also disappeared, also suggesting the potential influence of these covariables on the health of fish. Further ENs incorporating both environmental and industrial covariates along with other variables which may describe industrial and natural influences, such as spring or summer precipitation and summer wind speeds and distance-based penalty factors, also support some of the suspected and potential mechanisms of impact. Further exploratory analyses simulating changes from zero and the mean (industrial) activity levels using the regression equations respectively suggest effects exceeding established critical effect sizes (CES) for fish measurements may already be present or effects may occur with small future changes in some industrial activities. Additional simulations also suggest that changing regional hydrological and thermal regimes in the future may also cause changes in fish measurements exceeding the CESs. The results of this study suggest the wide applicability of the approach for monitoring the health of fish in the OSR and beyond. The results also suggest follow-up work required to further evaluate the veracity of the suggested relationships identified in this analysis.
Scanning Electron Microscopy Study on the Biodeterioration of Natural Fiber Materials Compared to Disposable Hygiene and Sanitary Products
Authors: Dinu Laura-Dorina , Iordache Ovidiu , Vamanu Emanuel
Published: June 2022

Disposable personal care products are part of modern life, but these products could become a biological hazard in case of improper disposal. Therefore, our study compared the biodeterioration of plant-based woven materials (cotton, linen), animal materials (wool, leather), disposable hygiene products with cellulose fibers (sanitary pads, cosmetic pads), and chemical impregnated products (antimicrobial/sanitary wet wipes) using burial tests in two types of soils for 40 days. Weight loss (%) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that textiles are relatively quickly deteriorated compared to animal-based products, and the process is dependent on the soil type. According to SEM analysis, sanitary pads were the least deteriorated, followed by wet wipes and cosmetic pads (maximum weight loss 24.332% and 27.537%, respectively), and the process was influenced by the composition and structure of the product. These results were correlated with changes in the number of microbes and cellulolytic activity of soil near the samples, and eight isolates belong to Ascomycetes according to PCR analysis. This is the first report on the fate of disposable hygiene and sanitary products in soil, but further comprehensive research is required to reveal crucial insights about their potential hazards and to increase public awareness of the inappropriate disposal of these products.
CFD Analysis of Convective Heat Transfer in a Vertical Square Sub-Channel for Laminar Flow Regime
Authors: Umar Efrizon , Tandian Nathanael Panagung , Syuryavin Ahmad Ciptadi , Ramadhan Anwar Ilmar , Prayitno Joko Hadi
Published: June 2022

The development of new practices in nuclear research reactor safety aspects and optimization of recent nuclear reactors needs knowledge on forced convective heat transfer within sub-channels formed between several nuclear fuel rods or heat exchanger tubes, not only in the fully developed regime but also in the developing regime or laminar flow regime. The main objective of this research was to find a new correlation equation for calculating the convective heat transfer coefficient in the vertical square sub-channels. Recently, a simulation study was conducted to find a new heat transfer correlation equation for calculating the convective heat transfer coefficient within a vertical square sub-channel in the developing regime or laminar flow regime for Reynolds number range 400 ≤ Re ≤ 1700. Simulations were carried out using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code and modeling already defined in the software. The novelty of the research lies in the analysis of the entrance effect for the sub-channel by proposing a new empirical correlation that can then be inserted into the STAT computer code. The surface temperature distribution around the tangential direction of the active cylinders shows that the implementation of active and dummy cylinders in the current study can simulate sub-channels that exist in a real nuclear reactor core. The current study shows that the flow simulated in this study is in its developing condition (entrance region). A new forced convective heat transfer correlation for the developing region in the form of Nu = 2.094(Gz)0.329 for the Graetz number range 161 ≤ Gz ≤ 2429 was obtained from the current study.
Musical and Non-Musical Sounds Influence the Flavour Perception of Chocolate Ice Cream and Emotional Responses
Authors: Lin Yi Hsuan Tiffany , Hamid Nazimah , Shepherd Daniel , Kantono Kevin , Spence Charles
Published: June 2022

Auditory cues, such as real-world sounds or music, influence how we perceive food. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of negatively and positively valenced mixtures of musical and non-musical sounds on the affective states of participants and their perception of chocolate ice cream. Consuming ice cream while listening to liked music (LM) and while listening to the combination of liked music and pleasant sound (LMPS) conditions gave rise to more positive emotions than listening to just pleasant sound (PS). Consuming ice cream during the LM condition resulted in the longest duration of perceived sweetness. On the other hand, PS and LMPS conditions resulted in cocoa dominating for longer. Bitterness and roasted were dominant under the disliked music and unpleasant sound (DMUS) and DM conditions respectively. Positive emotions correlated well with the temporal sensory perception of sweetness and cocoa when consuming chocolate ice cream under the positively valenced auditory conditions. In contrast, negative emotions were associated with bitter and roasted tastes/flavours under the negatively valenced auditory conditions. The combination of pleasant music and non-musical sound conditions evoked more positive emotions than when either was presented in isolation. Taken together, the results of this study support the view that sensory attributes correlated well with emotions evoked when consuming ice cream under different auditory conditions varying in terms of their valence.
Successive Fermentation of Aguamiel and Molasses by Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Obtain High Purity Fructooligosaccharides
Authors: de la Rosa Orlando , Flores-Gallegos Adriana Carolina , Muñíz-Márquez Diana , Contreras-Esquivel Juan C. , Teixeira José A. , Nobre Clarisse , Aguilar Cristóbal N.
Published: June 2022

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are usually synthesized with pure enzymes using highly concentrated sucrose solutions. In this work, low-cost aguamiel and molasses were explored as sucrose alternatives to produce FOS, via whole-cell fermentation, with an Aspergillus oryzae DIA-MF strain. FOS production process was optimized through a central composite experimental design, with two independent variables: initial sucrose concentration in a medium composed of aguamiel and molasses (AgMe), and inoculum concentration. The optimized process—165 g/L initial sucrose in AgMe (adjusted with concentrated molasses) and 1 × 107 spores/mL inoculum concentration—resulted in an FOS production of 119 ± 12 g/L and a yield of 0.64 ± 0.05 g FOS/g GFi. Among the FOSs produced were kestose, nystose, 1-fructofuranosyl-nystose, and potentially a novel trisaccharide produced by this strain. To reduce the content of mono- and disaccharides in the mixture, run a successive fermentation was run with two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Fermentations run with S. cerevisiae S227 improved FOS purity in the mixture from 39 ± 3% to 61.0 ± 0.6% (w/w) after 16 h of fermentation. This study showed that agro-industrial wastes such as molasses with aguamiel are excellent alternatives as substrate sources for the production of prebiotic FOS, resulting in a lower-cost process.
Angiotensin-I-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Activity of Protein Hydrolysates Generated from the Macroalga Laminaria digitata (Hudson) JV Lamouroux 1813
Authors: Purcell Diane , Packer Michael A. , Hayes Maria
Published: June 2022

Seaweeds have a long history of use as both food and medicine, especially in Asian cultures. Moreover, there is growing interest in the use of seaweed ingredients and bioactive compounds in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. One ailment that seaweed bioactive compounds may impact is hypertension caused by the enzyme Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 1 (ACE-1; EC 3.4.15.1), found within the Renin-Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS), which causes vasoconstriction of blood vessels, including veins and arteries. The aim of this paper is to generate bioactive peptide containing protein hydrolysates from the brown seaweed Laminaria digitata (Hudson) JV Lamouroux 1813. Proteins were extracted from this seaweed by disrupting the seaweed cell wall using a combination of carbohydrases and proteolytic enzymes. Bioactive peptide containing permeates were generated from L. digitata protein hydrolysates, and both hydrolysates and permeates were screened for their ability to inhibit the enzyme ACE-1. The protein content of the permeate fractions was found to be 23.87% compared to the untreated seaweed, which contained 15.08% protein using LECO analysis. Hydrolysis and filtration resulted in a “white” protein powder, and the protein content of this powder increased by 9% compared to the whole seaweed. The total amino acid (TAA) content of the L. digitata protein permeate was 53.65 g/100 g of the sample, and contains over 32% essential amino acids (EAA). Furthermore, the L. digitata permeate was found to inhibit the ACE-1 enzyme by 75% when compared to the commercial drug Captopril© when assayed at a concentration of 1 mg/mL. The inhibition of ACE-1 (the IC50 value) of 590 µg/mL for the L. digitata permeate compares well with Captopril©, which had 100% inhibition of ACE-1, with an IC50 value of 500 µg/mL. This study indicates that there is potential to develop protein powders with ACE-1 inhibitory bioactivities from the brown seaweed L. digitata using enzymatic hydrolysis as a cell disruption and protein extraction/hydrolysate generation procedure.
The Hausdorff Dimension and Capillary Imbibition
Authors: Samayoa Didier , Pineda León Ernesto , Damián Adame Lucero , Reyes de Luna Eduardo , Kryvko Andriy
Published: June 2022

The time scaling exponent for the analytical expression of capillary rise ℓ∼tδ for several theoretical fractal curves is derived. It is established that the actual distance of fluid travel in self-avoiding fractals at the first stage of imbibition is in the Washburn regime, whereas at the second stage it is associated with the Hausdorff dimension dH. Mapping is converted from the Euclidean metric into the geodesic metric for linear fractals F governed by the geodesic dimension dg=dH/dℓ, where dℓ is the chemical dimension of F. The imbibition measured by the chemical distance ℓg is introduced. Approximate spatiotemporal maps of capillary rise activity are obtained. The standard differential equations proposed for the von Koch fractals are solved. Illustrative examples to discuss some physical implications are presented.
A Study of the Soliton Solutions with an Intrinsic Fractional Discrete Nonlinear Electrical Transmission Line
Authors: Almusawa Hassan , Jhangeer Adil
Published: June 2022

This study aims to identify soliton structures as an inherent fractional discrete nonlinear electrical transmission lattice. Here, the analysis is founded on the idea that the electrical properties of a capacitor typically contain a non-integer-order time derivative in a realistic system. We construct a non-integer order nonlinear partial differential equation of such voltage dynamics using Kirchhoff’s principles for the model under study. It was discovered that the behavior for newly generated soliton solutions is impacted by both the non-integer-order time derivative and connected parameters. Regardless of structure, the fractional-order alters the propagation velocity of such a voltage wave, thus bringing up a localized framework under low coupling coefficient values. The generalized auxiliary equation method drove us to these solitary structures while employing the modified Riemann–Liouville derivatives and the non-integer order complex transform. As well as addressing sensitivity testing, we also investigate how our model’s altered dynamical framework shows quasi-periodic properties. Some randomly selected solutions are shown graphically for physical interpretation, and conclusions are held at the end.
Application of Asymmetric Notched Semi-Circular Bending Specimen to Evaluate Mixed-Mode I-II Fracture Behaviors of Sandstone
Authors: Ma Gang , Li Jiangteng , Zhou Xiang , Zhang Lianying , Qiu Peitao , Yu Yang
Published: June 2022

In this paper, to investigate mixed-mode I-II fracture behaviors, three different asymmetric notched semi-circular bending specimens (ANSCB) were designed by adjusting the angle and the distance between supporting rollers to conduct asymmetric three-point bending tests. Several aid technologies, including acoustic emission (AE), digital image correlation (DIC), crack propagation gauge (CPG), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), was utilized to monitor and assess the fracture characteristic. Meanwhile, the fractal dimension of the fracture surface was assessed based on the reconstructed digital fracture surface. The results show that mixed-mode I-II ANSCB three-point bending fracture is a brittle failure with the characteristics of the main crack being rapidly transfixed and the bearing capacity decreasing sharply. Based on the DIC method, the whole fracture process consists of a nonlinear elastic stage, fracture process zone, crack initiation stage and crack propagation stage. The crack initiation is mainly caused by the tension-shear strain concentration at the pre-existing crack tip. At the microscale, the crack propagation path is always along the grain boundary where the resultant stress is weakest. According to the monitoring of the AE, it can be found that micro-tensile cracks are mainly responsible for the asymmetric three-point bending fracture. The data obtained by CPG suggest that the subcritical crack growth rate is positively correlated to the ultimate load. In addition, asymmetric loading leads to a coarser fracture surface, and thus a higher fractal dimension of the fracture surface. The current study can provide a better understanding of the mixed-mode I-II fracture behaviors of rock.
Fractal Analysis on Pore Structure and Modeling of Hydration of Magnesium Phosphate Cement Paste
Authors: Peng Yuxiang , Tang Shengwen , Huang Jiasheng , Tang Can , Wang Lei , Liu Yufei
Published: June 2022

Magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) paste is hardened by the acid–base reaction between magnesium oxide and phosphate. This work collects and evaluates the thermodynamic data at 25 °C and a pressure of 0.1 MPa and establishes the hydration reaction model of MPC pastes. The influence of the magnesium–phosphorus molar (M/P) ratio and water-to-binder (W/B) ratio on the hydration product is explored by the thermodynamic simulation. Following this, the initial and ultimate states of the hydration state of MPC pastes are visualized, and the porosity of different pastes as well as fractal analysis are presented. The result shows that a small M/P ratio is beneficial for the formation of main hydration products. The boric acid acts as a retarder, has a significant effect on lowering the pH of the paste, and slows down the formation of hydration products. After the porosity comparison, it can be concluded that the decreasing of M/P and W/B ratios helps reduce porosity. In addition, the fractal dimension Df of MPC pastes is positively proportional to the porosity, and small M/P ratios as well as small W/B ratios are beneficial for reducing the Df of MKPC pastes.
Changes in Unfrozen Water Contents in Warming Permafrost Soils
Authors: Chuvilin Evgeny , Sokolova Natalia , Bukhanov Boris
Published: June 2022

Climate warming in the Arctic, accompanied by changes in permafrost soil properties (mechanical, thermal, filtration, geophysical), is due to increasing unfrozen pore water content. The liquid component in frozen soils is an issue of key importance for permafrost engineering that has been extensively studied since the beginning of the 20th century. We suggest a synthesis and new classification of various experimental and calculation methods for the determination of unfrozen water content. Special focus is placed on the method of applying measurements to the water potential, which reveals the impact of permafrost warming on unfrozen water content. This method was applied to natural soil samples collected from shallow permafrost from northern West Siberia affected by climate change, and confirms the revealed trends. The obtained results confirm that unfrozen water content is sensitive not only temperature but also particle size distribution, salinity, and the organic matter content of permafrost soils.
Path Model Factors Associated with Depressive Symptoms among Older Thais Living in Rural Areas
Authors: Roopsawang Inthira , Aree-Ue Suparb , Baurangthienthong Surinrat , Boontham Jansudaphan , Phiboonleetrakun Yuwadee
Published: June 2022

Depressive symptoms are complex and are often more severe in older people. However, there is limited research exploring the causal relationships between depression and its associated factors in the geriatric population, particularly in Thailand. We aimed to evaluate the direction of these complex relationships in the Thai population. A cross-sectional design was conducted on 312 Thai community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or above who registered for primary care services. The participants were recruited from July 2019 to January 2020, and they responded to standard assessments. The relationships between pain, the number of medications, frailty, locomotive syndrome, and depressive symptoms were investigated using path analysis. The results showed that most participants were women and had multiple diseases, mild pain, frailty, and grade I–II locomotive syndrome. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 16%. The model showed significant positive direct and indirect paths from locomotive syndrome to depressive symptoms (β = 0.296, p < 0.01; β = 0.099, p < 0.01, respectively). There was a significant positive direct path from frailty to depressive symptoms (β = 0.219, p < 0.01) and a significant positive indirect path from pain to depressive symptoms (β = 0.096, p < 0.01).
Factors Influencing the Data Communication Equipment Competence in Korean Older People
Authors: Kim HeeYoung
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this study was to identify the most vulnerable group among older Korean adults regarding information literacy. Once that was identified, the study aimed to provide basic data for developing strategies to improve information literacy by investigating the factors that influence the ability to utilize the Data Communication Equipment (DCE). The subjects included 10,073 older adults from the 10,299 participants of the 2017 Korean National Survey of Older Adults. The mean age of the older people was 74.06 years from a range of 65 to 106 years old. This study excluded the 216 individuals who did not complete the survey. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 program. A univariate analysis was performed to identify the most vulnerable group with regard to DCE competence. To investigate the factors that influence DCE competence, a logistic regression analysis was performed on the significant variables in the univariate analysis, while the nominal variables were treated as dummies. Senior citizens in Korea were less able to utilize DCE when they had higher ages, lower education levels, were women, lived alone, lower incomes, decreased sensory function, decreased cognitive function, negative value of learning, no lifelong learning, and smaller social networks. The factors influencing DCE competence in older adults were as follows: age, education level, income level, health status, cognitive function, social networks, lifelong learning, and the value of learning. For DCE competence in older adults to be effectively improved, adequate support must be provided to the vulnerable group. Furthermore, support for personalized DCE utilization seems essential and should consider a person’s age, education level, income, health status, cognitive function, social networks, lifelong learning and the value of learning.
The Effect of Resistance Training on Bone Mineral Density in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Massini Danilo A. , Nedog Flávio H. , de Oliveira Thiago P. , Almeida Tiago A. F. , Santana Caroline A. A. , Neiva Cassiano M. , Macedo Anderson G. , Castro Eliane A. , Espada Mário C. , Santos Fernando J. , Pessôa Filho Dalton M.
Published: June 2022

Resistance training (RT) has been considered an intervention with effective stimulus on bone mineral formation and is, therefore, recommended to decrease the rate of bone morpho-functional proprieties loss with aging. Thus, this meta-analysis aimed to analyze the effectiveness of RT protocols in promoting changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in older adults. The systematic reviews and meta-analysis followed the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42020170859). The searches were performed in the electronic databases using descriptors according to the PICO strategy. The methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed with the PEDro scale, and the magnitude of the results was determined by Hedges’ g. Seven studies involving 370 elderlies, with the RT planned as a unique exercise mode of intervention, showed designs with four to five exercises for upper- and lower-limbs musculature, two to three sets per exercise, eight to twelve repetitions to failure at 70–90% 1 RM, 60–120 s of rest between sets, and executed three times per week for 12–52 weeks. The RT protocols were classified between good and excellent and evidenced a positive effect on the BMD at the hip (0.64%) and spine (0.62%) but not in the femoral neck (−0.22%) regardless of the intervention length. The narrow range of either positive or negative changes in the BMD after the RT intervention support, at best, a preventive effect against the increasing risk of bone frailty in an older population, which is evident beyond 12 weeks of RT practice engagement.
Understanding the Needs and Priorities of People Living with Persistent Pain and Long-Term Musculoskeletal Conditions during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Public Involvement Project
Authors: Fowler Davis Sally , Humphreys Helen , Maden-Wilkinson Tom , Withers Sarah , Lowe Anna , Copeland Robert J.
Published: June 2022

Background: Critiques of public involvement (PI) are associated with failing to be inclusive of under-represented groups, and this leads to research that fails to include a diversity of perspectives. Aim: The aim of this PI project was to understand the experiences and priorities of people from three seldom-heard groups whose musculoskeletal pain may have been exacerbated or treatment delayed due to COVID-19. Engaging representatives to report diverse experiences was important, given the goal of developing further research into personalised and integrated care and addressing population health concerns about access and self-management for people with musculoskeletal pain. Methods: The project was approved via Sheffield Hallam University Ethics but was exempt from further HRA approval. A literature review was conducted, followed by informal individual and group discussions involving professionals and people with lived experience of (a) fibromyalgia pain, (b) those waiting for elective surgery and (c) experts associated with the care home sector. Findings from the literature review were combined with the insights from the public involvement. Resulting narratives were developed to highlight the challenges associated with persistent pain and informed the creation of consensus statements on the priorities for service improvement and future research. The consensus statements were shared and refined with input from an expert steering group. Results: The narratives describe pain as a uniformly difficult experience to share with professionals; it is described as exhausting, frustrating and socially limiting. Pain leads to exclusion from routine daily activities and often resigns people to feeling and being unwell. In all cases, there are concerns about accessing and improving services and critical issues associated with optimising physical activity, functional wellbeing and managing polypharmacy. Exercise and/or mobilisation are important and commonly used self-management strategies, but opportunity and advice about safe methods are variable. Services should focus on personalised care, including self-management support and medication management, so that people’s views and needs are heard and validated by health professionals. Conclusions: More research is needed to explore the most effective pain management strategies, and public involvement is important to shape the most relevant research questions. Health and care systems evaluation is also needed to address the scale of the population health need. The pandemic appears to have highlighted pre-existing shortcomings in holistic pain management.
Profiles of Wellbeing in Soft and Hard Mountain Hikers
Authors: Próchniak Piotr
Published: June 2022

The aim of the study was to analyze the wellbeing profiles in a group of Polish mountain hikers. The study involved 242 young people (M = 23.50; SD = 4.40) who completed various wellbeing scales: The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), Meaning of Life Questionnaire (MLQ), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Time Satisfaction Scale (TSS), Hope Scale, General Self-Efficiency Scale, Ego Resiliency Scale, Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), and Adventure-Seeking Behavior Scale. Cluster analyses revealed two types of mountain hikers: hard adventure hikers and soft adventure hikers, with different profiles of subjective wellbeing. Hard adventure hikers most often revealed high levels of life satisfaction, control of life, meaning of life, and positive emotions, along with low levels of negative emotions. Moreover, these hikers revealed high levels of satisfaction in various time perspectives (past, present, and future) and a high level of psychological capital. On the other hand, soft adventure hikers most often revealed an average level of satisfaction with life, control of life, and positive emotions, average satisfaction in the past and present time perspective, and average levels of psychological capital. Soft adventure hikers also revealed higher levels of negative emotions and satisfaction in the future time perspective. The present research indicated that mountain hikers are not a homogenous group. The profiles of wellbeing in the hikers varied depending on the type of stimulating behavior in a natural environment.
Context-Aware Matrix Factorization for the Identification of Urban Functional Regions with POI and Taxi OD Data
Authors: Jing Changfeng , Hu Yanru , Zhang Hongyang , Du Mingyi , Xu Shishuo , Guo Xian , Jiang Jie
Published: June 2022

The identification of urban functional regions (UFRs) is important for urban planning and sustainable development. Because this involves a set of interrelated processes, it is difficult to identify UFRs using only single data sources. Data fusion methods have the potential to improve the identification accuracy. However, the use of existing fusion methods remains challenging when mining shared semantic information among multiple data sources. In order to address this issue, we propose a context-coupling matrix factorization (CCMF) method which considers contextual relationships. This method was designed based on the fact that the contextual relationships embedded in all of the data are shared and complementary to one another. An empirical study was carried out by fusing point-of-interest (POI) data and taxi origin–destination (OD) data in Beijing, China. There are three steps in CCMF. First, contextual information is extracted from POI and taxi OD trajectory data. Second, fusion is performed using contextual information. Finally, spectral clustering is used to identify the functional regions. The results show that the proposed method achieved an overall accuracy (OA) of 90% and a kappa of 0.88 in the study area. The results were compared with the results obtained using single sources of non-fused data and other fusion methods in order to validate the effectiveness of our method. The results demonstrate that an improvement in the OA of about 5% in comparison to a similar method in the literature could be achieved using this method.
The Effect of High and Variable Glucose on the Viability of Endothelial Cells Co-Cultured with Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Ciechanowska Anna , Gora Ilona M. , Sabalinska Stanislawa , Ladyzynski Piotr
Published: June 2022

Diabetes mellitus causes endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of normal (5 mmol/L), high (20 mmol/L), and fluctuating (5 and 20 mmol/L changed every day) glucose concentration in the culture medium on the viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) co-cultured with human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells (HUASMCs). The cultures were conducted on semi-permeable flat polysulfone (PSU) fibronectin-coated membranes immobilized in self-made inserts. The insert contained either HUVECs on a single membrane or HUASMCs and HUVECs on two membranes close to each other. Cultures were conducted for 7 or 14 days. Apoptosis, mitochondrial potential, and the production of reactive oxygen species and lactate by HUVECs were investigated. The results indicate that fluctuations in glucose concentration have a stronger negative effect on HUVECs viability than constant high glucose concentration. High and fluctuating glucose concentrations slow down cell proliferation compared to the culture carried out in the medium with normal glucose concentration. In conclusion, HUASMCs affect the viability of HUVECs when both types of cells are co-cultured in medium with normal or variable glucose concentration.
Overexpression of Neurogenin 1 Negatively Regulates Osteoclast and Osteoblast Differentiation
Authors: Kim Jung Ha , Kim Kabsun , Kim Inyoung , Seong Semun , Koh Jeong-Tae , Kim Nacksung
Published: June 2022

Neurogenin 1 (Ngn1) belongs to the basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor family and plays important roles in specifying neuronal differentiation. The present study aimed to determine whether forced Ngn1 expression contributes to bone homeostasis. Ngn1 inhibited the p300/CREB-binding protein-associated factor (PCAF)-induced acetylation of nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) through binding to PCAF, which led to the inhibition of osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation, respectively. In addition, Ngn1 overexpression inhibited the TNF-α- and IL-17A-mediated enhancement of osteoclast differentiation and IL-17A-induced osteoblast differentiation. These findings indicate that Ngn1 can serve as a novel therapeutic agent for treating ankylosing spondylitis with abnormally increased bone formation and resorption.
PLAAT1 Exhibits Phosphatidylcholine:Monolysocardiolipin Transacylase Activity
Authors: Bradley Ryan M. , Hashemi Ashkan , Aristizabal-Henao Juan J. , Stark Ken D. , Duncan Robin E.
Published: June 2022

Tissue-specific cardiolipin fatty acyl profiles are achieved by remodeling of de novo synthesized cardiolipin, and four remodeling enzymes have thus far been identified. We studied the enzyme phospholipase A and acyltransferase 1 (PLAAT1), and we report the discovery that it has phosphatidylcholine (PC):monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) transacylase activity. Subcellular localization was analyzed by differential centrifugation and immunoblotting. Total levels of major phospholipids, and the fatty acyl profile of cardiolipin, were analyzed in HEK293 cells expressing murine PLAAT1 using gas chromatography. Apparent enzyme kinetics of affinity-purified PLAAT1 were calculated using radiochemical enzyme assays. This enzyme was found to localize predominantly to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but was detected at low levels in the mitochondria-associated ER matrix. Cells expressing PLAAT1 had higher levels of total cardiolipin, but not other phospholipids, and it was primarily enriched in the saturated fatty acids myristate, palmitate, and stearate, with quantitatively smaller increases in the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids linolenate, eicosatrienoate, and eicosapentanoate and the monounsaturated fatty acid erucate. Affinity-purified PLAAT1 did not catalyze the transacylation of MLCL using 1-palmitoyl-2-[14C]-linoleoyl-PC as an acyl donor. However, PLAAT1 had an apparent Vmax of 1.61 μmol/min/mg protein and Km of 126 μM using [9,10-3H]-distearoyl-PC as an acyl donor, and 0.61 μmol/min/mg protein and Km of 16 μM using [9,10-3H]-dioleoyl-PC. PLAAT1 is therefore a novel PC:MLCL transacylase.
Unique Glycoform-Dependent Monoclonal Antibodies for Mouse Mucin 21
Authors: Nishida Jun , Shichino Shigeyuki , Tsukui Tatsuya , Hoshino Mayumi , Okada Tomoko , Okada Kyoko , Yi Yuri , Toraya-Brown Seiko , Mochizuki Miho , Koizumi Ryouta , Ishii-Schrade Katrin , Denda-Nagai Kaori , Irimura Tatsuro
Published: June 2022

Mucin 21(Muc21)/epiglycanin is expressed on apical surfaces of squamous epithelia and has potentially protective roles, which are thought to be associated with its unique glycoforms, whereas its aberrant glycosylation is implicated in the malignant behaviors of some carcinomas. Despite the importance of glycoforms, we lack tools to detect specific glycoforms of mouse Muc21. In this study, we generated two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that recognize different glycoforms of Muc21. We used membrane lysates of Muc21-expressing TA3-Ha cells or Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells transfected with Muc21 as antigens. Specificity testing, utilizing Muc21 glycosylation variant cells, showed that mAb 1A4-1 recognized Muc21 carrying glycans terminated with galactose residues, whereas mAb 18A11 recognized Muc21 carrying sialylated glycans. mAb 1A4-1 stained a majority of mouse mammary carcinoma TA3-Ha cells in vitro and in engrafted tumors in mice, whereas mAb 18A11 recognized only a subpopulation of these. mAb 1A4-1 was useful in immunohistochemically detecting Muc21 in normal squamous epithelia. In conclusion, these mAbs recognize distinct Muc21 epitopes formed by combinations of peptide portions and O-glycans.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Identified Key Pathways and Genes Regulating Differentiated Stigma Color in Melon (Cucumis melo L.)
Authors: Lv Yuanzuo , Amanullah Sikandar , Liu Shi , Zhang Chen , Liu Hongyu , Zhu Zicheng , Zhang Xian , Gao Peng , Luan Feishi
Published: June 2022

Stigma color is an important morphological trait in many flowering plants. Visual observations in different field experiments have shown that a green stigma in melons is more attractive to natural pollinators than a yellow one. In the current study, we evaluated the characterization of two contrasted melon lines (MR-1 with a green stigma and M4-7 with a yellow stigma). Endogenous quantification showed that the chlorophyll and carotenoid content in the MR-1 stigmas was higher compared to the M4-7 stigmas. The primary differences in the chloroplast ultrastructure at different developmental stages depicted that the stigmas of both melon lines were mainly enriched with granum, plastoglobulus, and starch grains. Further, comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed to identify the candidate pathways and genes regulating melon stigma color during key developmental stages (S1–S3). The obtained results indicated similar biological processes involved in the three stages, but major differences were observed in light reactions and chloroplast pathways. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) uncovered a “black” network module (655 out of 5302 genes), mainly corresponding to light reactions, light harvesting, the chlorophyll metabolic process, and the chlorophyll biosynthetic process, and exhibited a significant contribution to stigma color. Overall, the expression of five key genes of the chlorophyll synthesis pathway—CAO (MELO03C010624), CHLH (MELO03C007233), CRD (MELO03C026802), HEMA (MELO03C011113), POR (MELO03C016714)—were checked at different stages of stigma development in both melon lines using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results exhibited that the expression of these genes gradually increased during the stigma development of the MR-1 line but decreased in the M4-7 line at S2. In addition, the expression trends in different stages were the same as RNA-seq, indicating data accuracy. To sum up, our research reveals an in-depth molecular mechanism of stigma coloration and suggests that chlorophyll and related biological activity play an important role in differentiating melon stigma color.
CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Constitutive Loss of VCP (Valosin-Containing Protein) Impairs Proteostasis and Leads to Defective Striated Muscle Structure and Function In Vivo
Authors: Voisard Philipp , Diofano Federica , Glazier Amelia A. , Rottbauer Wolfgang , Just Steffen
Published: June 2022

Valosin-containing protein (VCP) acts as a key regulator of cellular protein homeostasis by coordinating protein turnover and quality control. Mutations in VCP lead to (cardio-)myopathy and neurodegenerative diseases such as inclusion body myopathy with Paget’s disease of the bone and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To date, due to embryonic lethality, no constitutive VCP knockout animal model exists. Here, we generated a constitutive CRISPR/Cas9-induced vcp knockout zebrafish model. Similar to the phenotype of vcp morphant knockdown zebrafish embryos, we found that vcp-null embryos displayed significantly impaired cardiac and skeletal muscle function. By ultrastructural analysis of skeletal muscle cells and cardiomyocytes, we observed severely disrupted myofibrillar organization and accumulation of inclusion bodies as well as mitochondrial degeneration. vcp knockout was associated with a significant accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, suggesting impaired proteasomal function. Additionally, markers of unfolded protein response (UPR)/ER-stress and autophagy-related mTOR signaling were elevated in vcp-deficient embryos, demonstrating impaired proteostasis in VCP-null zebrafish. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the successful generation of a stable constitutive vcp knockout zebrafish line that will enable characterization of the detailed mechanistic underpinnings of vcp loss, particularly the impact of disturbed protein homeostasis on organ development and function in vivo.
Helena’s Many Daughters: More Mitogenome Diversity behind the Most Common West Eurasian mtDNA Control Region Haplotype in an Extended Italian Population Sample
Authors: Bodner Martin , Amory Christina , Olivieri Anna , Gandini Francesca , Cardinali Irene , Lancioni Hovirag , Huber Gabriela , Xavier Catarina , Pala Maria , Fichera Alessandro , Schnaller Lisa , Gysi Mario , Sarno Stefania , Pettener Davide , Luiselli Donata , Richards Martin B. , Semino Ornella , Achilli Alessandro , Torroni Antonio , Parson Walther
Published: June 2022

The high number of matching haplotypes of the most common mitochondrial (mt)DNA lineages are considered to be the greatest limitation for forensic applications. This study investigates the potential to solve this constraint by massively parallel sequencing a large number of mitogenomes that share the most common West Eurasian mtDNA control region (CR) haplotype motif (263G 315.1C 16519C). We augmented a pilot study on 29 to a total of 216 Italian mitogenomes that represents the largest set of the most common CR haplotype compiled from a single country. The extended population sample confirmed and extended the huge coding region diversity behind the most common CR motif. Complete mitogenome sequencing allowed for the detection of 163 distinct haplotypes, raising the power of discrimination from 0 (CR) to 99.6% (mitogenome). The mtDNAs were clustered into 61 named clades of haplogroup H and did not reveal phylogeographic trends within Italy. Rapid individualization approaches for investigative purposes are limited to the most frequent H clades of the dataset, viz. H1, H3, and H7.
Combined Approach to Leukemic Differentiation Using Transcription Factor PU.1-Enhancing Agents
Authors: Bašová Petra , Paszeková Helena , Minařík Lubomír , Dluhošová Martina , Burda Pavel , Stopka Tomáš
Published: June 2022

The transcription factor PU.1 (Purine-rich DNA binding, SPI1) is a key regulator of hematopoiesis, whose level is influenced by transcription through its enhancers and its post-transcriptional degradation via microRNA-155 (miR-155). The degree of transcriptional regulation of the PU.1 gene is influenced by repression via DNA methylation, as well as other epigenetic factors, such as those related to progenitor maturation status, which is modulated by the transcription factor Myeloblastosis oncogene (MYB). In this work, we show that combinatorial treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells with DNA methylation inhibitors (5-Azacytidine), MYB inhibitors (Celastrol), and anti-miR-155 (AM155) ideally leads to overproduction of PU.1. We also show that PU.1 reactivation can be compensated by miR-155 and that only a combined approach leads to sustained PU.1 derepression, even at the protein level. The triple effect on increasing PU.1 levels in myeloblasts stimulates the myeloid transcriptional program while inhibiting cell survival and proliferation, leading to partial leukemic differentiation.