bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Features of Scots Pine Mortality Due to Incursion of Pine Bark Beetles in Symbiosis with Ophiostomatoid Fungi in the Forest-Steppe of Central Siberia
Authors: Barchenkov Alexey , Rubtsov Alexey , Safronova Inna , Astapenko Sergey , Tabakova Kseniia , Bogdanova Kristina , Anuev Eugene , Arzac Alberto
Published: June 2023

Forest decline is a significant issue affecting critical ecosystem processes worldwide. Here, we describe mortality in Pinus sylvestris L. monitored trees caused by the inhabitation of pine bark beetles (Tomicus minor Hart.) in symbiosis with ophiostomatoid fungi (Ophiostoma piceae (Munch) H. et P. Sydow) infection in the forest-steppe of central Siberia. Stem sap flow (Q) and stem diameter fluctuations (dRc) were monitored in eight pine trees during seven consecutive growing seasons (2015–2021). In addition, microcore sampling every ten days allowed the determination of stem wood formation in monitored trees in the 2021 growing season. During 2020 and 2021, two cases of Q termination were recorded among the monitored trees, with microcores revealing no cambium formation. Thus, the seasonal Q onset matches the beginning of the beetle dispersal period when they attack and inhabit tree stems. The decline of circumferential stem size began 10–12 days after Q onset, during the massive inhabitation of beetles into the stems. The disturbance of Q in trees occurred in 21–23 days, and total cessation of Q was observed 23–26 days after the Q onset at the beetle’s egg development phase. The timing of dRc disturbance and Q cessation observed directly coincides with the beetle life cycle. Thus, the phenology of pine trees and T. minor beetles is driven by seasonal weather conditions, particularly the cumulative air temperature (>0 °C).
The Role of Abrasion Resistance in Determining Suitability of Low-Density Plantation Timber for Engineered Flooring
Authors: Millaniyage Kuluni , Kotlarewski Nathan , Taoum Assaad , Wallis Louise
Published: June 2023

Abrasion resistance is an important property for the functional performance and serviceability of timber floors. Although hardness is the conventional criterion used in selecting species for flooring applications, it shows greater variations and restricts the use of low-density species, whereas abrasion resistance could generate a more reliable indication of a product’s surface performance. Eucalyptus nitens is a fast-grown global plantation species extensively available in Tasmania, Australia. Until recently, this material has been perceived as unsuitable for appearance applications such as flooring. This study assesses several engineered flooring prototypes comprised of E. nitens—sawlog managed and fibre-managed resources—compared to an existing market product (E. obliqua and a commercial engineered timber flooring product with UV-cured coating). Tests were performed in accordance with the EN 14354:2016, sandpaper method using Taber abraser and further modified to test flooring prototypes. The highest abrasion resistance was observed in the E. nitens veneer composite product. Fibre-managed E. nitens resulted in the greatest level of abrasion, while sawlog-managed E. nitens was comparable to native regrowth E. obliqua, a commonly used flooring species historically used in Australia. Therefore, the findings from this research suggest there are suitable flooring applications for plantation E. nitens as engineered wood products in some domestic and residential dwellings when compared to existing native products.
Two-Step Hydrothermal Pretreatments for Co-Producing Xylooligosaccharides and Humic-like Acid from Vinegar Residue
Authors: Jiao Ningxin , Zhu Yuanyuan , Li Haoran , Yu Yongjian , Xu Yong , Zhu Junjun
Published: June 2023

This study proposes an efficient strategy for co-producing high-value-added xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and humic-like acid (HLA) from vinegar residue based on two-step hydrothermal pretreatments. During the first-step hydrothermal pretreatment (170 °C, 50 min), 29.1% of XOS (X2-X6) was obtained. The XOS yield was further improved to 36.2% with endoxylanase hydrolysis, thereby increasing the value of (X2-X4)/XOS from 0.8 to 1.0. Subsequently, the second-step hydrothermal pretreatment was investigated to produce HLA from the solid residue of the first-step hydrothermal pretreatment. The highest HLA yield was 15.3% in the presence of 0.6 mol/L of KOH at 210 °C for 13 h. In addition, 31.7% of hydrochar by-product was obtained. The mass balance results showed that 1000 g of vinegar residue produced 67.9 g of XOS, 91.6 g of HLA, and 189.5 g of hydrochar. Therefore, this study provides a promising pathway for comprehensive use of lignocellulosic biomass in producing XOS and HLA.
Alternative Development and Processing of Fermented Beverage and Tempeh Using Green Beans from Four Genotypes of Lupinus mutabilis
Authors: Parra-Gallardo Giovana , Quimbiulco-Sánchez Klever , Salas-Sanjuán María del Carmen , del Moral Fernando , Valenzuela Juan Luis
Published: June 2023

In this study, the nutritional characteristics of two formulations were studied: A fermented beverage and tempeh. Green seeds from four different cultivars of tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis) were used: Andino, Guaranguito, Ecuadorian, and Peruvian. The seeds were first debittered, and then, they were fermented, using two inoculum doses and two fermentation times. For the fermented beverage, Saccaromyces cerevisae was used at doses of 1.5 and 2.5% dry weight and fermentation times of 72 and 96 h. For the tempeh, the inoculum used was the Rhizopus oligosporus strain NRRL 2710 at doses of 0.015 and 0.025% dry weight and fermentation times of 48 and 72 h. The alcoholic strength, total solid soluble, and pH in the fermented beverage were analyzed, while proximal analysis was performed for both the fermented beverage and tempeh. The results indicate that, in all cases, the Andino cultivar produced a beverage with higher alcoholic strength, regardless of the inoculum concentration and fermentation time. In both the fermented beverage and tempeh, a varietal effect was found for protein and crude fiber. The Andino cultivar had the highest protein, fat, and fiber content. The alkaloid content was similar in the beverage and tempeh, but the effect of fermentation was markedly increased with the higher inoculum dose and longer fermentation time. The alkaloid content was highest in the Peruvian cultivar, while it was similar in the remaining three cultivars. Tarwi grains have a high nutritional value, but the grain is traditionally used dry. In this study, we used green grain, which contains lower alkaloid content. Moreover, the crop cycle is shortened, and it can be used in the manufacture of fermented drinks and tempeh. In this way, we show that it is valid to use green grain instead of dried grain, constituting an improvement in the traditional use of lupine grain, and our study shows that it is possible to make both fermented drink and tempeh with green grain, showing the influence of the genotype and dosage starter.
Bio-Augmentation of S2− Oxidation for a Heavily Polluted River by a Mixed Culture Microbial Consortium
Authors: Song Chen , Shi Yajun , Gao Hongjie , Liu Ping , Liu Xiaoling
Published: June 2023

The redox balance of inorganic sulfur in heavily polluted rivers might be disrupted, making sulfur reduction a major metabolic pathway of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), leading to a massive accumulation of S2− and blackening the water bodies. A mixed culture microbial consortium (MCMC) of Citrobacter sp.sp1, Ochrobactrum sp.sp2, and Stenotrophomonas sp.sp3 was used to activate native sulfate-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) to augment the S2− oxidizing process. The results demonstrated that MCMC had a significant sulfur oxidation effect, with 98% S2− removal efficiency within 50 h. The sulfide species varied greatly and were all finally oxidized to SO42−. The mechanism of bio-augmentation was revealed through high throughput sequencing analysis. The MCMC could stimulate and simplify the community structure to cope with the sulfide change. The microorganisms (family level) including Enterococcaceae, Flavobacteriaceae, Comamonadaceae, Methylophilaceae, Caulobacteraceae, Rhodobacteraceae, and Burkholderiaceae were thought to be associated with sulfide metabolism through the significant microbial abundance difference in the bio-treatment group and control group. Further Pearson correlation analysis inferred the functions of different microorganisms: Comamonadaceae, Burkholderiaceae, Alcaligenaceae, Methylophilaceae, and Caulobacteraceae played important roles in S2− oxidization and SO42− accumulation; and Comamonadaceae, Burkholderiaceae, Alcaligenaceae, Methylophilaceae, Caulobacteraceae, Campylobacteraceae, Bacteriovoracaceae, and Rhodobacteraceae promoted the sulfur oxidation during the whole process.
Exploiting Misconfiguration Vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory for Privilege Escalation Attacks
Authors: Haimed Ibrahim Bu , Albahar Marwan , Alzubaidi Ali
Published: June 2023

Cloud services provided by Microsoft are growing rapidly in number and importance. Azure Active Directory (AAD) is becoming more important due to its role in facilitating identity management for cloud-based services. However, several risks and security issues have been associated with cloud systems due to vulnerabilities associated with identity management systems. In particular, misconfigurations could severely impact the security of cloud-based systems. Accordingly, this study identifies and experimentally evaluates exploitable misconfiguration vulnerabilities in Azure AD which can eventually lead to the risk of privilege escalation attacks. The study focuses on two scenarios: dynamic group settings and the activation of the Managed Identity feature on virtual devices. Through experimental evaluation, the research demonstrates the successful execution of these attacks, resulting in unauthorized access to sensitive information. Finally, we suggest several approaches to prevent such attacks by isolating sensitive systems to minimize the possibility of damage resulting from a misconfiguration accident and highlight the need for further studies.
Artificial Intelligence in Virtual Telemedicine Triage: A Respiratory Infection Diagnosis Tool with Electronic Measuring Device
Authors: Villafuerte Naythan , Manzano Santiago , Ayala Paulina , García Marcelo V.
Published: June 2023

Due to the similarities in symptomatology between COVID-19 and other respiratory infections, diagnosis of these diseases can be complicated. To address this issue, a web application was developed that employs a chatbot and artificial intelligence to detect COVID-19, the common cold, and allergic rhinitis. The application also integrates an electronic device that connects to the app and measures vital signs such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and body temperature using two ESP8266 microcontrollers. The measured data are displayed on an OLED screen and sent to a Google Cloud server using the MQTT protocol. The AI algorithm accurately determines the respiratory disease that the patient is suffering from, achieving an accuracy rate of 0.91% after the symptomatology is entered. The app includes a user interface that allows patients to view their medical history of consultations with the assistant. The app was developed using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, MySQL, and Bootstrap 5 tools, resulting in a responsive, dynamic, and robust application that is secure for both the user and the server. Overall, this app provides an efficient and reliable way to diagnose respiratory infections using the power of artificial intelligence.
Effect of Premixed Ethanol Ratio Based on the Same Heating Value on the Atomization of Diesel Fuel Injected in the Cylinder
Authors: Min Se-Hun , Suh Hyun-Kyu
Published: June 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a premixed ethanol ratio based on the same total heating value in a cylinder on the equivalence ratio distributions and the injected fuel droplet behavior in the cylinder of an RCCI engine. The spray simulation was conducted in two parts. First, we carried out spray validation simulations to determine the spray-influenced factor of the test injector. Next, engine simulations were performed with the spray-influenced factor obtained from the spray validation simulations to investigate the effect of the premixed ethanol ratio based on the same total heating value in a cylinder on the injected fuel atomization and the equivalence ratio distributions. The introduced total heating value was fixed at 595 J based on the lower heating value of diesel, 14 mg. The heating value of the premixed ethanol ratio varied from 0% to 40% based on the same total heating value in the cylinder in steps of 10%. It was revealed that when the premixed ethanol ratio based on the same total heating value in the cylinder was increased, the spray tip penetration value was reduced after 4 deg of diesel was injected because of the short injection duration and the small amount of diesel fuel used. The SMD value was also increased up to 32.58% with an increasing premixed ethanol ratio because of the low kinetic energy of the injected fuel, the short injection duration, the slow evaporation of the injected fuel and the low cylinder temperature.
Herbivorous Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Exhibit Greater Olfactory Response to Amino Acids Than Filter-Feeding Bighead (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)
Authors: Wildhaber Mark L. , West Benjamin M. , Ditter Karlie K. , Peterson Alex S. , Calfee Robin D. , Beaman Zachary D.
Published: June 2023

Due to their invasiveness in North America, grass (Ctenopharyngodon idella), bighead (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) are management priorities. Comparing electrophysiological responses to olfactory cues, such as amino acids, could help identify stimuli to facilitate management efforts (i.e., repellants or baits). We assessed olfactory response magnitude to individual amino acids between fish species using electro-olfactogram recording techniques (EOG). We measured EOG responses (peak EOG magnitude) of juvenile grass (n = 21), bighead (n = 21), and silver carp (n = 22) to 10−4 molar amino acid solutions containing one of L-alanine, L-arginine, L-aspartic acid, L-asparagine, L-glutamine, or L-glutamic acid. Amino acid EOG responses differed across species; grass carp had the greatest mean EOG response. Statistical analyses showed no inter- or intra-specific differences in EOG response among amino acids. The greater EOG response of grass carp matched their selective grazing habits compared to more passive, generalist-tending, filter-feeding bighead and silver carp. All amino acids elicited significant EOG responses in all species, meaning they are candidates for future behavioral research. Such research could explore the management potential of amino acids, testing if amino acids are attractants or deterrents that could facilitate the removal of these fishes by congregating and/or directing movement.
Seasonal Variation in the Epibenthic Feeding Habits of Hilsa Shad (Tenualosa ilisha) in the Upper Meghna River Estuary, Bangladesh
Authors: Sarker Md. Jahangir , Sarker Pallab Kumer , Cahoon Lawrence B. , Dipty Afsana Kabir , Bashar Md. Abul , Hasan Md. Monjurul , Mahmud Yahia , Sarker Md. Milon
Published: June 2023

Seasonal changes in feeding habits of hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) were studied monthly in 2019 in the upper Meghna estuary, Bangladesh, through gut content analyses. Tychoplanktonic diatoms followed by copepods were abundant in all months and size groups of hilsa. The inverse relationship between niche breadth and relative length of the gut revealed hilsa consume a variety of food at their early stages while their feeding habit changes towards diatoms during the adult stage with the development of gill rakers. Young hilsas prefer mostly tychoplanktonic diatoms (Aulacoseira sp., Triceratium sp., Nitzschia sp., Synedra sp., and Coscinodiscus sp.) and copepods (Pseudodiaptomus sp.). However, adult hilsas rejected Aulacoseira sp. during their spawning season. Ingested sand grains correlated with tychoplankton, revealing their food value from epipelic microalgae and bacteria clinging to them and epibenthic foraging by young hilsas. Thus, this study revealed that young hilsas primarily feed on tychoplanktonic diatoms and copepods from water and near bottom of the upper Meghna estuary during January to June while later stages with the development of gill rakers allow hilsas to feed on planktonic diatoms. Epibenthic feeding needs to be considered more fully in evaluating the biology of hilsa and, perhaps, other clupeids, and in evaluating possible human impacts on this foraging habitat.
Looking for Parasites as Potential Biological Tags for Pacific Thread Herring, Opisthonema libertate (Günther, 1867) (Clupeiformes, Dorosomatidae), in the Gulf of California
Authors: López-Moreno Dania Guadalupe , Vallarta-Zárate Juan Roberto Felipe , Marín-Enríquez Emigdio , Amezcua Felipe , Morales-Serna Francisco Neptalí
Published: June 2023

The Pacific thread herring, Opisthonema libertate, is a fishery resource in the eastern tropical Pacific, yet its population dynamics are poorly understood. The aims of this work were to document the metazoan parasite species in O. libertate from the Gulf of California in Mexico, determine latitudinal changes in their infection levels, and assess their potential as biological tags. Six parasitic species were identified: Myosaccium ecaude and Parahemiurus merus digeneans, Cribromazocraes cf. travassosi and Mazocraeoides georgei monogeneans, Pseudoterranova sp. nematodes, and Lepeophtheirus sp. copepods. The monogenean and copepod species are reported for the first time in O. libertate. Many fish were infected with digeneans, and there was a rare occurrence of other parasites. While the prevalence and median intensity of M. ecaude and P. merus significantly varied among sampling localities, a multivariate analysis revealed a distinct separation between some localities; these results suggest that individual fish form several discrete populations. However, the utility of these parasites as biological tags will be further probed because they cannot satisfy all requirements for good biological tags. The present results might be helpful in complementing other techniques to determine the movement and stock structure of O. libertate, albeit with certain limitations.
Spatiotemporal Variations and Convergence Characteristics of Green Technological Progress in China’s Mariculture
Authors: Ji Jianyue , Zhao Nana , Zhou Jinglin , Wang Chengjia , Zhang Xia
Published: June 2023

The sustainability of mariculture depends on adopting green technologies, which can mitigate the negative impacts on the environment and ensure long-term viability. However, existing studies do not comprehensively understand the characteristics and regional differences of green technology progress (GTP) in mariculture. According to data from ten coastal regions from 2008 to 2020, this study adopts the Epsilon-Based Measure (EBM)-Malmquist model to measure the GTP of mariculture, uses the Dagum Gini coefficient to analyze the spatial differences of GTP, and uses convergence models to explore the convergence of GTP. The results showed that: (1) the GTP of China’s mariculture showed a fluctuating upward trend temporally and significant spatial differences. The overall differences showed a dispersion trend over time. The contributions of inter-regional super variable net value difference (Gnb), inter-regional transvariation intensity (Gt), and intra-regional difference (Gw) were 38.813%, 31.256%, and 29.931%, respectively. (2) The degree of dispersion of GTP among different regions has not decreased with time, which means there is no apparent σ convergence. Absolute β convergence and conditional β convergence existed in GTP, and the absolute value of the latter was greater than that of the former. That is, the growth rate of GTP will first reach their respective steady-state levels and then approach a unified steady-state equilibrium level.
Hemodynamic Investigation of the Flow Diverter Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysm
Authors: Boniforti Maria Antonietta , Magini Roberto , Orosco Salinas Tania
Published: June 2023

Flow diverter stents (FDS) are increasingly used for the treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms such as fusiform, giant, or wide-neck aneurysms. The primary goal of these devices is to reconstruct the diseased vascular segment by diverting blood flow from the aneurysm. The resulting intra-aneurysmal flow reduction promotes progressive aneurysm thrombosis and healing of the disease. In the present study, a numerical investigation was performed for modeling blood flow inside a patient-specific intracranial aneurysm virtually treated with FDS. The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of FDS placement prior to the actual endovascular treatment and to compare the effectiveness of devices differing in porosity. Numerical simulations were performed under pulsatile flow conditions, taking into account the non-Newtonian behavior of blood. Two possible post-operative conditions with virtual stent deployment were simulated. Hemodynamic parameters were calculated and compared between the pre-operative (no stent placement) and post-operative (virtual stent placement) aneurysm models. FDS placement significantly reduced intra-aneurysmal flow velocity and increased the Relative Residence Time (RRT) on the aneurysm, thus promoting thrombus formation within the dilatation and aneurysm occlusion. The results highlighted an increase in the effectiveness of FDS as its porosity increased. The proposed analysis provides pre-operative knowledge on the impact of FDS on intracranial hemodynamics, allowing the selection of the most effective treatment for the specific patient.
Influence of the Nozzle-to-Surface Distance on Spray Cooling Efficiency
Authors: Vladyko Ilya , Miskiv Nikolay , Serdyukov Vladimir , Nazarov Aleksandr , Surtaev Anton
Published: June 2023

Spray cooling is a highly effective method of heat removal that has broad practical applications, including use in modern cooling systems designed for microelectronics and microchips. It is known that spray cooling performance is influenced by a huge number of factors. This experimental research is devoted to the study of the influence of a liquid flow rate in the range of 15.1–24.2 cm3/s, heat flux up to 6.4 MW/m2, and nozzle-to-surface distance on the heat transfer rate in non-boiling mode and the distribution of the local temperature of the heat exchange surface during spray cooling. It is shown that the heat transfer coefficient weakly depends on the heat flux for all studied nozzle-to-surface distances. It is demonstrated that the nozzle-to-surface distance has a significant influence on the heat transfer and the temperature distributionon the heating surface during spray cooling in non-boiling mode. At the same time, there is an optimal distance at which the maximum heat transfer rate and uniformity of the temperature are achieved. Criteria and a ratio for determining the optimal distance from the spray nozzle to the heated surface are proposed.
Numerical Study of a Small Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine Aerodynamics Operating at Low Wind Speed
Authors: Younoussi Somaya , Ettaouil Abdeslem
Published: June 2023

The present work aims to study the aerodynamic characteristics of a newly designed three-bladed horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) using the Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) method. The blade geometry is designed using an improved Blade Element Momentum (BEM) method to be similar in size to the Ampair300 wind turbine. The shear stress transport (SST) transition turbulence model closure is utilized to solve the steady state three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The Ansys Fluent CFD solver is used to solve the problem. Then, a comparison between the two turbines’ operating conditions is conducted by monitoring the pressure coefficient, pressure contours and velocity vectors at five different radial positions. The analysis of the Tip Speed Ratio (TSR) effects on the turbine efficiency and on the flow behavior on the blade and in the near wake is carried out. For 8 m/s wind speed, the optimum pitch angle is also investigated, and the results are prepared against each TSR.
Assessing Sustainability Priorities of U.S. Food Hub Managers: Results from a National Survey
Authors: Shariatmadary Haniyeh , O’Hara Sabine , Graham Rebecca , Stuiver Marian
Published: June 2023

Food hubs have emerged as innovative alternatives to the conventional United States food system. As aggregators of small local farms, food hubs hold the potential to transform food production, distribution, and consumption, while fostering environmental sustainability and social equity. However, assessing their contributions to environmental sustainability and social equity is challenging due to the diverse structures and practices of U.S. food hubs. This study presents the findings of a national survey of food hub managers conducted in 2022 to assess the sustainability objectives and practices of food hubs across the United States. Our survey questions were designed based on a comprehensive framework of social and environmental sustainability criteria. Our results reveal that food hubs make valuable contributions in supporting small producers and providing healthy local food options. However, there is room for improvement in their environmental sustainability practices, as they only meet 47% of the defined environmental sustainability goals. Addressing food insecurity is a high priority for food hubs, although not their top priority, and many offer fresh food access to low-income households. Food hubs also contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing food transportation, promoting healthy food production methods, and minimizing waste. While food hubs meet 67% of the defined social sustainability goals, there are opportunities for improvement in reaching important institutional stakeholders and enhancing consumer education on healthy nutrition and lifestyles. Expanding technical assistance for farmers is also critical. By addressing these opportunities for improvement, food hubs can drive progress towards a more resilient and equitable food system in the United States.
High Protein Yangyu jiaotuan (洋芋搅团): In Vitro Oral-Gastro-Small Intestinal Starch Digestion and Some Physico-Chemical, Textural, Microstructural, and Rheological Properties
Authors: Zeng Fankui , Abhilasha Abhilasha , Chen Yufan , Zhao Yuci , Liu Gang , Kaur Lovedeep , Singh Jaspreet
Published: June 2023

Biomimetic foods are expected to have potential health benefits for the management and prevention of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In the current research, two commercially available and affordable plant proteins (soy protein isolate—SPI and pea protein isolate—PPI) at two levels (5%, 10%) were added to the Yangyu jiaotuan with the objective of developing a product with reduced glycaemic properties and high protein content while maintaining its original taste and texture. The results showed that several important textural properties such as hardness and chewiness did not change significantly during the refrigerated storage. The storage modulus G′ increased with refrigerated storage time for different samples, but there were significant differences among the five samples (with and without protein addition) with respect to frequency dependence during rheological measurements. The in vitro starch digestion experiments showed that the starch hydrolysis of Yangyu jiaotuan decreased considerably (by up to 42.08%) with the increase in PPI content and during refrigerated storage due to starch retrogradation. Protein has protected the microstructure and there was less damage when compared to samples without protein. The bimodal peaks of the particle size distribution curves showed that the newly developed Yangyu jiaotuan contains two different sizes of particles; the smaller particles (~30 μm) corresponded to PPI and starch granules, while the larger particles corresponded to the fragments of the gel network of the starch matrix. Based on the above results, Yangyu jiaotuan mixed with pea protein is a convenient potato staple food product, which complies with the biomimetic potato food very well.
New Coagulant Proteases for Cheesemaking from Leaves and Latex of the Spontaneous Plant Pergularia tomentosa: Biochemical Characterization of Coagulants and Sensorial Evaluation of Cheese
Authors: Leulmi Imene , Zidoune Mohammed Nasreddine , Hafid Kahina , Djeghim Fairouz , Bourekoua Hayat , Dziki Dariusz , Różyło Renata
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the caseinolytic and milk-clotting activities of aqueous crude extracts from leaves and latex of the Pergularia tomentosa, to determine their suitability as a rennet substitute. These extracts were subjected to a series of biochemical tests before being used in the production of cheese. The results showed that the enzymatic latex extract had a higher coagulant activity than the leaf extract. However, under different clotting conditions (pH, temperature, and CaCl2 concentration), both coagulants behaved similarly in the coagulation of Berridge substrate. The SDS-PAGE and zymographic analysis revealed identical protein bands with a single active zone in both extracts, corresponding to a molecular weight of 26.98 kDa and 26.03 kDa in the extract of leaf and latex, respectively. Both extracts were stable to different effectors but strongly inhibited by iodoacetamide and Hg, suggesting it to be a cysteine protease. Both extracts were able to hydrolyze casein and generate peptides of 14 kDa, with excessive hydrolysis of the other casein fractions. The physicochemical parameters of cheese made from latex and leaf extract evolved similarly to control cheese. According to the sensory evaluation, cheese made with latex had a mildly bitter flavor but showed a high acceptance rate (>80%).
“Biqi” Bayberry Extract Promotes Skeletal Muscle Fiber Type Remodeling by Increasing Fast Myofiber Formation via the Akt/FoxO1 Pathway in Mice
Authors: Li Jinjie , Li Yi , Suo Xiangying , Li Jiangtao , Huang Da , Kou Guangning
Published: June 2023

Bayberry is known to be a rich source of natural flavonoids and has been reported to have various health-promoting abilities. However, its function on regulating skeletal muscle fiber type remains unclear. This study examined whether bayberry extract affects skeletal muscle fiber type by promoting fast myofiber formation, as well as the potential molecular mechanism. After eight weeks, the “Biqi” bayberry extract (BBE) groups mice displayed markedly enhanced grip strength and improved metabolic rate compared to the control group mice. BBE also significantly increased myofibers size, LDH activity, MyHC-IIb (fast-twitch mRNA) expression, and the percentage of fast-twitch myofibers, while decreasing SDH activity, MyHC-I (slow-twitch mRNA) expression, and slow-twitch myofibers percentage in the skeletal muscle of the mice. The effect of BBE on regulating skeletal muscle fiber type remodeling is likely attributed to its activation of the Akt-FoxO1 pathway. Our findings indicated that BBE can effectively regulate the expression and proportion of fast-twitch fibers, making it a potential therapy for improving glucose homeostasis of skeletal muscle.
Isolation and Extraction of Monomers from Insoluble Dietary Fiber
Authors: Wang Junyao , Zhang Jiarui , Wang Sainan , Liu Wenhao , Jing Wendan , Yu Hansong
Published: June 2023

Insoluble dietary fiber is a macromolecular polysaccharide aggregate composed of pectin, glycoproteins, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. All agricultural by-products contain significant levels of insoluble dietary fiber. With the recognition of the increasing scarcity of non-renewable energy sources, the conversion of single components of dietary fiber into renewable energy sources and their use has become an ongoing concern. The isolation and extraction of single fractions from insoluble dietary fiber is one of the most important recent research directions. The continuous development of technologies for the separation and extraction of single components is aimed at expanding the use of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin for food, industrial, cosmetic, biomedical, and other applications. Here, to expand the use of single components to meet the new needs of future development, separation and extraction methods for single components are summarized, in addition to the prospects of new raw materials in the future.
A Determination of the Caffeine Content in Dietary Supplements According to Green Chemistry Principles
Authors: Kalisz Oktawia , Studzińska Sylwia , Bocian Szymon
Published: June 2023

Caffeine is a natural psychoactive substance that belongs to a group of chemical compounds called purine alkaloids. Caffeine is found in various plants such as coffee, tea, cocoa, guarana, and yerba mate. It is often added to dietary supplements for its ability to increase metabolism and aid in weight loss. To determine the caffeine content in dietary supplements, a novel UHPLC method was developed, compatible with the rules of green analytical chemistry. The developed method used only water and ethanol for sample preparation and chromatographic separation on a short C18 column. The obtained method confirmed that caffeine may be analyzed using only environmentally friendly solvents, ethanol, and water. The developed method is characterized by its low limit of quantitation, equal to 0.047 µg/mL, and good reproducibility (a relative standard deviation lower than 1.1%). The obtained results show that the caffeine content in tested dietary supplements is 4–35% higher than the declared amount in most cases. In comparison, the caffeine content of the drug determined using this method was performed with an accuracy of 0.4% RSD.
Characterization of Leuconostoc carnosum and Latilactobacillus sakei during Cooked Pork Ham Processing
Authors: Mustedanagic Azra , Schrattenecker Anna , Dzieciol Monika , Tichy Alexander , Thalguter Sarah , Wagner Martin , Stessl Beatrix
Published: June 2023

Cooked ham is a popular, ready-to-eat product made of pork meat that is susceptible to microbial growth throughout its shelf life. In this study, we aimed to monitor the microbial growth and composition of nine vacuum-packed cooked ham lots using plate counting until the microbial limit of 7.4 log10 AMC/LAB CFU/g was exceeded. Eight out of nine lots exceeded the microbial limit after 20 days of storage. Lactic acid bacteria strains, particularly Leuconostoc carnosum and Latilactobacillus sakei, prevailed in vacuum-packed cooked ham. Leuconostoc carnosum 2 (Leuc 2) and Latilactobacillus sakei 4 (Sakei 4) were isolated from raw meat and the post-cooking area of the food processing facility. Carbohydrate utilization patterns of Leuc. carnosum PFGE types isolated from raw meat and the food processing environment differed from those isolated from cooked ham. These findings demonstrate how raw meat and its processing environment impact the quality and shelf life of cooked ham.
Postharvest Calcium Chloride Treatment Strengthens Cell Wall Structure to Maintain Litchi Fruit Quality
Authors: Guo Xiaomeng , Li Qiao , Luo Tao , Han Dongmei , Zhu Difa , Wu Zhenxian
Published: June 2023

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruit deterioration occurs rapidly after harvest and is characterized by pericarp browning, pulp softening, and decay. In this study, we found that calcium chloride (CaCl2) treatment (5 g L−1 CaCl2 solution vacuum infiltration for 5 min) affected the cell wall component contents and cell wall-degrading enzyme activities of litchi fruit during storage at room temperature. CaCl2 treatment significantly increased the contents of Ca2+ and cellulose, while it decreased the water-soluble pectin content, and the activities of polygalacturonase, β-galactosidase, and cellulase in the litchi pericarp. Meanwhile, the treatment resulted in significantly increased contents of Ca2+, water-soluble pectin, ionic-soluble pectin, covalent-soluble pectin and hemicellulose, and upregulated activities of pectinesterase and β-galactosidase, while significantly decreasing the activities of polygalacturonase and cellulase in litchi pulp. The above results indicate that CaCl2 treatment strengthened the cell wall structure of litchi fruit. More importantly, the enzymatic browning of the pericarp, softening of the pulp, and disease incidence were delayed. The treatment had a more pronounced effect on the pericarp than on the pulp. We consider CaCl2 treatment to be a safe and effective treatment for maintaining the postharvest quality of litchi fruit.
Dynamic Changes of the Microbial Community and Volatile Organic Compounds of the Northern Pike (Esox lucius) during Storage
Authors: Shang Xuejiao , Wei Yabo , Guo Xin , Lei Yongdong , Deng Xiaorong , Zhang Jian
Published: June 2023

In this study, the quality (sensory evaluation, microbial enumerate, color, tvb-n (total volatile basic nitrogen), tca-soluble peptide (trichloroacetic acid-soluble peptide), muscle glucose, lactate, total sugar, Bas (Biogenic amines), VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and the microbial dynamic structure in samples stored at 4 °C were evaluated, and the relationship between VOCs and the diversity structure of microorganisms was also discussed. It was determined by sensory evaluation that the shelf life of samples was around 8 days. Protein and sugar were detected in large quantities by microorganisms in the later stage. At the same time, this also caused a large amount of Bas (biogenic amines) (tyramine, cadaverine, and putrescine). According to high-throughput amplicon sequencing, the initial microbiota of samples was mainly composed of Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Planifilum, Vagococcus, Hafnia, Mycobacterium, Thauera, and Yersinia. Among them, Pseudomonas was the most advantageous taxon of samples at the end of the shelf life. The minor fraction of the microbial consortium consisting of Vagococcus, Acinetobacter and Myroides was detected. The substances 3-methyl-1-butanol, ethyl acetate, and acetone were the main volatile components. The glucose, lactic acid, and total sugar were negatively correlated with Yersinia, Hafnia-Obesumbacterium, Thauera, Mycobacterium, and Planifilum; the proportion of these microorganisms was relatively high in the early stage. TVB-N and TCA-soluble peptides were positively correlated with Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Brochothrix, Vagococcus, Myroides, and Acinetobacter, and these microorganisms increased greatly in the later stage. The substance 3-methyl-1-butanol was positively correlated with Pseudomonas and negatively correlated with Mycobacterium. Ethyl acetate was associated with Hafnia-Obesumbacterium, Thauera, and Yersinia. Acetone was positively correlated with Acinetobacter.
Quality Characteristics of Reduced-Fat Emulsified Sausages Made with Yeast Mannoprotein Enzymatically Prepared with a β-1,6-glucanase
Authors: Zhong Lingli , Guo Xiangrui , Xue Huizhen , Qiao Yan , Mao Dongmei , Ye Xianfeng , Cui Zhongli , Li Zhoukun , Hu Gang , Huang Yan
Published: June 2023

Mannoproteins, as yeast polysaccharides, have been utilized in food the industry as dietary fibers, emulsifying agents or fat replacers. Mannoprotein MP112, produced from yeast by enzymatic hydrolysis of myxobacterial β-1,6-glucanase GluM, exhibits excellent emulsifying properties in emulsion preparation. In this study, we aimed to examine the application of stable emulsion with the addition of mannoprotein MP112 (MP112 emulsion) to reduce the fat content of sausages. The addition of MP112 emulsion in emulsified sausages significantly reduced the fat content and increased the moisture and protein contents of emulsified sausages without the expense of their good sensory quality. Moreover, the textural properties of sausages were markedly improved with the higher hardness, chewiness and cohesiveness, especially in the 50–75% replacement ratio of MP112 emulsion. On the other hand, MP112 emulsion replacement of animal fat markedly improved the nutritional composition of emulsified sausages; they displayed a higher PUFA/SFA ratio and lower n-6/n-3 ratio due to their saturated fatty acids being replaced by poly-unsaturated fatty acids. Meanwhile, the oxidative stability of sausages was improved linearly, corresponding to the increased replacement ratio of MP112 emulsion. Our results show that mannoprotein-based emulsions could be used as potential fat alternatives in developing reduced-fat meat products.
Existence of Positive Solutions for a Coupled System of p-Laplacian Semipositone Hadmard Fractional BVP
Authors: Rao Sabbavarapu Nageswara , Singh Manoj , Msmali Ahmed Hussein , Ahmadini Abdullah Ali H.
Published: June 2023

The existence of a positive solution to a system of nonlinear semipositone Hadamard fractional BVP with the p-Laplacian operator is examined in this research. The boundary value problem’s associated Green’s function and some of its properties are first obtained. Additionally, the existence results are established using the nonlinear alternative of the Leray–Schauder theorem and the Guo–Krasnosel’skii fixed-point theorem.
Fractional Gradient Optimizers for PyTorch: Enhancing GAN and BERT
Authors: Herrera-Alcántara Oscar , Castelán-Aguilar Josué R.
Published: June 2023

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence that dates back more than 50 years. It is currently experiencing a boom in research and technological development. With the rise of machine learning, the need to propose improved optimizers has become more acute, leading to the search for new gradient-based optimizers. In this paper, the ancient concept of fractional derivatives has been applied to some optimizers available in PyTorch. A comparative study is presented to show how the fractional versions of gradient optimizers could improve their performance on generative adversarial networks (GAN) and natural language applications with Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT). The results are encouraging for both state-of-the art algorithms, GAN and BERT, and open up the possibility of exploring further applications of fractional calculus in machine learning.
The Evolution of COVID-19 Transmission with Superspreaders Class under Classical and Caputo Piecewise Operators: Real Data Perspective from India, France, and Italy
Authors: Ahmad Shabir , Haque Salma , Khan Khalid Ali , Mlaiki Nabil
Published: June 2023

In this study, we analyze the transmission of the COVID-19 model by using a piecewise operator in the classical Caputo sense. The existence along with the uniqueness of the solution of the COVID-19 model under a piecewise derivative is presented. The numerical scheme with Newton polynomials is used to obtain a numerical solution to the model under consideration. The graphical illustrations for the suggested model are demonstrated with various fractional orders. The crossover behavior of the considered system is observed in the graphical analysis. Furthermore, the comparison of simulations with real data for three different countries is presented, where best-fitted dynamics are observed.
Field and Experimental Investigations on the Effect of Reservoir Drill-In Fluids on Penetration Rate and Drilling Cost in Horizontal Wells
Authors: Jameel Neamat , Ali Jagar A.
Published: June 2023

In this study, the reservoir drill-in fluid (RDF) was modified and optimized to improve the rheological properties and reduce the filtration properties of the drilling fluid used for drilling the oil-bearing zone horizontally. In polymer science, degradation generally refers to a complex process, by which a polymeric material exposed to the environment and workload loses its original properties. Degradation is usually an unwanted process. In certain cases, however, controlled polymer degradation is useful. For instance, it can improve the processability of the polymer or can be used in recycling or natural decomposition of waste polymer. Thus, the drilling fluid and parameter data of 30 horizontal wells that were drilled in the south of Iraq were collected using several reservoir drill-in fluids (RDFs), including FLOPRO, salt polymer mud (SPM), non-damaged fluid (NDF), and FLOPRO_PTS-200 (including the polymer thermal stabilizer). The obtained results showed that the polymer temperature stabilizer (PTS-200) enabled reducing the filtration rate by 44.33% and improved the rheological properties by 19.31% as compared with FLOPRO. Additionally, the average cost of NDF and SPM drilling fluids for drilling the horizontal section of the selected wells is around USD 96,000 and USD 91,000, respectively. However, FLOPRO-based drilling fluid showed less cost for drilling the horizontal section, which is USD 45,000.
pH-Sensitive Poly(acrylic acid)-g-poly(L-lysine) Charge-Driven Self-Assembling Hydrogels with 3D-Printability and Self-Healing Properties
Authors: Kargaki Maria-Eleni , Arfara Foteini , Iatrou Hermis , Tsitsilianis Constantinos
Published: June 2023

We report the rheological behavior of aqueous solutions of a graft copolymer polyampholyte, constituted of polyacrylic acid (PAA) backbone grafted by Poly(L-lysine) (PAA-b-PLL). The graft copolymer self-assembles in aqueous media, forming a three-dimensional (3D) network through polyelectrolyte complexation of the oppositely charged PAA and PLL segments. Rheological investigations showed that the hydrogel exhibits interesting properties, namely, relatively low critical gel concentration, elastic response with slow dynamics, remarkable extended critical strain to flow, shear responsiveness, injectability, 3D printability and self-healing. Due to the weak nature of the involved polyelectrolyte segments, the hydrogel properties display pH-dependency, and they are affected by the presence of salt. Especially upon varying pH, the PLL secondary structure changes from random coil to α-helix, affecting the crosslinking structural mode and, in turn, the overall network structure as reflected in the rheological properties. Thanks to the biocompatibility of the copolymer constituents and the biodegradability of PLL, the designed gelator seems to exhibit potential for bioapplications.
Use of Highly Dispersed Mixed Metal Hydroxide Gel Compared to Bentonite Based Gel for Application in Drilling Fluid under Ultra-High Temperatures
Authors: Zhang Bowen , Wang Qingchen , Chang Xiaofeng , Du Weichao , Zhang Fan , Kuruc Michal , Slaný Michal , Chen Gang
Published: June 2023

In order to solve the problem of poor dispersion and stability of mixed metal hydroxide (MMH), a kind of mixed metal hydroxide-like compound (MMHlc) gel was synthesized for use as the base mud in drilling fluid instead of bentonite gel. Na2CO3, Na2SiO3, and C17H33CO2Na were used as precipitants to form MMHlc with larger interlayer spacing and smaller particle size. MMHlc was synthesized by the coprecipitation method at 25 °C with a metal molar ratio of Mg:Al:Fe = 3:1:1. The performance evaluation of the treated drilling fluid showed that MMHlc (S2) synthesized using Na2SiO3 as the precipitant had the characteristics of low viscosity, low filtration, and a high dynamic plastic ratio at 25 °C, which fully met the requirements of oil field application, and it maintained its excellent properties after being aged at 250 °C for 16 h. Linear expansion and rolling recovery experiments showed that the S2 sample had excellent rheological properties and good inhibition. X-ray diffraction and FT-IR experiments showed that S2 had the most complete crystal structure, its interlayer distance was large, and its ion exchange capacity was strong. The thermogravimetric experiment showed that the S2 crystal was stable and the temperature resistance of the crystal could reach 340 °C. Zeta potential, particle size analysis, SEM, and TEM results showed that S2 is a nanomaterial with a complete morphology and uniform distribution. The drilling fluid of this formula had the characteristics of low viscosity, low filtration loss, and a high dynamic plastic ratio, and it met the conditions for oil field application. Considering these results, the new MMH prepared by our research institute is a drilling fluid material that can be used at ultra-high temperatures and can provide important support for drilling ultra-deep wells.