bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tire tread rubber compound with high wet skid resistance and low rolling resistance
Authors: Hou Xiaogeng , Hou Hongbin , Wang Yixiao , Qin Bao , Zhang Liang , Wang Qinggang
Published: March 2024

The preparation of four types of epoxidized iron‐based comb butadiene‐isoprene rubber (EBIR) with different epoxidation degrees (4.7%, 6.4%, 10.2%, and 12.3%) was investigated for the first time in this study. The modification involved the use of hydrogen peroxide and formic acid as raw materials for the epoxidation process. Following this, silica/EBIR composites were prepared by mixing EBIR with silica nanoparticles, without the use of a silane coupling agent (SCA). The objective was to investigate the influence of the epoxidation degree on the structure and properties of the resulting silica/EBIR nanocomposites. The results indicated that the introduction of epoxy groups had a positive effect on the interfacial interaction between the rubber and filler, leading to improved dispersion of the silica nanoparticles in the rubber matrix. Consequently, the tensile properties, wet skid resistance, and abrasion resistance of the silica/EBIR composites were found to be superior to those of the un‐epoxidized silica/BIR composites. Furthermore, comparing the silica/EBIR‐12.3 nanocomposites with silica/BIR‐Si69 nanocomposites, it was revealed that silica/EBIR‐12.3 showed a 69.4% enhancement in wet skid resistance and an 8.0% reduction in rolling resistance. These findings demonstrate the potential of silica/EBIR composites for high‐performance tire tread rubber applications, offering environmental benefits and improved properties.
Respiratory morbidity among offspring misclassified as growth restricted
Authors: Zamstein Omri , Wainstock Tamar , Sheiner Eyal
Published: March 2024

Objective

An ultrasound‐based diagnosis implies that some fetuses suspected to be growth‐restricted (FGR) are discovered at birth to be appropriately grown (appropriate for gestational age [AGA] birth weight, between the 10th and 90th percentile). These fetuses may thus be exposed to unnecessary medical interventions, including early labor induction. In this study, we have evaluated the long‐term respiratory health of offspring misclassified as FGR.

Study Design

A population‐based cohort analysis was conducted, including deliveries of AGA singletons between 1991 and 2021 at a tertiary referral hospital. Incidence of morbidity due to various respiratory conditions was compared between AGA offspring with prenatal diagnosis of FGR, and those without a false diagnosis of FGR. The Kaplan–Meier approach was used to estimate cumulative morbidity incidence. The stratified Cox proportional‐hazards model was used to control for confounders.

Results

A total of 324,620 deliveries of AGA newborns were included in the analyses; 3249 of them (1.0%) were misclassified prenatally as FGR. The FGR subgroup delivered at an earlier gestational age (36.7 vs. 39.1 weeks, p < .001) and had more than 25% higher incidence of respiratory‐related morbidity during childhood (33.2% vs. 26.5%), specifically related to asthma and obstructive sleep apnea (p < .001 for all). A higher cumulative morbidity rate due to respiratory conditions was observed in the Kaplan–Meier survival curve (log‐rank p value < .001). This association between FGR and respiratory morbidity was independent of preterm delivery, maternal age, cesarean delivery, and child's birth year (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.07–1.21, p < .001), using a Cox proportional hazards model.

Conclusion

AGA newborns misclassified as FGR, are at an increased risk for long‐term respiratory morbidity during childhood and adolescence.
A west African ancestry‐associated SNP on 8q24 predicts a positive biopsy in African American men with suspected prostate cancer following PSA screening
Authors: Gu Jian , Chery Lisly , González Graciela M. Nogueras , Huff Chad , Strom Sara , Jones Jeffrey A. , Griffith Donald P. , Canfield Steven E. , Wang Xuemei , Huang Xuelin , Roberson Pamela , Meng Qing H. , Troncoso Patricia , Ittmann Michael , Covinsky Michael , Scheurer Michael , Irizarry Ramirez Margarita , Pettaway Curtis A.
Published: March 2024

Background

African American (AA) men have the highest incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer (PCa) among all racial groups in the United States. While race is a social construct, for AA men, this overlaps with west African ancestry. Many of the PCa susceptibility variants exhibit distinct allele frequencies and risk estimates across different races and contribute substantially to the large disparities of PCa incidence among races. We previously reported that a single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in 8q24, rs7824364, was strongly associated with west African ancestry and increased risks of PCa in both AA and Puerto Rican men. In this study, we determined whether this SNP can predict biopsy positivity and detection of clinically significant disease (Gleason score [GS] ≥ 7) in a cohort of AA men with suspected PCa.

Methods

SNP rs7824364 was genotyped in 199 AA men with elevated total prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) (>2.5 ng/mL) or abnormal digital rectal exam (DRE) and the associations of different genotypes with biopsy positivity and clinically significant disease were analyzed.

Results

The variant allele carriers were significantly over‐represented in the biopsy‐positive group compared to the biopsy‐negative group (44% vs. 25.7%, p = 0.011). In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, variant allele carriers were at a more than a twofold increased risk of a positive biopsy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06–4.32). Moreover, the variant allele was a predictor (OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.06–4.84) of a positive biopsy in the subgroup of patients with PSA < 10 ng/mL and normal DRE. The variant allele carriers were also more prevalent in cases with GS ≥ 7 compared to cases with GS < 7 and benign biopsy.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that the west African ancestry‐specific SNP rs7824364 on 8q24 independently predicted a positive prostate biopsy in AA men who were candidates for prostate biopsy subsequent to PCa screening.
Atezolizumab‐related sclerosing cholangitis with multiple liver abscesses in a patient with lung squamous cell carcinoma: A case report
Authors: Jingu Daisuke , Horii Akira , Yajima Takehiro , Ohira Ryuta , Ubukata Satoshi , Satou Kosuke , Takahashi Hiroshi , Watanabe Hiroshi , Funayama Hiroyuki
Published: March 2024

A 76‐year‐old man underwent an operation for lung squamous cell carcinoma in the right lower lobe, followed by initial adjuvant therapy with atezolizumab, an antibody against anti‐programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1). On day 4 after atezolizumab treatment, the patient developed general malaise and fatigue. He was diagnosed with atezolizumab‐induced sclerosing cholangitis. Steroid treatment was started, and patient's condition, including symptoms, laboratory data and imaging findings, improved. Antibiotic treatments were ended on day 40, and the steroid dose was gradually reduced. Multiple liver abscesses were observed on day 106, and another treatment with antibiotics became necessary. The patient eventually recovered from liver abscesses. Sclerosing cholangitis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitor is rare, and the long‐term clinical data about this adverse effect is limited. Hence, we think it is important to raise an alarm over sclerosing cholangitis coupled with liver abscesses after immunosuppressive therapy.
Fixed‐time sliding mode trajectory tracking control for marine surface vessels under mismatched conditions and input saturation
Authors: Zhang Jingqi , Yu Shuanghe , Yan Yan , Zhao Ying
Published: March 2024

This paper addresses a trajectory tracking control problem for marine surface vessels (MSVs) in the presence of mismatched conditions and input saturation. Firstly, an MSV model under mismatched conditions is established to solve the problem of unreasonable modeling methods in the existing literature. Secondly, fixed‐time disturbance observers (FXDOs) are designed, where the designed FXDOs not only avoid selecting complicated parameters but also has simple structures, and the disturbance estimation errors can converge to the origin within a setting time. Thirdly, based on the FXDOs and an anti–saturation auxiliary dynamic system, a trajectory tracking control scheme in the presence of mismatched conditions and input saturation is constructed by virtue of fixed‐time integral sliding mode control (SMC), and the actual tracking error signals are uniformly fixed‐time bounded rather than finite‐time one. Fourthly, in order to decrease theoretical calculation values of the original setting time in fixed‐time control, the new setting time under three different parameter conditions is derived, and thus reducing the conservatism. Finally, the simulation results are provided to show the effectiveness and superiority of the designed tracking control scheme.
Commercial Wheat and Oat Flour Derived Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots through Sustainable Hydrothermal Synthesis and Their Biological Activities
Authors: Kuppusamy Palaniselvam , Kim Sujung , Park Myunghum , Song Ki‐Duk
Published: March 2024

In this study, we utilized processed edible commercial wheat and oat flours to synthesize highly fluorescent carbon dots using green hydrothermal synthesis. The as‐synthesized carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were characterized using UV‐vis spectrophotometry, photoluminescence spectrophotometry, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The synthesized wheat‐CQDs (W‐CQDs) and oat‐CQDs (O‐CQDs) had monodispersed spherical shapes with average sizes of 3–8 and 5–10 nm, respectively, and exhibited strong fluorescence intensity and excitation‐dependent photoluminescence. The W‐CQDs and O‐CQDs were highly dispersed in aqueous solutions and exhibited bright green and blue fluorescence, respectively, under UV light (λex=380 and 370 nm). Both CQDs contained abundant functional groups, including amino, hydroxyl, and carboxyl groups, which may play a major role in biological applications. The W‐CQDs and O‐CQDs showed good free‐radical scavenging capacity in the 2,2‐diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and H2O2 assays. The anti‐inflammatory activities of W‐CQDs and O‐CQDs were more effective than that of the standard, with EC50 values of 1.8 and 1.3 mg/mL, respectively, in the protein denaturation assay. Additionally, the CQDs exhibited low cytotoxicity toward NIH3T3 fibroblast and human HeLa cervical cancer cells when treated with a 5‐mg/mL concentration. Therefore, green‐synthesized W‐CQDs and O‐CQDs are easily available, less cytotoxic, and applicable to therapeutic and cell nanocarrier purposes.
In‐suit synthesis of FeP/C/CNT composites with excellent performance in supercapacitors and lithium‐ion batteries
Authors: Liu Yongdong , Gao Shiyao , Zhang Deyi , Niu Xiaohui , Li Hongxia , Wang Kunjie
Published: March 2024

Iron phosphide (FeP) is a promising electrochemical energy storage material due to easy to obtain and high theoretical capacity. However, the intrinsic poor conductivity and the large volume change during charging and discharging process, result in a sharp decline in capacity and short cycle life for FeP. In this work, the FeP/C/CNT nanocomposite was synthesized efficiently and conveniently by one‐step solid‐phase synthesis method. Amorphous carbon‐coated FeP particles are embedded in a three‐dimensional network structure composed of highly conductive carbon nanotubes, drastically enhancing the conductivity of FeP and reducing the volume expansion during charging and discharging. In the three‐electrode system, the FeP/C/CNT composites showed good electrochemical performance, with a specific capacity as high as 124.4 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1. Meanwhile, the constructed Ni2P@C/CNT//FeP/C/CNT asymmetric supercapacitor delivered a high energy density (70.73 Wh kg−1), power density (7.9 kW kg−1) and a long cycle life (10000 cycles). In addition, as served as an anode material in the lithium ion battery, the FeP/C/CNT composite also displayed as high as 601.8 mAh g−1of specific capacity at 0.1 A g−1 and a good cycle stability, showing superior electrochemical performance. The above work provides a promising composite material for supercapacitors and lithium ion batteries. Moreover, the solid‐state preparation methods can provide a reference for the synthesis of transition metal phosphides.
Influence of hybrid filler on charge conduction and storage performance of polyvinyl chloride/nitrocellulose blend for hybrid electrolyte application
Authors: Jadhav Pratibha S. , Joshi Girish M.
Published: March 2024

Polymer blends of polyvinyl chloride/nitrocellulose/MoS2‐Nafion (PVC/NC/MoS2‐Nafion) were prepared using a casting technique. FTIR analysis revealed chemical interactions between the polymer matrix and filler. XRD analysis was employed to investigate changes in structural phases, while SEM illustrated the agglomerated morphology of the modified blends. The critical role of ionic interaction between Nafion and polymer system in enhancing electrical properties was confirmed through impedance analysis. The introduction of oxygenated functionalities improved surface topography and roughness, as observed by AFM. Electrical conductivity increased from 10−6 S/cm to 10−4 S/cm, accompanied by a decrease in activation energy (Ea). The addition of Nafion decreased bulk resistance, indicating enhanced ionic mobility, as supported by impedance analysis. TG‐DSC analysis demonstrated that MoS2 and Nafion improved thermal properties of polymer blends. The glass transition temperature (Tg) increased by approximately 13 °C and 21 °C with MoS2 and Nafion, respectively. Universal testing machine (UTM) results indicated moderate tensile strength and Young's modulus achieved by MoS2 and Nafion. With increasing Nafion loading, elongation at break rose to around 71 %, showcasing excellent interfacial interaction in polymer‐filler system. The resulting polymer blends, modified by Nafion, exhibited high ionic/electrical conductivity and show promise for hybrid polymer electrolyte applications.
Crystalline water induced nonpolar‐to‐polar transition and high piezoelectric response in lamivudine hydrate crystal
Authors: Shi Yu , Weng Yan‐Ran , Zhou Feng , Yu Yun‐Hui , Song Xian‐Jiang , Ai Yong
Published: March 2024

Electromechanically converted piezoelectric materials have great applications in actuators, sensors, and energy harvesters. Organic piezoelectric materials are environmentally friendly, easy to prepare, and have a low molecular mass compared to conventional inorganic piezoelectric materials. Here, we present an organic hydrogen bonding piezoelectric material, lamivudine hydrate, which crystallized in the P21 space group at room temperature and exhibits a decent d33 value of 21 pC N−1. This value is comparable to that of the commercial piezoelectric material, Tri‐Glycine Sulfate (TGS, d33=22 pC N−1). Moreover, lamivudine hydrate possesses a superior g33 value of 826×10−3 V m N−1, which is much higher than that of commercial TGS and most of the piezoelectric ceramics. While the lamivudine crystal was refined in the P43212 space group, showing no piezoelectric activity. The presence of crystalline water plays a crucial role in establishing its polar structure and achieving high piezoelectric properties of lamivudine hydrate crystal. The decent d33 and g33 values make it a promising candidate for advanced materials in high‐performance piezoelectric sensors, particularly in applications involving flexible, wearable, and biomechanical devices.
Unveiling the Suppressive Potential of Phenolic Compounds on Bovine Milk Lactoperoxidase
Authors: Gerni Serpil , Öztürk Cansu , Kılınç Namık , Özdemir Hasan , Küfrevioğlu Ö. İrfan
Published: March 2024

Lactoperoxidase (LPO) is a crucial enzyme found in milk, tears, and saliva, protecting newborns from harmful microorganisms. This study examined the effects of phenolic substances (naringin, morin, esculin, homovanillic acid, and phloridzin) on purified LPO. LPO was purified from bovine milk using affinity chromatography, yielding 66.6 % with a purity of 387.5‐fold. Three methodologies were employed to assess inhibitory properties: spectrophotometric techniques, molecular docking, and MM‐GBSA. The compounds′ IC50 values were 0.0024 μM, 0.0315 μM, 0.0373 μM, 0.0506 μM, and 0.0221 μM, while their Ki values were 0.0059±0.0012 μM, 0.0672±0.0247 μM, 0.0973±0.0369 μM, 0.0664±0.0190 μM, and 0.0470±0.0159 μM, respectively. Naringin exhibited the most potent inhibitory effect, competitively inhibiting LPO. Therefore, naringin could serve as a novel reversible LPO inhibitor.
Preparation and sodium storage properties of spinel‐type (Cr0.2Fe0.2Mn0.2Ni0.2Co0.2)3O4/rGO
Authors: Li Kaixiang , Li Huijun , Zhao Zhenxin , Wang Xiaomin
Published: March 2024

While conventional oxides have a high theoretical specific capacity, they also suffer from severe volume expansion during cycling, which seriously affects the stability of the structure. Hence, high‐entropy oxide nanoparticles (Cr0.2Fe0.2Mn0.2Ni0.2Co0.2)3O4, CFMNC) were synthesized and uniformly dispersed on reduced graphene oxide(rGO) carriers using a solvothermal method‐assisted heat treatment as a novel sodium‐ion batteries anode material. The introduction of rGO does not change the crystal structure of CFMNC material, while loading CFMNC into the sheet structure of rGO forms a highly conductive structure, which promotes electron/ion transfer. The high specific surface area is conducive to the full infiltration of the electrode material with the electrolyte, and improve the electrode activity. The random distribution of individual metal ions in CFMNC makes itself have a strong entropy‐driven structural stabilization effect to achieve the cycling stability: 149.1 mAh g−1 can be maintained at 100 mA g−1 over 200 cycles with capacity decay rate of 0.05 % cycle−1. CFMNC/rGO also have excellent rate capability (76.1 mAh g−1at 3000mAg−1, and returned to 153.6 mAh g−1at 200 mA g−1 with almost 100 % capacity retention). Therefore, the composite is considered to offer research potential for the design of high‐performance anode materials through entropy‐driven strategies.
Aptamer‐Based Colorimetric Detection of Oxytetracycline by a LSPR‐Based Assay of Gold Nanorods in Honey Sample**
Authors: Mehrabi Fatemeh , Dadmehr Mehdi , Ranjbar Bijan , Hosseini Morteza
Published: March 2024

Oxytetracycline (OTC) as the frequently applied antibiotics present in human and animal diets and its residue may results to various toxic effects. So, there is a crucial need for developing sensitive method for detection of OTC. Aptamer‐based biosensors (aptasensors) are frequently used in recent applied detection strategies with high affinity and specificity. In the present study, a colorimetric aptasensor was developed for detection of oxytetracycline (OTC) based on aggregation of aptamer functionalized AuNRs. The synthesized AuNRs were characterized and functionalized with specific DNA oligonucleotide as the aptamer to generate an optical signal after binding to the OTC antibiotic. The sensitivity of optical changes in spectroscopic analysis was improved under ambient temperature that resulted in aptamer folded structure and subsequent aggregation state of AuNRs. The longitudinal surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of AuNRs was decreased in the linear range of applied OTC concentration from 0.1 nM to 100 nM with a detection limit of 0.04 nM. The proposed method was facile and showed sensitive and selective results, that would be consider as an alternative and efficient approach toward rapid detection of OTC.
Pioneering Exploration of Mo2AlB2‐Transition‐Metal‐Aluminum‐Boron‐Phase‐Supported Hydrophobic SrTiO3/Mo2AlB2 Nanocomposite for Improved Photocatalytic Carbendazim Degradation and CO2 Reduction to Ethanol through the Schottky Junction
Authors: Narendran Moorthy Gnanasekar , Peters Silda , John Bosco Aruljothy , Keerthiga Gopalram , Neppolian Bernaurdshaw , Senthil Kumar Sakkarapalayam Murugesan , Xiaoteng Liu Terence
Published: March 2024

The global environmental and energy challenges necessitate the development of multifunctional materials that can address both pollutant removal and solar fuel production. In this groundbreaking study, the utilization of the Mo2AlB2 transition‐metal aluminum boron (MAB) phase is introduced as a cocatalyst in the SrTiO3/Mo2AlB2 nanocomposite, marking the first instance of its application in photocatalytic approaches to combat environmental and energy crises. A nanocomposite of SrTiO3/Mo2AlB2 is prepared by ultrasound‐assisted self‐assembly of SrTiO3 nanocubes (STO) with layered Mo2AlB2. The optimized catalyst denoted as STO@5‐MAB is subjected to comprehensive characterization to evaluate its physiochemical properties. Remarkably, the STO@5‐MAB composite demonstrates exceptional performance in both photocatalytic carbendazim (CBZ) degradation, achieving an impressive degradation of 87.5% and CO2 reduction to ethanol with a rate of 9.96 mmol g−1 h−1 under visible‐light illumination. This outstanding performance can be attributed to the composite's 1) hydrophobicity, 2) enhanced light absorption, and 3) the formation of a Schottky junction at the interface, facilitating efficient charge separation. In conclusion, the SrTiO3/Mo2AlB2 nanocomposite demonstrates immense potential in addressing pressing environmental and energy challenges through photocatalytic CBZ degradation and CO2 reduction to ethanol. In this study, the pivotal role of Mo2AlB2 in developing efficient photocatalysts is underscored for environmental and energy applications.
Wettability Characteristics of Nanoporous Carbon Bricks Incorporated with Al2O3 Phase and Molten Iron in Sustainable and Low‐Carbon Blast Furnace
Authors: Liu Yanxiang , Guo Ziyu , Wang Cui , Zhang Jianliang , Zong Yanbing , Jiao Kexin
Published: March 2024

Analyzing the wetting behavior between carbon brick and molten iron in a blast furnace is crucial for understanding prolonging the furnace's lifespan. This study investigates the wetting behavior between microporous carbon brick and molten iron. The contact angle between the carbon brick and molten iron is measured at various temperatures and carbon saturation conditions, while the microscopic morphology of the reacted interface is examined. Furthermore, the wetting mechanism of molten iron on the carbon brick surface is elucidated. The findings reveal that both the microporous carbon brick and molten iron remain in a never‐wetting state within the furnace. As the temperature rises from 1150 to 1450 °C, the contact angle decreases from 138° to 128°, whereas the initial carbon content in the molten iron increases from 2.6 wt% to 4.1 wt%. Additionally, the initial contact angles gradually increase from 128.3° to 133.6°, with final equilibrium contact angles of 119.2° to 127.0°, indicating a nonwetting state. The carbon dissolution reaction occurs within the carbon matrix region of the microporous carbon brick prior to carbon saturation in the molten iron. Conversely, the presence of a ceramic phase in the ceramic area hampers both chemical erosion and physical penetration of the molten iron.
Characterization of Sub‐Tropically Adapted Maize Breeding Lines for Loci Governing Kernel Amylose and Resistant Starch
Authors: Reddappa Shashidhar B. , Chhabra Rashmi , Muthusamy Vignesh , Zunjare Rajkumar U. , Talukder Zahirul A. , Mishra Subhra J. , Katral Ashvinkumar , Singh Ashok K. , Hossain Firoz
Published: March 2024

Amylose and resistant starch (RS) possess diverse health benefits besides serving as an important component in the starch industry. This study analyzed 48 subtropically‐adapted maize inbreds at multiple locations and characterized for specific starch genes using markers specific to SNPs. Significant variation for amylose (0.3–66.4%), RS (1.8–38.0%), and total starch (65.5–75.1%) is observed. Amylose showed a positive correlation with RS (r = 0.79**). Molecular analysis using 29 markers produced 40 alleles with an average major allele frequency of 0.84. Gene diversity, polymorphism information content (PIC), and genetic dissimilarity are 0.23, 0.19, and 0.33, respectively. The genotypes are categorized into six major clusters based on the markers, and high amylose and RS lines are assigned to cluster‐A and cluster‐B. The alleles associated with Sbe2b (84 bp Del) and Sbe1a (SNP “A”) showed positive correlations with amylose and RS. Additionally, allele “A” linked to the Sucrose transporter6 (Sut6) displayed a positive correlation with RS. Considering Sbe2b, Sbe1a and Sut6 genes, six haplotypes are observed, of these, hap‐A possessed the highest amylose and RS. The promising inbreds can be used as donors, while the validated markers for Sbe2b, Sbe1a and Sut6 genes can be effectively utilized for the improvement of amylose and RS through molecular breeding.
Physicochemical, Rheological Properties, and In‐Vitro Starch Digestibility of Flours and Starches from Pigeon Pea, Cowpea, Pinto Bean, and Navy Bean
Authors: Kumari Bharati , Sit Nandan
Published: March 2024

The physicochemical, rheological properties, and digestibility of flours and starches from pigeon pea, cowpea, pinto bean, and navy bean are investigated. Pinto bean flour (PBF) and Pinto bean starch (PBS) show the highest water absorption capacity (WAC), while cowpea flour (CPF) and cowpea starch (CPS) show the highest oil absorption capacity (OAC)‐ than other pulse flour or starches. All pulse flours show higher solubility than all pulse starches. However, the swelling power (SP) of all flours is lower than starches and SP is comparatively different among starches. Paste clarity, and relative crystallinity (RC), are higher in all flours compared to starches. However, pasting properties and consistency index (K) are lower in flour compared to starches. All the flours and starches exhibit CA‐type crystallinity.The Scanning Electron Microscrographs  reveals smooth granular surfaces of all starch and flour. Both flours and starches show flow behavior (n < 1) and viscosity decreased with increasing shear rate indicating the non‐Newtonian fluid behavior. All starches show higher rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and resistant starch (RS) content but lower slowly digestible starch (SDS) content than all flours. These flours and starches can be used as valuable ingredients for formulating functional food, soup, and starch gel.
Finite element analysis of concrete‐encased columns reinforced with multiple steel sections
Authors: Bao Lianjin , Li Guoqiang , Fan Feng , Zhao Hang , Huang Gang , Sun Jianyun , Sun Feifei
Published: March 2024

Concrete‐encased columns reinforced with one built‐up steel core are widely used as mega columns in high‐rise buildings. Due to the enormous size of the steel core, multiple steel segments have to be welded and spliced on‐site, which might inflict detrimental impacts on the integrity and ductility of the columns. To solve this practical issue, one method using multiple steel sections to replace one gigantic built‐up section is proposed. However, whether those columns reinforced with individual steel sections could have the same capacity as the ones reinforced with one steel core and whether the current design method relying on strain compatibility is still applicable to design such columns remain unknown. In this study, one column specimen reinforced with multiple steel sections is tested and the test results are utilized to calibrate finite element models. Afterward, finite element (FE) analysis is performed on concrete‐encased columns reinforced with multiple steel sections to numerically examine the load capacity of those columns. Based on the numerical analysis, a design method based on modified strain distribution is proposed. Numerical results indicate that concrete‐encased columns reinforced with multiple steel sections exhibit similar performance compared with the one reinforced with one steel core, showing great potential to be applied as mega columns in high‐rise buildings.
MiR‐2110 induced by chemically synthesized cinobufagin functions as a tumor‐metastatic suppressor via targeting FGFR1 to reduce PTEN ubiquitination degradation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Fang Shiyi , Peng Lanzhu , Zhang Mengmin , Hou Rentao , Deng Xing , Li Xiaoning , Xin Jianyang , Peng Lingrong , Liu Zhihua , Liu Yiyi , Xie Yingying , Zhou Beixian , Fang Weiyi , Liu Zhen , Cheng Chao
Published: March 2024

Tumor cell metastasis is the key cause of death in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). MiR‐2110 was cloned and identified in Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)‐positive NPC, but its role is unclear in NPC. In this study, we investigated the effect of miR‐2110 on NPC metastasis and its related molecular basis. In addition, we also explored whether miR‐2110 can be regulated by cinobufotalin (CB) and participate in the inhibition of CB on NPC metastasis. Bioinformatics, RT‐PCR, and in situ hybridization were used to observe the expression of miR‐2110 in NPC tissues and cells. Scratch, Boyden, and tail vein metastasis model of nude mouse were used to detect the effect of miR‐2110 on NPC metastasis. Western blot, Co‐IP, luciferase activity, colocalization of micro confocal and ubiquitination assays were used to identify the molecular mechanism of miR‐2110 affecting NPC metastasis. Finally, miR‐2110 induced by CB participates in CB‐stimulated inhibition of NPC metastasis was explored. The data showed that increased miR‐2110 significantly suppresses NPC cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Suppressing miR‐2110 markedly restored NPC cell migration and invasion. Mechanistically, miR‐2110 directly targeted FGFR1 and reduced its protein expression. Decreased FGFR1 attenuated its recruitment of NEDD4, which downregulated NEDD4‐induced phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) ubiquitination and degradation and further increased PTEN protein stability, thereby inactivating PI3K/AKT‐stimulated epithelial–mesenchymal transition signaling and ultimately suppressing NPC metastasis. Interestingly, CB, a potential new inhibitory drug for NPC metastasis, significantly induced miR‐2110 expression by suppressing PI3K/AKT/c‐Jun‐mediated transcription inhibition. Suppression of miR‐2110 significantly restored cell migration and invasion in CB‐treated NPC cells. Finally, a clinical sample assay indicated that reduced miR‐2110 was negatively correlated with NPC lymph node metastasis and positively related to NPC patient survival prognosis. In summary, miR‐2110 is a metastatic suppressor involving in CB‐induced suppression of NPC metastasis.
Genome‐wide scanning to identify and validate single nucleotide polymorphism markers associated with drought tolerance in spring wheat seedlings
Authors: Sallam Ahmed , Dawood Mona F. A. , Jarquín Diego , Mohamed Elsayed A. , Hussein Mohamed Y. , Börner Andreas , Ahmed Asmaa A. M.
Published: March 2024

Unlike other growth stages of wheat, very few studies on drought tolerance have been done at the seedling stage, and this is due to the complexity and sensitivity of this stage to drought stress resulting from climate change. As a result, the drought tolerance of wheat seedlings is poorly understood and very few genes associated with drought tolerance at this stage were identified. To address this challenge, a set of 172 spring wheat genotypes representing 20 different countries was evaluated under drought stress at the seedling stage. Drought stress was applied on all tested genotypes by water withholding for 13 days. Two types of traits, namely morphological and physiological traits were scored on the leaves of all tested genotypes. Genome‐wide association study (GWAS) is one of the effective genetic analysis methods that was used to identify target single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and candidate genes for later use in marker‐assisted selection. The tested plant materials were genotyped using 25k Infinium iSelect array (25K) (herein after it will be identified as 25K) (for 172 genotypes) and genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) (for 103 genotypes), respectively. The results of genotyping revealed 21,093 25K and 11,362 GBS‐SNPs, which were used to perform GWAS analysis for all scored traits. The results of GWAS revealed that 131 and 55 significant SNPs were controlling morphological and physiological traits, respectively. Moreover, a total of eight and seven SNP markers were found to be associated with more than one morphological and physiological trait under drought stress, respectively. Remarkably, 10 significant SNPs found in this study were previously reported for their association with drought tolerance in wheat. Out of the 10 validated SNP markers, four SNPs were associated with drought at the seedling stage, while the remaining six SNPs were associated with drought stress at the reproductive stage. Moreover, the results of gene enrichment revealed 18 and six pathways as highly significant biological and molecular pathways, respectively. The selection based on drought‐tolerant alleles revealed 15 genotypes with the highest number of different drought‐tolerant alleles. These genotypes can be used as candidate parents in future breeding programs to produce highly drought‐tolerant genotypes with high genetic diversity. Our findings in this study provide novel markers and useful information on the genetic basis of drought tolerance at early growth stages.
Degradation of Procion brilliant yellow H‐E6G using ultrasonic and hydrodynamic cavitation combined with oxidants with demonstration at pilot scale
Authors: Momin Rahat F. , Gogate Parag R.
Published: March 2024

The current study focuses on the degradation of Procion brilliant yellow H‐E6G, an azo dye, using ultrasonic and hydrodynamic cavitation (HC), evaluating the impact of various parameters on the extent of degradation. The use of only ultrasound showed less oxidation capacity as indicated by only 19.1% degradation at an optimized power of 140 W, pH of 2.5, temperature of 40°C, and initial dye concentration of 15 ppm. The effectiveness of hybrid approaches involving US + H2O2, US + Fenton, and US + H2O2 + potassium persulfate (KPS) was subsequently evaluated under optimized conditions. A notable enhancement in decolorization extent was observed for combined operations, including US + H2O2, US + Fenton, and US + H2O2 + KPS (dual oxidant scheme) with the actual decolorization extents as 80.6%, 85%, and 92.2% respectively. An optimized scheme of US + H2O2 + KPS was also utilized to decolorize the dye at a pilot scale using a US flow cell and also an HC reactor that yielded 91.8% and 88% reductions in initial concentration. The dye decolorization was elucidated to follow first‐order kinetics for all the individual and combination approaches. The obtained values of the rate constants were also utilized for the evaluation of the synergistic index. A toxicity analysis was also performed on the dye, both before and following treatment, utilizing two bacterial strains. A comparative analysis of various treatment approaches has been presented focusing on factors such as cavitational yield, operational expenses, and energy requirements. The study elucidated that the combination of US + H2O2 + KPS effectively removes Procion brilliant yellow H‐E6G giving 92.2% as the maximum degradation at an operating cost of 0.1862 $/L.

Practitioner Points

First depiction of cavitative degradation of Procion brilliant yellow H‐E6G

Optimizing the equipment operating parameters and chemical oxidants

Demonstration of optimized treatment scheme at pilot scale

Evaluation of various approaches based on synergy and costs of treatment

US + H2O2 + KPS is the best approach for dye degradation
Conclusions: Tourism Sustainability and Improvement Plans
Authors: Peiro-Signes Ángel , Santamarina-Campos Virginia
Published: March 2024

As this book concludes, it is essential to summarise the critical mission we have engaged in: facilitating a shift towards the circular economy within the expanding tourism industry in the Valencian Region. This complex task has involved a multidimensional approach combining rigorous academic research, empirical field analyses, active collaboration with key stakeholders, and the development of the InnoEcoTur Innovation Platform.
Circular Economy Practices in the Spanish Beer Industry: The Case of the Beer Producer La Somniada
Authors: Puig Francisco , Navarro-Sanfelix Guillermo , Cantarero Santiago
Published: March 2024

La Somninada is an agroecological cooperative dedicated to ecologically producing craft beer. It was created in 2021, is located in a small town in a rural area of Castellón (Spain), and is a microenterprise. As its name indicates, “somniada” can be translated as “dreamed”, and it is the project of a brewery that was dreamed of its potential for developing territories in a sustainable way.

La Somniada brings together aspects shared by other craft brewers, such as a commitment to flavor and focusing on a niche market based on proximity, customer loyalty, and resilience. However, unlike them, its culture is based on the principles of the circular economy, thus providing an excellent example of this sector’s transition towards this growth model.

Given the great interest that the circular economy has raised in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations as part of the 2030 Agenda and the link that the brewing industry has with the tourism sector, the study that this chapter makes to the circular economy practices deployed by this firm allows offering exciting lessons for entrepreneurs and different economic agents.
Returning Home Strategy Analysis Using Mobile Sensing Data in Tohoku Earthquake
Authors: Zhang Zhiwen , Wang Hongjun , Fan Zipei , Song Xuan
Published: March 2024

In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. Such catastrophic events often result in large-scale population movements and evacuations. Analyzing these human activities is crucial for effective planning of disaster control, and ensuring long-term social stability. While some research has been conducted on post-disaster analysis, particularly focusing on big earthquakes [15, 22], very few studies have taken into account the influence of personal factors on decision-making. Understanding the key factors that drive individuals to choose a strategy, such as returning home, after a big earthquake is essential for comprehending human decision-making in such situations. Additionally, a considerable number of people may remain in companies or shelters due to the disruption of transportation networks. However, conducting such research is challenging due to the lack of big human mobility data. Furthermore, identifying the key factors that individuals consider when making decisions to return home after a big disaster is critical. To address these challenges, this study utilizes smartphone location data to track people’s movements. A large and diverse dataset was collected during the Tohoku earthquake in Japan in 2011, allowing for the discovery of grid-based regions with different functions based on POI distributions in a region. The analysis conducted in this study aims to explore the fundamental laws governing human mobility following disasters. This paper is an extended version of our previous lightning talks [24].
Terminology Saturation Analysis: Refinements and Applications
Authors: Kosa Victoria , Dobosevych Oles , Ermolayev Vadim
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we outline the results of our recent research on terminology saturation analysis (TSA) in subject domain-bounded textual corpora. We present the developed TSA method. We further report about the two use cases that proved the validity, efficiency, and effectiveness of TSA. Based on our experience of TSA use, we analyse the shortcomings of the method and figure out the ways to refinement and improvement. Further, we share our prognoses on how TSA could be used for: (i) generating quality datasets of minimal size for training large language models for performing better in scientific domains; (ii) iteratively constructing domain ontologies and knowledge graphs that representatively describe a subject domain, or topic; or (iii) detecting and predicting events based on the TSA of textual streams data.
Mechanism Design for Mobility
Authors: Harada Tsubasa , Itoh Toshiya , Matsubara Shigeo , Miyazaki Shuichi , Yokoo Makoto
Published: March 2024

This chapter presents the development of matching theory toward implementing the next-generation car-sharing systems, consisting of three topics: (1) online facility assignment problems on a line, (2) two-sided matching with flexible quotas: student-project-resource matching-allocation problem, and (3) formalizing station-based one-way car sharing as three-sided matching. The first two relate to developments in basic research, while the last one is application-oriented.
Integrable Systems Related to Matrix LR Transformations
Authors: Iwasaki Masashi , Shinjo Masato , Yamamoto Yusaku , Fukuda Akiko , Watanabe Sennosuke , Sekiguchi Masaki , Ishiwata Emiko
Published: March 2024

The discrete Toda (dToda) equation, which is a representative integrable system, is the recursion formula of the well-known quotient-difference algorithm for computing the eigenvalues of tridiagonal matrices. In other words, the dToda equation is related to the LR transformations of tridiagonal matrices. In this chapter, by extending the application of LR transformations from tridiagonal to Hessenberg matrices, we capture the discrete hungry Toda (dhToda) and discrete relativistic Toda (drToda) equations, which are extensions of the dToda equation from the perspective of LR transformations. From the LR perspective, we identify further extensions of the dhToda equations, and clarify the relationship between the drToda equation and the discrete hungry Lotka–Volterra system. We also demonstrate that ultradiscrete versions of discrete integrable systems related to the LR transformations can be used to compute the eigenvalues of matrices over min-plus algebra, as can discrete integrable systems over linear algebra. These ultradiscrete integrable systems are expected to be equations of motion for box-and-ball systems (BBSs), which are cellular automata that describe mobility phenomena. Thus, we present an example of utilizing the LR perspective to design a new BBS.
Numerical Analysis for Data Relationship
Authors: Sakurai Tetsuya , Futamura Yasunori , Imakura Akira , Ye Xiucai
Published: March 2024

In recent years, a vast amount of data has been accumulated across various fields in industry and academia, and with the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, knowledge discovery and high-precision predictions through such data have been demanded. However, real-world data is diverse, including network data that represent relationships, data with multiple modalities or views, data that is distributed across multiple institutions and requires a certain level of information confidentiality.
Application of Tensor Network Formalism for Processing Tensor Data
Authors: Harada Kenji , Matsueda Hiroaki , Okubo Tsuyoshi
Published: March 2024

Next-generation mobility services require a huge amount of data with multiple attributes. This data is stored as a multi-dimensional array called a tensor. A tensor network is an effective tool for representing a large composite tensor. As an application of the tensor-network formalism to tensor data processing, we present three research results from statistical physics: tree tensor networks, tensor ring decomposition, and MERA.
Machine Learning Approach to Mobility Analyses
Authors: Ikeda Kazushi , Kubo Takatomi
Published: March 2024

Machine learning techniques are based on stochastic models associated with parameter estimation from massive data. They have been applied to scientific fields as well as industries, including mobility analyses. In this chapter, we introduce several machine learning techniques for mobility analyses, that is, techniques to track agents in a video, to extract the relationship among agents, and to analyze graphs, especially focusing on multi-animal behavior analyses.
The first A-to-I RNA editome of hemipteran species Coridius chinensis reveals overrepresented recoding and prevalent intron editing in early-diverging insects
Authors: Duan Yuange , Ma Ling , Liu Jiyao , Liu Xinzhi , Song Fan , Tian Li , Cai Wanzhi , Li Hu
Published: March 2024

Background

Metazoan adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing resembles A-to-G mutation and increases proteomic diversity in a temporal-spatial manner, allowing organisms adapting to changeable environment. The RNA editomes in many major animal clades remain unexplored, hampering the understanding on the evolution and adaptation of this essential post-transcriptional modification.

Methods

We assembled the chromosome-level genome ofCoridius chinensisbelonging to Hemiptera, the fifth largest insect order where RNA editing has not been studied yet. We generated ten head RNA-Seq libraries with DNA-Seq from the matched individuals.

Results

We identified thousands of high-confidence RNA editing sites inC. chinensis. Overrepresentation of nonsynonymous editing was observed, but conserved recoding across different orders was very rare. Under cold stress, the global editing efficiency was down-regulated and the general transcriptional processes were shut down. Nevertheless, we found an interesting site with “conserved editing but non-conserved recoding” in potassium channelShabwhich was significantly up-regulated in cold, serving as a candidate functional site in response to temperature stress.

Conclusions

RNA editing inC. chinensislargely recodes the proteome. The first RNA editome in Hemiptera indicates independent origin of beneficial recoding during insect evolution, which advances our understanding on the evolution, conservation, and adaptation of RNA editing.
A novel multi-fidelity cokriging model assisted by multiple non-hierarchical low-fidelity datasets
Authors: Xu Chenzhou , Han Zhonghua , Zhang Keshi , Zeng Han , Chen Gong , Zhou Zheng
Published: March 2024

Multi-fidelity (MF) surrogate models for incorporating multiple non-hierarchical low-fidelity (LF) datasets, whose rank of fidelity level is unknown, have attracted much attention in engineering problems. However, most of existing approaches either need to build extra surrogate models for LF datasets in the fitting process or ignore the cross-correlations among these LF datasets, resulting in accuracy deterioration of an MF model. To address this, a novel multi-fidelity cokriging model is proposed in this article, termed as MCOK, which can incorporate arbitrary number of non-hierarchical LF datasets without building extra LF surrogate models. A self-contained derivation of MCOK predictor and its mean square error are presented. It puts all the covariances between any two MF datasets into a single matrix and introduces additional parameters “gamma” to account for their cross-correlations. A novel method for tuning these additional parameters in a latent space is developed to deal with the problem associated with non-positive definite correlation matrix. The proposed MCOK method is then validated against a set of numerical test cases and further demonstrated via an engineering example of aerodynamic data fusion for FDL-5A flight vehicle. Results from current test cases show that MCOK outperforms existing non-hierarchical cokriging, linear regression MF surrogate model, and latent-map Gaussian processes model, with more accurate and robust predictions, which makes it more practical for engineering modeling problems.