bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Lightweight Deep Convolutional Neural Network Model for Human Emotions Recognition in Diverse Environments
Authors: Kalsum Tehmina , Mehmood Zahid
Published: August 2023

A picture is worth a thousand words to convey information during daily life communication. Recognizing a person’s emotions from facial expressions (FEs) has become a prevalent research field in the past few decades. Deep learning (DL) models, mainly deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs), are trending in the last few years to perform recognition/classification tasks. Several prior DCNNs have resulted in good recognition accuracy for facial emotion recognition (FER) systems. Still, there is a need for an effective as well as efficient FER system that can recognize the FEs irrespective of the illumination conditions, subjects’ gender, age range, geographical locations, race, etc. In this work, we have presented a novel lightweight DCNN model that can recognize the FEs in the aforementioned conditions. We have made it lightweight by optimal selection of its hidden layers, which ultimately resulted in the reduced number of floating point operations (FLOPs). We have embedded the data augmentation step into the model’s training phase to enhance its generalization ability. An early stopping criterion is also introduced to prevent the model’s overfitting. We have trained and evaluated the performance of the proposed model on widely used benchmarks for FEs databases. We have selected five diverse databases (two collected in the lab, one based on stylized cartoon characters, and two collections in an unconstrained realistic environment), including CK+, Karolinska Directed Emotional Faces (KDEF), Facial Expression Research Group (FERG), Facial Expression Recognition‐2013 (FER‐2013), and Real‐World Affective Faces Database (RaF‐DB). The recognition accuracy of 99.98%, 99.25%, 88.17%, 84.09%, 69.87%, and 69.16% is achieved for the FERG, CK+, KDEF, RaF‐DB, FER‐2013 human faces (FER‐2013H), and FER‐2013 complete (FER‐2013C) database, respectively. Our model outperforms the number of state‐of‐the‐art FER approaches in terms of recognition accuracy and FLOPs.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Enhance Drought Stress Tolerance by Regulating Osmotic Balance, the Antioxidant System, and the Expression of Drought-Responsive Genes in Vitis vinifera L.
Authors: Ye Qiuhong , Wang Hua , Li Hua
Published: August 2023

Background and Aims. Drought harms the growth and productivity of grapevines; it thus poses a major threat to the development of viticulture in the background of ongoing climate change. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can be used to enhance the resistance/tolerance of plants to environmental stress. The effects of AMF on the osmotic regulation, antioxidant substances, and expression of drought-responsive genes in the grapevine Vitis vinifera L. cv. Ecolly were studied. Methods and Results. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in a completely randomized block design with four treatments: AMF colonization, well-watered; non-AMF colonization, well-watered; AMF colonization with drought stress; and non-AMF colonization with drought stress. The concentration of sucrose and proline in the leaves was higher in mycorrhizal grapevine than in nonmycorrhizal grapevine under drought stress. The concentration of malonaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion, and glutathione and the activity of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity in leaves were higher in mycorrhizal grapevine than in nonmycorrhizal grapevine under drought conditions. AMF inoculation affected the expression of drought-responsive genes. Mycorrhization upregulated the expression of VvNCED, VvP5CS, VvSIP, VvPIP1;2, and VvTIP2;1 genes under drought stress. Conclusions. AMF could reduce the harm caused by drought stress by regulating osmosis, antioxidant activities, and the expression of key drought-responsive genes and aquaporin genes. Significance of the Study. This work provides insights into the physiological and biochemical activities influenced by AMF on grapevine under drought stress.
Optimal Calibration Method of PIGA’s Orthogonal Poses for Gravity Field Testing
Authors: Zhou Wenkai , Wang Wenming , Sun Chuang
Published: August 2023

With the increasing requirements for accuracy of pendulous integrating gyroscopic accelerometer (PIGA), the key to the development of accuracy of PIGA is the advanced calibration methods. This paper focuses on the calibration method of the main error coefficients of PIGA on the indexing head table. The precise input accelerations and angular velocities are deduced and the complete error calibration model is established based on the corresponding coordinate systems. Then, the orthogonal 4‐pose calibration method of dual PIGAs is proposed to identify the harmonic term coefficients of angle error. The calibration uncertainty and efficiency of equal angle sequency and equal acceleration sequency calibration schemes are analyzed. Then, the optimal calibration method is proposed and the complete test process is designed, which can accurately and efficiently calibrate PIGA by compensating with the angle error and combining the two different sequency schemes. Simulation results show that 22‐position equal acceleration sequency scheme can calibrate bias and scale factor more accurately and the test cost of equal angle sequency scheme is lower. After compensation with angle error, the magnitudes of calibration uncertainties are decreased from 10−6 to 10−7 and the maximum value of relative fitting accuracy is decreased from 6.6 × 10−5 to 2.7 × 10−5 g by the proposed 22‐position optimal calibration method.
Modeling Suicidality with Multimodal Impulsivity Characterization in Participants with Mental Health Disorder
Authors: Moukaddam Nidal , Lamichhane Bishal , Salas Ramiro , Goodman Wayne , Sabharwal Ashutosh
Published: August 2023

Introduction. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death across different age groups. The persistence of suicidal ideation and the progression of suicidal ideations to action could be related to impulsivity, the tendency to act on urges with low temporal latency, and little forethought. Quantifying impulsivity could thus help suicidality estimation and risk assessments in ideation-to-action suicidality frameworks. Methods. To model suicidality with impulsivity quantification, we obtained questionnaires, behavioral tests, heart rate variability (HRV), and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging measurements from 34 participants with mood disorders. The participants were categorized into three suicidality groups based on their Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview: none, low, and moderate to severe. Results. Questionnaire and HRV-based impulsivity measures were significantly different between the suicidality groups with higher subscales of impulsivity associated with higher suicidality. A multimodal system to characterize impulsivity objectively resulted in a classification accuracy of 96.77% in the three-class suicidality group prediction task. Conclusions. This study elucidates the relative sensitivity of various impulsivity measures in differentiating participants with suicidality and demonstrates suicidality prediction with high accuracy using a multimodal objective impulsivity characterization in participants with mood disorders.
Extraintestinal Manifestations in Induced Colitis: Controversial Effects of N-Acetylcysteine on Colon, Liver, and Kidney
Authors: da Paz Martins Amylly Sanuelly , de Andrade Kívia Queiroz , de Araújo Orlando Roberto Pimentel , da Conceição Glenn Côsallin Melquiades , da Silva Gomes Amanda , Goulart Marília Oliveira Fonseca , Moura Fabiana Andréa
Published: August 2023

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by continuous inflammation in the colonic mucosa. Extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) occur due to the disruption of the intestinal barrier and increased permeability caused by redox imbalance, dysbiosis, and inflammation originating from the intestine and contribute to morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of oral N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on colonic, hepatic, and renal tissues in mice with colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Male Swiss mice received NAC (150 mg/kg/day) in the drinking water for 30 days before and during (DSS 5% v/v; for 7 days) colitis induction. On the 38th day, colon, liver, and kidney were collected and adequately prepared for the analysis of oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reduced (GSH), glutathione oxidized (GSSG), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)) and inflammatory biomarkers (myeloperoxidase (MPO) –, tumor necrosis factor alpha – (TNF-α, and interleukin-10 (IL-10)). In colon, NAC protected the histological architecture. However, NAC did not level up SOD, in contrast, it increased MDA and pro-inflammatory effect (increased of TNF-α and decreased of IL-10). In liver, colitis caused both oxidative (MDA, SOD, and GSH) and inflammatory damage (IL-10). NAC was able only to increase GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio. Kidney was not affected by colitis; however, NAC despite increasing CAT, GSH, and GSH/GSSG ratio promoted lipid peroxidation (increased MDA) and pro-inflammatory action (decreased IL-10). Despite some beneficial antioxidant effects of NAC, the negative outcomes concerning irreversible oxidative and inflammatory damage in the colon, liver, and kidney confirm the nonsafety of the prophylactic use of this antioxidant in models of induced colitis, suggesting that additional studies are needed, and its use in humans not yet recommended for the therapeutic routine of this disease.
Antifungal Activity of Plantago lanceolata and Sida ovata Leaf Extracts against Dermatomycotic Fungi
Authors: Jiru Tamene Milkessa , Getahun Muluneh
Published: August 2023

Plantago lanceolata and Sida ovata have been used as medicinal plants for centuries to cure numerous diseases. This study aimed to evaluate antifungal activity of P. lanceolata and S. ovata leaf extracts against dermatomycotic fungi. Crude extracts from leaves of both plants were prepared using methanol and ethyl acetate. Phytochemical screening of both plants leaves was performed. Antifungal activity of crude extracts was evaluated against three dermatomycotic fungi (Candida albicans, Malassezia furfur, and Malassezia globosa). In addition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts was determined by microbroth dilution method. Maximum inhibition zone of 32.00 ± 11.64 mm was exhibited when combined ethyl acetate extract of both plants was applied against M. globosa. Best effect of MIC was demonstrated by ethyl acetate extract against most tested dermatomycotic fungi. Average MIC of ethyl acetate and methanol extracts ranged as follows: (0.19 ± 0.00 to 0.65 ± 0.00 mg/mL and 0.19 ± 0.00 to 0.52 ± 0.22 mg/mL) and (0.65 ± 0.22 to 1.56 ± 0.00 mg/mL and 0.19 ± 0.00 to 0.52 ± 0.00 mg/mL), respectively. Their synergistic effect was better than the effect of individual plant leaf extract. Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values varied across the fungal pathogens when extracts from both plants and their combinations were used. The findings from the current study support the traditional use of P. lanceolata and S. ovata against dermatomycotic fungal infections, which could potentially be exploited for the treatment of superficial infection in humans.
Identification of Potential Biomarkers of Septic Shock Based on Pathway and Transcriptome Analyses of Immune-Related Genes
Authors: Wang Jie , Cai Jie , Yue Linlin , Zhou Xixi , Hu Chunlin , Zhu Hongquan
Published: August 2023

Immunoregulation is crucial to septic shock (SS) but has not been clearly explained. Our aim was to explore potential biomarkers for SS by pathway and transcriptional analyses of immune-related genes to improve early detection. GSE57065 and GSE95233 microarray data were used to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SS. Gene Ontology and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were performed, and correlations between immune cell and pathway enrichment scores were analyzed. The predictive value of candidate genes was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. GSE66099, GSE4607, and GSE13904 datasets were used for external validation. Blood samples from six patients and six controls were collected for validation by qRT-PCR and western blotting. In total, 550 DEGs in SS were identified; these genes were involved in the immune response, inflammation, and infection. Immune-related pathways and levels of infiltration of CD4 + TCM, CD8 + T cells, and preadipocytes differed between SS cases and controls. Seventeen genes were identified as potential biomarkers of SS (areas under ROC curves >0.9). The downregulation of CD8A, CD247, CD3G, LCK, and HLA-DRA in SS was experimentally confirmed. We identified several immune-related biomarkers in SS that may improve early identification of disease risk.
Tool-assisted water scooping in Balinese long-tailed macaques
Authors: Cenni Camilla , Thierry Bernard , Wandia I Nengah , Leca Jean-Baptiste
Published: August 2023

While tool use has been widely reported in non-human animals for food acquisition, the use of tools for drinking has been largely overlooked, with primates being a notable exception. We documented tool-assisted water scooping and drinking in several Balinese long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), living in Ubud, Indonesia, over a period of four years. We observed repeated tool-assisted water scooping using leaves, nuts, pits, and stones. Our results indicate that this behaviour is associated with manual drinking and can be performed in a playful context. This population habitually engages in a cultural form of stone-assisted object play known as stone handling, and it has an overall propensity to manipulate objects in water. We discuss the relationship between instrumental and non-instrumental object-assisted actions, as well as the possibility for this behaviour to be a tradition in this population. This report offers new insights into the limited literature on tool-assisted drinking in monkeys.
In the Shadow of the Great Powers: Freedom of the Sea and Neutrality in the Long Eighteenth Century
Authors: Cattelan Stefano
Published: August 2023

This note announces the launch of a research project at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel with the generous support of the Carlsberg Foundation and guidance from Prof. dr. Frederik Dhondt. The project explores the early steps of one of the most dynamic and debated branches of international law, namely the law of the sea. It focuses on the interactions between the principle of the freedom of the sea, maritime neutrality and small powers’ diplomacy in the long eighteenth century. Analysing the rich archival material conserved in the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs – series Mémoires et documents, Correspondance politique – as well as the Danish National Archives, or Rigsarkivet, the project aims at the construction of a rich narrative of multiple uses of the law of the sea as an argumentative political-legal framework to express state and private interest. By a close reading of largely unexplored sources, the project contributes to the broader turn to state practice in the history of international law, a booming field of interdisciplinary research.
Nuremberg and Grotius’s Scholarship as Non-Grotian Moments: On Novelty-Bolstering in International Law
Authors: Bohrer Ziv
Published: August 2023

Since its 1980s coining by Richard Falk, the ‘Grotian Moment’ concept has garnered popularity in international law discourse, denoting a rapid, paradigm-shifting development in international law. This concept builds upon a prevalent recollection of two past events as such paradigm-shifts. The first is, obviously, the ‘original’ Grotian Moment, anointing Grotius as the Father of International Law, mainly for publishing, in 1625, his ground-breaking treatise, De Jure Belli ac Pacis, which is said to had brought about a momentous paradigm-shift that gave rise to modern (statist and secular), or even the first-ever-effective, international law. The second event is the post-ww2 Nuremberg international trial. Presumably, from its mid-seventeenth-century birth to Nuremberg, international law was starkly statist, and so individuals had generally not been its subjects. This, among other things, meant that international criminal law (icl) was not acceptable. Nuremberg is, therefore, celebrated as the first-ever international criminal tribunal, as icl’s birthplace and even more generally as the turning-point in international law’s attitude towards the individual. Simply put, Nuremberg is considered the prototype of a modern Grotian Moment. However, this paper shows that neither 1625 nor 1945 were truly Grotian Moments (their significance notwithstanding) and present’s likely causes for those myths. The paper further reveals that these myths, as well as the current embrace of the ‘Grotian Moment’ concept, are all manifestations of a larger, understudied phenomenon: that internationalists, evermore obsessed with perceiving themselves as cutting-edge, too often satisfy that fix by erasing the past.
Hugo Grotius’s De Iure Belli ac Pacis: A Report on the Worldwide Census of the Seventh Edition (1646)
Authors: Cleary Matthew , Corredera Edward Jones , Dufour Pablo Nicolas , Nathan Jonathan , Salerno Emanuele , Somos Mark
Published: August 2023

This research note offers a contextual overview of the printing history of Johann Blaeu’s 1646 octavo edition of Hugo Grotius’s De iure belli ac pacis (ibp). The note examines the printing process of the last edition that was prepared while Grotius was still alive, though it was published after his death. The note also sheds light on the theological dimension of some readers’ annotations, and concludes by discussing the impact this edition had on the modern versions of the text.
Grotian Moments and Appeals to Authority in Law and History
Authors: Cleary Matthew , Dufour Pablo Nicolas , Salerno Emanuele , Somos Mark
Published: August 2023

This article examines whether the publication of Hugo Grotius’s De iure belli ac pacis (ibp) constitutes a Grotian Moment. After a brief sketch of ibp’s early reception, we focus on the book’s uses in teaching, identifying and creating international law in the twenty-first century, and that ibp’s authority looms large in State practice, in opinio iuris, and in both scholarly and applied understandings of customary international law. While the publication of ibp meets the technical definition of a Grotian Moment, unquestioned invocations of ibp’s authority and contents are anachronistic and should be discontinued.
On the “Plateau Silk Road” Jointly Created by Ancient People of Various Ethnic Groups on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Wei Huo , Qiang Zeng
Published: August 2023

The “Silk Road” has referred to the roads or the road networks that facilitated East–West communication, with ancient China as the starting point in the East. For a long time, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the “roof of the world,” has not been included in discussions of the Silk Road, as it has been generally understood as dangerous for overland passage due to its location in the alpine snow region, challenging natural environment, and sparse population. As a result, few references on East–West passage through the plateau have been found in the historical records, in both the Chinese and Tibetan languages. However, archaeological discoveries in recent years have shown that from prehistoric times the early people on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau began their communication and exchanges with the outside world in various ways. No later than the Han and the Jin dynasties, the traditional “Land Silk Road” had extended its trunk routes into the plateau. During the Tang dynasty, as the Tubo kingdom expanded continuously, it built a relatively stable transportation and road network that connected it with South, Central, and East Asia, which this article terms the “Plateau Silk Road.” The formation of the Plateau Silk Road was of great significance, as it not only connected the “Land Silk Road” and the “Steppe Silk Road” in North China as well as the “Maritime Silk Road” and the “Southwest Silk Road” in South China as a whole, but also played an irreplaceable role in integrating the western territories of China and the ethnic groups inhabiting these territories into the Chinese national community. In this process, the ancient people of all ethnic groups on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau made important historical contributions.
Therapeutic and Clinical Nursing Values of Momordica charantia Extracts Combined with Hedyotis diffusa on Lung Cancer
Authors: Lv Xin , Zhou Linshui , Xu Liying
Published: August 2023

The separation and identification of bioactive substances that come from natural resources have aroused increasing attention. Momordica charantia (M. charantia) has a variety of bio-activities, containing anti-oxidation, immune regulation, anti-tumor, radiation protection,
anti-diabetes, and liver protection. After the extraction new substances from Momordica charantia, their treatment effect on lung cancer combined with Hedyotis diffusa was determined and the related mechanism was explored as well in this study. Firstly, the CCK-8 assay was conducted
and the inhibition of the new substances combined with Hedyotis diffusa. Next, the real time RT-PCR was conducted and the relative expression of the VEGF in the cancer cells was determined. In addition, the complete chloroplast genome sequence of M. charantia is followed by the
phylogenetic analysis.
Coupling Preparation of Reconstituted-Bamboo-Board and Xylooligosaccharide via Hydrothermal Desaccharification Catalyzed by Slight Solid Alkali
Authors: Jiang Yetao , Shen Zhiyi , Bu Cheng , Wu Zhen , Wang Xiaoyu , Hu Lei
Published: August 2023

Low-temperature carbonization is usually used to decompose bamboo hemicellulose to improve anti-decay and anti-mildew properties of bamboo board. Since xylan extraction from bamboo can produce xylo-oligosaccharides, there is a good coupling point between bamboo desaccharification and
xylo-oligosaccharide production. In this study, the solution of xylan in bamboo and the controllable degree of polymerization hydrolysis could be achieved by solid base catalytic hydrothermal desugar treatment as well as the mechanical properties of bamboo could be maintained. The yield of
xylan was up to 16.8% by appropriate alkali-suppressed method. In addition, the color of the desugared bamboo board was lighter, which was applicable to a wide range. Compared with carbonized bamboo board, the key mechanical properties of desugared bamboo board were significantly improved
by 2 to 4 times. Under the same conditions, the anti-decay and anti-mildew properties of d desugared bamboo board were better than those of carbonized bamboo board as well. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the feasibility of hydrothermal desaccharification coupling for the preparation
of outdoor reconstituted-bamboo-board.
Construction of Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) Simple Sequence Repeat Fingerprints and Application in Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability Testing
Authors: Ma Qiang , Chen Mengqiang , Liu Hong , Liu Liqing , Yin Jiwei , Yang Xi , Lv Jialin , Rao Dehua , Shi Shengyou , Xu Zhenjiang
Published: August 2023

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are highly polymorphism, good reproducibility, abundant number and co-dominant inheritance, and were considered to be one of the preferred molecular markers for DNA fingerprints in distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) testing. In this study,
10 representative Dimocarpus longan Lour (longan) varieties with significant differences were selected from 63 longan varieties according to the morphological characteristics. Based on PCR amplifications of the 10 selected varieties, 24 SSR primers pairs were screened from total 300
SSR primers pairs, to establish SSR fingerprints for all 63 longan varieties. The results showed that a total of 127 alleles were detected in 63 longan varieties, with an average of 5.29 alleles for each pair of primers. The Shannon’s index of the 24 pairs of SSR markers ranged from
0.64 to 1.58, with an average of 1.20. The polymorphism information content of each locus ranged from 0.32 to 0.72, with an average of 0.58. Clustering analysis indicated that most of the varieties with close genetic relationships tended to fall in the same cluster, and only a few in different
clusters or sub-clusters. The 63 longan varieties were completely identified by the optimal combination of 6 pairs of SSR primers (LY161, LY252, LY137, LY130, LY25 and LY34). Overall, DNA fingerprints of the 63 longan varieties were constructed based on these 24 pairs of SSR primers. This
study may provide a technical support for variety identification and similar variety screening in DUS detection in longan.
The Impact of Chemical Fertilizer Application on Ascorbic Acid-Glutathione Cycle, Methyl Jasmonate and Nitrosoglutathione Related Substances of Antioxidant Systems in Tobacco
Authors: Li Yu , Xu Sheng-Guang , Chen Ze-Bin , Fan Zhi-Wei , Ma Huan-Jin , Hong Yong-Zhong , Yi Sheng-Yue , Kong Chui-Si
Published: August 2023

The unreasonable application of chemical fertilizer as abiotic stress can affect the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the synthesis of related substances, thereby affecting the antioxidant systems mediated by Ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, Methyl jasmonate (MeJA),
S-Nitrosothiols (SNOs) in tobacco plants. Up to now, further research is needed on the impact of chemical fertilizer application on the above antioxidant system in tobacco plants. In this study, the flue-cured tobacco cultivar ‘Yunyan 87’ (Nicotiana tabacum L.) was used
as the material. The content of non-enzyme antioxidants and related enzyme activities of AsA-GSH cycle system, the content of MeJA and SNOs in tobacco leaves, as well as tobacco yield were detected, to study the effects of different amount of fertilizer application (T1 = 30 g/plant, T2 = 45
g/plant, T3 = 60 g/plant) on related indicators of antioxidant system. The results indicated that the content of non-enzymatic antioxidants (AsA and GSH) and the activities of related enzymes in the AsA-GSH cycle, including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR) and monodehydroascorbate
reductase (MDHAR) exhibited first increased and then decreased with increasing amount of fertilizer application. Most of the treatments showed significant differences. T3 treatment markedly reduced MeJA content compared to T1 and T2 treatments. With the increase of fertilizer application,
the content of SNOs and the activity of S-Nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) in tobacco leaves exhibited an initial increase, followed by a decrease, and finally increasing trend, with notable differences among most treatments. Tobacco yield markedly decreased in the T1 treatment compared
to the T2 and T3 treatments; however, no obvious difference between T2 and T3 treatments. Altogether, the fertilizer application of T1 (30 g/plant) was too low, which was not conducive to the synthesis of antioxidant substances in tobacco leaves. However, the fertilizer application amount
of T3 (60 g/plant) was attributed to excessive application, which caused high salt stress on the growth of tobacco plants. This study provides a basic reference for optimizing fertilizer application in tobacco production.
Chemical Composition and Biological Properties of Essential Oils of Zingiber officinale, Citrus sinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, and Cinnamomum cassia
Authors: Hamdi Hamida , Zaid Abeer Abu
Published: August 2023

Essential oils have recently received a lot of attention due to their numerous uses in natural functional ingredients, Cosmetics, pharmaceutical formulations, and biomedical products. In our research,, the chemical composition and biological effects of four commercial essential oils
obtained extracted from four different plants, Zingiber officinale (Ginger), Citrus sinensis (Orange), Cinnamomum camphora (Camphor), and Cinnamomum cassia (Cinnamon cassia) were analyzed and determined. GC-MS was used to analyze the chemical composition of four
essential oils. The disc diffusion technique, minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) analysis were used to determine the antibacterial effect of essential oils against Gram positive (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram negative
(Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli) bacteria. The cytotoxic activity was also evident against cervical carcinoma cells and prostate Carcinoma cells. By GC-MS analysis, the four essential oils, Z. officinale, C. inensis, C. camphor, and
C.cassia contained 32, 8, 16, and 9 components in total, respectively. Results, Most of studied essential oils showed antibacterial activities; C. cassia recorded the highest effect against tested strains, followed by C. inensis and C. camphor. C. cassia
EO showed a strong inhibitory action against B. cereus and E. coli by inhibiting the region 45.7±0.55, and 40.5±0.53 respectively, while Z. officinale showed no effect against B. cereus, and S. aureus Gve+. The lowest value of MIC and MBC for
C. cassia EO is ∼25 μL/mL against B.cereus. C. cassia was the most effective against used mammalian Cell Lines (IC50 values of 52.5±1.59 and 47.46±1.28 μg/mL) followed by C. camphora (IC50 values of 53.23±1.68
and 60.64±1.76 μg/mL). Finally, essential oils have shown a good alternative to replace antibiotics and anti cancer drugs.
The Opportunity of Cyanobacterial Sludge and Bagasse Biomass Energy in the Biggest Change in a Century
Authors: Xu Lin , Mu Zhenye , Liao Shaohua
Published: August 2023

Through orthogonal test and single factor experiment, biochar (BC) was ready by exploitation cyanobacterial sludge and bagasse to explore the potential of changing completely different energy at different carbonization temperatures and the result of Cr(VI) removal by BC. Biochar was
prepared from dried cyanobacterial sludge and bagasse under 500 °C, 400 °C and 300 °C at 3.0 h, 2.5 h and 2.0 h under high temperature limited oxygen, respectively. Orthogonal experiments were used to conduct L9(34) three-factor and three-level experiments.
Combined with single factor experiments, the optimal combination conditions for Cr(VI) removal were explored. Solid-state energy mainly was in the form of biochar yield. Higher temperature and content of biochar from bagasse had lower solid-state energy by biochar yield (44.00%±0.35%).
Cyanobacterial sludge has wide application prospect and nice potential and application prospect in energy conversion. The dismissal of Cr(VI) with biochar was the primary to extend, and so decrease with the rise of charring temperature. The highest expulsion of Cr(VI) was attained once the
mass quantitative relation of mixed biochar was 3:1. With a charring time of 2.5 hours, a charring temperature of 400 °C, and a biochar mass quantitative relation of 3:1, up to 98% of Cr(VI) was removed most effectively. Medium temperature biochar and biochar prepared from the mixture
of cyanobacteria sludge and bagasse are beneficial to the production of solid energy. Cyanobacterial sludge-based biochar has broad application prospects, especially in energy conversion. In the orthogonal experiment, the sequence of influences of various factors on Cr(VI) removal rate was
as follows: carbonation temperature > carbonation time > biochar ratio. The following were the ideal conditions for removing Cr(VI) from biochar: acieration temperature (400 °C), acieration time (2.5 hours), and biochar mass-quantity ratio of 3:1.
Effect of Applying Organic Fertilizer to Tobacco Leaves on the Quality and Taste of Cigarettes
Authors: Wang Wei , Ma Wenguang , Zhao Wenshan , Han Tianhua , Tai Xianchang , Liao Dezhi
Published: August 2023

Tobacco production is a significant industry worldwide, and the quality of tobacco leaves is a crucial factor in determining the taste and quality of cigarettes. The use of synthetic fertilizers in tobacco production has been the traditional method for providing nutrients to tobacco
plants. However, the use of synthetic fertilizers can have harmful effects on human health and the environment. In recent years, organic fertilizers have emerged as an alternative method that offers numerous benefits, including improved soil quality, enhanced nutrient content in tobacco leaves
and reduced harmful chemicals. This paper aims to explore the impact of applying organic fertilizers to tobacco leaves on the quality and taste of cigarettes and to compare the benefits of organic fertilizers with those of synthetic fertilizers. The impact is analyzed by applying organic fertilizers
to tobacco leaves on the taste and quality of cigarettes, sensory evaluation tests, and chemical analysis. These sensory evaluation test can provide data on the flavor, aroma, and chemical composition of cigarettes produced with organic and synthetic fertilizers. Then hypothesis testing is
conducted to identify the significance of the organic fertilizers in improving the quality and taste of cigarettes produced from tobacco leaves grown with organic fertilizers versus synthetic fertilizers.
Research on Improving Urban River Micro-Ecological Environment by Combining CaO2 with Microorganisms
Authors: Dong Zhichao , Li Bin , Hou Jinfang , Ma Yue , Xu Binbin , Liu Aimin , Wu Haowen
Published: August 2023

Improving the micro-ecological environment in urban rivers is crucial for preventing river black and odorous phenomena. This study examined the effectiveness of using CaO2 and microorganisms in treating urban rivers with black and odorous phenomena. The results indicated
that this method had a high removal rate for ammonia nitrogen and COD in the overlying water, reaching 95.1% and 72.1%, respectively, and the dissolved oxygen concentration increased to 6.5 mg/L. The overall water quality met Class III water standards, and the sediment’s removal rates
of AVS and organic matter were 87.4% and 33.3%, respectively, reducing the potential risk of black and odorous phenomena in the water. Amplicon sequencing analysis showed that the combination of CaO2 and microorganisms improved the micro-ecological environment of the sediment by
increasing dissolved oxygen concentration, regulating redox potential, promoting oxidation of organic matter, ammonia nitrogen, and sulfides, and inhibiting microorganisms that cause black and odorous phenomena.
Modification of a Thermostable β-mannanase and Its High-Efficiency Expression
Authors: Li Xiaochun
Published: August 2023

A β-mannanase from Aspergillus usamii (A. usamii) belonging to glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 5 (abbreviated as AuMan5A) was selected as the research subject to enhance the enzyme protein’s thermotolerance and catalytic efficiency by replacing
a random coil (loop) structure on the enzyme molecule. Furthermore, the correlation between the structure and function of β-mannanase was clarified. Homology modeling was used to simulate the three-dimensional structure of AuMan5A, and mannopentaose was docked in the AuMan5A
substrate binding groove. Based on the spatial characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of the complex structure, a non-conserved loop structure (Loop FG) was speculated to be involved in enzyme-substrate interactions. Therefore, Loop FG was selected as the modified region. Additionally,
the corresponding fragments of Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Trichoderma harzianum β-mannanases were selected to replace the Loop FG sequence (316KSPDGGN322) of AuMan5A, respectively, based on the enzymological
properties and structural characteristics of other fungal GH 5 family β-mannanases. Mutant enzyme bases were constructed by PCR, and using plasmid pPICZαA, the original and mutant enzymes were expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115 to analyze the enzymological properties
of the expressed products. Recombinant enzymes re-AuMan5A, re-AuMan5A-Af, re-AuMan5A-An, and re-AuMan5A-Th had an optimum temperature of 65 °C, 75 °C, 65 °C, and 70 °C, respectively. Their activity half-lives at 70 °C were 10 min, 480 min, 5
min, and 25 min, respectively, and their melting temperatures were 64.5 °C, 76.6 °C, 63.2 °C, and 69.1 °C, respectively. Re-AuMan5A-Af, re-AuMan5A-An, and re-AuMan5A-Th had a kcat/km (catalytic efficiency) value that
was 12.7, 6.0, and 11.0 times higher than re-AuMan5A, respectively, with re-AuMan5A-Af exhibiting the best temperature characteristics and catalytic efficiency. The G320-to-D320 mutation of AuMan5A during loop structure replacement significantly affected AuMan5A/Af’s
enzymological properties, suggesting the vital role of G320 in improving AuMan5A/Af’s thermostability, specific activity, and catalytic efficiency.
Environmental Impact of Wasteyard Leachate Pollution, It’s Health Risks with Some Microbial and Ecological Implications
Authors: Uguru H. , Essaghah A. E. , Akwenuke O.M. , Akpokodje O. I. , Sami Rokayya , Helal Mahmoud , Kadi Roqayah H.
Published: August 2023

The study was carried out to assess the public health risks from the consumption of farm crops and vegetables cultivated around active municipal solid waste dumpsites in Delta State. Using the experimental research method soil and vegetation (cassava leaves) samples were collected from
ten spatial locations around municipal solid waste dumpsites (SWD), scrap metals yards (SMY) and agricultural farms and subjected to laboratory analysis of relevant physic-chemical parameters. Heavy metals like cadmium “Cd”, iron “Fe”, nickel “Ni” and lead
“Pb” concentrations including, total variable bacteria (TVB) and Salmonella spp load in collected samples were determined in accordance with standard procedures. The results revealed a substantial spatial dispersion of the heavy metals, TVB and Salmonella spp concentrations
within the two study areas. Remarkably, the bacteria level was higher in the SWD than in the SMY while the heavy metals concentration was higher in the SMYs when compared to the SWD. Spatially, soil and vegetation around the SMD area had higher HMs’ Hazard quotient, Hazard index
and Carcinogenic risk values, when compared to the soil around the SMY region, but all their status were within safe limits for the human health. Salmonella spp population in the SWD and SMY soil ranged from 1.33 to 39.33 cfu/g of dry soil and 1.04 to 8.67 cfu/g of dry soil respectively
while the TVB count ranged from 6233 cfu/g to 46500 cfu/g of dry soil. Although the heavy metal contamination levels in the soil samples were within safe limits, the presence of the pathogenic bacterium in the soil pose health threat to the inhabitants of the regions.
Development and Performance Evaluation of Watermelon Pulper Based on Mechanical Action of Crushing and Shearing Force
Authors: Amitabh Anupam , Kumar Vishal , Jain Sanjay Kumar , Kashyap Vinita , Sami Rokayya , Helal Mahmoud , Aljuraide N. I. , Uguru H.
Published: August 2023

Pulpers available in market have two concentric drums, one for sieving the crushed fruit pulp and other serve as housing. A motorized single drum brush type watermelon pulper was designed and fabricated unlike the available pulper in market. The pulper designed was simple, low cost,
high capacity and easy to operate and required less cleaning effort and time. The pulper consist of the feed hopper, choppers, screw conveyor, cylindrical main housing with baffles, a perforated screen, juice outlet, waste outlet and a shaft with two beaters and nylon brushes. The auger conveyed
the chopped fruit pieces while the beaters/brushes crushed, pressed and squeezed the fruits to extract the pulp. The motor, extraction unit shaft and chopper shaft had speed 1440, 360 and 90 respectively for effective pulp recovery. The developed pulper has an overall dimension of 890 mm ×
300 mm × 300 mm and weighed 33.20 kg. The pulper has an average throughput of 1100 kg/h with an average extraction efficiency of 90.14 percent.
The Yield and Quality Formation of Wheat Induced by Exogenous Strigolactones in Drought Condition
Authors: Wang Yanjing , Zang Hecang , Fang Baoting , Yue Junqin , Du Simeng , Jin Haiyang , Yang Cheng , Zhang Deqi , Wang Hanfang , Shao Yunhui , Li XiangDong
Published: August 2023

Drought is one of the major disasters affecting wheat. The change of wheat yield and quality directly affects the global population diet health. In this study, Strigolactones (SL) were sprayed on the leaf surface to study the relationship between wheat photosynthesis, nitrogen transport
and yield and quality formation, further clarifying the influence of Sl on the synergic formation of yield and quality. The results showed that Sl could promote the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments in leaves, reduce nitrogen content in aging leaves and improve nitrogen transport level,
then promote the improvement of grain yield and quality, so as to provide a reference for the application of Sl in wheat stress-resistant cultivation.
Nano-Liposome Co-Loaded with C-X-C Chemokine Ligand 12/CXCR4 Pathway Inhibitor Synergistically Increases the Immune Efficacy of Anti-PD-L1 and Increase Anti-Tumor Activity of Effector T Cells
Authors: Zhao Peng , Wang Jun , karkheiran Behnaz , Alesaeidi Samira , Nourbakhsh Ehsan , Kahrizi Mohammad Saeed , Mir Asal
Published: August 2023

Blockade of the immune checkpoint programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) or programmed death receptor ligand-1 (PD-L1) enhances the antitumor activity of effector T cells. However, many patients lack response to PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. Enhancing the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors
by improving the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) has emerged as a promising cancer treatment strategy. In this study, a new nano-liposome (PD-L1/siCXCL12-Lp) of C-X-C chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) siRNA and anti-PD-L1 peptide (PD-L1/siCXCL12-Lp) responsive to matrix metalloproteinases
(MMPs) was constructed, combined with siCXCL12. The regulation of TME and the immunomodulatory effect of anti-PD-L1 peptide to synergistically enhance the antitumor immune response. The animal experiment protocol was reviewed and approved by the Biomedical Ethics Committee of Peking University.
This study showed that PD-L1/siCXCL12-Lp directly downregulated CXCL12 expression in vitro (33.8%) and in vivo (15.5%), and effectively increased the CD8+/Treg ratio (20.0%), which favored anti-PD-L1 peptides better exert its immune function. Combination therapy significantly
inhibited tumor growth (52.08%) with good safety, exploring new ideas for cancer immunotherapy.
Peripheral Nervous System Regeneration via Phenytoin-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded into Nanofibrous Artificial Neural Guidance Channels
Authors: Yan Zhaoyi , Yan Yang
Published: August 2023

In the current study, we used phenytoin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles in order to improve the healing potential of cellulose acetate-based neural guidance channels. Neural channels were produced via electrospinning method and rolling up the electrospun sheets. Drug-loaded chitosan nanoparticles
were prepared using ionotropic gelation method. The produced nanoparticles were then loaded into collagen hydrogel and injected into the lumen of neural conduits upon implantation. Various experiments were performed in order to characterize the developed system. The healing activity of neural
channels was investigated in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury. Results of in vivo study showed that nanoparticle-loaded conduits had comparable healing activity with autograft group as evidenced by functional recovery assays. Phenytoin-delivering neural channels could significantly
improve the tissue expression level of brain derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor genes. The proposed system can be potentially considered as an alternative treatment strategy for nerve grafting in clinic.
Long Intergenic Non-Protein Coding RNA 00342 Exerts Oncogenic Effects in Prostate Cancer by Sponging microRNA-19b-3p and Thereby Increasing Forkhead Box F2 Expression
Authors: Li Qingyuan , Zhong Jingjie , Zhang Jandong , Zhang Hao , Li Feng
Published: August 2023

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in males with increasing morbidity and mortality. Related reports indicate that lncRNAs may be a new class of potential tumor molecular markers. Compared with the normal tissues, the expression level of LINC00342 in prostate cancer tissues was significantly increased. Compared with normal PC3 and DU145 cells, cells silenced by the LINC00342 gene significantly decreased the ability of proliferation, migration, invasion, and induced apoptosis. Further, the FISH assay showed that LINC00342 could interact with miR-19b-3p and control the expression of Forkhead Box F2 (FOXF2), the target of miR-19b-3p. LINC00342 could activate the ERK/AKT signaling pathways. Tumor xenograft formation assay demonstrated that the down-regulated LINC00342 prevented tumor formationin vivo. Taken together, these results indicated that the interference of LINC00342 expression might inhibit the invasion, migration and promote apoptosis of prostate cancer cells by inhibiting the ERK1/2/AKT signaling pathway via sponging miRNA-19b-3p and thereby increasing FOXF2 expression.
Application of Nano-Calcium Phosphate Coated Porous Tantalum Scaffold in Repair of Rabbit Cartilage Defect
Authors: Liu Zongbao , Jia Guanghui , Xu Yang , Hu Mu
Published: August 2023

Calcium coated scaffolds and their role in repair of bone defects have been widely studied in the last decades. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) loaded nano-calcium phosphate (CaP) coated porous tantalum scaffolds (PTS) on regenerative
and reparative potency of cartilage defects in rabbits. We used New Zealand white rabbit cartilage defect models. The subjects were randomly grouped into 4: (1) a control group (no treatment), (2) a PTS group, (3) a CaP/PTS group, and (4) a CaP/PTS/BMP-7 groups. The characterization and in
vitro biocompatibility of each scaffold were evaluated. Following scaffold implantation, we evaluated the gross observation score, Micro-CT observation parameters, and the mRNA of target genes. No visible difference was detected in water contact angle (WCA) and cell proliferation activity
after co-culture among the PTS, CaP/PTS, and CaP/PTS/BMP-7 scaffold groups (P >0.05). Gross observation scores, trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular mineral density (TMD), bone volume fraction (BV/TV), COL2A1, SOX-9, Aggrecan, and RUNX-2 showed an obvious
increase among the PTS, CaP/PTS, and CaP/PTS/BMP-7 groups to those with no treatment (P <0.05). Also, the PPARγ showed an obvious decline (P <0.05). Gross observation scores, Tb.Th, Tb.N, TMD, BV/TV, COL2A1, SOX-9, Aggrecan, and RUNX-2 increased and PPARγ
decreased in CaP/PTS/BMP-7 group to PTS and CaP/PTS groups (P <0.05). Our findings indicate that PT scaffolds enhance the reparative potency of cartilage defects in New Zealand rabbits promoted the repair of cartilage defects in rabbits. This effect is boosted among those treated
with the BMP-7 loaded nano-CaP coated PTS, and this group showed improved regenerative and reparative potency.
Catha Edulis Extract Loaded Nanofibrous Neural Channels Augment Sciatic Nerve Injury Repair Trough Upregulation of BDNF and NGF Genes
Authors: Lyu Pin , Chen Xiangxian
Published: August 2023

The study investigated the impact of regular treadmill exercise and catha edulis extract-loaded nanofibrous scaffolds on rats with sciatic nerve injury. The findings indicated that PC-12 cells survived on the membranes and exhibited greater metabolic activity on the catha edulis extract-loaded
nanofibrous membranes. Furthermore, the combined approach improved sciatic nerve healing, as confirmed by histopathological examinations and functional recovery in vivo. Additionally, gene expression studies revealed an increase in BDNF and NGF genes due to this approach.