bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stakeholders’ Perceptions on the Role of Urban Green Infrastructure in Providing Ecosystem Services for Human Well-Being
Authors: Nastran Mojca , Pintar Marina , Železnikar Špela , Cvejić Rozalija
Published: February 2022

The perception of linkages between ecosystem services (ES) and the urban green infrastructure (UGI) is evaluated, and their impact on human well-being (WB) is defined. Using a theoretical approach, the UGI’s specific contribution to WB is calculated as the sum of the products of (a) the number of perceived ES per ES group and the WB weight factor divided by the product of (b) the number of respondents and (c) the sum of the products of ES and the WB weight factor. Stakeholders demand more ES than the perceived ES supply from all types of UGI, especially for the social relations component of WB. The highest number of perceived ES and greatest impact on all WB components is provided by urban forests. This method could be helpful in acknowledging ES and involving stakeholders not previously familiar with the ES concept with the aim of introducing ES into UGI governance.
Catchment-Scale Participatory Mapping Identifies Stakeholder Perceptions of Land and Water Management Conflicts
Authors: Stosch Kathleen C. , Quilliam Richard S. , Bunnefeld Nils , Oliver David M.
Published: February 2022

Competing socioecological demands and pressures on land and water resources have the potential to increase land use conflict. Understanding ecosystem service provisioning and trade-offs, competing land uses, and conflict between stakeholder groups in catchments is therefore critical to inform catchment management and the sustainable use of natural resources. We developed a novel stakeholder engagement methodology that incorporates participatory conflict mapping in three catchments with a short questionnaire to identify the perceptions of 43 participants from four key land and water management stakeholder groups: environmental regulators, water industry practitioners, the farm advisor community, and academics. The participatory mapping exercise produced heat maps of perceived conflict and land use competition, providing spatial detail of the complex combination of land use issues faced by catchment managers. Distinct, localised hotspots were identified in areas under pressure from flooding, abstraction, and urbanisation; as well as more dispersed issues of relevance at the landscape scale, such as from farming, forestry, energy production, and tourism. Subsequent regression modelling linked perceived conflict to land cover maps and identified coastal, urban, and grassland areas as the most likely land cover types associated with conflict in the study catchments. Our approach to participatory conflict mapping provides a novel platform for catchment management and can facilitate increased cooperation among different catchment stakeholders. In turn, land and water management conflicts can be recognised and their underlying drivers and likely solutions identified in an effort to better manage competing demands on catchment resources.
Study of Hypersensitivity to Malassezia furfur in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis with Head and Neck Pattern: Is It Useful as a Biomarker and Therapeutic Indicator in These Patients?
Authors: Navarro-Triviño Francisco José , Ayén-Rodríguez Ángela
Published: February 2022

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases. Head and neck (H&N) involvement, also known as the picture-frame pattern, can be a diagnostic and even therapeutic challenge. Sensitization to the fungus Malassezia furfur seems to be implicated in this clinical presentation. To investigate the role of Malassezia furfur in H&N dermatitis, we performed an observational single-centre study. Serum-specific IgE levels for Malassezia furfur were determined in a total of 25 patients with AD (15 receiving dupilumab treatment, 10 not receiving dupilumab), 14 patients with seborrheic dermatitis, and 19 healthy controls. Reactivity to Malasseziafurfur, in terms of serum-specific IgE levels (>0.35 Ku.arb./L), was found in 80% of patients with AD. Risk factors to consider include high total IgE levels, sensitization to multiple pneumoallergens, and elevated LDH and CRP levels. Prescription of topical antifungals, oral antifungals, or a combination of both showed good response in 100% of cases in the H&N AD group treated with dupilumab. The most appropriate treatment seems to be the use of oral itraconazole and/or ketoconazole cream. The median treatment time was 3 weeks. Localized dermatitis in H&N significantly affects the patient’s life. We present a study of sensitization to Malassezia furfur in patients with H&N AD. It is important to know the differential diagnosis and to approach the study correctly. Sensitization to Malassezia furfur may be one of the main reasons, especially in patients being treated with dupilumab. The use of antifungals allows for adequate control, avoiding treatment changes and improving the patient’s quality of life.
Generation of Peptides for Highly Efficient Proximity Utilizing Site-Specific Biotinylation in Cells
Authors: Kulyyassov Arman , Ramankulov Yerlan , Ogryzko Vasily
Published: February 2022

Protein tags are peptide sequences genetically embedded into a recombinant protein for various purposes, such as affinity purification, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. Another recent application of peptide tags is in vivo labeling and analysis of protein–protein interactions (PPI) by proteomics methods. One of the common workflows involves site-specific in vivo biotinylation of an AviTag-fused protein in the presence of the biotin ligase BirA. However, due to the rapid kinetics of labeling, this tag is not ideal for analysis of PPI. Here we describe the rationale, design, and protocol for the new biotin acceptor peptides BAP1070 and BAP1108 using modular assembling of biotin acceptor fragments, DNA sequencing, transient expression of proteins in cells, and Western blotting methods. These tags were used in the Proximity Utilizing Biotinylation (PUB) method, which is based on coexpression of BAP-X and BirA-Y in mammalian cells, where X or Y are candidate interacting proteins of interest. By changing the sequence of these peptides, a low level of background biotinylation is achieved, which occurs due to random collisions of proteins in cells. Over 100 plasmid constructs, containing genes of transcription factors, histones, gene repressors, and other nuclear proteins were obtained during implementation of projects related to this method.
Optimization of Forming Parameters in Incremental Sheet Forming of AA3003-H18 Sheets Using Taguchi Method
Authors: Murugesan Mohanraj , Yu Jae-Hyeong , Jung Kyu-Seok , Cho Sung-Min , Bhandari Krishna Singh , Lee Chang-Whan
Published: February 2022

The surface finish is an important characteristic in the incremental sheet forming (ISF) process and is often influenced by numerous factors within the forming process. Therefore, this research was aimed at identifying the optimal forming parameters through the Taguchi method to produce high-quality formed products. The forming tool radius, spindle speed, vertical step increment, and feed rate were chosen as forming parameters in the experimental design, with surface roughness as the response variable. Taguchi L16 orthogonal array design and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were used to identify the parameter’s optimal settings and examine the statistically significant parameters on the response, respectively. Results confirmed that a significant reduction in surface roughness occurred with a drop in vertical step size and an increase in feed rate. In detail, the vertical step size has the most significant influence on the surface roughness, followed by the feed rate and the forming tool radius. In conclusion, the optimum level settings were obtained: forming tool radius at level 3, spindle speed at level 1, vertical step size at level 1, and feed rate at level 4. Additionally, confirmation experiment results based on the optimal settings indicated a good agreement against the experimental observation. Further, the response surface methodology (RSM) was also exploited to devise a mathematical model for predicting the surface roughness. The results comparison confirmed that both techniques could effectively improvise the surface finish.
Nanotechnologies in Textiles
Authors: Tamulevičius Tomas
Published: February 2022

Textiles, originally made from natural fiber materials, have thousands of years of history [...]
Adsorption of Pollutants from Colored Wastewaters after Natural Wool Dyeing
Authors: Ojstršek Alenka , Vouk Primož , Fakin Darinka
Published: February 2022

The presented study assesses the efficiency of selected adsorbents, zeolite 4A in two particle sizes and pelletized activated carbon (AC), for the potential removal of color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC) and metals from wastewaters after natural wool dyeing. Firstly, the natural coloring compounds were extracted from dried common walnut (Juglans regia) leaves and used further for exhaustion dyeing of wool fibers, together with three different metallic salts in two concentrations (meta-mordanting). Effluents with higher mordant concentration were additionally treated according to a shake-flask adsorption experiment. The obtained results revealed efficient removal of exceeded metallic ions by zeolite (up to 94.7%), on account of their superior ion exchange capability as compared to AC. The zeolites also reduced turbidity and electrical conductivity significantly. On the other hand, AC was more efficient for the reduction in organic pollution, COD up to 96% and TOC up to 95%, due to its higher specific surface area and total pore volume, and, thus, higher potential for adsorption of different compounds in comparison to 4A. All three proposed adsorbents lowered wastewaters’ coloration remarkably, up to 78% (AC) and up to 71% (4A), depending on the type of effluent/mordant and inspected wavelength; although, the spectral absorbance coefficient (SAC) values remained highly above the limit values for discharge of wastewaters into watercourses.
Ligand Binding Path Sampling Based on Parallel Cascade Selection Molecular Dynamics: LB-PaCS-MD
Authors: Aida Hayato , Shigeta Yasuteru , Harada Ryuhei
Published: February 2022

Parallel cascade selection molecular dynamics (PaCS-MD) is a rare-event sampling method that generates transition pathways between a reactant and product. To sample the transition pathways, PaCS-MD repeats short-time MD simulations from important configurations as conformational resampling cycles. In this study, PaCS-MD was extended to sample ligand binding pathways toward a target protein, which is referred to as LB-PaCS-MD. In a ligand-concentrated environment, where multiple ligand copies are randomly arranged around the target protein, LB-PaCS-MD allows for the frequent sampling of ligand binding pathways. To select the important configurations, we specified the center of mass (COM) distance between each ligand and the relevant binding site of the target protein, where snapshots generated by the short-time MD simulations were ranked by their COM distance values. From each cycle, snapshots with smaller COM distance values were selected as the important configurations to be resampled using the short-time MD simulations. By repeating conformational resampling cycles, the COM distance values gradually decreased and converged to constants, meaning that a set of ligand binding pathways toward the target protein was sampled by LB-PaCS-MD. To demonstrate relative efficiency, LB-PaCS-MD was applied to several proteins, and their ligand binding pathways were sampled more frequently than conventional MD simulations.
Effect of Holding Time on the Extrusion Force and Microstructure Evolution during the Plastic Forming of Ti-6Al-4V Micro-Gears
Authors: Yan Xiangzhong , Zhang Shengwei , Huang Kunlan , Yang Yi , Wang Wei , Wu Mingxia
Published: February 2022

The application of titanium alloy micro-gears in microelectromechanical systems has been severely restricted, as the graphite mold is prone to abrasion or even to crack at high temperatures, mainly due to the forming load. We aimed to manufacture Ti-6Al-4V alloy micro-gears through hot extrusion under an electric field and to clarify the influence of holding time on the extrusion force. The results suggest that the formed gears had a complete filling and clear tooth profile. Moreover, the contact resistance and current density caused a gradient temperature distribution inside the billet, resulting in a carburized layer and inhomogeneous β grains. The extrusion force increased with an increased holding time, which can be ascribed to the increase in the thickness of the carburized layer and the β grain size. Among these two factors, β grain size played a leading role in the extrusion force. Continuous dynamic recrystallization dominated the deformation in a single β phase, and the misorientation of the transformed α laths from β grains followed the Burgers orientation relationship. This study may pave the way for the extrusion forming of other titanium alloy micro-components.
An Instantaneous Recombination Rate Method for the Analysis of Interband Recombination Processes in ZnO Crystals
Authors: Santamaria Luigi , Maddalena Pasqualino , Lettieri Stefano
Published: February 2022

Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) analysis is often performed to assess the qualitative features of semiconductor crystals using predetermined functions (e.g., double- or multi-exponentials) to fit the decays of PL intensity. However, in many cases—including the notable case of interband PL in direct gap semiconductors—this approach just provides phenomenological parameters and not fundamental physical quantities. In the present work, we highlight that within a properly chosen range of laser excitation, the TRPL of zinc oxide (ZnO) bulk crystals can be described with excellent precision with second-order kinetics for the total recombination rate. We show that this allows us to define an original method for data analysis, based on evaluating the “instantaneous” recombination rate that drives the initial slope of the decay curves, acquired as a function of the excitation laser fluence. The method is used to fit experimental data, determining useful information on fundamental quantities that appear in the second-order recombination rate, namely the PL (unimolecular) lifetime, the bimolecular recombination coefficient, the non-radiative lifetime and the equilibrium free-carrier concentration. Results reasonably close to those typically obtained in direct gap semiconductors are extracted. The method may represent a useful tool for gaining insight into the recombination processes of a charge carrier in ZnO, and for obtaining quantitative information on ZnO excitonic dynamics.
Development of Induction Heating System Ensuring Increased Heating Efficiency of the Charge Material in a Forging
Authors: Hawryluk Marek , Rychlik Marcin , Pietrzak Michał , Górski Piotr , Marzec Jan
Published: February 2022

This study performs a complex analysis and review of the currently applied methods of inductively heating the charge material in hot die forging processes, as well as elaborates and verifies a more effective heating method. On this basis, a device for inductive heating using variable frequency inductors was designed and constructed, which made it possible to reduce the scale and decarburization with respect to the heater used so far. In the first place, the temperature distributions in the heater in the function of time were modeled with the use of the CEDRAT FLUX software. The aim of the research was to analyze the temperature gradient and value diversification on the surface and in the material core, as well as to determine the process stability. The following stage was designing and constructing a heater with an automatic system of loading and positioning of the charge on the exit, as well as with a possibility of working in a fully automated system adjusted to the work center. The last stage of investigations was the verification of the elaborated effective heating method on the basis of a short production series and a continuous work for the period of 8 h, both in the quantitative and qualitative aspect (reduced oxidation and decarburization as well as a gradient between the core and the surface). The obtained results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed solution referring to heating the charge material, especially in the aspect of stability and repeatability of the process, as well as a significant reduction in oxidation and decarburization of the material surface.
Steady-State Fault Detection with Full-Flight Data
Authors: Weiss Matthias , Staudacher Stephan , Becchio Duilio , Keller Christian , Mathes Jürgen
Published: February 2022

Aircraft engine condition monitoring is a key technology for increasing safety and reducing maintenance expenses. Current engine condition monitoring approaches use a minimum of one steady-state snapshot per flight. Whilst being appropriate for trending gradual engine deterioration, snapshots result in a detrimental latency in fault detection. The increased availability of non-mandatory data acquisition hardware in modern airplanes provides so-called full-flight data sampled continuously during flight. These datasets enable the detection of engine faults within one flight by deriving a statistically relevant set of steady-state data points, thus, allowing the application of machine-learning approaches. It is shown that low-pass filtering before steady-state detection significantly increases the success rate in detecting steady-state data points. The application of Principal Component Analysis halves the number of relevant dimensions and provides a coordinate system of principal components retaining most of the variance. Consequently, clusters of data points with and without engine fault can be separated visually and numerically using a One-Class Support Vector Machine. High detection rates are demonstrated for various component faults and even for a minimum instrumentation suite using synthesized datasets derived from full-flight data of commercially operated flights. In addition to the tests conducted with synthesized data, the algorithm is verified based on operational in-flight measurements providing a proof-of-concept. Consequently, the availability of continuously sampled in-flight measurements combined with machine-learning methods allows fault detection within a single flight.
Developing Digital Observer of Angular Gaps in Rolling Stand Mechatronic System
Authors: Gasiyarova Olga A. , Karandaev Alexander S. , Erdakov Ivan N. , Loginov Boris M. , Khramshin Vadim R.
Published: February 2022

Algorithms for monitoring the rolling mill mechatronic system state should be developed on the basis of modern digital technologies. Developing digital shadows (observers) of system state parameters in the periodic measurement mode is promising. This study relevance is defined by frequent emergency breakdowns of rolling stand mechanical transmissions. Most breakdowns are caused by worn end clutches (heads) of countershafts (spindles) transmitting rotation from the motor to the rolls. This is caused by elastic oscillations due to closing angular gaps when the metal enters the stand. The spindle joint angular gap increases over time with the mill operation. Therefore, it is an important diagnostic parameter that allows for an estimation of the transmission serviceability. In this regard, the problem of monitoring the angular gaps in the rolling stand mechatronic systems is relevant. The paper considers developing an observer of angular gaps in the spindle joints of the ‘electric drive-stand’ mechatronic system of the plate Mill 5000 of Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works PJSC (MMK PJSC). The monitored signal (angular gap) is calculated with the mathematical processing of the motor’s physical parameters (speed and electromagnetic torque), measured at a given frequency. The gap is determined indirectly by integrating the speed during its closing. To achieve this, the speed is controlled according to the triangular tachogram at no load. The stand’s electromechanical system modes have been studied using mathematical simulation. The observer’s practical use expediency has been reasoned. The structure of the observer-based angular gap monitoring information system is given. The system has been full-scale tested on Mill 5000, which has confirmed the developed algorithm efficiency. The study’s contribution is a justified and implemented concept of a relatively simple technical solution that can be commercially implemented without extra costs. The angular gap calculation algorithm does not involve complex mathematical techniques and can be implemented in industrial rolling mill controllers. Monitoring is automated without human involvement, which eliminates the human factor. The solution has a specific practical focus and is recommended for implementation at operating rolling mills.
Delays in Plant Virus Models and Their Stability
Authors: Chen-Charpentier Benito
Published: February 2022

Viruses infect humans and animals but also infect plants and cause great economic and ecological damage. In most cases, the virus is transmitted by a vector. After being bitten by an infected vector, the virus takes some time to replicate and spread in the plant. We present two models of the spread of viruses in plants based on ordinary differential equations, and then add either a delay or an exposed plant population. We study two ways of adding the delay. In the first one, a plant infected by a vector changes from susceptible to infective after a time equal to the delay. In the second one, immediately after the contact between a susceptible plant and infective vector, the plant is no longer susceptible, but it takes time equal to the delay for it to turn infective. To better explain the two ways of incorporating the delays, we first introduce them in a simple SIRS model. We analyze the models and study their stability numerically. We conclude by studying the interactions and the conservation of the total plant population that the first way of introducing the delay is better justified.
Retrieval-Based Transformer Pseudocode Generation
Authors: Alokla Anas , Gad Walaa , Nazih Waleed , Aref Mustafa , Salem Abdel-Badeeh
Published: February 2022

The comprehension of source code is very difficult, especially if the programmer is not familiar with the programming language. Pseudocode explains and describes code contents that are based on the semantic analysis and understanding of the source code. In this paper, a novel retrieval-based transformer pseudocode generation model is proposed. The proposed model adopts different retrieval similarity methods and neural machine translation to generate pseudocode. The proposed model handles words of low frequency and words that do not exist in the training dataset. It consists of three steps. First, we retrieve the sentences that are similar to the input sentence using different similarity methods. Second, pass the source code retrieved (input retrieved) to the deep learning model based on the transformer to generate the pseudocode retrieved. Third, the replacement process is performed to obtain the target pseudo code. The proposed model is evaluated using Django and SPoC datasets. The experiments show promising performance results compared to other language models of machine translation. It reaches 61.96 and 50.28 in terms of BLEU performance measures for Django and SPoC, respectively.
Secondary Metabolites from Marine Sponges of the Genus Oceanapia: Chemistry and Biological Activities
Authors: Xu Meng-Juan , Zhong Lin-Jing , Chen Jun-Kun , Bu Qing , Liang Lin-Fu
Published: February 2022

In this review, we summarized the distribution of the chemically investigated Oceanapia sponges, including the isolation and biological activities of their secondary metabolites, covering the literature from the first report in 1989 to July 2019. There have been 110 compounds reported during this period, including 59 alkaloids, 33 lipids, 14 sterols and 4 miscellaneous compounds. Besides their unique structures, they exhibited promising bioactivities ranging from insecticidal to antibacterial. Their complex structural characteristics and diverse biological properties have attracted a great deal of attention from chemists and pharmaceuticals seeking to perform their applications in the treatment of disease.
In Silico Screening of Bioactive Compounds of Representative Seaweeds to Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 ACE2-Bound Omicron B.1.1.529 Spike Protein Trimer
Authors: Bharathi Muruganantham , Sivamaruthi Bhagavathi Sundaram , Kesika Periyanaina , Thangaleela Subramanian , Chaiyasut Chaiyavat
Published: February 2022

Omicron is an emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant, evolved from the Indian delta variant B.1.617.2, which is currently infecting worldwide. The spike glycoprotein, an important molecule in the pathogenesis and transmissions of SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially omicron B.1.1.529, shows 37 mutations distributed over the trimeric protein domains. Notably, fifteen of these mutations reside in the receptor-binding domain of the spike glycoprotein, which may alter transmissibility and infectivity. Additionally, the omicron spike evades neutralization more efficiently than the delta spike. Most of the therapeutic antibodies are ineffective against the omicron variant, and double immunization with BioNTech-Pfizer (BNT162b2) might not adequately protect against severe disease induced by omicron B.1.1.529. So far, no efficient antiviral drugs are available against omicron. The present study identified the promising inhibitors from seaweed’s bioactive compounds to inhibit the omicron variant B.1.1.529. We have also compared the seaweed’s compounds with the standard drugs ceftriaxone and cefuroxime, which were suggested as beneficial antiviral drugs in COVID-19 treatment. Our molecular docking analysis revealed that caffeic acid hexoside (−6.4 kcal/mol; RMSD = 2.382 Å) and phloretin (−6.3 kcal/mol; RMSD = 0.061 Å) from Sargassum wightii (S. wightii) showed the inhibitory effect against the crucial residues ASN417, SER496, TYR501, and HIS505, which are supported for the inviolable omicron and angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptor interaction. Cholestan-3-ol, 2-methylene-, (3beta, 5 alpha) (CMBA) (−6.0 kcal/mol; RMSD = 3.074 Å) from Corallina officinalis (C. officinalis) manifested the strong inhibitory effect against the omicron RBD mutated residues LEU452 and ALA484, was magnificently observed as the essential residues in Indian delta variant B.1.617.2 previously. The standard drugs (ceftriaxone and cefuroxime) showed no or less inhibitory effect against RBD of omicron B.1.1.529. The present study also emphasized the pharmacological properties of the considered chemical compounds. The results could be used to develop potent seaweed-based antiviral drugs and/or dietary supplements to treat omicron B.1.1529-infected patients.
Comparative Venomics of the Cryptic Cone Snail Species Virroconus ebraeus and Virroconus judaeus
Authors: Pardos-Blas José Ramón , Tenorio Manuel J. , Galindo Juan Carlos G. , Zardoya Rafael
Published: February 2022

The venom duct transcriptomes and proteomes of the cryptic cone snail species Virroconus ebraeus and Virroconus judaeus were obtained and compared. The most abundant and shared conotoxin precursor superfamilies in both species were M, O1, and O2. Additionally, three new putative conotoxin precursor superfamilies (Virro01-03) with cysteine pattern types VI/VII and XVI were identified. The most expressed conotoxin precursor superfamilies were SF-mi2 and M in V. ebraeus, and Cerm03 and M in V. judaeus. Up to 16 conotoxin precursor superfamilies and hormones were differentially expressed between both species, and clustered into two distinct sets, which could represent adaptations of each species to different diets. Finally, we predicted, with machine learning algorithms, the 3D structure model of selected venom proteins including the differentially expressed Cerm03 and SF-mi2, an insulin type 3, a Gastridium geographus GVIA-like conotoxin, and an ortholog to the Pionoconus magus ω-conotoxin MVIIA (Ziconotide).
Chosen Antioxidant Enzymes GPx4 and GPx8 in Human Colorectal Carcinoma: Study of the Slovak Population
Authors: Pavliuk-Karachevtseva Andriana , Mihalik Jozef , Biel Róbert , Rybárová Silvia , Hodorová Ingrid
Published: February 2022

Background and Objectives: Nowadays colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is one of the most common causes of death in patients with malignant neoplasms worldwide. Our work aimed to determine the possible involvement of glutathione peroxidases 4 and 8 (GPx4 and GPx8) in this specific tumor process. Materials and Methods: The expression of GPx4 and GPx8 in 58 specimens of human colorectal cancer tissues and normal tissues was detected by the indirect immunohistochemical method under a light microscope. Statistical analysis was done by Chi-squared test. Histological findings were compared with data such as gender, age, tumor grade, histotype and lymph nodes alteration. Results: In all specimens of healthy tissue the presence of both, GPx4 and GPx8, was detected in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells. On the other hand, a positive immunohistochemical reaction against GPx4 only in 41.4% and against GPx8 only in 29.3% of human colorectal adenocarcinoma specimens were observed. Any significant difference between the presence of GPx and the age, the gender of the patient, tumor grade, histotype of cancer and the lesion of regional lymph nodes has not been detected. Conclusions: Our foundation could mean, that GPx4 and GPx8 have no important role in CRC pathogenesis, but the loss of these enzymes probably indicates a serious pathological process ongoing in the large intestine. To our knowledge, this is the first paper describing GPx8 presence in human colorectal carcinoma.
Enterococcus durans Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Lead Infection and Review of Enterococcus durans Endocarditis Cases
Authors: Radovanovic Milan , Jevtic Djordje , Barsoum Michel K. , Patel Janki , Dumic Igor
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections present a growing problem in medicine due to a significant increase in the number of implanted devices and the age of the recipient population. Enterococcus spp. are Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, lactic acid bacteria; they are relatively common pathogens in humans, but uncommon as the cause of CIED lead infections. Only eight cases of Enterococcus durans endocarditis have been reported in the literature thus far; however, there are no reported cases of Enterococcus durans CIED lead infection. Case presentation: A 58-year-old gentleman with a previously implanted St. Jude Medical single-chamber implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD) due to tachy/brady arrhythmias presented with nonspecific constitutional symptoms (i.e., low-grade fevers, chills, fatigue), and was found to have innumerable bilateral pulmonary nodules via computed tomography angiography of the chest. Many of these pulmonary nodules were cavitated and highly concerning for septic pulmonary emboli and infarcts. Within 24 h from presentation, blood cultures in all four culture bottles grew ampicillin- and vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus durans. Transthoracic echocardiogram confirmed vegetations on the ICD lead in the right ventricle. The patient underwent laser extraction of the ICD lead with generator removal and recovered completely after a 6-week intravenous antibiotic course. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report of CIED lead infection caused by Enterococcus durans. In this case, management with antibiotics along with ICD lead extraction led to complete recovery. Clinicians should be aware of this rare but potentially devastating infection in patients with native and artificial valves, but also in those with CIEDs.
Carbon Nanodots-Embedded Pullulan Nanofibers for Sulfathiazole Removal from Wastewater Streams
Authors: Aijaz Muhammad Omer , Ahmad Munir , Al-Wabel Mohammad I. , Karim Mohammad Rezaul , Usman Adel R. A. , Assaifan Abdulaziz K.
Published: February 2022

Carbon nanodots (CNDs)-embedded pullulan (PUL) nanofibers were developed and successfully applied for sulfathiazole (STZ) removal from wastewater streams for the first time. The CNDs were incorporated into PUL at 0.0%, 1.0%, 2.0%, and 3.0% (w/w) to produce M1, M2, M3, and M4 nanofibers (PUL-NFs), respectively. The produced PUL-NFs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and applied for STZ removal from aqueous solutions through pH, kinetics, and equilibrium batch sorption trials. A pH range of 4.0–6.0 was observed to be optimal for maximum STZ removal. Pseudo-second order, intraparticle diffusion, and Elovich models were suitably fitted to kinetics adsorption data (R2 = 0.82–0.99), whereas Dubinin–Radushkevich, Freundlich, and Langmuir isotherms were fitted to equilibrium adsorption data (R2= 0.88–0.99). STZ adsorption capacity of PUL-NFs improved as the amount of embedded CNDs increased. Maximum STZ adsorption capacities of the synthesized PUL-NFs were in the order of: M4 > M3 > M2 > M1 (133.68, 124.27, 93.09, and 35.04 mg g−1, respectively). Lewis acid–base reaction and π-π electron donor–acceptor interactions were the key STZ removal mechanisms under an acidic environment, whereas H-bonding and diffusion were key under a basic environment. Therefore, CNDs-embedded PUL-NFs could be employed as an environmentally friendly, efficient, and non-toxic adsorbent to remove STZ from wastewater streams.
The Effect of Symmetrically Tilt Grain Boundary of Aluminum on Hydrogen Diffusion
Authors: Wang Yuhao , Wang Haijun , Li Lingxiao , Liu Jiyan , Zhao Pei , Xu Zhiqiang
Published: February 2022

High-strength aluminum alloys are widely used in industry. Hydrogen embrittlement greatly reduces the performance and service safety of aluminum alloys. The hydrogen traps in alumi-num profoundly affect the hydrogen embrittlement of aluminum. Here, we took a coinci-dence-site lattice (CSL) symmetrically tilted grain boundary (STGB) Σ5(120)[001] as an example to carry out molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of hydrogen diffusion in aluminum at dif-ferent temperatures, and to obtain results and rules consistent with the experiment. At 700 K, three groups of MD simulations with concentrations of 0.5, 2.5 and 5 atomic % hydrogen (at. % H) were carried out for STGB models at different angles. By analyzing the simulation results and the MSD curves of hydrogen atoms, we found that, in the low hydrogen concentration of STGB models, the grain boundaries captured hydrogen atoms and hindered their movement. In high-hydrogen-concentration models, the diffusion rate of hydrogen atoms was not affected by the grain boundaries. The analysis of the simulation results showed that the diffusion of hydro-gen atoms at the grain boundary is anisotropic.
Theoretical Study on Thermal Stresses of Metal Bars with Different Moduli in Tension and Compression
Authors: Guo Ying , Wen Si-Rui , Sun Jun-Yi , He Xiao-Ting
Published: February 2022

Extensive studies have shown that engineering materials, including metals and their oxides, will present different mechanical properties in tension or compression; however, this difference is generally neglected due to the complexity of the analysis. In this study, we theoretically analyze the thermal stress of a metal bar with a bimodular effect. First, the common strain suppression method is used to obtain a one-dimensional thermal stress expression. As a contrast with the one-dimensional solution, a two-dimensional thermoelasticity solution is also derived, based on the classical Duhamel theorem concerning body force analogy. Results indicate an important phenomenon that the linear temperature rise mode will produce thermal stress in a bimodular metal bar, whereas there is no thermal stress in the case of singular modulus. If the equilibrium relation is needed to be satisfied, the variation trend between different moduli and different thermal expansion coefficients in tension and compression should be opposite. In addition, the amplitude of stress variation, from the maximum tensile stress to the maximum compressive stress, increases dramatically. There exists an inevitable link between one- and two-dimensional solutions. These results are helpful to the refined analysis and measurements of the thermophysical properties of metals and their oxides.
Experimental Design for Virtual Experiments in Tilted-Wave Interferometry
Authors: Scholz Gregor , Fortmeier Ines , Marschall Manuel , Stavridis Manuel , Schulz Michael , Elster Clemens
Published: February 2022

The tilted-wave interferometer (TWI) is a recent and promising technique for optically measuring aspheres and freeform surfaces and combines an elaborate experimental setup with sophisticated data analysis algorithms. There are, however, many parameters that influence its performance, and greater knowledge about the behavior of the TWI is needed before it can be established as a measurement standard. Virtual experiments are an appropriate tool for this purpose, and in this paper we present a digital twin of the TWI that was carefully designed for such experiments. The expensive numerical calculations involved combined with the existence of multiple influencing parameters limit the number of virtual experiments that are feasible, which poses a challenge to researchers. Experimental design is a statistical technique that allows virtual experiments to be planned such as to maximize information gain. We applied experimental design to virtual TWI experiments with the goal of identifying the main sources of uncertainty. The results from this work are presented here.
Electrochemical Sensing of Glucose Using Glucose Oxidase/PEDOT:4-Sulfocalix [4]arene/MXene Composite Modified Electrode
Authors: Murugan Preethika , Annamalai Jayshree , Atchudan Raji , Govindasamy Mani , Nallaswamy Deepak , Ganapathy Dhanraj , Reshetilov Anatoly , Sundramoorthy Ashok K.
Published: February 2022

Glucose is one of the most important monosaccharides found in the food, as a part of more complex structures, which is a primary energy source for the brain and body. Thus, the monitoring of glucose concentration is more important in food and biological samples in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Herein, an electrochemical glucose biosensor was fabricated by immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOX) onto poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):4-sulfocalix [4]arene (PEDOT:SCX)/MXene modified electrode. For this purpose, firstly, PEDOT was synthesized in the presence of SCX (counterion) by the chemical oxidative method. Secondly, MXene (a 2D layered material) was synthesized by using a high-temperature furnace under a nitrogen atmosphere. After that, PEDOT:SCX/MXene (1:1) dispersion was prepared by ultrasonication which was later utilized to prepare PEDOT:SCX/MXene hybrid film. A successful formation of PEDOT:SCX/MXene film was confirmed by HR-SEM, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and Raman spectroscopies. Due to the biocompatibility nature, successful immobilization of GOX was carried out onto chitosan modified PEDOT:SCX/MXene/GCE. Moreover, the electrochemical properties of PEDOT:SCX/MXene/GOX/GCE was studied through cyclic voltammetry and amperometry methods. Interestingly, a stable redox peak of FAD-GOX was observed at a formal potential of –0.435 V on PEDOT:SCX/MXene/GOX/GCE which indicated a direct electron transfer between the enzyme and the electrode surface. PEDOT:SCX/MXene/GOX/GCE also exhibited a linear response against glucose concentrations in the linear range from 0.5 to 8 mM. The effect of pH, sensors reproducibility, and repeatability of the PEDOT:SCX/MXene/GOX/GCE sensor were studied. Finally, this new biosensor was successfully applied to detect glucose in commercial fruit juice sample with satisfactory recovery.
New Alphaproteobacteria Thrive in the Depths of the Ocean with Oxygen Gradient
Authors: Cevallos Miguel Angel , Degli Esposti Mauro
Published: February 2022

We survey here the Alphaproteobacteria, a large class encompassing physiologically diverse bacteria which are divided in several orders established since 2007. Currently, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the classification of an increasing number of marine metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) that remain poorly defined in their taxonomic position within Alphaproteobacteria. The traditional classification of NCBI taxonomy is increasingly complemented by the Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB), but the two taxonomies differ considerably in the classification of several Alphaproteobacteria, especially from ocean metagenomes. We analyzed the classification of Alphaproteobacteria lineages that are most common in marine environments, using integrated approaches of phylogenomics and functional profiling of metabolic features that define their aerobic metabolism. Using protein markers such as NuoL, the largest membrane subunit of complex I, we have identified new clades of Alphaproteobacteria that are specific to marine niches with steep oxygen gradients (oxycline). These bacteria have relatives among MAGs found in anoxic strata of Lake Tanganyika and together define a lineage that is distinct from either Rhodospirillales or Sneathiellales. We characterized in particular the new ‘oxycline’ clade. Our analysis of Alphaproteobacteria also reveals new clues regarding the ancestry of mitochondria, which likely evolved in oxycline marine environments.
Bermudagrass Cultivars with Different Tolerance to Nematode Damage Are Characterized by Distinct Fungal but Similar Bacterial and Archaeal Microbiomes
Authors: Choi Chang Jae , Valiente Jacqueline , Schiavon Marco , Dhillon Braham , Crow William T. , Stingl Ulrich
Published: February 2022

Turfgrass landscapes have expanded rapidly in recent decades and are a major vegetation type in urbanizing ecosystems. While turfgrass areas provide numerous ecosystem services in urban environments, ecological side effects from intensive management are raising concerns regarding their sustainability. One potentially promising approach to ameliorate the ecological impact and decrease the use of agricultural chemicals is to take advantage of naturally evolved turfgrass-associated microbes by harnessing beneficial services provided by microbiomes. Unfortunately, especially compared to agricultural crops, the microbiomes of turfgrasses are not well understood. Here, we analyzed microbial communities inhabiting the leaf and root endospheres as well as soil in two bermudagrass cultivars, ‘Latitude 36’ and ‘TifTuf’, which exhibit distinct tolerance to nematode damage, with the goal of identifying potential differences in the microbiomes that might explain their distinct phenotype. We used 16S rRNA gene V4 and ITS2 amplicon sequencing to characterize the microbiomes in combination with microbial cultivation efforts to identify potentially beneficial endophytic fungi and bacteria. Our results show that Latitude 36 and TifTuf showed markedly different fungal microbiomes, each harboring unique taxa from Ascomycota and Glomeromycota, respectively. In contrast, less difference was observed from bacterial and archaeal microbiomes, which were dominated by Bacteroidetes and Thaumarchaeota, respectively. The TifTuf microbiomes exhibited lower microbial diversity compared to Latitude 36. Many sequences could not be classified to a higher taxonomic resolution, indicating a relatively high abundance of hitherto undescribed microorganisms. Our results provide new insights into the structure and composition of turfgrass microbiomes but also raise important questions regarding the functional attributes of key taxa.
Mycobiome-Host Coevolution? The Mycobiome of Ancestral Human Populations Seems to Be Different and Less Diverse Than Those of Extant Native and Urban-Industrialized Populations
Authors: Reynoso-García Jelissa , Narganes-Storde Yvonne , Santiago-Rodriguez Tasha M. , Toranzos Gary A.
Published: February 2022

Few data exist on the human gut mycobiome in relation to lifestyle, ethnicity, and dietary habits. To understand the effect of these factors on the structure of the human gut mycobiome, we analyzed sequences belonging to two extinct pre-Columbian cultures inhabiting Puerto Rico (the Huecoid and Saladoid) and compared them to coprolite samples found in Mexico and Ötzi, the Iceman’s large intestine. Stool mycobiome samples from extant populations in Peru and urban cultures from the United States were also included. The ancient Puerto Rican cultures exhibited a lower fungal diversity in comparison to the extant populations. Dissimilarity distances showed that the Huecoid gut mycobiome resembled that from ancient Mexico. Fungal genera including Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Rasamsonia spp., Byssochlamys spp., Talaromyces spp., Blastomyces spp., Monascus spp., and Penicilliopsis spp. were differentially abundant in the ancient and extant populations. Despite cultural differences, certain fungal taxa were present in all samples. These results suggest that culture and diet may impact the gut mycobiome and emphasize that modern lifestyles could be associated with the alteration of gut mycobiome diversity. The present study presents data on ancient and extant human gut mycobiomes in terms of lifestyle, ethnicity, and diet in the Americas.
Chemical Composition Data of the Main Stages of Copper Production from Sulfide Minerals in Chile: A Review to Assist Circular Economy Studies
Authors: Barros Kayo Santana , Vielmo Vicente Schaeffer , Moreno Belén Garrido , Riveros Gabriel , Cifuentes Gerardo , Bernardes Andréa Moura
Published: February 2022

The mining industry has faced significant challenges to maintaining copper production technically, economically, and environmentally viable. Some of the major limitations that must be overcome in the coming years are the copper ore grade decline due to its intense exploitation, the increasing requirements for environmental protection, and the need to expand and construct new tailings dams. Furthermore, the risk of a supply crisis of critical metals, such as antimony and bismuth, has prompted efforts to increase their extraction from secondary resources in copper production. Therefore, improving conventional processes and developing new technologies is crucial to satisfying the world’s metal demands, while respecting the policies of environmental organizations. Hence, it is essential that the chemical composition of each copper production stage is known for conducting these studies, which may be challenging due to the huge variability of concentration data concerning the ore extraction region, the process type, and the operational conditions. This paper presents a review of chemical composition data of the main stages of copper production from sulfide minerals, such as (1) copper minerals, (2) flotation tailings, (3) flotation concentrates, (4) slags and (5) flue dust from the smelting/converting stage, (6) copper anodes, (7) anode slimes, (8) contaminated electrolytes from the electrorefining stage, (9) electrolytes cleaned by ion-exchange resins, and (10) elution solutions from the resins. In addition, the main contributions of recent works on copper production are summarized herein. This study is focused on production sites from Chile since it is responsible for almost one-third of the world’s copper production.