bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ship Trajectory Prediction: An Integrated Approach Using ConvLSTM-Based Sequence-to-Sequence Model
Authors: Wu Wenxiong , Chen Pengfei , Chen Linying , Mou Junmin
Published: July 2023

Maritime transportation is one of the major contributors to the development of the global economy. To ensure its safety and reduce the occurrence of a maritime accident, intelligent maritime monitoring and ship behavior identification have been drawing much attention from industry and academia, among which, the accurate prediction of ship trajectory is one of the key questions. This paper proposed a trajectory prediction model integrating the Convolutional LSTM (ConvLSTM) and Sequence to Sequence (Seq2Seq) models to facilitate simultaneous extraction of temporal and spatial features of ship trajectories, thereby enhancing the accuracy of prediction. Firstly, the trajectories are preprocessed using kinematic-based anomaly removal and Hierarchical Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (HDBSCAN) to improve the data quality for the training process of trajectory prediction. Secondly, the ConvLSTM-based Seq2seq model is designed to extract temporal and spatial features of the ship trajectory and improve the performance of long-time prediction. Finally, by using real AIS data, the proposed model is compared with the Seq2Seq and Bidirectional LSTM based on attention mechanism (Bi-Attention-LSTM) models to verify its effectiveness. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves excellent performance in predicting turning trajectories, good predictive accuracy on straight line motions, and greater improvement in prediction accuracy compared to the other two benchmark models. Overall, the proposed model represents a promising contribution to improving ship trajectory prediction accuracy and may enhance the safety and quality of ship navigation in complex and volatile marine environments.
The Association between Audit Quality and Corporate Tax Avoidance. A Bibliometric Review of Literature and Early Evidence on the European Union, from the Perspective of Tax-Related Key Audit Matters Disclosure
Authors: Lungu Cristian , Burcă Valentin , Bunget Ovidiu-Constantin , Dumitrescu Alin-Constantin
Published: July 2023

In the circumstances of increasing forms of corporate reporting, the relevance of the financial information is slightly decreasing, as the reporting strategies do not provide evidence of the potential deterioration of reported earnings, but rather try to hide managers’ earnings management practices through various impression management techniques and lower financial transparency. Therefore, the external auditors’ role becomes essential in mitigating the information asymmetry. This article aims to study the association between a quality audit and corporate tax avoidance. The research methodology was based on two essential stages. The first stage consisted of reviewing the specialized literature by applying the bibliometric analysis. In the second stage, we resorted to an exploratory analysis of the KAMs disclosed by European Union firms listed in 2016–2021. The study was carried out based on the information provided by the Web of Science and Audit Analytics databases. In accordance with the obtained results, we emphasize that more attention should be paid to the association between the KAMs disclosed by auditors regarding the extended audit reports and the indication of corporate tax avoidance through different tax planning metrics. At the same time, the study underlines that collections of data on KAMs’ disclosures could help specialists create a common body of knowledge about KAMs and how they should be used as communication tools between auditors, management, and stakeholders (including the state). The contribution of this article consists of providing informational support to the tax authorities to understand the main concerns regarding the business environment so that they can come up with supporting public tax policies that should facilitate the mission of companies to determine the tax burden. In addition, it provides researchers with a starting point to further explore issues related to tax avoidance techniques and the role of a financial auditor in limiting them.
Portfolio Performance of European Target Prices
Authors: Almeida Joana , Gaspar Raquel M.
Published: July 2023

This paper examines the performance of actively managed portfolios constructed using target price recommendations provided by analysts. We propose two methods for constructing portfolios based on Bloomberg’s 12-month target price consensus, which serves as a signal to buy or sell assets. Using a sample of 50 European stocks over a 19-year period (from 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2023), we compare the performance of target-price-based portfolios to traditional alternatives, such as a naïve homogeneous portfolio and the Eurostoxx 50 index, as well as to passive portfolios based on average recommendations. We also look into the mean-variance efficiency of these portfolios and find that all exhibit similar levels of efficiency, which are well below the performance of the theoretical tangent portfolios. Our results indicate that target-price-based portfolios show performance very close to that of the naïve homogeneous portfolio. Even the passive “average” target price portfolios, which require previous knowledge of targets for the entire investment period, are unable to outperform the naïve portfolio. Our main findings are based on a 15-year investment horizon but are robust when considering smaller maturities and out-of-sample data. We also investigate the impact of rebalancing on portfolio performance and find that it does pay off in the long run (over an 8-year investment period), but the frequency of rebalancing matters. Rebalancing only once a year is as detrimental to performance as not rebalancing at all. However, it is unclear whether the transaction costs associated with frequent rebalancing would offset any relative outperformance. Overall, our study contributes to the literature on portfolio management and market efficiency by demonstrating the potential benefits and limitations of using target price recommendations to construct portfolios, highlighting the importance of carefully considering rebalancing strategies to achieve optimal performance.
Moored Minds: An Experimental Insight into the Impact of the Anchoring and Disposition Effect on Portfolio Performance
Authors: Arora Riya , Rajendran Madhumathi
Published: July 2023

This study investigates the anchoring bias and disposition effect in investor trading decisions under different market volatility conditions (stable and volatile markets) and examines their impact on portfolio performance. Employing a quasi-experimental design, participants engage in interactive trading with four securities—two with potential negative returns and two with positive returns—within a simulated asset market. The findings reveal the presence of both the disposition effect and the anchoring bias among individual investors in India. Notably, market volatility influences these behavioral biases, with the disposition effect more pronounced in volatile markets, while the anchoring bias is significant in stable markets. Furthermore, investors exhibiting the disposition effect tend to have lower portfolio performance, while those influenced by the anchoring bias achieve relatively better results. These insights can aid individual investors in recognizing their behavioral biases and making informed trading decisions to enhance portfolio performance. Additionally, this study presents valuable suggestions to financial institutions and regulatory government agencies engaged in similar experiments, with the goal of improving financial decision-making and investment behavior.
The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Corporate Dividend Policy of Moroccan Listed Firms
Authors: Boumlik Zouhair , Oulhadj Badia , Colot Olivier
Published: July 2023

The recent literature provides conflicting findings and remains inconclusive regarding the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on firms’ dividend policies. In this paper, we examine the dividend policy of Moroccan firms listed in the Casablanca Stock Exchange during the COVID-19 shock. Using panel data from 2015 to 2021 of non-financial listed firms, we observe that the proportion of dividend cuts during the last seven years (2015–2021) achieved its highest level on the onset of the crisis. Furthermore, results of the ordinary least square (OLS) regressions demonstrate that the COVID-19 shock has negatively affected the dividend payout of Moroccan listed firms. This study implies that, in times of economic crisis, Moroccan firms exhibit risk-averse behavior by prioritizing the retention of earnings over distributing dividends, scarifying, therefore, the transmission of positive signals to investors and external stakeholders. Furthermore, our results reveal that profitability, growth opportunities, leverage, and size are relevant determinants of corporate dividend policy.
Echo State Learning for User Trajectory Prediction to Minimize Online Game Breaks in 6G Terahertz Networks
Authors: Picano Benedetta , Scommegna Leonardo , Vicario Enrico , Fantacci Romano
Published: July 2023

Mobile online gaming is constantly growing in popularity and is expected to be one of the most important applications of upcoming sixth generation networks. Nevertheless, it remains challenging for game providers to support it, mainly due to its intrinsic and ever-stricter need for service continuity in the presence of user mobility. In this regard, this paper proposes a machine learning strategy to forecast user channel conditions, aiming at guaranteeing a seamless service whenever a user is involved in a handover, i.e., moving from the coverage area of one base station towards another. In particular, the proposed channel condition prediction approach involves the exploitation of an echo state network, an efficient class of recurrent neural network, that is empowered with a genetic algorithm to perform parameter optimization. The echo state network is applied to improve user decisions regarding the selection of the serving base station, avoiding game breaks as much as possible to lower game lag time. The validity of the proposed framework is confirmed by simulations in comparison to the long short-term memory approach and another alternative method, aimed at thoroughly testing the accuracy of the learning module in forecasting user trajectories and in reducing game breaks or lag time, with a focus on a sixth generation network application scenario.
The Impact of Rural Industrial Development on Farmers’ Livelihoods—Taking Fruit-Producing Area as an Example
Authors: Wu Kongsen , Kong Dongyan , Yang Xinjun
Published: July 2023

Analyzing the impact of industry development on farmers’ livelihoods is of great significance for promoting rural revitalization and the sustainable development of farmers’ livelihoods in China. In this paper, taking Dali County of the Guanzhong Plain as an example, in accordance with the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA), we adopted the comprehensive index method, statistical analysis method and relevant analysis method to explore the impact of rural industry development on farmers’ livelihoods by analyzing the evolution of farmers’ livelihood strategies in different times (2000, 2010 and 2019) and the differentiation of forms of livelihood capital and livelihood outcomes among different types of farmers in 2019 under the background of industrial development. The main conclusions were as follows: The degree of commercialization of the agricultural industry has improved, and the overall development of the rural industry presents an obvious trend away from agriculture. With the upgrading of the rural industrial structure, the leading livelihood strategies of farmers have gradually changed from the crop-planting type to the work-oriented type, and forms of livelihood capital and livelihood outcomes differ significantly among farmer households. Compared to traditional agriculture, the development of the fruit industry and service industry and the degree of participation in these industries are conducive to the accumulation of farmers’ livelihood capital, while migrant work alone has a negative impact on the improvement in farmers’ livelihood capital. The development of the fruit industry and nonagricultural industries and the degree of participation in these industries are more conducive to the improvement in farmers’ livelihood outcomes than is participation in traditional agriculture.
Identifying Urban–Rural Disparities and Associated Factors in the Prevalence of Disabilities in Tianjin, China
Authors: Jiang Yuxiao , Han Xinyu , Qiu Ning , Du Mengbing , Zhao Liang
Published: July 2023

In the current context of aging and urbanization, the rapid increase in the prevalences of disabilities (PoDs) has become an important consideration in healthy urban planning. Previous studies have focused on the spatial prevalence of total disabilities based on large-scale survey data. However, few studies have examined different types of PoDs and the factors contributing to spatial disparities in micro-urban units at the municipal level. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the spatial PoDs, related built environments, and socio-economic factors across the Tianjin municipality in 2020. The study employed Getis–Ord GI* analysis to identify urban-rural disparities and ordinary least square (OLS) and quantile regression (QR) analyses to model the heterogeneous effects of the spatial PoDs-associated factors across quantiles. The results reveal that the PoDs, especially of visual, hearing, and limb disabilities, in the urban center, are significantly higher than those in rural areas, which is inconsistent with previous studies conducted in China. The urbanization rate, medical facilities, and education facilities significantly reduced the total PoDs, while the elderly population, migrant population, bus route density, and road density significantly increased it. The built environments and socio-economic factors had heterogeneous impacts on different types of PoDs, which were summarized into three categories based on these dominant factors: (1) visual and hearing disabilities were medical facility-dominated; (2) intellectual and limb disabilities were urbanization- and aging-dominated; and (3) mental and speech disabilities were migrant-dominated. This study provides scientific advice to adapt to the expected increase in demand for disability-related medical and public health services and to expand the range of effective strategies and interventions aimed at preventing the deterioration of disability and improving disability management in the population.
Influence of Parasitic Electric Currents on an Exemplary Mineral-Oil-Based Lubricant and the Raceway Surfaces of Thrust Bearings
Authors: Graf Simon , Koch Oliver , Sauer Bernd
Published: July 2023

Within this paper, electro-mechanical long-term tests on a thrust bearing were presented. The effects of an additional electrical load on the bearing raceways and the used lubricant were investigated. Chemical investigations and viscosity measurements were presented, which show the changes in the lubricant. These investigations were compared with the electrical loads and the occurring raceway damage. In addition, a comparison was made with mechanical reference tests. This procedure makes it possible to classify the changes that occur due to the electrical load and to distinguish the effects from each other. The background to these investigations is the increased occurrence of parasitic currents in electric motors, which can lead to damage to machine elements. The phenomena that occur here are new challenges in the development of drive trains.
Tribological Behavior of Ice on Rough Surfaces
Authors: Cho Seong-Rak , Paik Bu-Geun
Published: July 2023

Ice is a very unusual material that can not be explained by the basic physics of adhesion and friction when the ice contacts other solid materials. Several studies are being conducted to reduce resistance due to friction with sea ice during the design and construction of icebreakers that break sea ice and operate. However, fundamental studies on the frictional phenomenon of ice are very lacking because not only the frictional behavior is different depending on the shape of the hull, the coating condition, the ice state, and the speed of the ship, but also it is difficult to test and measure in actual sea areas. In this study, a test method for frictional force and coefficient using ice was introduced to accurately estimate the frictional resistance of icebreakers. The frictional characteristics of model ice and freshwater ice on various rough plates were investigated, and the frictional behavior under various test conditions was measured and evaluated. In particular, the friction change according to the difference in material and the roughness change in the same material, and the friction behavior according to the test conditions were measured. Test results show that the frictional coefficient of ice depends on the material of the plate, the roughness of the plates, lubrication conditions, and ice types. In addition, the tribological behavior of ice on rough surfaces is greatly influenced by the height characteristics parameters as well as the amplitude parameters of the roughness.
Sustainable Crop Protection via Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Solutions
Authors: Balaska Vasiliki , Adamidou Zoe , Vryzas Zisis , Gasteratos Antonios
Published: July 2023

Agriculture 5.0 refers to the next phase of agricultural development, building upon the previous digital revolution in the agrarian sector and aiming to transform the agricultural industry to be smarter, more effective, and ecologically conscious. Farming processes have already started becoming more efficient due to the development of digital technologies, including big data, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), and virtual and augmented reality. Farmers can make the most of the resources at their disposal thanks to this data-driven approach, allowing them to effectively cultivate and sustain crops on arable land. The European Union (EU) aims to make food systems fair, healthy, and environmentally sustainable through the Green Deal and its farm-to-fork, soil, and biodiversity strategies, zero pollution action plan, and upcoming sustainable use of pesticides regulation. Many of the historical synthetic pesticides are not currently registered in the EU market. In addition, the continuous use of a limited number of active ingredients with the same mode of action scales up pests/pathogens/weed resistance potential. Increasing plant protection challenges as well as having fewer chemical pesticides to apply require innovation and smart solutions for crop production. Biopesticides tend to pose fewer risks to human health and the environment, their efficacy depends on various factors that cannot be controlled through traditional application strategies. This paper aims to disclose the contribution of robotic systems in Agriculture 5.0 ecosystems, highlighting both the challenges and limitations of this technology. Specifically, this work documents current threats to agriculture (climate change, invasive pests, diseases, and costs) and how robotics and AI can act as countermeasures to deal with such threats. Finally, specific case studies and the application of intelligent robotic systems to them are analyzed, and the architecture for our intelligent decision system is proposed.
Mathematical Analysis of the Reliability of Modern Trolleybuses and Electric Buses
Authors: Malozyomov Boris V. , Martyushev Nikita V. , Konyukhov Vladimir Yu. , Oparina Tatiana A. , Zagorodnii Nikolay A. , Efremenkov Egor A. , Qi Mengxu
Published: July 2023

The rhythmic and stable operation of trolleybuses and autonomous trolleybuses or urban electric buses, depends to a large extent on the reliability of the equipment installed on the trolleybus. The actual operational reliability of trolleybus electrical equipment (EE) depends on its technical condition. Under the influence of external factors and specific operating modes, the technical condition of the equipment is continuously deteriorating, reliability indicators are decreasing, and the number of failures is increasing. Using the mathematical theory of reliability, probability theory and mathematical statistics, numerical methods of solving nonlinear and transcendental equations, this article defines the conditions of diagnostics depending on the intensity of failures and the given probability of failure-free operation of the equipment. Additionally, the inverse problem of determining the current reliability of electrical engineering systems depends on the terms of diagnostics and the intensity of failures being solved. As a result of the processing of statistical information on failures it is established that for the electrical equipment of a trolleybus, after a number of repair measures, the maximum density of failures occurs at a lower mileage, and the probability of failure-free operation can vary depending on the degree of wear of the equipment, i.e., on the number of previous failures. It is theoretically substantiated and experimentally confirmed that the reliability of trolleybus electrical equipment changes according to the exponential law of distribution of a random variable. It has been established that the real averaged diagnostic terms regulated by instructions are not optimal in most cases and differ several times from those defined in this paper. The dependence of switching equipment run-in on time has been clarified, which served as a prerequisite for specifying the inter-repair period for various types of trolleybus electrical equipment. A method of adjustment of the inter-repair time for the electrical equipment of trolleybuses is proposed.
The Finite Element Method of High Degree of Accuracy for Boundary Value Problem with Singularity
Authors: Rukavishnikov Viktor A. , Rukavishnikova Elena I.
Published: July 2023

Mathematical models of fracture physics and mechanics are boundary value problems for differential equations and systems of equations with a singularity. There are two classes of problems with a singularity: with coordinated and uncoordinated degeneracy of the input data, depending on the behavior of the coefficients of the equation. Finite element methods with the first order of convergence rate O(h) have been created to find an approximate solution to these problems. We construct a scheme of the weighted finite element method of high degree of accuracy for the boundary value problem with uncoordinated degeneracy of the input data and singularity of the solution. The rate of convergence of an approximate solution of the proposed finite element method to the exact Rν-generalized solution in the weight set W2,ν+β2+21(Ω,δ) is investigated. The estimation of finite element approximation O(h2) is established.
Parametric Iterative Method for Addressing an Embedded-Steel Constitutive Model with Multiple Roots
Authors: Padilla José J. , Chicharro Francisco I. , Cordero Alicia , Hernández-Díaz Alejandro M. , Torregrosa Juan R.
Published: July 2023

In this paper, an iterative procedure to find the solution of a nonlinear constitutive model for embedded steel reinforcement is introduced. The model presents different multiplicities, where parameters are randomly selected within a solvability region. To achieve this, a class of multipoint fixed-point iterative schemes for single roots is modified to find multiple roots, achieving the fourth order of convergence. Complex discrete dynamics techniques are employed to select the members with the most stable performance. The mechanical problem referred to earlier, as well as some academic problems involving multiple roots, are solved numerically to verify the theoretical analysis, robustness, and applicability of the proposed scheme.
Comparison of Mechanical Properties of Three Tissue Conditioners: An Evaluation In Vitro Study
Authors: Mikulewicz Marcin , Chojnacka Katarzyna , Raszewski Zbigniew
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Tissue conditioners have been widely used in various clinical applications in dentistry, such as treating inflamed alveolar ridges, temporarily relining partial and complete dentures, and the acquisition of functional impressions for denture fabrication. This study aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of the most prevalent tissue conditioner materials on the market, including Tissue Conditioners (TC), Visco Gel (VG), and FITT (F). Materials and Methods: The three tissue conditioners, TC, VG, and F, were assessed based on the parameters mentioned above. The following tests were performed based on the ISO 10139-1 and ISO 10139-2 requirements: Shore A hardness, denture plate adhesion, sorption, water solubility, and contraction after 1 and 3 days in water. Additional tests are described in the literature, such as ethanol content and gelling time. The tests were carried out by storing the materials in water at 37 °C for 7 days. Results: The gel times of all tested materials exceeded 5 min (TC = 300 [s], VG = 350 [s]). In vitro, phthalate-free materials exhibited higher dissolution in water after 14 days (VG = −260.78 ± 11.31 µg/mm2) compared to F (−76.12 ± 7.11 µg/mm2) and experienced faster hardening when stored in distilled water (F = 33.4 ± 0.30 Sh. A, VG = 59.2 ± 0.60 Sh. A). They also showed greater contractions. The connection of all materials to the prosthesis plate was consistent at 0.11 MPa. The highest counterbalance after 3 days was observed in TC = 3.53 ± 1.12%. Conclusions: Materials containing plasticizers that are not phthalates have worse mechanical properties than products containing these substances. Since phthalates are not allowed to be used indefinitely in medical devices, additional research is necessary, especially in vivo, to develop safe materials with superior functional properties to newer-generation alternatives. In vitro results often do not agree fully with those of in vivo outcomes.
Double Trouble: Association of Malignant Melanoma with Sporadic and Genetic Forms of Parkinson’s Disease and Asymptomatic Carriers of Related Genes: A Brief Report
Authors: Koros Christos , Simitsi Athina-Maria , Bougea Anastasia , Papagiannakis Nikolaos , Antonelou Roubina , Pachi Ioanna , Angelopoulou Efthalia , Prentakis Andreas , Zachou Athena , Chrysovitsanou Chrysa , Beratis Ion , Fragkiadaki Stella , Kontaxopoulou Dionysia , Eftymiopoulou Efthymia , Stanitsa Evangelia , Potagas Constantin , Papageorgiou Sokratis G. , Karavasilis Efstratios , Velonakis Georgios , Prassopoulos Vasilios , Geronicola-Trapali Xenia , Stefanis Leonidas
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Previous epidemiological evidence has established the co-occurrence of malignant melanoma (MM) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Shared molecular mechanisms have been proposed to be implicated in this relationship. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of MM in patients with sporadic and genetic types of PD, as well as in asymptomatic carriers of PD-related genes. Methods: Data regarding past medical history and concomitant disease of 1416 patients with PD (including 20 participants with prodromal disease who phenoconverted to PD), 275 healthy controls (HCs) and 670 asymptomatic carriers of PD-related genes were obtained from the database of the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). Focus was placed on information about a medical record of MM. We also retrieved data regarding the genetic status of selected PPMI participants with a positive MM history. Results: In total, 46 patients with PD reported a positive MM history. Concerning the genetic forms of PD, nine of these PD patients (2.47%) carried a Leucine Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene mutation (mainly the G2019S), while eight (4.49%) harbored a Glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene mutation (mainly the N370S). No alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene mutation was identified in patients with an MM history. The remaining 29 PD patients (3.5%) were genetically undetermined. In total, 18 asymptomatic carriers of PD-related genes had a positive medical history for MM: among them, 10 carried an LRRK2 gene mutation (2.69%) and 10 a GBA gene mutation (3.51%) (2 were dual carriers). MM history was identified for seven HCs (2.5%). Conclusions: We replicated the previously reported association between genetically undetermined PD (GU-PD) and MM. A correlation of LRRK2 mutations with the development of MM could not be verified in either symptomatic PD patients or asymptomatic carriers, implicating distinct pathogenetic mechanisms as compared to GU-PD. Importantly, despite the limited literature evidence on Gaucher disease, this study highlights for the first time the relatively high prevalence of MM among asymptomatic and symptomatic PD GBA mutation carriers, with potential clinical implications.
Predictive Factors of the Use of Rituximab and Belimumab in Spanish Lupus Patients
Authors: Capdevila O. , Mitjavila F. , Espinosa G. , Caminal-Montero L. , Marín-Ballvè A. , González León R. , Castro A. , Canora J. , Pinilla B. , Fonseca E. , Ruiz-Irastorza G.
Published: July 2023

Objectives: To analyze the characteristics and the predictive factors of the use of rituximab and belimumab in daily practice in patients from the inception cohort Registro Español de Lupus (RELES). Material and methods: The study included 518 patients. We considered patients treated with biologics who received at least one dose of rituximab or belimumab, and possible indications of those manifestations registered at the same time or in the previous 2 months of the start of the therapy. Results: In our cohort, 37 (7%) patients received at least one biological treatment. Rituximab was prescribed in 26 patients and belimumab in 11. Rituximab was mainly prescribed for hemolytic anemia or thrombocytopenia (11 patients, 42%), lupus nephritis and neuropsychiatric lupus (5 patients each, 19%). Belimumab was mostly used for arthritis (8 patients, 73%). In the univariate analysis, the predictive factors at diagnosis for the use of biologic therapy were younger age (p = 0.022), a higher SLEDAI (p = 0.001) and the presence of psychosis (p = 0.011), organic mental syndrome (SOCA) (p = 0.006), hemolytic anemia (p = 0.001), or thrombocytopenia (p = 0.01). In the multivariant model, only younger age, psychosis, and hemolytic anemia were independent predictors of the use of biologics. Conclusions: Rituximab is usually given to patients with hematological, neuropsychiatric and renal involvement and belimumab for arthritis. Psychosis, hemolytic anemia and age at the diagnosis of lupus were independent predictive factors of the use of biological agents. Their global effects are beneficial, with a significant reduction in SLE activity and a low rate of side effects.
Gluconic Acid Leaching of Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries as an Environmentally Friendly Approach to Achieve High Leaching Efficiencies in the Recycling of NMC Active Material
Authors: Lerchbammer Reinhard , Gerold Eva , Antrekowitsch Helmut
Published: July 2023

Organic acids, such as gluconic acid, have been widely studied for their potential in the hydrometallurgical recycling of lithium-ion batteries. These organic alternative leachants offer several environmental and recycling-related benefits, including a high selectivity in terms of dissolving valuable metals, as well as a reduced environmental impact due to the application of non-toxic and biodegradable organic acids. Gluconic acid has previously been demonstrated in the oxidative degradation of glucose, either as an alternative reducing agent or in biometallurgical approaches, and has been described as an efficiency-supporting reagent. The results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of using gluconic acid for the recovery of metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese from spent lithium-ion batteries. Recovery rates of above 98% for lithium, cobalt, and manganese, and a recovery rate of more than 80% for nickel could be reached by optimizing the leaching parameters, including an acid concentration of 1.2 M, the addition of hydrogen peroxide of 1.6 vol %, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 25 g/L, a leaching temperature of 75 °C, and a leaching time of 192 min. These results show that gluconic acid has the potential to become a viable and sustainable option for the hydrometallurgical recycling of lithium-ion batteries, as well as for opening a possible biohydrometallurgical route. Further investigations are required into the results obtained, to verify the existence of a new hydrometallurgical and sustainable process route involving gluconic acid.
Comparative Analysis of LC-ESI-IM-qToF-MS and FT-NIR Spectroscopy Approaches for the Authentication of Organic and Conventional Eggs
Authors: Lösel Henri , Brockelt Johannes , Gärber Florian , Teipel Jan , Kuballa Thomas , Seifert Stephan , Fischer Markus
Published: July 2023

The importance of animal welfare and the organic production of chicken eggs has increased in the European Union in recent years. Legal regulation for organic husbandry makes the production of organic chicken eggs more expensive compared to conventional husbandry and thus increases the risk of food fraud. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a non-targeted lipidomic LC-ESI-IM-qToF-MS method based on 270 egg samples, which achieved a classification accuracy of 96.3%. Subsequently, surrogate minimal depth (SMD) was applied to select important variables identified as carotenoids and lipids based on their MS/MS spectra. The LC-MS results were compared with FT-NIR spectroscopy analysis as a low-resolution screening method and achieved 80.0% accuracy. Here, SMD selected parts of the spectrum which are associated with lipids and proteins. Furthermore, we used SMD for low-level data fusion to analyze relations between the variables of the LC-MS and the FT-NIR spectroscopy datasets. Thereby, lipid-associated bands of the FT-NIR spectrum were related to the identified lipids from the LC-MS analysis, demonstrating that FT-NIR spectroscopy partially provides similar information about the lipidome. In future applications, eggs can therefore be analyzed with FT-NIR spectroscopy to identify conspicuous samples that can subsequently be counter-tested by mass spectrometry.
Efficient Thermal-Stress Coupling Design of Chiplet-Based System with Coaxial TSV Array
Authors: Wang Xianglong , Su Jiaming , Chen Dongdong , Li Di , Li Gaoliang , Yang Yintang
Published: July 2023

In this research, an efficient thermal-stress coupling design method for a Chiplet-based system with a coaxial through silicon via (CTSV) array is developed by combining the support vector machine (SVM) model and particle swarm optimization algorithm with linear decreasing inertia weight (PSO-LDIW). The complex and irregular relationship between the structural parameters and critical indexes is analyzed by finite element simulation. According to the simulation data, the SVM model is adopted to characterize the relationship between structural parameters and critical indexes of the CTSV array. Based on the desired critical indexes of the CTSV array, the multi-objective evaluation function is established. Afterwards, the structural parameters of the CTSV array are optimized through the PSO-LDIW algorithm. Finally, the effectiveness of the developed method is verified by the finite element simulation. The simulated peak temperature, peak stress of the Chiplet-based system, and peak stress of the copper column (306.16 K, 28.48 MPa, and 25.76 MPa) well agree with the desired targets (310 K, 30 MPa, and 25 MPa). Therefore, the developed thermal-stress coupling design method can effectively design CTSV arrays for manufacturing high-performance interconnect structures applied in Chiplet-based systems.
Genome-Wide DNA Changes Acquired by Candida albicans Caspofungin-Adapted Mutants
Authors: Zuber Jeffrey , Sah Sudisht K. , Mathews David H. , Rustchenko Elena
Published: July 2023

Drugs from the echinocandin (ECN) class are now recommended ‘front-line’ treatments of infections caused by a prevailing fungal pathogen, C. albicans. However, the increased use of ECNs is associated with a rising resistance to ECNs. As the acquisition of ECN resistance in C. albicans is viewed as a multistep evolution, determining factors that are associated with the decreased ECN susceptibility is of importance. We have recently identified two cohorts of genes that are either up- or downregulated in concert in order to control remodeling of cell wall, an organelle targeted by ECNs, in laboratory mutants with decreased ECN susceptibility. Here, we profiled the global DNA sequence of four of these adapted mutants in search of DNA changes that are associated with decreased ECN susceptibility. We find a limited number of 112 unique mutations representing two alternative mutational pathways. Approximately half of the mutations occurred as hotspots. Approximately half of mutations and hotspots were shared by ECN-adapted mutants despite the mutants arising as independent events and differing in some of their phenotypes, as well as in condition of chromosome 5. A total of 88 mutations are associated with 43 open reading frames (ORFs) and occurred inside of an ORF or within 1 kb of an ORF, predominantly as single-nucleotide substitution. Mutations occurred more often in the 5′-UTR than in the 3′-UTR by a 1.67:1 ratio. A total of 16 mutations mapped to eight genomic features that were not ORFs: Tca4-4 retrotransposon; Tca2-7 retrotransposon; lambda-4a long terminal repeat; mu-Ra long terminal repeat; MRS-7b Major Repeat Sequence; MRS-R Major Repeat Sequence; RB2-5a repeat sequence; and tL (CAA) leucine tRNA. Finally, eight mutations are not associated with any ORF or other genomic feature. Repeated occurrence of single-nucleotide substitutions in non-related drug-adapted mutants strongly indicates that these DNA changes are accompanying drug adaptation and could possibly influence ECN susceptibility, thus serving as factors facilitating evolution of ECN drug resistance due to classical mutations in FKS1.
Response Surfaces Method and Artificial Intelligence Approaches for Modeling the Effects of Environmental Factors on Chlorophyll a in Isochrysis galbana
Authors: Zhang Linlin , Liu Jie , Shen Xin , Li Shuangwei , Li Wenfang , Xiao Xinfeng
Published: July 2023

This study reported the condition optimization for chlorophyll a (Chl a) from the microalga Isochrysis galbana. The key parameters affecting the Chl a content of I. galbana were determined by a single-factor optimization experiment. Then the individual and interaction of three factors, including salinity, pH and nitrogen concentration, was optimized by using the method of Box–Benhnken Design. The highest Chl a content (0.51 mg/L) was obtained under the optimum conditions of salinity 30‰ and nitrogen concentration of 72.1 mg/L at pH 8.0. The estimation models of Chl a content based on the response surfaces method (RSM) and three different artificial intelligence models of artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM) and radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), were established, respectively. The fitting model was evaluated by using statistical analysis parameters. The high accuracy of prediction was achieved on the ANN, SVM and RBFNN models with correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.9113, 0.9127, and 0.9185, respectively. The performance of these artificial intelligence models depicted better prediction capability than the RSM model for anticipating all the responses. Further experimental results suggested that the proposed SVM and RBFNN model are efficient techniques for accurately fitting the Chl a content of I. galbana and will be helpful in validating future experimental work on the Chl a content by computational intelligence approach.
Insights into the Genital Microbiota of Women Who Experienced Fetal Death in Utero
Authors: Holliday Mira , Uddipto Kumar , Castillo Gerardo , Vera Luz Estela , Quinlivan Julie A. , Mendz George L.
Published: July 2023

The aim of this work was to achieve a better understanding of the bacterial pathogens associated with stillbirths that would serve to inform clinical interventions directed at reducing this adverse pregnancy outcome. A prospective observational study was conducted with the participation of 22 women from northern Peru, of whom 11 experienced fetal death in utero and 11 delivered preterm births. Swabs were taken from the vagina, placenta, amniotic fluid and axilla of the infant at birth by Caesarean section. The bacterial populations in the vagina and the amniotic space of each participant were determined by employing the amplicon sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA genes. The sequence data were analysed using bioinformatics tools. The work showed differences in the composition of the genital microbiomes of women who experienced preterm birth or fetal death in utero. There were no differences in the alpha diversity between the genital microbiotas of both groups of women, but there were more different taxa in the vagina and amniotic space of the preterm participants. Lactobacillus spp. was less abundant in the stillbirth cases. E. coli/Shigella, Staphylococcus, Gardnerella, Listeria and Bacteroides taxa were associated with the stillbirths. In each woman, there was a minimal concordance between the bacterial populations in the vagina and amniotic space.
Correction: Neamatallah et al. Nano Ellagic Acid Counteracts Cisplatin-Induced Upregulation in OAT1 and OAT3: A Possible Nephroprotection Mechanism. Molecules 2020, 25, 3031
Authors: Neamatallah Thikryat , El-Shitany Nagla , Abbas Aymn , Eid Basma G. , Harakeh Steve , Ali Soad , Mousa Shaker
Published: July 2023

In the original publication, there was a mistake in Figure 3 as published [...]
Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of the Metabolism of Betalains and Flavonoids in Red Amaranth Hypocotyl under Blue Light and Dark Conditions
Authors: Liu Shengcai , Wang Xiao , Peng Liyun
Published: July 2023

Amaranth plants contain abundant betalains and flavonoids. Anthocyanins are important flavonoids; however, they cannot coexist in the same plant with betalains. Blue light influences metabolite synthesis and hypocotyl elongation; accordingly, analyses of its effects on betalain and flavonoid biosynthesis in Amaranthus tricolor may provide insight into the distribution of these plant pigments. We analyzed the betalain and flavonoid content and transcriptome profiles in amaranth hypocotyls under blue light and dark conditions. Furthermore, we analyzed the expression patterns of key genes related to betalains and flavonoids. Amaranth hypocotyls were shorter and redder and showed higher betalain and flavonoid content under blue light than in dark conditions. Key genes involved in the synthesis of betalains and flavonoids were upregulated under blue light. The gene encoding DELLA was also upregulated. These results suggest that blue light favors the synthesis of both betalains and flavonoids via the suppression of bioactive gibberellin and the promotion of DELLA protein accumulation, which also suppresses hypocotyl elongation. The metabolite profiles differed between plants under blue light and dark conditions. These findings improve our understanding of the environmental cues and molecular mechanisms underlying pigment variation in Amaranthus.
Quantitative and Differential Analysis between Bupleurum chinense DC. and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. Using HPLC-MS and GC-MS Coupled with Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Authors: Wang Zhenhuan , Tian Lu , Xiao Yusheng , Zhao Mengya , Chang Yanyan , Zhou Yujiang , Liu Shuying , Zhao Huanxi , Xiu Yang
Published: July 2023

Bupleurum chinense DC. and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. have different clinical efficacies, with the former typically used to treat typhoid fever and the latter mainly used to clear liver heat. The differences in their clinical efficacy are closely related to their complex chemical composition, especially the active components. In this study, the saponins and volatile oils in two varieties of Radix Bupleuri grown in different regions were extracted and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (MS), and the absolute contents of five saikosaponins were accurately quantified using an established HPLC-MS method in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed to reveal the difference in the active components between the two varieties. The saikosaponin content was significantly affected by variety and growing region, with all five saikosaponins being significantly higher in Bupleurum chinense DC. than in Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. The results of principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis show a clear distinction between the two varieties in terms of both saponins and volatile oils. Twenty-one saponins, including saikosaponin b2 and b1, and fifty-two volatile oils, including 2-tetradecyloxirane and chloromethyl cyanide, were screened and identified as differential compounds contributing to the significant difference between the two varieties. These compounds may also be responsible for the difference in clinical efficacy between Bupleurum chinense DC. and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd. All the results suggest that the accumulation and diversity of active components in Radix Bupleuri are significantly affected by the variety. In contrast to previous reports, this study provides the absolute contents of five saikosaponins in Radix Bupleuri of different varieties and reduces the influence of the growing region on the analytical results by collecting samples from different regions. The results of this study may provide a reference for the identification and quality evaluation of different varieties of Radix Bupleuri.
Excited State Dynamics of Alizarin Red S Nanoparticles in Solution
Authors: Rauthe Pascal , Sabljo Kristina , Vogelbacher Maike Kristin , Feldmann Claus , Unterreiner Andreas-Neil
Published: July 2023

Alizarin red S is a sulfonated, water-soluble derivative of alizarin. This work presents femtosecond studies of alizarin red S (ARS) nanoparticles in comparison to ARS in aqueous solution and to alizarin in DMSO. The femtosecond studies cover a probing spectral range of 350–750 nm using different excitation wavelengths, taking into account the variation of the absorption spectra with the pH values of the solvent. Stationary absorption spectra show slight differences between solution and nanoparticles. Excitation at 530 nm results in low and noisy responses, therefore, we additionally recorded transient spectra of the nanoparticles at λex = 267 nm. While the results in DMSO are comparable to previous studies in non-aqueous solvents, we report a relatively fast relaxation of 14 ps in [La(OH)2][ARS] nanoparticles in aqueous solution after excitation at 530 nm, which is similar to Na(ARS) solution (19 ps). The dynamics changed with lower pH, but still without significant differences between nanoparticles and solution. We propose [La(OH)2][ARS] nanoparticles as a suitable alternative to dissolved molecules with similar spectroscopic properties, for example, with regard to biomarker applications.
Towards “Green” ANFO: Study of Perchlorates and Inorganic Peroxides as Potential Additives
Authors: Fabin Magdalena , Skóra Paweł , Polis Mateusz , Zakusylo Roman , Stolarczyk Agnieszka , Jarosz Tomasz
Published: July 2023

Ammonium nitrate–fuel oil (ANFO) explosives are inexpensive and readily produced, but are highly prone to misfires, with the remaining explosive being a significant risk and environmental contaminant. In this work, studies on various additives, such as selected perchlorates and inorganic peroxides, which are intended to lower the susceptibility of ANFO to misfires by increasing its sensitivity to shock, have been conducted. These studies showed the viability of using these additives in ANFO, allowing for conducting shock wave sensitivity tests for bulk charges in the future. We investigated the effects of introducing these additives into ANFO (on its sensitivity), as well as thermal and energetic properties. We observed minor increases in friction and impact sensitivity, as well as a moderate reduction in the decomposition temperature of the additive-supplemented ANFO in comparison to unmodified ANFO.