bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Reduction and Voltammetric Sensing of Lindane at the Carbon (Glassy and Pencil) Electrodes
Authors: Swain Nibedita , Soni Isha , Kumar Pankaj , Kudur Jayaprakash Gururaj
Published: May 2022

In the agricultural field, pesticides are used tremendously to shield our crops from insects, weeds, and diseases. Only a small percentage of pesticides employed reach their intended target, and the remainder passes through the soil, contaminating ground and surface-water supplies, damaging the crop fields, and ultimately harming the crop, including humans and other creatures. Alternative approaches for pesticide measurement have recently received a lot of attention, thanks to the growing interest in the on-site detection of analytes using electrochemical techniques that can replace standard chromatographic procedures. Among all organochlorine pesticides such as gamma-lindane are hazardous, toxic, and omnipresent contaminants in the environment. Here, in this review, we summarize the different ways of the gamma-lindane detection, performing the electrochemical techniques viz cyclic, differential, square wave voltammetry, and amperometry using various bare and surface-modified glassy carbon and pencil carbon electrodes. The analytical performances are reported as the limit of detection 18.8 nM (GCE–AONP–PANI–SWCNT), 37,000 nM (GCE), 38.1 nM (Bare HBPE), 21.3 nM (Nyl-MHBPE); percentage recovery is 103%.
Investigation of the Relationship between Vibration Signals Due to Oil Impurity and Cavitation Bubbles in Hydraulic Pumps
Authors: Yılmaz Özgür , Aksoy Murat , Kesilmiş Zehan
Published: May 2022

Although hydraulic pumps are frequently used in daily life, improper use due to oil analysis or oil contamination is ignored. There is no instantaneous inspection; instead, the oil is changed periodically at certain times, whether it is contaminated or not. Hydraulic systems operate based on Pascal’s law, which states that the fluid will distribute the pressure equally to every point in a closed area. The fluid oil taken from an oil reservoir is moved into the pump by engine power. During this movement, as it passes through different pressure areas and different sections, undesirable events such as viscosity change and gas formation occur in the hydraulic oil. These formations collide with the outer walls and cause cavitation with respect to unwanted oil impurities. This cavitation causes unwanted vibration signals to occur in the normal working order of the system. As a result of cavitation, the particles that affect the lubricity and fluidity of the oil in the oil are mixed into the liquid and circulate freely. At the connection points, the blockage caused by the liquid in the pump cylinder block or the valve plate and the collisions of particles is effective. As a result, it creates vibrations of different frequencies. The frequency and amplitudes of these vibrations differ according to the degree of oil contamination. A method has been developed to find the degree of contamination of the oil circulating in the pump by looking at the amplitude and frequency of these vibrations measured from the motor body. There exist standards about the pollution of hydraulic fluid. With these standards, the maximum number of particles allowed for a given pollution level is defined. This topic is discussed in the conclusion to this study. This method has also been proven experimentally. Error and vibration analysis studies on pumps using a different approach are available in the literature. In these studies, pressure variation, total energy transmission, or artificial intelligence models were used to detect anomalies in the pump. In this study, the impurity rate of the oil was set at five different levels and the operating regime of the pump at each level was investigated experimentally. Rayleigh–Plesset and Zwart–Gerber–Belamri models, which are the most common cavitation models, were used to explain the bubble formation in the moving oil and the relationship of these bubbles with vibration. Frequency components were examined by the Discrete Fast Fourier Analysis method, where the operation of the pump was affected by the increase in oil impurity.
TMRN-GLU: A Transformer-Based Automatic Classification Recognition Network Improved by Gate Linear Unit
Authors: Zheng Yujun , Ma Yongtao , Tian Chenglong
Published: May 2022

Automaticmodulation recognition (AMR) has been a long-standing hot topic among scholars, and it has obvious performance advantages over traditional algorithms. However, CNN and RNN, which are commonly used in serial classification tasks, suffer from the problems of not being able to make good use of global information and slow running speed due to serial operations, respectively. In this paper, to solve the above problems, a Transformer-based automatic classification recognition network improved by Gate Linear Unit (TMRN-GLU) is proposed, which combines the advantages of CNN with a high efficiency of parallel operations and RNN with a sufficient extraction of global information of the temporal signal context. Relevant experiments on the RML2016.10b public dataset show that the proposed algorithm not only has a significant advantage in the number of parameters compared with the existing algorithms, but also has improved recognition accuracy under various signal-to-noise ratios.In particular, the accuracy of the proposed algorithm improves significantly compared with other algorithms under low signal-to-noise ratio conditions. The accuracy is improved by at least 9% at low signal-to-noise ratio (6 dB) and about 3% at high signal-to-noise ratio (>2 dB).
Improved LS-SVM Method for Flight Data Fitting of Civil Aircraft Flying at High Plateau
Authors: Chen Nongtian , Sun Youchao , Wang Zongpeng , Peng Chong
Published: May 2022

High-plateau flight safety is an important research hotspot in the field of civil aviation transportation safety science. Complete and accurate high-plateau flight data are beneficial for effectively assessing and improving the flight status of civil aviation aircrafts, and can play an important role in carrying out high-plateau operation safety risk analysis. Due to various reasons, such as low temperature and low pressure in the harsh environment of high-plateau flights, the abnormality or loss of the quick access recorder (QAR) data affects the flight data processing and analysis results to a certain extent. In order to effectively solve this problem, an improved least squares support vector machines method is proposed. Firstly, the entropy weight method is used to obtain the index weights. Secondly, the principal component analysis method is used for dimensionality reduction. Finally, the data are fitted and repaired by selecting appropriate eigenvalues through multiple tests based on the LS-SVM. In order to verify the effectiveness of this method, the QAR data related to multiple real plateau flights are used for testing and comparing with the improved method for verification. The fitting results show that the error measurement index mean absolute error of the average error accuracy is more than 90%, and the error index value equal coefficient reaches a high fit degree of 0.99, which proves that the improved least squares support vector machines machine learning model can fit and supplement the missing QAR data in the plateau area through historical flight data to effectively meet application needs.
Assessment of the Pretreatments and Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass Recovered from the Husk of the Cocoa Pod
Authors: Díaz-González Amílcar , Perez Luna Magdalena Yeraldi , Ramírez Morales Erik , Saldaña-Trinidad Sergio , Rojas Blanco Lizeth , de la Cruz-Arreola Sergio , Pérez-Sariñana Bianca Yadira , Robles-Ocampo José Billerman
Published: May 2022

The production of biofuels (biogas, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, and solid fuels, etc.), beginning with cocoa pod husk (CPH), is a way for obtaining a final product from the use of the principal waste product of the cocoa industry. However, there are limitations to the bioconversion of the material due to its structural components (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin). Currently, CPH pretreatment methods are considered a good approach towards the improvement of both the degradation process and the production of biogas or ethanol. The present document aims to set out the different methods for pretreating lignocellulosic material, which are: physical (grinding and extrusion, among others); chemical (acids and alkaline); thermochemical (pyrolysis); ionic liquid (salts); and biological (microorganism) to improve biofuel production. The use of CPH as a substrate in bioconversion processes is a viable and promising option, despite the limitations of each pretreatment method.
Trend- and Periodicity-Trait-Driven Gasoline Demand Forecasting
Authors: Zhang Jindai , Zhao Jinlou
Published: May 2022

In order to make reasonable production-sales-stock decision-making for gasoline production enterprises, it is necessary to make an accurate prediction of the gasoline demand. However, gasoline demand is often affected by many factors, which makes it very difficult to predict. Therefore, this paper tries to construct a trend- and periodicity-trait-driven decomposition-ensemble forecasting model in terms of trend and periodicity characteristics of gasoline demand data. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed model, the demand data of a typical gasoline product-93# gasoline in China, is used. The empirical results show that the proposed trend- and periodicity-trait-driven decomposition-ensemble forecasting model can achieve better prediction results than the single models, indicating that the proposed methodology can be used as a feasible solution to predict the gasoline demand series with trend and periodicity traits.
Deep-Learning-Based Adaptive Model for Solar Forecasting Using Clustering
Authors: Malakar Sourav , Goswami Saptarsi , Ganguli Bhaswati , Chakrabarti Amlan , Roy Sugata Sen , Boopathi K. , Rangaraj A. G.
Published: May 2022

Accurate short-term solar forecasting is challenging due to weather uncertainties associated with cloud movements. Typically, a solar station comprises a single prediction model irrespective of time and cloud condition, which often results in suboptimal performance. In the proposed model, different categories of cloud movement are discovered using K-medoid clustering. To ensure broader variation in cloud movements, neighboring stations were also used that were selected using a dynamic time warping (DTW)-based similarity score. Next, cluster-specific models were constructed. At the prediction time, the current weather condition is first matched with the different weather groups found through clustering, and a cluster-specific model is subsequently chosen. As a result, multiple models are dynamically used for a particular day and solar station, which improves performance over a single site-specific model. The proposed model achieved 19.74% and 59% less normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) and mean rank compared to the benchmarks, respectively, and was validated for nine solar stations across two regions and three climatic zones of India.
Investigation on the Fracture-Pore Evolution and Percolation Characteristics of Oil Shale under Different Temperatures
Authors: Tang Haibo , Zhao Yangsheng , Kang Zhiqin , Lv Zhaoxing , Yang Dong , Wang Kun
Published: May 2022

It is well known that underground in situ pyrolysis technology for oil shale production is a promising field. In the in situ modification mining process, the permeability property of a shale matrix has a great effect on the transport capacity of pyrolytic products. For oil shale undergoing pyrolysis, the changes of internal structure (fracture and pore space) have a considerable influence on the permeability network which further affects the migration of hydrocarbon products. In this study, based on an oil shale retorting experiment performed under different temperatures (20 °C, 100 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C, 325 °C, 350 °C, 375 °C, 400 °C, 425 °C, 450 °C, 475 °C, 500 °C, 525 °C, 550 °C, 575 °C, 600 °C), an investigation on the distribution characteristics of the fractures was conducted using micro-CT technology. Meanwhile, mercury injection porosimetry was used to characterize the pore structure of the oil shale samples under different temperatures. Finally, a fracture-pore dual medium model was constructed to calculate the percolation probability to quantitatively describe the permeability variation of oil shale with temperature. The test results indicated that the higher the temperature, the larger were the pore spaces. The increase in pore volume due to pyrolysis temperatures mainly affected the pores ranging from 10 nm to 100 nm and occurred in the specific temperature range (400 °C to 425 °C). Additionally, CT images show that the fracture morphology varied with increasing temperature and the number and length of fractures at different temperatures were in great accordance with the fractal law statistically. On the other hand, simulation of the percolation probabilities discovered that in a single pore media model over the whole range of tested temperatures they were too low to exceed the threshold. In contrast, in the dual medium model, the theoretical threshold of 31.16% was exceeded when the temperature reached 350 °C. Moreover, the results demonstrated that fractures dominated the seepage channel and had more significant effects on the permeability of oil shale. What has been done in this study will provide some guidance for the in situ fluidization mining of oil shale.
A Comprehensive Performance Evaluation Method Targeting Efficiency and Noise for Muzzle Brakes Based on Numerical Simulation
Authors: Zhao Xinyi , Lu Ye
Published: May 2022

The installation of muzzle brake changes the flow direction of propellant gas, which leads to a decline in the recoil force but an increase in the muzzle flow noise of the side rear. Therefore, the coordination between high efficiency and low harm of muzzle brake is one of the factors limiting its optimization. To address this problem, a numerical method for evaluating the comprehensive performance of muzzle brake targeting muzzle brake efficiency and impulse noise is proposed in the present study. The two performance indexes are calculated using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-computational aeroacoustics (CAA) coupled method. Afterwards, a corresponding experiment is conducted to verify its feasibility. Furthermore, the comprehensive performance of muzzle brakes with three different structures are analysed based on the two indexes obtained by the proposed numerical method. The results reveal that both indexes can be influenced by the structure of muzzle brakes. The increased braking efficiency is almost accompanied by increased impulse noise, but the functional relation is not linear dependence. Thus, the comprehensive performance can be improved by optimization of the structure. The evaluation method proposed in this paper has theoretical significance for optimizing muzzle brakes, which is of great engineering value.
Turner Syndrome
Authors: Clemente Ethel Gonzales , Penukonda Sasi Kiran , Doan Tam , Sullivan Brittany , Kanungo Shibani
Published: May 2022

Turner syndrome (TS) affects approximately 1 out of every 1500–2500 live female births, with clinical features including short stature, premature ovarian failure, dysmorphic features and other endocrine, skeletal, cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal and neurodevelopmental organ system involvement. TS, a common genetic syndrome, is caused by sex chromosome aneuploidy, mosaicism or abnormalities with complete or partial loss of function of the second X chromosome. Advances in genetic and genomic testing have further elucidated other possible mechanisms that contribute to pathogenic variability in phenotypic expression that are not necessarily explained by monosomy or haploinsufficiency of the X chromosome alone. The role of epigenetics in variations of gene expression and how this knowledge can contribute to more individualized therapy is currently being explored. TS is established as a multisystemic condition, with several endocrine manifestations of TS affecting growth, puberty and fertility having significant impact on quality of life. Treatment guidelines are in place for the management of these conditions; however, further data on optimal management is needed.
Prevention Technology of Coal Spontaneous Combustion Induced by Gas Drainage in Deep Coal Seam Mining
Authors: Li Jiahui , Zhao Youxin , Du Jinyu
Published: May 2022

Due to high gas content and a low permeability coefficient in deep coal seam mining, the spontaneous combustion of coal around the wellbore can easily occur, leading to difficulties in extracting gas during the mining process. To determine the dangerous area around the borehole and conduct advanced prevention and control measures are the keys to preventing spontaneous combustion in boreholes. However, the dangerous area around the borehole is not clear, the sealing parameters lack scientific basis, and the key prevention and control measures are not clear, which have caused great harm to coal mines. This study took the 24,130 working face of Pingdingshan No. 10 Mine as an example, using numerical simulation, theoretical analysis, and field tests to classify the risks of studying the surrounding area of the wellbore. The dangerous area variations under different lengths of shotcrete in the roadway were analyzed, the optimal plugging parameters were studied, and the current “two plugs and one injection” plugging device was optimized. Based on the oxygen concentration and air leakage rate, a method was proposed to divide the dangerous area of fissure coal spontaneous combustion around the borehole induced by gas extraction. The dangerous area of spontaneous combustion around the borehole was defined as having an oxygen concentration larger than 7% and an air leakage rate less than 0.004 m/s. The comprehensive control measures of the grouting length at 2–4 m, hole-sealing parameter at 20-13 (hole-sealing depth 20 m, hole-sealing length 13 m) and the “two plugs, one injection and one row” device were determined.
On Mixed Convection in a Horizontal Channel, Viscous Dissipation and Flow Duality
Authors: Barletta Antonio , Celli Michele , Brandão Pedro Vayssière
Published: May 2022

The conditions defining a stationary fluid flow may lead to a multiplicity of solutions. This circumstance is widely documented in the literature when mixed convection in a vertical channel or duct is accompanied by an important effect of viscous dissipation. Usually, there are double stationary solutions with a parallel velocity field which satisfy given temperature boundary conditions and with a prescribed mass flow rate. However, in a vertical internal flow, the dual solutions can be determined only numerically as they do not have a closed analytical form. This study shows that, in a horizontal channel, stationary mixed convection with viscous dissipation shows up dual flow branches whose mathematical expressions can be determined analytically. The features of these dual flows are discussed.
Application of Five Different Chlorella sp. Microalgal Strains for the Treatment of Vegetation Waters Derived from Unconventional Oil Extractions Enriched with Citrus Byproducts
Authors: Macaluso Monica , Chiellini Carolina , Ciurli Adriana , Guglielminetti Lorenzo , Najar Basma , Taglieri Isabella , Sanmartin Chiara , Bianchi Alessandro , Venturi Francesca , Zinnai Angela
Published: May 2022

The Mediterranean diet has, among its cornerstones, the use of olive oil for its nutraceutical and organoleptic properties. Despite the numerous merits, olive-oil mill wastewater (OMWW), which is generated by the olive-oil extraction process, is one of the most serious environmental pollutants in the Mediterranean countries. The polluting potential of OMWW is due to its high content of tannins, polyphenols, polyalcohols, pectins and lipids. In order to close the recovery cycle of a fortified citrus olive oils previously developed, we tested the ability of five microalgae of the Chlorella group (SEC_LI_ChL_1, CL_Sc, CL_Ch, FB and Idr) in lowering the percentage of total phenolic compounds in vegetation water. This was obtained with three different extraction processes (conventional, and lemon and orange peels) at three concentrations each (10%, 25% and 50%). The results showed that strains Idr, FB and CL_Sc from the Lake Massaciuccoli can tolerate vegetation water from conventional and lemon peel extractions up to 25%; these strains can also reduce the phenolic compounds within the tests. The application of microalgae for OMWW treatment represents an interesting opportunity as well as an eco-friendly low-cost solution to be developed within companies as a full-scale approach, which could be applied to obtain a fortified microalgal biomass to be employed in nutraceutical fields.
Insights into the Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Amomum tsao-ko Essential Oils from Different Regions Based on GC-MS and GC-IMS
Authors: Li Weidan , Li Junjie , Qin Zhen , Wang Yang , Zhao Pengyu , Gao Haiyan
Published: May 2022

Chemical components are one of the most significant traits and attributes of plant tissues, and lead to their different functions. In this study, the composition of Amomun tsao-ko essential oils (AEOs) from different regions was first determined by a combination of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS). In total, 141 compounds were identified, of which terpenes and aldehydes were the main groups. Orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) distinguished the samples from different regions clearly, and the main differences were terpenes, aldehydes, and esters. Meanwhile, AEOs showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) reached 0.20 mg/mL and 0.39–0.78 mg/mL, respectively. From correlation analysis, 1,8-cineole, (E)-dec-2-enal, citral, α-pinene, and α-terpineol were determined to be the potential antibacterial compounds. This study provides the basis for the variety optimization of A. tsao-ko and its application as a natural food preservative.
Application of Nanomaterial Modified Aptamer-Based Electrochemical Sensor in Detection of Heavy Metal Ions
Authors: Chen Zanlin , Xie Miaojia , Zhao Fengguang , Han Shuangyan
Published: May 2022

Heavy metal pollution resulting from significant heavy metal waste discharge is increasingly serious. Traditional methods for the detection of heavy metal ions have high requirements on external conditions, so developing a sensitive, simple, and reproducible detection method is becoming an urgent need. The aptamer, as a new kind of artificial probe, has received more attention in recent years for its high sensitivity, easy acquisition, wide target range, and wide use in the detection of various harmful substances. The detection platform that an aptamer-based electrochemical biosensor (E-apt sensor) provides is a new approach for the detection of heavy metal ions. Nanomaterials are particularly important in the construction of E-apt sensors, as they can be used as aptamer carriers or sensitizers to stimulate or inhibit electrochemical signals, thus significantly improving the detection sensitivity. This review summarizes the application of different types of nanomaterials in E-apt sensors. The construction methods and research progress of the E-apt sensor based on different working principles are systematically introduced. Moreover, the advantages and challenges of the E-apt sensor in heavy metal ion detection are summarized.
Ozone Gas for Low Cost and Environmentally Friendly Desulfurization of Mute Grape Must
Authors: Delogu Marina , Ceccantoni Brunella , Forniti Roberto , Taglieri Isabella , Sanmartin Chiara , Mencarelli Fabio , Bellincontro Andrea
Published: May 2022

Ozone is widely used for storage and processing facilities and food sanitization. In this research, ozone was tested as an alternative to high temperature vacuum must desulfurization in order to make a more sustainable process. Bubbling ozone in highly sulfited red must (mute must) at two treatment temperatures, a significant reduction in total and free sulfites from around 1000 mg/L to 200 and 120 mg/L at 20 and 10 °C, respectively, was observed in 24 h, but already after 4 h the concentration was halved. Air flushing of the mute must did not reduce the SO2 content. To evaluate the potential ozone effect on polyphenol oxidation, we carried out the ozone treatment on a water solution with tannins, ascorbic acid, or potassium metabisulfite (MBK) as single and as mixture. In 1 h, 2/3 of sulfite disappeared with the treatment, but the reduction was greater with ascorbate and tannins; the same was observed for ascorbate, whereas tannins decreased to a lesser extent when combined with ascorbate and MBK. Taken together, the results indicate that ozone could be an environmentally friendly, low cost, treatment for desulfurization, especially for white must, and is also easy to use by small wineries.
Occurrence of Potentially Toxic Elements in Bottled Drinking Water—Carcinogenic and Non-Carcinogenic Risks Assessment in Adults via Ingestion
Authors: Ungureanu Elena L. , Soare Alexandru D. , Mocanu Andreea L. , Iorga Sorin C. , Mustatea Gabriel , Popa Mona Elena
Published: May 2022

The presence of potentially toxic elements in drinking water can be dangerous for human health because of their bioaccumulation and toxicity, which is a huge concern for many researchers. In the case of bottled water, the exposure to toxic elements is achieved, especially by ingestion, leading to disorders of important functions of the human body. The aim of this study was the detection of some potentially toxic elements, from 50 samples of bottled drinking water, available on the Romanian market. Based on obtained concentrations, an assessment of the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk was performed. The concentrations of potentially toxic elements analyzed were below the maximum allowable limits, for all contaminants, excluding Pb and Fe. Moreover, the results of total risk via ingestion, showed that 30% of samples had an Hazard Quotient (HQ) < 1, and 70% had an HQ > 1; which implies a potential risk following the consumption of those samples. Concerning total cancer risk, 28% of the samples are in the acceptable level, while 72% of the samples are considered harmful and can lead to a type of cancer after repeated exposure. The study concluded that long term use of bottled water of poor quality may pose a hazard to human health; it is helpful for inhabitants to avoid ingestion of contaminated water.
Sustainable Strategies for the Agricultural Development of Shaanxi Province Based on the Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution
Authors: Wu Junhua , Chen Yiping , Ma Jifu , Cao Jing , Jiang Yao
Published: May 2022

Heavy metal elements in farmland soil can be absorbed by crops and endanger food security. To assess the risk of heavy metal elements in farmland soil to crops in Shaanxi Province, we collected 693 soil samples and analyzed the concentrations of nine heavy metals (As, Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Ni). According to the National Standard (GB 15619-2018) of the People’s Republic of China, the proportions of soil sample points in which the concentration of heavy metals was higher than the risk screening value were 2.02% (Cd), 0.29% (Cr), 0.29% (Zn), 2.31% (Cu), 1.15% (Ni), and 0.14% (Pb). The proportions of areas in which the concentration of heavy metal was higher than the background value were as follows, from largest to smallest: Zn (53.20%) > Mn (49.86%) > Cd (29.51%) > Hg (26.77%) > As (26.58%) > Ni (14.95%) > Cu (13.90%) > Pb (6.49%) > Cr (1.40%). The assessment of the risk of heavy metal exposure (geo-accumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (RI)) determined that Hg was the most concerning heavy metal in the farmland soil of Shaanxi Province. Moreover, 11.56% of these areas had Hg contamination, and they were mainly distributed in the western Guanzhong region. The farmland soil in the Guanzhong region was the most contaminated, followed by the southern Shaanxi region and then the northern Shaanxi region. The main sources of heavy metal contamination causing large-scale farmland soil pollution are agricultural production activities, transportation, and air pollution caused by coal combustion in Shaanxi Province. Therefore, sustainable strategies for the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution and agricultural development must be applied in different regions. Heavy metal pollution should be managed, and relevant policies should be created and enforced, such as the standardization of the use of qualified pesticides and fertilizers, improved treatment of livestock and poultry manure, development of the clean energy industry structure, and promotion of renewable energy vehicles. In terms of the high-quality development of agriculture, developing modern and local agriculture in different regions should be based on local geographical, climatic, and economic conditions.
Ribosome Profiling Reveals Genome-Wide Cellular Translational Regulation in Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 53103 under Acid Stress
Authors: Fan Xuejing , Zhang Kenan , Zhang Zongcai , Zhang Zhen , Lin Xue , Liu Xin , Feng Zhen , Yi Huaxi
Published: May 2022

During fermentation and food processing, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 53103 can encounter many adverse conditions, and acid stress is one of them. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of acid stress on the global translational and transcriptional regulation of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 53103. Two pH values (pH 6.0 vs. pH 5.0) were applied, the effects of which were studied via ribosome profiling and RNA sequencing assay. Under acid stress, many genes showed differential changes at the translational and transcriptional levels. A total of 10 genes showed different expression trends at the two levels. The expression of 337 genes—which mainly participated in the ABC transporters, amino acid metabolism, and ribosome functional group assembly pathways—was shown to be regulated only at the translational level. The translational efficiency of a few genes participating in the pyrimidine and amino acid metabolism pathways were upregulated. Ribosome occupancy data suggested that ribosomes accumulated remarkably in the elongation region of open reading frame regions under acid stress. This study provides new insights into Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 53103 gene expression under acid stress, and demonstrates that the bacterium can respond to acid stress with synergistic translational and transcriptional regulation mechanisms, improving the vitality of cells.
Arabinoxylans Release from Brewers’ Spent Grain Using Extrusion and Solid-State Fermentation with Fusarium oxysporum and the Antioxidant Capacity of the Extracts
Authors: Cervantes-Ramirez Joel G. , Vasquez-Lara Francisco , Sanchez-Estrada Alberto , Troncoso-Rojas Rosalba , Heredia-Olea Erick , Islas-Rubio Alma R.
Published: May 2022

Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) is the most abundant byproduct generated from the beer-brewing process. BSG is a material rich in hemicellulose, composed of arabinoxylans (AX). However, the high crosslinking of this material causes low availability of AX, for which it is necessary to apply different treatments. The objective of this research is to increase the release of arabinoxylans through solid-state fermentation with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici using extruded brewery spent grain. First, the BSG is subjected to two types of physical treatments: extrusion at 20% moisture, 200 rpm and 50 °C (BSGe), and blade milling (BSGm). The chemical composition is determined for each sample (BSG, BSGe and BSGm). Subsequently, the solid-state fermentation process (SSF) is carried out on each sample. The fermentation kinetics at 30 °C are monitored for 7 days. Once the SSF concludes, AX are extracted, and the purity of AX is determined by the phloroglucinol colorimetric assay. Finally, the total phenolic compounds, phenolic acids and antioxidant capacity by DPPH are quantified. No significant differences (p ≥ 0.05) in the protein, lipid, ash or total dietary fiber contents are found among the samples. No significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) in the content of soluble fiber is found, although BSGe and BSGm have higher values than BSG. On the other hand, the yields of soluble AX exhibit significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) among nonfermented samples (BSG, 0.03%; BSGm, 0.53%; BSGe, 0.70%) and with SSF (BSG, 2.95%; BSGm, 6.24%; and BSGe, 9.58%). In addition, the contents of free phenolic compounds and free phenolic acids and the percent inhibition of free extracts by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) differ significantly (p ≤ 0.05) between samples subjected to SSF and nonfermented samples. Therefore, extrusion and SSF treatment increase AX release from BSG as well as the antioxidant capacity of the extracts.
Location, Separation and Approximation of Solutions for Quadratic Matrix Equations
Authors: Hernández-Verón Miguel Á. , Romero Natalia
Published: May 2022

In this work, we focus on analyzing the location and separation of the solutions of the simplest quadratic matrix equation. For this, we use the qualitative properties that we can deduce of the study of the convergence of iterative processes. This study allow us to determine domains of existence and uniqueness of solutions, and therefore to locate and separate the solutions. Another goal is to approximate a solution of the quadratic matrix equation. For this, we consider iterative processes of fixed point type. So, analyzing the convergence of these iterative processes of fixed point type, we locate, separate and approximate solutions of quadratic matrix equations.
Existence and U-H Stability Results for Nonlinear Coupled Fractional Differential Equations with Boundary Conditions Involving Riemann–Liouville and Erdélyi–Kober Integrals
Authors: Subramanian Muthaiah , Duraisamy P. , Kamaleshwari C. , Unyong Bundit , Vadivel R.
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this article is to discuss the existence, uniqueness, and Ulam–Hyers stability of solutions to a coupled system of fractional differential equations with Erdélyi–Kober and Riemann–Liouville integral boundary conditions. The Banach fixed point theorem is used to prove the uniqueness of solutions, while the Leray–Schauder alternative is used to prove the existence of solutions. Furthermore, we conclude that the solution to the discussed problem is Hyers–Ulam stable. The results are illustrated with examples.
Avoiding the Great Filter: Predicting the Timeline for Humanity to Reach Kardashev Type I Civilization
Authors: Jiang Jonathan H. , Feng Fuyang , Rosen Philip E. , Fahy Kristen A. , Das Prithwis , Obacz Piotr , Zhang Antong , Zhu Zong-Hong
Published: May 2022

The level of technological development of any civilization can be gauged in large part by the amount of energy it produces for its use, but also encompasses that civilization’s stewardship of its home world. Following the Kardashev definition, a Type I civilization is able to store and use all the energy available on its planet. In this study, we develop a model based on Carl Sagan’s K formula, and use this model to analyze the consumption and energy supply of the three most important energy sources: fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas, crude, NGL, and feedstocks), nuclear energy, and renewable energy. We also consider environmental limitations suggested by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the International Energy Agency, and those specific to our calculations, to predict when humanity will reach the level of a Kardashev Scale Type I civilization. Our findings suggest that the best estimate for our civilization to attain Type I status is within the common calendar year range of 2333 to 2404.
The Numerical Analysis of Replenishment of Hydrogel Void Space Concrete Using Hydrogels Containing Nano-Silica Particles through ELM-ANFIS
Authors: Min Ji , Zandi Yousef , Agdas Alireza Sadighi , Majdi Ali , Ali H. Elhosiny , Jan Amin , Salameh Anas A. , Ebid Ahmed Abdel Khalek
Published: May 2022

Currently, Nano-materials are gaining popularity in the building industry due to their high performance in terms of sustainability and smart functionality. In order to reduce cement production and CO2 emissions, nano-silica (NS) has been frequently utilized as a cement alternative and concrete addition. The influence of Nano-silica-containing hydrogels on the mechanical strength, electrical resistivity, and autogenous shrinkage of cement pastes was investigated. The goal of this study was to identify the main structure–property relationships of water-swollen polymer hydrogel particles used as internal curing agents in cementitious admixtures, as well as to report a unique synthesis process to combine pozzolanic materials with hydrogel particles and determine the replenishment of hydrogel void space. Experiments were designed to measure the absorption capacity and kinetics of hydrogel particles immersed in pure water and cementitious pore solution, as well as to precisely analyze the data derived from the tests using hybridized soft computing models such as Extreme learning machine (ELM) and Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). The models were developed, and the findings were measured using regression indices (RMSE and R2). The findings indicated that combining nano-silica with polymeric hydrogel particles creates a favorable environment for the pozzolanic reaction to occur, and that nano-silica assists in the refilling of hydrogel void space with hydrated cement phases.
Competency and Related Factors in Preventing Emerging Infectious Diseases among Nurses in Long-Term Care Facilities in Taiwan
Authors: Kung Po-Jen , Chen Ching-Min
Published: May 2022

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a considerable threat to health, particularly in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), where residents are especially vulnerable. Nurses’ competency in EID prevention is crucial to minimize the adverse effects of EIDs in LTCFs. This study investigated nurses’ competency and related factors in EID prevention in LTCFs in Tainan, Taiwan. A cross-sectional design was employed, and nurses were recruited to complete an online survey examining the knowledge, attitude, and skills required to prevent EIDs in LTCFs. A total of 235 nurses completed the survey. The equivalent score index (SI) for knowledge regarding EID prevention was 68, indicating that the nurses did not have adequate knowledge regarding EID prevention. In contrast, the equivalent SI for the subscale of attitudes toward EID prevention was 78, indicating that the nurses exhibited moderately to highly positive attitudes toward EID prevention. However, they rated themselves as being highly skilled in EID prevention, corresponding to an equivalent SI of 91. Perceived supervisors’ approval, marital status, attitudes toward EID prevention, EID prevention skills, knowledge regarding EIDs, and being in charge of infectious disease prevention were significant predictors of the nurses’ competency. LTCF nurses, especially those working in nursing homes, should enhance their knowledge regarding EID prevention. These findings may help improve nurses’ competency in preventing EIDs by encouraging the integration of practice strategies, education, research, and policy recommendations to eliminate EIDs in LTCFs.
Expectations and Experiences of Patients Recently Initiated to Centre-Based Dialysis Treatment
Authors: Alsing Johan Frederik Lillebø , Hayes Bauer Eithne , Brandt Frans , Kampmann Jan Dominik
Published: May 2022

Existing studies display a huge disparity in terms of the number of patients who regret having engaged in dialysis. Modifiable care processes such as providing sufficient information and education prior to decision-making have been shown to have a greater impact on patient satisfaction. Despite the importance of regret as a measure of the quality of the dialysis decision-making process, few studies have examined regret following dialysis initiation. Aim: To explore the expectations and experiences of patients who have recently started centre-based dialysis treatment. Methods: A qualitative explorative study of centre-based dialysis patients was performed. Data were collected using focus group discussions of 2–4 patients. The study was guided by interpretive description and thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Results: Three focus group discussions were performed. Participants (n = 8) consisted of six men and two women aged 54 to 80 years of age with a median age of 72. Three themes emerged from the data: 1. transition from being a non-dialysis patient to becoming a dialysis patient, 2. physical condition following initiation of dialysis treatment, and 3. limitations and social disruptions. Conclusion: The initiation of dialysis disrupted daily life in terms of fluctuating fatigue, strict schedules, and time lost. There was a loss of independence, and participants did not view dialysis as an active choice. Nurses may have a significant impact on the perception of dialysis. This study highlights the need for further research to develop interventions to support newly initiated centre-based dialysis patients to transition from non-dialysis to dialysis patients.
Efficacy of High-Resolution Preoperative 3D Reconstructions for Lesion Localization in Oncological Colorectal Surgery—First Pilot Study
Authors: Soriero Domenico , Batistotti Paola , Malinaric Rafaela , Pertile Davide , Massobrio Andrea , Epis Lorenzo , Sperotto Beatrice , Penza Veronica , Mattos Leonardo S. , Sartini Marina , Cristina Maria Luisa , Nencioni Alessio , Scabini Stefano
Published: May 2022

When planning an operation, surgeons usually rely on traditional 2D imaging. Moreover, colon neoplastic lesions are not always easy to locate macroscopically, even during surgery. A 3D virtual model may allow surgeons to localize lesions with more precision and to better visualize the anatomy. In this study, we primary analyzed and discussed the clinical impact of using such 3D models in colorectal surgery. This is a monocentric prospective observational pilot study that includes 14 consecutive patients who presented colorectal lesions with indication for surgical therapy. A staging computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and a colonoscopy were performed on each patient. The information gained from them was provided to obtain a 3D rendering. The 2D images were shown to the surgeon performing the operation, while the 3D reconstructions were shown to a second surgeon. Both of them had to locate the lesion and describe which procedure they would have performed; we then compared their answers with one another and with the intraoperative and histopathological findings. The lesion localizations based on the 3D models were accurate in 100% of cases, in contrast to conventional 2D CT scans, which could not detect the lesion in two patients (in these cases, lesion localization was based on colonoscopy). The 3D model reconstruction allowed an excellent concordance correlation between the estimated and the actual location of the lesion, allowing the surgeon to correctly plan the procedure with excellent results. Larger clinical studies are certainly required.
Development and Evaluation of a Measure for Social Support Provided by Friends during Lifestyle Management Programs
Authors: Abbott Laurie , Lemacks Jennifer , Greer Tammy
Published: May 2022

Obesity is a public health crisis that contributes to chronic disease prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. Nutrition and physical activity are risk factors for many chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease, the leading causes of death in the United States. Lifestyle management programs to address obesity and potential sequelae such as chronic conditions have shown efficacy, with social support an important factor in interventions. Instruments that assess social support specifically provided by friends are lacking but could be important predictors of program success. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the 10-item Social Support to Eat Better and Move More instrument that was developed and designed to measure support from friends that influence dietary and physical activity behaviors during lifestyle management programs. Data were collected during a cross-sectional study using purposive sampling strategies among adult residents of two southern states. Statistical analysis was conducted to examine latent factors, internal consistency, and convergent and predictive validity. These preliminary results indicated that the Social Support to Eat Better and Move More instrument had excellent internal consistency for the overall measure (α = 0.96) as well as for informational support (α = 0.97), emotional support (α = 0.96), and encouragement (α = 0.97). The tool related well to another general social support measure as well as to diet, physical activity, and health-related variables, and it can be a useful measure in lifestyle management studies.
Comparison of the Greek Version of the Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment Screen and Montreal Cognitive Assessment in Older Adults
Authors: Messinis Lambros , Nasios Grigorios , Mougias Antonios , Patrikelis Panayiotis , Malefaki Sonia , Panagiotopoulos Vasileios , Ntoskou Messini Aikaterini , Bakirtzis Christos , Grigoriadis Nikolaos , Ioannidis Panagiotis , Bairami Stella , Papadopoulou Valentina , Gourzis Phillipos
Published: May 2022

Objective: Cognitive screening instruments (CSIs) are essential for everyday practice. The Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment (Qmci) screen, a short instrument designed to identify mild cognitive impairment, was recently translated into Greek (Qmci-Gr). The present study compared its diagnostic value against the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) screen and examined its optimal cutoffs. Method: We recruited consecutive patients aged ≥55 years that presented with cognitive complaints from two outpatient clinics in Greece. The Qmci-Gr and MoCA were completed by all patients. Furthermore, they were assessed independently with a comprehensive flexible neuropsychological battery to establish a diagnostic classification. Results: In the current study, we assessed a total of 145 patients, with a median age of 70 years; 44 were classified as having Subjective Memory Complaints (SMC) but normal cognition, 32 with MCI and 69 with dementia. The Qmci-Gr had a higher accuracy compared to the MoCA in discriminating MCI from dementia, area under the curve (AUC) of 0.81 versus 0.75, respectively; however, this finding was marginally significant (p = 0.08). Its accuracy was marginally higher for distinguishing SMC from dementia, AUC of 0.94 versus 0.89 (p = 0.03). However, Qmci-Gr presented a lower accuracy than MoCa in differentiating SMC from MCI, AUC of 0.76 versus 0.94 (p = 0.006). Conclusions: The Qmci-Gr has comparable diagnostic accuracy to the MoCA regarding MCI and dementia groups. Further research, with larger and more diverse samples, may be necessary to ensure generalizability.