bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forecastability of Agricultural Commodity Futures Realised Volatility with Daily Infectious Disease-Related Uncertainty
Authors: Shiba Sisa , Aye Goodness C. , Gupta Rangan , Goswami Samrat
Published: November 2022

Given the food supply chain disruption from COVID-19 lockdowns around the world, we examine the predictive power of daily infectious diseases-related uncertainty (EMVID) on commodity traded futures within the agricultural bracket, sometimes known as the softs, using the heterogeneous autoregressive realised variance (HAR-RV) model. Considering the short-, medium-, and long-run recursive out-of-sample estimation approach, we estimate daily realised volatility by using intraday data within the 5 min interval for 15 agricultural commodity futures. During the COVID-19 episode, our results indicated that EMVID plays an important role in predicting the future path of agricultural commodity traded futures in the short, medium, and long run, i.e., h = 1, 5, and 22, respectively. According to the MSE-F test, these results are statistically significant. These results contain important implications for investors, portfolio managers, and speculators when faced with investment risk management and strategic asset allocation during infectious disease-related uncertainty.
Assessment of Land Deformation and the Associated Causes along a Rapidly Developing Himalayan Foothill Region Using Multi-Temporal Sentinel-1 SAR Datasets
Authors: Awasthi Shubham , Varade Divyesh , Bhattacharjee Sutapa , Singh Hemant , Shahab Sana , Jain Kamal
Published: November 2022

Land deformation has become a crucial threat in recent decades, caused by various natural and anthropogenic activities in the environment. The seismic land dynamics, landslides activities, heavy rainfall resulting in flood events, and subsurface aquifer shrinkage due to the excessive extraction of groundwater are among the major reasons for land deformation, which may cause serious damage to the overall land surface, civil infrastructure, underground tunnels, and pipelines, etc. This study focuses on preparing a framework for estimating land deformation and analyzing the causes associated with land deformation. A time-series SAR Interferometry-based technique called PsInSAR was used to measure land deformation, using Sentinel-1 datasets from 2015 to 2021 by estimating land deformation velocities for this region. The obtained PSInSAR deformation velocity results ranged between −4 mm to +2 mm per year. Further, land use land cover (LULC) changes in the area were analyzed as an essential indicator and probable cause of land deformation. LULC products were first generated using Landsat-8 images for two time periods (2015, 2021), which were then evaluated in accordance with the deformation analysis. The results indicated an increase in the built-up areas and agricultural cover in the region at the cost of shrinkage in the vegetated lands, which are highly correlated with the land subsidence in the region, probably due to the over-extraction of groundwater. Further, the outer region of the study area consisting of undulating terrain and steep slopes also coincides with the estimated high subsidence zones, which could be related to higher instances of landslides identified in those areas from various primary and secondary information collected. One of the causes of landslides and soil erosion in the region is identified to be high-level precipitation events that loosen the surface soil that flows through the steep slopes. Furthermore, the study region lying in a high seismic zone with characteristic unstable slopes are more susceptible to land deformation due to high seismic activities. The approach developed in the study could be an useful tool for constant monitoring and estimation of land deformation and analysis of the associated causes which can be easily applied to any other region.
Balancing Rare Species Conservation with Extractive Industries
Authors: Carrell Joshua D. , Hammill Edward , Edwards Thomas C.
Published: November 2022

The Colorado Plateau has abundant oil, gas, and alternative energy potential. This energy potential is scattered among a patchwork of land ownership, with private, tribal, and public lands being actively developed for energy extraction. Elements of biodiversity (e.g., listed and sensitive plant and animal species) are distributed among all land tenures, yet the laws protecting them can vary as a function of land tenure. It is imperative to understand the spatial distributions of threatened endangered, and sensitive species in relation to land tenure to preserve habitat and conserve species populations in areas undergoing energy development. We developed species distribution models and spatial conservation optimization frameworks to explore the interactions among land ownership, existing and potential energy extraction, and biodiversity. Four management scenarios were tested to quantify how different approaches to energy extraction may impact rare plant distributions. Results show that incorporating risk and land tenure in spatially optimized frameworks it is possible to facilitate the long-term viability of rare plant species. The scenarios developed here represent a different attitude towards the value of rare plants and the risk of energy development. Results gives insight into the financial consequences of rare species protection and quantifies the biodiversity costs of energy development across landscapes.
Lexical Borrowing Targets Spans
Authors: Tat Deniz
Published: November 2022

In this study, I revisit the claim that nominals denoting complex events must derive from discernible verbal stems and must be headed by an overt nominalizer. I show that Turkish has a set of nominals, crucially of foreign origin, which provides counter-evidence to both claims. From the perspective of Turkish grammar, they are morphologically noncompositional, manifesting neither a detectable verbal basis nor an overt nominalizer although they are categorically complex event nominals. Since (zero-)derived nominals of Turkic origin do not allow argument structure, the puzzling makeup of underived complex event nominals in question boils down to their loan word nature. I show that their behavior is different from both derived nominals as well as gerundive nominals in important ways. I claim that they are defective nominalizations lacking an nP representation. After reviewing previous accounts of these nominals, I consider three syntactic approaches to word derivation, which differ in their theoretical assumptions only in granularity, and conclude that the Spanning approach of Bye and Svenonius provides us with a conceptually superior account.
Cross-Border Document Service Procedures in the EU from the Perspective of Italian Practitioners—The Lessons Learnt and the Process of Digitalisation of the Procedure through e-CODEX
Authors: Amato Rosanna , Velicogna Marco
Published: November 2022

An effective legal framework for judicial cooperation in the field of the service of documents is a keystone for the effective functioning of the area of freedom, security and justice, as referred to in the Treaty on the EU. In particular, the proper service of a claim to the addressee is a necessary step for starting a proceeding and, simultaneously, an essential requirement for exercising the right of defence. The EU has adopted specific provisions to remodel the traditional channel of documents’ transmission with smoother solutions that assist cross-border judicial proceedings. Despite this, the European service procedure is not that straightforward and can still be very complex for most users, causing additional costs and legal uncertainty. Against this background, this article explores how the cross-border service of documents works in practice. It presents the findings resulting from empirical exploratory research carried out in Italy to assess the concrete use and usability of the European rules adopted to simplify, speed up and reduce the costs of cross-border service of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil and commercial matters, also in the view to support a possible digitalisation of the procedure. Building on empirical data, the paper brings to light the existing hiatus between the service procedure ‘on the books’ and the reality of how the relevant provisions are applied daily, so as to provide solid ground for reflecting on the current situation and on the impact that the recast Regulation 2020/1784/EU, which took effect in July 2022, will have to the supranational system of cross-border service of documents, in particular concerning the potential of the use of ICT to support it.
Evaluation of the Cardiovascular Effects of Coriandrum sativum and Citrus limon to Treat Arsenic-Induced Endothelial Damage and Hypertension in Rats
Authors: Rana Reemal , Mehmood Malik Hassan , Shaukat Bushra , Shahid Sidra , Malik Abdul , Murtaza Babar
Published: November 2022

Based on the vernacular reputation of Coriandrum sativum and Citrus limon to treat hypertension, this study was designed to explore the cardiovascular effects of C. sativum (CS) and C. limon (CL) on arsenic-induced hypertension and endothelial damage. Hypertension was induced by arsenic (100 ppm) in drinking water. The crude methanolic extracts of CS and CL were tested for in vivo and in vitro activities using Power Lab. High performance liquid chromatography analysis of CS and CL showed the presence of phenolic compounds. In anesthetized rats, CS (50 mg) and CL (10 mg) showed a marked decrease in blood pressure of 51% and 35%, respectively. Similarly, ascorbic acid (10 mg) also showed a decreased blood pressure (41%). The CS and CL caused complete relaxation (0.003–5 mg/mL) against phenylephrine (1µM) and high K+ (80 mM)-induced contraction. The CS and CL, independently and in combination, exhibited marked (p < 0.001) attenuation in the blood pressure of the arsenic-induced hypertensive rats when compared with the controls. The beneficial effects of the CS and CL were also observed on lipid peroxidation and eNOS. These data suggest that CS and CL possess significant antihypertensive activity, possibly mediated via endothelium protection, and anti-oxidant effects. Thus, this study provides a rationale for the medicinal use of CS and CL in hypertension and also against arsenic-induced cardiovascular complications.
2-((4-(2-Ethylhexyl)-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]indol-7-yl)methylene)malononitrile
Authors: Gudim Nikita S. , Knyazeva Ekaterina A. , Trainov Konstantin P. , Rakitin Oleg A.
Published: November 2022

New small acceptor–donor (A–D) molecules have been recently investigated as a component of organic solar cells. In this research, 2-((4-(2-ethylhexyl)-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]indol-7-yl)methylene)malononitrile was prepared from 4-(2-ethylhexyl)-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]indole in a two-step process via Vilsmeier–Haack formylation and Knoevenagel reaction with malononitrile. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were established by means of elemental analysis, high-resolution mass spectrometry, 1H, 13C NMR, IR and UV–Vis spectroscopy, as well as mass spectrometry.
CNC Machines for Rehabilitation: Ankle and Shoulder
Authors: Blanco Ortega Andrés , Magadán Salazar Andrea , Guzmán Valdivia César. H. , Gómez Becerra Fabio Abel , Palacios Gallegos Manuel J. , García Velarde Miguel A. , Santana Camilo José Alfonso
Published: November 2022

Continuous passive motion (CPM) machines are used in the rehabilitation of members that have been injured to recover their range of motion and prevent stiffness. Nowadays, some CPM machines for the knee, ankle, arm, and elbow are available commercially. In this paper, ankle and shoulder rehabilitation robots, based on an X-Y table, are presented. The novelty of these rehabilitation robots is that they have a computerized numerical control system, resulting in low-cost machines. Some G-codes for basic and combined movement routines for ankle and shoulder rehabilitation are presented. In addition, the use of a robust generalized PI controller is also proposed to guarantee safe rehabilitation movements and compensate for passive stiffness in the ankle joint of stroke survivors. Some numerical simulations are included to illustrate the dynamic performance of the robust Generalized Proportional Integral (GPI) controller using the virtual prototype.
A Numerical Analysis of Hybrid Spur Gears with Asymmetric Teeth: Stress and Dynamic Behavior
Authors: Yılmaz Tufan G. , Karadere Gültekin , Karpat Fatih
Published: November 2022

Hybrid gears are composed of high-strength steel, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), and adhesive bond to join these materials. In this study, the effect of rack tip radius (TR), drive side pressure angle (DSPA), and rim thickness (RT) on the stress of hybrid gears is investigated numerically. In addition, the stress results of hybrid gears are compared with steel gears that are used for validation of the numerical results. Single tooth stiffness (STS) values are calculated based on tooth deformations obtained from numerical analyses. The 2-DOF model is used to observe the influence of DSPA and RT on the dynamic factor (DF) and static transmission error (STE). According to the results, increasing RT has a positive effect on stress, STS, and STE, while DSPA is effective on the dynamic factor at most.
Development of Harmonic Drive Combining Four Arcs for Conventional Kinematic Application
Authors: Kim Taesu , Lee Jongseok , Jeong Wonhyeong , Jeon Hansu , Oh Sehoon
Published: November 2022

This paper proposes a modified harmonic cam, which is used to design a harmonic drive. Conventional harmonic drives using a sinusoidal cam type pertain to an elastic body concept and are thus difficult to design and evaluate. Unlike the conventional sinusoidal cam, the proposed harmonic cam involves a combination of four arcs. Such cams can be designed based on a rigid body concept, and thus, the tooth profile can be designed and analyzed using the established gear theory. The novel harmonic cam is designed by exploiting four-arc combinations, and guides for designing harmonic drives with involute and cycloid angular teeth are presented. A harmonic drive with a difference of two teeth between the circular spline and flex spline is designed. The operation, tooth engagement, and interference are validated through a mock-up production using a 3D printer and gear simulation program. The findings can facilitate the facile design and manufacturing of harmonic drives.
A Viewpoint on the Challenges and Solutions for Driverless Last-Mile Delivery
Authors: Balaska Vasiliki , Tsiakas Kosmas , Giakoumis Dimitrios , Kostavelis Ioannis , Folinas Dimitrios , Gasteratos Antonios , Tzovaras Dimitrios
Published: November 2022

The occurring growth in e-commerce comes along with an increasing number of first-time delivery failures due to the customer’s absence at the delivery location. Failed deliveries result in rework, causing a significant impact on the carriers’ delivery cost. Hence, the last mile is the portion of a journey that involves moving people and commodities from a transportation hub to a final destination, which should be an efficient process. The above-mentioned concept is used in supply chain management and transportation planning. The paper at hand is a position paper that aims to scrutinize the concept of driverless last-mile delivery, with autonomous vehicles, in order to highlight and stress the challenges and limitations in the existing technology that hinder level five autonomous driving. Specifically, this work documents the current capabilities of the existing autonomous vehicles’ perception and cognition system and outlines their future skills towards addressing complete autonomous last-mile delivery, as well as efficient robotic process automation in logistics from warehouse/distribution center to hub’s delivery.
Trending Topics in Research on Rehabilitation Robots during the Last Two Decades: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Zhang Ying , Liu Xiaoyu , Qiao Xiaofeng , Fan Yubo
Published: November 2022

Rehabilitation robots, as representative advanced modern rehabilitation devices, are automatically operated machines used for improving the motor functions of patients. Research on rehabilitation robots is typically multidisciplinary research involving technical engineering, clinical medicine, neural science, and other disciplines. Understanding the emerging trends and high-impact publications is important for providing an overview of rehabilitation robot research for interested researchers. Bibliometric analysis is the use of statistical methods to analyze publications over a period of time, which can provide visual insights into the relationships between studies and their publications. In this study, we used “rehabilitation robot*” as a topic term to collect 3527 papers from Web of Science in 127 subject categories published between 2000 and 2019. Rehabilitation robot research has increased rapidly over the past 20 years, 10 key clusters of which were analyzed in this narrative review: improving functional ability after stroke, spinal cord injury, universal haptic drive, robotic-assisted treadmill therapy, treadmill training, increasing productivity, custom-designed haptic training, physical treatment strategies, arm movement therapy, and rehabilitation robotics. Based on this database, we constructed co-citation and co-occurrence networks that were characterized by betweenness centrality values of more than 0.08 and citation bursts with strengths of more than 23, thereby visualizing the emerging trends in the research of rehabilitation robots.
Sea–Land Segmentation Using HED-UNET for Monitoring Kaohsiung Port
Authors: Tseng Shih-Huan , Sun Wei-Hao
Published: November 2022

In recent years, it has become a trend to analyze shoreline changes through satellite images in coastal engineering research. The results of sea–land segmentation are very important for shoreline detection. CoastSat is a time-series shoreline detection system that uses an artificial neural network (ANN) on sea–land segmentation. However, the method of CoastSat only uses the spectral features of a single pixel and ignores the local relationships of adjacent pixels. This impedes optimal category prediction, particularly considering interference by climate features such as clouds, shadows, and waves. It is easy to cause the classifier to be disturbed in the classification results, resulting in classification errors. To solve the problem of misclassification of sea–land segmentation caused by climate interference, this paper applies HED-UNet to the image dataset obtained from CoastSat and learns the relationship between adjacent pixels by training the deep network architecture, thereby improving the results of erroneous sea–land segmentation due to climate disturbances. By using different optimizers and loss functions in the HED-Unet model, the experiment verifies that Adam + Focal loss has the best performance. The results also show that the deep learning model, HED-Unet, can effectively improve the accuracy of the sea–land segmentation to 97% in a situation with interference from atmospheric factors such as clouds and waves.
Soliton Solutions and Other Solutions for Kundu–Eckhaus Equation with Quintic Nonlinearity and Raman Effect Using the Improved Modified Extended Tanh-Function Method
Authors: Ahmed Karim K. , Badra Niveen M. , Ahmed Hamdy M. , Rabie Wafaa B.
Published: November 2022

Our paper studies the optical solitons for the Kundu–Eckhaus (KE) equation with quintic nonlinearity and Raman effect. By applying the improved modified extended tanh-function method, many soliton solutions can be obtained such as bright soliton solutions, dark soliton solutions, and the singular soliton solution. In addition, we can obtain various types of solutions, namely, singular periodic solutions, exponential solutions, rational solutions, Jacobi elliptic solutions and Weierstrass elliptic doubly periodic solutions. Moreover, some selected solutions are illustrated graphically to show the physical nature and the characteristics of the obtained solutions.
Numerical Solutions of Inverse Nodal Problems for a Boundary Value Problem
Authors: Tang Yong , Ni Haoze , Song Fei , Wang Yuping
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we study inverse nodal problems for a boundary value problem. A uniqueness result for the potential function and a reconstruction method are obtained. By using the nodal points as input data, we compute the approximation solution of the potential function for the boundary value problem by the first kind Chebyshev wavelet method. Two numerical examples show that the first kind Chebyshev wavelet method for solving the inverse nodal problems for the boundary value problem is valid.
Convergence Behavior of Optimal Cut-Off Points Derived from Receiver Operating Characteristics Curve Analysis: A Simulation Study
Authors: Gerke Oke , Zapf Antonia
Published: November 2022

The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve is a popular measure of the overall discriminatory power of a continuous variable used to indicate the presence of an outcome of interest, such as disease or disease progression. In clinical practice, the use of cut-off points as benchmark values for further treatment planning is greatly appreciated, despite the loss of information that such a dichotomization implies. Optimal cut-off points are often derived from fixed sample size studies, and the aim of this study was to investigate the convergence behavior of optimal cut-off points with increasing sample size and to explore a heuristic and path-based algorithm for cut-off point determination that targets stagnating cut-off point values. To this end, the closest-to-(0,1) criterion in receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was used, and the heuristic and path-based algorithm aimed at cut-off points that deviated less than 1% from the cut-off point of the previous iteration. Such a heuristic determination stopped after only a few iterations, thereby implicating practicable sample sizes; however, the result was, at best, a rough estimate of an optimal cut-off point that was unbiased and positively and negatively biased for a prevalence of 0.5, smaller than 0.5, and larger than 0.5, respectively.
Studies of the Fractional Selkov Dynamical System for Describing the Self-Oscillatory Regime of Microseisms
Authors: Parovik Roman Ivanovich
Published: November 2022

A non-linear fractional Selkov dynamic system for mathematical modeling of microseismic phenomena is proposed. This system is a generalization of the previously known Selkov system, which has self-oscillatory modes and is used in biology to describe glycolytic vibrations of the substrate and product. The Selkov fractional dynamical system takes into account the influence of heredity and is described using derivative fractional orders. The article investigates the Selkov fractional dynamic model using the Adams–Bashforth–Moulton numerical method, constructs oscillograms and phase trajectories, and studies the equilibrium points. Based on the spectra of the maximum Lyapunov exponents, it is shown that in the fractional dynamic model there can be relaxation and damped oscillations.
Prenatally Ruptured Patent Urachus: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Kwon Ji-Young , Pyeon Seung-Yeon
Published: November 2022

Patent urachus is a type of urachal anomaly in which the urachus does not tail off but remains connected to the bladder in the umbilicus. The prevalence of patent urachus is very low. Herein, we report a case of patent urachus ruptured and exposed to amniotic fluid in utero. In this case, the size decreased after the second trimester, which was thought to be due to rupture in utero. After delivery, patent urachus was confirmed by inserting a foley catheter, which runs through a ruptured cyst on umbilical cord insertion. The day after delivery, the neonate underwent surgical excision of the urachal cyst and closing umbilicus. The mechanism of patent urachus rupture is unknown. As the fetus matures, it is thought that the higher intravesical pressure may affect the rupture of the cyst. Patent urachus could be ruptured in the uterus spontaneously, and surgical correction is needed. Therefore, prenatal differential diagnosis is important.
Characteristics and Patterns of Proton Pump Inhibitors Prescribing at the Primary Health Care
Authors: Stojaković Nataša , Golić Jelić Ana , Stoisavljević Šatara Svjetlana , Bednarčuk Nataša , Stojiljković Miloš P. , Škrbić Ranko
Published: November 2022

Background and objectives: the aim of this study was to analyse the utilisation of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) during a 12-year period and to show the characteristics and patterns of their prescribing. Materials and methods: firstly, in the pharmacoepidemiological analyses the ATC/DDD methodology was used to assess the utilisation of PPIs in the Republic of Srpska. The annual PPI utilisation was expressed as a number of DDD/1000 inhabitants/year. Secondly, the cross-sectional surveys were used to reveal the characteristics of PPIs prescribing and medicines use, namely the dose, duration and indication, and possible adverse reactions. For the purposes of the surveys, the adapted version of questionnaires related to physicians’ and patients’ perspectives of medicines prescribing and use were performed. Results: the utilisation of medicines for alimentary tract and metabolism (group A/ATC classification) increased by almost threefold in a 12-year period, which was consistent with the total medicine utilisation. Pantoprazole was the most prescribed medicine among the PPIs. With the exclusion of PPIs in the therapy of Helicobacter pylori eradication, more than half of family physicians prescribed PPIs with antibiotics, and only 53/239 physicians, noticed some adverse reactions of PPIs in their patients. Most of the patients knew how to use PPIs and were taking these medicines in recommended daily doses, but approximately 45% of them were using PPIs for a long period of time (>6 months). Conclusions: the overuse of PPIs is a major concern due to potential serious adverse reactions, especially in elderly patients and in a case of prolonged exposure.
Micro-Ultrasound in the Diagnosis and Staging of Prostate and Bladder Cancer: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Calace Francesco Paolo , Napolitano Luigi , Arcaniolo Davide , Stizzo Marco , Barone Biagio , Crocetto Felice , Olivetta Michelangelo , Amicuzi Ugo , Cirillo Luigi , Rubinacci Andrea , Lecce Arturo , Pandolfo Savio Domenico , Langella Nunzio Alberto , Persico Francesco , Trama Francesco , Quattrone Carmelo , Bottone Francesco , Spirito Lorenzo , De Sio Marco , Manfredi Celeste
Published: November 2022

Background and Objectives: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) of the prostate and prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA PET) are some examples of how the advancement of imaging techniques have revolutionized the diagnosis, staging, and consequently management of patients with prostate cancer (PCa). Although with less striking results, novel radiological modalities have also been proposed for bladder cancer (BCa) in recent years. Micro-ultrasound (MUS) is an imaging examination characterized by high real-time spatial resolution, recently introduced in the urological field. This article aimed to describe the current evidence regarding the application of MUS for the diagnosis and staging of PCa and BCa. Materials and Methods: We designed a narrative review. A comprehensive search in the MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases was performed. Articles in English-language and published until July 2022 were deemed eligible. Retrospective and prospective primary clinical studies, as well as meta-analyses, were included. Results: MUS-guided prostate biopsy showed high sensitivity (0.91, 95% CI, 0.79–0.97) in the diagnosis of clinically significant PCa (csPCa). It was associated with a higher detection rate of csPCa than a systematic biopsy (1.18, 95% CI 0.83–1.68). No significant difference was found between MUS and mpMRI-guided biopsy in the total detection of PCa (p = 0.89) and in the detection of Grade Groups ≥ 2 (p = 0.92). The use of MUS to distinguish between non-muscle-invasive and muscle-invasive BCa was described, highlighting an up-staging with MUS only in a minority of cases (28.6%). Conclusions: Promising findings have emerged regarding the feasibility and accuracy of MUS in the diagnosis and staging of PCa and BCa. However, the available evidence is limited and should be considered preliminary.
Elastic Thermal Deformation of an Infinite Copper Material Due to Cyclic Heat Supply Using Higher-Order Nonlocal Thermal Modeling
Authors: Abouelregal Ahmed E. , Sedighi Hamid M.
Published: November 2022

Thermoelastic modeling at nanoscale is becoming more important as devices shrink and heat sources are more widely used in modern industries, such as nanoelectromechanical systems. However, the conventional thermoelastic theories are no longer applicable in high-temperature settings. This study provides an insight into the thermomechanical features of a nonlocal viscous half-space exposed to a cyclic heat source. Using a novel concept of fractional derivatives, introduced by Atangana and Baleanu, it is assumed that the viscoelastic properties follow the fractional Kelvin–Voigt model. The nonlocal differential form of Eringen’s nonlocal theory is employed to consider the impact of small-scale behavior. It is also proposed that the rule of dual-phase thermal conductivity can be generalized to thermoelastic materials to include the higher-order time derivatives. The numerical results for the examined physical variables are presented using the Laplace transform technique. Furthermore, several numerical analyses are performed in-depth, focusing on the effects of nonlocality, structural viscoelastic indicator, fractional order, higher-order and phase-lag parameters on the behavior of the nanoscale half-space. According to the presented findings, it appears that the higher-order terms have a major impact on reactions and may work to mitigate the impact of thermal diffusion. Furthermore, these terms provide a novel approach to categorize the materials based on their thermal conductivities.
The Microstructure, Tensile and Impact Properties of Low-Activation Ferritic-Martensitic Steel EK-181 after High-Temperature Thermomechanical Treatment
Authors: Polekhina Nadezhda , Linnik Valeria , Litovchenko Igor , Almaeva Kseniya , Akkuzin Sergey , Moskvichev Evgeny , Chernov Vyacheslav , Leontyeva-Smirnova Mariya , Degtyarev Nikolay , Moroz Kirill
Published: November 2022

In this work, we study the effect of high-temperature thermomechanical treatment (HTMT) with deformation in the austenite region on the microstructure, tensile properties, impact toughness, and fracture features of advanced low-activation 12% chromium ferritic-martensitic reactor steel EK-181. HTMT more significantly modifies the steel structural-phase state than the traditional heat treatment (THT). As a result of HTMT, the hierarchically organized structure of steel is refined. The forming grains and subgrains are elongated in the rolling direction and flattened in the rolling plane (so-called pancake structure) and have a high density of dislocations pinned by stable nanosized particles of the MX type. This microstructure provides a simultaneous increase, relative to THT, in the yield strength and impact toughness of steel EK-181 and does not practically change its ductile-brittle transition temperature. The most important reasons for the increase in impact toughness are a decrease in the effective grain size of steel (martensite blocks and ferrite grains) and the appearance of a crack-arrester type delamination perpendicular to the main crack propagation direction. This causes branching of the main crack and an increase in the absorbed impact energy.
Exercise and/or Genistein Do Not Revert 24-Week High-Fat, High-Sugar Diet-Induced Gut Microbiota Diversity Changes in Male C57BL/6J Adult Mice
Authors: Ortega-Santos Carmen P. , Al-Nakkash Layla , Whisner Corrie M.
Published: November 2022

The gut microbiota (GM) has been hypothesized to be a potential mediator in the health benefits of exercise and diet. The current literature is focused on the prevention effects of exercise and diet and could benefit from exploring whether these treatments alone or combined can treat obesity via the gut microbiome. This study aimed to explore the effects of genistein, exercise, and their synergistic effect to revert diet-induced obesity and gut microbiota changes. A total of 57 male adult C57BL/6 mice were randomized to 24 weeks of unpurified diet (chow) or a high-fat, high-sugar diet (HFD; 60% fat total energy). After the first 12 weeks, animals on the HFD were randomized into: HFD + chow, HFD, HFD + exercise (HFD + Exe), HFD + genistein (HFD + Gen), and HFD + Exe + Gen. We compared the body weight change between groups after 24 weeks. GM (α-diversity and ß-diversity) was profiled after sequencing the 16S rRNA gene by Illumina MiSeq. HFD + Exe + Gen significantly (p < 0.05) decreased weight gain relative to the HFD with only HFD + chow reverting the body weight change to that of chow. All diets including HFD reduced the GM richness (observed amplicon sequence variants) relative to chow with the HFD + Gen and HFD + Exe resulting in significantly lower phylogenetic diversity compared to the HFD. Data did not support an additive benefit to the GM for HFD + Gen + Exe. HFD + Exe + Gen showed a greater capacity to revert diet-induced obesity in adult male mice, but it was not as effective as switching from HFD to chow. Lifestyle treatment of HFD-induced obesity including exercise and genistein resulted in a reduction in weight gain and GM richness, but switching from HFD to chow had the greatest potential to revert these characteristics toward that of lean controls.
Clinical Challenges of Emerging and Re-Emerging Yeast Infections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Corrêa-Junior Dario , Andrade Iara Bastos de , Alves Vinicius , Araújo Glauber R. de S. , Frases Susana
Published: November 2022

During the geological eras, some fungi, through adaptation and/or environmental/ecological pressure, interacted directly and indirectly with humans, through occasionally harmful interaction interdependent on the individual’s immunological condition. Infections caused by yeasts are underreported, subjugated, and underdiagnosed, and treatment is restricted to a few drugs, even after the significant progress of medicine and pharmacology. In the last centuries, antagonistically, there has been an exponential increase of immunocompromised individuals due to the use of immunosuppressive drugs such as corticosteroids, increased cases of transplants, chemotherapeutics, autoimmune diseases, neoplasms, and, more recently, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This review aims to survey emerging and re-emerging yeast infections in the current clinical context. Currently, there is an immense clinical challenge for the rapid and correct diagnosis and treatment of systemic mycoses caused by yeasts due to the terrible increase in cases in the current context of COVID-19.
Characterization of Bacillus velezensis UTB96, Demonstrating Improved Lipopeptide Production Compared to the Strain B. velezensis FZB42
Authors: Vahidinasab Maliheh , Adiek Isabel , Hosseini Behnoush , Akintayo Stephen Olusanmi , Abrishamchi Bahar , Pfannstiel Jens , Henkel Marius , Lilge Lars , Voegele Ralf T. , Hausmann Rudolf
Published: November 2022

Bacillus strains can produce various lipopeptides, known for their antifungal properties. This makes them attractive metabolites for applications in agriculture. Therefore, identification of productive wild-type strains is essential for the development of biopesticides. Bacillus velezensis FZB42 is a well-established strain for biocontrol of plant pathogens in agriculture. Here, we characterized an alternative strain, B. velezensis UTB96, that can produce higher amounts of all three major lipopeptide families, namely surfactin, fengycin, and iturin. UTB96 produces iturin A. Furthermore, UTB96 showed superior antifungal activity towards the soybean fungal pathogen Diaporthe longicolla compared to FZB42. Moreover, the additional provision of different amino acids for lipopeptide production in UTB96 was investigated. Lysine and alanine had stimulatory effects on the production of all three lipopeptide families, while supplementation of leucine, valine and isoleucine decreased the lipopeptide bioproduction. Using a 45-litre bioreactor system for upscaling in batch culture, lipopeptide titers of about 140 mg/L surfactin, 620 mg/L iturin A, and 45 mg/L fengycin were achieved. In conclusion, it becomes clear that B. velezensis UTB96 is a promising strain for further research application in the field of agricultural biological controls of fungal diseases.
Current Interventions to Prevent HTLV-1 Mother-to-Child Transmission and Their Effectiveness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rosadas Carolina , Taylor Graham P.
Published: November 2022

Human T lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) may be transmitted from mother to child and affects at least 5–10 million individuals worldwide, with severe consequences on health. Strategies to prevent transmission are important, as there is no treatment or vaccine. This systematic review aimed to identify interventions to prevent HTLV-1 mother-to-child transmission and to determine their effectiveness. Exclusive formula feeding, short-term breastfeeding, use of freeze–thaw milk, milk pasteurization, maternal and infant antiretroviral drugs, caesarean section, early clamping of umbilical cord, screening of milk donors and avoidance of cross-breastfeeding were identified as possible strategies. Avoidance of breastfeeding is an intervention that prevents 85% of transmissions. This strategy is recommended in Japan, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, Chile, Uruguay, the USA and some regions of French Guyana. Whilst breastfeeding for <3 months does not increase the risk of transmission compared to exclusive formula-feeding, concerns remain regarding the limited number of studies outside Japan, and the lack of information on women having higher risk of HTLV-1 transmission and on the ability of women to discontinue breastfeeding. Additional interventions are plausible, but data on their effectiveness are limited. The acceptance of interventions is high. These findings may guide healthcare professionals and support policymakers in implementing policies to avoid HTLV-1 mother-to-child transmission.
Correction: Pujic et al. The Proteogenome of Symbiotic Frankia alni in Alnus glutinosa Nodules. Microorganisms 2022, 10, 651
Authors: Pujic Petar , Alloisio Nicole , Miotello Guylaine , Armengaud Jean , Abrouk Danis , Fournier Pascale , Normand Philippe
Published: November 2022

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
A Network Flow Model for Operational Planning in an Underground Gold Mine
Authors: Emdini Gliwan Suliman , Crowe Kevin
Published: November 2022

The difficulty of effectively planning and assigning weekly activities has a significant influence on the long-term productivity of an underground mine. It is an especially difficult task to choose the best places for operations inside an underground gold mine. It cannot be resolved by only selecting the levels with the highest grade of ore because the underground mine’s ore transport network has a range of capacity limitations that may prohibit the immediate mining of all the levels with the highest grade. To solve this scheduling difficulty, we formulated a new mixed-integer network flow model of the problem of weekly allocating mining operations in an underground gold mine such that the total gold mined (in ounces) was maximized subject to the transportation capacity constraints. The model was applied to an underground gold mine in Red Lake, Ontario, Canada. The results were compared to those of two greedy heuristic models that were designed to represent the decision-making heuristics that are currently used at the mine. It was found that the new model yielded solutions that improved upon the two greedy heuristics by 14.7% and 6.0%, respectively. The results of this research illustrate that the development of this optimization model can support decisions to improve a gold mine’s productivity.
Monitoring Horizontal and Vertical Components of SAMARCO Mine Dikes Deformations by DInSAR-SBAS Using TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1 Data
Authors: Gama Fábio F. , Cantone Alessio , Mura José C.
Published: November 2022

This article presents an investigation of ground movement measurements based on a combination of TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1 data, in opposite tracks, aiming to detect ground de-formation of the remaining dikes of Germano mine, after the Fundão dam collapse. The differential interferometry technique SBAS (Small Baseline Subset) was applied to obtain the deformation of the surface in different Line of Sight (LoS), in order to carry out the vector decomposition and generate the deformation measurements in the vertical and horizontal directions. A set of 37 single-look complex (SLC) images of TerraSAR-X (TSX), acquired during the period from 19 February 2016 to 15 May 2017, and 37 SLC images of Sentinel-1, acquired from 8 February 2016 to 15 May 2017, were used to perform this investigation. For the TerraSAR-X interferometric processing, a coherence threshold of 40%, 4 looks in range and 2 looks in azimuth, 1200 m of atmospheric filter, and 10 % of max normal baseline of the critical were used. For the Sentinel-1 interferometric processing a coherence threshold of 26%, 8 looks in range and 2 looks in azimuth, 1200 m of atmospheric filter, and 20% of the of max normal baseline of the critical were used. For both sensors a digital elevation model generated by Pleiades 1-A was used for removing the topographic phase component. The final results were consistent with the topographic in situ measurements, providing key information to make crucial decisions regarding risks, or even mitigation, repairs or emergency response, as well as for a better understanding of the on-going instability phenomena affecting the dikes and dams.
Phytochemistry, Medicinal Properties, Bioactive Compounds, and Therapeutic Potential of the Genus Eremophila (Scrophulariaceae)
Authors: Cock Ian Edwin , Baghtchedjian Linn , Cordon Marie-Elisabeth , Dumont Eléonore
Published: November 2022

The genus Eremophila (family Scrophulariaceae) consists of approximately 200 species that are widely distributed in the semi-arid and arid regions of Australia. Multiple Eremophila spp. are used as traditional medicines by the First Australians in the areas in which they grow. They are used for their antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cardiac properties. Many species of this genus are beneficial against several diseases and ailments. The antibacterial properties of the genus have been relatively well studied, with several important compounds identified and their mechanisms studied. In particular, Eremophila spp. are rich in terpenoids, and the antimicrobial bioactivities of many of these compounds have already been confirmed. The therapeutic properties of Eremophila spp. preparations and purified compounds have received substantially less attention, and much study is required to validate the traditional uses and to highlight species that warrant further investigation as drug leads. The aim of this study is to review and summarise the research into the medicinal properties, therapeutic mechanisms, and phytochemistry of Eremophila spp., with the aim of focussing future studies into the therapeutic potential of this important genus.
Responsive Ag@NiCo2O4 Nanowires Anchored on N-Doped Carbon Cloth as Array Electrodes for Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensing
Authors: Wang Li , Lv Xiaowei , Zhang Lei , Fang Yanli , Wang Hui , Ren Jianwei
Published: November 2022

The development of responsive materials in a predictable manner is high on the list of the material industry’s trends. In this work, responsive Ag@NiCo2O4 nanowires were, firstly, anchored on N-doped carbon cloth (NC) and, then, employed as array electrodes for a nonenzymatic glucose-sensing application. The results showed that the highly conductive NiCo2O4 nanowires supported Ag nanoparticles and exhibited high conductivity and electrocatalytic properties. The fully exposed crystalline planes of Ag nanoparticles provided more active surface sites. As a result, the assembled Ag@NiCo2O4-NC electrodes for the glucose-sensing evaluation delivered a selectivity of 2803 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a detection limit of 1.065 μM, which outperformed the literature-reported Ag- and NiCo2O4-based glucose-sensing catalysts.
Synthesis, Self-Assembly in Crystalline Phase and Anti-Tumor Activity of 2-(2-/4-Hydroxybenzylidene)thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidines
Authors: Agarkov Artem S. , Nefedova Anna A. , Gabitova Elina R. , Ovsyannikov Alexander S. , Amerhanova Syumbelya K. , Lyubina Anna P. , Voloshina Alexandra D. , Dorovatovskii Pavel V. , Litvinov Igor A. , Solovieva Svetlana E. , Antipin Igor S.
Published: November 2022

A series of new thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidines different by aryl substituents in 2 and 5 positions are synthesized and characterized in solution as well as in the crystalline phase using 1H and 13C NMR-, IR-spectroscopies, mass-spectrometry methods, and single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD). The SCXRD study revealed the role of intermolecular H-bonding in the formation of supramolecular architectures (racemic monomers, centrosymmetric racematic dimers, or homochiral 1D chains) of obtained thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidines derivatives depending on solvents (aprotic DMSO or protic EtOH) used upon the crystallization process. Moreover, the in vitro study of cytotoxicity toward different tumor cells showed their high or moderate efficiency with moderate cytotoxicity against normal liver cells which allows to consider the obtained thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine derivatives as promising candidates for application as antitumor agents.
Recent Progress in Bi-Based Anodes for Magnesium Ion Batteries
Authors: Song Meijia , Gao Hui , Zhang Zhonghua
Published: November 2022

Rechargeable magnesium ion batteries (MIBs) have attracted increasing interest due to abundant reserves, high theoretical specific capacities and safety. However, the incompatibility between Mg metal and conventional electrolytes, among the most serious challenges, restrains their development. Replacing Mg metal with alloy-type anodes offers an effective strategy to circumvent the surface passivation issue of Mg metal in conventional electrolytes. Among them, Bi has the most potential in Mg storage owing to its unique characteristics. Herein, the advantages/challenges and progress of Bi-based anodes in MIBs are summarized. The theoretical evaluations, battery configurations, electrode designs, electrochemical properties as well as Mg storage mechanisms are summarized and discussed. Moreover, the key issues and some views on the future development of Bi-based anodes in MIBs are provided.
Polyphenols for Livestock Feed: Sustainable Perspectives for Animal Husbandry?
Authors: Formato Marialuisa , Cimmino Giovanna , Brahmi-Chendouh Nabila , Piccolella Simona , Pacifico Severina
Published: November 2022

There is growing interest in specialized metabolites for fortification strategies in feed and/or as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial alternative for the containment of disorders/pathologies that can also badly impact human nutrition. In this context, the improvement of the diet of ruminant species with polyphenols and the influence of these compounds on animal performance, biohydrogenation processes, methanogenesis, and quality and quantity of milk have been extensively investigated through in vitro and in vivo studies. Often conflicting results emerge from a review of the literature of recent years. However, the data suggest pursuing a deepening of the role of phenols and polyphenols in ruminant feeding, paying greater attention to the chemistry of the single compound or to that of the mixture of compounds more commonly used for investigative purposes.