bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oxidative Stress Evaluation in Dogs Affected with Canine Monocytic Ehrlichiosis
Authors: Pugliese Michela , Biondi Vito , Merola Giordana , Landi Alessandra , Passantino Annamaria
Published: February 2022

The study aimed to evaluate the concentration of reactive oxidative metabolites (R-OOHs), the antioxidant barrier (OXY), and the ratio between R-OOHs and OXY (OSi) and thiol groups of plasma compounds (SHp) in in canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. Thirty dogs affected with monocytic ehrlichiosis (canine monocytic ehrlichiosis group—CME group) and ten healthy dogs (control group—CTR group) were evaluated. CME was diagnosed by the presence of clinical signs and the detection of anti-Ehlichia canis antibodies. Oxidative stress parameters of two groups were compared using the Mann–Whitney test. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Spearman rank correlation was performed to analyze oxidative stress, and hematological and biochemical variables in the CME group. All dogs affected with CME showed a wide spectrum of clinical signs such as lethargy, anorexia, fever, weight loss, lymph adenomegaly, splenomegaly, subcutaneous and mucosal petechial and ecchymosis, and vomiting. Anaemia, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, hyperglobulinemia, hypoalbuminemia and an increase of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine are also detected. Results showed significantly lower values of SHp in the CME group than in CTR. A statistically significant difference in the number of white blood cells, platelets, and blood urea nitrogen concentration was assayed comparing to the two groups. A negative correlation between SHp and hemoglobin concentration was recorded. These preliminary results may suggest a possible function of oxidative stress in the onset of clinical signs during the course of CME.
Angiotensin Type-1 Receptor Inhibition Reduces NLRP3 Inflammasome Upregulation Induced by Aging and Neurodegeneration in the Substantia Nigra of Male Rodents and Primary Mesencephalic Cultures
Authors: Quijano Aloia , Diaz-Ruiz Carmen , Lopez-Lopez Andrea , Villar-Cheda Begoña , Muñoz Ana , Rodriguez-Perez Ana I. , Labandeira-Garcia Jose L.
Published: February 2022

The tissue renin–angiotensin system (RAS) has been shown to be involved in prooxidative and proinflammatory changes observed in aging and aging-related diseases such as dopaminergic degeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD). We studied the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the substantia nigra with aging and early stages of dopaminergic degeneration in PD models and, particularly, if the brain RAS, via its prooxidative proinflammatory angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 (AT1) receptors, mediates the inflammasome activation. Nigras from aged rats and mice and 6-hydroxydopamine PD models showed upregulation in transcription of inflammasome-related components (NLRP3, pro-IL1β and pro-IL18) and IL1β and IL18 protein levels, which was inhibited by the AT1 receptor antagonist candesartan. The role of the AngII/AT1 axis in inflammasome activation was further confirmed in rats intraventricularly injected with AngII, and in primary mesencephalic cultures treated with 6-hydroxydopamine, which showed inflammasome activation that was blocked by candesartan. Observations in the nigra of young and aged AT1 and AT2 knockout mice confirmed the major role of AT1 receptors in nigral inflammasome activation. In conclusion, the inflammasome is upregulated by aging and dopaminergic degeneration in the substantia nigra, possibly related with a decrease in dopamine levels, and it is mediated by the AngII/AT1 axis.
Metabolomics-Based Profiling of Clerodendrum speciosum (Lamiaceae) Leaves Using LC/ESI/MS-MS and In Vivo Evaluation of Its Antioxidant Activity Using Caenorhabditis elegans Model
Authors: Youssef Fadia S. , Sobeh Mansour , Dmirieh Malak , Bogari Hanin A. , Koshak Abdulrahman E. , Wink Michael , Ashour Mohamed L. , Elhady Sameh S.
Published: February 2022

We investigated the antioxidant activity of the total methanol extract of C. speciosum leaves (CST), the ethyl acetate (CSE), and the remaining aqueous (CSR) fractions in vitro, in vivo using Caenorhabditis elegans model, and in silico. LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis was employed for metabolic profiling of CST. ADME/TOPAKT prediction was performed to determine the potential pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and toxicity properties of the major identified phytoconstituents. All examined samples showed considerable antioxidant activity where CST, CSE, and CSR displayed EC50 values of 27.1, 16.2, and 21.3 µg/mL, respectively, in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) assay, whereas they showed 11.44, 16.27, and 12.16 Fe2+ equivalents/mg of sample, respectively, in ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. CST, CSE, and CSR displayed total phenolic content of 262, 326, and 289 mg GAE/g sample, respectively. In vivo antioxidant study revealed that CST at 150 μg/mL increased the survival rate of C. elegans by 71.88% compared to untreated group. Regarding intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), worms treated with 150 μg/mL of CSE exhibited 60.42% reduction of ROS compared to the untreated group. Quantitation of hsp-16.2/GFP expression in Caenorhabditis elegans showed that worms treated with 150 μg/mL of CSR exerted 40.43% reduction in fluorescence with respect to the untreated group. LC-ESI-MS/MS of CST revealed the presence of sixteen secondary metabolites belonging mainly to polyphenolics with phenyl propanoids constituting the major detected class. The in silico study showed that rosmarinic acid displayed the best fitting within the active sites of Daf-2 protein with considerable safety profile and limited pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic that could be slightly enhanced by certain treatment.
Data-Driven Decisions in Smart Cities: A Digital Transformation Case Study
Authors: Osman Ahmed M. Shahat , Elragal Ahmed A. , Ståhlbröst Anna
Published: February 2022

The relationship between big data analytics (BDA) and smart cities (SCs) has been addressed in several articles. However, few articles have investigated the influence of exploiting BDA in data-driven decision-making from an empirical perspective in a case study context. Accordingly, we aim to tackle this scarcity of case-study research addressing the interrelationships between SCs, BDA, and decision-making. Filling this gap will shed light on the challenges and design principles that should be considered in designing a BDA artifact in the domain of smart cities. We analyze a case study of a digital transformation project in Egypt. Results show a tangible positive effect of utilizing data analytics in support of the decision-making process.
Reaction Center of Rhodobacter Sphaeroides, a Photoactive Protein for pH Sensing: A Theoretical Investigation of Charge Transport Properties
Authors: Alfinito Eleonora , Reggiani Lino
Published: February 2022

In the perspective of an increasing attention to ecological aspects of science and technology, it is of interest to design devices based on architectures of modular, low cost, and low-pollutant elements, each of them able to perform simple duties. Elemental devices may be themselves green as, for example, proteins able to make simple actions, like sensing. To this aim, photosensitive proteins are often considered because of the possibility of transferring their specific reaction to visible light into electronic signals. Here, we investigate the expected electrical response of the photoactive protein Reaction Center (bRC) of Rhodobacter Sphaeroides within the proteotronics, a recent branch of molecular electronics that evaluates the electrical properties of a protein by using an impedance network protein analog based on the protein tertiary structure and the degree of electrical connectivity between neighboring amino acids. To this purpose, the linear and nonlinear regimes of the electrical response to an applied bias are studied when the protein is in its native state or in an active state. In the linear response regime, results evidence a significant difference in the electrical properties of bRC when the pH value of the solution in which the protein is embedded changes from acid to basic. In the non-linear response regime, the current-voltage characteristics experimentally reported in the recent literature are interpreted in terms of a sequential tunneling mechanism of charge transfer. The qualitative agreement of present findings with available experiments strongly suggests the use of this protein as a bio-rheostat or a pH sensor.
PTRNet: Global Feature and Local Feature Encoding for Point Cloud Registration
Authors: Li Cuixia , Yang Shanshan , Shi Li , Liu Yue , Li Yinghao
Published: February 2022

Existing end-to-end cloud registration methods are often inefficient and susceptible to noise. We propose an end-to-end point cloud registration network model, Point Transformer for Registration Network (PTRNet), that considers local and global features to improve this behavior. Our model uses point clouds as inputs and applies a Transformer method to extract their global features. Using a K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN) topology, our method then encodes the local features of a point cloud and integrates them with the global features to obtain the point cloud’s strong global features. Comparative experiments using the ModelNet40 data set show that our method offers better results than other methods, with a mean square error (MSE), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) between the ground truth and predicted values lower than those of competing methods. In the case of multi-object class without noise, the rotation average absolute error of PTRNet is reduced to 1.601 degrees and the translation average absolute error is reduced to 0.005 units. Compared to other recent end-to-end registration methods and traditional point cloud registration methods, the PTRNet method has less error, higher registration accuracy, and better robustness.
Efficient Fake News Detection Mechanism Using Enhanced Deep Learning Model
Authors: Ahmad Tahir , Faisal Muhammad Shahzad , Rizwan Atif , Alkanhel Reem , Khan Prince Waqas , Muthanna Ammar
Published: February 2022

The spreading of accidental or malicious misinformation on social media, specifically in critical situations, such as real-world emergencies, can have negative consequences for society. This facilitates the spread of rumors on social media. On social media, users share and exchange the latest information with many readers, including a large volume of new information every second. However, updated news sharing on social media is not always true.In this study, we focus on the challenges of numerous breaking-news rumors propagating on social media networks rather than long-lasting rumors. We propose new social-based and content-based features to detect rumors on social media networks. Furthermore, our findings show that our proposed features are more helpful in classifying rumors compared with state-of-the-art baseline features. Moreover, we apply bidirectional LSTM-RNN on text for rumor prediction. This model is simple but effective for rumor detection. The majority of early rumor detection research focuses on long-running rumors and assumes that rumors are always false. In contrast, our experiments on rumor detection are conducted on real-world scenario data set. The results of the experiments demonstrate that our proposed features and different machine learning models perform best when compared to the state-of-the-art baseline features and classifier in terms of precision, recall, and F1 measures.
Logarithmic SAT Solution with Membrane Computing
Authors: Nicolescu Radu , Dinneen Michael , Cooper James , Henderson Alec , Liu Yezhou
Published: February 2022

P systems have been known to provide efficient polynomial (often linear) deterministic solutions to hard problems. In particular, cP systems have been shown to provide very crisp and efficient solutions to such problems, which are typically linear with small coefficients. Building on a recent result by Henderson et al., which solves SAT in square-root-sublinear time, this paper proposes an orders-of-magnitude-faster solution, running in logarithmic time, and using a small fixed-sized alphabet and ruleset (25 rules). To the best of our knowledge, this is the fastest deterministic solution across all extant P system variants. Like all other cP solutions, it is a complete solution that is not a member of a uniform family (and thus does not require any preprocessing). Consequently, according to another reduction result by Henderson et al., cP systems can also solve k-colouring and several other NP-complete problems in logarithmic time.
Untargeted Mass Spectrometry Approach to Study SARS-CoV-2 Proteins in Human Plasma and Saliva Proteome
Authors: Pagani Lisa , Chinello Clizia , Mahajneh Allia , Clerici Francesca , Criscuolo Lucrezia , Favalli Andrea , Gruarin Paola , Grifantini Renata , Bandera Alessandra , Lombardi Andrea , Ungaro Riccardo , Muscatello Antonio , Blasi Francesco , Gori Andrea , Magni Fulvio
Published: February 2022

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, more than four million people have died of this disease. Given its ability to provide a precise response, mass spectrometry-based proteomics could represent a useful tool to study this pathology. To this end, an untargeted nLC-ESI-MS/MS-based method to characterise SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including possible variants, and investigate human saliva and plasma proteome in a single analysis was developed for further application in patients. Four SARS-CoV-2 recombinant proteins, three (S1–S2–RBD) belonging to the spike glycoprotein (S) and one corresponding to the nucleoprotein (N), were prepared and analysed with nLC-UHRTOF by injecting decreasing amounts to establish the limit of detection (LOD) of the method. This was determined as 10 pg for all the components of the S protein and for N (71 amol and 213 amol, respectively). Various viral inactivation strategies plus deglycosylation and digestion approaches were then tested in saliva and plasma spiked with different quantities of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant proteins. The limit of characterisation (LOC) in saliva for the N and S proteins was observed at 100 pg (coverage of 20% and 3%, respectively); instead, in plasma, it was 33 pg for N and 330 pg for the S protein, with a coverage of 4% for both. About 300 and 800 human proteins were identified in plasma and saliva, respectively, including several key effectors and pathways that are known to be altered in COVID-19 patients. In conclusion, this approach allows SARS-CoV-2 proteins and the human proteome to be simultaneously explored, both for plasma and saliva, showing a high relevant potential for retrospective studies aimed at investigating possible virus variants and for patient stratification.
IGFBP7 Concentration May Reflect Subclinical Myocardial Damage and Kidney Function in Patients with Stable Ischemic Heart Disease
Authors: Lisowska Anna , Szyszkowska Anna , Knapp Małgorzata , Łapińska Magda , Kondraciuk Marcin , Kamińska Inga , Hryszko Tomasz , Ptaszyńska-Kopczyńska Katarzyna , Kamiński Karol
Published: February 2022

The objective of this study was to determine the associations between insulin-like growth-factor-binding protein 7(IGFBP7) concentrations and concentrations of troponin T(TnT), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) and the parameters of kidney function in patients with stable ischemic heart disease(IHD). The IHD group consisted of 88 patients, and the population group comprised 66 subjects without a history of IHD. IGFBP7, TnT and NTproBNP concentrations were measured. The IGFBP7 value was considerably higher in the IHD group (1.76 ± 1 ng/mL vs. 1.43 ± 0.44 ng/mL, respectively, p = 0.019). Additionally, IHD subjects had a significantly higher concentration of TnT and NTproBNP. In both groups there was a significant correlation between IGFBP7 and serum parameters of kidney function (creatinine concentration: population gr. r = 0.45, p < 0.001, IHD gr. r = 0.86, p < 0.0001; urea concentration: population gr. r = 0.51, p < 0.0001, IHD gr. r = 0.71, p < 0.00001). No correlation between IGFBP7 and microalbuminuria or the albumin to creatinine ratio in urine was found. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between IGFBP7 concentration and markers of heart injury/overload-TnT and NT-BNP(r = 0.76, p < 0.001 and r = 0.72, p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis in joint both revealed that the IGFBP7 concentration is independently associated with urea, creatinine and TnT concentrations (R2 for the model 0.76). IHD patients presented significantly higher IGFBP7 concentrations than the population group. Elevated IGFBP7 levels are associated predominantly with markers of kidney function and myocardial damage or overload.
LPS Administration Impacts Glial Immune Programs by Alternative Splicing
Authors: Babenko Vladimir N. , Shishkina Galina T. , Lanshakov Dmitriy A. , Sukhareva Ekaterina V. , Dygalo Nikolay N.
Published: February 2022

We performed transcriptome analysis in the hippocampus 24 h after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. We observed glial-specific genes, comprised of two-thirds of all differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We found microglial DEGs that were the most numerous in LPS group. On the contrary, differential alternative splicing (DAS) analysis revealed the most numerous DAS events in astrocytes. Besides, we observed distinct major isoform switching in the Ptbp1 gene, with skipping of exon 8 in LPS group. Ptbp1 usually considered a pluripotency sustaining agent in brain embryonic development, according to the previous studies. Analyzing the splicing tune-up upon LPS exposure, we came to a supposition that the short Ptbp1 isoform de-represses immune-specific response by Ptbp1 adjusted splicing architecture. Additionally, the Ptbp3 (NOD1) immune-specific splicing factor has apparently been de-repressed by the Ptbp1 short isoform in glial cells. Notably, both the Ptbp1 and Ptbp3 genes express primarily in microglial/endothelial brain cells. We also report immune-related genes, altering their major isoforms upon LPS exposure. The results revealed immune modulating role of alternative splicing in brain.
Is Previous eGFR a Reliable Risk Factor for COVID-19 Death? Single Centre Analysis in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients in Northern Italy
Authors: Martino Francesca , Fanton Giulia , Zanetti Fiammetta , Pascarella Michela , Novara Giacomo
Published: February 2022

COVID-19 remains a major world health problem, and its clinical manifestations can vary from an oligosymptomatic form to severe pulmonary infection, which can require invasive ventilation and is strictly related to death. Identifying risk factors for adverse outcomes is essential for performing adequate care and contrasting high mortality. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a widespread comorbidity and is a known risk factor for death during SARS-CoV-2 infection. The present study evaluates the death risk assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic in (CKD) patients, considering the baseline value of an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and other possible risk factors. We retrospectively assessed the mortality risk in 150 patients with COVID-19 between 1 October and 31 December 2020. We evaluated eGFR, haemoglobin, albumin, uric acid, cholesterol, triglycerides, and significant risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in every patient. We had 53 deaths (35.3%) during the observational period, significantly related to age, eGFR, albumin, and baseline nephropathy. In the multivariable analysis, only baseline eGFR and age were independent predictors of death during SARS-CoV-2 infection, with an OR equal to 0.96 and 1.067, respectively. In conclusion, by our analysis, age, and the baseline eGFR were the only reliable predictors of death during COVID-19 in CKD patients.
MicroRNA-Mediated Downregulation of HMGB2 Contributes to Cellular Senescence in Microvascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Jo Hye-Ram , Jeong Jae-Hoon
Published: February 2022

High mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) is a non-histone chromosomal protein involved in various biological processes, including cellular senescence. However, its role in cellular senescence has not been evaluated extensively. To determine the regulatory role and mechanism of HMGB2 in cellular senescence, we performed gene expression analysis, senescence staining, and tube formation assays using young and senescent microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) after small RNA treatment or HMGB2 overexpression. HMGB2 expression decreased with age and was regulated at the transcriptional level. siRNA-mediated downregulation inhibited cell proliferation and accelerated cellular senescence. In contrast, ectopic overexpression delayed senescence and maintained relatively higher tube-forming activity. To determine the HMGB2 downregulation mechanism, we screened miRNAs that were significantly upregulated in senescent MVECs and selected HMGB2-targeting miRNAs. Six miRNAs, miR-23a-3p, 23b-3p, -181a-5p, -181b-5p, -221-3p, and -222-3p, were overexpressed in senescent MVECs. Ectopic introduction of miR-23a-3p, -23b-3p, -181a-5p, -181b-5p, and -221-3p, with the exception of miR-222-3p, led to the downregulation of HMGB2, upregulation of senescence-associated markers, and decreased tube formation activity. Inhibition of miR-23a-3p, -181a-5p, -181b-5p, and -221-3p delayed cellular senescence. Restoration of HMGB2 expression using miRNA inhibitors represents a potential strategy to overcome the detrimental effects of cellular senescence in endothelial cells.
Effect of Surfactant HLB Value on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Chitosan
Authors: Rokhati Nur , Kusworo Tutuk Djoko , Prasetyaningrum Aji , Hamada Nur ‘Aini , Utomo Dani Puji , Riyanto Teguh
Published: February 2022

Nonionic surfactants are reported as being able to enhance enzyme stability and increase the conversion of enzymatic reactions. Surfactant-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis conversion is affected by surfactant HLB values. This work investigated the influence of nonionic surfactants with different HLB values on chitosan enzymatic hydrolysis using cellulase enzyme by measuring the reducing sugars formation, viscosity, and molecular weight of hydrolyzed chitosan. A characterization analysis of hydrolyzed products was also carried out. A higher HLB value exhibits a better enzymatic chitosan hydrolysis performance, shown by the decrease in a solution’s viscosity and the increase in reducing sugar formation. Increasing the surfactant concentration will also increase the hydrolysis rate. Nonionic surfactants can protect cellulase enzyme from the denaturation of temperature and stirring influence. The higher the HLB value, the lower the molecular weight of the hydrolyzed chitosan. The result of UV–Vis demonstrated aldehyde groups formation during hydrolysis. The SEM analysis showed that the chitosan, hydrolyzed using different HLB values of surfactants, had different surface morphologies. However, it did not change the chemical structure of the hydrolysis product seen by the FTIR analysis. The XRD patterns showed that the relative crystallinity of raw chitosan decreased when hydrolyzed with surfactants.
Au Nanoparticles Decorated Graphene-Based Hybrid Nanocomposite for As(III) Electroanalytical Detection
Authors: Pifferi Valentina , Testolin Anna , Ingrosso Chiara , Curri Maria Lucia , Palchetti Ilaria , Falciola Luigi
Published: February 2022

Electrochemical sensors integrating hybrid nanostructured platforms are a promising alternative to conventional detection techniques for addressing highly relevant challenges of heavy metal determination in the environment. Hybrid nanocomposites based on graphene derivatives and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are ideal candidates as active materials for detecting heavy metals, as they merge the relevant physico-chemical properties of both the components, finally leading to a rapid and sensitive current response. In this work, a hybrid nanocomposite formed of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets, surface functionalized by π-π interactions with 1-pyrene carboxylic acid (PCA), and decorated in situ by Au NPs, was synthesized by using a colloidal route. The hybrid nanocomposite was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with respect to the corresponding single components, both bare and deposited as a layer-by-layer junction onto the electrode. The results demonstrated the high electrochemical activity of the hybrid nanocomposite with respect to the single components, highlighting the crucial role of the nanostructured surface morphology of the electrode and the PCA coupling agent at the NPs-RGO interphase in enhancing the nanocomposite electroactivity. Finally, the Au NP-decorated PCA-RGO sheets were tested by anodic stripping voltammetry of As(III) ion—a particularly relevant analyte among heavy metal ions—in order to assess the sensing ability of the nanocomposite material with respect to its single components. The nanocomposite has been found to present a sensitivity higher than that characterizing the bare components, with LODs complying with the directives established by the U.S. EPA and in line with those reported for state-of-the-art electrochemical sensors based on other Au-graphene nanocomposites.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Climate in 2021
Authors:   Climate Editorial Office
Published: February 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Hierarchy Depth in Directed Networks
Authors: Suchecki Krzysztof , Hołyst Janusz A.
Published: February 2022

In this study, we explore the depth measures for flow hierarchy in directed networks. Two simple measures are defined—rooted depth and relative depth—and their properties are discussed. The method of loop collapse is introduced, allowing investigation of networks containing directed cycles. The behavior of the two depth measures is investigated in Erdös-Rényi random graphs, directed Barabási-Albert networks, and in Gnutella p2p share network. A clear distinction in the behavior between non-hierarchical and hierarchical networks is found, with random graphs featuring unimodal distribution of depths dependent on arc density, while for hierarchical systems the distributions are similar for different network densities. Relative depth shows the same behavior as existing trophic level measure for tree-like networks, but is only statistically correlated for more complex topologies, including acyclic directed graphs.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Electrochem in 2021
Authors:   Electrochem Editorial Office
Published: February 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Electrochemical and Mechanistic Study of Superoxide Scavenging by Pyrogallol in N,N-Dimethylformamide through Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer
Authors: Nakayama Tatsushi , Honda Ryo , Kuwata Kazuo , Usui Shigeyuki , Uno Bunji
Published: February 2022

Scavenging of electrogenerated superoxide radical anion (O2•−) by pyrogallol (PyH3) was investigated on the basis of cyclic voltammetry and in situ electrolytic electron spin resonance spectrum in N,N-dimethylformamide with the aid of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Quasi-reversible dioxygen/O2•− redox couple was modified by the presence of PyH3, suggesting that O2•− was scavenged by PyH3 through proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) involving two proton transfer and one electron transfer. DFT calculation suggested that the pre-reactive formation of a hydrogen-bond (HB) complex and the subsequent concerted two-proton-coupled electron transfer characterized by catechol moiety in PyH3 is plausible mechanism that embodies the superior kinetics of the O2•− scavenging by PyH3 as shown in the electrochemical results. Furthermore, it was clarified that the three hydroxyl groups of PyH3 promote the formation of HB complex, in comparative analyses using related compounds, resulting in the promotion of the O2•− scavenging.
Effect of Phase Noise on the Optical Millimeter-Wave Signal in the DWDM-RoF System
Authors: Mahmood Rawa Muayad , Yaakob Syamsuri , Ahmad Faisul Arif , Anas Siti Barirah Ahmad , Kadir Muhammad Zamzuri Abdul , Beson Mohd Rashidi Che
Published: February 2022

In this study, we examined the effect of phase noise on the optical millimeter-wave (mm-wave) signal in a dense wavelength division multiplexing radio-over-fiber (DWDM-RoF) system. A single modulator was used to generate the optical mm-wave signal in the DWDM-RoF system. This paper addresses the impact of phase noise, which results from phase imbalance, on the optical mm-wave signal. To lower the effect of phase noise on the optical mm-wave signal, the phase imbalance should be controlled. The phase imbalance can be controlled and decreased by adjusting the phase at the phase shift (PS). The system performance was analyzed using various parameters such as bit error rate (BER), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR), and error vector magnitude (EVM). From the results, we found the phase imbalance affected the optical mm-wave signal due to the imbalanced splitting of the signal intensity at the MZM. The phase imbalance impacts the phase noise, which impacts the optical mm-wave signal. The phase noise could be decreased by controlling the phase imbalance at the phase of 5π/12. The best results at the phase of 5π/12 were collected for phase noise at 0.02 degrees.
Threat Analysis and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack Recognition in the Internet of Things (IoT)
Authors: Ali Mohammed Hasan , Jaber Mustafa Musa , Abd Sura Khalil , Rehman Amjad , Awan Mazhar Javed , Damaševičius Robertas , Bahaj Saeed Ali
Published: February 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) plays a crucial role in various sectors such as automobiles and the logistic tracking medical field because it consists of distributed nodes, servers, and software for effective communication. Although this IoT paradigm has suffered from intrusion threats and attacks that cause security and privacy issues, existing intrusion detection techniques fail to maintain reliability against the attacks. Therefore, the IoT intrusion threat has been analyzed using the sparse convolute network to contest the threats and attacks. The web is trained using sets of intrusion data, characteristics, and suspicious activities, which helps identify and track the attacks, mainly, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Along with this, the network is optimized using evolutionary techniques that identify and detect the regular, error, and intrusion attempts under different conditions. The sparse network forms the complex hypotheses evaluated using neurons, and the obtained event stream outputs are propagated to further hidden layer processes. This process minimizes the intrusion involvement in IoT data transmission. Effective utilization of training patterns in the network successfully classifies the standard and threat patterns. Then, the effectiveness of the system is evaluated using experimental results and discussion. Network intrusion detection systems are superior to other types of traditional network defense in providing network security. The research applied an IGA-BP network to combat the growing challenge of Internet security in the big data era, using an autoencoder network model and an improved genetic algorithm to detect intrusions. MATLAB built it, which ensures a 98.98% detection rate and 99.29% accuracy with minimal processing complexity, and the performance ratio is 90.26%. A meta-heuristic optimizer was used in the future to increase the system’s ability to forecast attacks.
Watermarking Applications of Krawtchouk–Sobolev Type Orthogonal Moments
Authors: Huertas Edmundo J. , Lastra Alberto , Soria-Lorente Anier
Published: February 2022

In this contribution, we consider the sequence {Hn(x;q)}n≥0 of monic polynomials orthogonal with respect to a Sobolev-type inner product involving forward difference operators For the first time in the literature, we apply the non-standard properties of {Hn(x;q)}n≥0 in a watermarking problem. Several differences are found in this watermarking application for the non-standard cases (when j>0) with respect to the standard classical Krawtchouk case λ=μ=0.
Atmospheric Dispersion of Gaseous Amine Emitted from Absorption-Based Carbon Capture Plants in Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Pakchotanon Pet , Veawab Amornvadee , Aroonwilas Adisorn , Sema Teerawat
Published: February 2022

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a key strategy to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial point sources. Gas absorption into aqueous amine solutions is an immediate technology for carbon capture that has been tested in many demonstration plants. One concern of using the amine-based carbon capture process is the environmental impacts and health risk caused by emissions of gaseous amines from the process to the atmosphere. This work applied the knowledge of air dispersion modelling to map out the atmospheric dispersion and resulting ground surface level concentration of gaseous amine, namely Monoethanolamine (MEA), from a coal-fired power plant (with a carbon capture unit) and in surrounding areas, in case of an accidental leaking of amine from the CCS system to the atmosphere. The chosen study area was centered on a coal-fired power plant in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. The Environmental Protection (EPA) approved air pollution model (CALPUFF), together with meteorological and geophysical data were used for gaseous amine dispersion simulation. The results were presented, and the ground amine concentrations were found to vary with wind patterns (wind direction and wind speed). The maximum ground surface amine concentrations standard is 15.2 µg/m3. However, the results showed that when using the water wash unit, the MEA concentrations were well below the standard level, compared to those without the water wash unit. It is essential for CO2 capture plants located in highly populated areas to be equipped with water wash units.
Drivers and Challenges of Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading Development in Thailand
Authors: Junlakarn Siripha , Kokchang Phimsupha , Audomvongseree Kulyos
Published: February 2022

Recent developments in disruptive technologies along with the cost reduction of photovoltaics have been transforming business models in the electricity sector worldwide. The rise of prosumers has led to a more decentralized and open local green energy market through the emergence of peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading, where consumers and prosumers can buy or sell electricity through an online trading platform. P2P energy trading has the potential to make green energy more accessible at the local level, provide a customer choice that aligns with community values, and promote the use of renewable energy (RE) for local consumption. Although P2P energy trading has already been adopted in some countries, its implementation remains challenging in other countries, including Thailand. In this work, we investigated the drivers and challenges of implementing P2P energy trading in Thailand based on the perspectives of P2P energy trading pilot project developers participating in the regulatory sandbox program. A strategic framework was used to identify the respondents’ standpoints on the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental (PESTLE) factors that can influence the implementation of P2P energy trading. This can help businesses, policymakers, and regulators better understand drivers and barriers of P2P energy trading, which is a potential local energy market. This paper also provides policy recommendations for regulatory changes for the future development of P2P energy trading, including opening a third-party access (TPA) regime, enabling a liberalized market in the electricity market, and integrating the role and responsibilities of the prosumer for P2P energy trading into existing law.
Assessment of the Effectiveness of Photovoltaic Panels at Public Transport Stops: 3D Spatial Analysis as a Tool to Strengthen Decision Making
Authors: Fijałkowska Anna , Waksmundzka Kamila , Chmiel Jerzy
Published: February 2022

The potential of solar energy encourages research into new applications of this technology. Access to renewable energy is an important element of modern urban policies aimed at sustainable development and the energy security of residents but also limits energy production from conventional sources due to the pollution associated with them. More and more often, projects of new urban infrastructure facilities include integrated photovoltaic panels. Assessing solar potential is an important step when planning the layout of solar panels, and the increasing number of high-rise buildings increases shaded areas, sometimes even for most of the day. Therefore, a detailed shading analysis can be important for city decision makers, investors and local communities. The results of the 3D spatial analysis presented in the article can be used to optimize the location and analyse the profitability of photovoltaic installations in a city. The aim of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of photovoltaic panels on the shelters of public transport bus/tram stops. The proposed methodology for calculating the solar potential and shading may be a valuable extension of existing solutions in the field of planning installation power and the location of individual panels. The research methodology can be used in the future to support decision making and spatial planning related to the placement of photovoltaic panels. It was tested for bus shelters located in the centre of Warsaw (Poland). The results can also be used to assess the impact of alternatives to newly designed high-rise buildings and to plan the provision of photovoltaic panels to other city infrastructure facilities.
A Comparative Study of Different Quality Oil Shales Developed in the Middle Jurassic Shimengou Formation, Yuqia Area, Northern Qaidam Basin, China
Authors: Bai Yueyue , Liu Zhaojun , George Simon C. , Meng Jingyao
Published: February 2022

Oil shales are developed in the Shale Member of the Middle Jurassic Shimengou Formation in the Qaidam Basin, China. The oil shales can be classified into three quality groups (low-, medium-, and high-quality oil shales) through a comprehensive analysis protocol that includes Rock-Eval pyrolysis, total organic carbon (TOC) content, proximate analysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), major and trace element analyses, and maceral analysis. The low-quality oil shales mainly contain type II1 kerogen, the medium-quality oil shales mainly contain type I-II1 kerogen, and the high-quality oil shales mainly contain type I kerogen. All are immature to early thermally mature. The oil yield of the oil shales is directly related to their quality and are positively correlated with TOC content and calorific value. All studied samples were deposited under anaerobic conditions but in different paleoenvironments. The low-quality oil shales were mainly deposited in fresh-water environments, whereas the high-quality oil shales were usually developed in highly saline and reducing environments. Salinity stratification and evidence of algal blooms that are conducive to organic matter enrichment were identified in both medium- and high-quality oil shales, the latter having the highest paleoproductivity and the best preservation conditions. In summary, shale quality is controlled by a combination of factors, including algal abundance, preservation conditions, the existence of algal blooms and salinity stratification, and paleoproductivity. This study reveals how these different factors affect the quality of oil shales, which might provide an in-depth explanation for the formation process of lacustrine oil shales.
Design of Distributed Bragg Reflectors for Green Light-Emitting Devices Based on Quantum Dots as Emission Layer
Authors: Shaaban Iman E. , Samra Ahmed S. , Muhammad Shabbir , Wageh Swelm
Published: February 2022

Light-emitting diodes based on quantum dots as an active emission can be considered as a promising next generation for application in displays and lighting. We report a theoretical investigation of green emission at 550 nm of microcavity inorganic–organic light-emitting devices based on Zn (Te, Se) alloy quantum dots as an active layer. Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) has been applied as a bottom mirror. The realization of high-quality DBR consisting of both high and low refractive index structures is investigated. The structures applied for high refractive index layers are (ZrO2, SiNx, ZnS), while those applied for low index layers are (Zr, SiO2, CaF2). DBR of ZnS/CaF2 consisting of three pairs with a high refractive index step of (Δn = 0.95) revealed a broad stop bandwidth (178 nm) and achieved a high reflectivity of 0.914.
Impact of Signalized Intersections on CO2 and NOx Emissions of Heavy Duty Vehicles
Authors: Deschle Nicolás , van Ark Ernst Jan , van Gijlswijk René , Janssen Robbert
Published: February 2022

Pollutant emissions have been a topic of interest in the last decades. Not only environmentalists but also governments are taking rapid action to reduce emissions. As one of the main contributors, the transport sector is being subjected to strict scrutiny to ensure it complies with the short and long-term regulations. The measures imposed by governments clearly involve all the stakeholders in the logistics sector, from road authorities and logistic operators to truck manufacturers. The improvement of traffic conditions is one of the perspectives in which the reduction of emissions is being addressed. Optimization of traffic flow, avoidance of unnecessary stops, control of the cruise speed, and coordination of trips in an energy-efficient way are necessary steps to remain compliant with the upcoming regulations. In this study, we have estimated the CO2 and NOx emissions in heavy-duty vehicles while traversing signalized intersections, and we examined the differences between various behavioral scenarios. We found a consistent trend indicating that avoiding a stop can potentially reduce CO2 and NOx emissions by up to 0.32kg and 1.8g, respectively. Furthermore, an upper bound for the yearly CO2 savings is provided for the case of The Netherlands. A reduction of 3.2% of the total CO2 emitted by heavy-duty vehicles is estimated. These results put traffic control in the main scene as a yet unexplored dimension to control pollutant emissions, enabling authorities to more accurately estimate cost–benefit plans for traffic control system investments.
Effect of the Coastline Geometry on the Boundary Currents Intruding through the Gap
Authors: Kuehl Joseph , Sheremet Vitalii A.
Published: February 2022

The problem of a geophysical western boundary current negotiating a gap in its supporting boundary is considered. For traditional straight, parallel gaps, such systems are known to exhibit two dominant states, gap penetrating and leaping, with the transitional dynamics between states displaying hysteresis. However, for more complex geometries, such as angled or offset gap configurations, the question of multiple states and hysteresis is unresolved. In such cases, the inertia of the western boundary current is oriented into the gap, hence the assumption that increased inertia promotes gap penetrating loop current states. Here we address the problem numerically in an idealized setting. It is found that despite the inertia of the current being directed into the gap, for large western boundary current transport values, leaping states will be present. That is, we show here that the presence of multiple states with hysteresis for gap-leaping western boundary current systems is robust to both angled and offset gap geometries.
Microstructural, Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Organoleptic Characteristics of Sugar- and Fat-Free Ice Cream from Buffalo Milk
Authors: Atallah Atallah A. , Morsy Osama M. , Abbas Wael , Khater El-Sayed G.
Published: February 2022

Ice cream is a popular dessert product across the world. Structure, body, taste, and odor properties are created by adding non-milk ingredients and milk ingredients. The main aim of the study is to decrease the caloric value of ice cream by using sugar and fat replacements. Ice cream treatments were investigated based on microstructural, chemical, physical, microbiological, sensory, and calorific values. Four different ice creams were used (control ice cream (SC1), ice cream with stevia (SC2), ice cream with sucralose (SC3), and ice cream with sorbitol (SC4)). The chemical properties in all treatments of ice cream were significantly recorded (p < 0.05). The highest sucrose and fat levels were detected in the SC1 treatment compared with the other treatments (p < 0.05). The lowest fat and sugar amounts were observed in the SC2, SC3, and SC4 treatments (p < 0.05). The highest viscosity, overrun, and hardness values (p < 0.05) were detected in the control ice cream. Total aerobic mesophilic bacterial counts were not significantly recorded between different ice cream treatments (p < 0.05). The sensory scores were not significantly affected by sweeteners and bulk agents in the different treatments. The highest calorific value was calculated in the SC1 samples (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the lowest calorific value was calculated in SC2, followed by the SC3 and SC4 treatments. In scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the gel exhibited a homogeneous structure with a fine network within the SC2, SC3, and SC4 treatments, as it contained a cohesive structure with small-sized pores.
Certain Integral and Differential Formulas Involving the Product of Srivastava’s Polynomials and Extended Wright Function
Authors: Naheed Saima , Mubeen Shahid , Rahman Gauhar , Khan Zareen A. , Nisar Kottakkaran Sooppy
Published: February 2022

Many authors have established various integral and differential formulas involving different special functions in recent years. In continuation, we explore some image formulas associated with the product of Srivastava’s polynomials and extended Wright function by using Marichev–Saigo–Maeda fractional integral and differential operators, Lavoie–Trottier and Oberhettinger integral operators. The obtained outcomes are in the form of the Fox–Wright function. It is worth mentioning that some interesting special cases are also discussed.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2021
Authors:   IJERPH Editorial Office
Published: February 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Analysis of Factors Affecting Adoption of Volunteered Geographic Information in the Context of National Spatial Data Infrastructure
Authors: Ahmad Munir , Khayal Malik Sikandar Hayat , Tahir Ali
Published: February 2022

Spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) have been implemented for the last four decades in most countries. One of the key objectives of SDIs is to ensure the quick availability and accessibility of spatial data. The success of SDI depends on the underlying spatial datasets. Many developing countries such as Pakistan are facing problems in implementing SDI because of the unavailability of spatial data. Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) is an alternate source for obtaining spatial data. Therefore, the question is what factors hamper the adoption of VGI for making it part of SDI in Pakistan. The intention behind this paper is to explore such factors as the key research question. To do so, we make use of the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework along with the partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) to empirically analyze the factors impeding VGI from becoming part of SDI in the country. The study concludes that many technical, organizational, and environmental factors affect the adoption of VGI to be part of SDI in Pakistan.
Plant Cell and Organism Development 2.0
Authors: Hasterok Robert , Betekhtin Alexander
Published: February 2022

In the editorial summarising the first edition of the Special Issue on “Plant Cell and Organism Development”, we listed the key features that make plants a unique and fascinating group of living organisms [...]