bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tracking Microbial Diversity and Hygienic-Sanitary Status during Processing of Farmed Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Serrano Heredia Salud María , Sánchez-Martín Javier , Romero Gil Verónica , Arroyo-López Francisco Noé , Benítez-Cabello Antonio , Carrasco Jiménez Elena , Valero Díaz Antonio
Published: October 2023

Aquaculture is becoming a strategic sector for many national economies to supply the increasing demand for fish from consumers. Fish culture conditions and processing operations can lead to an increase in microbial contamination of farmed fish that may shorten the shelf-life of fish products and byproducts, and ready-to-eat fishery products. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hygienic-sanitary status of water, environment, and processing of fresh-farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fillets produced in a local fish farm in Andalusia, Spain. To achieve this, a longitudinal study was carried out by collecting environmental (air and food-contact surfaces), water from fish ponds, and rainbow trout samples. Thereby, seven sampling visits were performed between February 2021 and July 2022, where foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, together with physicochemical parameters, were analysed in the collected samples. Further, microbial identification of microbiota was achieved through a culture-dependent technique using blast analysis of 16S RNA gene sequencing. The results showed that Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella were not detected in the analysed samples. Regarding the hygienic-sanitary status of the fish farm, the slaughtering bath, the eviscerating machine and the outlet water from fish ponds presented the highest counts of coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, and Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus and sulphite-reducing Clostridium were identified in the conveyor belts, fish flesh, and viscera. The 16S RNA identification confirmed the presence of viable spoilage bacteria such as Citrobacter gillenii, Macrococcus caseolyticus, Hafnia paralvei, Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, Morganella morganii, and Shewanella. Three of these genera (Citrobacter, Hafnia, and Pseudomonas) were present in all types of samples analysed. The results evidenced potential transmission of microbial contamination from contaminated packaging belts and boxes, evisceration and filleting machines to flesh and viscera samples, thus the establishment of control measures should be implemented in fish farm facilities to extend the shelf-life of farmed fishery products.
Advances in the Development of Nano-Engineered Mechanically Robust Hydrogels for Minimally Invasive Treatment of Bone Defects
Authors: Kaur Kulwinder , Murphy Ciara M.
Published: October 2023

Injectable hydrogels were discovered as attractive materials for bone tissue engineering applications given their outstanding biocompatibility, high water content, and versatile fabrication platforms into materials with different physiochemical properties. However, traditional hydrogels suffer from weak mechanical strength, limiting their use in heavy load-bearing areas. Thus, the fabrication of mechanically robust injectable hydrogels that are suitable for load-bearing environments is of great interest. Successful material design for bone tissue engineering requires an understanding of the composition and structure of the material chosen, as well as the appropriate selection of biomimetic natural or synthetic materials. This review focuses on recent advancements in materials–design considerations and approaches to prepare mechanically robust injectable hydrogels for bone tissue engineering applications. We outline the materials–design approaches through a selection of materials and fabrication methods. Finally, we discuss unmet needs and current challenges in the development of ideal materials for bone tissue regeneration and highlight emerging strategies in the field.
In Silico Analysis of the MAPK Gene Family in Cabbage and Its Expression during Development and Stress Response
Authors: Wang Min , Chen Jinxiu , Zhu Xiaowei , Tai Xiang , Bo Tianyue
Published: October 2023

Cabbage is often affected by an adverse environment and pathogens during its growth, resulting in a decline in yield and quality. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play crucial roles in the development process, hormones, abiotic and biotic stresses, and cell division. So far, MAPKs have been characterized in various species. However, no systematic analysis of the MAPK family in cabbage has been performed. A total of 24 BoMAPK genes were identified and renamed according to Arabidopsis homologs; they were unevenly distributed on nine chromosomes. According to the conserved domain and phylogenetic relationship, BoMAPKs were divided into four subgroups, of which three belonged to subgroup A, four to subgroup B, three to subgroup C, and fourteen to subgroup D, respectively. There were 13 segmental duplication events in the cabbage genome. The Ka/Ks ratios for duplicated gene pairs of the MAPK family were less than 0.2, indicating that these BoMAPK genes have undergone purification selection in evolution. There were various cis-acting elements associated with stress, hormones, and development found in the promoter regions of most BoMAPK genes. Transcriptome data showed a high expression of BoMAPK3, BoMAPK4.1, and BoMAPK6.1 genes in various tissues. BoMAPK17.2, BoMAPK20.1 and BoMAPK20.2 were significantly induced by Plasmodiophora brassicae, as evidenced in the quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis, revealing their enormous potential to regulate stress response. RT-qPCR results showed how the transcriptional levels of BoMAPK genes varied substantially under abiotic stress at different time points. These analysis results provide a reference to further explore the function and evolution of BoMAPK genes in cabbage.
Comparative Chloroplast Genomics of 21 Species in Zingiberales with Implications for Their Phylogenetic Relationships and Molecular Dating
Authors: Li Dong-Mei , Liu Hai-Lin , Pan Yan-Gu , Yu Bo , Huang Dan , Zhu Gen-Fa
Published: October 2023

Zingiberales includes eight families and more than 2600 species, with many species having important economic and ecological value. However, the backbone phylogenetic relationships of Zingiberales still remain controversial, as demonstrated in previous studies, and molecular dating based on chloroplast genomes has not been comprehensively studied for the whole order. Herein, 22 complete chloroplast genomes from 21 species in Zingiberales were sequenced, assembled, and analyzed. These 22 genomes displayed typical quadripartite structures, which ranged from 161,303 bp to 163,979 bp in length and contained 111–112 different genes. The genome structures, gene contents, simple sequence repeats, long repeats, and codon usage were highly conserved, with slight differences among these genomes. Further comparative analysis of the 111 complete chloroplast genomes of Zingiberales, including 22 newly sequenced ones and the remaining ones from the national center for biotechnology information (NCBI) database, identified three highly divergent regions comprising ccsA, psaC, and psaC-ndhE. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference phylogenetic analyses based on chloroplast genome sequences found identical topological structures and identified a strongly supported backbone of phylogenetic relationships. Cannaceae was sister to Marantaceae, forming a clade that was collectively sister to the clade of (Costaceae, Zingiberaceae) with strong support (bootstrap (BS) = 100%, and posterior probability (PP) = 0.99–1.0); Heliconiaceae was sister to the clade of (Lowiaceae, Strelitziaceae), then collectively sister to Musaceae with strong support (BS = 94–100%, and PP = 0.93–1.0); the clade of ((Cannaceae, Marantaceae), (Costaceae, Zingiberaceae)) was sister to the clade of (Musaceae, (Heliconiaceae, (Lowiaceae, Strelitziaceae))) with robust support (BS = 100%, and PP = 1.0). The results of divergence time estimation of Zingiberales indicated that the crown node of Zingiberales occurred approximately 85.0 Mya (95% highest posterior density (HPD) = 81.6–89.3 million years ago (Mya)), with major family-level lineages becoming from 46.8 to 80.5 Mya. These findings proved that chloroplast genomes could contribute to the study of phylogenetic relationships and molecular dating in Zingiberales, as well as provide potential molecular markers for further taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of Zingiberales.
Novel Treatments for PXE: Targeting the Systemic and Local Drivers of Ectopic Calcification
Authors: Jacobs Ida Joely , Li Qiaoli
Published: October 2023

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a heritable multisystem ectopic calcification disorder. The gene responsible for PXE, ABCC6, encodes ABCC6, a hepatic efflux transporter regulating extracellular inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), a potent endogenous calcification inhibitor. Recent studies demonstrated that in addition to the deficiency of plasma PPi, the activated DDR/PARP signaling in calcified tissues provides an additional possible mechanism of ectopic calcification in PXE. This study examined the effects of etidronate (ETD), a stable PPi analog, and its combination with minocycline (Mino), a potent inhibitor of DDR/PARP, on ectopic calcification in an Abcc6-/- mouse model of PXE. Abcc6-/- mice, at 4 weeks of age, before the development of ectopic calcification, were treated with ETD, Mino, or both for 18 weeks. Micro-computed tomography, histopathologic examination, and quantification of the calcium content in Abcc6-/- mice treated with both ETD and Mino revealed further reduced calcification than either treatment alone. The effects were associated with reduced serum alkaline phosphatase activity without changes in plasma PPi concentrations. These results suggest that ETD and Mino combination therapy might provide an effective therapeutic approach for PXE, a currently intractable disease.
Mechanistic Insights into the Anti-Proliferative Action of Gut Microbial Metabolites against Breast Adenocarcinoma Cells
Authors: Jaye Kayla , Alsherbiny Muhammad A. , Chang Dennis , Li Chun-Guang , Bhuyan Deep Jyoti
Published: October 2023

The gut microbiota undergoes metabolic processes to produce by-products (gut metabolites), which play a vital role in the overall maintenance of health and prevention of disease within the body. However, the use of gut metabolites as anticancer agents and their molecular mechanisms of action are largely unknown. Therefore, this study evaluated the anti-proliferative effects of three key gut microbial metabolites—sodium butyrate, inosine, and nisin, against MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 breast adenocarcinoma cell lines. To determine the potential mechanistic action of these gut metabolites, flow cytometric assessments of apoptotic potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production measurements and proteomics analyses were performed. Sodium butyrate exhibited promising cytotoxicity, with IC50 values of 5.23 mM and 5.06 mM against MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. All three metabolites were found to induce apoptotic cell death and inhibit the production of ROS in both cell lines. Nisin and inosine indicated a potential activation of cell cycle processes. Sodium butyrate indicated the possible initiation of signal transduction processes and cellular responses to stimuli. Further investigations are necessary to ascertain the effective therapeutic dose of these metabolites, and future research on patient-derived tumour spheroids will provide insights into the potential use of these gut metabolites in cancer therapy.
Comment on Viderman et al. Remote Monitoring of Chronic Critically Ill Patients after Hospital Discharge: A Systematic Review. J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 1010
Authors: Farahani Parisa , Wahid Lana
Published: October 2023

Viderman et al. undertook this systematic review with the intent of providing evidence on the potential application of remote monitoring in chronic critically ill patients post-hospital discharge [...]
DiabeticSense: A Non-Invasive, Multi-Sensor, IoT-Based Pre-Diagnostic System for Diabetes Detection Using Breath
Authors: Kapur Ritu , Kumar Yashwant , Sharma Swati , Rastogi Vedant , Sharma Shivani , Kanwar Vikrant , Sharma Tarun , Bhavsar Arnav , Dutt Varun
Published: October 2023

Diabetes mellitus is a widespread chronic metabolic disorder that requires regular blood glucose level surveillance. Current invasive techniques, such as finger-prick tests, often result in discomfort, leading to infrequent monitoring and potential health complications. The primary objective of this study was to design a novel, portable, non-invasive system for diabetes detection using breath samples, named DiabeticSense, an affordable digital health device for early detection, to encourage immediate intervention. The device employed electrochemical sensors to assess volatile organic compounds in breath samples, whose concentrations differed between diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. The system merged vital signs with sensor voltages obtained by processing breath sample data to predict diabetic conditions. Our research used clinical breath samples from 100 patients at a nationally recognized hospital to form the dataset. Data were then processed using a gradient boosting classifier model, and the performance was cross-validated. The proposed system attained a promising accuracy of 86.6%, indicating an improvement of 20.72% over an existing regression technique. The developed device introduces a non-invasive, cost-effective, and user-friendly solution for preliminary diabetes detection. This has the potential to increase patient adherence to regular monitoring.
The Role of Prophylactic and Adjuvant Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) in Prevention of Peritoneal Metastases in Advanced Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Sun Beatrice J. , Daniel Sara K. , Lee Byrne
Published: October 2023

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a locoregional therapy that may be combined with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) to treat patients with colorectal cancer and peritoneal metastases (PM). In recent years, three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the role of prophylactic or adjuvant HIPEC in preventing the development of PM in patients with high-risk colorectal cancer: PROPHYLOCHIP and COLOPEC evaluated adjuvant HIPEC, and HIPECT4 studied concurrent HIPEC and CRS. Although PROPHYLOCHIP and COLOPEC were negative trials, a great deal may be learned from their methodology, outcome measures, and patient selection criteria. HIPECT4 is the first RCT to show a clinical benefit of HIPEC in high-risk T4 colorectal cancer, demonstrating improved locoregional disease control with the addition of HIPEC to CRS with no increase in the rate of complications. This review critically examines the strengths and limitations of each major trial and discusses their potential impact on the practice of HIPEC. Several additional ongoing clinical trials also seek to investigate the role of HIPEC in preventing PM in advanced colorectal cancer.
Unexpected and Rare Sites of Metastasis in Oncologic Patients
Authors: Shalata Walid , Abu Jama Ashraf , Abu Salman Amjad , Golosky Mitchell , Solomon Adam , Abu Saleh Omar , Michlin Regina , Shalata Sondos , Agbarya Abed , Yakobson Alexander
Published: October 2023

Case studies of rare oncologic metastases are an important source of clinical data for health care professionals and researchers. While infrequent, the knowledge base and clinical recommendations derived from such cases aid in advancements in the field. As such, we aim to add five cases to the growing body of literature. The first two male patients, aged 69 and 73, were diagnosed with colon adenocarcinoma, suspected to be a second primary prostate carcinoma, following positron emission tomography-computer tomography (PET-CT). This suspicion was ruled out by prostatectomy and histopathological investigations, which instead found adenocarcinoma of colonic origin. The next two male patients, ages 63 and 68, were diagnosed, respectively, with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma with cardiac metastases and metastatic melanoma with distant metastases to the pancreas. The final patient was a 73-year-old male diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer after a radiological investigation of suspected renal cell carcinoma.
Real-Time Obstacle Detection with YOLOv8 in a WSN Using UAV Aerial Photography
Authors: Rahman Shakila , Rony Jahid Hasan , Uddin Jia , Samad Md Abdus
Published: October 2023

Nowadays, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have a significant and long-lasting impact on numerous fields that affect all facets of our lives, including governmental, civil, and military applications. WSNs contain sensor nodes linked together via wireless communication links that need to relay data instantly or subsequently. In this paper, we focus on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-aided data collection in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), where multiple UAVs collect data from a group of sensors. The UAVs may face some static or moving obstacles (e.g., buildings, trees, static or moving vehicles) in their traveling path while collecting the data. In the proposed system, the UAV starts and ends the data collection tour at the base station, and, while collecting data, it captures images and videos using the UAV aerial camera. After processing the captured aerial images and videos, UAVs are trained using a YOLOv8-based model to detect obstacles in their traveling path. The detection results show that the proposed YOLOv8 model performs better than other baseline algorithms in different scenarios—the F1 score of YOLOv8 is 96% in 200 epochs.
A Preliminary Study of Suspended Matters Variation Associated with Hypoxia and Shoaling Internal Tides on the Continental Shelf of the Northern Andaman Sea
Authors: Lin Feilong , Liang Chujin , Ding Tao , Zeng Dingyong , Zhou Feng , Ma Xiao , Yang Chenghao , Li Hongliang , Zhou Beifeng , Liu Chenggang , Jin Weifang
Published: October 2023

The northern Andaman Sea (AS) continental shelf is unique due to the diverse marine ecosystem and existences of both hypoxia and internal tides, but limited in situ observations restrict our understanding of the hydrographic dynamic process. Based on the turbidity, mean volumes of backscattering strength (MVBS), we qualitatively studied the mean distribution characteristics and temporal variation in suspended matters on the northern AS continental shelf and their relation to hypoxia and internal tides. The results of both MVBS and turbidity revealed that the suspended matters exhibited a three-layer vertical structure. The upper and lower layers exhibited high values, while the middle layer had low values. The upper boundary of the high-value region in the upper layer descended below the surface to a depth of 30 m after sunrise and returned to the surface after sunset, indicating a diel vertical migration of zooplankton and micronekton. Daytime migration depth was likely constrained by hypoxia’s upper boundary. In the lower layer, three MVBS enhancements and attenuations correlated with vertical upward and downward velocities, respectively, primarily driven by uplift or suppression. We proposed vertical velocity patterns resulted from internal bores, possibly triggered by shoaling semidiurnal internal tides.
Model-Based Digital Overall Integrated Design Method of AUVs
Authors: Wang Zhong , Wen Zhiwen , Yang Wenfei , Liu Zhihui , Dong Huachao
Published: October 2023

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have the characteristics of a high performance, a complex coupling mechanism, a compact, complex system composition, as well as high requirements for design constraints, quality, and reliability. In the traditional overall design process, numerous design tools and software programs are used, which results in poor model data sharing, a lack of uniqueness and synchronization between system levels, and difficulty in process tracing. Moreover, it is challenging to meet the technical requirements for close collaboration and rapid iteration of multiple positions. To address the aforementioned limitations, this study proposes a digital overall integrated design method for the design and simulation integration of AUVs and defines a unified architecture and interface for system-level design simulation models, thus solving the interoperability and consistency problems in multiple tools and models. In addition, a model-based AUV system integration design verification method that combines different processes, specifications, and models is designed, and software similar to Cameo, which can provide technical means for system-level integrated design and achieve rapid modeling and simulation verification based on system design solutions, is developed. Finally, a practical system design is conducted by taking specific AUV equipment as a research object, and the proposed methods are compared with traditional methods to prove the improvement effect of the technical route on the equipment and development efficiency.
Graph-Based Anomaly Detection of Ship Movements Using CCTV Videos
Authors: Seong Nakhyeon , Kim Jeongseon , Lim Sungsu
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a novel machine learning-based approach for detecting abnormal ship movements using CCTV videos. Our method utilizes graph-based algorithms to analyze ship trajectories and identify anomalies, with a focus on enhancing maritime safety and accident prevention. Unlike conventional AIS data-dependent methods, our approach directly detects and visualizes abnormal movements from CCTV videos, particularly in narrow coastal areas. We evaluate the proposed method using real-world CCTV video data and demonstrate its effectiveness in detecting abnormal ship movements, offering promising results in real-world scenarios. The findings of this study have important implications to improve maritime safety and prevent accidents.
Cutaneous Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Diaz Michael , Natarelli Nicole , Wei Aria , Rechdan Michaela , Botto Elizabeth , Tran Jasmine , Forouzandeh Mahtab , Plaza Jose , Kaffenberger Benjamin
Published: October 2023

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammatory arthritis and periarticular structural damage. Available evidence suggests that RA results from complex interactions between genetic susceptibility (e.g., HLA-DRB1), environmental factors (e.g., smoking), and immune dysregulation. Alongside joint-related symptoms, individuals with RA may also experience a wide array of skin issues, including the development of nodules, neutrophilic dermatoses, vasculitis, and vasculopathy. Treatment strategies for these manifestations vary but routinely involve corticosteroids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, and biologics, with individualized approaches guided by disease severity. In this review, we provide comprehensive insights into the skin-related issues associated with RA, outlining their clinical characteristics and histopathological findings. Our aim is to facilitate early diagnosis and personalized treatment to improve the quality of life of affected individuals.
Street Vibrancy and Outdoor Activities under COVID-19 Psychological Distress: Lessons from Hong Kong
Authors: Zordan Mirna , Tsou Jin Yeu , Huang Hao
Published: October 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a distinctive impact on Hong Kong, especially given the city’s prior experience with the SARS outbreak. The resulting psychological distress has been exacerbated by Hong Kong’s extreme density and compactness, which places residents in proximity on the streets searching for outdoor activities. Streets are a precious source of space for social interactions, but, unfortunately, the pandemic has forced them to empty, leading to increased distress and challenging the psychological well-being of the urban population. In this study, we explore street vibrancy patterns in terms of outdoor activities, here addressed through a decision-making psychological perspective as volitional behaviors determined by psychological factors and essential for well-being, in one of the densest neighborhoods in Hong Kong. We statistically analyzed behavioral monitoring data in relation to spatial and morphological characteristics of their environments under COVID-19 psychological distress. The results highlighted the relevance of specific parcels of the streets acting as clusters and vibrancy initiators, stressing their significance in terms of affective and cognitive inputs determining context-based outdoor activities. The decision-making psychological perspective adopted here to address outdoor activities has relevant implications for design and planning strategies for post-pandemic scenarios, for psychological well-being, and for the future of urban density.
Soil Quality Evaluation for Cotton Fields in Arid Region Based on Graph Convolution Network
Authors: Fan Xianglong , Gao Pan , Zuo Li , Duan Long , Cang Hao , Zhang Mengli , Zhang Qiang , Zhang Ze , Lv Xin , Zhang Lifu
Published: October 2023

Accurate soil quality evaluation is an important prerequisite for improving soil management systems and remediating soil pollution. However, traditional soil quality evaluation methods are cumbersome to calculate, and suffer from low efficiency and low accuracy, which often lead to large deviations in the evaluation results. This study aims to provide a new and accurate soil quality evaluation method based on graph convolution network (GCN). In this study, soil organic matter (SOM), alkaline hydrolysable nitrogen (AN), available potassium (AK), salinity, and heavy metals (iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn)) were determined and evaluated using the soil quality index (SQI). Then, the graph convolution network (GCN) was first introduced in the soil quality evaluation to construct an evaluation model, and its evaluation results were compared with those of the SQI. Finally, the spatial distribution of the evaluation results of the GCN model was displayed. The results showed that soil salinity had the largest coefficient of variation (86%), followed by soil heavy metals (67%) and nutrients (30.3%). The soil salinization and heavy metal pollution were at a low level in this area, and the soil nutrients and soil quality were at a high level. The evaluation accuracy of the GCN model for soil salinity/heavy metals, soil nutrients, and soil quality were 0.91, 0.84, and 0.90, respectively. Therefore, the GCN model has a high accuracy and is feasible to be applied in the soil quality evaluation. This study provides a new, simple, and highly accurate method for soil quality evaluation.
Land Suitability of Urban and Industrial Development Using Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) and A New Model by GIS in Fasa County, Iran
Authors: Masoudi Masoud , Aboutalebi Mostafa , Asrari Elham , Cerdà Artemi
Published: October 2023

Land use planning is a science that specifies the optimized use of land based on ecological and socioeconomic characteristics. In many parts of Iran, the selection and management of land use (development, especially) is performed regardless of land capability, which causes disinvestment and reduces the environmental capacity. The main objective of this study is to evaluate and reform the ecological model of urban, rural, and industrial development in the study area. This study was conducted in Fasa County in the southern part of Iran, and the investigated methods included Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) or Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE), with two views, without limitation and with limitation, and the proposed geometric mean method through the integration of maps in GIS. The results showed that the geometric mean evaluation model (with kappa = 0.69) is the best and easiest compared to other models in the estimation of environmental capability. It should be mentioned that the lowest precision (with kappa = 0.59) between the methods was observed in the MCE method without a limiting factor, and it is clear that the limiting factor has a decisive role in assessing ecological capability and increasing accuracy. It is concluded that the proposed geometric mean method, due to the simplicity and high accuracy of the calculations, has a significant contribution to increasing efficiency and reducing the costs associated with the assessment of ecological capability.
Peanut Shell Powder as a Sustainable Modifier and Its Influence on Self-Healing Properties of Asphalt
Authors: Wang Bo , Shen Junan , Li Shuang , Wang Wei
Published: October 2023

This paper investigated, for the first time, the feasibility of using peanut shell powder, a plant waste residue, as a modifier for asphalt, particularly its self-healing ability. Modified asphalt samples were prepared using varying particle size ranges and concentrations of peanut shell powder. Various tests, including fatigue–healing–fatigue tests, high- and low-temperature rheological property tests, penetration tests for conventional performance, and atomic force microscopy scans, were conducted to investigate the effects of peanut shell powder on the self-healing performance and other properties of asphalt. The results showed that the porous structure of peanut shell powder was able to absorb light components within the asphalt and release them under load, thus improving the self-healing and fatigue resistance properties of the modified asphalt. Experimental conditions such as temperature, healing time, and fatigue damage level also influenced the self-healing performance of asphalt. Additionally, peanut shell powder could increase the dynamic viscosity and high-temperature rheological property of modified asphalt while reducing its temperature susceptibility. However, it had a negative impact on the low-temperature ductility and creep rate, which could potentially lead to premature cracking of asphalt pavement in colder regions. Increasing the content of peanut shell powder and reducing its particle size within a certain range had positive effects. When the content of peanut shell powder was 4% and the particle size range was 80–100 mesh, the overall performance of modified asphalt was satisfactory.
Corrosion Resistance of Titanium Dental Implant Abutments: Comparative Analysis and Surface Characterization
Authors: Kowalski Jakub , Rylska Dorota , Januszewicz Bartłomiej , Konieczny Bartlomiej , Cichomski Michal , Matinlinna Jukka P. , Radwanski Mateusz , Sokolowski Jerzy , Lukomska-Szymanska Monika
Published: October 2023

Metals subjected to the oral environment are prone to corrosion over time and this can be harmful. Metallic restoration components such as dental subgingival implant abutments are exposed to pH changes and different ions while in contact with saliva. The aim of the study was to evaluate the corrosion resistance of titanium dental implant abutments and to compare and contrast the surface characteristics of these alloys before and after corrosion. The corrosion examination (Ecorr, jcorr, OCP, polarization curve) of two implant abutments (TiDesign EV, Astra Tech, Dentsply, York, PA, USA; Individual Titanium Abutment, Apollo Implants Components, Pabianice, Poland) was performed in 0.9% NaCl and 5% HCl. Moreover, specimens were investigated using SEM-EDS before and after the corrosion test. The value of jcorr in NaCl was higher for Astra (34.2 × 10−8 ± 2.5 × 10−8 A/cm2) than for Apollo (8.8 × 10−8 ± 2.5 × 10−8 A/cm2). Whereas, in HCl, the opposite relationship was observed (Astra 2.9 × 10−4 ± 0.8 × 10−4 A/cm2 and Apollo 62.7 × 10−4 ± 9.3 × 10−4 A/cm2). An average reactive anodic current density in NaCl for Astra amounted up to ~0.2 × 10−5–1.5 × 10−5 A/cm2, while for Apollo-up to ~3.3–9.7 × 10−7 A/cm2. The composition of both alloys after corrosion in NaCl demonstrated some changes: a decrease in the Ti, and Al and an increase in oxygen content. Hence, both alloys after corrosion in HCl demonstrated some minor changes in the elemental composition. Based on the results it can be concluded that: 1. Astra and Apollo abutments revealed good corrosion resistance and a passivation layer on the surface. 2. Apollo abutments exhibited better corrosion resistance in a neutral environment, suggesting that Astra abutments were found to be more resistant to corrosion in an acidic medium.
Bismuth-Nanoparticles-Embedded Porous Carbon Derived from Seed Husks as High-Performance for Anode Energy Electrode
Authors: Rehman Wasif ur , Farooq Umar , Yousaf Muhammad Zain , Altalbe Ali
Published: October 2023

In energy application technology, the anode part of the electrode is typically composed of carbon-coated materials that exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. The carbon-coated electrodes facilitate electrochemical reactions involving the fuel and the oxidant. Energy electrodes are used in stationary power plants to generate electricity for the grid. These large-scale installations are known as distributed generation systems and contribute to grid stability and reliability. Understanding the practical applications of energy materials remains a significant hurdle in the way of commercialization. An anode electrode has one key limitation, specifically with alloy-type candidates, as they tend to exhibit rapid capacity degradation during cycling due to volume expansion. Herein, biomass-derived carbon from sunflowers (seeds husks) via pyrolysis and then bismuth nanoparticles are treated with carbon via a simple wet-chemical method. The electrode Bi@C offers several structural advantages, such as high capacity, good cycling stability, and exceptional capability at the current rate of 500 mA g−1, delivering a capacity of 731.8 mAh g−1 for 200 cycles. The biomass-derived carbon coating protects the bismuth nanoparticles and contributes to enhanced electronic conductivity. Additionally, we anticipate the use of low-cost biomass with hybrid composition has the potential to foster environment-friendly practices in the development of next-generation advanced fuel cell technology.
Recycling of Electrical Cables—Current Challenges and Future Prospects
Authors: Wędrychowicz Maciej , Kurowiak Jagoda , Skrzekut Tomasz , Noga Piotr
Published: October 2023

Civilization and technical progress are not possible without energy. Dynamic economic growth translates into a systematic increase in demand for electricity. Ensuring the continuity and reliability of electricity supplies is one of the most important aspects of energy security in highly developed countries. Growing energy consumption results not only in the need to build new power plants but also in the need to expand and increase transmission capacity. Therefore, large quantities of electric cables are produced all over the world, and after some time, they largely become waste. Recycling of electric cables focuses on the recovery of metals, mainly copper and aluminum, while polymer insulation is often considered waste and ends up in landfills. Currently, more and more stringent regulations are being introduced, mainly environmental ones, which require maximizing the reduction in waste. This article provides a literature review on cable recycling, presenting the advantages and disadvantages of various recycling methods, including mechanical and material recycling. It has been found that currently, there are very large possibilities for recycling cables, and intensive scientific work is being carried out on their development, which is consistent with global climate policy.
Non-Parametric Test for Decreasing Uncertainty of Residual Life Distribution (DURL)
Authors: Benaoudia Hassina , Aissani Amar
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we propose a new statistic to test the monotonicity of uncertainty based on derivative criteria and the histogram method. We test the null hypothesis that residual entropy is constant against the fact that it decreases over time. Hence, by the fact that the exponential distribution is the distribution with a constant uncertainty, we establish the test exponential distribution against the decreasing uncertainty of residual life distribution. Consistency and asymptotic normality are proved. The critical values of the statistics are given by means of the Monte Carlo simulation method to decide on the test. Then, the power estimates of the new test are compared to those of the test based on the criteria of monotonicity of residual entropy. Finally, we show, with real survival data, that the distributions belong to a decreasing uncertainty residual life class. Moreover, by applying a test of goodness of fit, we confirm that the data follow parametric distributions belonging to a decreasing uncertainty of residual life class.
Solution to the Dirichlet Problem of the Wave Equation on a Star Graph
Authors: Arepova Gaukhar , Alexeyeva Ludmila , Arepova Dana
Published: October 2023

In this paper, the solution to the Dirichlet problem for the wave equation on the star graph is constructed. To begin, we solve the boundary value problem on the interval (on one edge of the graph). We use the generalized functions method to obtain the wave equation with a singular right-hand side. The solution to the Dirichlet problem is determined through the convolution of the fundamental solution with the singular right-hand side of the wave equation. Thus, the solution found on the interval is determined by the initial functions, boundary functions, and their derivatives (the unknown boundary functions). A resolving system of two linear algebraic equations in the space of the Fourier transform in time is constructed to determine the unknown boundary functions. Following inverse Fourier transforms, the solution to the Dirichlet problem of the wave equation on the interval is constructed. After determining all the solutions on all edges and taking the continuity condition and Kirchhoff joint condition into account, we obtain the solution to the wave equation on the star graph.
Cardiovascular Calcifications Are Correlated with Inflammation in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Dragoș Dorin , Timofte Delia , Georgescu Mihai-Teodor , Manea Maria-Mirabela , Vacaroiu Ileana Adela , Ionescu Dorin , Balcangiu-Stroescu Andra-Elena
Published: October 2023

Background and Objectives: The main cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients is cardiovascular disease, which is quite common. The main objective of our study was to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular and valvular calcifications in hemodialysis patients. Materials and Methods: This observational study had 54 hemodialysis patients, with an average age of 60.46 ± 13.18 years. Cardiovascular ultrasound was used to detect and/or measure aortic and mitral valve calcifications, carotid and femoral atheroma plaques, and common carotid intima-media thickness. The aortic calcification score was determined using a lateral abdomen plain radiograph. The inflammatory, oxidative, metabolic, and dietary statuses, as well as demographic characteristics, were identified. Results: There were significant correlations between the levels of IL-6 and carotid plaque number (p = 0.003), fibrinogen level and aortic valve calcifications (p = 0.05), intima-media thickness (p = 0.0007), carotid plaque number (p = 0.035), femoral plaque number (p = 0.00014), and aortic calcifications score (p = 0.0079). Aortic annulus calcifications (p = 0.03) and intima-media thickness (p = 0.038) were adversely linked with TNF-α. Nutrition parameters were negatively correlated with atherosclerosis markers: number of carotid plaques with albumin (p = 0.013), body mass index (p = 0.039), and triglycerides (p = 0.021); number of femoral plaques with phosphorus (0.013), aortic calcifications score with albumin (p = 0.051), intima-media thickness with LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.042). Age and the quantity of carotid plaques, femoral plaques, and aortic calcifications were linked with each other (p = 0.0022, 0.00011, and 0.036, respectively). Aortic annulus calcifications (p = 0.011), aortic valve calcifications (p = 0.023), and mitral valve calcifications (p = 0.018) were all associated with an increased risk of death. Conclusions: Imaging measures of atherosclerosis are adversely connected with dietary status and positively correlated with markers of inflammation and risk of mortality.
The Effect of Water Jet Overlaps in a Descaler on the Quality of Surface of the Hot Rolled Steel
Authors: Pohanka Michal , Votavová Helena , Resl Ondřej , Kotrbáček Petr
Published: October 2023

Hot rolling is a highly efficient steel processing method involving the heating and subsequent rolling of semi-finished cast products within mills; however, heating results in the formation of an undesirable, inhomogeneous oxide layer on the surface. Removal of this layer, known as scales, prior to rolling is essential to prevent scales from being rolled into the surface. The scales are removed in the descaler. Most descalers use multiple high-pressure hydraulic descaling nozzles with overlapping sprays. This setting can cause excessive cooling in the overlap area, uneven descaling of the surface, and the presence of residual scales. It can also result in uneven cooling at the finishing line. This study illustrates a typical nozzle configuration commonly used in industrial plants in the hydraulic descaling process and compares its results with a new configuration. The research focuses on examining the overlap area and the washout area of the sprays. The goal is to address the inhomogeneous descaling problem and propose procedures to prevent residual scales. It was shown that one of the problematic areas is the washout area, where the average thickness of the remaining scales was more than four times higher than other descaling areas. Reducing the offset angle has proven to be a good way to eliminate the washout area and achieve a homogeneous descaling process.
Research on the Pre-Control of Side Scrap Blockage Failure during Trimming with the Side Trimmer
Authors: Wu Zedong , Wang Xiaochen , Yang Quan , Xu Dong , Zhao Jianwei
Published: October 2023

In the coupled pickling line and tandem cold mill (PL-TCM), the hot-rolled strip needs to be trimmed on both sides of the strip before the tandem cold rolling process to ensure stable operation of the rolling process. The equipment for trimming the strip is the side trimmer, and during trimming a failure of the side scrap blockage is often caused by the variation in the width of the hot-rolled strip and the deviation during the actual operation. For this problem, this paper established a finite element model of strip trimming by side trimmer, analyzed the influence of side scrap width, structure parameters, and strip specifications on the equivalent plastic strain at the trimmed position of the strip, and obtained the influence law of each factor during the trimming process. On this basis, by collecting the historical data of side scrap blockage failure of the side trimmer, the threshold value of the side scrap width setting is obtained. Combining the width data of the hot-rolled strip and the actual operation status monitoring of the strip in the inlet section of the PL-TCM, the side scrap blockage risk identification function and the speed reduction strategy of the side trimmer are designed to form the side scrap blockage pre-control model together. After applying the side scrap blockage pre-control model to a PL-TCM, a 40.5% reduction in side scrap blockage failures was achieved compared with the same length of time before the application, which achieved satisfactory results.
Elucidating the Differentiation Synthesis Mechanisms of Differently Colored Resistance Quinoa Seedings Using Metabolite Profiling and Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: Liu Junna , Liu Jian , Zhang Ping , Wang Qianchao , Li Li , Xie Heng , Li Hanxue , Wang Hongxin , Cheng Shunhe , Qin Peng
Published: October 2023

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa wild.), a dicotyledonous plant native to the Andes, is an increasingly popular pseudograin owing to its high nutritional value, stress resistance capabilities, and gluten-free properties. In this study, we aimed to explore the dynamic changes in different varieties of quinoa at the seedling stage and their regulatory networks. Here, we found that the leaves of quinoa showed obvious coloration after 45 days, and four quinoa seedling types (red, white, yellow, and black) were subjected to ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) and transcriptome sequencing to identify their differentially expressed genes and metabolites. A total of 29 differential metabolites and 19 genes (14 structural and 5 regulatory genes) were identified, and consistent differences were observed in the flavonoid, phenolic acid, and alkaloid metabolites in the different quinoa types. These differential metabolites were significantly enriched in flavonoid and flavonol biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. In addition, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) technology was used to detect the expression of four structural genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and four regulatory genes (interaction network). The results revealed that the structural and regulatory gene transcript levels in the flavonoid pathway were higher in the red quinoa cultivars than in the white, yellow, and black. Additionally, the differences in the leaves of these four quinoa cultivars were mainly due to differences in flavonoid, phenolic acid, and alkaloid accumulation. Our findings provide a basis for understanding the accumulation and coloration mechanisms of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and alkaloids in quinoa seedlings of different colors and also provide a theoretical basis for future investigations.
Circulating Exosomal CircRNAs as Diagnostic Biomarkers for Chronic Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Liu Xiaoyan , Zheng Meili , Han Ruijuan , Yu Ziyang , Yuan Wen , Xie Boqia , Zhang Yeping , Zhong Jiuchang , Wang Lefeng , Wang Lixia , Liu Xinming
Published: October 2023

Circular RNA (circRNA) has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease; however, it is unclear whether circRNA carried by exosomes (exos) can be used as biomarkers for chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). High-throughput sequencing was carried out in the plasma exosomal RNA of 15 CCS patients and 15 non-cardiac chest pain patients (NCCP, control group) to screen for differentially expressed circRNAs. Selected differentially expressed exo-circRNAs were further verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction in a small-sample cohort and a large-sample cohort. A total of 276 circRNAs were differentially expressed in the plasma exosomes of CCS patients, with 103 up-regulated and 173 down-regulated. Among the 103 up-regulated circRNAs, 5 circRNAs with high expression levels were selected for validation. Real time quantitative PCR of the first and second validation cohort demonstrated that exo-hsa_circ_0075269 and exo-hsa_circ_0000284 were significantly up-regulated in patients with CCS. Circulating exo-hsa_circ_0075269 and exo-hsa_circ_0000284 yielded the area under the curve values of 0.761 (p < 0.001, 95%CI = 0.669, 0.852) and 0.623 (p = 0.015, 95%CI = 0.522, 0.724) for CCS, respectively, by ROC curve analysis. In conclusion, the expression profile of circRNA in plasma exosomes of patients with CCS was significantly different from that of the control group. Plasma exo-hsa_circ_0075269 and exo-hsa_circ_0000284 have the potential to be new biomarkers for CCS.