bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
European and American Strains of Porcine Parainfluenza Virus 1 (PPIV-1) Belong to Two Distinct Genetic Lineages
Authors: Stadejek Tomasz , Cybulski Piotr , Gauger Phillip C. , Woźniak Aleksandra
Published: March 2022

Porcine parainfluenza virus 1 (PPIV-1) is a recently emerged respirovirus closely related to human parainfluenza virus 1 (HPIV-1) and Sendai virus (SenV). PPIV-1 has been detected in Asia, the Americas and Europe, but knowledge on its epidemiology and genetic diversity is very limited. In the present study, the complete nucleotide sequences of the fusion (F)-protein gene obtained from samples from 12 Polish and 11 US herds were analysed and compared to previously available genetic data from the Americas, Asia and Europe. The existence of two distinct clades was observed, grouping European sequences and one Hong Kong sequence (clade 1), or one American sequence and three Asian sequences (clade 2). The mean genetic distances measured with the p-distance were 0.04 (S.E., 0.000) within both clades, and 0.095 (S.E., 0.006) between the clades. Moreover, two distinct clusters of highly similar sequences were identified, which corresponded to the geographically distant nurseries and finishing units, from three pig flows within one Polish pig-production company. The obtained data indicate that the two PPIV-1 lineages may have evolved independently in Europe and America. More studies, particularly involving Asian viruses, are necessary to understand the virus’ emergence and epidemiology and the role of carriers in the spread of PPIV-1.
Isavuconazole Treatment for Invasive Fungal Infections in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Zimmermann Philippe , Brethon Benoit , Roupret-Serzec Julie , Caseris Marion , Goldwirt Lauriane , Baruchel André , de Tersant Marie
Published: March 2022

This work’s objective was to evaluate the safety of isavuconazole (ISA) as a treatment or prophylaxis for invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in immunocompromised children. IFI was reported as proven or probable according to international definitions. Therapeutic drug monitoring was performed using mass tandem spectrometry to quantify trough plasma concentrations. Targeted ISA levels were 2–4 mg/L, as reported in adult series. Nine patients received ISA as a curative treatment, and six received ISA as prophylaxis. IFIs were proven in four cases and probable in five. The median ISA trough plasma concentration in curative use was 3.19 mg/L [0.88;5.00], and it was 2.94 mg/L [2.77;3.29] in the prophylactic use. The median durations of treatment were 81 days [15;276] and 95 days [15;253], respectively. Three patients had elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and three patients had elevated creatinine serum. The IFI response was satisfactory in all cases at day 90. No side effects were reported. No patients developed an IFI. Our data underline the safety of an ISA 100 mg dosing regimen in children of <30 kg, which we recommend in this fragile population. We suggest that ISA plasma levels are monitored 10 days after ISA initiation and then every two weeks, alongside guided therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) administration.
Biopolitics and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Foucauldian Interpretation of the Danish Government’s Response to the Pandemic
Authors: Højme Philip
Published: March 2022

With the coronavirus pandemic and the Omicron variant once again forcing countries into lockdown (as of late 2021), this essay seeks to outline a Foucauldian critique of various legal measures taken by the Danish government to cope with COVID-19 during the first year and a half of the pandemic. The essay takes a critical look at the extra-legal measures employed by the Danish government, as the Danish politicians attempted to halt the spread of the, now almost forgotten, Cluster 5 COVID-19 variant. This situation will serve as a critical point from where to start using Foucault’s writings on life and biopolitics in order to expose various legally problematic governmental decisions that became visible during the handling of COVID-19 in general and the Cluster 5 mutation in particular. Reframing the pandemic within Foucault’s concept of biopolitics, this essay concludes that the state of exception has led to an increase in biopolitical logic, where some lives have come to matter more than others. As a critical counterpoint to this logic, the conclusion suggests that the notion of biocommunism could provide a suitable reconfiguration of communism. A reconfiguration that could mitigate some of the issues related to biopolitics is uncovered earlier in the essay.
Visible Light Communication: An Investigation of LED Non-Linearity Effects on VLC Utilising C-OFDM
Authors: Abdulwali Jummah , Boussakta Said
Published: March 2022

The electro-optic output of light-emitting diodes commonly used in visible light communication systems is generally nonlinear in nature. It is particularly problematic when using advanced modulation formats, such as orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), which have a high peak-to-average power ratio due to clipping and distortion. In this work, we introduce the so-called C-transform to the system architecture, which utilises a Walsh–Hadamard matrix in conjunction with a discrete cosine transform to deterministically spread the information and reduce the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). Several bias points along the electro-optic transfer function were selected for comparison purposes, and the new transform was compared with more traditional formulations of OFDM. This paper determines that the C-transform-based OFDM demonstrated the highest degree of independence from the non-linearity and yielded superior bit-error rate (BER) results. We note an improvement of ~2.5 dB in the power penalty at a BER of 10−4 in comparison to OFDM.
Wavelength-Tunable Optical Two-Tone Signals Generated Using Single Mach-Zehnder Optical Modulator in Single Polarization-Mode Sagnac Interferometer
Authors: Chiba Akito , Akamatsu Yosuke
Published: March 2022

We demonstrate 60 GHz separation optical two-tone signal generation at arbitrary C-band wavelengths without involving complicated optical wavelength filtering. By utilizing a polarizer, the selective suppression of undesired low-order optical sidebands has been proven and optimized based on model analysis. By utilizing this scheme in conjunction with the optimized parameters, more than 20 dB of suppression of undesired optical sidebands have been successfully achieved over a 40 nm wavelength range. This scheme allows us to generate optical two-tone signals at the desired wavelength.
Predistortion Approaches Using Coefficient Approximation and Bidirectional LSTM for Nonlinearity Compensation in Visible Light Communication
Authors: Park Yun-Joong , Kim Joon-Young , Jung Jae-Il
Published: March 2022

A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) has a nonlinear characteristic, and it contains fundamental limitations for the performance of Visible Light Communication (VLC) systems in indoor environments when using intensity modulation with Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). In this paper, we investigate this nonlinear characteristic with analysis and proposal. At first, we identified the LED nonlinear characteristics in terms of bit-error performances. After analysis, we propose initial predistortion schemes to mitigate the nonlinearity matters. In the predistortion schemes, the nonlinear distortion compensation model contains predistortion features with the LED inverse characteristics. Considering a Direct-Current-biased Optical OFDM (DCO-OFDM) system, we compared the Bit-Error Rate (BER) performances with and without compensation via simulations. The performance on the LED with the compensation showed LED nonlinearity could significantly improve the bit-error performance. In addition, with consideration that the predistortion model is insufficient to represent LED distortion, we investigated possible opportunities of distortion correction using Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BLSTM), one of the leading deep learning approaches. Its result showed promising improvement of the distortion compensation as well.
Changes in Optical Properties of Model Cholangiocarcinoma after Plasmon-Resonant Photothermal Treatment
Authors: Genin Vadim D. , Bucharskaya Alla B. , Terentyuk Georgy S. , Khlebtsov Nikolai G. , Navolokin Nikita A. , Tuchin Valery V. , Genina Elina A.
Published: March 2022

The heating degree of the inner layers of tumor tissue is an important parameter required to optimize plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPT). This study reports the optical properties of tissue layers of transplanted cholangiocarcinoma and covering tissues in rats without treatment (control group) and after PPT using gold nanorods (experimental group). PPT was carried out for 15 min, and the temperature on the skin surface reached 54.8 ± 1.6 °C. The following samples were cut out ex vivo and studied: skin, subcutaneous connective tissue, tumor capsule, top, center, and bottom part of the tumor. The samples’ absorption and reduced scattering coefficients were calculated using the inverse adding–doubling method at 350–2250 nm wavelength. Diffuse reflectance spectra of skin surface above tumors were measured in vivo in the control and experimental groups before and immediately after PPT in the wavelength range of 350–2150 nm. Our results indicate significant differences between the optical properties of the tissues before and after PPT. The differences are attributed to edema and hemorrhage in the surface layers, tissue dehydration of the deep tumor layers, and morphological changes during the heating.
(2 + 1)-Maxwell Equations in Split Quaternions
Authors: Gogberashvili Merab
Published: March 2022

The properties of spinors and vectors in (2 + 2) space of split quaternions are studied. Quaternionic representation of rotations naturally separates two SO(2,1) subgroups of the full group of symmetry of the norms of split quaternions, SO(2,2). One of them represents symmetries of three-dimensional Minkowski space-time. Then, the second SO(2,1) subgroup, generated by the additional time-like coordinate from the basis of split quaternions, can be viewed as the internal symmetry of the model. It is shown that the analyticity condition, applying to the invariant construction of split quaternions, is equivalent to some system of differential equations for quaternionic spinors and vectors. Assuming that the derivatives by extra time-like coordinate generate triality (supersymmetric) rotations, the analyticity equation is reduced to the exact Dirac–Maxwell system in three-dimensional Minkowski space-time.
Creation and Use of Highly Adaptive Productive and Technological Red Currant Genotypes to Improve the Assortment and Introduction into Different Ecological and Geographical Zones
Authors: Panfilova Olga , Kahramanoğlu Ibrahim , Ondrasek Gabrijel , Okatan Volkan , Ryago Nelly , Tsoy Mikhail , Golyaeva Olga , Knyazev Sergey
Published: March 2022

Global climate change with the cyclicity of natural and climatic processes in the growing season of berry plants, causes weakening at the defense system to (a)biotic stressors, which actualize the need for accelerated cultivar-improving breeding. A new hybrid red currant material was obtained and studied by the method of interspecific hybridization. Correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between adaptively significant and economical and biological traits. To assess intergenotypic variability, hierarchical clustering was used according to the studied features, which allowed combining three standard methods of multidimensional data analysis. Genotypes adapted to different stressors were identified. The genotypes 271-58-24, 44-5-2, 261-65-19, and ‘Jonkheer van Tets’ were found to have a higher ratio of bound water to free water as compared with the others. Moreover, the genotypes of 271-58-24, 261-65-19, 77-1-47, and ‘Jonkheer van Tets’ were found to have less cold damage during the cold periods. The two most productive genotypes were found to be the genotypes 44-5-2, 143-23-35, and 1426-21-80. A dependence of yield on the beginning of differentiation of flower buds, which led to the abundance of flower inflorescences, was revealed. Rapid restoration of leaf hydration ensured successful adaptation of genotypes to the “temperature shock” of the growing season. The genotypes 271-58-24 and ‘Jonkheer van Tets’ were then observed to be far from the test traits and none of these traits were observed to characterize these two genotypes. The genotypes of 261-65-19 and 77-1-47 were then observed to be characterized by their high stability to Cecidophyopsis ribis scores. Genotypes 261-65-19 and 271-58-24, obtained with the participation of ‘Jonkheer van Tets’ as the maternal form, showed sufficient resistance to Pseudopeziza ribis and Cecidophyopsis ribis. Overall results suggested that the hydration recovery of red currant plants is significantly important for a yield improvement. A new cultivar ’Podarok Pobediteliam (genotype 44-5-2) was obtained that meets the requirements of intensive gardening and is characterized by high adaptability, productivity, and technological effectiveness.
Coordination of Chloroplast Activity with Plant Growth: Clues Point to TOR
Authors: D’Alessandro Stefano
Published: March 2022

Photosynthesis is the defining function of most autotrophic organisms. In the plantae kingdom, chloroplasts host this function and ensure growth. However, these organelles are very sensitive to stressful conditions and the photosynthetic process can cause photooxidative damage if not perfectly regulated. In addition, their function is energivorous in terms of both chemical energy and nutrients. To coordinate chloroplast activity with the cell’s need, continuous signaling is required: from chloroplasts to cytoplasm and from nucleus to chloroplasts. In this opinion article, several mechanisms that ensure this communication are reported and the many clues that point to an important role of the Target of Rapamycin (TOR) kinase in the coordination between the eukaryotic and prokaryotic sides of plants are highlighted.
Plant Growth Regulators in Tree Rooting
Authors: Brunoni Federica , Vielba Jesús Mª , Sánchez Conchi
Published: March 2022

Trees are long-lived organisms with complex life cycles that provide enormous benefits both in natural and cultivated stands [...]
Low Salt Treatment Results in Plant Growth Enhancement in Tomato Seedlings
Authors: Rivera Paola , Moya Cristian , O’Brien José A.
Published: March 2022

Climate change together with excessive fertilization and poor water quality can affect soil quality and salinization. In plants, high salinity causes osmotic stress, ionic toxicity, and oxidative stress. Consequently, salt stress limits plant development, growth, productivity, and yield. Tomatoes are a very common agricultural product, and some cultivars can partially tolerate salinity. However, most studies are focused on salt excess, which does not necessarily extrapolate on how plants develop in soils with low concentrations of salts. Thus, this study characterizes plant growth and the development of different salt concentrations from 25 to 200 mM in Solanum lycopersicum cv. Moneymaker. Tomato seedlings grown in Murashige and Skoog medium supplied with different NaCl concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200 mM) showed that low salt concentrations (25 and 50 mM) have a positive impact on lateral root development. This was further observed in physiological parameters such as shoot length, primary root length, and proliferation of lateral roots versus controls. Interestingly, no significant changes in Na+ concentration were observed in 25 mM NaCl in roots or shoots versus controls. Overall, our results suggest that non-toxic salt concentrations can have a positive impact on plant development.
Chemical Diversity of Flavan-3-Ols in Grape Seeds: Modulating Factors and Quality Requirements
Authors: Padilla-González Guillermo , Grosskopf Esther , Sadgrove Nicholas , Simmonds Monique
Published: March 2022

Grape seeds are a rich source of flavan-3-ol monomers, oligomers, and polymers. The diverse profile of compounds includes mainly B-type procyanidins (especially C4→C8 linked molecules) and the key monomers, catechin, and epicatechin that are positively implicated in the ‘French Paradox’. Today grape seed nutraceuticals have become a multi-million-dollar industry. This has created incentives to elucidate the variations in chemistry across cultivars, to identify signs of adulteration, and to understand the intrinsic and extrinsic factors controlling the expression of metabolites in the seeds’ metabolome. This review provides a critical overview of the existing literature on grape seed chemistry. Although the biosynthetic pathways for polymeric procyanidins in seeds have not yet been explained, abiotic factors have been shown to modulate associated genes. Research of extrinsic factors has demonstrated that the control of procyanidin expression is strongly influenced, in order of importance, by genotype (species first, then variety) and environment, as claimed anecdotally. Unfortunately, research outcomes on the effects of abiotic factors have low certainty, because effects can be specific to genotype or variety, and there is limited control over physical metrics in the field. Thus, to gain a fuller understanding of the effects of abiotic factors and biosynthetic pathways, and realise potential for optimisation, a more fundamental research approach is needed. Nevertheless, the current synthesis offers insight into the selection of species or varieties according to the profile of polyphenols, as well as for optimisation of horticultural practices, with a view to produce products that contain the compounds that support health claims.
Euphocactoside, a New Megastigmane Glycoside from Euphorbia cactus Growing in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Aati Hanan Y. , Perveen Shagufta , Al-Qahtani Jawaher , Peng Jiangnan , Al-Taweel Areej , Alqahtani Ali S. , ElGamal Ali , Chianese Giuseppina , Nasr Fahd A. , Taglialatela-Scafati Orazio , Parvez Mohammad K.
Published: March 2022

A phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Euphorbia cactus Ehrenb. ex Boiss. revealed a new megastigmane, euphocactoside (5), along with eleven known metabolites. Euphocactoside (5) is the 3-O-glucoside derivative of a polyhydroxylated megastigmane showing unprecedented structural features. The structure of euphocactoside, including stereochemical details, was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis based on 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-ESIMS). The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against three different human cancer cell lines, namely, A549 (lung), LoVo (colon), and MCF-7 (breast), using MTT assay, and moderate to marginal activities were observed for compounds 1–3, 8 and 9 against all three cell lines.
Molecular Insights into Freezing Stress in Peach Based on Multi-Omics and Biotechnology: An Overview
Authors: Muthuramalingam Pandiyan , Shin Hyunsuk , Adarshan Sivakumar , Jeyasri Rajendran , Priya Arumugam , Chen Jen-Tsung , Ramesh Manikandan
Published: March 2022

In nature or field conditions, plants are frequently exposed to diverse environmental stressors. Among abiotic stresses, the low temperature of freezing conditions is a critical factor that influences plants, including horticultural crops, decreasing their growth, development, and eventually quality and productivity. Fortunately, plants have developed a mechanism to improve the tolerance to freezing during exposure to a range of low temperatures. In this present review, current findings on freezing stress physiology and genetics in peach (Prunus persica) were refined with an emphasis on adaptive mechanisms for cold acclimation, deacclimation, and reacclimation. In addition, advancements using multi-omics and genetic engineering approaches unravel the molecular physiological mechanisms, including hormonal regulations and their general perceptions of freezing tolerance in peach were comprehensively described. This review might pave the way for future research to the horticulturalists and research scientists to overcome the challenges of freezing temperature and improvement of crop management in these conditions.
Isolation and Molecular Characterisation of TtDro1A and TtDro1B Genes from Triticum turgidum Subspecies durum and turgidum, Study of Their Influences on Seedling Root Angles
Authors: Loarce Yolanda , Cabeza Alejandra , Cañas Rodrigo , González Juan M.
Published: March 2022

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum, 2n = 4x = AABB) includes several subspecies with differential characteristics in their root system architecture (RSA). Subspecies durum has longer and more vertical roots, while subspecies turgidum has smaller and shallower roots. The homeologous genes TtDro1A and TtDro1B of both subspecies have been identified and found to differ in their sizes, sequences and the proteins they encode. To determine whether there is a relationship between the level of expression of these two genes and the angle adopted by the roots of durum wheat seedlings, their expressions has been studied by RT-qPCR, both in the primary seminal root and in the other seminal roots. The results of the analyses showed that the TtDro1A gene is expressed 1.4 times more in the primary seminal root than in the other seminal roots. Furthermore, this gene is expressed 2.49 to 8.76 times more than TtDro1B depending on root type (primary or seminal) and subspecies. There are positive correlations between the expression ratio of both genes (TtDro1A/TtDro1B) and the mean of all root angles, the most vertical root angle and the most horizontal root angle of the seedlings. The higher the expression of TtDro1B gene, the lower the root growth angles.
Enhancement of Nuclear Fusion in Plasma Oscillation Systems
Authors: Wong Alfred YiuFai , Shih Chun-Ching
Published: March 2022

Concepts of dynamic oscillations of positive and negative ions to enhance fusion reactions are examined in this paper. Collective oscillations of positive and negative ions produce large oscillating electrostatic fields and could provide a significant reduction of the Coulomb potential barrier between the two interacting species (such as hydrogen anion H− and B+ in the hydrogen-boron fusion reaction). The negative hydrogen ions can be produced by populating low-temperature electrons around the neutral hydrogen atoms in a rotation chamber. The existence of H− ensures the stability of the plasma and the effectiveness of fusion interactions between H− and B+. In this paper, theoretical analyses of such oscillations systems will be presented and the conditions for fusion enhancement are discussed.
Correction: Shang et al. Charge Carriers Relaxation Behavior of Cellulose Polymer Insulation Used in Oil Immersed Bushing. Polymers 2022, 14, 336
Authors: Shang Yu , Liu Qiang , Mao Chen , Wang Sen , Wang Fan , Jian Zheng , Shi Shilin , Hao Jian
Published: March 2022

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper: [...]
Effect of Transfer Film on Tribological Properties of Anti-Friction PEI- and PI-Based Composites at Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Panin Sergey V. , Luo Jiangkun , Buslovich Dmitry G. , Alexenko Vladislav O. , Berto Filippo , Kornienko Lyudmila A.
Published: March 2022

The structure, mechanical and tribological properties of the PEI- and PI-based composites reinforced with Chopped Carbon Fibers (CCF) and loaded with commercially available micron-sized solid lubricant fillers of various nature (polymeric-PTFE, and crystalline-Gr and MoS2) were studied in the temperature range of 23–180 (240) °C. It was shown that tribological properties of these ternary composites were determined by the regularities of the transfer film (TF) adherence on their wear track surfaces. The patterns of TFs formation depended on the chemical structure of the polymer matrix (stiffness/flexibility) as well as the tribological test temperatures. Loading with PTFE solid lubricant particles, along with the strengthening effect of CCF, facilitated the formation and fixation of the TF on the sliding surfaces of the more compliant PEI-based composite at room temperature. In this case, a very low coefficient of friction (CoF) value of about 0.05 was observed. For the more rigid identically filled PI-based composite, the CoF value was twice as high under the same conditions. At elevated temperatures, rising both CoF levels and oscillation of their values made it difficult to retain the non-polar PTFE transfer film on the sliding surfaces of the PI-based composite. As a result, friction of the ceramic counterpart proceeded over the composite surface without any protecting TF at T ≥ 180 °C. For the sample with the more flexible PEI matrix, the PTFE-containing TF was retained on its sliding surface, providing a low WR level even under CoF rising and oscillating conditions. A similar analysis was carried out for the less efficient crystalline solid lubricant filler MoS2.
Polymeric Hydrogels as Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretome Delivery System in Biomedical Applications
Authors: Arifka Mia , Wilar Gofarana , Elamin Khaled M. , Wathoni Nasrul
Published: March 2022

Secretomes of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been successfully studied in preclinical models for several biomedical applications, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, and cancer therapy. Hydrogels are known to imitate a three-dimensional extracellular matrix to offer a friendly environment for stem cells; therefore, hydrogels can be used as scaffolds for tissue construction, to control the distribution of bioactive compounds in tissues, and as a secretome-producing MSC culture media. The administration of a polymeric hydrogel-based MSC secretome has been shown to overcome the fast clearance of the target tissue. In vitro studies confirm the bioactivity of the secretome encapsulated in the gel, allowing for a controlled and sustained release process. The findings reveal that the feasibility of polymeric hydrogels as MSC -secretome delivery systems had a positive influence on the pace of tissue and organ regeneration, as well as an enhanced secretome production. In this review, we discuss the widely used polymeric hydrogels and their advantages as MSC secretome delivery systems in biomedical applications.
A Molecular Dynamics Study of Cyanate Ester Monomer Melt Properties
Authors: Haber Rebecca , Browning Andrea , Graves Bayleigh , Davis William , Wiggins Jeffrey
Published: March 2022

The objective of this work was to computationally predict the melting temperature and melt properties of thermosetting monomers used in aerospace applications. In this study, we applied an existing voids method by Solca. to examine four cyanate ester monomers with a wide range of melting temperatures. Voids were introduced into some simulations by removal of molecules from lattice positions to lower the free-energy barrier to melting to directly simulate the transition from a stable crystal to amorphous solid and capture the melting temperature. We validated model predictions by comparing melting temperature against previously reported literature values. Additionally, the torsion and orientational order parameters were used to examine the monomers’ freedom of motion to investigate structure–property relationships. Ultimately, the voids method provided reasonable estimates of melting temperature while the torsion and order parameter analysis provided insight into sources of the differing melt properties between the thermosetting monomers. As a whole, the results shed light on how freedom of molecular motions in the monomer melt state may affect melting temperature and can be utilized to inspire the development of thermosetting monomers with optimal monomer melt properties for demanding applications.
Shape-Memory Composites Based on Ionic Elastomers
Authors: González-Jiménez Antonio , Bernal-Ortega Pilar , Salamanca Fernando M. , Valentin Juan L.
Published: March 2022

Shape-memory polymers tend to present rigid behavior at ambient temperature, being unable to deform in this state. To obtain soft shape-memory elastomers, composites based on a commercial rubber crosslinked by both ionic and covalent bonds were developed, as these materials do not lose their elastomeric behavior below their transition (or activation) temperature (using ionic transition for such a purpose). The introduction of fillers, such as carbon black and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), was studied and compared with the unfilled matrix. By adding contents above 10 phr of MWCNT, shape-memory properties were enhanced by 10%, achieving fixing and recovery ratios above 90% and a faster response. Moreover, by adding these fillers, the conductivity of the materials increased from ~10−11 to ~10−4 S·cm−1, allowing the possibility to activate the shape-memory effect with an electric current, based on the heating of the material by the Joule effect, achieving a fast and clean stimulus requiring only a current source of 50 V.
Investigation of High Voltage Polymeric Insulators Performance under Wet Pollution
Authors: Salem Ali Ahmed , Lau Kwan Yiew , Abdul-Malek Zulkurnain , Zhou Wenbin , Al-Ameri Salem , Al-Gailani Samir A. , Rahman Rahisham Abd
Published: March 2022

In this paper, a unique approach based on electrical characteristics observed from measurements of contaminated polymeric insulators was established to calculate the electric field distribution over their surfaces. A case study using two different 33 kV polymeric insulator geometric profiles was performed to highlight the benefits of the proposed modeling approach. The conductance of the pollution layer was tested to establish a nonlinear field-dependent conductivity for pollution modeling. The leakage current (LC) of the polluted insulator was measured in a laboratory under clean and wet conditions. Then, using the finite element method (FEM), the electric field and current density distributions along the insulator were computed. The results showed that the insulators experienced an increase in the electric field (EF) magnitude ranging from 0.3 kV/cm to 3.6 kV/cm for the insulator with similar sheds (type I) and 2.2–4.5 kV/cm for the insulator with alternating sheds (big and small, type II) under the high rain condition with a flow rate of 9 L/h. Meanwhile, the highest electric field under fog was 1.74 kV/cm for the insulator with similar sheds and 2.32 kV/cm for an insulator with alternating sheds. Due to the larger diameter on the big shed and the longer leakage distance on the insulator with alternating sheds, the EF on the insulator with alternating sheds is higher than the EF on the insulator with similar sheds. The proposed modeling and simulation provided a detailed field condition estimation around the insulators. This is critical for forecasting the emergence of dry bands and the commencement of flashover on the surfaces of the insulators.
Treatment of Mode Coupling in Step-Index Multimode Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibers by the Langevin Equation
Authors: Savović Svetislav , Li Linqing , Savović Isidora , Djordjevich Alexandar , Min Rui
Published: March 2022

By solving the Langevin equation, mode coupling in a multimode step-index microstructured polymer optical fibers (SI mPOF) with a solid core was investigated. The numerical integration of the Langevin equation was based on the computer-simulated Langevin force. The numerical solution of the Langevin equation corresponded to the previously reported theoretical data. We demonstrated that by solving the Langevin equation (stochastic differential equation), one can successfully treat a mode coupling in multimode SI mPOF as a stochastic process, since it is caused by its intrinsic random perturbations. Thus, the Langevin equation allowed for a stochastic mathematical description of mode coupling in SI mPOF. Regarding the efficiency and execution speed, the Langevin equation was more favorable than the power flow equation. Such knowledge is useful for the use of multimode SI mPOFs for potential sensing and communication applications.
Influence of Nonlinear Dynamics Behavior of the Roller Follower on the Contact Stress of Polydyne Cam Profile
Authors: Yousuf Louay S.
Published: March 2022

The effect of the cam profile on the nonlinear dynamics phenomenon of the follower is studied at three involutes’ profiles for the cam. The value of the Lyapunov exponent parameter is calculated at different internal distances of the follower guide from inside and at different cam speeds. The effect of the Lyapunov exponent value on the contact stress is studied based on the clearance between the follower and its guides. The contact between the cam and the square grooving key and between the cam and the follower has been taken into consideration at different locations. The finite element method is used to calculate the contact stress numerically using the SolidWorks program. The nonlinear response of the follower is calculated analytically using the Newton–Euler equations of rigid body dynamics of translation and rotation motions while the follower position is tracked experimentally using a high-speed 3-D camera device. The contact stress is checked and verified using photo-elastic apparatus. The data of the contact stress against time are used in the Wolf algorithm code to extract the value of the largest Lyapunov exponent. A phase-plane diagram is drawn at different cam speeds and different internal distances of the follower guide from the inside. The periodic and non-periodic motions of the contact stress are examined at different contact locations for the follower with the cam profile. The higher the value of contact stress, the higher the value of the largest Lyapunov exponent parameter and the higher the value of bending deflection.
Spray-Dried Powder Containing Chitinase and β-1,3-Glucanase with Insecticidal Activity against Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Aita Bruno C. , Schmaltz Silvana , Fochi Alex , Bolson Vinícius F. , Brun Thiarles , de Arruda Cavallin Lucas , Camatti Gabriel , Nava Dori E. , Guedes Jerson V. C. , Kuhn Raquel C. , Zabot Giovani L. , Tres Marcus Vinícius , Mazutti Marcio A.
Published: March 2022

This study focused on obtaining a spray-dried powder containing chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase as active ingredients for the control of agricultural pests. Different carriers were tested in the spray drying of these enzymes. The effectiveness of the application of the enzymes was evaluated against Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae). The combination of maltodextrin (2.5% w/v), gum Arabic (2.5% w/v), and soluble starch (5.0% w/v) as carriers showed the best result of residual activity of β-1,3-glucanase (88.36%) and chitinase (69.82%), with a powder recovery of 45.49%. The optimum conditions for the operational parameters of the spray drying process were: inlet air temperature of 120 °C, drying airflow rate of 1.1 m3/min, feed flow rate of 5.8 mL/min, and nozzle air pressure of 0.4 MPa. The powder produced showed 65.6% efficiency for the control of the fly. These results demonstrated the possibility of using the spray drying process to obtain an enzymatic potential product for biological pest control.
Enzymatic Synthesis of the Fructosyl Derivative of Sorbitol
Authors: Bors Milena , Klewicki Robert , Sójka Michał , Klewicka Elżbieta
Published: March 2022

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of selected reaction parameters—temperature (37–57 °C), pH (5.8–7.9), substrates ratio (sucrose/sorbitol 0.5/1.5 to 1.5:0.5 (m/m)), and the presence of NaCl—on the course of fructosyl-sorbitol synthesis with an enzyme preparation (11 760 U/100 g of sucrose) containing fructosyltransferase and β-d-fructofuranosidase from Aspergillus niger. A mixture of at least three fructosyl sorbitol derivatives was obtained: two mono-fructosyl and one di-fructosyl. The highest content of all sorbitol derivatives combined was 2.7 g/100 mL for pH 6.8–6.9, and the sucrose/sorbitol ratio was 1:1. Increasing the reaction temperature from 37 to 57 °C reduced the time required to reach the maximum product content from 5 to 2 h, while the concentration did not increase. The addition of NaCl (0.63 M) extended the reaction time from 2 to 5 h and slightly lowered the maximum concentration of sorbitol derivatives (from 2.74 to 2.6 g/100 mL).
Systematic Literature Review on Remanufacturing Trade Based on Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Zhang Xumei , Liu Ruyuan , Yan Wei , Wang Yan , Subramanian Nachiappan
Published: March 2022

With the extensive development of remanufacturing, remanufacturing trade, as an essential part of it, has also attracted much attention from researchers. Quite a large number of studies related to remanufacturing trade, such as pricing, sales, competition, channel expansion and service strategy, have been published in various journals. This paper aims to focus on the research status on remanufacturing trade through bibliometric analysis that can provide the primary research trends and the future research hotspots by analyzing the progress, parties and themes of the research. In this paper, the review and analysis are conducted on over 121 articles from 2000 until July 2021 with the help of VOS viewer (Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands) and Citespace (Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA). The results of the analysis of research progress and research parties suggest that: (a) more and more researchers have started to pay attention to consumers during modeling; (b) sustainable/green aspects are frequently taken into account as a factor, but the sustainable/green standards for remanufacturing trade need to be further developed; (c) studies on remanufacturing trade are more abundant in heavy industry countries. Additionally, the hotspots for future research are identified via the theme analysis, including: (1) with the issuing of various government policies, the impact of these policies on decisions related to remanufacturing trade has been studied gradually and is expected to become a hot topic in the future; (2) a large number of papers conduct research on the basis of the supply chain of remanufactured products; (3) research on the online distribution channel has already been carried out and is constantly deepening; (4) the digital technology is increasingly introduced to remanufacturing trade in recent years.
Origin of Steam Contaminants and Degradation of Solid-Oxide Electrolysis Stacks
Authors: Schäfer Dominik , Queda Larissa , Nischwitz Volker , Fang Qingping , Blum Ludger
Published: March 2022

Two once-through steam generators and a combination of a steam generator and a gas preheater for supplying feed gases to solid-oxide electrolysis stacks were evaluated for their carryover characteristics of contaminants from the feed-water into the steam phase. The concentrations of various trace impurities in the steam were determined by sampling the steam condensates and screening them with inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry for 19 elements and liquid ion chromatography and continuous flow analysis for chloride and ammonium. Steam-soluble species such as boric acid undergo complete volatilization and transfer into the steam phase. During unstable evaporation in the steam generators an extensive physical carryover of alloying metal species was observed. At realistic operation conditions for steam electrolysis, the gas preheater caused a considerable release of silicon into the steam phase. Two stack experiments were performed with common preheater temperatures and showed largely increased cell voltage degradation at higher operation temperatures. The post-test chemical analysis of cell samples revealed significant concentrations of silicon in the samples that are regarded as primary cause for increased degradation. These findings could partially explain the wide spread of degradation rates reported for solid-oxide steam electrolysis experiments.
Effect of Static and Dynamic Stretching on Corneal Fibroblast Cell
Authors: Dai Zhi-Xuan , Shih Po-Jen , Yen Jia-Yush , Wang I-Jong
Published: March 2022

A strain gradient was created by punching a hole in the center of a stretched elastic polydimethylsiloxane membrane to determine the effect of different strains on cultured human keratocytes (HK). In this study, two stretching methods were used: continuous stretching and cyclic stretching. Continuous stretching is relatively static, while acyclic stretching is relatively dynamic. These methods, respectively, represented the effects of high intraocular pressure and rubbing of the eyes on corneal cells. Image processing codes were developed to observe the effects of stress concentration, shear stress, continuous stretching, and cyclic stretching on HKs. The results demonstrate that stretching and shear stress are not conducive to the proliferation of corneal cells and instead cause cell death. A 10% strain had greater inhibitory effects than a 3% strain on cell proliferation. Cell survival rates for continuous stretching (static) were higher than those for cyclic stretching (dynamic). The stretching experiment revealed that cyclic stretching has a greater inhibitory effect on the growth and proliferation of corneal cells than continuous stretching. Accordingly, it shows that cyclic loading is more harmful than high intraocular pressure (static loading) to corneal cells.
Investigations of Middle-Caliber Anti-Aircraft Cannon Interior Ballistics including Heat Transfer Problem in Estimation of Critical Burst Length
Authors: Fikus Bartosz , Dorochowicz Alicja , Surma Zbigniew , Kijewski Jacek , Leciejewski Zbigniew , Michalski Jakub , Trębiński Radosław
Published: March 2022

Numerical and experimental investigations of armament systems are an important part of modern design processes. The presented paper reports problems that were encountered on the theoretical analysis of the performance of 35 mm anti-aircraft cannon and the way in which they were solved. The first problem concerns the application of results of closed vessel tests of used propellant in interior ballistics simulations. The use of a nonstandard form of the gas generation rate equation solved this problem. The second problem concerned the assessment of projectile–barrel interaction. The barrel resistance was estimated making use of finite element analysis. The third problem arose from the need to determine the heat transfer from propellant gases to the barrel. The employed formula for the heat exchange coefficient and 2D modelling of the heat conduction in the barrel provided the solution. Selected elements of the theoretical model were validated by shooting range experiments and data provided by the ammunition producer. Using the considered approach, crucial ballistic parameters (maximum propellant gas pressure and muzzle velocity) were estimated with an error of less than 6.0%, without application of additional fitting coefficients. The numerical estimation of the barrel external surface temperature provided a relative discrepancy with the experimental data lower than 6% and enabled the estimation of the critical burst length, equal to 14 shots.
Histone Deacetylases and Their Potential as Targets to Enhance Tumour Radiosensitisation
Authors: Antrobus Jennifer , Parsons Jason L.
Published: March 2022

In mammalian cells, genomic DNA is packaged with histone proteins and condensed into chromatin. To gain access to the DNA, chromatin remodelling is required that is enhanced through histone post-translational modifications, which subsequently stimulate processes including DNA repair and transcription. Histone acetylation is one of the most well understood modifications and is controlled by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). These enzymes play critical roles in normal cellular functioning, and the dysregulation of HDAC expression in particular has been linked with the development of a number of different cancer types. Conversely, tumour cell killing following radiotherapy is triggered through DNA damage and HDACs can help co-ordinate the cellular DNA damage response which promotes radioresistance. Consequently, HDAC inhibitors have been investigated as potential radiosensitizers in vitro and in vivo to improve the efficacy or radiotherapy in specific tumour types. In this review, we provide an up-to-date summary of HDACs and their cellular functions, including in DNA damage repair. We also review evidence demonstrating that HDAC inhibitors can effectively enhance tumour radiosensitisation, and which therefore show potential for translation into the clinic for cancer patient benefit.
Vulnerance of Pastoral Care
Authors: Leimgruber Ute
Published: March 2022

Disproving assumptions to the contrary, this article clearly shows how and why adults can become victims of abuse in church contexts. It does this by focusing on the pastoral care context and the interdependent potential risk factors lying within. As previous studies suggest, this context is especially susceptible to perpetrating abuse. Approximately three-quarters of all cases of abuse occur or begin in the context of pastoral care or spiritual counseling. Often, theories of pastoral care do not address this danger and tend to idealize the practice of pastoral care. In contrast, it is necessary to recognize a specific power to victimize due to the theological and structural power differential in pastoral relationships. Therefore, this article proposes a complex understanding of “vulnerability” and “vulnerance” that accounts for the victimization potential inherent in all pastoral care settings and advocates a theory of pastoral care that is not only concerned with the individual but also incorporates reflections on structural and systemic power dynamics.
The Political Dimension of Liturgical Prayers of Remembrance: Lists of Rulers in the Confraternity Books of the Carolingian Period
Authors: Butz Eva-Maria
Published: March 2022

The confraternity books (Libri vitae) of the Early Middle Ages record the names of individuals to be remembered in liturgical prayer. Since the middle of the 20th century, they have come more sharply into focus as historical source material. The records of rulers were of particular interest even then. In order to understand the lists of rulers in the Liber Vitae, the first subject of study is the development of prayers of remembrance for the living and the dead, and the subsequent emergence and shaping of liturgical commemoration of the ruler from late antiquity to the Carolingian period. These diverse developments merge with those of the liturgical Memoria in the confraternity books, indicating that the monasteries, in particular, were important keepers of monarchical Memoria. Taking as examples the Salzburg Liber Vitae (783) and the Reichenau Confraternity Book (824), the steps and methods are followed through and the lists of rulers interpreted in their historical context. The two confraternity books prove to be a source for the legitimisation of Carolingian sovereignty, particularly in terms of substantiating it historically and securing it liturgically. The regional perspective of each monastic community plays a major role here. Complex reference and interpretative systems are exposed in the confraternity books, whose orderliness, structure and prayer also served as a counterbalance to the disorder and crisis prevalent in the world.