bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Genome-Wide Changes Associated with Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
Authors: Herath Venura , Verchot Jeanmarie
Published: November 2022

We treated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plantlets with TM and performed gene expression studies to identify genome-wide changes associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR). An extensive network of responses was identified, including chromatin remodeling, transcriptional reprogramming, as well as changes in the structural components of the endomembrane network system. Limited genome-wide changes in alternative RNA splicing patterns of protein-coding transcripts were also discovered. Significant changes in RNA metabolism, components of the translation machinery, as well as factors involved in protein folding and maturation occurred, which included a broader set of genes than expected based on Arabidopsis research. Antioxidant defenses and oxygen metabolic enzymes are differentially regulated, which is expected of cells that may be experiencing oxidative stress or adapting to protect proteins from oxidation. Surges in protein kinase expression indicated early signal transduction events. This study shows early genomic responses including an array of differentially expressed genes that have not been reported in Arabidopsis. These data describe novel ER stress responses in a solanaceous host.
Molecular Indicators of Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown and Neuronal Injury in Pregnancy Complicated by Fetal Growth Restriction
Authors: Misan Natalia , Michalak Sławomir , Rzymski Piotr , Poniedziałek Barbara , Kapska Katarzyna , Osztynowicz Krystyna , Ropacka-Lesiak Mariola
Published: November 2022

This study evaluated the damage to the endothelial tight junctions (TJs) in pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction (FGR) and investigated whether FGR is related to blood–brain barrier disintegration and, subsequently, to the appearance of proteins indicative of neuronal injury in maternal blood. The studied group included 90 pregnant women diagnosed with FGR. The control group consisted of 70 women with an uncomplicated pregnancy. The biochemical measurements included serum neuronal proteins (subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor—NR1, nucleoside diphosphate kinase A—NME1, and S100 calcium-binding protein B—S100B), serum TJ proteins (occludin—OCLN, claudin-5—CLN5, zonula occludens—zo-1, and OCLN/zo-1 and CLN5/zo-1 ratios), and placental expression of TJ proteins (OCLN, claudin-4 CLN4, CLN5, zo-1). The significantly higher serum S100B and CLN5 levels and serum CLN5/zo-1 ratio were observed in FGR compared to healthy pregnancies. Moreover, FGR was characterized by increased placental CLN5 expression. Both serum NME1 levels and placental CLN4 expression in FGR pregnancies were significantly related to the incidence of neurological disorders in newborns. Mothers of FGR neonates who developed neurological complications and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) had statistically higher NME1 concentrations during pregnancy and significantly lower placental CLN4 expression than mothers of FGR neonates without neurological abnormalities. The serum NME1 levels and placental CLN4 expression were predictive markers of IVH in the FGR group. The blood–brain barrier is destabilized in pregnancies complicated by FGR. Neurological disorders, including IVH, are associated with higher serum concentrations of NME1 and the decreased placental expression of CLN4. The serum NME1 levels and placental CLN4 expression may serve as biomarkers, helpful in predicting IVH in FGR. It may allow for more precise monitoring and influence decision-making on the optimal delivery time to avoid developing neurological complications.
A Proof-of-Concept Preclinical Study Using a Novel Thermal Insulation Device in a Porcine Kidney Auto-Transplantation Model
Authors: Ernst Lisa , Czigany Zoltan , Paschenda Pascal , Schulz Mareike , Breuer Lukas , Kunczik Janosch , Czaplik Michael , Liu Wenjia , Jiang Decan , Klinge Uwe , Djudjaj Sonja , Boor Peter , Lurje Georg , Kobayashi Eiji , Tolba René H.
Published: November 2022

Ischemia-reperfusion injury remains a fundamental problem during organ transplantation logistics. One key technical factor is the rapid allograft rewarming during the time of vascular reconstruction in the recipient. In this pilot study, a new thermal insulation bag (TIB) for organ transplantation was used. Insulation capacity, tissue compatibility, and usability were tested initially ex vivo on porcine kidneys (n = 24) followed by the first in vivo usage. Fourteen female German landrace pigs underwent kidney auto-transplantation after 24 h cold storage (4 °C). During the implantation process the kidney was either insulated with the new TIB, or it was not thermo-protected at all, which represents the clinical standard. In this proof-of-concept study, the usability (knife-to-skin-time) and the general thermal capacity (30 min warm storage at 38 °C ex vivo p < 0.001) was shown. The clinical outcome showed significant differences in the determination of CRP and pi-GST levels. Syndecan-1 Antibody staining showed clear significant higher counts in the control group (p < 0.01) indicating epithelial damage. However, the effect on renal outcomes in not severely pre-damaged kidneys does not appear to be conclusively significant. A close follow-up study is warranted, especially in the context of marginal organs or in cases where anastomosis-times are prolonged due to surgical complexity (e.g., multiple vessels and complex reconstructions).
Sustained Effects of CGRP Blockade on Cortical Spreading Depolarization-Induced Alterations in Facial Heat Pain Threshold, Light Aversiveness, and Locomotive Activity in the Light Environment
Authors: Kitagawa Satoshi , Tang Chunhua , Unekawa Miyuki , Kayama Yohei , Nakahara Jin , Shibata Mamoru
Published: November 2022

A migraine is clinically characterized by repeated headache attacks that entail considerable disability. Many patients with migraines experience postdrome, the symptoms of which include tiredness and photophobia. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (GGRP) is critically implicated in migraine pathogenesis. Cortical spreading depolarization (CSD), the biological correlate of migraine aura, sensitizes the trigeminovascular system. In our previous study, CSD caused hypomotility in the light zone and tendency for photophobia at 72 h, at which time trigeminal sensitization had disappeared. We proposed that this CSD-induced disease state would be useful for exploring therapeutic strategies for migraine postdrome. In the present study, we observed that the CGRP receptor antagonist, olcegepant, prevented the hypomotility in the light zone and ameliorated light tolerability at 72 h after CSD induction. Moreover, olcegepant treatment significantly elevated the threshold for facial heat pain at 72 h after CSD. Our results raise the possibility that CGRP blockade may be efficacious in improving hypoactivity in the light environment by enhancing light tolerability during migraine postdrome. Moreover, our data suggest that the CGRP pathway may lower the facial heat pain threshold even in the absence of overt trigeminal sensitization, which provides an important clue to the potential mechanism whereby CGRP blockade confers migraine prophylaxis.
Properties, Physiological Functions and Involvement of Basidiomycetous Alcohol Oxidase in Wood Degradation
Authors: Pawlik Anna , Stefanek Sylwia , Janusz Grzegorz
Published: November 2022

Extensive research efforts have been devoted to describing yeast alcohol oxidase (AO) and its promoter region, which is vastly applied in studies of heterologous gene expression. However, little is known about basidiomycetous AO and its physiological role in wood degradation. This review describes several alcohol oxidases from both white and brown rot fungi, highlighting their physicochemical and kinetic properties. Moreover, the review presents a detailed analysis of available AO-encoding gene promoter regions in basidiomycetous fungi with a discussion of the manipulations of culture conditions in relation to the modification of alcohol oxidase gene expression and changes in enzyme production. The analysis of reactions catalyzed by lignin-modifying enzymes (LME) and certain lignin auxiliary enzymes (LDA) elucidated the possible involvement of alcohol oxidase in the degradation of derivatives of this polymer. Combined data on lignin degradation pathways suggest that basidiomycetous AO is important in secondary reactions during lignin decomposition by wood degrading fungi. With numerous alcoholic substrates, the enzyme is probably engaged in a variety of catalytic reactions leading to the detoxification of compounds produced in lignin degradation processes and their utilization as a carbon source by fungal mycelium.
High Glucose-Induced Cardiomyocyte Damage Involves Interplay between Endothelin ET-1/ETA/ETB Receptor and mTOR Pathway
Authors: Pandey Sudhir , Madreiter-Sokolowski Corina T. , Mangmool Supachoke , Parichatikanond Warisara
Published: November 2022

Patients with type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Impairments of endothelin-1 (ET-1) signaling and mTOR pathway have been implicated in diabetic cardiomyopathies. However, the molecular interplay between the ET-1 and mTOR pathway under high glucose (HG) conditions in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts has not been investigated. We employed MTT assay, qPCR, western blotting, fluorescence assays, and confocal microscopy to assess the oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage under hyperglycemic conditions in H9c2 cells. Our results showed that HG-induced cellular stress leads to a significant decline in cell survival and an impairment in the activation of ETA-R/ETB-R and the mTOR main components, Raptor and Rictor. These changes induced by HG were accompanied by a reactive oxygen species (ROS) level increase and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss. In addition, the fragmentation of mitochondria and a decrease in mitochondrial size were observed. However, the inhibition of either ETA-R alone by ambrisentan or ETA-R/ETB-R by bosentan or the partial blockage of the mTOR function by silencing Raptor or Rictor counteracted those adverse effects on the cellular function. Altogether, our findings prove that ET-1 signaling under HG conditions leads to a significant mitochondrial dysfunction involving contributions from the mTOR pathway.
The Effects of Alternative Foods on Life History and Cannibalism of Amblyseius herbicolus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)
Authors: Hou Fei , Ni Zhao-Hong , Zou Meng-Ting , Zhu Rui , Yi Tian-Ci , Guo Jian-Jun , Jin Dao-Chao
Published: November 2022

The development, survivorship, fecundity, and cannibalism of the predatory phytoseiid mite, Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant), fed six different alternative foods (Oulenziella bakeri, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Aleuroglyphus ovatus, almond pollen (Prunus armeniaca), apple pollen (Malus pumila), maize pollen (Zea mays)), and natural prey (Tetranychus urticae) were determined in the laboratory. Our findings indicated that A. herbicolus that fed on all six alternative foods could normally complete its developmental and reproductive cycles. The shortest pre-adult developmental duration was observed when A. herbicolus fed on almond pollen (4.91 d) as well as T. urticae (4.90 d), and the longest when it fed on maize pollen (6.24 d). Pre-adult survival rates were higher when the predator fed on almond pollen (0.99), maize pollen (0.96), and O. bakeri (0.93). The highest fecundity was observed when A. herbicolus fed on apple pollen (28.55 eggs/female), almond pollen (26.06 eggs/female), and O. bakeri (26.02 eggs/female) in addition to T. urticae (48.95 eggs/female), and the lowest when it fed on maize pollen (7.84 eggs/female). The highest value of the intrinsic rate of increase (r) was obtained when A. herbicolus fed on O. bakeri (0.202 d−1) in addition to T. urticae (0.210 d−1), followed by almond pollen (0.163 d−1), and the lowest was when it fed on maize pollen (0.064 d−1). Cannibalism of conspecific eggs by adults of A. herbicolus did not occur when O. bakeri and T. urticae were provided. The cannibalism rate of the predatory mite was the lowest when fed on almond pollen, T. putrescentiae, and A. ovatus and the highest on apple pollen. Above all, when fed on O. bakeri and almond pollen, and with no or low cannibalism rate, A. herbicolus had the best development, survivorship, fecundity, and population parameters. Therefore, O. bakeri and almond pollen could be potential alternative foods for mass rearing programs of A. herbicolus or to support its population in the fields.
Influence of Bacterial Secondary Symbionts in Sitobion avenae on Its Survival Fitness against Entomopathogenic Fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium brunneum
Authors: Ali Sajjad , Sajjad Asif , Shakeel Qaiser , Farooqi M. Aslam , Aqueel M. Anjum , Tariq Kaleem , Ullah Muhammad Irfan , Iqbal Aamir , Jamal Aftab , Saeed Muhammad Farhan , Manachini Barbara
Published: November 2022

The research was focused on the ability of wheat aphids Sitobion avenae, harboring bacterial secondary symbionts (BSS) Hamiltonella defensa or Regiella insecticola, to withstand exposure to fungal isolates of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium brunneum. In comparison to aphids lacking bacterial secondary symbionts, BSS considerably increased the lifespan of wheat aphids exposed to B. bassiana strains (Bb1022, EABb04/01-Tip) and M. brunneum strains (ART 2825 and BIPESCO 5) and also reduced the aphids’ mortality. The wheat aphid clones lacking bacterial secondary symbionts were shown to be particularly vulnerable to M. brunneum strain BIPESCO 5. As opposed to wheat aphids carrying bacterial symbionts, fungal pathogens infected the wheat aphids lacking H. defensa and R. insecticola more quickly. When treated with fungal pathogens, bacterial endosymbionts had a favorable effect on the fecundity of their host aphids compared to the aphids lacking these symbionts, but there was no change in fungal sporulation on the deceased aphids. By defending their insect hosts against natural enemies, BSS increase the population of their host society and may have a significant impact on the development of their hosts.
Long-Term Antimicrobial Performance of Textiles Coated with ZnO and TiO2 Nanoparticles in a Tropical Climate
Authors: Veselova Varvara O. , Plyuta Vladimir A. , Kostrov Andrei N. , Vtyurina Darya N. , Abramov Vladimir O. , Abramova Anna V. , Voitov Yury I. , Padiy Darya A. , Thu Vo Thi Hoai , Hue Le Thi , Trang Dinh Thi Thu , Baranchikov Alexander E. , Khmel Inessa A. , Nadtochenko Victor A. , Ivanov Vladimir K.
Published: November 2022

This paper reports the results of the large-scale field testing of composite materials with antibacterial properties in a tropical climate. The composite materials, based on a cotton fabric with a coating of metal oxide nanoparticles (TiO2 and/or ZnO), were produced using high-power ultrasonic treatment. The antibacterial properties of the materials were studied in laboratory tests on solid and liquid nutrient media using bacteria of different taxonomic groups (Escherichia coli, Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas chlororaphis). On solid media, the coatings were able to achieve a >50% decrease in the number of bacteria. The field tests were carried out in a tropical climate, at the Climate test station “Hoa Lac” (Hanoi city, Vietnam). The composite materials demonstrated long-term antibacterial activity in the tropical climate: the number of microorganisms remained within the range of 1–3% in comparison with the control sample for the duration of the experiment (3 months). Ten of the microorganisms that most frequently occurred on the surface of the coated textiles were identified. The bacteria were harmless, while the fungi were pathogenic and contributed to fabric deterioration. Tensile strength deterioration was also studied, with the fabrics coated with metal oxides demonstrating a better preservation of their mechanical characteristics over time, (there was a 42% tensile strength decrease for the reference non-coated sample and a 21% decrease for the sample with a ZnO + CTAB coating).
The Effect of Mitochondria on Ganoderma lucidum Growth and Bioactive Components Based on Transcriptomics
Authors: Ye Liyun , He Xiaofang , Su Congbao , Feng Haiying , Meng Guoliang , Chen Bingzhi , Wu Xiaoping
Published: November 2022

Mitochondria are the power source of living cells and implicated in the oxidative metabolism. However, the effect of mitochondria on breeding is usually ignored in conventional research. In this study, the effect of mitochondria on Ganoderma lucidum morphology, yield, and main primary bioactive components was analyzed via structuring and comparing isonuclear alloplasmic strains. The crucial biological pathways were then explored based on the transcriptome. The results showed that isonuclear alloplasmic exhibited difference in mycelial growth rate in potato dextrose agar medium (PDA), basidiospore yield, and polysaccharide and triterpenoid content. Otherwise, mitochondria did not change colony and fruit body morphology, mushroom yield, or mycelial growth rate in solid-state fermentation cultivation material. The transcriptome data of two significant isonuclear alloplasmic strains S1 and S5 revealed that the involvement of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was mainly in pentose and glucuronate interconversions, starch and sucrose metabolism, and steroid biosynthesis. The result was further confirmed by the other isonuclear alloplasmic strains. The above results further proved that mitochondria could affect the active components of G. lucidum. Our results provide information which will contribute to understanding of mitochondria and will be helpful for breeding improved varieties.
Heterogeneity Impacts of Farmers’ Participation in Payment for Ecosystem Services Based on the Collective Action Framework
Authors: Qi Yunyun , Zhang Tianye , Cao Jing , Jin Cai , Chen Tianyu , Su Yue , Su Chong , Sannigrahi Srikanta , Maiti Arabinda , Tao Shiqi , Zhang Qi , Li Tan
Published: November 2022

Payments for ecosystem services (PES) are designed to reduce the impact of human activities on eco-sensitive areas. PES programs often adopt economic-incentive and command-control strategies. Increasing the enthusiasm of farmers’ participation is crucial for the sustainability of PES programs and ecosystem restoration. The watershed ecological compensation in Xin’an River Basin is the first horizontal ecological compensation pilot in China. In this study, economic-incentive strategy and command-control strategies in living and farming are implemented simultaneously to improve water quality. Under the collective action framework, we analyze the drivers of farmers’ participation in three concurrent strategies using hierarchical linear models (HLM). The results show: (1) Overall, 81.79%, 76.26%, and 79.11% of farmers are willing to participate in economic-incentive strategy, command-control strategy in living, and command-control strategy in farming, respectively, while 18.21%, 23.74%, and 20.89% are from the village level. (2) Among statistically significant (p < 0.01) factors at the farmer level, social trust (β = 0.305), and social participation (β = 0.134) have positive effects on the economic-incentive strategy; the number of communication and entertainment equipment has a positive effect on the willingness to participate in command-control strategy in living (β = 0.287) and command-control strategy in farming (β = 0.336). (3) At the village level, village characteristics have a direct impact on the farmers’ willingness to participate in strategies. Village woodland area is positively correlated with strategies participation. In addition, village characteristics play a moderating role by influencing farmers’ sustainable livelihood capital. We conclude that different concurrent strategies and collective actions need to be considered in the design of PES programs, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas, which can enrich the theory of collective action and the connotation of PES.
28-[1-(3-(Propionyloxy)propyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]carbonylbetulin
Authors: Kadela-Tomanek Monika , Chrobak Elwira , Bębenek Ewa
Published: November 2022

Betulin has a broad spectrum of biological and pharmacological properties, such as anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. Unfortunately, the low bioavailability makes it difficult to use in medicine. The introduction of a triazole ring to the betulin structure leads to the obtainment of new compounds with higher activity and better bioavailability. The title compound was obtained from the triazole derivative of betulin by conversion of the hydroxyl group to an ester moiety in the Steglich reaction. The chemical structure of the hybrid was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR, 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC) and HRMS spectroscopy.
Investigation of the Preparation, Corrosion Inhibition, and Wear Resistance of the Chromized Layer on the Surfaces of T9 and SPCC Steels
Authors: Liu Sainan , Yang Jing , Liang Xiao , Sun Yangyang , Zhao Xiaojun , Cai Zhenyang
Published: November 2022

To improve the corrosion inhibition and wear resistance of materials, the pack cementation method was used to prepare chromized coatings on the surfaces of high-carbon T9 steel and low-carbon SPCC steel. The results showed the formation of a uniform and dense double-layer structure with a thickness of ~10 μm on the surfaces of two different types of steel. The coating layer for T9 steel was mainly composed of Cr23C6 and Cr7C3, while that for SPCC steel was mainly composed of Cr23C6 and Fe–Cr solid solution. Additionally, both of the steels showed different hardness distributions. The hardness measurements of the outer layers of the T9 steel and SPCC steel were ~1737.72 HV and 1771.91 HV, while the hardness values of the secondary layers were 1378.31 HV and 448.52 HV, respectively. The polarization curves in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution demonstrated the better corrosion resistance of the chromized coating. Chromizing increased the corrosion potential by ~0.2 V and reduced the corrosion current density by one order of magnitude. Under the presence of an 8 N load, the friction factor before and after the chromizing of T9 steel was about 0.69, and the mass wears were 2 mg and 0.6 mg, respectively. Meanwhile, the friction factor of the SPCC steel before and after chromizing was about 0.73, with respective mass wears of 2 mg and 2.9 mg. The wear resistance of T9 steel after chromizing was superior, but it became worse after chromizing for the SPCC steel.
Superrepellent Porous Polymer Surfaces by Replication from Wrinkled Polydimethylsiloxane/Parylene F
Authors: Mayoussi Fadoua , Usama Ali , Karimi Kiana , Nekoonam Niloofar , Goralczyk Andreas , Zhu Pang , Helmer Dorothea , Rapp Bastian E.
Published: November 2022

Superrepellent surfaces, such as micro/nanostructured surfaces, are of key importance in both academia and industry for emerging applications in areas such as self-cleaning, drag reduction, and oil repellence. Engineering these surfaces is achieved through the combination of the required surface topography, such as porosity, with low-surface-energy materials. The surface topography is crucial for achieving high liquid repellence and low roll-off angles. In general, the combination of micro- and nanostructures is most promising in achieving high repellence. In this work, we report the enhancement of wetting properties of porous polymers by replication from wrinkled Parylene F (PF)-coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Fluorinated polymer foam “Fluoropor” serves as the low-surface-energy polymer. The wrinkled molds are achieved via the deposition of a thin PF layer onto the soft PDMS substrates. Through consecutive supercritical drying, superrepellent surfaces with a high surface porosity and a high water contact angle (CA) of >165° are achieved. The replicated surfaces show low roll-off angles (ROA) <10° for water and <21° for ethylene glycol. Moreover, the introduction of the micro-wrinkles to Fluoropor not only enhances its liquid repellence for water and ethylene glycol but also for liquids with low surface tension, such as n-hexadecane.
Energy Criterion for Fracture of Rocks and Rock-like Materials on the Descending Branch of the Load–Displacement Curve
Authors: Kolesnikov Gennady , Shekov Vitali
Published: November 2022

This article deals with the problem of predicting the brittle fracture of rocks and similar materials, which can also include frozen sandy soils. Such materials, due to the diversity of their conditions of origin, are characterized by natural heterogeneity at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels, which makes it difficult to develop sufficiently universal criteria for their strength. Despite a number of known models and criteria of strength and fracture, the search for such criteria remains an urgent problem. In this paper, using the energy approach to the mathematical modeling of mechanical systems, the fracture criterion is justified, which differs from the known criteria that do not require integration to calculate the strain energy We and dissipation energy Wd. The well-known relation for the input energy W=We+Wd is used. The object of the study was the ratio of dW=dWe+dWd. The main research question concerned what the ratio of dWe and dWd would be at the point of brittle failure. The search for an answer to the question led to the justification of a differential energy criterion for the failure of brittle materials on the descending branch of the full stress–strain curve. It was found that the point of predicted fracture is determined by the equality σ=0.5 εEtangential (if there is an inflection point on the ascending branch) or σ=0.5 εEsecant_secant. The main result of the work was ascertaining the differential strength and fracture criteria of brittle materials in the form of inequalities and equations, which were oriented for application in engineering calculations. Examples of application of the developed criteria are given; their consistency with the experimental data known from the literature confirmed.
A Study of Early-Stage Corrosion Behavior of AZ91 Alloy and MAO-Coated Alloy in 3.5% NaCl Solutions
Authors: Liu Yuxiang , Liu Xiaoting
Published: November 2022

The early-stage (1 h) corrosion behavior of AZ91 alloy before and after microarc oxidation treatment in a 3.5% NaCl solution was revealed using open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and the observations of corroded surfaces at different immersion time (5, 25 and 45 min). The coating offers excellent corrosion resistance for the substrate for 1 h immersion corrosion by serving as a physical barrier. For the alloy, pitting corrosion initiates easily, but propagates difficultly, due to the formation of oxides/hydroxides in the pits. By comparison, the localized corrosion of the coated alloy proceeds continuously via the through pores, and the newly formed corrosion products inside the pores are easily damaged. Based on the electrochemical results, the alloy exhibits quasi-uniform corrosion, and the coated alloy reveals localized corrosion, both of which are under cathodic control.
Evaluation of Heat-Induced Damage in Concrete Using Machine Learning of Ultrasonic Pulse Waves
Authors: Candelaria Ma. Doreen Esplana , Chua Nhoja Marie Miranda , Kee Seong-Hoon
Published: November 2022

This study investigated the applicability of using ultrasonic wave signals in detecting early fire damage in concrete. This study analyzed the reliability of using the linear (wave velocity) and nonlinear (coherence) parameters from ultrasonic pulse measurements and the applicability of machine learning in assessing the thermal damage of concrete cylinders. While machine learning has been used in some damage detections for concrete, its feasibility has not been fully investigated in classifying thermal damage. Data was collected from laboratory experiments using concrete specimens with three different water-to-binder ratios (0.54, 0.46, and 0.35). The specimens were subjected to different target temperatures (100 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C) and another set of cylinders was subjected to room temperature (20 °C) to represent the normal temperature condition. It was observed that P-wave velocities increased by 0.1% to 10.44% when the concretes were heated to 100 °C, and then decreased continuously until 600 °C by 48.46% to 65.80%. Conversely, coherence showed a significant decrease after exposure to 100 °C but had fluctuating values in the range of 0.110 to 0.223 thereafter. In terms of classifying the thermal damage of concrete, machine learning yielded an accuracy of 76.0% while the use of P-wave velocity and coherence yielded accuracies of 30.26% and 32.31%, respectively.
Unveiling the Effect of CaF2 on the Microstructure and Transport Properties of Phosphosilicate Systems
Authors: Du Yizhe , Huang Zhidan , Long Mujun , Duan Huamei , Chen Dengfu
Published: November 2022

As an effective flux, CaF2 is beneficial in improving the fluidity of slag in the steel-making process, which is crucial for dephosphorization. To reveal the existence form and functional mechanism of CaF2 in phosphosilicate systems, the microstructures and transport properties of CaO-SiO2-CaF2-P2O5 quaternary slag systems are investigated by molecular dynamics simulations (MD) combined with experiments. The results demonstrate that the Si-O coordination number does not vary significantly with the increasing CaF2 content, but the P-O coordination number dramatically decreases. CaF2 has a minor effect on the single [SiO4] but makes the structure of the silicate system simple. On the contrary, F− ions could reduce the stability of P-O bonds and promoted the transformation of [PO4] to [PO3F], which is beneficial for making the P element-enriched phosphate network structure more aggregated. However, the introduction of CaF2 does not alter the tetrahedral character of the original fundamental structural unit. In addition, the results of the investigation of the transport properties show that the self-diffusion coefficients of each ion are positively correlated with CaF2 content and arranged in the order of F− > Ca2+ > O2− ≈ P5+ > Si4+. Due to CaF2 reducing the degree of polymerization of the whole melts, the viscosity decreases from 0.39 to 0.13 Pa·s as the CaF2 content increases from 0% to 20%. Moreover, the viscosity of the melt shows an excellent linear dependence on the structural parameters.
Rare-Earth-Doped Barium Molybdate Up-Conversion Phosphor with Potential Application in Optical Temperature Sensing
Authors: Wi Jung-Hyun , Park Sang-Geon , Shim Young-Seok , Lee Kwangjae , Jung Jae-Yong
Published: November 2022

A BaMoO4:[Er3+]/[Yb3+] up-conversion (UC) phosphor was synthesized by co-precipitation and calcination of the precursor at 800 °C. The main peak (112) for the synthesized phosphor was strongly detected in the XRD pattern and had a tetragonal structure. The doping of rare-earth ions affected the crystal lattice by shifting the main peak, decreasing the lattice constant, and shifting the position of the Raman signal. The synthesized upconverted phosphor exhibited strong green signals at 530 and 553 nm and weak red signals at 657 nm when excited at 980 nm. The green light emission intensity of the UC phosphor increased as the pump power of the laser increased due to the two-photon effect. The synthesized upconverted phosphor was prepared as a pellet and flexible composite. Thermal quenching led to a decrease in luminescence intensity as the temperature increased, which means that the phosphor can be applied to optical temperature sensing.
Discoloration Improvement by Mechanically-Milled Binary Oxides as Radiopacifier for Mineral Trioxide Aggregates
Authors: Lin Hsiu-Na , Wang Ling-Chi , Chen May-Show , Chang Pei-Jung , Lin Pin-Yu , Fang Alex , Chen Chin-Yi , Lee Pee-Yew , Lin Chung-Kwei
Published: November 2022

Mineral trioxide aggregates (MTA) have been widely used in endodontic treatments, but after some time, patients suffer tooth discoloration due to the use of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) as a radiopacifier. Replacement of Bi2O3 with high energy ball-milled single (zirconia ZrO2; hafnia, HfO2; or tantalum pentoxide, Ta2O5) or binary oxide powder was attempted, and corresponding discoloration improvement was investigated in the present study. Bi2O3-free MTA is expected to exhibit superior discoloration. The radiopacity, diametral tensile strength, and discoloration of MTA-like cements prepared from the as-milled powder were investigated. Experimental results showed that MTA-like cements prepared using Ta2O5 exhibited a slightly higher radiopacity than that of HfO2 but had a much higher radiopacity than ZrO2. Milling treatment (30 min to 3 h) did not affect the radiopacities significantly. These MTA-like cements exhibited superior color stability (all measured ΔE00 < 1.0) without any perceptible differences after UV irradiation. MTA-like cements prepared using ZrO2 exhibited the best color stability but the lowest radiopacity, which can be improved by introducing binary oxide. Among the investigated samples, MTA-like cement using (ZrO2)50(Ta2O5)50 exhibited excellent color stability and the best overall performance with a radiopacity of 3.25 mmAl and a diametral tensile strength of 4.39 MPa.
In-Depth Analysis of the Extracorporeal Proteome Adsorbed to Dialysis Membranes during Hemodialysis
Authors: Daniel-Fischer Lisa , Sobieszek Isabel J. , Wagner Anja , Sacnun Juan Manuel , Watschinger Bruno , Aufricht Christoph , Kratochwill Klaus , Herzog Rebecca
Published: November 2022

Used hemodialysis membranes (HD-M) are a valuable reservoir of biological information. Proteins bind to HD-M, but whether this process depends on the type of membrane or patient factors or selectively affects specific protein classes has not been adequately elucidated. State-of-the-art proteomics techniques are capable of identifying and quantifying this therapy-specific subproteome to enable the analysis of disease- or membrane-induced pathophysiologies. We demonstrate the feasibility of the deep proteomic characterization of the extracorporeal proteome adsorbed to HD-M. A shotgun proteomics approach using nano-flow liquid chromatography coupled to mass-spectrometry identified 1648 unique proteins eluted by a chaotropic buffer from the HD-M of eight patients. In total, 995 proteins were present in all eluates; a more stringent approach showed that a core proteome of 310 proteins could be identified independently in all samples. Stability of the dialyzer proteome was demonstrated by a >90% re-identification rate on longitudinal samples of a single patient. The core proteome showed an overrepresentation of pathways of hemostasis and the immune system, and showed differences in membrane materials (polysulfone vs. helixone). This study demonstrates that optimized conditions combined with high-performance proteomics enable the in-depth exploration of the subproteome bound to HD-M, yielding a stable core proteome that can be exploited to study patient-specific factors and improve hemodialysis therapy.
Isotopic Tracer for Absolute Quantification of Metabolites of the Pentose Phosphate Pathway in Bacteria
Authors: Mohd Kamal Khairunnisa , Mahamad Maifiah Mohd Hafidz , Zhu Yan , Abdul Rahim Nusaibah , Hashim Yumi Zuhanis Has-Yun , Abdullah Sani Muhamad Shirwan
Published: November 2022

The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) plays a key role in many metabolic functions, including the generation of NADPH, biosynthesis of nucleotides, and carbon homeostasis. In particular, the intermediates of PPP have been found to be significantly perturbed in bacterial metabolomic studies. Nonetheless, detailed analysis to gain mechanistic information of PPP metabolism remains limited as most studies are unable to report on the absolute levels of the metabolites. Absolute quantification of metabolites is a prerequisite to study the details of fluxes and its regulations. Isotope tracer or labeling studies are conducted in vivo and in vitro and have significantly improved the analysis and understanding of PPP. Due to the laborious procedure and limitations in the in vivo method, an in vitro approach known as Group Specific Internal Standard Technology (GSIST) has been successfully developed to measure the absolute levels of central carbon metabolism, including PPP. The technique adopts derivatization of an experimental sample and a corresponding internal standard with isotope-coded reagents to provide better precision for accurate identification and absolute quantification. In this review, we highlight bacterial studies that employed isotopic tracers as the tagging agents used for the absolute quantification analysis of PPP metabolites.
Dietary Effect of Clostridium autoethanogenum Protein on Growth, Intestinal Histology and Flesh Lipid Metabolism of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Based on Metabolomics
Authors: Yang Pinxian , Li Xiaoqin , Yao Wenxiang , Li Menglu , Wang Yuanyuan , Leng Xiangjun
Published: November 2022

Clostridium autoethanogenum protein (CAP) is a new single-cell protein explored in aquatic feeds in recent years. This study investigated the dietary effects of CAP replacing fishmeal (FM) on the growth, intestinal histology and flesh metabolism of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). In a basal diet containing 700 g/kg of FM, CAP was used to substitute 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, 70% and 100% of dietary FM to form six isonitrogenous diets (Con, CAP-15, CAP-30, CAP-45, CAP-70, CAP-100) to feed largemouth bass (80.0 g) for 12 weeks. Only the CAP-100 group showed significantly lower weight gain (WG) and a higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) than the control (p < 0.05). A broken-line analysis based on WG and FCR showed that the suitable replacement of FM with CAP was 67.1–68.0%. The flesh n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, intestinal protease activity, villi width and height in the CAP-100 group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that the metabolic pathway in flesh was mainly enriched in the “lipid metabolic pathway”, “amino acid metabolism”, “endocrine system” and “carbohydrate metabolism”. In conclusion, CAP could successfully replace 67.1–68.0% of dietary FM, while the complete substitution decreased the growth, damaged the intestinal morphology and down-regulated the lipid metabolites.
High-Performance and Flexible Design Scheme with ECC Protection in the Cache
Authors: Zhou Yulun , Liu Hongxia , Xiang Qi , Yin Chenyu
Published: November 2022

To improve the reliability of static random access memory (SRAM), error-correcting codes (ECC) are typically used to protect SRAM in the cache. While improving the reliability, we also need additional circuits to support ECC, including encoding and decoding logic. In a high-speed circuit such as a CPU, the L1 cache maintains the same frequency as the CPU, and the decoding of the ECC codes in the cache consumes considerable combinational logic, resulting in limited frequency and performance. This study proposes a high-performance and flexible design scheme with ECC protection in the cache, in which the cache has two working modes: a high-performance mode and a high-reliability mode. The high-performance mode uses simple ECC codes, which can maintain high frequency with low access latency. The high-reliability mode uses more complex ECC codes, which improves the error correction capability and enhances the reliability of the SRAM. To meet the application requirements of different scenarios, the proposed scheme supports the software in switching between the above two modes by configuring the register, which improves the flexibility of the system. The results of synthesis show that the theoretical maximum frequency of proposed ECC design scheme increased from approximately 1.4 GHz in the conventional ECC design scheme to approximately 2.2 GHz. Some of the error correction capability of the high-performance mode is traded off against a 57% increase in frequency. In the high-reliability mode, the error correction capability of the SRAM is enhanced; however, the latency of accessing the cache increases by one cycle.
Fabrication and Evaluation of Tubule-on-a-Chip with RPTEC/HUVEC Co-Culture Using Injection-Molded Polycarbonate Chips
Authors: Lee Ju-Bi , Kim Hyoungseob , Kim Sol , Sung Gun
Published: November 2022

To simulate the ADME process such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion in the human body after drug administration and to confirm the applicability of the mass production process, a microfluidic chip injection molded with polycarbonate (injection-molded chip (I-M chip)) was fabricated. Polycarbonate materials were selected to minimize drug absorption. As a first step to evaluate the I-M chip, RPTEC (Human Renal Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells) and HUVEC (Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells) were co-cultured, and live and dead staining, TEER (trans-epithelial electrical resistance), glucose reabsorption, and permeability were compared using different membrane pore sizes of 0.4 μm and 3 μm. Drug excretion was confirmed through a pharmacokinetic test with metformin and cimetidine, and the gene expression of drug transporters was confirmed. As a result, it was confirmed that the cell viability was higher in the 3 μm pore size than in the 0.4 μm, the cell culture performed better, and the drug secretion was enhanced when the pore size was large. The injection-molded polycarbonate microfluidic chip is anticipated to be commercially viable for drug screening devices, particularly ADME tests.
An EBG-Based Triple-Band Wearable Antenna for WBAN Applications
Authors: Li Rongqiang , Wu Chuan , Sun Xiaofeng , Zhao Yuan , Luo Wei
Published: November 2022

In this article, a triple-band wearable monopole antenna fed by a coplanar waveguide (CPW) with an integrated electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) array is proposed. The monopole antenna consists of an asymmetric inverted U-shaped strip, a horizontal branch, and an L-shaped ground stub, which can generate the 2.45/5.8 GHz wireless local area network (WLAN) band and the 3.5 GHz worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) band. To reduce the influence of antenna radiation on the human body, a triple-band 3 × 3 EBG array has been integrated into the back of the monopole antenna. The EBG unit is composed of two rectangular rings and a circular ring, and the operating frequencies correspond to the triple bands of the monopole antenna. In this paper, the impedance and radiation performances of the stand-alone monopole antenna and the integrated antenna are analyzed, and the safety for the human body is evaluated based on specific absorption rate (SAR) values. The proposed triple-band antenna can be used in wearable devices in wireless body area networks (WBANs).
Reconstructing a Three-Dimensional Geological Model from Two-Dimensional Depositional Sections in a Tide-Dominated Estuarine Reservoir: A Case Study of Oil Sands Reservoir in Mackay River, Canada
Authors: Huang Jiaxuan , Huang Jixin , Yu Diyun , Zhang Weixue , Yin Yanshu
Published: November 2022

A tide-dominated estuarine reservoir is an important oil reservoir. However, due to the force of bidirectional water flow, its internal structure is complex, and the heterogeneity is serious. Accurately establishing the tide-dominated estuarine reservoir model is a great challenge. This paper takes the Mackay River oil sands reservoir in Canada as the research object to establish the elaborate geological model of a tide-dominated estuarine reservoir. Through the meticulous depiction of core data, 14 kinds of lithofacies and nine kinds of architectural elements are identified, and the lithological and electrical response in sedimentary architectural elements is established. On this basis, the plane and vertical distribution of architectural elements, as well as the spatial superimposition patterns, are depicted and characterized through well seismic combination and plane and section interaction, and the representative plane and section architecture maps are obtained as 2D training images (TIs) for multi-point statistical modeling. The 2D TI is scanned by 2D data template to obtain the multi-point statistical probability of the 2D spatial architectural pattern. Then, the 2D multi-point probability is fused to generate three-dimensional (3D) multi-point statistical probability by the probabilistic fusion. Finally, Monte Carlo sampling is used to predict the spatial distribution of architectures, and an elaborate geological model of a tide-dominated estuarine reservoir is established. Compared with the traditional sequential indication modeling method, the point-to-point error of the model section based on the 2D section reconstruction method is only 25.92%, while the sequential indication modeling method is as high as 58.52%. Even far from the TI, the point-to-point error of the 2D section model is 33.13%. From the cross-validation, the average error of the 2D section is 11%, while the sequential indicator modeling error is 23.1%, which indicates that the accuracy of 2D reconstruction of the estuarine reservoir model is high, and this method is suitable for the establishment of the tide-dominated estuarine reservoir model.
Study on Macro-Meso Deformation Law and Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Granular Gangue under Different Loading Rates
Authors: Qin Tao , Guo Xin , Huang Yanli , Wu Zhixiong , Qi Wenyue , Wang Heng
Published: November 2022

Bulk gangue is a common backfill material in solid backfill mining. After backfilling into the goaf, bulk gangue serves as the main body to bear the load of overlying strata, and its deformation resistance is the key factor affecting the backfill quality. In this study, the laterally confined compression test of broken gangue was designed, the compaction deformation characteristics of gangue specimens under different loading rates were studied, the acoustic emission (AE) energy characteristics of gangue specimens under compression were analyzed, and the relationship model between macroscopic deformation of broken gangue under compression and AE energy was established. The particle flow numerical software PFC2D was used to stimulate the particle breakage in the gangue compaction process, and the coal gangue particle model was established through particle cluster units. The particle force chain distribution and fracture evolution characteristics of gangue specimens in the compression process were studied, and the macroscopic deformation mechanism was revealed from the mesoscopic perspective. The results showed that: the porosity variation of the gangue specimen increases with the increase of loading rate; the porosity increases with the decrease in the strain, the porosity decreases with the increase in the stress, and the relationship between porosity and stress is monotonously decreasing. With the increase of loading rate, the AE signals produced by particle breakage become stronger, while the influence of the loading rate on the maximum strain, fragmentation and AE signal of the specimen is gradually weakened. Under different loading rates, the “instability-optimization” of the skeleton force chain structure of the gangue model and the crushing-recombination of cracks are the main reasons for the compaction deformation of gangue specimens at the early stage of loading. The research results are of great significance to reveal the deformation mechanism of coal gangue as backfill materials under compression.