bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A DISTRIBUTED SIMULATION FOR NAVAL SHIP REPLENISHMENT AT SEA
Authors: McTaggart K , Tozzi D , Henry G , Valdenazzi F , Stuntz N
Published: December 2021

Navies from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom collaborated to develop and validate a distributed simulation of ship replenishment at sea. The simulation models the seaway, ship motions including hydrodynamic interaction effects between ships, and the transfer of a solid payload between ships using replenishment gear. The simulation was developed using the High Level Architecture (HLA), which facilitates sharing of data and synchronization of simulation time among software components on networked computers. Simulation results were validated using experimental data. The project demonstrated successful application of distributed simulation to complex naval platform systems. Lessons learned are shared for several areas, including seaway modelling, ship hydrodynamic interaction, and planning of model tests and sea trials for simulation validation.
Frantz Fanon and the Creolization of Hegel
Authors: Faustino Deivison ,   Caribbean Philosophical Association
Published: December 2021

In this article, I discuss Frantz Fanon’s position regarding Hegelian dialectics. Dialektik von Herr und Knecht (Master-Servant/Servitude Dialectic) is one of the most important analytical keys of Phänomenologie des Geistes (The Phenomenology of Spirit), published by G.W.F. Hegel in Jena in 1807. However, in his Peau Noire, Masque Blancs (Black Skins, White Masks), written when he was 25 years old and published in 1952, Fanon argues that under the colonial yoke, reciprocity, a fundamental characteristic of dialectics, is not effective. The question I seek to answer in this study is: does the argument presented by the author represent a rupture, reaffirmation or transfiguration of the Hegelian dialectic? Faced with this challenge, I place some excerpts from Phenomenology, and from Black Skins, White Masks, as well as other later writings by Fanon, in dialogue, to then problematize the closeness, tensions and ruptures between both. The argument I present here will revolve around Fanon’s defense of the existence of a transfigured (calibanized) appropriation of the dialectic, based on three interdependent elements: 1. Fanon shares the Hegelian assumption that identity is produced in the reciprocal relationship with its otherness. 2. Colonial estrangement interdicts this reciprocity by promoting a decay of political domination to the level of objectifying and bestialized denial; 3. Colonial negation is not ontological, but historical and, therefore, can be overcome by a practical-sensitive negation, carried out by the colonized themselves. Throughout this paper, I discuss some implications of the argument defended here in the context of the specialized literature on the thinking of both authors.
Mechanism of life-long maintenance of neuron identity despite molecular fluctuations
Authors: Traets Joleen JH , van der Burght Servaas N , Rademakers Suzanne , Jansen Gert , van Zon Jeroen S
Published: December 2021

Cell fate is maintained over long timescales, yet molecular fluctuations can lead to spontaneous loss of this differentiated state. Our simulations identified a possible mechanism that explains life-long maintenance of ASE neuron fate in Caenorhabditis elegans by the terminal selector transcription factor CHE-1. Here, fluctuations in CHE-1 level are buffered by the reservoir of CHE-1 bound at its target promoters, which ensures continued che-1 expression by preferentially binding the che-1 promoter. We provide experimental evidence for this mechanism by showing that che-1 expression was resilient to induced transient CHE-1 depletion, while both expression of CHE-1 targets and ASE function were lost. We identified a 130 bp che-1 promoter fragment responsible for this resilience, with deletion of a homeodomain binding site in this fragment causing stochastic loss of ASE identity long after its determination. Because network architectures that support this mechanism are highly conserved in cell differentiation, it may explain stable cell fate maintenance in many systems.
Coronary blood vessels from distinct origins converge to equivalent states during mouse and human development
Authors: Phansalkar Ragini , Krieger Josephine , Zhao Mingming , Kolluru Sai Saroja , Jones Robert C , Quake Stephen R , Weissman Irving , Bernstein Daniel , Winn Virginia D , D'Amato Gaetano , Red-Horse Kristy
Published: December 2021

Most cell fate trajectories during development follow a diverging, tree-like branching pattern, but the opposite can occur when distinct progenitors contribute to the same cell type. During this convergent differentiation, it is unknown if cells ‘remember’ their origins transcriptionally or whether this influences cell behavior. Most coronary blood vessels of the heart develop from two different progenitor sources—the endocardium (Endo) and sinus venosus (SV)—but whether transcriptional or functional differences related to origin are retained is unknown. We addressed this by combining lineage tracing with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) in embryonic and adult mouse hearts. Shortly after coronary development begins, capillary endothelial cells (ECs) transcriptionally segregated into two states that retained progenitor-specific gene expression. Later in development, when the coronary vasculature is well established but still remodeling, capillary ECs again segregated into two populations, but transcriptional differences were primarily related to tissue localization rather than lineage. Specifically, ECs in the heart septum expressed genes indicative of increased local hypoxia and decreased blood flow. Adult capillary ECs were more homogeneous with respect to both lineage and location. In agreement, SV- and Endo-derived ECs in adult hearts displayed similar responses to injury. Finally, scRNAseq of developing human coronary vessels indicated that the human heart followed similar principles. Thus, over the course of development, transcriptional heterogeneity in coronary ECs is first influenced by lineage, then by location, until heterogeneity declines in the homeostatic adult heart. These results highlight the plasticity of ECs during development, and the validity of the mouse as a model for human coronary development.
Genetic Variability, Heritability and Correlation Studies in Fifty Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Accessions Collected from Southern Nigeria
Authors: Alade O. D. , Odiyi A. C. , Fayeun L. S. , Akinyele B. O. , Obilana A. B.
Published: December 2021

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important food crop in southern Nigeria with high genetic variability. However, this variability is not characterized. Fifty sorghum accessions collected from different states in southern Nigeria were evaluated for eleven agronomic characters to determine the extent of genetic variability and character association among the accessions. The experiments were laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Ondo State and Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu research farm during the rainy season of 2018 and 2019. Data were collected on eleven quantitative traits for genetic variability and character association. Panicle weight had the highest GCV (24.96%) and PCV (30.61%). Ten out of the eleven traits have heritability estimates above 50% which implies an opportunity for improvement among the traits with the number of days to 50% heading having the highest (98.84%). Correlation analysis showed significant and positive association among growth, flowering traits and head traits. The strong positive correlation coefficients of plant height with all the traits implies that simultaneous selection for these traits is possible for improvement in sorghum genotypes for fodder and grain traits.
Spatial and Monthly Changes in Interstitial Water Physico-Chemistry of Bodo Creek
Authors: Nkeeh D. K. , Hart A. I. , Erondu E. S. , Zabbey N.
Published: December 2021

Water plays a key role in the survival, growth and reproduction of aquatic organisms. Therefore maintaining good quality of water physico-chemical parameters would ensure optimum productivity of aquatic fauna. The study evaluated water physical and chemical parameters (temperature, hydrogen ion concentration (pH), conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of Bodo Creek. Sample was collected for 5 months (July 2020 – November 2020) at locations previously studied (before-spill baseline studies, 3 years, 5 years, and 7 years after-spill); by using the sampling methods used in previous studies. Spatially, there was no statistically significant difference in temperature (p > 0.05 = 0.997), pH (p > 0.05 = 0.496), DO (p > 0.05= 0.34) and BOD (p > 0.05 = 0.644). However, the difference in conductivity between the stations was statistically significant (p < 0.05 = 0.006). On monthly basis, there was a significant difference in temperature (p < 0.05 = 0.000) and pH (p < 0.05 = 0.005). In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference in conductivity (p > 0.05 = 0.633), DO (p > 0.05 = 0.559) and BOD (p > 0.05 = 0.75). Most of the physico-chemical parameters were not within the WHO recommended levels for the survival of aquatic lives, indicating a high level of environmental pollution in Bodo Creek. This study provides dataset for future evaluation of the water physico-chemistry of Bodo Creek.
Comparison of Efficacy of the Pap and H & E in Identifying the Various Changes in Liver Samples of High Fat Diet Induced Rat - In vitro Study
Authors: Sri E. Dhivya , Priyadharshini R. , Sinduja Palati , Meghashree V.
Published: December 2021

Introduction: High fat induced (HFI) liver is associated with a high calorie intake and many other diet-induced complications, such as metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. HFI is the most common chronic liver disease that develops due to high fat intake. A wide range of liver injuries is associated with HFI, ranging from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. The signs and symptoms of metabolic syndrome may be induced in rats by feeding them a diet rich in carbohydrates and fat. The aim of the study is Comparison of efficacy of the PAP (Papanicolaou) stain and H&E (Hematoxylin and eosin) stain in identifying the various changes in liver samples of high fat diet induced rat.

Materials and Methods: Liver samples of Normal control group animal and High fat diet induced animal were sectioned, weighed fixed 10% neutral buffer formalin and mounted in DPX compound. Four micrometer sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and PAP stains for the histological examination of micro-vesicular and macro-vesicular steatosis in the liver tissue. The grading of steatosis was given from 0-3 based on the lipid accumulation (steatosis): grade 0 - absence; grade 1 - mild Steatosis (<30% hepatocyte); grade 2- moderate steatosis (30%-70% hepatocyte); grade3- severe steatosis (>70%hepatocytes). Efficacy of grade of PAP stain and H&E stain were accessed and statistically evaluated by considering seven parameters and overall staining characters where compared.

Results: Our present study evaluated high fat induced hepatic steatosis of H&E and PAP stain and also evaluated efficacy of both the stain. In our study, Pie chart showing the percentage distribution of Number of micro-vesicles about 70% represents greater than 30, 10% represents 30-70, 20% represents less than 70 (Fig. 1). In our study 20% represents the greater than 30, 30% represents the 30-70, 50% represents Less than 70 (Fig. 2). 30% represents mild steatosis, 20% represents moderate steatosis, 50% represents Severe Steatosis (Fig. 3).          

Conclusion: We demonstrated the comparative efficiency of the PAP and H&E high fat diet induced rat liver by in vivo and conclude that both H&E and PAP stain has equal efficacy and clarity in observing the various minute parameters.
Knowledge Assessment of Stress Bone Fractures among Soldiers in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Albaker Abdulmalik B. , Taha Youssef , Alkadi Mohammed Ahmed Bin Hadi , Alwaily Mohammed Majeed , Alosaimi Meaad Saad , Alarfaj Sarah Abdurahman , Hamdi Raad Mohammed , Alzahrani Khames
Published: December 2021

Background: Stress fractures are well perceived in military preparing and athletes. Aside from knowledge of the frequency of these fractures and their impact on the economy and lost training hours, there are just a few studies in Saudi Arabia that show the real incidence of these              fractures. The precise incidence must be known in order to provide recommendations for future preventative initiatives. This study aims to assess the knowledge of stress fractures among Saudi soldiers.

Methodology: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in medical centers; these centers are located in Saudi Arabia on male and female patients of all ages who are in Saudi military society to assess the knowledge of stress fractures among Saudi military society. Data collection was done by questionnaire that distributed between Saudi soldiers. Data was entered and analyzed using (SPSS) program, version 20 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.).

Results: Of all 1178 studied participants, 51.5% aged between 20- 30 years old. 91.7% were males. 47.5% of all participants had never heard of stress fractures before, 26.2% heard about it when joined military and 17.4% heard about it before joining the military field. 20.8% of all participants had stress fractures before, 10.4% were diagnosed through x-rays and medical history with the doctor, 4.6% were diagnosed through medical history only, and 2.4% diagnosed themselves. 85.3% of all participants agreed that stress fractures occur due to repetitive loading on the bones, 76.6% agreed that predominance of stress fractures of the lower extremities, over fractures of the upper extremities, 67.6% reported that stress fractures can be treated with painkillers, physiotherapy and reduce the risk and 78.6% agreed that stress fractures can be prevented by wearing appropriate footwear.

Conclusion: Participants and relatively good knowledge of stress fractures. Knowledge of stress fracture was significantly associated with years of experience of participants, military sector, and residence area in the kingdom.
Effectiveness of Body Mechanics Training (BMT) on the Management of Low Back Pain, Functional Disability and Physical Fatigue among Women Working in Health Profession: A Study Protocol
Authors: Makasare Nutan Prakash , Singh Seema
Published: December 2021

Background: The most prevalent musculoskeletal problem among healthcare workers is low back pain (LBP). It's a type of pain between the costal margins and the inferior gluteal folds, and a painful restriction of movement frequently accompanies it. In high-risk health care professionals such as nurses, the prevalence of LBP is higher (64.07%). Clients with chronic LBP had a high level of functional impairment and weariness.

Objectives: 1.To evaluate the effectiveness of Body Mechanics Training (BMT) on managing low back pain, functional disability, and physical fatigue among women working in the health profession on the 7th day and at the first, third, and sixth-month interval. 2.To identify the inter-relationship between LBP, functional disability, and physical fatigue.

Study Design: It is a two-arm trial, interventional hospital-based Study.

Place and Duration of The Study: This Study will be conducted in selected hospitals of Wardha district, Maharashtra, India. The duration of the Study will be six months.

Methodology: The participants will be 330 women in the nursing profession with nonspecific chronic LBP aged 21 to 50. With purposive sampling technique, participants will be allocated to 1 of 2 treatment groups: 1) Experimental Group will receive BMT including McKenzie and Yoga exercises, through a licensed physiotherapist and certified yoga trainer. 2) Control Group will receive written instructions regarding body mechanics in a booklet form and follow exercises at home. The experimental group will receive 24 sessions of 60 minutes (6 sessions per week over the first four weeks or a month) and then a supervised session once a week for the next five months. The outcome will be obtained during intervention on the 7th day and after completion at 1, 3, and 6 months. After therapy, the primary outcome will be pain intensity as determined by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). The secondary outcome, i.e. pain intensity, functional disability (measured with Modified Oswestry LBP Disability Questionnaire), and physical fatigue (measured with Chalder Fatigue Scale), will be measured after treatment.

Expected Results: LBP, functional disability, and physical fatigue will be reduced.

Limitations: Only Nursing personnel will be included in this Study.

Conclusion: This Study's results will contribute to developing BM Training Program for Nursing personnel to manage work-related nonspecific LBP.
Perioperative Use of Vedolizumab in Crohn’s Disease Patients and Surgical Outcomes
Authors: Alfawaz Mohammed
Published: December 2021

Despite advancement in managing Crohn’s disease (CD), a considerable proportion of cases still need surgical intervention, which is an essential means in therapy algorithms. Other drugs of the biologics are recently available, while most CD cases having operations have previously received a drug of this class. This class of agents has a direct association with higher postoperative complication rates, which raises a lot of controversies. In this review summarize the essential data concerning the vedolizumab effect on CD’s postoperative results. The previous data did not demonstrate a cause-effect absolute connection between the increased postoperative morbidities and vedolizumab. Many routing factors unquestionably affect CD’s postoperative outcomes and complications, like malnutrition, unsuitable abdominal settings, and steroids’ previous use. Using vedolizumab perioperatively seems safe. Nevertheless, a definitive relationship from the available data is controversial. Personalized, multidisciplinary evaluations and decisions should be made for each case independently, adjusting the surgical plan regarding the involved risk factors.
Anti-inflammatory Activity of Herbal Tablet of Phyllanthus emblica on Carrageenan-induced Paw Edema in Wistar Rats
Authors: Behera Amulyaratna , Samal Himansu Bhusan , Sharma Dinesh Kumar , Kanhar Satish , Kadam Atul , Khamkar Prachi , Behera Suchismeeta
Published: December 2021

Aim: In the current investigation, tablet dosage form of hydroalcohol extract of leaves of P. emblica was developed and evaluated foranti-inflammatory activities.

Methodology: Hydroalcohol extract of leaves of P. Emblica (HPE) was prepared and formulated tablet dosage form. The mechanical properties e.g. hardness, friability, disintegration, and dissolution of tablet were evaluated. Anti-inflammatory activities of HPE (150 mg/kg) and HPE (650 mg) tablets were performed in carrageenan induced hind paw edema in wistar rats.

Results: The anti-inflammatory activity was found to be significant in carrageenan inducedpaw edema. HPE (150 mg/kg) and HPE tablets (650 mg) were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the carrageenan induced paw edemaby 66.41% and 69.43% respectively as compared to                carragenan control. The % inhibition of standard drug (dichlorofenac sodium) was recorded to be 70.18% after 5 h.

Conclusion: The study standardised the development of HPE tablet and its anti-inflammatory effect.
Phenolic Constituents of Anethum graveolens Seed Extracts: Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Effect Studies
Authors: Bota Sanda Rodica , Stanasel Oana Delia , Blidar Cristian Felix , Serban Georgeta
Published: December 2021

The Aim of the Research: Anethum graveolens (dill) is a common herb used in traditional Romanian cuisine, as well as in phytotherapy. Dill seeds have been reported to be rich in antioxidants. As interest in food additives of natural origin has increased in recent years, the purpose of this paper was to study the composition and antioxidant potential of Romanian dill seeds.

Methodology: In this study, the total phenolics contents, the phenolic profile, and the antioxidant properties of the methanolic and hydromethanolic extracts of Romanian dill seeds were investigated. Folin-Ciocalteu assay, DPPH spectrophotometrically method and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography RP-HPLC, respectively were applied.

Results: The highest content of total phenolics was found in acidified methanol samples (46.5 - 46.8 mg GAE/g dry seeds). RP-HPLC analysis highlights important content of quercetin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, sinapic acid, gallic acid, vanillic acid, (±) - catechin and umbelliferone. Antioxidant activity, measured via DPPH free radical scavenging ability, showed very high values (93.5 - 95.6% for the crude extracts and 67.5 - 93.2% for extracts at a concentration of 0.25 mg/mL). Methanolic extract exhibited the best IC50 value (88.7 ± 0.01 μg/mL).

Conclusion: All experiments proved the antioxidant activity of dill seed extracts.
Redes Criativas: os artistas visuais contemporâneos e sua relação com os direitos de autor
Authors: Dos Santos Almeida Jamilla de Paula , Areas Patrícia Oliveira , Escodro Pierre Barnabé
Published: December 2021

Este artigo apresenta como foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa-ação de natureza descritiva e aplicada, na qual o método indutivo tem como foco analisar a abordagem de direito autoral vivenciada pelos artistas visuais atendidos pelo Projeto “Redes Criativas” do Serviço Brasileiro de Apoio às Micro e Pequenas Empresas em Alagoas (SEBRAE/AL), no município de Maceió (conhecido como Redes Sebrae), com o intuito de traçar um manual de direitos de autor para artistas visuais com linguagem acessível e simplificada que será disponibilizado nas redes sociais para download por meio de link.
BOTS COMO OBJETO DE ESTUDO DA CIÊNCIA DA INFORMAÇÃO
Authors: Silva Chris Taine , Nunes Amanda Almeida , Santana Celio Andrade
Published: December 2021

Apresenta uma pesquisa bibliográfica sistemática sumarizando a visão brasileira da Ciência da Informação a respeito de bots. Para tanto, foi conduzido um Mapeamento Sistemático da Literatura (MSL) nas bases de dados BRAPCI e Benancib e ao todo foram encontrados 121 trabalhos relacionados ao tema. Foi verificado que não existe uma terminologia consolidada para estes atores; que a definição dos mesmos gira em torno da sua capacidade de representar outras entidades, interagir com pessoas se comportando como humanos e a capacidade de aprendizagem. Os principais tipos de bots encontrados são aqueles voltados à conversação (chatterbots) e interação com seres humanos (Socialbots) e possuem características como autonomia, proatividade, reatividade, continuidade temporal, capacidade social e de adaptação, mobilidade, flexibilidade e caráter. Pela pequena quantidade de trabalhos publicados pela Ciência da Informação, observa-se uma preocupação apenas em descrever e apresentar os bots como agentes no ciberespaço. Ainda existe um vasto campo de pesquisa relacionada a esses novos atores e como influenciam a sociedade atual.
MAPEAMENTO DE PATENTES EM UNIVERSIDADES NO ESTADO DO CEARÁ
Authors: Oliveira Araujo Wanderson Cassio
Published: December 2021

Patentes são instrumentos legais que conferem direito de uso financeiro e reconhecimento intelectual ao seu proprietário. Nos últimos anos aumentou a quantidade de pedidos depositados nos escritórios de patentes. As universidades têm ganhado espaço no registro de sua propriedade intelectual e as patentes têm importante participação neste processo. A pesquisa mapeia de forma bibliométrica as patentes das universidades do estado do Ceará e que estão disponíveis no banco de patentes Derwent World Patents Index via Web of Science. Constatou-se que a Universidade Federal do Ceará é líder nos depósitos de patentes. A colaboração com instituições do estado e fora dele não configuram um quantitativo relevante. Há intenso relacionamento entre inventores, mas determinado grupo concentra as relações de parceria. Sugere-se o acesso à informação para que o processo de patenteamento seja uma política das universidades e que os ganhos financeiros advindos das transferências de uso comercial das patentes possam criar um ambiente sustentável para o financiamento de novos registros.
The HIF‐1α pathway plays a critical role in salivary gland development in ex vivo organ cultures
Authors: Kimura Tomomasa , Sakai Manabu , Gojo Nao , Watanabe Mikio , Uzawa Narikazu , Sakai Takayoshi
Published: December 2021

The transcription factor, hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α), has previously been shown to upregulate the expression of hypoxia‐related genes, including erythropoietin (EPO). However, the role of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α in morphogenesis during salivary gland development is unclear. We investigated the function of HIF‐1α in submandibular gland (SMG) organ cultures obtained from embryonic day 13.5 embryos from ICR female mice. Expression of HIF‐1α, glucose transporter 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor was induced under hypoxia (5% O2). We further showed that BAY 87‐2243‐mediated inhibition of HIF‐1α suppressed salivary gland development. Under severe hypoxia (1% O2), HIF‐1α did not promote salivary gland development; this was due to suppression of cell proliferation and inhibition of the cell cycle and not because of autophagy and apoptosis. Additionally, using the inhibitor U0126, we verified that the ERK1/2 pathway is upstream of HIF‐1α. Overall, we found that the HIF‐1α signaling pathway plays a critical role in salivary gland development in ex vivo SMG organ cultures.
Lucan (Marcus Annaeus Lucanus)
Authors: Cowan Robert
Published: December 2021

Lucan was an epic poet who flourished under Nero but committed suicide after conspiring against him. HisBellum civileis an epic narrative of the civil war between Caesar and Pompey. It rejects and distorts epic conventions and ideology through its unheroic heroes, absent gods, grotesque battles, and pessimistic tone.
Nanoscience versus Viruses: The SARS‐CoV‐2 Case
Authors: Goscianska Joanna , Freund Ralph , Wuttke Stefan
Published: December 2021

The outbreak of the coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic, its rapid spread, and its fatal consequences clearly showed mankind the overwhelming power of nature, and the importance of interdisciplinary research to counter it. Herein, it will be pointed out what challenges arise in fighting nanosized viruses, which feature an outstanding ability to alter their structure and properties to adapt to infection processes, and why nanoscience is extremely powerful to address them. To learn from the past and to be best prepared for the future, this review highlights how the incredible potential of nanoscience can be tapped by mimicking natures’ viruses for the development of maximally efficient pharmaceuticals, e.g., COVID‐19 vaccines, by designing preventive and protective equipment, e.g., face masks, as well as developing nanosensors for early detection of infections.
Dual‐responsive and bidirectional bending actuators based on a graphene oxide composite for bionic soft robotics
Authors: Yang Kaihuai , Tang Zhendong , Ye Yuanji , Ding Min , Zhang Peiqian , Zhu Yongkang , Guo Qiaohang , Chen Guiqing , Weng Mingcen
Published: December 2021

Intelligent actuators have become a research hotspot in smart materials in recent years due to their diverse modes of actuation, various types of deformation, and wide range of applications. However, the application fields of the traditional bilayer actuator that can only be driven by a single stimulus are greatly limited. Hence, it is necessary to develop multiresponsive actuators to broaden the application fields of the actuators. Here, we propose dual‐responsive and bidirectional bending actuators based on a composite of graphene oxide (GO) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The actuator is made by vacuum filtration of GO film and hot‐press of PET film. Due to the hygroexpansion effect, the GO/PET actuator can be driven by humidity. Benefitting from the ability of the light‐to‐thermal conversion and the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the GO and PET, the GO/PET actuator can be driven by light. Moreover, three types of demo models (including bionic flower, smart gripper, and bionic worm robot) based on the actuator have been proposed to verify the potential of the actuator in practical applications. These demo models show that the actuators have great potential to be used in the fields of intelligent robots.
Characterization of a putative tropinone reductase from Tarenaya hassleriana with a broad substrate specificity
Authors: Li Yixiang , Bai Yajun , Fan Tai‐Ping , Zheng Xiaohui , Cai Yujie
Published: December 2021

A novel short‐chain alcohol dehydrogenase from Tarenaya hassleriana labeled as putative tropinone reductase was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. Purified recombinant protein had molecular weight of approximately 30 kDa on 12% sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. T. hassleriana tropinone reductase‐like enzyme (ThTRL) had not detected oxidative activity. The optimum pH for enzyme activity of ThTRL was weakly acidic (pH 5.0). 50°C was the optimum temperature for ThTRL. The highest catalytic efficiency and substrate affinity for recombinant ThTRL were observed with (+)‐camphorquinone (kcat/Km = 814.3 s–1 mM–1, Km = 44.25 μM). ThTRL exhibited a broad substrate specificity and reduced various carbonyl compounds, including small lipophilic aldehydes and ketones, terpene ketones, and their structural analogs.
Befestigungssysteme für die technische Gebäudeausrüstung im Brandfall – Stand der Technik
Authors: Reichel Susanne
Published: December 2021

Im Rahmen des vorliegenden Beitrags wird der Stand der Technik bez. der Charakterisierung der Leistungseigenschaften von Befestigungssystemen für die technische Gebäudeausstattung im Brandfall beschrieben. Neben originalmaßstäblichen Brandversuchen und Berechnungen gem. DIN EN 1993‐1‐2 wird eine modulare und hybride Herangehensweise vorgestellt, die im Europäischen Anwendungsdokument EAD 280016‐01‐0602 verankert ist. Die getrennte Analyse der Einzelkomponenten erlaubt eine differenzierte Betrachtung der relevanten Eigenschaften und zielführenden Untersuchungsmethoden. Zudem können unter Nutzung der Ergebnisse beliebige Ausführungsvarianten hinsichtlich ihres Trag‐ und Verformungsverhaltens beschrieben werden. Im Vergleich zu bisherigen Methoden ist folglich ein Zuwachs sowohl an Effizienz als auch an Wirtschaftlichkeit zu verzeichnen.
Terpenoid and Fatty Acid Profiling along with Anti‐Tyrosinase and Anti‐Urease Potentials of Scorzonera pygmaea Sibth. & Sm. an Endemic Plant of Turkey
Authors: Şahin Hasan , Boğa Mehmet , Sarı Aynur
Published: December 2021

Petroleum ether (PE), chloroform (CH), ethyl acetate (EA) and butanol (BU) fractions were obtained from ethanol extracts of the roots (SPR) and the above ground (SPH) parts of S. pygmaea. PE fractions were evaluated by GC/MS for profiling the terpenoids and the fatty acids of the plant. 29 compounds in total including saturated (major palmitic acid), unsaturated (major linoleic acid) fatty acids and triterpenes were tentatively determined. Short‐term extraction methods might be preferred to avoid esterification of fatty acids. Phytochemical profiles of SPR‐PE and SPH‐PE were found to be similar to each other and to other few Scorzonera species reported previously. These results will contribute to the chemotaxonomic studies about the genus which is considered taxonomically complex genus. Activity studies were carried out using kojic acid (87.10 % inhibition) standard for tyrosinase and thiourea (95.83 % inhibition) standard for urease. SPR‐CH was determined as the most potent fraction with 55.94 % and 55.10 % inhibition of tyrosinase and urease, respectively at the same concentration of the standards (200 microgram/mL). These moderate results might be considered encouraging for more detailed studies to determine the active compounds and to evaluate the plant's potential in pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries in terms of tyrosinase and urease inhibition.
Hydrodynamic Studies during Gas‐Solid Conveying in a Vertically Upward Converging Riser Tube‡
Authors: Ghosh Tanushree , Sarkar Jyotiprakas , Sadhukhan Anup Kumar , Barman Sanghamitra
Published: December 2021

Experimental and theoretical investigations on hydrodynamics for gas‐solid particles flow were carried out in a vertical upward converging pneumatic conveying system. One‐dimensional mathematical modeling and simulation were done using the FORTRAN‐95 program. The influence of convergence geometry on the hydrodynamic parameters like particle velocity, gas‐particle slip velocity, pressure drop, and particle Reynolds number (Rep) along the riser were studied. Experiments were conducted using the dilute phase mode with three types of granular cereal seeds of different sizes. Some significant differences in all hydrodynamic parameter profiles along the riser were observed between converging and uniform risers. Enhancement of Rep in the converging riser implies a higher gas‐solid transfer coefficient.
Electrochemical Investigation of the Oxidation of Thiosulfate by 2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro‐7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane and Its Anion Radical
Authors: Alzubidi Anbrah E. , Bond Alan M. , Martin Lisandra L.
Published: December 2021

The oxidation of thiosulfate has been of interest for more than a century, including the famous oscillating iodine clock reaction. From a thermodynamic perspective, calculations based on the reversible potentials reveal that both neutral TCNQF40 (2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro‐7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane) or its radical anion (TCNQF41−) can oxidize thiosulfate to tetrathionate to form TCNQF42−. The reaction of S2O32− with TCNQF40 in a 2:1 or greater concentration ratio occurs in a step‐wise fashion to initially (and rapidly) form S4O62− and TCNQF41− (reaction 1), followed by a slow step involving the oxidation of residual S2O32− by TCNQF41− to give more S4O62− and TCNQF42− (reaction 2). Thus, this reaction occurs in two, temporally well‐resolved, steps with dramatically different kinetics. If S2O32− and TCNQF41− are mixed in a 1 : 1 ratio, then S4O62− and TCNQF42− are formed quantitatively on the same (hours) timescale, as for the second (slow) step described above. There is no evidence of further oxidation of S4O62− to SO42−. A slight increase in the rate of reaction 2 was observed in the presence of Bu4NPF6 and attributed to ion‐pairing effects. Interestingly, during voltammetric experiments, if the Pt counter electrode is not separated from the reaction solution via a salt bridge, reaction 2 is catalyzed. The rates of reaction 2 have been studied over a wide range of conditions. Intriguingly, the mechanisms are dependent on whether S2O32− or TCNQF41− (much faster) are in excess. With S2O32− in excess, the rate of reaction is first‐order in both S2O32− and TCNQF41−. With TCNQF41− in excess, the reaction is more complicated with indications of Li+ catalysis through electrostatic shielding of the TCNQF41− and/or S2O32− reactants. The large difference in rate of reaction of TCNQF40/S2O32− (rapid) compared with TCNQF41−/S2O32− (sluggish) is in part attributable to the much larger driving force in the former case. All experimental studies were undertaken in the mixed solvent system, acetonitrile (MeCN) containing 5 % water, v/v (95 % MeCN : 5 % water) where all the reactants and products are soluble and stable. Voltammetric analysis using steady‐state (microdisc) or transient cyclic voltammetry (macrodisc) with electrolyte (Bu4NPF6) and UV‐visible spectrophotometry with or without electrolyte were used to monitor the time dependence and establish the identity of the products.
In Situ Synthesis of Fe−N Co‐doped Porous Carbon Nanospheres by Extended Stöber Method for Oxygen Reduction in Both Alkaline and Acidic Media
Authors: Qu Yongfang , Zhang Wei , Li Dahuan , Yang Hao , Xiao Yahui , Liu Yong
Published: December 2021

The replacement of Pt/C catalysts with iron−nitrogen−carbon (Fe−N−C) nanomaterials in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is appealing for the large‐scale application of fuel cells. Herein, an extended Stöber method was used to in situ synthesize Fe−N co‐doped porous carbon spheres (Fe−N−Cs) with large surface areas and impressive ORR performance. Fe−N−Cs were synthesized using 3‐aminophenol as N precursor, ferrocenealdehyde (Fc−CHO) as Fe source and crosslinker, and Pluronic F127 as soft template. Among all prepared catalysts, Fe−N−Cs‐1.0 exhibits much enhanced ORR activities. The initial potential and half‐wave potential are 0.992 V, 0.873 V (vs. RHE) and 0.981 V, 0.871 V in alkaline and acidic media, respectively, which are higher than that of commercial Pt/C catalyst (0.986 V, 0.868 V and 0.979 V, 0.843 V). Meanwhile, the methanol tolerance and durability of Fe−N−Cs‐1.0 were far better than Pt/C. This work manifests the Fe−N−Cs electrocatalysts are expected to replace the commercial Pt/C catalyst in the area of ORR.
N‐Doped Activated Carbons from Polypyrrole – Effect of Steam Activation Conditions
Authors: Villora‐Picó Juan J. , Pastor‐Blas M. Mercedes , Sepúlveda‐Escribano Antonio
Published: December 2021

Polypyrrole (PPy) has been prepared by oxidative polymerization of pyrrole and used as a raw material for the preparation of N‐doped activated carbons. Thus, PPy has been pyrolyzed at 900 °C and then activated with steam under different activation conditions (time and temperature). This has allowed for the preparation of activated carbons with different porosity development and nitrogen content, as well as distinctive distribution of nitrogen species. It has been observed that the presence of nitrogen functionalities favors water adsorption at low relative pressures but, at relative pressures higher than 0.5 it is determined by the porosity development.
Stable Room Temperature Thermoelectric Properties in a Supramolecular Assembly of an n‐Type Naphthalene‐diimide‐based Amphiphile
Authors: Mondal Bhargab P. , Mukherjee Anurag , Ghosh Suhrit , Datta Anuja
Published: December 2021

Organic thermoelectric materials (OTEs) are in huge demand for their flexibility and robustness in applications of internet‐of‐things, wearables, and health monitoring devices. While choices of p‐type OTEs are widespread, there is still lack of stable (in air) n‐type systems to pair. Naphthalene‐diimides (NDIs), due to the presence of the planar‐structured electron‐deficient aromatic ring offer promising electron‐deficient building blocks to construct air‐stable n‐type semiconducting devices. Herein, an amphiphile derivative (cNDI‐1) is reported for two‐dimensional supramolecular assembly, and consequently TE measurements are carried out in a fully calibrated and standardised custom‐built Seebeck (S) set‐up. Promising S values (ca. −237 μV/K in THF and ca. −195 μV/K in water) are measured with a TE power factor of ∼0.05×10−5 μW/mK2 in THF and ∼0.6×10−5 μW/mK2 in water at room temperature. The study opens up the possibility of exploring broad range of molecular design library for newer n‐type OTEs.
Reduction of side lobes in the entire azimuth plane in a planar elliptical array antenna
Authors: Misra Bitan , Mahanti Gautam Kumar , Panda Ganapati
Published: December 2021

A novel synthesis method to reduce the maximum side lobe in the entire azimuth plane and for achieving a desired value of directivity of a concentric elliptical array antenna is addressed in this paper. Three well‐performing meta‐heuristic optimization algorithms, teaching learning‐based optimization (TLBO), symbiotic organism search (SOS), and quantum particle swarm optimization (QPSO), are employed to optimize the cost function and to obtain the desired radiation pattern. Different simulation‐based experiments are performed to obtain the best possible set of angular positions and the distribution of isotropic antennas across the ellipses by rigorously maintaining non‐overlapping constraints. The major benefit of the proposed design is the deprecation of interference in all phi planes. The statistical analysis of the simulation results demonstrate perceptible improvement compared with that of a uniformly spaced concentric elliptical array and hence show the efficiency of the proposed algorithms. In both simulation studies, the results obtained using TLBO, SOS, and QPSO are compared. Analysis of the results exhibits that for the stated objective, the TLBO‐ and SOS‐based side lobe reduction approach performs superior to QPSO method. Proposed multi‐objective research work could lead to reduce payload and can simultaneously achieve isoflux coverage in entire azimuth plane on the earth surface which can essentially be utilized in (Low Earth Orbit) LEO and (Geostationary Earth Orbit) GEO satellites applications.
Introduction of a PEGylated EPO conjugate as internal standard for EPO analysis in doping controls
Authors: Reihlen Phillipp , Blobel Mike , Weiß Patrick , Harth Judith , Wittmann Julia , Leenders Frank , Thevis Mario
Published: December 2021

Immunopurification of doping control samples is a mandatory necessity in erythropoietin (EPO) analysis during a confirmation procedure; moreover, it has become common practice to also immunopurify samples for the initial testing procedure. Typically used materials (e.g., Stemcell purification plate and MAIIA purification kit) rely on anti‐EPO antibodies for purification. Also, the detection of EPO after electrophoretic separation and western blotting is based on a monoclonal anti‐EPO antibody, clone AE7A5, directed against a 26 amino acid sequence of the N‐terminal region of human EPO. While the electrophoretic separation and blot transfer efficiency can be monitored with reference standards and quality control samples, it is presently not possible to monitor the functionality of the entire sample preparation procedure. The reliance on antibodies for both purification and detection has complicated the implementation of an internal standard (ISTD). In this study, customized EPO‐polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugates were synthesized as potential ISTDs and assessed as to their compatibility with existing sample preparation procedures for urine and blood sample analysis using the most common immunopurification techniques. Moreover, probing for the impact of the ISTD on sodium N‐lauroylsarcosinate (“sarcosyl”) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SAR‐PAGE)‐based EPO analysis concerning potential interference with target analytes was conducted. The presented data demonstrate that a 12‐kDa PEG residue attached to human EPO represents a particularly useful construct to serve as ISTD for erythropoietin‐receptor agonist (ERA) analysis. The conjugate is applicable to both urine and blood testing using the commonly employed purification techniques, supporting and improving result interpretations especially concerning specimens where the natural abundance of human EPO is low.
Species compositions mediate biomass conservation: The case of lake fish communities
Authors: Arranz Ignasi , Fournier Bertrand , Lester Nigel P. , Shuter Brian J. , Peres‐Neto Pedro R.
Published: December 2021

Environmental and geographical factors are known to influence the number, distribution, and combination of species that coexist within ecological communities. This, in turn, should influence ecosystem functions such as biomass conservation, or the ability of a community to sustain biomass from small to large organisms. We tested this hypothesis by assessing the role of environmental factors in determining how biomass is conserved in over 600 limnetic fish communities spread across a broad geographic gradient in Canada. Comprehensive and accurate information on water conditions and community characteristics such as taxonomy, abundance, biomass, and size distributions were used in our assessment. Results showed that species combinations emerge as one of the main predictors of biomass conservation among the effects of individual species and abiotic factors. Our study highlights the strong role that geographic patterns in the distribution of species can play in shaping key ecosystem functions, with consequences for ecosystem services such as the provision of harvestable fish biomass.
Are spontaneously fermented plant‐based foods potential sources of transferable antibiotic resistance genes?
Authors: Jasiak Kinga , Amund Daniel
Published: December 2021

Spontaneously fermented plant‐based foods are highly valued for their unique organoleptic characteristics and presumed health benefits. However, because natural (spontaneous) fermentation does not involve the employment of starter cultures, the safety of spontaneously fermented plant‐based products is not easily controlled. This review examines the presence of antibiotic resistance determinants in lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from plant‐based, naturally fermented foods. Phenotypic resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics has been widely observed in LAB from a variety of food types. The larger proportion of the resistance traits reported in this review can be considered intrinsic to LAB. However, some of the identified traits, especially resistance genes to tetracycline and erythromycin, have the potential for horizontal spread. Further molecular characterization is required to determine the genetic basis of detected resistance traits that have only been assessed using phenotypic methods. The implementation of novel safety measures in the production of spontaneously fermented plant‐based foods should be considered in the future.
The Development of Mitochondrial Gene Editing Tools and Their Possible Roles in Crop Improvement for Future Agriculture
Authors: Yang Jinghua , Yang Xiaodong , Su Tongbing , Hu Zhongyuan , Zhang Mingfang
Published: December 2021

We are living in the era of genome editing. Nowadays, targeted editing of the plant nuclear DNA is prevalent in basic biological research and crop improvement since its first establishment a decade ago. However, achieving the same accomplishment for the plant mitochondrial genome has long been deemed impossible. Recently, the pioneer studies on editing plant mitogenome have been done using the mitochondria‐targeted transcription activator‐like effector nucleases (mitoTALENs) in rice, rapeseed, and Arabidopsis. It is well documented that mitochondria play essential roles in plant development and stress tolerance, particularly, in cytoplasmic male sterility widely used in production of hybrids. The success of mitochondrial genome editing enables studying the fundamentals of mitochondrial genome. Furthermore, mitochondrial RNA editing (mostly by nuclear‐encoded pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins) in a sequence‐specific manner can simultaneously change the production of translatable mitochondrial mRNA. Moreover, direct editing of the nuclear‐encoding mitochondria‐targeted factors required for plant mitochondrial genome dynamics and recombination may facilitate genetic manipulation of plant mitochondria. Here, the present state of knowledge on editing the plant mitochondrial genome is reviewed.