bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An atomistically informed multiscale approach to the intrusion and extrusion of water in hydrophobic nanopores
Authors: Paulo Gonçalo , Gubbiotti Alberto , Giacomello Alberto
Published: May 2023

Understanding intrusion and extrusion in nanoporous materials is a challenging multiscale problem of utmost importance for applications ranging from energy storage and dissipation to water desalination and hydrophobic gating in ion channels. Including atomistic details in simulations is required to predict the overall behavior of such systems because the statics and dynamics of these processes depend sensitively on microscopic features of the pore, such as the surface hydrophobicity, geometry, and charge distribution, and on the composition of the liquid. On the other hand, the transitions between the filled (intruded) and empty (extruded) states are rare events that often require long simulation times, which are difficult to achieve with standard atomistic simulations. In this work, we explored the intrusion and extrusion processes using a multiscale approach in which the atomistic details of the system, extracted from molecular dynamics simulations, informed a simple Langevin model of water intrusion/extrusion in the pore. We then used the Langevin simulations to compute the transition times at different pressures, validating our coarse-grained model by comparing it with nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. The proposed approach reproduces experimentally relevant features such as the time and temperature dependence of the intrusion/extrusion cycles, as well as specific details about the shape of the cycle. This approach also drastically increases the timescales that can be simulated, reducing the gap between simulations and experiments and showing promise for more complex systems.
First-principles study on the effects of atomic configuration on the
magnetic anisotropy energy of (Fe,Co)16(N,C)2
alloys
Authors: Sakuma Akimasa
Published: May 2023

Herein, the first-principles technique combined with a coherent potential approximation is utilized to investigate the magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) of (Fe1-xCox)16(N,C)2 alloys. The alloys contain an ordered α″-phase and partially ordered α′-phase, where α-Fe is distorted to form a bct structure with c/a = 1.1 owing to the random intrusion of (N, C) atoms. For the α″-phase, the MAE is sensitive to Co substitution sites and reaches approximately 3 MJ/m3 at an x of 0.25 when Co atoms occupy the 4d sites. For the α′-phase, the lattice distortion c/a = 1.1 alone cannot provide a positive MAE when x = 0 (FeN0.125 and FeC0.125). Evidently, both Co substitution and further increasing the c/a over 1.1 must be performed to realize a positive MAE in the α'-phase. Finally, the importance of local distortion of the (Fe, Co) lattice in further increasing the c/a beyond 1.1 is discussed as it increases the effective c/a even when the global c/a is fixed at 1.1.
On dissecting the wakes of flapping wings
Authors: Chakraborty Priyam , Goli Srikanth , Roy Arnab
Published: May 2023

Flapping is an energy-demanding mode of fast animal locomotion that requires physiology, wing kinematics, and unsteady mechanics to work in unison. The trailing flow or wake is a signature of flapping mechanics, which makes it a popular candidate for visualization and analysis. While there are multiple ways to analyze wakes, we need a general framework to ensure utility of the analysis in bio-inspired flapping flight. In this article, we develop a theoretical framework to analyze the transport phenomena of wakes. To illustrate, we apply the theory to a two-dimensional modeled hovering flight comprising engineered rigid flapping plates, which vary in aspect ratio, wingbeat frequency, and the use of winglet. The results potentially explain certain observations in natural flight.
Disentangling the confounding spectroscopy of C1 molecules: Without symmetry as a guide, everything is allowed
Authors: Wilhelm Michael J. , Johnson Timothy J. , Myers Tanya L.
Published: May 2023

The spectra of C1 molecules are confounding in that each of the fundamental vibrational modes transform as the same irreducible representation (A) and hence each band consists of a seemingly random distribution of a-, b-, and c-type transitions. This is in contrast to higher symmetry molecules for which band types are readily deduced by simple symmetry rules. Herein, we present a method to simulate the convoluted rotational contours in the gas-phase spectra of C1 molecules by combining existing ab initio calculations with Colin Western’s pgopher rotational contour program. Specifically, ab initio calculations in the NWChem suite of programs were employed to predict the components of the dipole moment derivatives along the principal axes of the moments of inertia. This information was then input into pgopher to model the fundamental band contours as a sum of a-, b-, and c-type transitions. This method was applied to simulate the rotational contour spectra of a series of representative C1 molecules which were then compared against both ab initio stick spectra and experimentally measured broadband IR spectra from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory infrared gas-phase database. In addition to providing further insight beyond what is revealed in a typical stick spectrum, the simulated contours showed good agreement with the measured spectra.
Urgent measures are needed to shore up NIST’s crumbling facilities
Authors: Kramer David
Published: May 2023

Researchers must cope with flooding, power surges, and other difficulties.
The effect of tidal range and mean sea-level changes on coastal flood hazards at Lakes Entrance, south-east Australia
Authors: Hague Ben S. , Grayson Rodger B. , Talke Stefan A. , Black Mitchell T. , Jakob Dörte
Published: May 2023

Despite being well-documented in other countries, the roles that anthropogenically induced changes and natural variability in tidal processes play in modulating coastal flood frequencies have not been investigated in Australia. Here we conduct a brief assessment of changes in tidal variability around Australia. We then apply a simple attribution framework to quantify the separate and joint effects of tidal range changes and increasing relative mean sea level on nuisance flood frequency at the location with the largest relative changes in tidal range, Lakes Entrance, Victoria. To understand how these changes in variability affect flood hazards, we consider a nuisance flood threshold based on recent coastal flood impact surveys. Results show that increases in the heights of high tides over recent years have exerted a large influence on coastal flood frequencies. These recent changes are potentially linked to changes in channel dredging regimes. We show that 93% of nuisance flood days since 2009 would not have occurred without these tidal range changes or the coincident increases in the mean sea level. We demonstrate the importance of considering tidal processes in estuarine coastal flood hazard assessments for future planning, even if these processes do not represent a substantial flood threat today. We discuss the implications of this study for future work on estuarine flood hazards and the benefits of considering impact-based thresholds in the assessment of such hazards.
Characterisation of volatile organic compounds in dingo scat and a comparison with those of the domestic dog
Authors: Lepan Tyler J. , Truong Thy T. , Yadav Sonu , Ballard J. William O.
Published: May 2023

Olfaction is a widespread mode of communication in mammals. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in biological samples such as scat and urine give them either a repellent property to warn prey or an attractant property to communicate reproductive, social, and territorial status to conspecifics. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are VOC differences in the scat of a dingo compared to that of a domestic German Shepherd Dog (GSD). We standardised the diet for 10 days and then collected scat from 14 dingoes and 11 GSDs. Using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we characterised VOCs present in the dingo scat and compared the composition with those of GSDs. We identified 58 significant VOCs out of a total of 154 VOCs identified in both dingoes and GSDs. Of these, 12 were significantly higher in the scat of dingoes and 46 elevated in the GSD. Of the 12 elevated in the dingo, three were unique and present in high concentration (>10 ng/g), four were elevated and present in high concentration and five were present at low concentrations (<10 ng/g). We suggest that the detected differences show potential to be incorporated into dingo management strategies.
The arrival of the populist radical right in Chile
Authors: Díaz Camila , Rovira Kaltwasser Cristóbal , Zanotti Lisa
Published: May 2023

Despite the increasing influence of populist radical right (PRR) forces at the global level, they have been absent in
Chile until very recently. Today, however, the conditions seem to be ripe for the consolidation of the PRR in the country. As we show in
this contribution, José Antonio Kast and the Partido Republicano advance a programmatic agenda that emphasizes authoritarian, nativist, and
populist ideas. We also demonstrate certain peculiarities of this political project, which differentiates it from its European brethren. In
fact, the party has adopted very clear neoliberal positions and puts much more emphasis on outgroup distinctions within rather than outside
the nation. Moreover, given that José Antonio Kast and the Partido Republicano maintain a very fluid relationship with the mainstream right,
collaboration between the two seems much simpler and more feasible than in most European cases.
Inducing sparsity via the horseshoe prior in imaging problems
Authors: Dong Yiqiu , Pragliola Monica
Published: May 2023

A problem typically arising in imaging applications is the reconstruction task under sparsity constraints. A computationally efficient strategy to address this problem is to recast it in a hierarchical Bayesian framework coupled with a Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) estimation approach. More specifically, the original unknown is modeled as a conditionally Gaussian random variable with an unknown variance. Here, the expected behavior on the variance is encoded in a half-Cauchy hyperprior. The latter, coupled to the conditioned Gaussian prior, yields the horseshoe shrinkage prior, particularly popular within the statistics community and here introduced into the context of imaging problems. The arising non-convex MAP estimation problem is tackled via an alternating minimization scheme for which the global convergence to a stationary point is guaranteed. Experimental results prove that the derived hypermodel is competitive with classical variational methods as well as with other hierarchical Bayesian models typically employed for sparse recovery problems.
Vertically molybdenum disulfide nanosheets on carbon cloth using CVD by controlling growth atmosphere for electrocatalysis
Authors: Wang Haolin , Geng Longfei , Zhang Zixuan , Zhong Peng , Liu Fei , Xie Yong , Zhao Yajuan , Li Peixian , Ma Xiaohua
Published: May 2023

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been deemed as one of the promising noble-metal-free electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but it suffers from the inert basal plane and low electronic conductivity. Regulating the morphology of MoS2 during the synthesis on conductive substrates is a synergistic strategy for enhancing the HER performance. In this work, vertical MoS2 nanosheets were fabricated on carbon cloth (CC) using an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition method. The growth process could be effectively tuned through introducing hydrogen gas during vapor deposition process, resulting in nanosheets with increased edge density. The mechanism for edge-enriching through controlling the growth atmosphere is systematically studied. The as-prepared MoS2 exhibits excellent HER activity due to the combination of optimized microstructures and coupling with CC. Our findings provide new insights to design advanced MoS2-based electrocatalysts for HER.
An innovative divertor concept, the fish tail divertor, for reducing the surface temperature on the divertor target plate in EAST tokamak experiments
Authors: Zhang Y. , Zhang X. D. , Qiu Q. L. , Zhang J. , Li B. , Chen L. , Luo Z. P. , Qian J. P. , Wang L. , Liu H. Q. , Meng L. Y. , Liu X. , Zhang B. , Shen B. , Yuan Q. P. , Xiao B. J. , Gong X. Z. , Xu G. S. , Hu J. S. , Lu K. , Wu X. C. , Song Y. T.
Published: May 2023

An innovative divertor concept, the fish tail divertor, is proposed in this paper, aimed at reducing the surface temperature on the tokamak divertor plate as well as that due to the edge localized modes. This new concept has been implemented in experiments to demonstrate its capability of strike point sweeping on the plate at a frequency range from 10 to 100 Hz by using an oscillating magnetic field. A strike point movement of 5–6 cm is achieved by applying a coil current of several percent of plasma current, leading to a significant reduction of divertor surface temperature. The result indicates a possible application in a fusion reactor.
Physics design of the Shenzhen innovation light source storage ring
Authors: He Tao , Sun Zhenbiao , Zhang Tong , Liu Guimin , Ji Ruimin , Lin Chuntao
Published: May 2023

The Shenzhen innovation light source facility (SILF) is a
fourth generation of medium energy synchrotron radiation light
source, which focuses on supporting the development of the domestic
core industries, basic science frontier research and major strategic
requirement, such as integrated circuits, biomedicine, advanced
materials and advanced manufacturing. With the Shenzhen Municipal
Government's approval of the SILF project proposal on Sep10 2020,
the feasibility study of the SILF was completed in 2022, and the
preliminary design of the SILF are in progress. The accelerator
complex is composed of the 200 MeV linac, the 0.2–3.0 GeV
booster and the 3.0 GeV storage ring. The circumference of the
storage ring is 696.0 m, which includes 28 hybrid seven-bend
achromat lattice periodic units to achieve the emittance below
100 pm·rad. The detailed physics design of the SILF storage
ring will be presented in this paper.
Landscape vulnerability assessment driven by drought and precipitation anomalies in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Guo Xinya , Zhang Zhenke , Zhang Xingqi , Bi Mo , Das Priyanko
Published: May 2023

Global climate extremes are increasingly frequent and intense, especially in Africa, which is most vulnerable to climate change (de Sherbinin 2013 Clim. Change 123 23–37). However, the vulnerability of the landscapes composed of diverse ecosystems to climate extremes is far from being clearly understood. This study constructed a set of index systems based on the ‘exposure-sensitivity-adaptive capacity’ framework to assess landscape vulnerability driven by abnormal drought and precipitation in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, correlation analysis was used to discover factors affecting landscape vulnerability. The results showed that a high level of landscape vulnerability was determined by high exposure and high sensitivity, as adaptive capacity exhibited little difference. The drought and wet events occurred in 80.9% and 51.3% of the climate change-dominated areas during 2001–2020, respectively. In areas where drought anomalies occur, about 8% of the landscapes, primarily formed by sparse vegetation and grasslands, were susceptible to drought. Moreover, in areas with abnormal precipitation, high vulnerability occurred only in about 0.6% of landscapes mostly covered by grasslands and shrubs. In addition, the intensity of landscape vulnerability driven by drought was higher than that driven by precipitation anomalies in the areas that experienced both dry and wet anomalies. Furthermore, the greater the deviation of landscape richness, diversity, and evenness from the normal climate state, the stronger the landscape vulnerability. The results add new evidence for landscape instabilities—an obvious contrast driven by drought and wetness—from the perspective of landscape vulnerability. The methodology of assessing landscape vulnerability established in this study can provide a new way to guide the regulation of landscape composition in response to frequent climate extremes on a macro level.
Relieving nematic geometric frustration in the plane
Authors: Pedrini Andrea , Virga Epifanio G
Published: May 2023

Frustration in nematic-ordered media (endowed with a director field) is treated in a purely geometric fashion in a flat, two-dimensional space. We recall the definition of quasi-uniform distortions and envision these as viable ways to relieve director fields prescribed on either a straight line or the unit circle. We prove that using a planar spiral is the only way to fill the whole plane with a quasi-uniform distortion. Apart from that, all relieving quasi-uniform distortions can at most be defined in a half-plane; however, in a generic sense, they are all asymptotically spirals.
Clifford group is not a semidirect product in dimensions N divisible by four
Authors: Korbelář Miroslav , Tolar Jiří
Published: May 2023

The paper is devoted to projective Clifford groups of quantum N-dimensional systems (with configuration space

Z

N

). Clearly, Clifford gates allow only the simplest quantum computations which can be simulated on a classical computer (Gottesmann–Knill theorem). However, it may serve as a cornerstone of full quantum computation. As to its group structure it is well-known that—in N-dimensional quantum mechanics—the Clifford group is a natural semidirect product provided the dimension N is an odd number. For even N special results on the Clifford groups are scattered in the mathematical literature, but they mostly do not concern the semidirect structure. Using appropriate group presentation of

S
L

(
2
,

Z

N

)

it is proved that for even N the projective Clifford groups are not natural semidirect products if and only if N is divisible by four.
Empowerment of Farmer Institutions in Improving Farmer’s Bargaining Position
Authors: Sasmi Meli , Agustar Asdi , Syarfi Ira Wahyuni , Hasnah
Published: May 2023

The drop in global rubber prices worsens farmer-level rubber selling prices, affecting rubber farmers’ economics. One of the efforts to develop the farmer’s economy is strengthening rubber farmers’ institutional aspects. This study will examine institutional strengthening to stabilize rubber prices at the farmer level and increase farmers’ negotiating power. This study employs a qualitative case study methodology. Data were descriptively examined. The findings of this study explain that the rubber prices decline in rubber farmers’ economies does not improve from time to time. The decline in rubber prices resulted in land conversion, decreased production, and fewer rubber farmers. On the other hand, rubber marketing institutions have improved rubber farmers’ price stability bargaining position and increased rubber farmers’ economy. This research implies that rubber marketing institutions through farmer associations can increase farmers’ bargaining position, maintain rubber price stability and contribute to the empowerment of rubber farmer commodity institutions.
“Act-design-plan-locally” for built environment studies: an approach towards reaching sustainable development goals
Authors: Saputra Kadek Edi , Suartika Gusti Ayu Made
Published: May 2023

This paper departs from the view that reorienting higher education in the built environment field towards implementing “act-design-plan-locally” principles is a step closer to an awareness of Sustainable Development Goals. It embraces the concept of ‘vernacularity’ that promotes strategies in partnering with nature, valuing simplicity and humility as an approach to learning resources. The idea has been introduced as part of various subjects offered in academic curricula, particularly those practised in many architecture programs. On the other hand, taking it as a learning approach has not been considered. Two principles are significant. Firstly, this paper takes the concept further and offers a theoretical insight into how the ‘act-design-plan-locally’ principle inspired by vernacularly can be embedded in the learning process of built environment studies. In so doing, it first provides an understanding of the principle itself, especially its potential position to support efforts in achieving sustainable development goals. Second, it explores prospects that enable the inclusion of this principle into the higher education teaching and learning process, as well as challenging circumstances that dissuade the achievement of this objective. Here, we categorize discussion regarding academic environmental systems, teaching environments, available resources and behavioural mandates. The whole discussion will be concluded in the third part of this paper.
Phosphorus Uptake of Oil Palm Leaves on the Axillary Application of Diammonium Phosphate Fertilizer
Authors: Arifin Muhamad Amin , Mildaryani Warmanti , Swasono Didit Heru
Published: May 2023

Fertilization costs for almost all oil palm plantation companies range from 40-60% of the total plant maintenance costs. Farm fertilizer consumption and world fertilizer prices for the three main macronutrients increase yearly, but the use efficiency is low. Meanwhile, pressure came from environmentalists regarding the effects of pollution by excessive use of fertilizers. Application of fertilization through axillary oil palm midrib is expected to overcome inefficiency. This study examined the phosphorus uptake of three-year-old oil palm leaves on the application of diammonium phosphate fertilizer through two positions of the axil, the top and bottom, with four dosage levels, namely 200. 250. 300 and 350 grams per tree. The split-plot design method was used in the research conducted at PT Bumitama Gunajaya Agro oil palm plantation, West Kalimantan. The results showed that Phosphorus uptake was relatively the same in all leaf axil positions and doses and control with the highest dose of 350g/tree through the soil. The results indicate that fertilization of oil palm is possible to do through any axils with a lower amount than it through the soil.
Application of coumarin concentrations and number of nodes on induction potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) micro tuber in vitro
Authors: Mustikasari T , Hervani D , Warnita W
Published: May 2023

Potato is a horticultural commodity with good prospects for development. Potato tissue culture technology is one of the efforts to produce virus- and disease-free potato seeds. The aim of this experiment was to see if there was an interaction between the administration of multiple coumarin concentrations and the number of nodes and at what concentration of coumarin and at what number of nodes gives optimal results for induction of potato micro tuber. This experiment was arranged according to a two-factor factorial Completely Randomized Design with 3 replications. The 1st factor was multiple coumarin concentrations with 4 levels (30, 60, 90, 120 mg/l) and the 2nd factor was the number of nodes with 3 levels (1 node, 2 nodes, and 3 nodes). The results showed that there was an interaction between the administration of multiple concentrations of coumarin and the number of nodes, showing the best interaction when the coumarin concentration was 120 mg/l with 2 nodes that could form tubers with a percentage of 94.44%. The 120 mg/l coumarin concentration gave the highest of plantlets forming micro-tubers, the highest number of micro tuber and the largest micro-tuber diameter. The two-node treatment increased the percentage of plantlets forming micro tubers, the number of micro tubers, and the diameter of the micro tuber.
Shoots and Roots Induction of Garlic on Different Composition of Plant Growth Regulators and Photoperiod
Authors: Kristina Nilla , Herawati Netti , Resigia Elara
Published: May 2023

Plant Growth Regulators and photoperiods will affect callus morphogenesis from garlic bulbils. The study aimed to obtain the best interaction between media composition and photoperiod for shoots and root induction of the garlic callus. The research has two-stage. The first stage consisted of two factors. The first factor is the combination of PGR for shoots induction which consists of three combinations, i.e., 0.1 ppm NAA + 1 ppm BAP, 2 ppm NAA + 2 ppm BAP, and 0.4 ppm 2,4-D + 2 ppm kinetin. The second factor is photoperiod which consists of 10, 16, and 22-h light conditions. The second stage is the root induction in different PGRs (2 ppm IBA and 0.2 ppm NAA + 2.25 ppm BA) under continuous dark conditions. The results of the first stage showed that the PGR produced the most shoots was 0.1 ppm NAA + 1 ppm BAP. After four weeks, the frequency of an explant emerging during the shoot reached 64% on media 0.1 ppm NAA + 1 ppm BAP. The treatment MS media supplemented with 0.1 ppm NAA + 1 ppm BAP at 16-h photoperiods increased the growth of shoots per explant in 11-15 shoots and produced the most extended shoot length. The result of the second stage showed that the number of roots on 2 ppm IBA is the same as NAA 0,2 ppm + BA 2,25 ppm, but the treatment 2 ppm IBA has the highest root number in three months.
Effect of fermentation time on the molecular weight distribution of ACE inhibitory peptide from jack bean tempe
Authors: Puspitojati E , Indrati R , Cahyanto M N , Marsono Y
Published: May 2023

This research examined the variation in concentration of protein derived from jack bean throughout mold fermentation and the distribution of the molecular weight (MW) of the resultant peptides. In addition, the effects of peptide size on ACE inhibitory action were investigated. The jack bean was soaked and boiled before fermentation, then inoculated using 0.2% of commercial tempe inoculum. Furthermore, the inoculated seeds were incubated at room temperature for 48 h (T48), and 72 h (T72), and unfermented jack bean (T0) was used as a control. The total protein, soluble protein, MW distribution of peptides, and ACE inhibitory action were all examined. The results demonstrated that the concentration of soluble proteins rose as fermentation duration increased (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the total crude protein in all samples did not change significantly (p > 0.05). The resultant peptides were then separated by dialysis to generate four peptide fractions, namely; fractions A (MW of <1 kDa), B (MW of 1-3.5 kDa), C (MW of 3.5-14 kDa), and D (MW of > 14 kDa). The peptide fractions of the three samples demonstrated that the number of peptides in fraction D decreased significantly during the fermentation, followed by an increase in peptide fractions with smaller MW (Fractions A, B, and C). The number of peptides in fraction A of T0, T48, and T72 was 9.51; 49.87; and 56.31%, respectively. The more significant amount of smaller peptides indicated a higher possibility to have the capacity to inhibit ACE. Fractions A, B, C, and D of T72 exhibited ACE inhibitory action with the value of 83.21; 62.53; 61.07; and 49.64%, respectively. In this investigation, the ACE inhibitory action was stronger as the MW of the peptides decreased. Fraction A had the greatest inhibitory action with an IC50 of 0.60 mg/mL. In conclusion, the fermentation duration enhanced the concentration of soluble protein. Consequently, jack bean protein degraded into various sizes of peptides during fermentation. Furthermore, the smallest size of peptides fraction demonstrated the best ACE inhibitory activity.
In Vivo Study of Pre-treated Pumpkin Flour (Cucurbita moschata) Feeding Substitution on Hyperglycemic Male Wistar Rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Authors: Putri Widya Dwi Rukmi , Widyawati Ana , Maligan Jaya Mahar , Sunarharum Wenny Bekti
Published: May 2023

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease caused due to high blood sugar levels. Treatment for Diabetes mellitus patients can be supported through a suitable diet and nutrition intake. One of the potential plants used in a diabetic diet is pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) which contains numerous bioactive compounds such as fiber, beta-carotene, and phenolic compounds. This study was conducted to determine the effect of substitution feeding of pre-treated pumpkin flour, i.e., blanching (90°C, 6 min) or soaking under citric acid solution (0.1%, 60 min), on blood glucose levels of hyperglycemic male Wistar rats. The pre-treatment of results showed that the feeding substitution of 25% pre-treated pumpkin flour had reduced the blood glucose level of the hyperglycemic male Wistar rats group. The highest blood glucose reduction of 23.26% or 45.22 mg/dL was found in the rats fed with the substitution of 25% pumpkin flour treated with citric acid.
Characteristics of biodegradable plastic from mulu bebe banana peel starch with the addition of chitosan and glycerol plasticizer
Authors: Saleh Erna Rusliana Muhamad , Utami Sri
Published: May 2023

Bioplastics are a solution to the food packaging problem, which generally uses synthetic petroleum packaging, which is increasingly limited, difficult to degrade by nature and a food safety solution for health. However, this packaging needs to be strengthened in its mechanical properties by adding chitosan and glycerol. This study aimed to investigate the effect of adding chitosan and glycerol on the physical dan mechanical characteristics of the bioplastics and the physical and mechanical characteristics of bioplastics resulting from adding different chitosan and glycerol. Design experiment using the factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) method with 2 (two) treatment factors and 3 (three) replications. The two treatment variables were chitosan concentration (0%, 1%, 2%) and glycerol concentration (1%, 2%, 3%) with three replications. There are 27 experimental units in total. The data obtained were analyzed using analysis of variance with a factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD) model. If it has a significant effect, a further test with the least significant difference test at the 5% level is carried out. The addition of different chitosan and glycerol affected all parameters. Biodegradable plastic from Mulu Bebe banana peel starch with the addition of chitosan and glycerol plasticizer has the characteristics of water content 13.389-19.621%, density 0.047-0.112 gr/cm3, tensile strength 0.983-4.790 Mpa, elongation 1.402-13.317%, and water absorption 12.407-82.194%.
The Use of Colour Indicator as a Smart Packaging for Monitoring Spoilage Fillet Catin Fish (Pangasius Sp.) In Room Temperature
Authors: Ningtyas Rina , Jayarachman Marsha Namira , Imam Saeful , Muryeti
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this research was to manufacture smart packaging made from pH color indicators Methyl Orange (MO), Methyl Red (MR), and Bromocressol Green (BCG) and analyze the best indicators in responding to the decline of quality fillet of Pangasius spp. Sensitivity indicators were tested with simulated gas amin issued by NH4OH for 30 minutes. They tested the color change of indicator in field trials conducted with sensitivity to the decline of quality fillet fish Pangasius sp. every 3 hours for 15 hours. Further tests were done on the fish to find the time of fish freshness with the pH, TPC, and organoleptic (SNI 2346:2006). The research results showed that all indicators could be used as packaging materials for smart packaging that decline the quality of pangasius sp. indicator made of BCG responds better than the others. Test results of testing indicators sensitivity with NH4OH showed that all indicators could be used as indicators. The results of testing the sensitivity indicator against the decline of the quality of the pangasius sp. fillets showed that the limit of the freshness of the fish used in this research is over 6th hours to 9th hour of storage where at the 9th, the color of the indicator changed, MO from pink to yellowish-orange, MM from deep red to yellowish-orange and BCG from pale yellow to blue. At 9 hours of storage, the results of RGB of MO, MR, and BCG are 190.00±0.46, 165.07±0.78 and 0.70±238.04 accordance with the decline of the quality of the fish assessed from the test results of pH value (7.54), TPC (5.74 X 10 6) and the organoleptic value of appearance (5.0), smell (4.5) and texture (5.0). In conclusion, indicators made of MO, MR, and BCG can be used as smart packaging to detect the deterioration of Pangasius sp., and indicators made of BCG can respond better than indicators of MO and MR.
Smart Labels as Indicators of Tomato Freshness Using Mangosteen Peel Extract
Authors: Sari Vonny Indah , Susi Neng , Putri Vivin Jenika , Rahmah Anania , Rizal Muhammad
Published: May 2023

Tomato is one of the most popular tropical fruits because it tastes fresh and can be consumed directly or processed as a seasoning, garnish, and industrial raw material. Tomato cultivation is increasing with the increasing demand for tomatoes in the market. As a perishable product, many efforts have been made to maintain the quality of fresh tomatoes, one of which is by packing fresh tomatoes using innovative packaging. Smart packaging is packaging with an additional label to provide information to consumers without touching the product, so that product cleanliness is maintained. Several studies have added synthetic substances as smart labels, which will certainly have a negative impact on fresh products that are consumed directly. For this reason, smart labels were developed on packaging with natural ingredients taken from plant extracts. One that can be used as an indicator on a smart label is the rind of the mangosteen fruit. Mangosteen rind contains high anthocyanin substances, which are very sensitive to changes in pH. This situation can be used as an indicator of changes in pH that accompany a decrease in the quality of tomatoes during storage. This study aimed to determine the action of anthocyanin substances from mangosteen rind as a smart label indicator that detects the freshness of packaged tomatoes during storage, both at room temperature and cold storage.
An axisymmetric metal and metal-oxide grating-structured self-reference fiber optic SPR sensor
Authors: Kushwaha Anupam , Mishra Akanksha , Verma Roli
Published: May 2023

An optical-fiber-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing probe consisting of axisymmetrical grating is proposed and studied theoretically for the detection of the refractive index (RI). The sensing probe is formed by depositing a plasmonic metal layer on a bare core of optical fiber, followed by an axisymmetric grating layer and an analyte. The grating consists of metal and metal oxide in an alternate manner. The proposed structure of a single channel provides two resonance modes in the transmission SPR spectra. It is found that the mode present at the lower wavelength remains fixed, and the mode present at the higher wavelength is varied when the RI of the analyte is varied, so that the previous one works as a reference mode while the latter one works as a sensing mode. These properties provide the self-referencing capability of the proposed RI sensor in ambient conditions. We have calculated the sensitivity, detection accuracy (DA) and signal to width ratio (SWR) using the SPR spectra of various probes of different combinations of plasmonic metal and metal-oxide gratings to enhance the study. The best performing probe is found to be Ag/Cu-ITO. This optimum probe attained a maximum SWR of 42, sensitivity of 5400 nm RIU−1 and DA of 0.08 nm−1 with the self-referencing capability. The optimum probe also works well for a dispersive analyte within the spectral range. The use of metal oxide provides better adsorption of the analyte as well as high sensitivity. The cumulative properties of self-referencing and the metal oxide of the designed probe make it accurate and useful for the detection of biological elements in the ambient atmosphere.
Characterization of aperiodic surfaces with mesh-based parameters
Authors: Stöckel Stefanie , Segel Frank , Groeger Sophie
Published: May 2023

For technical surfaces, it is important to know their functional purpose and to characterize them accordingly. Therefore, ISO 21920–2 in 2D and ISO 25178–2 in 3D offer parameters that can assess surface functional properties. The topographic portions of a surface, for example hills and dales, can be classified as features and evaluated using feature parameters. However, no parameter exists to describe the spatial distribution of features with regard to the degree of homogeneity for aperiodic surfaces. Here we show the application of the Delaunay triangulation to quantify the spatial distribution respectively the geometric relationship of features. Therefore, the feature points are determined by watershed analysis and the resulting point cloud is meshed in 2D. Based on that mean and standard deviation of the triangle side lengths and the area disorder (AD) are calculated as new parameters. The method is demonstrated for sandblasted and chrome-plated specimens. In addition simulation is used to generate more data for analysis. With the proposed approach the distinction and extent of uniform, homogeneous or inhomogeneous spatial distributions of features with parameter AD can be determined.
Constitutive modeling for elevated temperature flow behavior of a novel Cr-Si alloyed hot stamping steel
Authors: Zhu Rong , Yang Xiaoyu , Mi Zhenli , Jiang Haitao , Yang Yonggang , Wang Mai , Zhang Qi , Wu Yanxin , Li Lei
Published: May 2023

The flow behavior of a novel Cr-Si alloyed hot stamping steel (Cr-Si steel) at elevated temperature was investigated via isothermal compression tests on a Gleeble-3500 thermomechanical simulator with a temperature range of 600 ∼ 900 °C and a strain rate range of 0.1 ∼ 10 s−1. Subsequently, the Arrhenius-type constitutive model, comprising strain compensation, was established in accordance with the friction and adiabatic heating corrected stress-strain curves. Furthermore, the predictability and prediction accuracy of the constitutive model were verified. The results reveal that at a constant strain rate, the flow stress of the Cr-Si steel initially increases as the strain increases before tending to stabilize, owning to the combined effects of work hardening and dynamic recovery. The peak flow stresses decrease as the temperatures increase and the strain rates decrease. The constitutive model can accurately predict the elevated temperature constitutive relationship of the Cr-Si steel during the hot stamping process.
Functional properties of Sr1-xGdxTiO3 ceramics synthesized by solid state reaction method
Authors: Alshoaibi Adil , Bhellar Ikhtiar Hussain , Hussain Fayaz , Zubairi Hareem , Shaikh Sajida , Faouri Sinan
Published: May 2023

Sr1-xGdxTiO3 (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.11) ceramics by the addition of Gd3+ on A-sites, were processed and fabricated through the conventional sintering method and optimised the sintering temperature at 1390 °C–1470 °C for 2 h. The experimentation shows that all ceramics are possessed by cubic structure, in which the increment of Gd3+ content, in terms of x, decreases the lattice parameters of the ceramics, as well as affects the grain size. Comparing the results to pure SrTiO3 (STO) compounds, the addition of Gd3+ lowers the mass loss, increased the conductivity as well as permittivity by decreasing the dielectric losses at lower frequencies. The x = 0.03 and 0.01 evidenced the maximum Seeback Coefficient, ∼281 μV K−1 at ∼370 K confirming the higher carrier concentration. Also, the magnetic properties as a function of Gd3+ ions doped with STO showed gradual improvement, showing maximum saturation with the maximum concentration of x.
Divergent regulation of α-arrestin ARRDC3 function by ubiquitination
Authors: Wedegaertner Helen , Bosompra Oye , Kufareva Irina , Trejo JoAnn
Published: May 2023

Mammalian α-arrestin ARRDC3 ubiquitination is regulated by WWP2 E3 ubiquitin ligase, which is recruited through the ARRDC3 PPXY motifs. Ubiquitin is a key regulator of ARRDC3 function in regulating GPCR trafficking and signaling.
Immersion vs. Engaged Interactivity in The Autobiography of Jane Eyre’s Storyworld; Or What We Can Learn from Paratextual Traces
Authors: Oestreich Kate Faber
Published: May 2023

This paper uses The Autobiography of Jane Eyre (Nessa Aref and Alysson Hall’s 2013–2014 transmedia adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, hereafter AoJE) to explore the impact of characters’ social media accounts on user interactivity and immersion. AoJE employs the powers of social media to create a modernized and fully-fledged storyworld, yet the users’ overall experience is undermined by the very strategies meant to facilitate engaged interactivity. When social media posts become sites where users not only actively seek additional content but also ‘read’ traces of other users’ interactions with the content, those traces function as paratextual commentary, creating dialogic metaphors. In AoJE, the characters’ social media accounts demand that users remain in a near constant state of metalepsis by accepting and even inverting several previously accepted ontological binaries: character/actor, reader/writer, passive/active, immersive/interactive. The effort required by users to interact successfully with the various platforms additionally underscores the difficulty of consuming (and prosuming) a story that unfolds over multiple platforms, especially once the social media components no longer exist in the immediate present.
Laboratory-Developed Tests Account for a Small Minority of Tests Ordered in an Academic Hospital System
Authors: Rychert Jenna , Schmidt Robert L , Genzen Jonathan R
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To determine the frequency of use of laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) in an academic medical center system.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 2021 test order data from an academic medical center (hospital, outpatient clinics, and cancer center) was done. Measures included assay type, assay methodology, regulatory status, test order volume, inpatient vs outpatient setting, and provider medical specialty.

Results

Of the 3,016,928 tests ordered in 2021, 2,831,489 (93.9%) were tests cleared, approved, and/or authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA); 116,583 (3.9%) were LDTs; and 68,856 (2.3%) were standard methods. These test orders were performed using a total of 1,954 distinct assays. Of these, 983 (50.3%) were FDA assays, 880 (45.0%) were LDTs, and 91 (4.7%) were standard methods. Laboratory-developed tests were more commonly ordered in the outpatient vs inpatient setting and represented a higher proportion of the test volume at the cancer center compared with the university hospital (5.6% vs 3.6%, respectively). The top 167 LDT assays accounted for 90% of the LDT volume (104,996 orders). Among the 20 most frequently ordered LDTs were mass spectrometry assays and tests used in the care of immunocompromised patients. Internal/family medicine placed the greatest number of orders (1,044,642) and ordered one of the lowest proportions of LDTs (3.2%).

Conclusions

Laboratory-developed tests made up a small percentage of the total laboratory tests ordered within the academic health system studied.
DBGRU-SE: predicting drug–drug interactions based on double BiGRU and squeeze-and-excitation attention mechanism
Authors: Zhang Mingxiang , Gao Hongli , Liao Xin , Ning Baoxing , Gu Haiming , Yu Bin
Published: May 2023

The prediction of drug–drug interactions (DDIs) is essential for the development and repositioning of new drugs. Meanwhile, they play a vital role in the fields of biopharmaceuticals, disease diagnosis and pharmacological treatment. This article proposes a new method called DBGRU-SE for predicting DDIs. Firstly, FP3 fingerprints, MACCS fingerprints, Pubchem fingerprints and 1D and 2D molecular descriptors are used to extract the feature information of the drugs. Secondly, Group Lasso is used to remove redundant features. Then, SMOTE-ENN is applied to balance the data to obtain the best feature vectors. Finally, the best feature vectors are fed into the classifier combining BiGRU and squeeze-and-excitation (SE) attention mechanisms to predict DDIs. After applying five-fold cross-validation, The ACC values of DBGRU-SE model on the two datasets are 97.51 and 94.98%, and the AUC are 99.60 and 98.85%, respectively. The results showed that DBGRU-SE had good predictive performance for drug–drug interactions.
Medication adherence in relation with physical activity in hypertensive patients : data from a behavioral cardiology unit
Authors: Fragoulis C , Prentakis A G , Kontogianni E , Polyzos D , Tsioufis P A , Fragouli D , Leontsinis I , Mantzouranis E , Sakalidis A , Mavroudis A , Kalos T , Chrysochoou C , Politis A , Tsioufis K P
Published: May 2023

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background/Introduction

Few studies have examined the relationship between exercise and adherence to antihypertensive medication, examining all possible factors contributing to blood pressure control.

Purpose

The purpose of our study was to access the possible dependence relationship among hypertensive patients visiting the Behavioral Cardiology Unit in a Tertiary Hospital.

Methods

The study population consisted of patients reporting to the Behavioral Cardiology Unit in a Tertiary Hospital during a period of 6 months in 2021. In terms of holistic approach, all patients underwent a thorough clinical in-depth interview, using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS8), the Frail Questionnaire Screening Tool (Frailty Score) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). All patients also provided full history of exercise (at least 150 minutes of physical activity or 75 minutes of intense activity per week), while completing the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI).

Results

The population consisted of 42 hypertensive patients, 54.8% of them were females, with a mean age of all patients at 55.8±15.2 years. Body Mass Index was averaging at 27.6 kg/m2. Salt consumption above the daily suggested amount (>5gr/day) was reported by 60% of patients, binge drinking by 43% of them, while 43% had a history of active smoking. High adherence was reported by 17 patients (46%), medium adherence by 14 (37.8%) and low adherence by 6 (16.2%). Results indicate a relationship between exercise and adherence to medication. More specifically, Chi-Square test showed statistical significance between exercise and medium medication adherence in MMAS8 (MMAS8: 6-7, p=0.033). Moreover, statistical analysis showed significant relationship between exercise, frailty and PHQ-4 score. Particularly, patients with absence of exercise showed higher level of PHQ-4 score (F=7.07, p=0.011).

Conclusions

Our study highlights the possible dependency relationship of exercise and adherence to medication. Results indicate that patients with good adherence to medication have better behavioral activation. There is need for further research in this domain, to confirm the findings.