bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geochronological and Geochemical Constraints on the Petrogenesis of Lamprophyre from the Giant Weishan REE Deposit in China
Authors: Sun Yi-Zhan , Qiu Kun-Feng , An Mao-Guo , Li Shan-Shan , Shang Zhen , Wang Yu
Published: June 2022

The Weishan REE deposit is located in the southwest of the Luxi Terrane of the North China Craton (NCC), where a large number of lamprophyre dikes are spatially exposed with the deposit. Here, we report petrology, geochemistry and zircon U-Pb geochronology data for the lamprophyre of the Weishan REE deposit in order to develop constraints for the determination of the petrogenesis, magma source and evolution of the lamprophyre and the tectonic environment. LA-LCP-MS zircon U-Pb dating shows that the crystallization age of the lamprophyre is 125 ± 0.86 Ma. The geochemical data suggest that these lamprophyres have high levels of Al2O3, K2O, MgO and alkalis, moderate level of Na2O and low levels of SiO2, Fe2O3 and TiO2, and that they are enriched with LREEs (La, Ce) and LILEs (Rb, Ba) and depleted with regard to HREEs and HFSEs (Nb, Ta, Ti). They displayed negative εHf(t) values of −14.98 to −9.03, TDM1 ages of 1.1–1.4 Ga and TDM2 ages of 1.7–2.1 Ga, which suggest that the magma source originates from an enriched mantle. Low Rb/Sr and high Dy/Yb ratios suggest that the enriched mantle source was partially melted at the amphibole-bearing lherzolite garnet-facies. The high Ba/Th and Sr/Th ratios indicate that the enriched source was derived from subduction dehydration fluids of the oceanic crust. We propose that the mafic dike intrusions are consistent with an Early Cretaceous alkaline magma emplacement in an extensional setting, in which the magma was not contaminated by crustal material during its emplacement.
Blast Effects of a Shear Thickening Fluid-Based Stemming Material
Authors: Ko Younghun , Kwak Kiseok
Published: June 2022

The Trauzl test is widely used to measure the explosive power of a substance by determining the volume increase produced by the detonation of a tested explosive charge in the cavity of a lead block with defined quality and size. In this study, the Trauzl lead block test and a high-speed 3D digital image correlation (3D-DIC) system were used to evaluate the effect of stemming on a blast hole. The blasting experiments were conducted with emulsion explosives. The stemming materials adopted in this study were sand, aggregate, and shear thickening fluid (STF)-based stemming materials. The results of the blasting experiments and numerical analysis showed that the expansion rate of the lead block was most affected by STF-based materials, followed by aggregates and sand stemming. Furthermore, the displacement and surface strain on the block were the highest in the experimental case using STF-based stemming materials. The STF-based stemming material developed in this study in open pit mining or various blasting constructions is expected to increase rock fragment efficiency, compared to that of general blasting stemming methods, and reduce blasting vibration by decreasing the amount of explosive per blast hole used for blasting.
Protective Effect of Resveratrol on Immortalized Duck Intestinal Epithelial Cells Exposed to H2O2
Authors: Zhou Ning , Tian Yong , Wu Hongzhi , Cao Yongqing , Li Ruiqing , Zou Kang , Xu Wenwu , Lu Lizhi
Published: June 2022

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound with anti-oxidation effects. The mechanisms underlying the antioxidant effects of resveratrol in duck intestinal epithelial cells remain unclear. The protective effects of resveratrol against oxidative stress induced by H2O2 on immortalized duck intestinal epithelial cells (IDECs) were investigated. IDECs were established by transferring the lentivirus-mediated simian virus 40 large T (SV40T) gene into small intestinal epithelial cells derived from duck embryos. IDECs were morphologically indistinguishable from the primary intestinal epithelial cells. The marker protein cytokeratin 18 (CK18) was also detected in the cultured cells. We found that resveratrol significantly increased the cell viability and activity of catalase and decreased the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, as well as the apoptosis rate induced by H2O2 (p < 0.05). Resveratrol up-regulated the expression of NRF2, p-NRF2, p-AKT, and p-P38 proteins and decreased the levels of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 and the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 in H2O2-induced IDECs (p < 0.05). Our findings revealed that resveratrol might alleviate oxidative stress by the PI3K/AKT and P38 MAPK signal pathways and inhibit apoptosis by altering the levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, Bax, and Bcl-2 in IDECs exposed to H2O2.
Metabolic and Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal the Effects of Ethephon on Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin
Authors: Zhang Zhanjiang , Shen Guang , Yang Yihua , Li Cui , Chen Xiaoying , Yang Xiaonan , Guo Xiaoyun , Miao Jianhua , Li Li , Lei Ming
Published: June 2022

The roots of Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin (TKS) are well-known and valued for their rubber-producing ability. Therefore, research on the analysis and detection of metabolites from the roots of TKS have been reported in previous studies. However, all of these studies have the shortcoming of focusing on only the rubber of TKS, without profiling the other metabolites in a systematic and comprehensive way. Here, the primary and secondary metabolites from the leaves of TKS were investigated using UPLC–ESI–MS/MS, and a total of 229 metabolites were characterized. Carboxylic acid derivatives, fatty acyls, phenols, and organooxygen compounds were found to be the major metabolites of TKS. The transcriptome data indicated that ribosomal, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and linoleic acid metabolism genes were significantly differentially expressed. This study is the first to report the differences in the metabolic and transcriptome profiles of TKS leaves under exogenous ethephon spray, which improves our understanding of the main metabolites and their molecular mechanisms in TKS leaves.
Food Fortification Using Spray-Dried Emulsions of Fish Oil Produced with Maltodextrin, Plant and Whey Proteins—Effect on Sensory Perception, Volatiles and Storage Stability
Authors: Damerau Annelie , Mustonen Sari A. , Ogrodowska Dorota , Varjotie Laura , Brandt Waldemar , Laaksonen Oskar , Tańska Małgorzata , Linderborg Kaisa M.
Published: June 2022

Fortification of foods with fish oil rich in n–3 fatty acids improves the nutritional value, but creates challenges with flavor and oxidative stability, especially during storage. Pea, soy, and sunflower proteins were used in combination with whey protein or maltodextrin to encapsulate fish oil by spray-drying. The use of whey protein compared with maltodextrin as wall material improved oxidative stability of spray-dried emulsions, although the use of whey protein increased the number of observed cracks in outer shell of the particles. Non- and encapsulated oil were used in cookies and chocolates to examine flavor characteristics by generic descriptive analysis and volatile products by solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A long-term storage test at room temperature was conducted to evaluate the oxidative stability of the food models. Fortification changed the texture, odor, and flavor of the food models with fishy flavor being the most impactful attribute. For both food models, use of pea protein with maltodextrin resembled attributes of control the best. Fortification and encapsulation material also affected volatile profiles of food models. Both non-encapsulated oil and whey protein formulations performed well in regard to oxidative stability for both food models. Generally, the cookie model showed more potential for fortification than the chocolate one.
Pigment of Ceiba speciosa (A. St.-Hil.) Flowers: Separation, Extraction, Purification and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Chen Boyu , Misrani Afzal , Long Cheng , He Zhizhou , Chen Kun , Yang Li
Published: June 2022

In this work, the extraction procedure of a natural pigment from the flower of Ceiba speciosa (A. St.-Hil.) was optimized by response surface methodology. It is the first time that the extraction of the flower pigment of C. speciosa (FPCS) has been reported, along with an evaluation of its stability and biological activity under various conditions, and an exploration of its potential use as a food additive and in medicine. Specifically, the effects of ethanol concentration, solid–liquid ratio, temperature and time on the extraction rate of FPCS were determined using a Box–Behnken design. The optimum extraction conditions for FPCS were 75% ethanol with a solid–liquid ratio of 1:75 mg/mL) at 66 °C for 39 min. The purification of FPCS using different macroporous resins showed that D101 performed best when the initial mass concentration of the injection solution was 1.50 mg/mL, resulting in a three-fold increase in color value. The yield of dry flowers was 9.75% of fresh petals and the FPCS extraction efficiency was 43.2%. The effects of light, solubility, pH, temperature, sweeteners, edible acids, redox agents, preservatives and metal ions on FPCS were also investigated. Furthermore, the characteristics of FPCS were determined by spectrophotometry at a specific wavelength using the Lambert–Beer law to correlate the mass of FPCS with its absorbance value. An acute toxicological test performed according to Horne’s method showed that FPCS is a non-toxic extract and thus may be used as a food additive or in other ingestible forms. Finally, western blotting showed that FPCS prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced hippocampal oxidative stress in mice. The study suggests that FPCS may function as an antioxidant with applications in the food, cosmetics and polymer industries.
Towards Bioprospection of Commercial Materials of Mentha spicata L. Using a Combined Strategy of Metabolomics and Biological Activity Analyses
Authors: Henao-Rojas Juan Camilo , Osorio Edison , Isaza Stephanie , Madronero-Solarte Inés Amelia , Sierra Karina , Zapata-Vahos Isabel Cristina , Betancur-Pérez Jhon Fredy , Arboleda-Valencia Jorge W. , Gallego Adriana M.
Published: June 2022

Spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) has been widely studied for its diversity of compounds for product generation. However, studies describing the chemical and biological characteristics of commercial spearmint materials from different origins are scarce. For this reason, this research aimed to bioprospecting spearmint from three origins: Colombia (Col), Mexico (Mex), and Egypt (Eg). We performed a biological activity analysis, such as FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS, inhibition potential of S. pyogenes, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, P. aeuroginosa, S. aureus, S aureus Methicillin-Resistant, and E. faecalis. Furthermore, we performed chemical assays, such as total polyphenol and rosmarinic acid, and untargeted metabolomics via HPLC-MS/MS. Finally, we developed a causality analysis to integrate biological activities with chemical analyses. We found significant differences between the samples for the total polyphenol and rosmarinic acid contents, FRAP, and inhibition analyses for Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus and E. faecalis. Also, clear metabolic differentiation was observed among the three commercial materials evaluated. These results allow us to propose data-driven uses for the three spearmint materials available in current markets.
Biological Activities and Chemical Profile of Gentiana asclepiadea and Inula helenium Ethanolic Extracts
Authors: Buza Victoria , Niculae Mihaela , Hanganu Daniela , Pall Emoke , Burtescu Ramona Flavia , Olah Neli-Kinga , Matei-Lațiu Maria-Cătălina , Vlasiuc Ion , Iozon Ilinca , Szakacs Andrei Radu , Ielciu Irina , Ștefănuț Laura Cristina
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic potential of ethanolic extracts obtained from Gentiana asclepiadea L. and Inula helenium L. roots, in relation to their chemical composition. The total polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were determined by spectrophotometric methods, while LC-MS analysis was used to evaluate the individual constituents. The antioxidant properties were tested using the FRAP and DPPH methods. The standard well diffusion and broth microdilution assays were carried out to establish in vitro antimicrobial efficacy and minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. The cytotoxicity was tested on rat intestinal epithelial cells using the MTT assay. The results pointed out important constituents such as secoiridoid glycoside (amarogentin), phenolic acids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, trans-p-coumaric acid, salicylic acid), and flavonoids (apigenin, chrysin, luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, quercetin, rutoside, and naringenin) and promising antioxidant properties. The in vitro antimicrobial effect was noticed towards several pathogens (Bacillus cereus > Staphylococcus aureus > Enterococcus faecalis > Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis > Escherichia coli), with a pronounced bactericidal activity. Rat intestinal epithelial cell viability was not affected by the selected concentrations of these two extracts. These data support the ethnomedicinal recommendations of these species and highlight them as valuable sources of bioactive compounds.
Dynamic Variation of Amino Acid Contents and Identification of Sterols in Xinyang Mao Jian Green Tea
Authors: Sun Meng , Yang Fangfang , Hou Wanying , Jiang Shuangfeng , Yang Runqi , Zhang Wei , Chen Mingjie , Yan Yuhang , Tian Yuxin , Yuan Hongyu
Published: June 2022

As important biomolecules in Camellia sinensis L., amino acids (AAs) are considered to contribute to the overall green tea sensory quality and undergo dynamic changes during growth. However, limited by analytical capacity, detailed AAs composition in different growth stages remains unclear. To address this question, we analyzed the dynamic changes of 23 AAs during leaf growth in Xinyang Mao Jian (XYMJ) green tea. Using amino acid analyzer, we demonstrated that most AAs are abundant on Pure Brightness Day and Grain Rain Day. After Grain Rain, 23 AAs decreased significantly. Further analysis shows that theanine has a high level on the day before Spring Equinox and Grain Rain, accounting for 44–61% of the total free AAs content in tea leaves. Glu, Pro, and Asp are the second most abundant AAs. Additionally, spinasterol and 22,23-dihydrospinasterol are first purified and identified in ethanol extract of XYMJ by silica gel column chromatography method. This study reveals the relationship between plucking days and the dynamic changes of AAs during the growth stage and proves the rationality of the traditional plucking days of XYMJ green tea.
Synthesis and Ultrafast Broadband Optical Limiting Properties of a Two-Branched Twistacene
Authors: Han Yanbing , Xiao Jinchong , Wu Xingzhi , Wang Yuxiao , Zhang Xueru , Song Yinglin
Published: June 2022

A novel two-branched twistacene (PyDN) has been designed and synthesized for application on ultrafast optical limiting. This twistacene exhibits excellent two photon absorption and two photon absorption-induced excited singlet state absorption, which was systematically investigated with a femtosecond Z-scan experiment, transient absorption spectrum, and two-photon excited fluorescence experiments. The admirable two photon absorption is attributed to the high degree of π electron delocalization in twistacene which is caused by introduction of two strong donors. The excited singlet state absorption cooperates with two-photon absorption to provide an excellent ultrafast optical limiting behavior with high linear transmittance, where the thresholds are 2.3–5.3 mJ/cm2 in the spectral region of 532–800 nm of femtosecond laser and 133 mJ/cm2 for picosecond pulse at 532 nm. These thresholds are lower than that of most of the optical limiters reported previously, which indicates PyDN is a promising candidate for ultrafast optical limiting.
Grapefruit Extract-Mediated Fabrication of Photosensitive Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticle and Their Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Potential
Authors: Bokhary Kholoud A. , Maqsood Farah , Amina Musarat , Aldarwesh Amal , Mofty Hanan K. , Al-yousef Hanan M.
Published: June 2022

Aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3 NPs) were synthesized using a simple, eco-friendly green synthesis approach in an alkaline medium from the extract of grapefruit peel waste. The pre-synthesized, nano-crystalline Al2O3 NPs were characterized by using spectroscopic (UV–vis, FTIR, XRD, and EDX) and microscopic (SEM and TEM) techniques. The formed Al2O3 NPs exhibited a pronounced absorption peak at 278 nm in the UV–vis spectrum. The average particle size of the as-prepared Al2O3 NPs was evaluated to be 57.34 nm, and the atomic percentages of O and Al were found to be 54.58 and 45.54, respectively. The fabricated Al2O3 NPs were evaluated for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. The Al2O3 NPs showed strong antioxidant potential towards all the four tested assays. The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory potential of Al2O3 NPs was investigated by measuring the production of nitric oxide and superoxide anion (O2•−), as well as proinflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α, IL-6) and inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B (NF- κB). The results revealed that Al2O3 NPs inhibited the production of O2•− (99.4%) at 100 μg mL−1 concentrations and intracellular NO•− (55%), proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 (83.3%), and TNF-α (87.9%) at 50 μg mL−1 concentrations, respectively. Additionally, the Al2O3 NPs inhibited 41.8% of nuclear factor kappa B at 20 μg mL−1 concentrations. Overall, the outcomes of current research studies indicated that Al2O3 NPs possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties and could be used to treat chronic and acute anti-inflammatory conditions.
Highly Active Palladium-Decorated Reduced Graphene Oxides for Heterogeneous Catalysis and Electrocatalysis: Hydrogen Production from Formaldehyde and Electrochemical Formaldehyde Detection
Authors: Liu Xiaogang , Chen Wenjie , Zhang Xin
Published: June 2022

The exploitation of highly efficient and stable hydrogen generation from chemical storage of formaldehyde (FA) is of great significance to the sustainable development of the future. Moreover, developing an accurate, rapid, reliable, and cost-effective catalyst for electrochemical detection of FA in solution is appealing. Herein, we report rational construction of Pd nanoparticles decorated reduced graphene oxides (Pd/rGO) nanohybrids not only as robust catalysts to produce hydrogen from alkaline FA solution and but also electrocatalysts for electrochemical detection of FA. By optimizing the reaction parameters including FA concentration, NaOH concentration and reaction temperature, Pd/rGO with Pd loading of 0.5 wt% could exhibit a high hydrogen production rate of 272 mL g−1min−1 at room temperature of 25 °C, which is 3.2 times that of conventional Pd NPs. In addition, as-prepared Pd/rGO nanohybrids modified glassy carbon (GC) electrodes are used as FA-detected electrochemical sensors. A sensitive oxidation peak with a current density of 8.38 mA/cm2 was observed at 0.12 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in 0.5 M NaOH containing 10 mM FA over Pd/rGO catalysts with Pd loading of 0.5 wt%. The results showed the prepared Pd/rGO nanocatalyst not only exhibited efficient and stable hydrogen production from alkaline FA solution but also had good electrocatalytic properties with respect to formaldehyde electrooxidation as a result of the synergistic effect of Pd NPs and rGO nanosheets.
Assembly and Photocatalytic Degradation Activity of Spherical ZnO/CdSe Heterostructures on Flexible Carbon Cloth Substrates
Authors: Chen Xuan , Li Jin
Published: June 2022

With the increasing water pollution, traditional treatments cannot sufficiently remove pollutants, thereby prompting the development of photocatalysts. In this study, ZnO–carbon cloth (CC) and spherical ZnO/CdSe–CC heterostructures with different CdSe loadings were synthesized using an ultrasonic-hydrothermal method on flexible CC. Z20CdSe–CC (ZnO with 20 mg CdSe loaded on CC) exhibited the best visible-light-responsive photocatalytic performance, with approximately 83.5% methylene blue reduced in 180 min. In addition, the degradation efficiency of Z20CdSe–CC was maintained at 70.9% after three cycles in relation to that of the ZnO powder. The synergistic effect of CdSe and CC not only effectively widened the light absorption range of ZnO/CdSe–CC but also further promoted the effective transfer of carriers and realized an efficient photocatalytic degradation process. Therefore, the ZnO/CdSe–CC photocatalytic material with CC as the flexible substrate exhibited high photocatalytic activity and stability in environmental remediation. This provides a design idea for the development of an efficient and flexible photocatalytic material in line with the concept of green chemistry.
Glycaemia Fluctuations Improvement in Old-Age Prediabetic Subjects Consuming a Quinoa-Based Diet: A Pilot Study
Authors: Díaz-Rizzolo Diana A. , Acar-Denizli Nihan , Kostov Belchin , Roura Elena , Sisó-Almirall Antoni , Delicado Pedro , Gomis Ramon
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to observe if quinoa could produce a benefit on postprandial glycemia that would result in less progression to type 2 diabetes (T2D). A cross-over design pilot clinical study with a nutritional intervention for 8 weeks was performed: 4 weeks on a regular diet (RD) and 4 weeks on a quinoa diet (QD). Nine subjects aged ≥65 years with prediabetes were monitored during the first 4 weeks of RD with daily dietary records and FreeStyle Libre®. Subsequently, participants started the QD, where quinoa and 100% quinoa-based products replaced foods rich in complex carbohydrates that they had consumed in the first 4 weeks of RD. The glycemic measurements recorded by the sensors were considered as functions of time, and the effects of nutrients consumed at the intended time period were analyzed by means of a function-on-scalar regression (fosr) model. With QD participants, decreased body weight (−1.6 kg, p = 0.008), BMI (−0.6 kg/m2p = 0.004) and waist circumference (−1.5 cm, p = 0.015) were observed. Nutrients intake changed during QD, namely, decreased carbohydrates (p = 0.004) and increased lipids (p = 0.004) and some amino acids (p < 0.05). The fosr model showed a reduction in postprandial glycemia in QD despite intrapersonal differences thanks to the joint action of different nutrients and the suppression of others consumed on a regular diet. We conclude that in an old age and high T2D-risk population, a diet rich in quinoa reduces postprandial glycemia and could be a promising T2D-preventive strategy.
Formation of Metallic Ag on AgBr by Femtosecond Laser Irradiation
Authors: Cabral Luís , Andrés Juan , Longo Elson , San-Miguel Miguel A. , da Silva Edison Z.
Published: June 2022

Laser irradiation of materials induces changes in their structure and functional properties. In this work, lattice heating and electronic excitation on silver bromide (AgBr), provoked by femtosecond laser irradiation, have been investigated by finite-temperature density functional theory and ab initio molecular dynamics calculations by using the two-temperature model. According to our results, the electronic temperature of 0.25 eV is enough to excite the electrons from the valence to the conduction band, whereas 1.00 eV changes the structural properties of the irradiated AgBr material. Charge density simulations also show that an Ag clustering process and the formation of Br3− complexes take place when the electronic temperature reaches 2.00 eV and 5.00 eV, respectively. The present results can be used to obtain coherent control of the extreme nonequilibrium conditions due to femtosecond laser irradiation for designing new functional materials.
Characterization and Functional Analysis of GhNAC82, A NAM Domain Gene, Coordinates the Leaf Senescence in Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)
Authors: Wang Chenlei , Li Tengyu , Liu Qibao , Li Libei , Feng Zhen , Yu Shuxun
Published: June 2022

In the process of growth and development, cotton exhibits premature senescence under various abiotic stresses, impairing yield and fiber quality. NAC (NAM, ATAF1,2, and CUC2) protein widely distributed in land plants, play the critical role in responding to abiotic stress and regulating leaf senescence. We have identified and functional analyzed a NAM domain gene GhNAC82 in upland cotton, it was located on the A11 chromosome 4,921,702 to 4,922,748 bp, only containing one exon. The spatio-temporal expression pattern analysis revealed that it was highly expressed in root, torus, ovule and fiber development stage. The results of qRT-PCR validated that GhNAC82 negatively regulated by salt stress, drought stress, H2O2 stress, IAA treatment, and ethylene treatment, positively regulated by the ABA and MeJA treatment. Moreover, heterologous overexpression of GhNAC82 results in leaf premature senescence and delays root system development in Arabidopsis thaliana. The phenotype of delayed-senescence was performed after silencing GhNAC82 by VIGS in premature cotton. Taken together, GhNAC82 was involved in different abiotic stress pathways and play important roles in negatively regulating leaf premature senescence.
A New Process of Preparing Rice Straw-Reinforced LLDPE Composite
Authors: Xu Huicheng , Dun Mengyuan , Zhang Zhengqi , Zhang Lei , Shan Weidong , Wang Weihong
Published: June 2022

To reduce the pollution resulting from discarding waste plastic film and burning straw, a new method of preparing straw-reinforced LLDPE composites was developed to utilize these wastes. The straws were first laid parallel on an LLDPE film and then rolled up. The rolls containing long straws were laid into a mat and then hot-pressed into a long straw composite board (the mass of straw accounted for 60%). Slope-cutting the straw, grinding the straw, and twisting the roll were designed to improve the physical and mechanical properties of long straw composites. Among them, slope-cutting the straw combined with twisting the roll provided the best properties. Compared to the extruded straw particle composite, the composite prepared with the new method improved the tensile strength, bending strength, impact strength, and water resistance by 358%, 151%, 416%, and 81%, respectively. Slope-cutting exposed more inner surface at the end of the straw. Scanning electron microscope observations showed that the straw inner surface was more tightly bonded with the LLDPE matrix than the outer surface. Meanwhile, the integrity of the straw was retained as much as possible, and thus greatly improved the performance of the resulting composites. Dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis show that the viscous deformation of the composites prepared by the new method was reduced and the rigidity was increased, and the combination of straw and LLDPE forms a dense composite material with good interfacial bonding. It greatly slowed down the degree of its pyrolysis.
A Composite Membrane with High Stability and Low Cost Specifically for Iron–Chromium Flow Battery
Authors: Qiao Lin , Liu Shumin , Fang Maolin , Yang Mingjun , Ma Xiangkun
Published: June 2022

The iron–chromium flow battery (ICFB), the earliest flow battery, shows promise for large-scale energy storage due to its low cost and inherent safety. However, there is no specific membrane designed that meets the special requirements of ICFBs. To match the harsh operation parameters of ICFBs, we designed and fabricated a composite membrane with high mechanical, chemical, and thermal stability. In the design, a commercial porous polyethylene membrane is selected as the framework material, offering high mechanical stability and reducing the cost. Meanwhile, the Nafion resin is filled in the pores of a porous membrane, which inhibits the transfer of redox-active ions and creates the proton channels via hydrophobic/hydrophilic phase separation. As a result, the composite membrane exhibits high conductivity, selectivity, and stability, especially with almost no swelling at high operating temperatures. Thus, an ICFB with the prepared membrane exhibits a coulombic efficiency of 93.29% at the current density of 80 mA cm−2 and runs stably for over 300 cycles. This work provides an easy method to fabricate high-performance and low-cost membranes specifically for ICFBs and has the potential to promote the development of ICFBs.
Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cell Based on PVK Hole Transport Layer
Authors: Xu Yao , Niu Qiaoli , Zhang Ling , Yuan Chaochao , Ma Yuhui , Hua Wei , Zeng Wenjin , Min Yonggang , Huang Jingsong , Xia Ruidong
Published: June 2022

A π-conjugated small molecule N, N’-bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N, N’-bis(phenyl)benzidine (NPB) was introduced into poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) as a hole transport layer (HTL) in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The NPB doping induces a better perovskite crystal growth, resulting in perovskite with a larger grain size and less defect density. Thus, the VOC, JSC, and FF of the PSC were all enhanced. Experimental results show that it can be ascribed to the reduction of surface roughness and improved hydrophilicity of the HTL. The effect of NPB on the aggregation of PVK was also discussed. This work demonstrates the great potential of PVK as the HTL of PSCs and provides an attractive alternative for HTL to realize high-efficiency PSCs.
A Theoretical Study on the Phosgenation of 2,4-Toluenediamine (2,4-TDA)
Authors: Thangaraj Ravikumar , Horváth Tamás , Boros R. Zsanett , Viskolcz Béla , Szőri Milán
Published: June 2022

Industrially relevant phosgenation mechanisms of 2,4-toluenediamine (2,4-TDA) were investigated using G3MP2B3 model chemistry. Six reaction pathways had been explored, which resulted in the formation of toluene diisocyanate (2,4-TDI) including different scenarios of the ‘phosgenations first’ and ‘consecutive phosgenations’ mechanisms in both gas and condensed phases. Two possible ‘phosgenations first’ mechanisms show superior to the others in terms of energy, regardless of which phases are considered. Due to the o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB) solvation, the reaction barriers are dramatically reduced compared to the gas-phase reaction mechanism and the solvent effect can be described by linear relationship. Standard enthalpy of formation value was also recommended for 2,4-TDA (59.3 kJ/mol) and 2,4-TDI (−94.1 kJ/mol), as well as for the gas-phase intermediates (IM).
Water Sorption by Polyheteroarylenes
Authors: Chalykh Anatoly E. , Petrova Tatiana F. , Ponomarev Igor I.
Published: June 2022

The sorption–diffusion characteristics of rigid-chain glassy polymers based on polyheteroarylenes (PHAs) have been studied in a wide interval of relative humidity and temperatures of thermal treatment of the polymer sorbents. Experimental data on water vapor sorption for polynaphthoyleneimidobenzimidazole (PNIB) and its copolymers with different chemical nature have been obtained. Water diffusion coefficients have been calculated, and parameters of their concentration and temperature dependences have been determined. It was found that water molecules sorbed by PNIB and its copolymers are strongly bounded. Water mobile and cluster states depend on the structure of macromolecules and thermal prehistory of polymer sorbents. It is shown that the translational coefficients of water diffusion for all PHAs are in the range from 10−9 to 10−8 cm2/s. The diffusion coefficients also increase slightly with temperature increasing, and their general dependence on temperature is satisfactorily described by the Arrhenius equation. The average activation energy of water diffusion varies from 24.3 to 25.9 kJ/mol. The hydrate numbers of rigid-chain PHAs functional groups have been determined. The above-mentioned results allow us to predict the sorption properties of heterocyclic macromolecular sorbents with complex chain architecture.
A Combined Experimental and Numerical Thermo-Hydrodynamic Investigation of High-Temperature Fluidized-Bed Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Mehrtash Mehdi , Polat Karadiken Esra , Tari Ilker
Published: June 2022

The present research describes the design, analysis, and modeling of an air-granular particle fluidized-bed system with dimensions of 0.08 m × 0.4 m × 0.08 m. The hydrodynamic and thermal experiments are designed to verify the numerical model previously created for this purpose. The gas-solid two-phase flow is described using a three-dimensional, two-fluid model based on the Eulerian–Eulerian method. The experiment is conducted, and the numerical model is updated for the new geometry while maintaining the solution parameters. Silica sand and sintered bauxite particles are employed in both experimental and numerical investigations to examine the behaviors of these particles. The hydrodynamic validity of the numerical model is established by the use of experimental findings for pressure drop and bed expansion ratio. The thermal tests are conducted with 585 K hot sand, and the temperature distribution in the bed is measured using K-type thermocouples and compared with the simulation data. Both the hydrodynamical and thermal experimental data appear to agree with the conclusions of the computational analyses. The validated model is then used to mimic the performance of the bed at elevated temperatures. The performance indicators are discussed and calculated for 973 K, demonstrating that as the temperature rises, the system efficiency increases.
Quantitative Method for Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Based on Multi-Sliding Window and Noise Estimation
Authors: Jia Mingzheng , Wu Meng , Li Yanjie , Xiong Baolin , Wang Lei , Ling Xing , Cheng Wenbo , Dong Wen-Fei
Published: June 2022

LC-MS/MS uses information on the mass peaks and peak areas of samples to conduct quantitative analysis. However, in the detection of clinical samples, the spectrograms of the compounds are interfered with for different reasons, which makes the identification of chromatographic peaks more difficult. Therefore, to improve the chromatographic interference problem, this paper first proposes a multi-window-based signal-to-noise ratio estimation algorithm, which contains the steps of raw data denoising, peak identification, peak area calculation and curve fitting to obtain accurate quantitative analysis results of the samples. Through the chromatographic peak identification of an extracted ion chromatogram of VD2 in an 80 ng/mL standard and the spectral peak identification of data from an open-source database, the identification results show that the algorithm has a better peak detection performance. The accuracy of the quantitative analysis was verified using the LC-HTQ-2020 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer produced by our group for the application of steroid detection in human serum. The results show that the algorithm proposed in this paper can accurately identify the peak information of LC-MS/MS chromatographic peaks, which can effectively improve the accuracy and reproducibility of steroid detection results and meet the requirements of clinical testing applications such as human steroid hormone detection.
RPV Sealing Reliability Estimating Using a New Inconsistent Knowledge Fused Bayesian Network and Weighted Loss Function
Authors: Huang Hao , Luo Ying , Liu Caiming , Dong Yuanyuan , Wei Xiaoran , Zhang Zhe , Chen Xu , Song Kai
Published: June 2022

The sealing system performance of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) under different working circumstances is vital to the safe operation of the whole nuclear process; however, the mechanism, and especially the relationship among highly related variables for it, has remained unclear. Therefore, a new inconsistent knowledge fused Bayesian network and weighted loss function (iBWL) method was proposed to identify key variables and estimate the reliability of an RPV sealing system. In this method, a new inconsistent knowledge fusion method was proposed to make good use of available priceless field knowledge by considering its reliability and inconsistency seriously. The key variables identified by the Bayesian network structure were then used by a new weighted loss function to estimate the reliability of the RPV sealing system by comprehensively quantifying the deviations of them from their corresponding expected values. It is not only the quantified reliability of RPV sealing that can provide solid information for its operation status but also the weighted loss function can provide clues for how to tune the corresponding parameters to make sure RPV operating has an acceptable status. The application performed on the simulation samples based on the RPV of Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant and another two RPV units in service strongly proved the outstanding performance of this advanced iBWL method.
Effect of Cooling Rate on the Grain Morphology and Element Segregation Behavior of Fe-Mn-Al-C Low-Density Steel during Solidification
Authors: Huang Shihui , Li Guangqiang , Zhang Zhan , Tan Qingbiao , Zhu Guoliang
Published: June 2022

Mold with diameter sizes of 140 mm, 80 mm, 40 mm and 15 mm were designed to obtain the ingot of Fe-30Mn-10Al-1.1C low-density steel under different cooling rates. The influence of cooling rate on the grain morphology and elemental segregation behavior during the steel solidification process was analyzed by methods including inductively coupled plasma, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The solidification sequence of the low-density steel was calculated by JMatPro 7.0 thermodynamic software. The results show that the microstructure of the steel is mainly austenite and contains a small amount of ferrite. The solidification order in the steel is: L → α, L → γ and α → γ, L → γ + MC. As the cooling rate increases from 1.69 °C/s to 10.28 °C/s, the ferrite phase precipitation increases by 16.7%, and the grain size decreases significantly, and in particular, the austenitic grain size decreases by 26%. With the increase in cooling rate, the microscopic segregation value of aluminum decreases approximately to 1. Additionally, the microscopic segregation of manganese showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. Microscopic segregation of Al and Mn can be improved significantly by increasing the cooling rate.
Analysis and Research on the Automatic Control Systems of Oil–Water Baffles in Horizontal Three-Phase Separators
Authors: Wu Feng , Huang Kun , Li Haotian , Huang Cheng
Published: June 2022

The three-phase separator is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the combined station of the oilfield. The control level of the oil–water interface directly affects the energy consumption of the subsequent production of the combined station and the effect of oil, gas and water separation. In order to avoid these situations, the Siemens PLC control system, configuration software WinCC and MATLAB were used. The OPC technology is used to connect communication between WinCC and MATLAB, and the genetic algorithm in MATLAB is used to obtain the optimal separation height of the oil–water interface under the produced liquid in different periods. Subsequently, through the Siemens PLC system and WinCC configuration software, the automatic control of the three-phase separator is achieved, and finally the water content of crude oil is significantly reduced. The system provides a visual interface function. In the future, it will also provide an effective simulation platform for the theoretical research and design of an automatic control system of an oilfield combined station.
Spectral Reflectance Indices as a High Throughput Selection Tool in a Sesame Breeding Scheme
Authors: Petsoulas Christos , Evangelou Eleftherios , Tsitouras Alexandros , Aschonitis Vassilis , Kargiotidou Anastasia , Khah Ebrahim , Pavli Ourania I. , Vlachostergios Dimitrios N.
Published: June 2022

On-farm genotype screening is at the core of every breeding scheme, but it comes with a high cost and often high degree of uncertainty. Phenomics is a new approach by plant breeders, who use optical sensors for accurate germplasm phenotyping, selection and enhancement of the genetic gain. The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop a high-throughput phenotyping workflow to estimate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Red Edge index (NDRE) at the plot-level through an active crop canopy sensor; (2) test the ability of spectral reflectance indices (SRIs) to distinguish between sesame genotypes throughout the crop growth period; and (3) identify specific stages in the sesame growth cycle that contribute to phenotyping accuracy and functionality and evaluate the efficiency of SRIs as a selection tool. A diversity panel of 24 sesame genotypes was grown at normal and late planting dates in 2020 and 2021. To determine the SRIs the Crop Circle ACS-430 active crop canopy sensor was used from the beginning of the sesame reproductive stage to the end of the ripening stage. NDVI and NDRE reached about the same high accuracy in genotype phenotyping, even under dense biomass conditions where “saturation” problems were expected. NDVI produced higher broad-sense heritability (max 0.928) and NDRE higher phenotypic and genotypic correlation with the yield (max 0.593 and 0.748, respectively). NDRE had the highest relative efficiency (61%) as an indirect selection index to yield direct selection. Both SRIs had optimal results when the monitoring took place at the end of the reproductive stage and the beginning of the ripening stage. Thus, an active canopy sensor as this study demonstrated can assist breeders to differentiate and classify sesame genotypes.
Autonomous Mission Planning Method for Optical Imaging Satellites Based on Real-Time Cloud Cover Information
Authors: Li Zhiliang , Zhao Limin , Liu Yun , Chen Xingfeng , Chen Hang , Zheng Fengjie , Zhang Yunli , Wang Donghong , Li Jiaguo , Liu Jun , Liu Shumin
Published: June 2022

Cloud cover is an important factor limiting the earth observation efficiency of optical imaging satellites. Existing solutions include avoiding cloudy observation time windows by onboard cloud detectors and ground monitors, which are difficult to improve satellite observation efficiency in time. In order to solve the problem, firstly, a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites cooperation scheme by using cloud cover information provided by GEO meteorological satellite to guide the imaging of LEO optical satellites is proposed, and the operation flow and key elements in this scheme are analyzed. Secondly, Fengyun-4 GEO meteorological satellite and its cloud mask (CLM) products are analyzed. Thirdly, an autonomous mission planning algorithm based on real-time cloud cover information is proposed. Computational results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed GEO–LEO satellites cooperation scheme by taking the actual orbit and payload data of Fengyun-4 and Gaofen-1/2 satellites as examples.
A Satellite-Based Tool for Mapping Evaporation in Inland Water Bodies: Formulation, Application, and Operational Aspects
Authors: Matta Erica , Amadori Marina , Free Gary , Giardino Claudia , Bresciani Mariano
Published: June 2022

With the increase of evaporation projected for water bodies worldwide, there is a growing need for flexible and low data-demanding tools enabling the monitoring and management of water resources. This study presents a simple satellite-based tool named LakeVap specifically designed for mapping evaporation from lakes and reservoirs. LakeVap requires a small amount of potentially available data with a global coverage. The tool follows a Dalton-type approach and produces instantaneous (i.e., hourly) and daily evaporation maps from satellite-derived Lake Surface Water Temperature (LSWT) maps and single-point/gridded meteorological data. The model is tested on Lake Garda, Italy, by using a long time series of LSWT (ESA CCI-Lakes) and different sources of meteorological forcing. The accuracy of LakeVap evaporation outputs is checked by comparison with those from a hydro-thermodynamic model (Delft3D) specifically set up and validated for the case study. Results are consistent and sensitive to the representativeness of the meteorological forcing. In the test site, wind speed is found to be the most spatially variable parameter, and it is significantly underestimated by the ERA5 meteorological dataset (up to 100%). The potential application of LakeVap to other case studies and in operational contexts is discussed.
Modern approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of carotid chemodectomy
Authors:   FBHI «Privolzhsky District Medical Center», Nizhny Novgorod, Yarikov Anton Viktorovich , Shpagin Maksim Vladimirovich ,   SBHI NR «City Clinical Hospital No. 39», Nizhny Novgorod, Smirnov Igor Igorevich ,   SBHI NR «City Clinical Hospital No. 39», Nizhny Novgorod, Lukyanchikov Viktor Aleksandrovich ,   Moscow State Medical University named after A. I. A. I. Evdokimov, NII SP them. N. V. Sklifosovsky, Moscow, Lobanov Igor Anatolyevich ,   City Clinical Hospital No. 39, Tonus Medical Center, Nizhny Novgorod, Lobanov Anton Igorevich ,   National Research Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N. I. Lobachevsky, Nizhny Novgorod, Kuzminykh Dmitry Gennadyevich ,   First Clinical Medical Center (Vladimir Region, Kovrov), FBUZ «Privolzhsky District Medical Center» FMBA of Russia (Nizhny Novgorod), Perlmutter Olga Aleksandrovna ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education, «Privolzhsky Research Medical University», Nizhny Novgorod, Fraerman Alexander Petrovich ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Volga Research Medical University», Nizhny Novgorod, Lyutikov Vladimir Gennadyevich ,   Hospital Surgery named after B. A. Koroleva, Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Privolzhsky Research Medical University», Nizhny Novgorod, Kletskin Alexander Eduadrovich ,   Hospital Surgery named after B. A. Koroleva, Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Privolzhsky Research Medical University», Nizhny Novgorod, Voloshin Valery Nikolaevich ,   Hospital Surgery named after B. A. Koroleva, Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Privolzhsky Research Medical University», Nizhny Novgorod
Published: June 2022

Carotid chemodectoma (CC) (carotid glomus tumor, carotid tumor, carotid paraganglioma, carotid gland struma) is in most cases a benign, slow-growing tumor from paraganglionic cells of the carotid glomus. Glomus tumors account for 60–70 % of all paragangliomas of the head and neck. This article describes in detail the anatomy of the carotid glomus, histological types of tumors and the causes of their formation. A special role is given to the clinical picture in this pathology and modern methods of instrumental diagnostics. Modern CT surgery has established a correlation between anatomical classification and the severity of surgical resection complications, which allows neurosurgeons to predict blood loss and neurological complications in each patient. Operations to remove the carotid glomus with a chemodectomy are complex and technically different from classical operations on the carotid arteries. Despite the possibility of chemoradiotherapy with chemodect, surgical remains the main method of treatment.