bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attaining Ultra-Smooth 18CrNiMo7-6 Case Hardening Steel Surfaces with Chemical Mechanical Polishing
Authors: Peng Wumao , Gao Yang , Jiang Liang , Liu Jinwei , Qian Linmao
Published: August 2022

Smooth surfaces are conducive to improving the lubrication of gears in mechanical systems. In this study, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) was used to process 18CrNiMo7-6 case hardening steel, a typical material for gears. The results reveal that compared with formic acid and oxalic acid, citric acid can be used as a suitable complexing agent without causing apparent corrosion, probably due to the fact of its relatively stable adsorption. A synergistic effect exists between citric acid and H2O2. At pH 3, with 0.067 M citric acid and 1 wt% H2O2, a satisfactory CMP performance (i.e., a 514 nm/min material removal rate (MRR) and a 0.85 nm surface roughness Sa) was achieved. After polishing, no observable defects were found on the surface, and no discernible processing damage occurred to the substrate. In terms of the CMP’s mechanism, iron is first oxidized to Fe2+ and Fe3+, which then react with citric acid to form complexes. On the one hand, most of the complexes may stay on the surface to prevent further corrosion and, thus, the surface quality is excellent. On the other hand, the complexes may reduce the surface integrity and, thus, the MRR is high. The findings open new avenues for attaining ultra-smooth steel surfaces with CMP through controlling corrosive wear.
Baseline for Split DC Link Design in Three-Phase Three-Level Converters Operating with Unity Power Factor Based on Low-Frequency Partial Voltage Oscillations
Authors: Siton Yarden , Yuhimenko Vladimir , Baimel Dmitry , Kuperman Alon
Published: August 2022

The study sets a baseline for split DC link capacitance values and voltage set points in three-phase three-level AC/DC (or DC/AC) converters operating with unity power factor. In order to equalize the average values of partial DC link voltages, the controller generates a zero-sequence containing DC components only while employing neither dedicated DC link capacitance balancing hardware nor high-order zero-sequence component injection. Such a baseline is required in order to evaluate the effectiveness of different DC link capacitance reduction methods proposed in the literature. Unlike most previous works, utilizing neutral point current based on cumbersome analytical expressions to determine neutral point potential oscillations, the instantaneous power balance-based approach is employed in this paper, resulting in greatly simplified and more intuitive expressions. It is demonstrated that while the total DC link voltage is low-frequency ripple-free under unity power factor balanced AC-side operation, split DC link capacitors absorb triple-fundamental frequency power components with one-sixth load power magnitude. This yields significant opposite phase partial voltage ripples. In such a case, selection of DC link capacitances and voltage set points must take into account the expected values of AC-side phase voltage magnitude and split DC link capacitor voltage and current ratings. Simulation and experimental results validate the proposed methodology by application to a 10 kVA T-type converter prototype.
Display Line Defect Detection Method Based on Color Feature Fusion
Authors: Xie Wenqiang , Chen Huaixin , Wang Zhixi , Liu Biyuan , Shuai Lingyu
Published: August 2022

Display color line defect detection is an important step in the production quality inspection process. In order to improve the detection accuracy of low contrast line defects, we propose a display line defect detection method based on color feature fusion. The color saliency channels in the RG|GR and BY|YB channels were obtained using the relative entropy maximum criterion. Then, RG|GR were combined with the a channel and BY|YB with the b channel to calculate the red-green and the blue-yellow color fusion maps. The fusion color saliency map of the red-green and the blue-yellow color fusion maps was obtained by color feature fusion. Finally, the segmentation threshold was calculated according to the mean and standard deviation of the fusion color saliency map. The fused color saliency map was binarized and segmented to obtain a binary map of color line defects. The experimental results show that for the detection of multi-background offline defects, the detection accuracy of the algorithm in this paper is better than 90%, while other mainstreams fail to detect. Compared with state-of-the-art saliency detection algorithms, our method is capable of real-time low-contrast line defect detection.
An Investigation on Dynamic Characteristics of the Straddle-Type Monorail System under Spatial Alignment
Authors: Xu Xiangyang , Lu Huping , Hua Xia , Chen Qingke
Published: August 2022

Spatial alignment is a key feature in the design of the straddle-type monorail system (STM), which greatly affects the dynamic characteristics of the STM system. Considering the shear and torsional deformation of the track beam, a new coupling dynamic model of the STM system is established to investigate the dynamic characteristics under spatial alignment. The running safety and the vibration stability of the STM system under different spatial alignments are studied, and the optimal distance between the slope-changing point and the straight-slowing point is determined. Results show that the running safety and vibration stability indices increase when the curve radius decreases and the longitudinal slope gradient soars, and the vibration response of the vehicle is more obvious when the slope-changing points coincide with the transition curve of the track beam compared with that the straight-slowing points do not coincide with the slope-changing points. From the view of running safety and vibration stability, the slope-changing points should not coincide with the transition curve of the track beam, especially with the straight-slowing points. The proposed method can be adopted in the safety design and vibration control of the STM system.
Magneto-Optics Effects: New Trends and Future Prospects for Technological Developments
Authors: Rizal Conrad , Shimizu Hiromasa , Mejía-Salazar Jorge Ricardo
Published: August 2022

Magneto-optics (MO) is an effervescent research field, with a wide range of potential industrial applications including sensing, theranostics, pharmaceutics, magnetometry, and spectroscopy, among others. This review discusses the historical development, from the discovery of MO effects up to the most recent application trends. In addition to the consolidated fields of magnetoplasmonic sensing and modulation of optical signals, we describe novel MO materials, phenomena, and applications. We also identified the emerging field of all-dielectric magnetophotonics, which hold promise to overcome dissipation from metallic inclusions in plasmonic nanostructures. Moreover, we identified some challenges, such as the need to merge magneto-chiroptical effects with microfluidics technology, for chiral sensing and enantioseparation of drugs in the pharmaceutical industry. Other potential industrial applications are discussed in light of recent research achievements in the available literature.
Subgraph Adaptive Structure-Aware Graph Contrastive Learning
Authors: Chen Zhikui , Peng Yin , Yu Shuo , Cao Chen , Xia Feng
Published: August 2022

Graph contrastive learning (GCL) has been subject to more attention and been widely applied to numerous graph learning tasks such as node classification and link prediction. Although it has achieved great success and even performed better than supervised methods in some tasks, most of them depend on node-level comparison, while ignoring the rich semantic information contained in graph topology, especially for social networks. However, a higher-level comparison requires subgraph construction and encoding, which remain unsolved. To address this problem, we propose a subgraph adaptive structure-aware graph contrastive learning method (PASCAL) in this work, which is a subgraph-level GCL method. In PASCAL, we construct subgraphs by merging all motifs that contain the target node. Then we encode them on the basis of motif number distribution to capture the rich information hidden in subgraphs. By incorporating motif information, PASCAL can capture richer semantic information hidden in local structures compared with other GCL methods. Extensive experiments on six benchmark datasets show that PASCAL outperforms state-of-art graph contrastive learning and supervised methods in most cases.
Characterizations of the Exponential Distribution by Some Random Hazard Rate Sequences
Authors: Shrahili Mansour , Kayid Mohamed
Published: August 2022

In this paper, several characterizations for exponential distribution are derived from a new relative hazard rate measure. This measure is closely related to the concept of remaining lifetime at a random time. It considers the random times specified by the order statistics of a sample, the convolution of random variables, and the record values of a sequence of random variables. The concept of completeness in functional analysis provides the technical background to obtain the main results.
A Novel Strategy to Classify Chronic Patients at Risk: A Hybrid Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Silva-Aravena Fabián , Delafuente Hugo Núñez , Astudillo César A.
Published: August 2022

Various care processes have been affected by COVID-19. One of the most dramatic has been the care of chronic patients under medical supervision. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a chronic patient has one or more long-term illnesses, and must be permanently monitored by the health team.. In fact, and according to the Chilean Ministry of Health (MINSAL), 7 out of 10 chronic patients have suspended their medical check-ups, generating critical situations, such as a more significant number of visits to emergency units, expired prescriptions, and a higher incidence in hospitalization rates. For this problem, health services in Chile have had to reschedule their scarce medical resources to provide care in all health processes. One element that has been considered is caring through telemedicine and patient prioritization. In the latter case, the aim was to provide timely care to those critical patients with high severity and who require immediate clinical attention. For this reason, in this work, we present the following methodological contributions: first, an unsupervised algorithm that analyzes information from anonymous patients to classify them according to priority levels; and second, rules that allow health teams to understand which variable(s) determine the classification of patients. The results of the proposed methodology allow classifying new patients with 99.96% certainty using a three-level decision tree and five classification rules.
Parameter Identification for Lithium-Ion Battery Based on Hybrid Genetic–Fractional Beetle Swarm Optimization Method
Authors: Guo Peng , Wu Xiaobo , Lopes António M. , Cheng Anyu , Xu Yang , Chen Liping
Published: August 2022

This paper proposes a fractional order (FO) impedance model for lithium-ion batteries and a method for model parameter identification. The model is established based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). A new hybrid genetic–fractional beetle swarm optimization (HGA-FBSO) scheme is derived for parameter identification, which combines the advantages of genetic algorithms (GA) and beetle swarm optimization (BSO). The approach leads to an equivalent circuit model being able to describe accurately the dynamic behavior of the lithium-ion battery. Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, yielding voltage estimation root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of 10.5 mV and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.6058%. This corresponds to accuracy improvements of 32.26% and 7.89% for the RMSE, and 43.83% and 13.67% for the MAE, when comparing the results of the new approach to those obtained with the GA and the FBSO methods, respectively.
MIRA: Model-Based Imagined Rollouts Augmentation for Non-Stationarity in Multi-Agent Systems
Authors: Xu Haotian , Fang Qi , Hu Cong , Hu Yue , Yin Quanjun
Published: August 2022

One of the challenges in multi-agent systems comes from the environmental non-stationarity that policies of all agents are evolving individually over time. Many existing multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) methods have been proposed to address this problem. However, these methods rely on a large amount of training data and some of them require agents to intensely communicate, which is often impractical in real-world applications. To better tackle the non-stationarity problem, this article combines model-based reinforcement learning (MBRL) and meta-learning and proposes a method called Model-based Imagined Rollouts Augmentation (MIRA). Based on an environment dynamics model, distributed agents can independently perform multi-agent rollouts with opponent models during exploitation and learn to infer the environmental non-stationarity as a latent variable using the rollouts. Based on the world model and latent-variable inference module, we perform multi-agent soft actor-critic implementation for centralized training and decentralized decision making. Empirical results on the Multi-agent Particle Environment (MPE) have proved that the algorithm has a very considerable improvement in sample efficiency as well as better convergent rewards than state-of-the-art MARL methods, including COMA, MAAC, MADDPG, and VDN.
Would Antarctic Marine Benthos Survive Alien Species Invasions? What Chemical Ecology May Tell Us
Authors: Avila Conxita , Buñuel Xavier , Carmona Francesc , Cotado Albert , Sacristán-Soriano Oriol , Angulo-Preckler Carlos
Published: August 2022

Many Antarctic marine benthic macroinvertebrates are chemically protected against predation by marine natural products of different types. Antarctic potential predators mostly include sea stars (macropredators) and amphipod crustaceans (micropredators) living in the same areas (sympatric). Recently, alien species (allopatric) have been reported to reach the Antarctic coasts, while deep-water crabs are suggested to be more often present in shallower waters. We decided to investigate the effect of the chemical defenses of 29 representative Antarctic marine benthic macroinvertebrates from seven different phyla against predation by using non-native allopatric generalist predators as a proxy for potential alien species. The Antarctic species tested included 14 Porifera, two Cnidaria, two Annelida, one Nemertea, two Bryozooa, three Echinodermata, and five Chordata (Tunicata). Most of these Antarctic marine benthic macroinvertebrates were chemically protected against an allopatric generalist amphipod but not against an allopatric generalist crab from temperate waters. Therefore, both a possible recolonization of large crabs from deep waters or an invasion of non-native generalist crab species could potentially alter the fundamental nature of these communities forever since chemical defenses would not be effective against them. This, together with the increasing temperatures that elevate the probability of alien species surviving, is a huge threat to Antarctic marine benthos.
Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia Associated with COVID-19 in Patients with Interstitial Pneumonia
Authors: Takahashi Tomoyuki , Saito Atsushi , Kuronuma Koji , Nishikiori Hirotaka , Chiba Hirofumi
Published: August 2022

Here, we report two cases of patients with interstitial pneumonia (IP) on steroids who developed Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Case 1: A 69-year-old man on 10 mg of prednisolone (PSL) daily for IP developed new pneumonia shortly after his COVID-19 infection improved and was diagnosed with PJP based on chest computed tomography (CT) findings and elevated serum β-D-glucan levels. Trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (TMP–SMZ) was administered, and the pneumonia resolved. Case 2: A 70-year-old woman taking 4 mg/day of PSL for IP and rheumatoid arthritis developed COVID-19 pneumonia, which resolved mildly, but her pneumonia flared up and was diagnosed as PJP based on CT findings, elevated β-D-glucan levels, and positive polymerase chain reaction for P. jirovecii DNA in the sputum. The autopsy revealed diffuse alveolar damage, increased collagen fiver and fibrotic foci, mucinous component accumulation, and the presence of a P. jirovecii cyst. In conclusion, steroids and immunosuppressive medications are well-known risk factors for PJP. Patients with IP who have been taking these drugs for a long time are frequently treated with additional steroids for COVID-19; thus, PJP complications should be avoided in such cases.
Do the Number, Size, and Position of Partially Threaded Screws Affect the Radiological Healing of Surgically Treated Displaced Femoral Neck Fractures? A Review of 136 Children
Authors: Wang Wentao , Xiong Zhu , Zhao Chongzhi , He Bo , Mei Haibo , Li Yiqiang , Canavese Federico , Pan Yuancheng , Chen Shunyou
Published: August 2022

Background and Objectives: The quantity, size, and position of implants might affect the fracture healing process of surgically treated displaced pediatric femoral neck fractures (PFNFs). The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to evaluate the correlation between the time needed to achieve radiological union and the number, size, and location of the partially threaded cannulated screws (PTCSs) in children with displaced PFNFs. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 136 children (mean age: 10.6 ± 3.8 years) with displaced PFNFs treated by two (n = 103) or three (n = 33) PTCSs was carried out. Student’s t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Cox regression analysis, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the variables affecting the time needed to achieve radiological fracture healing according to the number, size, and position of PTCSs, as assessed on plain radiographs. Results: A total of 132 hips achieved union at an average of 3.2 ± 1.6 months after the initial surgery. The time needed to achieve union in the patients treated with two or three PTCSs was comparable (p = 0.36). Among the fractures treated by two PTCSs, the time needed to achieve union did not correlate with the size of the implant (p = 0.122), or with the angulation between the PTCSs on anterior–posterior (p = 0.257) and lateral radiographs (p = 0.547). The time needed to achieve union in the fractures that were fully compressed by the implants was similar to the partially compressed fractures (p = 0.08). Conclusions: The number, size, and position of the PTCSs do not affect the radiological healing in the children with displaced PFNFs treated surgically.
Targeted Proteomics for Monitoring One-Carbon Metabolism in Liver Diseases
Authors: Guerrero Laura , Paradela Alberto , Corrales Fernando J.
Published: August 2022

Liver diseases cause approximately 2 million deaths per year worldwide and had an increasing incidence during the last decade. Risk factors for liver diseases include alcohol consumption, obesity, diabetes, the intake of hepatotoxic substances like aflatoxin, viral infection, and genetic determinants. Liver cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer and the third in mortality (second in males). The low survival rate (less than 20% in 5 years) is partially explained by the late diagnosis, which remarks the need for new early molecular biomarkers. One-carbon metabolism integrates folate and methionine cycles and participates in essential cell processes such as redox homeostasis maintenance and the regulation of methylation reactions through the production of intermediate metabolites such as cysteine and S-Adenosylmethionine. One-carbon metabolism has a tissue specific configuration, and in the liver, the participating enzymes are abundantly expressed—a requirement to maintain hepatocyte differentiation. Targeted proteomics studies have revealed significant differences in hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis, suggesting that monitoring one-carbon metabolism enzymes can be useful for stratification of liver disease patients and to develop precision medicine strategies for their clinical management. Here, reprogramming of one-carbon metabolism in liver diseases is described and the role of mass spectrometry to follow-up these alterations is discussed.
Transient Complexity of E. coli Lipidome Is Explained by Fatty Acyl Synthesis and Cyclopropanation
Authors: Berezhnoy Nikolay V. , Cazenave-Gassiot Amaury , Gao Liang , Foo Juat Chin , Ji Shanshan , Regina Viduthalai Rasheedkhan , Yap Pui Khee Peggy , Wenk Markus R. , Kjelleberg Staffan , Seviour Thomas William , Hinks Jamie
Published: August 2022

In the case of many bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, the composition of lipid molecules, termed the lipidome, temporally adapts to different environmental conditions and thus modifies membrane properties to permit growth and survival. Details of the relationship between the environment and lipidome composition are lacking, particularly for growing cultures under either favourable or under stress conditions. Here, we highlight compositional lipidome changes by describing the dynamics of molecular species throughout culture-growth phases. We show a steady cyclopropanation of fatty acyl chains, which acts as a driver for lipid diversity. There is a bias for the cyclopropanation of shorter fatty acyl chains (FA 16:1) over longer ones (FA 18:1), which likely reflects a thermodynamic phenomenon. Additionally, we observe a nearly two-fold increase in saturated fatty acyl chains in response to the presence of ampicillin and chloramphenicol, with consequences for membrane fluidity and elasticity, and ultimately bacterial stress tolerance. Our study provides the detailed quantitative lipidome composition of three E. coli strains across culture-growth phases and at the level of the fatty acyl chains and provides a general reference for phospholipid composition changes in response to perturbations. Thus, lipidome diversity is largely transient and the consequence of lipid synthesis and cyclopropanation.
Diversity of Blastocystis Subtypes in Horses in Colombia and Identification of Two New Subtypes
Authors: Baek Sohyeong , Maloney Jenny G. , Molokin Aleksey , George Nadja S. , Cortés Vecino Jesús A. , Santin Monica
Published: August 2022

Blastocystis is a common intestinal protist in humans and animals worldwide. Wild and domestic animals are thought to be reservoirs of Blastocystis subtypes that also infect humans. There are limited studies on the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis in horses. In this study, 185 fecal samples were collected from horses (1 month to 17 years of age) in four regions of Colombia (Sabana de Bogotá, Costa Atlántica, Llanos Orientales, and Bogotá D.C.). Blastocystis presence and subtypes were determined by PCR and next generation amplicon sequencing. Eighty-one (43.8%) horses were positive for Blastocystis, with positive horses in all four regions. Molecular characterization identified 12 Blastocystis subtypes, 10 known subtypes (ST1, ST3–ST6, ST10, ST14, ST25, ST26), and 2 novel subtypes (ST33 and ST34). The validity of the novel subtypes was confirmed via phylogenetic and pairwise distance analyses of the full-length SSU rRNA gene sequences. Mixed subtype infections were common (55.6% of Blastocystis-positive horses). ST10 was the most prevalent subtype, present in 82.8% of Blastocystis-positive horses. Potentially zoonotic subtypes were identified in 88.9% of the Blastocystis-positive horses. This constitutes the most comprehensive study of Blastocystis in horses. Our findings indicate that horses harbor potentially zoonotic subtypes and could contribute to the transmission of Blastocystis to humans.
Changes in the Spore Proteome of Bacillus cereus in Response to Introduction of Plasmids
Authors: Gao Xiaowei , Swarge Bhagyashree N. , Roseboom Winfried , Wang Yan , Dekker Henk L. , Setlow Peter , Brul Stanley , Kramer Gertjan
Published: August 2022

Fluorescent fusion proteins were expressed in Bacillus cereus to visualize the germinosome by introducing a plasmid that carries fluorescent fusion proteins of germinant receptor GerR subunits or germinosome scaffold protein GerD. The effects of plasmid insertion and recombinant protein expression on the spore proteome were investigated. Proteomic analysis showed that overexpression of the target proteins had negligible effects on the spore proteome. However, plasmid-bearing spores displayed dramatic abundance changes in spore proteins involved in signaling and metabolism. Our findings indicate that the introduction of a plasmid alone alters the spore protein composition dramatically, with 993 proteins significantly down-regulated and 415 proteins significantly up-regulated among 3323 identified proteins. This shows that empty vector controls are more appropriate to compare proteome changes due to plasmid-encoded genes than is the wild-type strain, when using plasmid-based genetic tools. Therefore, researchers should keep in mind that molecular cloning techniques can alter more than their intended targets in a biological system, and interpret results with this in mind.
Phylogeny of Regulators of G-Protein Signaling Genes in Leptographium qinlingensis and Expression Levels of Three RGSs in Response to Different Terpenoids
Authors: Gan Tian , An Huanli , Tang Ming , Chen Hui
Published: August 2022

Leptographium qinlingensis is a bark beetle-vectored pine pathogen in the Chinese white pine beetle (Dendroctonus armandi) epidemic in Northwest China. L. qinlingensis colonizes pines despite the trees’ massive oleoresin terpenoid defenses. Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins modulate heterotrimeric G-protein signaling negatively and play multiple roles in the growth, asexual development, and pathogenicity of fungi. In this study, we have identified three L. qinlingensis RGS genes, and the phylogenetic analysis shows the highest homology with the regulators of G-protein signaling proteins sequence from Ophiostoma piceae and Grosmannia clavigera. The expression profiles of three RGSs in the mycelium of L. qinlingensis treated with six different terpenoids were detected, as well as their growth rates. Under six terpenoid treatments, the growth and reproduction in L. qinlingensis were significantly inhibited, and the growth inflection day was delayed from 8 days to 12–13 days. By analyzing the expression level of three RGS genes of L. qinlingensis with different treatments, results indicate that LqFlbA plays a crucial role in controlling fungal growth, and both LqRax1 and LqRgsA are involved in overcoming the host chemical resistances and successful colonization.
Molecular Identification of Babesia spp. and Anaplasma marginale in Water Buffaloes in Veracruz and Tabasco, Mexico: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Lira-Amaya José Juan , Santamaria-Espinosa Rebeca Montserrat , Castañeda-Arriola Roberto O. , Martínez-García Grecia , Polanco-Martínez Diego J. , Rojas-Martínez Carmen , Alvarez-Martínez Jesús Ántonio , Figueroa-Millán Julio V.
Published: August 2022

Two hundred and thirty-three blood samples of water buffalo were collected on four farms in Veracruz state and Tabasco state, Mexico, to detect and confirm the identities of Babesia and Anaplasma spp. sequences. Nested PCR assays were used for the amplification of specific genes encoding B. bovis rhoptry-associated protein (RAP-1), B. bigemina SpeI-AvaI restriction fragment, and Anaplasma marginale major surface protein 5 (MSP5). Using DNA sequencing and BLASTn analysis for DNA homology hemoparasite identification, the identities of the hemoparasites were established by comparing the nucleotide sequences obtained in this study with those available in the GenBank database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Water buffalo infection with at least one of the hemoparasites under study was detected in 45% (105/233) of the blood samples, while a mixed infection with B. bovis and B. bigemina was detected in 6.4% (15/233) of samples. For this cross-sectional study, mixed infections with the three hemoparasites were not detected. BLASTn analysis revealed that the nucleotide sequences of the water buffalo isolates shared sequence identity values ranging from 88 to 100% with previously published gene sequences of B. bovis, B. bigemina, and A. marginale. The current results confirm that water buffalo, as cattle, are also carriers of hemoparasite infections that are tick-transmitted, and suggest that they probably have an important role in the epidemiology of bovine babesiosis in Mexico.
Preharvest Environmental and Management Drivers of Multidrug Resistance in Major Bacterial Zoonotic Pathogens in Pastured Poultry Flocks
Authors: Ayoola Moses B. , Pillai Nisha , Nanduri Bindu , Rothrock Michael J. , Ramkumar Mahalingam
Published: August 2022

Due to nutritional benefits and perceived humane ways of treating the animals, the demand for antibiotic-free pastured poultry chicken has continued to be steadily rise. Despite the non-usage of antibiotics in pastured poultry broiler production, antibiotic resistance (AR) is reported in zoonotic poultry pathogens. However, factors that drive multidrug resistance (MDR) in pastured poultry are not well understood. In this study, we used machine learning and deep learning approaches to predict farm management practices and physicochemical properties of feces and soil that drive MDR in zoonotic poultry pathogens. Antibiotic use in agroecosystems is known to contribute to resistance. Evaluation of the development of resistance in environments that are free of antibiotics such as the all-natural, antibiotic-free, pastured poultry production systems described here is critical to understand the background AR in the absence of any selection pressure, i.e., basal levels of resistance. We analyzed 1635 preharvest (feces and soil) samples collected from forty-two pastured poultry flocks and eleven farms in the Southeastern United States. CDC National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System guidelines were used to determine antimicrobial/multidrug resistance profiles of Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter. A combination of two traditional machine learning (RandomForest and XGBoost) and three deep learning (Multi-layer Perceptron, Generative Adversarial Network, and Auto-Encoder) approaches identified critical farm management practices and environmental variables that drive multidrug resistance in poultry pathogens in broiler production systems that represents background resistance. This study enumerates management practices that contribute to AR and makes recommendations to potentially mitigate multidrug resistance and the prevalence of Salmonella and Listeria in pastured poultry.
Retrospective Analysis of Leishmaniasis in Sicily (Italy) from 2013 to 2021: One-Health Impact and Future Control Strategies
Authors: Bruno Federica , Vitale Fabrizio , La Russa Francesco , Reale Stefano , Späth Gerald F. , Oliveri Eugenia , Gargano Valeria , Valenza Viviana , Facciponte Flavia , Giardina Susanna , Marino Giorgio , Galante Antonella , Castelli Germano
Published: August 2022

Leishmaniasis is an important vector-borne disease that represents a serious public health problem, including in Sicily (Italy), which is considered an endemic area. We collected canine, feline and human data from 2013 to 2021 in Sicily, while entomological surveys were conducted only in 2013 and 2021. Overall, 23,794/74,349 (34.4%) of dogs and 274/4774 (11.8%) of cats were positive in one or more diagnostic tests. A total of 467 cases of human Leishmaniasis were reported, with 71% showing cutaneous and 29% visceral involvement. The provinces with the largest number of patients were Agrigento (45.4%) and Palermo (37%). In 2013, Phlebotomus perfiliewi was the dominant sandfly species in Sicily (68.7%), followed by Phlebotomus perniciosus (17.2%) and Sergentomya minuta (14%). In 2021, Phlebotomusperfiliewi was confirmed as the most common species (61.6%), followed by Phlebotomusperniciosus (33.1%) and Sergentomyaminuta (4.7%). Of particular interest was the identification of Phlebotomus papatasi (0.41%) in Agrigento. Our retrospective study can inform health authorities for the development of appropriate screening, treatment and control strategies to reduce Leishmania incidence rate. This study examined the present state of Leishmaniasis control, surveillance, and prevention in Sicily, but also highlighted deficiencies that could be addressed through the application of One-Health principles.
Recent Advances in Petroleum Microbiology
Authors: Mu Bo-Zhong , Nazina Tamara N.
Published: August 2022

Petroleum reservoirs are unique deep-subsurface ecosystems that are generally characterized by such extreme conditions as high temperature, high pressure, high salinity, and anoxia [...]
Gas Sensors Based on Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Guo Shu-Yu , Hou Peng-Xiang , Zhang Feng , Liu Chang , Cheng Hui-Ming
Published: August 2022

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have a high aspect ratio, large surface area, good stability and unique metallic or semiconducting electrical conductivity, they are therefore considered a promising candidate for the fabrication of flexible gas sensors that are expected to be used in the Internet of Things and various portable and wearable electronics. In this review, we first introduce the sensing mechanism of SWCNTs and the typical structure and key parameters of SWCNT-based gas sensors. We then summarize research progress on the design, fabrication, and performance of SWCNT-based gas sensors. Finally, the principles and possible approaches to further improving the performance of SWCNT-based gas sensors are discussed.
Extraction of Camphor Tree Essential Oil by Steam Distillation and Supercritical CO2 Extraction
Authors: Zhang Huangxian , Huang Ting , Liao Xiaoning , Zhou Yaohong , Chen Shangxing , Chen Jing , Xiong Wanming
Published: August 2022

The essential oil extracted from Cinnamomum camphora leaves is a mixture of volatile compounds, mainly terpenes, and is widely used in medicine, perfume and chemical industries. In this study, the extraction processes of essential oil from Cinnamomum camphora leaves by steam distillation and supercritical CO2 extraction were summarized and compared, and the camphor tree essential oil was detected by GC/MS. The extraction rate of essential oil extracted by steam distillation is less than 0.5%, while that of supercritical CO2 extraction is 4.63% at 25 MPa, 45 °C and 2.5 h. GC/MS identified 21 and 42 compounds, respectively. The content of alcohols in the essential oil is more than 35%, and that of terpenoids is more than 80%. The steam extraction method can extract volatile substances with a low boiling point and more esters and epoxides; The supercritical method is suitable for extracting weak polar substances with a high alcohol content. Supercritical CO2 extraction can selectively extract essential oil components and effectively prevent oxidation and the escape of heat sensitive substances.
Synthesis of Zn2+-Pre-Intercalated V2O5·nH2O/rGO Composite with Boosted Electrochemical Properties for Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries
Authors: Fan Yanzhi , Yu Xiaomeng , Feng Ziyi , Hu Mingjie , Zhang Yifu
Published: August 2022

Layered vanadium-based materials are considered to be great potential electrode materials for aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs). The improvement of the electrochemical properties of vanadium-based materials is a hot research topic but still a challenge. Herein, a composite of Zn-ion pre-intercalated V2O5·nH2O combined with reduced graphene oxide (ZnVOH/rGO) is synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method and it shows improved Zn-ion storage. ZnVOH/rGO delivers a capacity of 325 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 A·g−1, and this value can still reach 210 mAh·g−1 after 100 cycles. Additionally, it exhibits 196 mAh·g−1 and keeps 161 mAh·g−1 after 1200 cycles at 4 A·g−1. The achieved performances are much higher than that of ZnVOH and VOH. All results reveal that Zn2+ as “pillars” expands the interlayer distance of VOH and facilitates the fast kinetics, and rGO improves the electron flow. They both stabilize the structure and enhance efficient Zn2+ migration. All findings demonstrate ZnVOH/rGO’s potential as a perspective cathode material for AZIBs.
Radix Asteris: Traditional Usage, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of An Important Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Li Ke-Jie , Liu Yang-Yang , Wang Dong , Yan Pei-Zheng , Lu De-Chao , Zhao Dong-Sheng
Published: August 2022

Radix Asteris (RA), also known as ‘Zi Wan’, is the dried root and rhizome of Aster tataricus L. f., which has been used to treat cough and asthma in many countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. This article summarizes the available information on RA in ancient Chinese medicine books and modern research literature: its botanical properties, traditional uses, chemical composition, pharmacological activity, toxicity and quality control. Studies have shown that RA extracts contain terpenes, triterpenoid saponins, organic acids, peptides and flavonoids, and have various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, and anti-depression. RA is considered to be a promising medicinal plant based on its traditional use, chemical constituents and pharmacological activities. However, there are few studies on its toxicity and the consistency of its components, which indicates the need for further in-depth studies on the toxicity and quality control of RA and its extracts.
Chemoselective Oxidation of Isoxazolidines with Ruthenium Tetroxide: A Successful Intertwining of Combined Theoretical and Experimental Data
Authors: Legnani Laura , Giofré Salvatore V. , Iannazzo Daniela , Celesti Consuelo , Veltri Lucia , Chiacchio Maria Assunta
Published: August 2022

The direct oxidation reaction of isoxazolidines plays an important role in organic chemistry, leading to the synthesis of biologically active compounds. In this paper, we report a computational mechanistic study of RuO4-catalyzed oxidation of differently N-substituted isoxazolidines 1a–c. Attention was focused on the endo/exo oxidation selectivity. For all the investigated compounds, the exo attack is preferred to the endo one, showing exo percentages growing in parallel with the stability order of transient carbocations found along the reaction pathway. The study has been supported by experimental data that nicely confirm the modeling results.
Effects of Polysaccharide Concentrations on the Formation and Physical Properties of Emulsion-Templated Oleogels
Authors: Jiang Zongbo , Bai Xinpeng
Published: August 2022

An emulsion template method was an effective way to prepare oleogels. However, there were few reports on how hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-pectin (HPMC-PC) mixtures affected the physicochemical properties of the obtained oleogels. In this study, the oleogels were prepared by an emulsion template method. The influences of HPMC and PC concentrations on the formation and physical properties of the emulsions and oleogels were investigated, by analyzing particle size distribution, microstructure, rheological test, oil loss, and crystallinity. The results of particle sizes and microstructure showed that a high concentration of HPMC and PC exhibited a better emulsification performance. The rheological tests indicated that a high concentration of HPMC and PC contributed to an increase in the mechanical strength of emulsions and oleogels. Moreover, an increase in an HPMC and PC concentration was beneficial to reduce the oil loss of oleogels. However, the change of HPMC and PC concentrations had no significant effect on the X-ray diffraction pattern of oleogels. This study could provide a theoretical basis for the construction of polysaccharide-based oleogels.
Electromagnetic-Interference-Shielding Effectiveness of Lyocell-Based Carbon Fabrics Carbonized at Various Temperatures
Authors: Park Jihyun , Kwac Lee , Kim Hong , Park Kil-Young , Koo Ki , Ryu Dong-Hwa , Shin Hye
Published: August 2022

Lyocell is a biodegradable filament yarn obtained by directly dissolving cellulose in a mixture of N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide and a non-toxic solvent. Therefore, herein, lyocell fabrics were employed as eco-friendly carbon-precursor substitutes for use as electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials. First, a lyocell fabric treated with polyacrylamide via electron beam irradiation reported in a previous study to increase carbon yields and tensile strengths was carbonized by heating to 900, 1100, and 1300 °C. The carbonization transformed the fabric into a graphitic crystalline structure, and its electrical conductivity and EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) were enhanced despite the absence of metals. For a single sheet, the electrical conductivities of the lyocell-based carbon fabric samples at the different carbonization temperatures were 3.57, 5.96, and 8.91 S m−1, leading to an EMI SE of approximately 18, 35, and 82 dB at 1.5–3.0 GHz, respectively. For three sheets of fabric carbonized at 1300 °C, the electrical conductivity was 10.80 S m−1, resulting in an excellent EMI SE of approximately 105 dB. Generally, EM radiation is reduced by 99.9999% in instances when the EMI SE was over 60 dB. The EMI SE of the three lyocell-based carbon fabric sheets obtained at 1100 °C and that of all the sheets of the sample obtained at 1300 °C exceeded approximately 60 dB.
Study on Metronidazole Acid-Base Behavior and Speciation with Ca2+ for Potential Applications in Natural Waters
Authors: Carnamucio Federica , Foti Claudia , Cordaro Massimiliano , Giuffrè Ottavia
Published: August 2022

Metronidazole (MNZ) is an antibiotic widely used for the treatment of various infectious diseases and as an effective pesticide agent for the cultivation of chickens and fish. Its high resistance to purification processes and biological activity has led to the classification of MNZ as an emerging contaminant. A speciation study, aimed to define the acid-base properties of MNZ and its interaction with Ca2+, commonly present in natural waters, is reported. The protonation constants of MNZ, as well as the formation constant value of Ca2+-MNZ species, were obtained by potentiometric titrations in an aqueous solution, using NaCl as background salt at different ionic strengths (0.15, 0.5, 1 mol L−1) and temperature (15, 25 and 37 °C) conditions. The acid-base behavior and the complexation with Ca2+ were also investigated by 1H NMR and UV-Vis titrations, with results in very good agreement with the potentiometric ones. The dependence of the formation constants on the ionic strength and temperature was also determined. The sequestering ability of MNZ towards Ca2+ was defined by the empirical parameter pL0.5 at different pH and temperature values. The speciation of MNZ simulating sea water conditions was calculated.
Design and Synthesis of New α-hydroxy β-fluoro/β-trifluoromethyl and Unsaturated Phosphonates from Carbohydrate-Derived Building Blocks via Pudovik and Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons Reactions
Authors: Bilska-Markowska Monika , Jankowski Wojciech , Hoffmann Marcin , Kaźmierczak Marcin
Published: August 2022

Herein, we present the application of fluorinated carbohydrate-derived building blocks for α-hydroxy β-fluoro/β-trifluoromethyl and unsaturated phosphonates synthesis. Pudovik and Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reactions were applied to achieve this goal. The proposed pathway of the key reactions is supported by the experimental results, as well as quantum chemical calculations. The structure of the products was established by spectroscopic (1D, 2D NMR) and spectrometric (MS) techniques. Based on our data received, we claim that the progress of the Pudovik and HWE reactions is significantly influenced by the acidic protons present in the molecules as assessed by pKa values of the reagent.
Degradative Effect of Nattokinase on Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Tanikawa Takashi , Kiba Yuka , Yu James , Hsu Kate , Chen Shinder , Ishii Ayako , Yokogawa Takami , Suzuki Ryuichiro , Inoue Yutaka , Kitamura Masashi
Published: August 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged as a pandemic and has inflicted enormous damage on the lives of the people and economy of many countries worldwide. However, therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear. SARS-CoV-2 has a spike protein (S protein), and cleavage of the S protein is essential for viral entry. Nattokinase is produced by Bacillus subtilis var. natto and is beneficial to human health. In this study, we examined the effect of nattokinase on the S protein of SARS-CoV-2. When cell lysates transfected with S protein were incubated with nattokinase, the S protein was degraded in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that S protein on the cell surface was degraded when nattokinase was added to the culture medium. Thus, our findings suggest that nattokinase exhibits potential for the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection via S protein degradation.
Effects of Silk Fibroin Enzyme Hydrolysates on Memory and Learning: A Review
Authors: Stohs Sidney J. , Bucci Luke R.
Published: August 2022

Silk protein products have been used for a wide range of applications. This review focuses on the studies conducted relative to cognitive functions with silk fibroin enzyme hydrolysates (FEH) in humans and animals. All known studies reported in PubMed and Google Scholar have been included. Studies have been conducted on children, high school and college students, adults and seniors, ranging in ages from 7–92 years. Doses of 200–600 mg silk FEH per day for three weeks to 16 weeks have been used. Based on these studies, it can be concluded that silk FEH exhibit beneficial cognitive effects with respect to memory and learning, attention, mental focus, accuracy, memory recall, and overall memory and concentration. These conclusions are supported by studies in rats and mice. Mechanistic studies that have been conducted in animals and cell culture systems are also reviewed. These studies indicate that silk FEH exerts its positive effects on memory and learning by providing neuroprotection via a complex mechanism involving its potent antioxidant and inflammation-inhibiting activities. Acetylcholine (ACh) is secreted by cholinergic neurons, and plays a role in encoding new information. Silk FEH were shown to decrease the levels of the pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory mediators interlukin-1 (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), protecting the cholinergic system from oxidative stress, thus enhancing ACh levels in the brain, which is known to promote cognitive functions. In addition, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF), which is involved in the survival of neurons, is enhanced, and an increase in the expression of the phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) occurs, which is known to play a positive role in cognitive functions. No adverse effects have been reported in association with the use of silk FEH.