bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic Identification and Expression Analysis of the Auxin Response Factor (ARF) Gene Family in Ginkgo biloba L.
Authors: Guo Fangyun , Xiong Wulai , Guo Jing , Wang Guibin
Published: June 2022

Auxin participates in various physiological and molecular response-related developmental processes and is a pivotal hormone that regulates phenotypic formation in plants. Auxin response factors (ARFs) are vital transcription factors that mediate downstream auxin signaling by explicitly binding to auxin-responsive genes’ promoters. Here, to investigate the possible developmental regulatory functions of ARFs in Ginkgo biloba, through employing comprehensive bioinformatics, we recognized 15 putative GbARF members. Conserved domains and motifs, gene and protein structure, gene duplication, GO enrichment, transcriptome expression profiles, and qRT-PCR all showed that Group I and III members were highly conserved. Among them, GbARF10b and GbARF10a were revealed as transcriptional activators in the auxin response for the development of Ginkgo male flowers through sequences alignment, cis-elements analysis and GO annotation; the results were corroborated for the treatment of exogenous SA. Moreover, the GbARFs expansion occurred predominantly by segmental duplication, and most GbARFs have undergone purifying selection. The Ka/Ks ratio test identified the functional consistence of GbARF2a and GbARF2c, GbARF10b, and GbARF10a in tissue expression profiles and male flower development. In summary, our study established a new research basis for exploring Ginkgo GbARF members’ roles in floral organ development and hormone response.
Effect of Cationic (Na+) and Anionic (F−) Co-Doping on the Structural and Electrochemical Properties of LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 Cathode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Hua , Hashem Ahmed M. , Abdel-Ghany Ashraf E. , Abbas Somia M. , El-Tawil Rasha S. , Li Tianyi , Li Xintong , El-Mounayri Hazim , Tovar Andres , Zhu Likun , Mauger Alain , Julien Christian M.
Published: June 2022

Elemental doping for substituting lithium or oxygen sites has become a simple and effective technique to improve the electrochemical performance of layered cathode materials. Compared with single-element doping, this work presents an unprecedented contribution to the study of the effect of Na+/F− co-doping on the structure and electrochemical performance of LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2. The co-doped Li1-zNazNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2-zFz (z = 0.025) and pristine LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 materials were synthesized via the sol–gel method using EDTA as a chelating agent. Structural analyses, carried out by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, revealed that the Na+ and F− dopants were successfully incorporated into the Li and O sites, respectively. The co-doping resulted in larger Li-slab spacing, a lower degree of cation mixing, and the stabilization of the surface structure, which substantially enhanced the cycling stability and rate capability of the cathode material. The Na/F co-doped LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 electrode delivered an initial specific capacity of 142 mAh g−1 at a 1C rate (178 mAh g−1 at 0.1C), and it maintained 50% of its initial capacity after 1000 charge–discharge cycles at a 1C rate.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Role of GA3 in Regulating the Asynchronism of Floral Bud Differentiation and Development in Heterodichogamous Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja
Authors: Qu Yinquan , Chen Xiaolin , Mao Xia , Huang Peng , Fu Xiangxiang
Published: June 2022

Cyclocarya paliurus is an important medical plant owing to the diverse bioactive compounds in its leaves. However, the heterodichogamy with female and male functions segregation within protandry (PA) or protogyny (PG) may greatly affect seed quality and its plantations for medicinal use. To speculate on the factor playing the dominant role in regulating heterodichogamy in C. paliurus, based on phenotypic observations, our study performed a multi comparison transcriptome analysis on female and male buds (PG and PA types) using RNA-seq. For the female and male bud comparisons, a total of 6753 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected. In addition, functional analysis revealed that these DEGs were significantly enriched in floral development, hormone, and GA-related pathways. As the dominant hormones responsible for floral differentiation and development, gibberellins (GAs) in floral buds from PG and PA types were quantified using HPLC-MS. Among the tested GAs, GA3 positively regulated the physiological differentiation (S0) and germination (S2) of floral buds. The dynamic changes of GA3 content and floral morphological features were consistent with the expression levels of GA-related genes. Divergences of GA3 contents at S0 triggered the asynchronism of physiological differentiation between male and female buds of intramorphs (PA-M vs. PA-F and PG-F vs. PG-M). A significant difference in GA3 content enlarged this asynchronism at S2. Thus, we speculate that GA3 plays the dominant role in the formation of heterodichogamy in C. paliurus. Meanwhile, the expression patterns of GA-related DEGs, including CPS, KO, GA20ox, GA2OX, GID1, and DELLA genes, which play central roles in regulating flower development, coincided with heterodichogamous characteristics. These results support our speculations well, which should be further confirmed.
Hypersensitivity and Induced Radioresistance in Chinese Hamster Cells Exposed to Radiations with Different LET Values
Authors: Koryakina Ekaterina , Potetnya Vladimir I. , Troshina Marina , Baykuzina Raisa , Koryakin Sergey , Lychagin Anatoliy , Solovev Aleksei , Saburov Vyacheslav , Pikalov Vladimir , Shegay Petr , Ivanov Sergey , Kaprin Andrey
Published: June 2022

We study the impact of radiation LET on manifestation of HRS/IRR response in Chinese hamster cells ovary cells exposed to radiations used in radiotherapy. Earlier we have investigated this response to carbon ions (455 MeV/amu) in the pristine Bragg curve plateau and behind the Bragg peak, 60Co γ-rays, and 14.5 MeV neutrons. Now we present results of cytogenetic metaphase analysis in plateau-phase CHO-K1 cells irradiated with scanning beam protons (83 MeV) at doses < 1 Gy and additional data for 14.5 MeV neutrons. Dose curves for frequency of total chromosome aberrations (CA, protons), paired fragments (protons, neutrons), aberrant cells (neutrons) had typical HRS/IRR structure: HRS region (up to 0.1 and 0.15 Gy), IRR region (0.1–0.6 Gy and 0.15–0.35 Gy) for protons and neutrons, respectively, and regular dose dependence. Taken together with previous results, the data show that LET increase shifts the HRS upper border (from 0.08–0.1 Gy for γ-rays, protons and plateau carbons to 0.12–0.15 Gy for “tail” carbons and neutrons). The IRR regions shortens (0.52–0.4 γ-rays and protons, 0.25 plateau carbons, 0.2 Gy “tail” carbons and neutrons). CA level of IRR increases by 1.5–2.5 times for carbons as compared to γ-rays and protons. Outside HRS/IRR the yield of CA also enhanced with LET increase. The results obtained for different LET radiations suggest that CHO-K1 cells with G1-like CA manifested the general feature of the HRS/IRR phenomena.
Mechanisms of Sensitivity and Resistance of Primary Effusion Lymphoma to Dimethyl Fumarate (DMF)
Authors: Gonnella Roberta , Zarrella Roberta , Santarelli Roberta , Germano Concetta Anna , Gilardini Montani Maria Saveria , Cirone Mara
Published: June 2022

PEL is a rare B cell lymphoma associated with KSHV that mainly arises in immune-deficient individuals. The search for new drugs to treat this cancer is still ongoing given its aggressiveness and the poor response to chemotherapies. In this study, we found that DMF, a drug known for its anti-inflammatory properties which is registered for the treatment of psoriasis and relapsing–remitting MS, could be a promising therapeutic strategy against PEL. Indeed, although some mechanisms of resistance were induced, DMF activated NRF2, reduced ROS and inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3 and the release of the pro-inflammatory and immune suppressive cytokines IL-6 and IL-10, which are known to sustain PEL survival. Interestingly, we observed that DMF displayed a stronger cytotoxic effect against fresh PEL cells in comparison to PEL cell lines, due to the activation of ERK1/2 and autophagy in the latter cells. This finding further encourages the possibility of using DMF for the treatment of PEL.
Constructing a Carbon-Encapsulated Carbon Composite Material with Hierarchically Porous Architectures for Efficient Capacitive Storage in Organic Supercapacitors
Authors: Amirtha Rene Mary , Hsu Hao-Huan , Abdelaal Mohamed M. , Anbunathan Ammaiyappan , Mohamed Saad G. , Yang Chun-Chen , Hung Tai-Feng
Published: June 2022

Hierarchical porous activated carbon (HPAC) materials with fascinating porous features are favored for their function as active materials for supercapacitors. However, achieving high mass-loading of the HPAC electrodes remains challenging. Inspired by the concepts of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites and hydrogels, a novel hydrogel-derived HPAC (H-HPAC) encapsulated H-HPAC (H@H) composite material was successfully synthesized in this study. In comparison with the original H-HPAC, it is noticed that the specific surface area and pore parameters of the resulting H@H are observably decreased, while the proportions of nitrogen species are dramatically enhanced. The free-standing and flexible H@H electrodes with a mass-loading of 7.5 mg/cm2 are further prepared for electrochemical measurements. The experiments revealed remarkable reversible capacitance (118.6 F/g at 1 mA/cm2), rate capability (73.9 F/g at 10 mA/cm2), and cycling stability (76.6% of retention after 30,000 cycles at 5 mA) are delivered by the coin-type symmetric cells. The cycling stability is even better than that of the H-HPAC electrode. Consequently, the findings of the present study suggest that the nature of the HPAC surface is a significant factor affecting the corresponding capacitive performances.
Does the Freeze–Thaw Technique Affect the Properties of the Alginate/Chitosan Glutamate Gels with Posaconazole as a Model Antifungal Drug?
Authors: Szekalska Marta , Sosnowska Katarzyna , Wróblewska Magdalena , Basa Anna , Winnicka Katarzyna
Published: June 2022

Hydrogels are semi-solid systems with high flexibility, which, due to holding large amounts of water, are similar to natural tissues and are very useful in the field of biomedical applications. Despite the wide range of polymers available to form hydrogels, novel techniques utilized to obtain hydrogels with adequate properties are still being developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the freeze–thaw technique on the properties of cryogels based on sodium alginate and chitosan glutamate with posaconazole as a model antifungal substance. The effect of the freezing and thawing process on the physicochemical, rheological, textural and bioadhesive properties of prepared cryogels was examined. Additionally, the antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei of designed formulations was examined. It was shown that the freeze–thaw technique significantly improved viscosity, bioadhesiveness, textural properties and prolonged the in vitro posaconazole release. Moreover, alginate/chitosan glutamate cryogels exhibited higher values of inhibition zone in C. parapsilosis culture than traditional hydrogel formulations.
Effect of Trichoderma asperellum on Wheat Plants’ Biochemical and Molecular Responses, and Yield under Different Water Stress Conditions
Authors: Illescas María , Morán-Diez María E. , Martínez de Alba Ángel Emilio , Hermosa Rosa , Monte Enrique
Published: June 2022

Eight Trichoderma strains were evaluated for their potential to protect wheat seedlings against severe (no irrigation within two weeks) water stress (WS). Considering the plant fresh weight and phenotype, T. asperellum T140, which displays 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity and which is able to produce several phytohormones, was selected. The molecular and biochemical results obtained from 4-week-old wheat seedlings linked T140 application with a downregulation in the WS-response genes, a decrease in antioxidant activities, and a drop in the proline content, as well as low levels of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde in response to severe WS. All of these responses are indicative of T140-primed seedlings having a higher tolerance to drought than those that are left untreated. A greenhouse assay performed under high nitrogen fertilization served to explore the long-term effects of T140 on wheat plants subjected to moderate (halved irrigation) WS. Even though all of the plants showed acclimation to moderate WS regardless of T140 application, there was a positive effect exerted by T. asperellum on the level of tolerance of the wheat plants to this stress. Strain T140 modulated the expression of a plant ABA-dependent WS marker and produced increased plant superoxide dismutase activity, which would explain the positive effect of Trichoderma on increasing crop yields under moderate WS conditions. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of T. asperellum T140 as a biostimulant for wheat plants under WS conditions, making them more tolerant to drought.
William Harry Hannon—A Life Well Lived
Authors: Therrell Bradford L. , Vogt Robert F. , Mei Joanne V.
Published: June 2022

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Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Heart Failure: Current Knowledge and Future Directions
Authors: Javaheri Shahrokh , Javaheri Sogol
Published: June 2022

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent among patients with asymptomatic left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction and congestive heart failure, and if untreated may contribute to the clinical progression of heart failure (HF). Given the health and economic burden of HF, identifying potential modifiable risk factors such as OSA and whether appropriate treatment improves outcomes is of critical importance. Identifying the subgroups of patients with OSA and HF who would benefit most from OSA treatment is another important point. This focused review surveys current knowledge of OSA and HF in order to provide: (1) a better understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms that may increase morbidity among individuals with HF and comorbid OSA, (2) a summary of current observational data and small randomized trials, (3) an understanding of the limitations of current larger randomized controlled trials, and (4) future needs to more accurately determine the efficacy of OSA treatment among individuals with HF.
Influence of High Energy Ball Milling and Dispersant on Capacitive Properties of Fe2O3—Carbon Nanotube Composites
Authors: Zhang Chengwei , Zhitomirsky Igor
Published: June 2022

This investigation is motivated by increasing interest in ferrimagnetic materials and composites, which exhibit electrical capacitance. It addresses the need for the development of magnetic materials with enhanced capacitive properties and low electrical resistance. γ-Fe2O3-multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites are developed by colloidal processing and studied for energy storage in negative electrodes of supercapacitors. High energy ball milling (HEBM) of ferrimagnetic γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles results in enhanced capacitive properties. The effect of HEBM on particle morphology is analyzed. Gallocyanine is used as a co-dispersant for γ-Fe2O3 and MWCNTs. The polyaromatic structure and catechol ligand of gallocyanine facilitated its adsorption on γ-Fe2O3 and MWCNTs, respectively, and facilitated their electrostatic dispersion and mixing. The adsorption mechanisms are discussed. The highest capacitance of 1.53 F·cm−2 is achieved in 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte for composites, containing γ-Fe2O3, which is high energy ball milled and co-dispersed with MWCNTs using gallocyanine. HEBM and colloidal processing strategies allow high capacitance at low electrical resistance, which facilitates efficient charge–discharge. Obtained composites are promising for fabrication of multifunctional devices based on mutual interaction of ferrimagnetic and capacitive properties.
SfgA Renders Aspergillus flavus More Stable to the External Environment
Authors: Yuan Xiao-Yu , Li Jie-Ying , Zhi Qing-Qing , Chi Sheng-Da , Qu Su , Luo Yan-Feng , He Zhu-Mei
Published: June 2022

sfgA is known as a key negative transcriptional regulator gene of asexual sporulation and sterigmatocystin production in Aspergillus nidulans. However, here, we found that the homolog sfgA gene shows a broad and complex regulatory role in governing growth, conidiation, sclerotia formation, secondary metabolism, and environmental stress responses in Aspergillus flavus. When sfgA was deleted in A. flavus, the fungal growth was slowed, but the conidiation was significantly increased, and the sclerotia formation displayed different behavior at different temperatures, which increased at 30 °C but decreased at 36 °C. In addition, sfgA regulated aflatoxin biosynthesis in a complex way that was associated with the changes in cultured conditions, and the increased production of aflatoxin in the ∆sfgA mutant was associated with a decrease in sclerotia size. Furthermore, the ∆sfgA mutant exhibited sensitivity to osmotic, oxidative, and cell wall stresses but still produced dense conidia. Transcriptome data indicated that numerous development- and secondary-metabolism-related genes were expressed differently when sfgA was deleted. Additionally, we also found that sfgA functions downstream of fluG in A. flavus, which is consistent with the genetic position in FluG-mediated conidiation in A. nidulans. Collectively, sfgA plays a critical role in the development, secondary metabolism, and stress responses of A. flavus, and sfgA renders A. flavus more stable to the external environment.
The Effects of Certificate-of-Need Laws on the Quality of Hospital Medical Services
Authors: Stratmann Thomas
Published: June 2022

Certificate-of-need (CON) laws restrict entry into health services by requiring healthcare providers to seek approval from state healthcare regulators before making any major capital expenditures. An important question is whether CON laws influence the quality of medical services in CON law states. For instance, if CON laws actually lower the quality of medical services, they fail to achieve their intended effect. This paper tests the hypothesis that hospitals in states with CON laws provide lower-quality services than hospitals in states without CON laws. Our overall results suggest that CON regulations lead to lower-quality care for some quality measures and have little or no effect on other quality standards. The results remain consistent across several robustness tests.
Synthesis, Spectroscopic Analysis, and In Vitro Anticancer Evaluation of 2-(Phenylsulfonyl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole
Authors: Salinas-Torres Angélica , Portilla Jaime , Rojas Hugo , Becerra Diana , Castillo Juan-Carlos
Published: June 2022

The 1,2,3-Triazole derivatives containing the sulfonyl group have proved their biological importance in medicinal chemistry and drug design. In this sense, we describe the regioselective synthesis of 2-(phenylsulfonyl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole 3 in good yield through a classical sulfonamidation reaction of 1H-1,2,3-triazole 1 with benzenesulfonyl chloride 2 in dichloromethane using a slight excess of triethylamine at 20 °C for 3 h. This procedure is distinguished by its short reaction time, high yield, excellent regioselectivity, clean reaction profile, and operational simplicity. The sulfonamide 3 was characterized by high-resolution mass spectrometry, FT–IR, UV–Vis, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The sulfonamide 3 exhibited moderate activity against UO-31 renal, SNB-75 central nervous system, HCT-116 colon, and BT-549 breast cancer cell lines, with growth inhibition percentages (GI%) ranging from 10.83% to 17.64%.
N-[3-(Chloromethyl)-1,2-benzisoxazol-5-yl]acetamide
Authors: Khodot Evgeniy N. , Rakitin Oleg A.
Published: June 2022

Functionally substituted 1,2-benzisoxazoles are very important and promising heterocycles with various pharmacological activities. Benzoxazoles containing reactive 3-chloromethyl and 5-amino groups are practically unexplored derivatives in this series. In this communication, the simple method for the synthesis of N-[3-(chloromethyl)-1,2-benzisoxazol-5-yl]acetamide which is an interesting precursor for the preparation of a series of 3,5-disubstituted benzoxazoles was described. The structure of the synthesized compound was established by elemental analysis, high-resolution mass spectrometry, 1H, 13C NMR and IR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry.
Sorption of 137Cs and 60Co on Titanium Oxide Films in Light Water Reactor Primary Circuit Environment
Authors: Glukhoedov Nikita A. , Epimakhov Vitaliy N. , Orlov Sergey N. , Tsapko Anastasiya A. , Zmitrodan Aleksandr A. , Zmitrodan Grigoriy A. , Skripkin Mikhail Yu.
Published: June 2022

This paper discusses the processes of the long-lived 137Cs and 60Co immobilization on titanium surfaces in simulated light water reactor primary circuit environments. This study is prompted by numerous problems in both the maintenance of equipment during reactor operation and the dismantling of the reactor after the completion of the operation, which is associated with contamination of working surfaces with long-lived radionuclides. The composition of the oxide films formed on the surface of commercial titanium alloy ПT-3B has been studied with specimens prepared in autoclave test conditions and surface samples from the pipeline sections to which the primary coolant was applied. These films on the coolant pipeline surface consist of a titanium dioxide layer tightly adhered to the pipeline metal surface and weakly fixed deposits—crystallites comprised of titanium oxides and other corrosion products (oxides and hydrated oxides of iron, nickel, chromium etc.). The radionuclide composition of the samples was studied by gamma-spectrometry. It is shown that the mechanism of titanium-surface contamination with 137Cs is by physisorption, contamination level increases upon the presence of dispersed particles. For 60Co, both sorption and deposition onto surfaces are observed.
Method for the Evaluation of the Homogeneity of Asphalt Mixtures by 2-Dimensional Image Analysis
Authors: Sun Pei , Zhang Ke , Han Sen , Liang Zijun , Kong Wei , Zhan Xuejuan
Published: June 2022

In order to evaluate the homogeneity of asphalt mixture quantitatively, the distribution characteristic of internal phases of asphalt mixture were identified based on digital image processing technique and stereology theory, and the homogeneity coefficient (i.e., K) was proposed. At the same time, the trend of variation and reliability of homogeneity of asphalt mixture were analyzed by changing the nominal maximum aggregate size, aggregate gradation and asphalt content. The results suggest that the homogeneity of asphalt mixture could be comprehensively described using DIP technique combined with stereology theory. The smaller the K, the better the distribution homogeneity of the asphalt mixture. An improvement in the homogeneity of an asphalt mixture is achieved with the decrease of the nominal maximum aggregate size and a finer aggregate gradation. The asphalt content corresponding to the optimal homogeneity of the internal structure of asphalt mixture specimen is the optimum asphalt content. According to the experimental study, the suggested values of the homogeneity coefficient were given, which provides theoretical support to control the construction quality of the hot mixture asphalt.
Study on the Influence of Reinforced Particles Spatial Arrangement on the Neutron Shielding Performance of the Composites
Authors: Sun Weiqiang , Hu Guang , Xu Hu , Li Yanfei , Wang Chao , Men Tingxuan , Ji Fu , Lao Wanji , Yu Bo , Sheng Liang , Li Jinhong , Jia Qinggang , Xiong Songqi , Hu Huasi
Published: June 2022

Particle-reinforced composites are widely applied as nuclear radiation shielding materials for their excellent comprehensive properties. The work aimed to calculate the influence of the functional reinforced particles spatial arrangement on the neutron shielding performance of composites and attempted to explain the influence mechanism by investigating the neutron flux distribution in the materials. Firstly, four suitable physical models were established based on the Monte Carlo Particle Transport Program (MCNP) and mathematical software MATLAB, namely the RSA (Random Sequential Adsorption) Model with particles random arrangement and FCC Model, BCC Model and Staggered Arrangement Model (SA Model) with particle periodic arrangements. Later, based on these four physical models, the neutron transmittance of two kinds of typical B4C reinforced composites, 316 stainless steel matrix composite and polyethylene matrix composite, were calculated under different energy neutrons sources (0.0253 eV, 50 eV, 50 keV, fission spectrum, 241Am-Be spectrum and 14.1 MeV) and the neutron flux distribution in the 316 stainless steel composite was also analyzed under 0.0253 eV neutron and fission neutron sources. The results indicated that the spatial arrangement of B4C has an impact on the neutrons shielding performance of the composite and the influence changes with neutron energy and B4C content. It can be concluded that the RSA model and the periodic arrangement models can be used in different calculation cases in the future.
Continuous Goos-Hänchen Shift of Vortex Beam via Symmetric Metal-Cladding Waveguide
Authors: Kan Xue Fen , Zou Zhi Xin , Yin Cheng , Xu Hui Ping , Wang Xian Ping , Han Qing Bang , Cao Zhuang Qi
Published: June 2022

Goos-Hänchen shift provides a way to manipulate the transverse shift of an optical beam with sub-wavelength accuracy. Among various enhancement schemes, millimeter-scale shift at near-infrared range has been realized by a simple symmetrical metal-cladding waveguide structure owing to its unique ultrahigh-order modes. However, the interpretation of the shift depends crucially on its definition. This paper shows that the shift of a Gaussian beam is discrete if we follow the light peak based on the stationary phase approach, where the M-lines are fixed to specific directions and the beam profile is separated near resonance. On the contrary, continuous shift can be obtained if the waveguide is illuminated by a vortex beam, and the physical cause can be attributed to the position-dependent phase-match condition of the ultrahigh-order modes due to the spatial phase distribution.
Virtual Simulation of the Effect of FMCW Laser Fuse Detector’s Component Performance Variability on Target Echo Characteristics under Smoke Interference
Authors: Guo Zhe , Yang Bing , Liang Yanbin , Huang Zhonghua
Published: June 2022

The laser transmitter and photoelectric receiver are the core modules of the detector in a laser proximity fuse, whose performance variability can affect the accuracy of target detection and identification. In particular, there is no study on the effect of detector’s component performance variability on frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) laser fuse under smoke interference. Therefore, based on the principles of particle dynamic collision, ray tracing, and laser detection, this paper builds a virtual simulation model of FMCW laser transmission with the professional particle system of Unity3D, and studies the effect of performance variability of laser fuse detector components on the target characteristics under smoke interference. Simulation results show that the difference in the performance of the fuse detector components causes the amplitude variation and peak migration of the beat signal spectrum, and the change in the visibility of the smoke can also affect the results, which indicates that the factors affecting the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the echo signal are related to the smoke interference and performance variability of the detector. The proposed simulation model is supported by experimental results, which reflect the reliability of the proposed findings. Therefore, this study can be used for the optimization of the parameters in the laser fuse antismoke interference to avoid false alarms.
Study on Green Degradation Process of Polyurethane Foam Based on Integral Utilization and Performance of Recycled Polyurethane Oil-Absorbing Foam
Authors: Peng Shu , Gong Depeng , Zhou Youliang , Zhang Chaocan , Li Yinchun , Zhang Chunyang , Sheng Yitian
Published: June 2022

Ester exchange glycolysis of flexible polyurethane foam (PU) usually results in split-phase products, and the recovered polyether polyols are obtained after separation and purification, which can easily cause secondary pollution and redundancy. In this paper, we propose a green recycling process for the degradation of waste polyurethane foam by triblock polyether, and the degradation product can be used directly as a whole. The polyurethane foam can be completely degraded at a minimum mass ratio of 1.5:1. The secondary full utilization of the degradation product as a whole was directly synthesized into recycled polyurethane foam, and the compression cycle test proved that the excess glycolysis agent had less effect on the resilience of the recycled foam. The hydrophobic modification of the recycled foam was carried out, and the oil absorption performance of the recycled foam before and after the hydrophobic modification was compared. The oil absorption capacity for diesel oil ranged from 4.3 to 6.7, while the oil absorption performance of the hydrophobic modified recycled foam was significantly improved and had excellent reusability (absorption–desorption oil processes can be repeated at least 25 times). This economical and green process has large-scale application prospects, and the hydrophobic recycling foam can be applied to the field of oil and water separation.
Deep Learning Approach for Damage Classification Based on Acoustic Emission Data in Composite Materials
Authors: Guo Fuping , Li Wei , Jiang Peng , Chen Falin , Liu Yinghonglin
Published: June 2022

Damage detection and the classification of carbon fiber-reinforced composites using non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques are of great importance. This paper applies an acoustic emission (AE) technique to obtain AE data from three tensile damage tests determining fiber breakage, matrix cracking, and delamination. This article proposes a deep learning approach that combines a state-of-the-art deep learning technique for time series classification: the InceptionTime model with acoustic emission data for damage classification in composite materials. Raw AE time series and frequency-domain sequence data are used as the input for the InceptionTime network, and both obtain very high classification performances, achieving high accuracy scores of about 99%. The InceptionTime network produces better training, validation, and test accuracy with the raw AE time series data than it does with the frequency-domain sequence data. Simultaneously, the InceptionTime model network shows its potential in dealing with data imbalances.
Structural-Temporal Peculiarities of Dynamic Deformation of Layered Materials
Authors: Selyutina Nina , Petrov Yuri
Published: June 2022

The temporal nature of static and dynamic deformation of fibre metal laminates is discussed here. The aim of the study is to verify the proposed innovate model using layered composites. The modified relaxation model is based on the earlier formulated plasticity relaxation model for homogeneous materials. The proposed relaxation model makes it possible to describe the deformation of the layered composites from elastic to irreversible deformation, finalised by the failure moment. The developed approach allows us to consider the effects of the transition from static to dynamic loading. This means that the model-calculated dynamic limiting characteristics of the metal and the strength of brittle materials will have a determining character, depending on the loading history. The verification of the model using a glass fibre reinforced aluminium composite, glass fibre reinforced titanium composite, carbon fibre reinforced aluminium composite, and Kevlar fibre reinforced aluminium composite with different thickness ratios between metal and polymer layers is given. It is shown that the theoretical deformation curves of the metal composites at the various strain rates, finalised by brittle fracture of the polymer layers or continued irreversible deformation of remaining unbroken metal layers with destroyed polymer (fibre/epoxy) layers, are predicted. Based on the same structural−temporal parameters for five (Ti/GFRP (0/90)/Ti/GFRP(90/0)/Ti) and three (Ti/GFRP(0/90/90/0)/Ti) layers glass fibre reinforced titanium composites and the polymer layers, one-stage and two-stage stress drops during the irreversible deformation of the composite under static and dynamic loading are simulated. The change of the multi-stage fracture of the composite from static to dynamic loading and the fracture characteristic times of the polymer (100 s and 15,400 s) and the metal (8.4 ms) are correlated. Continued plastic deformation of the composite after fracture of the polymer layers is related with different values of the characteristic relaxation times of the polymer (fibre/epoxy) and the metal layers.
The Effects of Sn Doping MnNiFeO4 NTC Ceramic: Preparation, Microstructure and Electrical Properties
Authors: Li Dongcai , He Cangbao , Wu Ranran , Xu Haiyan , Zhang Fengjun
Published: June 2022

Sn-doped MnNiFeO4 ceramic with negative temperature coefficient (NTC) was prepared through the low-temperature solid-phase reaction route (LTSPR), aiming at improving the sintering behavior and modulating the electrical properties. The experimental results of the ceramic powder precursor indicate that the calcination of the ceramic precursors at above ~300 °C is an exothermic process, which contributes to the transition of the ceramic powder from the amorphous phase into the crystal spinel phase; the spinel phase of ceramic powders can be formed initially at ~450 °C and well-formed at ~750 °C. A high densification of ~98% relative densities and evenly distributed grains within an average size of 2~12 μm for the sintered Sn-doped specimen were obtained. The specific resistance and B-value were notably increased from 12.63 KΩ·cm to ~24.65 KΩ·cm, and from 3438 K to ~3779 K, respectively, with the Sn-doping amount. In contrast, the aging rates of the Sn-doped specimen have not changed markedly larger, waving around ~2.7%. The as-designed Sn-doped MnNiFeO4 can be presented as a candidate for some defined NTC requirements.
Rust Distribution of Non-Uniform Steel Corrosion Induced by Impressed Current Method
Authors: Li Qiang , Gao Zhiji , Yang Tao , Dong Zheng , Jiang Zhilu , He Qi , Fu Chuanqing
Published: June 2022

The non-uniform corrosion of steel bars is the main factor affecting the durability of concrete. The cracking pattern of concrete due to corrosion is closely related to the distribution of the corrosion products. Research on the thickness distribution of the rust layer and the cracking pattern of concrete under different influencing factors is of great significance in the prediction of the service life of existing reinforced concrete structures and the avoidance of the premature cracking of the reinforced concrete structures to be built. This paper studies the thickness distribution of the rust layer on the surface of single and multiple corroded reinforcements under non-uniform corrosion. The electrochemical analysis of the electrified corrosion process was carried out by using the finite element analysis software, and the distribution of the current density was obtained. The effects of geometric parameters, steel bar position, and steel bar spacing and shape on the corrosion expansion cracking pattern were studied. The results indicated that as the position of the steel bar differed, the crack pattern of the concrete changed, depending on the number of corrosion peaks (i.e., the maximum thickness of the rust layer). In terms of the corner-located steel, the number of corrosion peaks varied in the cases of different geometrical parameters (i.e., the diameter of the steel bar and the distance between the steel bars and the stainless steel wire). Nevertheless, the critical corrosion degrees of the side-located and corner-located steel bars, with respect to the cracking of the outer concrete surface, were basically the same. Additionally, the ribbed steel bar presented a lower critical corrosion degree than that of the plain steel bar, while little influence was exhibited with the varying angles of the rib.
Machine Learning-Based Void Percentage Analysis of Components Fabricated with the Low-Cost Metal Material Extrusion Process
Authors: Zhang Zhicheng , Fidan Ismail
Published: June 2022

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a widely used layer-by-layer manufacturing process. Material extrusion (ME) is one of the most popular AM techniques. Lately, low-cost metal material extrusion (LCMME) technology is developed to perform metal ME to produce metallic parts with the ME technology. This technique is used to fabricate metallic parts after sintering the metal infused additively manufactured parts. Both AM and sintering process parameters will affect the quality of the final parts. It is evident that the sintered parts do not have the same mechanical properties as the pure metal parts fabricated by the traditional manufacturing processes. In this research, several machine learning algorithms are used to predict the size of the internal voids of the final parts based on the collected data. Additionally, the results show that the neural network (NN) is more accurate than the support vector regression (SVR) on prediction.
Simulation Analysis of Concrete Pumping Based on Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics and Discrete Elements Method Coupling
Authors: Chen Wang , Wu Wanrong , Lu Guoyi , Tian Guangtian
Published: June 2022

With an increase of suction efficiency of fresh concrete pumping in confined spaces, the laminar flow state will be damaged by the return flow caused by distribution value direction changes and concrete gravity. This is a fact, but one which is rarely studied. In this work, the flow state, flow velocity, and suction efficiency of fresh concrete pumping are simulated using the coupled smooth particle hydrodynamics and Discrete Elements Method (SPH-DEM). The rheological parameters and Herschel-Bulkley-Papanastasiou (HBP) rheological model are adopted to simulate fresh concrete in the numerical simulation model. The study reveals that the error between the slump experimental result and that obtained by the HBP model is negligible. A model is therefore established for numerical simulations of the suction efficiency of fresh concrete pumping. An experimental concrete pumping platform is built, and the pressure and efficiency data during pumping are collected. A comparison of the numerical simulation with experimental results shows that the error is less than 10%.
Split Tensile Strength Prediction of Recycled Aggregate-Based Sustainable Concrete Using Artificial Intelligence Methods
Authors: Amin Muhammad Nasir , Ahmad Ayaz , Khan Kaffayatullah , Ahmad Waqas , Nazar Sohaib , Faraz Muhammad Iftikhar , Alabdullah Anas Abdulalim
Published: June 2022

Sustainable concrete is gaining in popularity as a result of research into waste materials, such as recycled aggregate (RA). This strategy not only protects the environment, but also meets the demand for concrete materials. Using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) approaches, this study anticipates the split tensile strength (STS) of concrete samples incorporating RA. Three machine-learning techniques, artificial neural network (ANN), decision tree (DT), and random forest (RF), were examined for the specified database. The results suggest that the RF model shows high precision compared with the DT and ANN models at predicting the STS of RA-based concrete. The high value of the coefficient of determination and the low error values of the mean absolute error (MAE), mean square error (MSE), and root mean square error (RMSE) provided significant evidence for the accuracy and precision of the RF model. Furthermore, statistical tests and the k-fold cross-validation technique were used to validate the models. The importance of the input parameters and their contribution levels was also investigated using sensitivity analysis and SHAP analysis.
CO Oxidation over Pd Catalyst Supported on Porous TiO2 Prepared by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) of a Ti Metallic Carrier
Authors: Samadi Payam , Binczarski Michal J. , Pawlaczyk Aleksandra , Rogowski Jacek , Szynkowska-Jozwik Malgorzata I. , Witonska Izabela A.
Published: June 2022

A porous TiO2 layer was prepared with the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) of Ti. In a further step, Pd was deposited on the TiO2 surface layer using the adsorption method. The activity of the Pd/TiO2/Ti catalyst was investigated during the oxidation of CO to CO2 in a mixture of air with 5% CO. The structure of the catalytic active layer was studied using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The PEO process provided a porous TiO2 layer with a uniform thickness in the range of 5–10 µm, which is desirable for the production of Pd-supported catalysts. A TOF-SIMS analysis showed the formation of Pd nanoparticles after the adsorption treatment. The conversion of CO to CO2 in all samples was achieved at 150–280 °C, depending on the concentration of Pd. The composition of Pd/ TiO2/Ti was determined using ICP-MS. The optimum concentration of Pd on the surface of the catalyst was approximately 0.14% wt. This concentration was obtained when a 0.4% PdCl2 solution was used in the adsorption process. Increasing the concentration of PdCl2 did not lead to a further improvement in the activity of Pd/ TiO2/Ti.
Influence of Practitioner-Related Placement Variables on the Compressive Properties of Bulk-Fill Composite Resins—An In Vitro Clinical Simulation Study
Authors: Brosh Tamar , Davidovitch Moshe , Berg Avi , Shenhav Aviran , Pilo Raphael , Matalon Shlomo
Published: June 2022

Aims: To determine if restoration location and/or execution behavior force parameters have an influence on the mechanical properties of bulk-fill composite dental restorations. Methods: Pressure transducers were placed within each quadrant of dental mannequin jaws. Cylindrical molds were placed above the transducers and filled with two bulk-fill composite materials, Filtek and Tetric, by four experienced dentists. Each dentist prepared five specimens per quadrant and material. The total placement time, mean force, number of peak forces (above 25 N), and mean peak(s) force during placement were measured. Then, the stiffness and maximal compressive strength of the specimens were determined while loading the specimens up to failure using a universal loading machine. Results: Placement time was affected by jaw (p < 0.004) and side (p < 0.029), with the shortest time demonstrated for the left side of the mandible. Force exerted during restoration placement was not normally distributed without differences in location (jaw) or material. A higher application force was found on the right side (p < 0.01). The number of peak forces was affected by side (p < 0.03), with less peaks on the left side. No significant differences were found in compressive strength when correlated to restoration location, participant, or material (p = 0.431). The stiffness values of Filtek (3729 ± 228 N/mm) were found to be 15% higher than Tetric (3248 ± 227 N/mm) (p < 0.005). No correlations were found between the compressive strength or stiffness and the amount of force applied during placement. Conclusions: The individual restoration material placement parameters did influence practitioner performance; however, these differences did not affect the mechanical properties of the final restoration.
Targeted Large-Scale Genome Mining and Candidate Prioritization for Natural Product Discovery
Authors: Malit Jessie , Leung Hiu , Qian Pei-Yuan
Published: June 2022

Large-scale genome-mining analyses have identified an enormous number of cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) as a great source of novel bioactive natural products. Given the sheer number of natural product (NP) candidates, effective strategies and computational methods are keys to choosing appropriate BGCs for further NP characterization and production. This review discusses genomics-based approaches for prioritizing candidate BGCs extracted from large-scale genomic data, by highlighting studies that have successfully produced compounds with high chemical novelty, novel biosynthesis pathway, and potent bioactivities. We group these studies based on their BGC-prioritization logics: detecting presence of resistance genes, use of phylogenomics analysis as a guide, and targeting for specific chemical structures. We also briefly comment on the different bioinformatics tools used in the field and examine practical considerations when employing a large-scale genome mining study.
Thermo-Hydraulic Performance of Pin-Fins in Wavy and Straight Configurations
Authors: Saghir Mohamad Ziad , Rahman Mohammad Mansur
Published: June 2022

Pin-fins configurations have been investigated recently for different engineering applications and, in particular, for a cooling turbine. In the present study, we investigated the performance of three different pin-fins configurations: pin-fins forming a wavy mini-channel, pin-fins forming a straight mini-channel, and a mini-channel without pin-fins considering water as the working fluid. The full Navier–Stokes equations and the energy equation are solved numerically using the finite element technique. Different flow rates are studied, represented by the Reynolds number in the laminar flow regime. The thermo-hydraulic performance of the three configurations is determined by examining the Nusselt number, the pressure drop, and the performance evaluation criterion. Results revealed that pin-fins forming a wavy mini-channel exhibited the highest Nusselt number, the lowest pressure drop, and the highest performance evaluation criterion. This finding is valid for any Reynolds number under investigation.
Structural Design and Analysis of Hybrid Drive Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Motor
Authors: Li Zheng , Zhao Hui , Chen Xuetong , Du Shenhui , Guo Xiaoqiang , Sun Hexu
Published: June 2022

Piezoelectric-driven multi-degree-of-freedom motors can turn off self-lock, withstand high and low temperatures, are small in size and compact in structure, and can easily achieve miniaturization. However, they have a short life cycle and limited applications. In addition, high-intensity operation will result in a decrease in their stability. Electromagnetic-driven multi-degree-of-freedom motors, on the other hand, are simple and highly integrated, but they are large in volume and lack positioning accuracy. Therefore, combining the two drive modes can achieve complementary advantages, such as improving the motor’s torque, accuracy, and output performance. Firstly, the structure of the hybrid drive motor is introduced and its working principle is analyzed. The motor can achieve single and hybrid drive control, which is beneficial to improving the performance of the motor. Secondly, the influence of magnetization mode, permanent magnet thickness, slot torque, and stator mode on the motor is analyzed. Thirdly, the structure of the motor is determined to be 6 poles and 15 slots, the thickness of the permanent magnet is 12 mm, and the radial magnetization mode is used. Finally, the mixed torque and speed of the motor in the multi-degree-of-freedom direction are tested by experiments, which indirectly verifies the rationality of the structure design.