bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Impact of Land Use Changes on Soil Erosion in the Tropical Maha Oya River Basin, Sri Lanka
Authors: Palliyaguru Chathura , Basnayake Vindhya , Makumbura Randika K. , Gunathilake Miyuru B. , Muttil Nitin , Wimalasiri Eranga M. , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: December 2022

Soil degradation is a serious environmental issue in many regions of the world, and Sri Lanka is not an exception. Maha Oya River Basin (MORB) is one of the major river basins in tropical Sri Lanka, which suffers from regular soil erosion and degradation. The current study was designed to estimate the soil erosion associated with land use changes of the MORB. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used in calculating the annual soil erosion rates, while the Geographic Information System (GIS) was used in mapping the spatial variations of the soil erosion hazard over a 30-year period. Thereafter, soil erosion hotspots in the MORB were also identified. The results of this study revealed that the mean average soil loss from the MORB has substantially increased from 2.81 t ha−1 yr−1 in 1989 to 3.21 t ha−1 yr−1 in 2021, which is an increment of about 14.23%. An extremely critical soil erosion-prone locations (average annual soil loss > 60 t ha−1 yr−1) map of the MORB was developed for the year 2021. The severity classes revealed that approximately 4.61% and 6.11% of the study area were in high to extremely high erosion hazard classes in 1989 and 2021, respectively. Based on the results, it was found that the extreme soil erosion occurs when forests and vegetation land are converted into agricultural and bare land/farmland. The spatial analysis further reveals that erosion-prone soil types, steep slope areas, and reduced forest/vegetation cover in hilly mountain areas contributed to the high soil erosion risk (16.56 to 91.01 t ha−1 yr−1) of the MORB. These high soil erosional areas should be prioritized according to the severity classes, and appropriate land use/land cover (LU/LC) management and water conservation practices should be implemented as recommended by this study to restore degraded lands.
The Room Temperature Fracture Behaviors of GNPs/TA15 Composites by Pre-Sintering and Hot Extrusion
Authors: Hou Jiabin , Zhang Wencong , Cui Guorong , Chen Wenzhen , Wang Xing , Wu Shuo , Ma Qiang
Published: December 2022

Graphene nanoplates (GNPs)/TA15 composites were fabricated by pre-sintering and hot extrusion. During a room temperature tensile test, the dislocation was generated in grains. With increasing strain, the dislocation piled up along the interface between GNPs and Ti matrix, leading to stress concentration and microcracks. Then, the microcracks extended to GNPs or along the interface. The GNPs cracked under the shear force and the GNPs pulled out along with the crack propagation along the interface. This work provides a new sight in the room temperature tensile fracture behaviors.
Effect of Y2O3 Addition on Microstructure and Properties of Laser Cladded Al-Si Coatings on AZ91D Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Wan Xiaofeng , Tian Chuang , Li Yi , Zhou Jingling , Qian Shuangqing , Su Lihong , Wang Li
Published: December 2022

The effect of Y2O3 addition on the microstructure and properties of the laser cladded Al-Si alloy coating on the surface of AZ91D magnesium alloy was investigated in this study. The experimental results showed that the Al-Si + Y2O3 cladding layers contained α-Mg, Mg2Si, Al4MgY and a small amount of Al12Mg17 phases. The coarse dendrites, reticulated eutectic structures and massive phases in the coatings tended to be refined and gradually uniformly distributed with the increased amount of Y2O3. The introduction of Y2O3 into the cladding layer favored the improvement of microhardness and wear resistance due to the grain refinement strengthening and dispersion strengthening. The addition of Y2O3 also promoted the reduction of localized corrosion sites and made the corrosion surface smoother, implying that the corrosion resistance of the Y2O3-modified coatings was better than that of the unmodified cladding layer.
Enhanced Catalytic Effect of Ti2CTx-MXene on Thermal Decomposition Behavior of Ammonium Perchlorate
Authors: Li Jingxiao , Du Yulei , Wang Xiaoyong , Zhi Xuge
Published: December 2022

Transition metal carbonitrides (MXenes) are promising catalysts due to their special structures. Recently, many studies have shown that MXenes have a catalytic effect on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP). However, the catalytic effects have not been extensively investigated. Therefore, it is important to illustrate the catalytic mechanisms of pure MXene in AP thermal decomposition. Herein, the catalytic properties of Ti2CTx for ammonium perchlorate (AP) thermal decomposition were investigated by numerous catalytic experiments. The results showed that the high-temperature decomposition (HTD) decreased by 83 °C, and the decomposition heat of AP mixed with Ti2CTx increased by 1897.3 J/g. Moreover, the mass spectrum (MS) data showed that the NH3, H2O, O2, N2O, NO, HCl, and NO2 were formed. In addition, according to the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrum, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) results, the Ti2CTx nanosheets can adsorb the gaseous products and react with them in-situ, generating anatase-TiO2 and carbon layers. The Ti2CTx, as-resulted anatase-TiO2, and carbon can synergize and further catalyze the thermal decomposition of AP when both electron and proton transfers are accelerated during AP decomposition.
Structure and Magnetic Properties of SrFe12−xInxO19 Compounds for Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications
Authors: Nikolenko Polina I. , Nizamov Timur R. , Bordyuzhin Igor G. , Abakumov Maxim A. , Baranova Yulia A. , Kovalev Alexander D. , Shchetinin Igor V.
Published: December 2022

In this work, complex studies of the structure and magnetic properties of SrFe12−xInxO19 powders obtained by the mechanochemical and citrate methods were carried out. The solubility of In in strontium hexaferrite SrFe₁₂O₁₉ at 1200 °C was determined. The structure and properties of the powders were studied using X-ray diffraction analysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Measurements of magnetic properties in magnetic fields up to 1600 kA/m were also performed. Additionally, the hyperthermia effect was investigated. The possibility of controlling the coercivity of the samples in the range from 188.9 kA/m to 22.3 kA/m and saturation magnetization from 63.5 A·m2/kg to 44.2 A·m2/kg with an increase in the degree of In doping was also demonstrated. Investigation of the magnetic hyperthermia of the samples was carried out by temperature measurement with an IR camera when they were introduced into alternating magnetic fields of various frequencies (144, 261 and 508 kHz) and amplitudes (between 11.96 and 19.94 kA/m). According to the study result, there was detected the heating of the SrFe12−xInxO19 sample (x = 1.7). The highest values of magnetic hyperthermia of the sample were observed in a 19.94 kA/m magnetic field and a frequency of 261 kHz. At a concentration of 56.67 g/L, the sample was heated from 23 to 41 °C within 2 min. The parameters SLP (specific loss power) and ILP (intrinsic loss power) were calculated.
Wear Mechanisms of the Forging Tool Used in Pre-Forming in a Double Forging System of Truck Parts
Authors: Krawczyk Janusz , Łukaszek-Sołek Aneta , Lisiecki Łukasz , Śleboda Tomasz , Hawryluk Marek
Published: December 2022

Tool life in plastic forming processes is a problem of the utmost importance as it significantly affects the cost of production. Hot forging with hammers and mechanical presses is an example of the technological process in which the load on tools is extremely high and, consequently, the lifetime of tools is short. Considering, additionally, that this applies to large-scale production, from an economic point of view, the key issue will be to extend the tool life, make an accurate prediction of the number of parts that can be forged before the replacement of dies is necessary, and develop a system for quick tool changeover. Initially, however, it is necessary to understand the causes of excessive tool wear, which may lie in phenomena occurring at the level of microstructure. The aim of this article was to outline an example of the coexistence of multiple wear mechanisms in hot forging dies. For the modified chemical composition, the microstructure examinations were performed in selected areas of the tool. The research has revealed the causes of cracks in tools and some irregularities in the preparation of tools for production process.
Improvement of the Thermal Conductivity and Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Polyurethane Composites by Incorporating Hydroxylated Boron Nitride Functional Fillers
Authors: Su Kai-Han , Su Cherng-Yuh , Shih Wei-Ling , Lee Fang-Ting
Published: December 2022

Recently, the use of fused deposition modeling (FDM) in the three-dimensional (3D) printing of thermal interface materials (TIMs) has garnered increasing attention. Because fillers orient themselves along the direction of the melt flow during printing, this method could effectively enhance the thermal conductivity of existing composite materials. However, the poor compatibility and intensive aggregation of h-BN fillers in polymer composites are still detrimental to their practical application in thermally conductive materials. In this study, hydroxyl-functionalized boron nitride (OH-BN) particles were prepared by chemical modification and ultrasonic-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation to explore their impact on the surface compatibility, mechanical properties and the final anisotropic thermal conductivity of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites fabricated by FDM printing. The results show that the surface-functionalized OH-BN fillers are homogeneously dispersed in the TPU matrix via hydrogen bonding interactions, which improve the interfacial adhesion between the filler and matrix. For the same concentration of loaded filler, the OH-BN/TPU composites exhibit better mechanical properties and thermal conductivities than composites incorporating non-modified h-BN. These composites also show higher heat conduction along the stand-vertical direction, while simultaneously exhibiting a low dielectric constant and dielectric loss. This work therefore provides a possible strategy for the fabrication of thermal management polymers using 3D-printing methods.
Dimensionality Reduction Methods of a Clustered Dataset for the Diagnosis of a SCADA-Equipped Complex Machine
Authors: Viale Luca , Daga Alessandro Paolo , Fasana Alessandro , Garibaldi Luigi
Published: December 2022

Machinery diagnostics in the industrial field have assumed a fundamental role for both technical, economic and safety reasons. The use of sensors, data collection and analysis has increasingly advanced to investigate the health of machinery, predict the presence of faults and recognize their nature. The amount of data necessary for this purpose means that it is often necessary to implement dimension reduction methods to pre-process the useful features for the classification. Furthermore, the use of a multi-class dataset could involve data clustering in its multi-dimensional space. This study proposes a novel dimensionality reduction method, consisting of the combination of two different techniques. It aims at improving the quality of the features and, consequently, the classification performance with high-dimension clustered datasets. In addition, a case study is analyzed thanks to the data published by the Prognostics and Health Management Europe (PHME) society on the Data Challenge 2021. The results show an excellent recognition of the machine state of health both in terms of damage detection and identification. The performance indices also show an improvement in classification compared to other dimension reduction methods.
Displacement Analysis of Large-Scale Robotic Arm for Printing Cement Mortar Using Photogrammetry
Authors: Brousek Josef , Petr Tomas , Mendricky Radomir
Published: December 2022

The development of specialised equipment for three-dimensional printing of cement mortar requires the deployment of advanced design methods. The accuracy of printing robotic arms is influenced by the change in the position of the end effector, which is influenced by the stiffness of the arm, or deformation of parts of the arm and yielding in the place of rotation axes. Determining the actual change in the end effector position is often a difficult challenge. In this paper, we analysed the displacement on a large robotic arm by the non-contact optical photogrammetry method. We applied this method to a specialised 2.8 m long robotic arm SCARA with an added rotational axis. We compared the results from photogrammetry with the results from measurements with a mechanical deflection meter, and with the predicted displacement values from the FEM simulation. The results from both measurement methods showed maximum deviations of hundredths of a mm. The findings of the analysis thus indicate that photogrammetry meets the strict requirements for displacement measurement on a robotic arm for the 3D printing of cement mortar. A significant advantage of the method is the possibility of measuring almost all attainable arm positions and achieving results in hundreds of places.
3D22MX: Performance Subjective Evaluation of 3D/Stereoscopic Image Processing and Analysis
Authors: Moreno Escobar Jesús Jaime , Aguilar del Villar Erika Yolanda , Morales Matamoros Oswaldo , Chanona Hernández Liliana
Published: December 2022

This work is divided into three parts: (i) a methodology developed for building a 3D/ stereoscopic database, called 3D22MX, (ii) a software tool designed for degradation of 3D/stereoscopic images, and (iii) a psychophysical experiment carried out for a specific type of noise. The novelty of this work is to integrate these three parts precisely to provide not only professionals who design algorithms to estimate three-dimensional image quality but also those who wish to generate new image databases. For the development of the 3D/stereoscopic database, 15 indoor images and 5 outdoor ones were spatial-calibrated and lighted for different types of scenarios. Criteria calibration is different for indoor images with respect to outdoor images. The software tool to degrade 3D/stereoscopic images is designed from MatLab programming language since images captured in the first part are calculated for achieving several image degradation. Our program has ten different types of noises for degradation, such as white Gauss impulse, localvar, spatial correlation, salt & pepper, speckle, blur, contrast, jpeg, and j2k. Due to each type of noise containing up to five levels of degradation, in this proposal, a database of 20 images is required to design a tool for degrading and generating three-dimensional images ranging from all types of noise to yield psychophysical. Finally, there are applied specific criteria to carry out some psychophysical experiments with 3D/stereoscopic images. Moreover, we analyzed the methodology used to qualify and apply images to the j2k noise, explaining every degradation level for this noise.
Secure Authentication in the Smart Grid
Authors: Hosseinzadeh Mehdi , Ali Naqvi Rizwan , Safkhani Masoumeh , Tightiz Lilia , Majid Mehmood Raja
Published: December 2022

Authenticated key agreement is a process in which protocol participants communicate over a public channel to share a secret session key, which is then used to encrypt data transferred in subsequent communications. LLAKEP, an authenticated key agreement protocol for Energy Internet of Things (EIoT) applications, was recently proposed by Zhang et al. While the proposed protocol has some interesting features, such as putting less computation on edge devices versus the server side, its exact security level is unclear. As a result, we shed light on its security in this paper through careful security analysis against various attacks. Despite the designers’ security claims in the random oracle model and its verification using GNY logic, this study demonstrates that this protocol has security weaknesses. We show that LLAKEP is vulnerable to traceability, dictionary, stolen smart glass, known session-specific temporary information, and key compromise impersonation attacks. Furthermore, we demonstrate that it does not provide perfect forward secrecy. To the best of our knowledge, it is the protocol’s first independent security analysis. To overcome the LLAKEP vulnerabilities, we suggested the LLAKEP+ protocol, based on the same set of cryptographic primitives, namely the one-way hash function and ECC point multiplication. Our comprehensive security analysis demonstrates its resistance to different threats, such as impersonation, privileged insider assaults, and stolen smart glass attacks, along with its resistance to sophisticated assaults, such as key compromised impersonation (KCI) and known session-specific temporary information (KSTI). The overhead of the proposed protocol is acceptable compared to the provided security level.
Do Geopolitical Tensions and Economic Policy Uncertainties Reorient Mineral Imports in the USA? A Fat-Tailed Data Analysis Using Novel Quantile Approaches
Authors: Islam Md. , Sohag Kazi , Rehman Faheem
Published: December 2022

Mineral resources are essential raw materials to generate electricity, fuel vehicles, and heat homes and workplaces. Besides, the global agenda of clean energy deployment, including solar photovoltaics (PV), wind turbines, electric vehicles (EV), and storage facilities, calls for a considerable volume of critical minerals, which elevates their respective import demands. This highly concentrated source of those minerals poses a significant concern triggered by the augmented geopolitical tensions and economic policy uncertainties. In light of this context, our objective is to estimate the response of mineral import demand to global geopolitical risk events and economic policy uncertainty covering monthly data from January 1996 to December 2020. In doing so, we apply the cross-quantilogram (CQ) and the quantile-on-quantile (QQ) regression approaches due to the fat-tailed nature of the data property. Besides, these quantile-based data analysis procedures are appropriate for non-normal data sets and show the co-movement of the variables of interest under a bi-variate modelling approach. More importantly, these two techniques also exhibit the quantile connectedness among the variables in the bearish and bullish conditions. Moreover, our findings show that mineral import demand responds negatively to the USA’s (own) and global geopolitical risk events at the high quantiles under long memory. In addition, this demand reacts positively to the USA’s (own) and global economic policy uncertainty in entire quantiles under long memory. Therefore, our policy suggestions are concerned with tackling geopolitical tensions and economic policy uncertainty by adopting pre-emptive measures within a viable institutional mechanism to continue impressive mineral trade flows.
Deep Neural Network-Based Footprint Prediction and Attack Intention Inference of Hypersonic Glide Vehicles
Authors: Xu Jingjing , Dong Changhong , Cheng Lin
Published: December 2022

In response to the increasing threat of hypersonic weapons, it is of great importance for the defensive side to achieve fast prediction of their feasible attack domain and online inference of their most probable targets. In this study, an online footprint prediction and attack intention inference algorithm for hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) is proposed by leveraging the utilization of deep neural networks (DNNs). Specifically, this study focuses on the following three contributions. First, a baseline multi-constrained entry guidance algorithm is developed based on a compound bank angle corridor, and then a dataset containing enough trajectories for the following DNN learning is generated offline by traversing different initial states and control commands. Second, DNNs are developed to learn the functional relationship between the flight state/command and the corresponding ranges; on this basis, an online footprint prediction algorithm is developed by traversing the maximum/minimum ranges and different heading angles. Due to the substitution of DNNs for multiple times of trajectory integration, the computational efficiency for footprint prediction is significantly improved to the millisecond level. Third, combined with the predicted footprint and the hidden information in historical flight data, the attack intention and most probable targets can be further inferred. Simulations are conducted through comparing with the state-of-the-art algorithms, and results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can achieve accurate prediction for flight footprint and attack intention while possessing significant real-time advantage.
Some Properties of Operator Valued Frames in Quaternionic Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Hong Guoqing , Li Pengtong
Published: December 2022

Quaternionic Hilbert spaces play an important role in applied physical sciences especially in quantum physics. In this paper, the operator valued frames on quaternionic Hilbert spaces are introduced and studied. In terms of a class of partial isometries in the quaternionic Hilbert spaces, a parametrization of Parseval operator valued frames is obtained. We extend to operator valued frames many of the properties of vector frames on quaternionic Hilbert spaces in the process. Moreover, we show that all the operator valued frames can be obtained from a single operator valued frame. Finally, several results for operator valued frames concerning duality, similarity of such frames on quaternionic Hilbert spaces are presented.
EISM-CPS: An Enhanced Intelligent Security Methodology for Cyber-Physical Systems through Hyper-Parameter Optimization
Authors: Sheikh Zakir Ahmad , Singh Yashwant , Tanwar Sudeep , Sharma Ravi , Turcanu Florin-Emilian , Raboaca Maria Simona
Published: December 2022

The increased usage of cyber-physical systems (CPS) has gained the focus of cybercriminals, particularly with the involvement of the internet, provoking an increased attack surface. The increased usage of these systems generates heavy data flows, which must be analyzed to ensure security. In particular, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms have shown feasibility and promising results to fulfill the security requirement through the adoption of intelligence. However, the performance of these models strongly depends on the model structure, hyper-parameters, dataset, and application. So, the developers only possess control over defining the model structure and its hyper-parameters for diversified applications. Generally, not all models perform well in default hyper-parameter settings. Their specification is a challenging and complex task and requires significant expertise. This problem can be mitigated by utilizing hyper-parameter optimization (HPO) techniques, which intend to automatically find efficient learning model hyper-parameters in specific applications or datasets. This paper proposes an enhanced intelligent security mechanism for CPS by utilizing HPO. Specifically, exhaustive HPO techniques have been considered for performance evaluation and evaluation of computational requirements to analyze their capabilities to build an effective intelligent security model to cope with security infringements in CPS. Moreover, we analyze the capabilities of various HPO techniques, normalization, and feature selection. To ensure the HPO, we evaluated the effectiveness of a DL-based artificial neural network (ANN) on a standard CPS dataset under manual hyper-parameter settings and exhaustive HPO techniques, such as random search, directed grid search, and Bayesian optimization. We utilized the min-max algorithm for normalization and SelectKBest for feature selection. The HPO techniques performed better than the manual hyper-parameter settings. They achieved an accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score of more than 98%. The results highlight the importance of HPO for performance enhancement and reduction of computational requirements, human efforts, and expertise.
Global Properties of a Diffusive SARS-CoV-2 Infection Model with Antibody and Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Immune Responses
Authors: Elaiw Ahmed. M. , Alsaedi Abdullah J. , Hobiny Aatef. D. , Aly Shaban. A.
Published: December 2022

A severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can lead to morbidity and mortality. SARS-CoV-2 infects the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The immune system’s response plays a significant role in viral progression. This article develops and analyzes a system of partial differential equations (PDEs), which describe the in-host dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 under the effect of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and antibody immune responses. The model characterizes the interplay between six compartments, healthy epithelial cells (ECs), latent infected ECs, active infected ECs, free SARS-CoV-2 particles, CTLs, and antibodies. We consider the logistic growth of healthy ECs. We first investigate the properties of the model’s solutions, then, we calculate all steady states and determine the conditions of their existence and global stability. The global asymptotic stability is examined by constructing Lyapunov functions. The analytical findings are supported via numerical simulations.
Operators in Rigged Hilbert Spaces, Gel’fand Bases and Generalized Eigenvalues
Authors: Antoine Jean-Pierre , Trapani Camillo
Published: December 2022

Given a self-adjoint operator A in a Hilbert space H, we analyze its spectral behavior when it is expressed in terms of generalized eigenvectors. Using the formalism of Gel’fand distribution bases, we explore the conditions for the generalized eigenspaces to be one-dimensional, i.e., for A to have a simple spectrum.
Analysis of Multi-Stacked Dielectric Resonator Antenna with Its Equivalent R-L-C Circuit Modeling for Wireless Communication Systems
Authors: Krishna Ram , Imoize Agbotiname Lucky , Yaduvanshi Rajveer Singh , Singh Harendra , Rana Arun Kumar , Pani Subhendu Kumar
Published: December 2022

The dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) can be modeled as a series and parallel combination of electrical networks consisting of a resistor (R), inductor (L), and capacitor (C) to address peculiar challenges in antennas suitable for application in emerging wireless communication systems for higher frequency range. In this paper, a multi-stacked DRA has been proposed. The performance and characteristic features of the DRA have been analyzed by deriving the mathematical formulations for dynamic impedance, input impedance, admittance, bandwidth, and quality factor for fundamental and high-order resonant modes. Specifically, the performance of the projected multi-stacked DRA was analyzed in MATLAB and a high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS). Generally, results indicate that variation in the permittivity of substrates, such as high and low, can potentially increase and decrease the quality factor, respectively. In particular, the impedance, radiation fields and power flow have been demonstrated using the proposed multi-stacked electrical network of R, L, and C components coupled with a suitable transformer. Overall, the proposed multi-stacked DRA network shows an improved quality factor and selectivity, and bandwidth is reduced reasonably. The multi-stacked DRA network would find useful applications in radio frequency wireless communication systems. Additionally, for enhancing the impedance, BW of DRA a multi-stacked DRA is proposed by the use of ground-plane techniques with slots, dual-segment, and stacked DRA. The performance of multi-stacked DRA is improved by a factor of 10% as compared to existing models in terms of better flexibility, moderate gain, compact size, bandwidth, quality factor, resonant frequency, frequency impedance at the resonance frequency, and the radiation pattern with Terahertz frequency range.
Effect of Linoleic Acid on Cholesterol Levels in a High-Fat Diet-Induced Hypercholesterolemia Rat Model
Authors: Azemi Nurul Adila , Azemi Ahmad Khusairi , Abu-Bakar Luqman , Sevakumaran Vigneswari , Muhammad Tengku Sifzizul Tengku , Ismail Noraznawati
Published: December 2022

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for almost one-third of all deaths. The risk factors for developing this disease include high levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), alongside low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Dietary linoleic acid has been suggested to reduce these risk factors. This study aims to determine the effects of linoleic acid on cholesterol levels, liver function tests, and structural changes in liver tissue in comparison with fenofibrate in a hypercholesterolemic rat model. Thirty-six male Sprague Dawley rats (150–180 g) were divided into non-hypercholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic groups. Hypercholesterolemia was induced in the rats by feeding them with a high-fat diet for two weeks. After two weeks, the non-hypercholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic rats were equally divided into six groups (n = 6): control non-hypercholesterolemic rats, non-hypercholesterolemic rats treated with fenofibrate (60 mg/kg), non-hypercholesterolemic rats treated with linoleic acid (5 mg/kg), control hypercholesterolemic rats, hypercholesterolemic rats treated with fenofibrate (60 mg/kg), and hypercholesterolemic rats treated with linoleic acid (5 mg/kg). The changes in the rats’ body weight, serum lipid profiles, atherogenic indices, and liver function test results were obtained. The rats’ liver tissues were stained for histopathological analysis. The linoleic acid-treated hypercholesterolemic rats exhibited significantly reduced serum TC, TG, LDL, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels, as well as increased HDL levels compared with the control hypercholesterolemic rats. These linoleic acid effects were comparable to those in the fenofibrate-treated hypercholesterolemic rats. In conclusion, linoleic acid possesses early anti-hypercholesterolemic properties, which may be due to the reductions in serum cholesterol levels and mild early structural changes in the liver tissues of hypercholesterolemic rats. Therefore, continued studies on linoleic acid in atherosclerotic and/or obese animal models are suggested.
The Fate and Intermediary Metabolism of Soyasapogenol in the Rat
Authors: Pan Chenghui , Yan Yonggang , Zhao Dayun
Published: December 2022

Research suggests that soyasaponins are poorly absorbed in the GI tract and that soyasaponin aglycones or soyasapogenols are absorbed faster and in greater amounts than the corresponding soyasaponins. Therefore, it is important to understand the bioavailability of these compounds for the potential development of functional foods containing their components. In this paper, to investigate the metabolic characteristics of soyasapogenols A and B, the pharmacokinetic parameters in rats were determined via oral and intravenous administration. The liver metabolites of soyasapogenols were identified using UPLC–/Q-TOF–MS/MS, and their metabolic pathways were also speculated. The results show that, after oral administration, there was a bimodal phenomenon in the absorption process. Tmax was about 2 h, and soyasapogenol was completely metabolized 24 h later. The bioavailability of soyasapogenol was superior, reaching more than 60%. There were sixteen metabolites of soyasapogenol A and fifteen metabolites of soyasapogenol B detected in rat bile. Both phase I and II metabolic transformation types of soyasapogenols, including oxidation, dehydrogenation, hydrolysis, dehydration, deoxidization, phosphorylation, sulfation, glucoaldehyde acidification, and conjugation with cysteine, were identified. In addition, soyasapogenol A could be converted into soyasapogenols B and E in the metabolic process. These results suggest that it is feasible to use soyasapogenols as functional ingredients in nutraceuticals or food formulations.
Wet-Chemical Synthesis of TiO2/PVDF Membrane for Energy Applications
Authors: Saleem Muhammad , Albaqami Munirah D. , Bahajjaj Aboud Ahmed Awadh , Ahmed Fahim , Din ElSayed , Arifeen Waqas Ul , Ali Shafaqat
Published: December 2022

To satisfy the ever-increasing energy demands, it is of the utmost importance to develop electrochemical materials capable of producing and storing energy in a highly efficient manner. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has recently emerged as a promising choice in this field due to its non-toxicity, low cost, and eco-friendliness, in addition to its porosity, large surface area, good mechanical strength, and remarkable transport properties. Here, we present titanium dioxide nanoplates/polyvinylidene fluoride (TiO2/PVDF) membranes prepared by a straightforward hydrothermal strategy and vacuum filtration process. The as-synthesized TiO2/PVDF membrane was applied for energy storage applications. The fabricated TiO2/PVDF membrane served as the negative electrode for supercapacitors (SCs). The electrochemical properties of a TiO2/PVDF membrane were explored in an aqueous 6 M KOH electrolyte that exhibited good energy storage performance. Precisely, the TiO2/PVDF membrane delivered a high specific capacitance of 283.74 F/g at 1 A/g and maintained capacitance retention of 91% after 8000 cycles. Thanks to the synergistic effect of TiO2 and PVDF, the TiO2/PVDF membrane provided superior electrochemical performance as an electrode for a supercapacitor. These superior properties will likely be used in next-generation energy storage technologies.
Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of New Multifunctional Benzothiazoles as Photoprotective, Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Agents
Authors: Barbari Riccardo , Tupini Chiara , Durini Elisa , Gallerani Eleonora , Nicoli Francesco , Lampronti Ilaria , Baldisserotto Anna , Manfredini Stefano
Published: December 2022

A current trend of research in the health field is toward the discovery of multifunctional compounds, capable of interacting with multiple biological targets, thus simplifying multidrug therapies and improving patient compliance. The aim of this work was to synthesize new multifunctional chemical entities bearing a benzothiazole nucleus, a structure that has attracted increasing interest for the great variety of biological actions that it can perform, and already used as a scaffold in several multifunctional drugs. Compounds are reported, divided into two distinct series, synthetized and tested in vitro for the antioxidant, and include UV-filtering and antitumor activities. DPPH and FRAP tests were chosen to outline an antioxidant activity profile against different radical species. The UV-filtering activity was investigated, pre- and post-irradiation, through evaluation of a O/W sunscreen standard formulation containing 3% of the synthetic compounds. The antitumor activity was investigated both on human melanoma cells (Colo-38) and on immortalized human keratinocytes as a control (HaCat). A good antiproliferative profile in terms of IC50 was chosen as a mandatory condition to further investigate apoptosis induction as a possible cytotoxicity mechanism through the Annexin V test. Compound BZTcin4 was endowed with excellent activity and a selectivity profile towards Colo-38, supported by a good antioxidant capacity and an excellent broad-spectrum photoprotective profile.
Conductometric Studies of Formation the Inclusion Complexes of Phenolic Acids with β-Cyclodextrin and 2-HP-β-Cyclodextrin in Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Kinart Zdzisław
Published: December 2022

An attempt was made to evaluate the possibility of creating and assessing the stability of inclusion complexes of selected phenolic acids [trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (trans-p-coumaric acid), trans-3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid (trans-caffeic acid), trans-4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid, (trans-ferulic acid) and trans-3-phenylacrylic acid (trans-cinnamic acid)] with β-cyclodextrin and 2-HP-β-cyclodextrin in aqueous solutions in a wide temperature range 283.15 K–313.15 K. On the basis of the values of the limiting molar conductivity (ΛCDNaDod), calculated from the experimental data, the values of the formation constants and the thermodynamic functions of formation (standard enthalpy, entropy, and Gibs standard enthalpy) of the studied complexes were determined. It has been found that the stability of the studied complexes increases with lowering of the molar mass of cyclodextrin and lowering of the temperature.
Inhibitory Effect of Bisdemethoxycurcumin on DNCB-Induced Atopic Dermatitis in Mice
Authors: Wang Yanjie , Zhang Ping , Zhang Jingyu , Hong Tie
Published: December 2022

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease. Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) is an ingredient from the rhizome of the traditional Chinese herbal medicine turmeric. BDMC has been reported to have important pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor and antiproliferative activities. However, its effect on atopic dermatitis has not been reported. The purpose of our study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of BDMC on TNF-α/IFNγ-stimulated HaCaT cells and on 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD mice. Our studies showed in vitro that BDMC was able to significantly inhibit the mRNA expression of chemokines and cytokines in TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells and alleviate their inflammatory response. Our studies found in vivo that BDMC was able to significantly improve the symptoms of DNCB-induced AD skin lesions, decrease the number of scratches, ear thickness, and spleen index, improve inflammatory cells and mast cell infiltration and decrease skin thickness. Moreover, it was also able to inhibit the mRNA expression levels of chemokines and inflammatory cytokines and the activation of the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. Thus, the results indicated that BDMC can improve atopic dermatitis in mice and that further clinical studies are warranted on its treatment of AD.
Radiochemical Synthesis of 4-[18F]FluorobenzylAzide and Its Conjugation with EGFR-Specific Aptamers
Authors: Il’in Viktor A. , Pyzhik Elena V. , Balakhonov Anton B. , Kiryushin Maksim A. , Shcherbatova Evgeniya V. , Kuznetsov Andrey A. , Kostin Pavel A. , Golovin Andrey V. , Korshun Vladimir A. , Brylev Vladimir A. , Sapozhnikova Kseniya A. , Kopylov Alexey M. , Pavlova Galina V. , Pronin Igor N.
Published: December 2022

Central nervous system tumors related to gliomas are of neuroectodermal origin and cover about 30% of all primary brain tumors. Glioma is not susceptible to any therapy and surgical attack remains one of the main approaches to its treatment. Preoperative tumor imaging methods, such as positron emission tomography (PET), are currently used to distinguish malignant tissue to increase the accuracy of glioma removal. However, PET is lacking a specific visualization of cells possessing certain molecular markers. Here, we report an application of aptamers to enhancing specificity in imaging tumor cells bearing the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Glioblastoma is characterized by increased EGFR expression, as well as mutations of this receptor associated with active division, migration, and adhesion of tumor cells. Since 2021, EGFR has been included into the WHO classification of gliomas as a molecular genetic marker. To obtain conjugates of aptamers GR20 and GOL1-specific to EGFR, a 4-[18F]fluorobenzylazide radiotracer was used as a synthon. For the production of the synthon, a method of automatic synthesis on an Eckert & Ziegler research module was adapted and modified using spirocyclic iodonium ylide as a precursor. Conjugation of 4-[18F]fluorobenzylazide and alkyne-modified aptamers was carried out using Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) with/without the TBTA ligand. As a result, it was possible to obtain 18F-labelled conjugates with 97% radiochemical purity for [18F]FB-GR20 and 98% for [18F]FB-GOL1. The obtained conjugates can be used for further studies in PET analysis on model animals with grafted glioblastoma.
Applications of Molecular Imprinting Technology in the Study of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Zhang Yue , Zhao Guangli , Han Kaiying , Sun Dani , Zhou Na , Song Zhihua , Liu Huitao , Li Jinhua , Li Guisheng
Published: December 2022

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the most internationally competitive industries. In the context of TCM modernization and internationalization, TCM-related research studies have entered a fast track of development. At the same time, research of TCM is also faced with challenges, such as matrix complexity, component diversity and low level of active components. As an interdisciplinary technology, molecular imprinting technology (MIT) has gained popularity in TCM study, owing to the produced molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) possessing the unique features of structure predictability, recognition specificity and application universality, as well as physical robustness, thermal stability, low cost and easy preparation. Herein, we comprehensively review the recent advances of MIT for TCM studies since 2017, focusing on two main aspects including extraction/separation and purification and detection of active components, and identification analysis of hazardous components. The fundamentals of MIT are briefly outlined and emerging preparation techniques for MIPs applied in TCM are highlighted, such as surface imprinting, nanoimprinting and multitemplate and multifunctional monomer imprinting. Then, applications of MIPs in common active components research including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides and polyphenols, etc. are respectively summarized, followed by screening and enantioseparation. Related identification detection of hazardous components from TCM itself, illegal addition, or pollution residues (e.g., heavy metals, pesticides) are discussed. Moreover, the applications of MIT in new formulation of TCM, chiral drug resolution and detection of growing environment are summarized. Finally, we propose some issues still to be solved and future research directions to be expected of MIT for TCM studies.
Synthesis of Sandwiched Composite Nanomagnets by Epitaxial Growth of Fe3O4 Layers on SrFe10Cr2O19 Nanoplates in High-Boiling Organic Solvent
Authors: Anokhin Evgeny O. , Deyankov Danila A. , Xia Zitian , Kozlyakova Ekaterina S. , Lebedev Vasily A. , Morozov Anatolii V. , Kozlov Daniil A. , Nygaard Roy R. , Petukhov Dmitry I. , Trusov Lev A.
Published: December 2022

Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of sandwiched composite nanomagnets, which consist of hard magnetic Cr-substituted hexaferrite cores and magnetite outer layers. The hexaferrite plate-like nanoparticles, with average dimensions of 36.3 nm × 5.2 nm, were prepared via a glass crystallization method and were covered by spinel-type iron oxide via thermal decomposition of iron acetylacetonate in a hexadecane solution. The hexaferrite nanoplates act as seeds for the epitaxial growth of the magnetite, which results in uniform continuous outer layers on both sides. The thickness of the layers can be adjusted by controlling the concentration of metal ions. In this way, layers with an average thickness of 3.7 and 4.9 nm were obtained. Due to an atomically smooth interface, the magnetic composites demonstrate the exchange coupling effect, acting as single phases during remagnetization. The developed approach can be applied to any spinel-type material with matching lattice parameters and opens the way to expand the performance of hexaferrite nanomagnets due to a combination of various functional properties.
New Insights into Risk Genes and Their Candidates in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Shirai Remina , Yamauchi Junji
Published: December 2022

Oligodendrocytes are central nervous system glial cells that wrap neuronal axons with their differentiated myelin membranes as biological insulators. There has recently been an emerging concept that multiple sclerosis could be triggered and promoted by various risk genes that appear likely to contribute to the degeneration of oligodendrocytes. Despite the known involvement of vitamin D, immunity, and inflammatory cytokines in disease progression, the common causes and key genetic mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, we focus on recently identified risk factors and risk genes in the background of multiple sclerosis and discuss their relationships.
What Is the Evidence for Dietary-Induced DHA Deficiency in Human Brains?
Authors: Sinclair Andrew J. , Wang Yonghua , Li Duo
Published: December 2022

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a major constituent of neural and visual membranes and is required for optimal neural and visual function. DHA is derived from food or by endogenous synthesis from α-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid. Low blood levels of DHA in some westernised populations have led to speculations that child development disorders and various neurological conditions are associated with sub-optimal neural DHA levels, a proposition which has been supported by the supplement industry. This review searched for evidence of deficiency of DHA in human populations, based on elevated levels of the biochemical marker of n-3 deficiency, docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6). Three scenarios/situations were identified for the insufficient supply of DHA, namely in the brain of new-born infants fed with high-linoleic acid (LA), low-ALA formulas, in cord blood of women at birth who were vegetarians and in the milk of women from North Sudan. Twenty post-mortem brain studies from the developed world from adults with various neurological disorders revealed no evidence of raised levels of 22:5n-6, even in the samples with reduced DHA levels compared with control subjects. Human populations most likely at risk of n-3 deficiency are new-born and weanling infants, children and adolescents in areas of dryland agriculture, in famines, or are refugees, however, these populations have rarely been studied. This is an important topic for future research.
Components of the Fiber Diet in the Prevention and Treatment of IBD—An Update
Authors: Ferenc Katarzyna , Jarmakiewicz-Czaja Sara , Filip Rafał
Published: December 2022

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of diseases with a chronic course, characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission. One of the elements that could potentially predispose to IBD is, among others, a low-fiber diet. Dietary fiber has many functions in the human body. One of the most important is its influence on the composition of the intestinal microflora. Intestinal dysbiosis, as well as chronic inflammation that occurs, are hallmarks of IBD. Individual components of dietary fiber, such as β-glucan, pectin, starch, inulin, fructooligosaccharides, or hemicellulose, can significantly affect preventive effects in IBD by modulating the composition of the intestinal microbiota or sealing the intestinal barrier, among other things. The main objective of the review is to provide information on the effects of individual fiber components of the diet on the risk of IBD, including, among other things, altering the composition of the intestinal microbiota.