bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic Review and Modelling of Age-Dependent Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Livestock, Wildlife and Felids in Europe
Authors: Dámek Filip , Swart Arno , Waap Helga , Jokelainen Pikka , Le Roux Delphine , Deksne Gunita , Deng Huifang , Schares Gereon , Lundén Anna , Álvarez-García Gema , Betson Martha , Davidson Rebecca K. , Györke Adriana , Antolová Daniela , Hurníková Zuzana , Wisselink Henk J. , Sroka Jacek , van der Giessen Joke W. B. , Blaga Radu , Opsteegh Marieke
Published: January 2023

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite of importance to both human and animal health. The parasite has various transmission routes, and the meat of infected animals appears to be a major source of human infections in Europe. We aimed to estimate T. gondii prevalence in a selection of animal host species. A systematic literature review resulting in 226 eligible publications was carried out, and serological data were analyzed using an age-dependent Bayesian hierarchical model to obtain estimates for the regional T. gondii seroprevalence in livestock, wildlife, and felids. Prevalence estimates varied between species, regions, indoor/outdoor rearing, and types of detection methods applied. The lowest estimated seroprevalence was observed for indoor-kept lagomorphs at 4.8% (95% CI: 1.8–7.5%) and the highest for outdoor-kept sheep at 63.3% (95% CI: 53.0–79.3%). Overall, T. gondii seroprevalence estimates were highest within Eastern Europe, whilst being lowest in Northern Europe. Prevalence data based on direct detection methods were scarce and were not modelled but rather directly summarized by species. The outcomes of the meta-analysis can be used to extrapolate data to areas with a lack of data and provide valuable inputs for future source attribution approaches aiming to estimate the relative contribution of different sources of T. gondii human infection.
Integrated Biological Control of the Sugar Beet Weevil Asproparthenis punctiventris with the Fungus Metarhizium brunneum: New Application Approaches
Authors: Zottele Maria , Mayrhofer Martina , Embleton Hannah , Enkerli Jürg , Eigner Herbert , Tarasco Eustachio , Strasser Hermann
Published: January 2023

The mass occurrence of the sugar beet weevil (Asproparthenis punctiventris, previously Bothynoderes punctiventris) has been endangering sugar beet cultivation in Austria for centuries. Exacerbated by climatic and political changes (warmer, drier spring and limited access to chemical pesticides), new approaches are needed to counter the problem. The aim of our work was to test whether the bioinsecticide Metarhizium brunneum Ma 43 (formerly M. anisopliae var. anisopliae BIPESCO 5/F52) can be used as a sustainable plant protection product against the sugar beet weevil. Our goal was to control the pest in all its development stages through multiple applications. Therefore, GranMetTM-P, a granular formulation of M. brunneum Ma 43, was applied in spring to establish the fungus in the soil, whereas GranMetTM-WP, a liquid formulation of the production strain, was used in early summer on trap ditches and leaves to target the adult weevils. Soil and plant samples as well as weevils were collected during the planting season from the trial sites to evaluate the development of the fungus and the mycosis of the treated weevils. In addition, data on hibernating weevils and their emigration from untreated field sites was collected. In all field sites, the Metarhizium spp. abundance increased above the background level (<1000 CFU g−1 soil dry weight) after application of the product. With an increasing number of treatments per plot, and thus an increased contact possibility between pest and the fungus, a rise in the mycosis rate was observed. In conclusion, the various Metarhizium application strategies, which are already available or in testing, must be implemented to ensure control in both old and new sugar beet fields. Metarhizium is a further asset in the successful control of this sugar beet pest.
Course of Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in Young People Treated at the Military Hospital of Smolensk Garrison with Detected Mycoplasma pneumoniae Carrying a Macrolide-Resistant Mutation in 23S rRNA Gene
Authors: Edelstein Inna Alexandrovna , Ivanova Olga Vladimirovna , Romashov Oleg Igorevich , Kozlov Roman Sergeevich
Published: January 2023

We evaluated the effect of macrolide-resistant mutations in the Mycoplasma pneumoniae 23S rRNA gene on the severity of lower respiratory tract infections in immunocompetent young adults treated at the Smolensk Military Hospital between 25 October 2017, and 17 November 2021. All analyzed cases represented a non-severe infection of the lower respiratory tract: 44 case histories with community-acquired pneumonia and 20 cases with acute bronchitis. The presence of mutations in the gene 23S rRNA of M. pneumoniae was determined with standard Sanger sequencing. The macrolide-resistant genotype was found in 4/44 (9.1%) of the samples of the patients with pneumonia and in 3/20 (15%) of the samples of the patients with acute bronchitis. The analyzed cases with identified M. pneumoniae carrying a mutation in the 23S rRNA gene did not show any differences in the clinical presentation in terms of disease severity caused by M. pneumoniae with the wild-type (WT) phenotype.
Advances and Challenges in Diagnostics of Toxoplasmosis in HIV-Infected Patients
Authors: Wesołowski Roland , Pawłowska Marta , Smoguła Małgorzata , Szewczyk-Golec Karolina
Published: January 2023

Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide distributed protozoan parasite. This apicomplexan parasite infects one-third of the population worldwide, causing toxoplasmosis, considered one of the neglected parasitic infections. In healthy humans, most infections are asymptomatic. However, in immunocompromised patients, the course of the disease can be life-threatening. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients have a very high burden of Toxoplasma gondii co-infection. Thus, it is essential to use modern, sensitive, and specific methods to properly monitor the course of toxoplasmosis in immunodeficient patients.
The Progress of Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles for Intravesical Bladder Cancer Treatment
Authors: Yu Chong , Wang Shuai , Lai Wing-Fu , Zhang Dahong
Published: January 2023

Bladder cancer (BC) is the most frequently occurring cancer of the urinary system, with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) accounting for 75–85% of all the bladder cancers. Patients with NMIBC have a good survival rate but are at high risk for tumor recurrence and disease progression. Intravesical instillation of antitumor agents is the standard treatment for NMIBC following transurethral resection of bladder tumors. Chemotherapeutic drugs are broadly employed for bladder cancer treatment, but have limited efficacy due to chemo-resistance and systemic toxicity. Additionally, the periodic voiding of bladder and low permeability of the bladder urothelium impair the retention of drugs, resulting in a weak antitumoral response. Chitosan is a non-toxic and biocompatible polymer which enables better penetration of specific drugs to the deeper cell layers of the bladder as a consequence of temporarily abolishing the barrier function of urothelium, thus offering multifaceted biomedical applications in urinary bladder epithelial. Nowadays, the rapid development of nanoparticles significantly improves the tumor therapy with enhanced drug transport. This review presents an overview on the state of chitosan-based nanoparticles in the field of intravesical bladder cancer treatment.
EA-UNet Based Segmentation Method for OCT Image of Uterine Cavity
Authors: Xiao Zhang , Du Meng , Liu Junjie , Sun Erjie , Zhang Jinke , Gong Xiaojing , Chen Zhiyi
Published: January 2023

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) image processing can provide information about the uterine cavity structure, such as endometrial surface roughness, which is important for the diagnosis of uterine cavity lesions. The accurate segmentation of uterine cavity OCT images is a key step of OCT image processing. We proposed an EA-UNet-based image segmentation model that uses a U-Net network structure with a multi-scale attention mechanism to improve the segmentation accuracy of uterine cavity OCT images. The E(ECA-C) module introduces a convolutional layer combined with the ECA attention mechanism instead of max pool, reduces the loss of feature information, enables the model to focus on features in the region to be segmented, and suppresses irrelevant features to enhance the network’s feature-extraction capability and learning potential. We also introduce the A (Attention Gates) module to improve the model’s segmentation accuracy by using global contextual information. Our experimental results show that the proposed EA-UNet can enhance the model’s feature-extraction ability; furthermore, its MIoU, Sensitivity, and Specificity indexes are 0.9379, 0.9457, and 0.9908, respectively, indicating that the model can effectively improve uterine cavity OCT image segmentation and has better segmentation performance.
Variations in Yield, Essential Oil, and Salicylates of Filipendula ulmaria Inflorescences at Different Blooming Stages
Authors: Ložienė Kristina , Būdienė Jurga , Vaitiekūnaitė Urtė , Pašakinskienė Izolda
Published: January 2023

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is an essential oil-bearing, pharmacologically valuable medicinal plant growing wild in floodlands that are either not usually used for agriculture or have low economic value. The aim of this work was to understand the relationship between the yield of F. ulmaria inflorescences and the qualitative and quantitative composition of the essential oil during flowering stages in different habitats. Five different habitats of F. ulmaria were investigated for evaluation of inflorescence characteristics (length and weight) and the quantitative and qualitative composition of essential oils in early and late blooming stages (growing stage BBCH 62–63 and BBCH 65–67/72–73, respectively). The results showed significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations between the length and weight of inflorescences both in early and in late blooming stages (r = 0.73 and r = 0.72, respectively). The early blooming stage was observed to have 1.2–2 times greater quantity of volatile oils in comparison with the late blooming stage. Salicylaldehyde and methylsalicylate were the main salicylates in both blooming stages. Spearman’s correlation showed statistically significant relationship between percentages of salicylaldehyde and methylsalicylate (r = −0.94, p < 0.05). An increase in salicylaldehyde was accompanied by a decrease in methylsalicylate in essential oils. Statistically significant relations between the investigated parameters of plant and the parameters of habitat were not detected. The dried raw material yield of F. ulmaria in 1 ha in the late blooming stage was 18–56% higher than in the early blooming stage; however, the yield of essential oil in the early flowering stage was 1.5–1.6 times higher than in the late flowering stage. The obtained research data suggest that the low economic value of floodlands—the habitats of F. ulmaria—can be increased by using these areas as natural industrial plots.
Volatile Metabolome and Aroma Differences of Six Cultivars of Prunus mume Blossoms
Authors: Li Ting , Zhao Xi , Cao Xueli
Published: January 2023

Prunus mume is a traditional Chinese plant with high ornamental and application values due to its very early blooming and unique fragrance. Long-term breeding and cultivation have resulted in a variety of P. mume blossoms and have made their exploitation more possible. Existing studies on the volatile metabolome and aroma of P. mume blossoms are limited. In this study, six extensively planted cultivars of P. mume blossoms, including Gulihong (GLH), Yudie (YD), LvE (LE), Dongfang Zhusha (DFZS), Jiangmei (JM), and Gongfen (GF), were investigated for their differences in terms of volatile metabolome, as well as their aroma characteristics based on the strategies and methods of metabolomics. The volatile metabolites were analyzed using HS-SPME-GC-MS technique. A total of eighty-nine compounds were detected and sixty-five of them were tentatively identified, including thirty-seven phenylpropanoids/benzenes, seventeen fatty acid derivatives, ten terpenoids, and one other compound. YD contains the most volatile metabolites in terms of number and amounts, which impart more abundant aromas to this cultivar. Fifteen differential compounds were screened through the untargeted metabolic analysis of twenty-nine samples by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), while nine compounds were screened based on the odor activity value (OAV) analysis of the sixty-five identified compounds. GLH and GF, JM and LE were found to be more similar to each other based on chemometrics analysis of both volatile contents and OAVs, while YD and DFZS were markedly different from other cultivars. Six main metabolites, including benzaldehyde, methyl benzoate, benzyl acetate, eugenol, (E)-cinnamic alcohol, and 4-allylphenol, together with 2-nonenal, 3,4-dimethoxytoluene, and trans-β-Ionone were screened as differential compounds, owing to their higher contents and/or lower olfactory threshold, which endow an almond, cherry, phenolic, wintergreen, cananga odorata, floral, jasmine, hyacinth, cinnamon, clove, woody, medicinal, and violet fragrance to each variety, and greatly contribute to the aroma differences of six cultivars of P. mume blossom.
Winter Green Manure Decreases Subsoil Nitrate Accumulation and Increases N Use Efficiencies of Maize Production in North China Plain
Authors: Hu Zonghui , Zhao Qiu , Zhang Xinjian , Ning Xiaoguang , Liang Hao , Cao Weidong
Published: January 2023

Planting a deep-rooted green manure (GM) (more than 1.0 m depth) greatly improves soil fertility and reduces the loss of nutrients. However, few studies have examined the response of soil nitrogen (N) distribution in the soil profile and subsoil N recovery to the long-term planting and incorporation of deep-rooted GM. Based on a 12-year (2009–2021) experiment of spring maize-winter GMs rotation in the North China Plain (NCP), this study investigated the effects of different GMs that were planted over the winter, including ryegrass (RrG, Lolium L.) (>1.0 m), Orychophragmus violaceus (OrV, Orychophragmus violaceus L.) (>0.8 m), and hairy vetch (VvR, Vicia villosa Roth.) (>1.0 m), on the spring maize yield, N distribution in the deep soil profile, N use efficiencies, functional gene abundances involving soil nitrification–denitrification processes and N2O production. Compared with the winter fallow, the maize yield significantly increased by 11.6% after 10 years of green manuring, and water storage in 0–200 cm soil profile significantly increased by 5.0–17.1% at maize seedling stage. The total N content in the soil layer at 0–90 cm increased by 15.8–19.7%, while the nitrate content in the deep soil layer (80–120 cm) decreased by 17.8–39.6%. Planting GM significantly increased the N recovery rate (10.4–32.7%) and fertilizer N partial productivity (4.6–13.3%). Additionally, the topsoil N functional genes (ammonia-oxidizing archaea amoA, ammonia-oxidizing bacterial amoA, nirS, nirK) significantly decreased without increasing N2O production potential. These results indicated that long-term planting of the deep-rooted GM effectively reduce the accumulation of nitrates in the deep soil and improve the crop yield and N use efficiencies, demonstrating a great value in green manuring to improve the fertility of the soil, increase the crop yield, and reduce the risk of N loss in NCP.
Quality Traits and Nutritional Components of Cherry Tomato in Relation to the Harvesting Period, Storage Duration and Fruit Position in the Truss
Authors: Tsouvaltzis Pavlos , Gkountina Stela , Siomos Anastasios S.
Published: January 2023

It is well known that the harvesting period and the storage duration have a significant effect on the quality characteristics of cherry tomato fruits. On the other hand, the effect of the fruit position in the truss has not been studied, as well as the relative contribution of each one of these factors on fruit quality. For this purpose, cherry tomato (Genio F1) whole trusses were harvested at the fruit red ripe stage during three periods. At each harvesting period, the first four (at the base of the truss) and the last four (at the top) fruits from each truss that was previously trimmed to 10 fruits, were stored at 12 °C for 0, 4 and 10 days. At the end of each storage duration, the external color, firmness, antioxidant capacity, pH and titratable acidity, as well as dry matter, soluble solid, total soluble phenol, lycopene, total carotenoid and β-carotene content, were determined. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the harvesting period had the most significant effect on skin color parameters L * and C * and β-carotene, as well as on antioxidant capacity, total soluble phenols, dry matter and total soluble solids, while it also had an appreciable effect on titratable acidity. The storage duration had a dominant effect on firmness, total carotenoids and lycopene, while it had an appreciable effect on skin color parameter L * as well. On the other hand, the fruit position in the truss exerted an exclusive effect on ho and a */b * ratio skin color parameters and pH and an appreciable effect on titratable acidity.
Triclosan to Improve the Antimicrobial Performance of Universal Adhesives
Authors: Yang Yubin , Ding Jingyu , Zhu Xuanyan , Tian Zilu , Zhu Song
Published: January 2023

To solve the proble ms of composite restoration failure caused by secondary caries, this study reports a light curable antibacterial triclosan derivative (TCS-IH), which was synthesized and added to the existing commercial universal adhesive to achieve a long-term antibacterial effect The effect of mixing different mass percentages of TCS-IH on the bond strength of dentin was also investigated.TCS-IH was synthesized by solution polymerization and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy (1H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Two commercial universal adhesives, Single Bond Universal and All Bond Universal, were selected and used as the control group, and universal adhesives with different mass percentages (1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt% and 7 wt%) of TCS-IH were used as the experimental group. The antibacterial properties were analysed by means of colony count experiments, biofilm formation detection, plotting of growth curves, biofilm metabolic activity detection, insoluble extracellular polysaccharide measurements and observations by confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of adhesives on biofilm formation, metabolism, extracellular matrix production, distribution of live and dead bacteria, and bacterial morphology of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) was analysed. The mechanical properties were evaluated by the degree of conversion and microtensile bonding strength under different conditions. Its biosafety was tested. We found that the addition of TCS-IH significantly improved the antibacterial performance of the universal adhesive, with the 5 wt% and 7 wt% groups showing the best antibacterial effect and effectively inhibiting the formation of biofilm. In addition, the adhesive strength test results showed that there was no statistical difference (p < 0.05) in the microtensile bond strength measured under various factors in all experimental groups except for the 7 wt% group in the self-etch bonding mode, and all of them had good biosafety. In summary, the 5 wt% group of antibacterial monomer TCS-IH was selected as the optimum addition to the universal adhesive to ensure the antimicrobial properties of the universal adhesive and the stability and durability of the adhesive interface. This study provides a reference for the clinical application of adhesives with antimicrobial activity to improve the stability and durability of adhesive restorations.
Effect of the Addition of Different Natural Waxes on the Mechanical and Rheological Behavior of PLA—A Comparative Study
Authors: Mendoza-Duarte Mónica Elvira , Estrada-Moreno Iván Alziri , López-Martínez Erika Ivonne , Vega-Rios Alejandro
Published: January 2023

In this study, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blended with different natural waxes (beeswax, candelilla, carnauba, and cocoa) was investigated. Different wax amounts, 3, 5, 10, and 15 wt%, were incorporated into the PLA using a Brabender internal mixer. The blends were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rotational rheometer (RR), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and contact angle to observe the effect of the different waxes on the PLA physicochemical, rheological, mechanical behavior, and wetting properties. The complex viscosity of the blends was studied by employing a RR. The effect of the addition of the waxes on the mechanical properties of PLA was evaluated by DMA in the tension modality. A slight decrease in the thermal stability of PLA was observed with the addition of the waxes. However, in the case of the mechanical properties, the cocoa wax showed a considerable effect, especially in the elongation at break of PLA. Likewise, waxes had an essential impact on the water affinity of PLA. Specifically, with the addition of cocoa, the PLA became more hydrophilic, while the rest of the waxes increased the hydrophobic character.
Insight into Degrading Effects of Two Fungi on Polyurethane Coating Failure in a Simulated Atmospheric Environment
Authors: Hao Xiangping , Yang Kexin , Zhang Dawei , Lu Lin
Published: January 2023

Two different fungi, Talaromyces funiculosus (T. funiculosus) and Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium), were collected from the Xishuangbanna atmospheric corrosion site and incubated on a polyurethane (PU) coating at 30 °C for two weeks under 95% relative humidity (RH). The biodegrading effects of these fungi on the coating failure were investigated from aspects of metabolism and electrochemistry. The results showed that T. funiculosus contributed more to the degradation of the PU coating failure than P. chrysosporium, and two factors played dominant roles. First, the weight of the T. funiculosus mycelium was nearly 3 times more than that of P. chrysosporium, indicating there was more substrate mycelium of T. funiculosus deep into the coatings to get more nutrition in atmospheric during colonization. Second, T. funiculosus secreted carboxylic acids, such as citric, propanoic, succinic, and tartaric acids, and accelerated the hydrolysis of the ester and urethane bonds in the PU coatings. As a result, the mycelium of T. funiculosus readily penetrated the interface of the coating and substrate resulting in a rapid proliferation. Thus, the |Z|0.01Hz value of the coating decreased to 5.1 × 104 Ω·cm2 after 14 days of colonization by T. funiculosus while the value remained at 7.2 × 107 Ω·cm2 after colonization by P. chrysosporium. These insights suggest that the biodegradation process in simulated atmospheric environments would provide theoretical guidance and directions for the design of antifungal PU coatings.
Imidazolium Ionic Liquids as Compatibilizer Agents for Microcrystalline Cellulose/Epoxy Composites
Authors: Kerche Eduardo Fischer , Kairytė Agnė , Członka Sylwia , da Silva Vinícius Demétrio , Salles Nicholas Alves , Schrekker Henri Stephan , Amico Sandro Campos
Published: January 2023

Four imidazolium-based ionic liquids (IL; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1-carboxymethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1,3-dicarboxymethylimidazolium chloride and 1-(2-hydroxyethyl) -3-methylimidazolium chloride) were tested as compatibilizers of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Subsequently, ethanolic IL solutions were prepared; MCC was mixed, and the mixtures were left to evaporate the ethanol at ambient conditions. These modified MCC were characterized and applied as reinforcements (5.0 and 10 phr) in an epoxy resin aiming to manufacture biobased composites with enhanced performances. The IL did not significantly modify the morphological and structural characteristics of such reinforcements. Regarding the thermal stability, the slight increase was associated with the MCC-IL affinity. The IL-modified MCC-epoxy composites presented improved mechanical responses, such as flexural strength (≈22.5%) and toughness behavior (≈18.6%), compared with pure epoxy. Such improvement was also obtained for the viscoelastic response, where the storage modulus at the glassy state depended on the MCC amount and IL type. These differences were associated with stronger hydrogen bonding between IL and epoxy hardener or the IL with MCC, causing a “bridging” effect between MCC and epoxy matrix.
Sustainable Materials Containing Biochar Particles: A Review
Authors: Infurna Giulia , Caruso Gabriele , Dintcheva Nadka Tz.
Published: January 2023

The conversion of polymer waste, food waste, and biomasses through thermochemical decomposition to fuels, syngas, and solid phase, named char/biochar particles, gives a second life to these waste materials, and this process has been widely investigated in the last two decades. The main thermochemical decomposition processes that have been explored are slow, fast, and flash pyrolysis, torrefaction, gasification, and hydrothermal liquefaction, which produce char/biochar particles that differ in their chemical and physical properties, i.e., their carbon-content, CHNOS compositions, porosity, and adsorption ability. Currently, the main proposed applications of the char/biochar particles are in the agricultural sector as fertilizers for soil retirement and water treatment, as well as use as high adsorption particles. Therefore, according to recently published papers, char/biochar particles could be successfully considered for the formulation of sustainable polymer and biopolymer-based composites. Additionally, in the last decade, these particles have also been proposed as suitable fillers for asphalts. Based on these findings, the current review gives a critical overview that highlights the advantages in using these novel particles as suitable additives and fillers, and at the same time, it shows some drawbacks in their use. Adding char/biochar particles in polymers and biopolymers significantly increases their elastic modulus, tensile strength, and flame and oxygen resistance, although composite ductility is significantly penalized. Unfortunately, due to the dark color of the char/biochar particles, all composites show brown-black coloration, and this issue limits the applications.
Effects of the Sous Vide and Conventional Electric Oven Cooking Methods on the Physio-Sensory Quality Attributes of Arabian Camel (Camelus dromedarius) Meat
Authors: Hobani Ali I. , Othman Moath B. , Fickak Adil A. , Suliman Gamaleldin M.
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the sous vide and electric oven cooking methods on the physical and sensory characteristics of camel meat. A combination of 4 cooking temperatures (70, 80, 90, and 100 °C) and 6 cooking times (30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 min) was applied. Both methods significantly affected the meat’s physical properties (pH, cooking loss, density, lightness, redness, and yellowness color components), except for water activity. Furthermore, the cooking temperature and time significantly affected all the sensory properties (tenderness, flavor, juiciness, and general acceptance). The cooking loss was the only parameter affected significantly by the interaction of the cooking method, cooking temperature, and cooking time. It is concluded that the sous vide method is the more suitable method for cooking camel meat compared to the electric oven method considering the cooking temperature and time. Further studies are recommended to estimate energy consumption for both cooking methods evaluated in this study aiming at reducing the overall power expenditure.
Design Optimization and Experimental Verification of Spiral Cone Centrifugal Fertilizer Apparatus Based on the Discrete Element Method
Authors: Liu Xiaodong , Lü Qingqing , Li Guangxi , Wang Jianbo , Yan Dongwei , Yang Liquan , Liu Erbo
Published: January 2023

This study attempts to optimize the arc-shaped coned disk affecting the uniformity of the earlier designed fertilizer apparatus (FA), in particular, for application in the rice–oil rotation region in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Based on theoretical analysis, a circular coned disk with the curvature gradual decline (GD) from top to bottom was designed, and the equation of the circular cone was determined. The EDEM discrete element software was used, using the coefficient of variation of the fertilization amount consistency in every row, the coefficient of variation of the fertilization amount stability, and the coefficient of variation of the fertilization amount consistency in the same row as evaluation indices. Simulations and comparative tests of FA performance were performed for three cases of the busbar top-to-bottom curvature variation: (i) gradual increase (GI), (ii) gradual decline (GD), and (iii) zero (0) variation. The experimental results show that at the FA rotation speed of 100~120 r/min and tilt of 1°~5°, the optimized FA had the optimal performance. High tilts and low rotation speeds provided the worst performance, with the variation coefficient of inter-row fertilization amount consistency of the FA below 10.23%. The variation coefficient of fertilizing amount stability was lower than 6.74%. The variation coefficient of intra-row fertilizing amount consistency was lower than 3.52%, while all performance indicators met the quality requirements of fertilizer discharge. Bench tests of the FA revealed that the variation coefficient of inter-row fertilizing amount consistency of the FA was below 10.23%, the variation coefficient of fertilizing amount stability was below 6.74%, and the variation coefficient of intra-row fertilizing amount consistency was below 3.52%. Field tests of the FA revealed that the variation coefficient of inter-row fertilizing amount consistency was below 7.68%, the variation coefficient of fertilizing amount stability was below 4.95%, and the variation coefficient of intra-row fertilizing amount stability was below 3.57%. All parameters were better than the industry standard, demonstrating that the FA had good fertilizing performance and met the quality requirements of field fertilization operations.
Insight into the Processing, Gelation and Functional Components of Tofu: A Review
Authors: Chen Chun-Chi , Hsieh Jung-Feng , Kuo Meng-I
Published: January 2023

Soybeans are a good source of protein and functional nutrition for humans and are used in the production of many foods, such as soymilk and tofu, which are popular in Asia. Soymilk is a beverage with a milky appearance and is produced by grinding soybeans in water; this raw soymilk is then filtered and heated. Soymilk can be used to produce tofu, a gelatinous food, in a process that generally involves coagulating, forming, and pressing soymilk. Tofu is also a source of functional ingredients, such as isoflavones, that have received much attention for their antioxidant properties. These isoflavones bind to soy protein to form soy protein–isoflavone complexes in tofu. In this review, we examined the processing, gelation and functional components of tofu. First, we introduced novel processing technologies (such as thermal and nonthermal processing) and hydrocolloids that affect the rheological property and texture of tofu. Then, because the coagulation and gelation of soymilk are important steps in the tofu manufacturing process, we also described detailed coagulation and gelation mechanisms of soybean proteins in tofu. Finally, we described the functional compounds and ingredients in tofu. This review provides basic knowledge for the further application of novel processing technology in tofu processing.
A Study on the Application of Recycled Concrete Powder in an Alkali-Activated Cementitious System
Authors: Wan Xiaomei , Li Hui , Che Xueping , Xu Peizhen , Li Changjiang , Yu Qi
Published: January 2023

In this paper, recycled concrete powder (RCP) was used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in an alkali-activation system. The contents of RCP in the cementitious materials were 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%, respectively. The fluidity, rheological properties and mechanical properties were tested, while the effects of RCP on the hydration properties of the alkali-activated system were studied by XRD, SEM-EDS, thermogravimetric analysis and the heat of hydration. The results show that the addition of RCP improves the fluidity of alkali-activated slag cementitious materials and changes the rheological index of paste. The change is greatest when the RCP content is 30%, which is 8.5% higher than that without RCP. With the increase in RCP content, the compressive strength of alkali-activated slag cementitious materials first increases and then decreases. The optimum compressive strength was attained with an RCP of 10%. The addition of RCP has little effect on the types of alkali-activated hydration products, but increases the quantity of hydration products. Further, the inactive particles in RCP combine with hydration products to form a dense microstructure. The addition of RCP reduces the early and total hydration heat of alkali-activated slag cementitious material, and delays the emergence of the second exothermic peak after the first peak.
Aflatoxins: Source, Detection, Clinical Features and Prevention
Authors: Abrehame Solomon , Manoj Valsa Remony , Hailu Merry , Chen Yu-Yi , Lin Yu-Chun , Chen Yen-Po
Published: January 2023

The most potent mycotoxin, aflatoxins are the secondary metabolite produced by fungi, especially Aspergillus, and have been found to be ubiquitous, contaminating cereals, crops, and even milk and causing major health and economic issues in some countries due to poor storage, substandard management, and lack of awareness. Different aspects of the toxin are reviewed here, including its structural biochemistry, occurrence, factors conducive to its contamination and intoxication and related clinical features, as well as suggested preventive and control strategies and detection methods.
Characterization of Flavoured Olive Oils of ‘Madural’ Variety
Authors: Chéu-Guedes María Helena , La Rubia M. Dolores , Sánchez Sebastián , Ramos Natividad , Pacheco Rafael
Published: January 2023

Flavoured oils arouse great interest among consumers in many countries due to their variety of flavours and versatility, especially in the culinary field. The aromatization of oils seeks to improve their sensory and nutritional properties, and extend their useful life due to the added substances can be beneficial as antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. In this research, olive oils of the ‘Madural’ variety from Trasos Montes region of Portugal have been obtained and flavoured with different aromatics herbs and condiments (flower of salt and bay leaf, garlic, rosemary and dehydrated lemon peel). The objective is to study the influence of the aromatic herbs and condiments on the physicochemical parameters of the oils: quality, purity, oxidative stability and microbiological analysis. It can be noted that the flavourings do not significantly alter the quality of the monovarietal oil, although, for some parameters, the excessive contact times can affect the category of the oil. On the other hand, the high content of antioxidants provided by flavouring agents can favour its stability and prolong its expiration. In this sense, the flavouring agent that contributes to stop the oxidation of the oil over time is salt + bay leaves, as higher oxidative stability values were detected than those obtained in monovarietal oil. However, oils flavoured with rosemary or lemon show a decrease over time for this parameter, which could indicate that this flavouring accelerates oxidation. In the case of oxidative stability referred to those flavoured with garlic, they present similar values to the monovarietal. The effect exerted by flavourings on the different parameters of the oils is complex, since it is influenced by the method followed and the operating variables established for flavouring.
Modeling and Simulation of an Industrial-Scale 525 MWth Petcoke Chemical Looping Combustion Power Plant
Authors: Vekemans Odile , Yazdanpanah Mahdi , Guillou Florent , Bertholin Stéphane , Haut Benoit
Published: January 2023

This paper presents the modeling and simulation of an industrial-scale chemical looping combustion (CLC) power plant, including all process units (reactors, flue gas treatment units, heat integration, steam cycle, and CO2 compression train). A model of a 525 MWth CLC power plant was built using a rigorous representation of the solid fuel and oxygen carrier. Petcoke was considered the main fuel of interest in this study, and it is compared with other solid fuels. The flue gas compositions obtained with the model show that cleanup units are mandatory to comply with CO2 quality requirements. High levels of flue gas treatment, including 97.1% deNOx and 99.4% deSOx, are needed to achieve typical specifications for captured CO2. This is mainly due to the high level of contaminants in the fuel, but also to the absence of nitrogen in the CLC flue gas, thus resulting in higher concentrations for all substances. The high level of flue gas treatment is thus one of the important challenges for solid fuel combustion in CLC. The overall CO2 capture efficiency of the plant is estimated to be as high as 94%. Regarding the energy balance, a process net efficiency of 38% is obtained. Comparing the results with other available technologies shows that CLC exhibits one of the highest net plant efficiencies and carbon capture rates. CLC is thus a promising technology to produce clean energy from solid fuels. Finally, based on a sensitivity analysis, it is shown that process efficiency is mainly affected by the design and performance of the CLC furnace, the steam injection rate in the fuel reactor, the char separation efficiency, and the excess oxygen in the air reactor.
Hybrid Techniques of Analyzing MRI Images for Early Diagnosis of Brain Tumours Based on Hybrid Features
Authors: Mohammed Badiea Abdulkarem , Senan Ebrahim Mohammed , Alshammari Talal Sarheed , Alreshidi Abdulrahman , Alayba Abdulaziz M. , Alazmi Meshari , Alsagri Afrah N.
Published: January 2023

Brain tumours are considered one of the deadliest tumours in humans and have a low survival rate due to their heterogeneous nature. Several types of benign and malignant brain tumours need to be diagnosed early to administer appropriate treatment. Magnetic resonance (MR) images provide details of the brain’s internal structure, which allow radiologists and doctors to diagnose brain tumours. However, MR images contain complex details that require highly qualified experts and a long time to analyse. Artificial intelligence techniques solve these challenges. This paper presents four proposed systems, each with more than one technology. These techniques vary between machine, deep and hybrid learning. The first system comprises artificial neural network (ANN) and feedforward neural network (FFNN) algorithms based on the hybrid features between local binary pattern (LBP), grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT) algorithms. The second system comprises pre-trained GoogLeNet and ResNet-50 models for dataset classification. The two models achieved superior results in distinguishing between the types of brain tumours. The third system is a hybrid technique between convolutional neural network and support vector machine. This system also achieved superior results in distinguishing brain tumours. The fourth proposed system is a hybrid of the features of GoogLeNet and ResNet-50 with the LBP, GLCM and DWT algorithms (handcrafted features) to obtain representative features and classify them using the ANN and FFNN. This method achieved superior results in distinguishing between brain tumours and performed better than the other methods. With the hybrid features of GoogLeNet and hand-crafted features, FFNN achieved an accuracy of 99.9%, a precision of 99.84%, a sensitivity of 99.95%, a specificity of 99.85% and an AUC of 99.9%.
Microstructural and Thermal Behaviour of Composite Material from Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate and Fly Ash
Authors: Mohd Nasir Nur Hazzarita , Usman Fathoni , Woen Ean Lee , Ansari Mohamed Nainar Mohamed , Supian Abu Bakar Mohd , Saloma Saloma
Published: January 2023

Nowadays, the environmental impact of plastic waste is crucial, and in the energy industry, fly ash, a type of solid waste, has also prompted severe ecological and safety concerns. In this study, we synthesised composite material from two industrial wastes: recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) as the matrix and fly ash as the filler. The effect of different fly ash loadings on the thermal behaviour and microstructure of the composite material using rPET were evaluated. Various loading amounts of fly ash, up to 68%, were added in the rPET mixtures, and composites were made using a single-threaded bar’s barrel extruder. The feeding zone, compression zone, and metering zone made up the three functional areas of the extruder machine with a single-flighted, stepped compression screw. The composite materials were subjected to DSC and SEM equipped with EDX spectroscopy tests to examine their thermal behaviour and microstructural development. It was found that the thermal behaviour of rPET improved with the addition of fly ash but degraded as the fly ash loading increased to 68%, as confirmed by the DSC study. The composites’ microstructural development revealed an even filler distribution within the polymer matrix. However, when the fly ash loading increased, voids and agglomeration accumulated, affecting the composites’ thermal behaviour.
Modelling of Burnt Pine Heartwood Acid-Catalysed Liquefaction
Authors: Ozkan Sila , Gonçalves Diogo , Paulo Ivo , Queirós Carla S. G. P. , Carvalho Ana , Puna Jaime , Gomes João , Bordado João , Galhano dos Santos Rui
Published: January 2023

This study focused on bio-oil production by thermochemical liquefaction. For the reaction, the burnt pine heartwood was used as feedstock material, 2-Ethylhexanol (2-EHEX) was used as a solvent, p-Toluenesulfonic acid (pTSA) was used as a catalyst, and the solvent for washing was acetone. The procedure consisted of a moderate-acid-catalysed liquefaction process, and it was applied at three different temperatures, 120, 140, and 160 °C, and at 30, 105, and 180 min periods with 1%, 5.5%, and 10% (m/m) catalyst concentration of overall mass. Optimal results showed a bio-oil yield of 86.03% and a higher heating value (HHV) of 36.41 MJ/kg, which was 1.96 times more than the HHV of the burnt pine heartwood. A reaction surface methodology (Box–Behnken design) was performed for the liquefaction reaction optimisation. Reaction temperature, reaction time and catalyst concentration were chosen as independent variables. The obtained model showed good results with a high adjusted R-squared (0.988) and an excellent p-value (less than 0.001). The liquefied products were characterised by Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and also Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was carried out to validate the impact of the morphological changes on the surface area of the solid samples. This study shows an excellent opportunity to validate a method to upcycle woody wastes via acid-catalysed liquefaction. In particular, this approach is of great interest to produce bio-oil with a good yield, recovering part of the values lost during wildfires.
Effects of Feeding Speed and Temperature on Properties of Briquettes from Poplar Wood Using a Hydraulic Briquetting Press
Authors: Orisaleye Joseph I. , Jekayinfa Simeon O. , Dittrich Christian , Obi Okey F. , Pecenka Ralf
Published: January 2023

Biomass has a high potential to contribute towards resolving the energy deficit. Processing biomass into solid fuels enhances its use in various bioenergy conversion technologies. The quality of densified biomass depends on several variables. The investigation of the effect of densification parameters on briquette quality is necessary for process optimization. This study investigates the influence of die temperature (100, 120, 140 °C) and feeding speed (2.4, 2.9, 3.3 mm s−1) on the quality of briquettes produced from poplar using a hydraulic biomass briquetting machine. The density of the briquettes ranged between 746.7 and 916.8 kg m−3, the mechanical durability ranged from 97.4 to 98.4%, and the water resistance index was between 91.6 and 96.1%. The results show that the temperature was statistically significant (p < 0.05) on the density, mechanical durability and water resistance of biomass briquettes. The feeding speed was statistically significant (p < 0.05) on the density and water resistance. The interaction of temperature and feeding speed was statistically significant (p < 0.05) on all properties considered. The results obtained in this study are useful for optimizing the quality of briquettes produced using the hydraulic piston press.
What Are the Correlations between Human Disturbance, the Spatial Pattern of the Urban Landscape, and Eco-Environmental Quality?
Authors: Wang Weiliang , Li Xinran , Lv Haijing , Tian Yu
Published: January 2023

Human transformation of the landscape is reflected in its composition and spatial pattern. Therefore, exploring the response of the eco-environment to the composition and spatial pattern of the landscape is beneficial to providing a theoretical basis for urban planners. In this study, we take a typical oil city in China as an example and introduce the hemeroby index, landscape metrics, and a remote sensing-based ecological index (RSEI) to calculate and evaluate the urban landscape pattern, human disturbance, and eco-environmental quality, as well as exploring the relationships between them. The results demonstrate that the mean RSEI value of the study area was 0.4866, indicating that its eco-environmental quality was relatively moderate. The whole study area had a relatively high degree of human disturbance (hemeroby index = 7.4498), where the effect of human disturbance on the eco-environment was more intense in natural ecosystems, such as forest and grasslands, but less intense in artificial landscapes, such as built-up areas and farmlands. The urban landscape pattern was significantly correlated with eco-environmental quality, among which the proportion of green space and impervious surface had the strongest correlations with the mean RSEI, with correlation coefficients of 0.538 and −0.577, respectively. In addition, the correlation between the landscape pattern and the RSEI presented obvious spatial heterogeneity.
Adaptive Curriculum Sequencing and Education Management System via Group-Theoretic Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Sheng Xiaojing , Lan Kun , Jiang Xiaoliang , Yang Jie
Published: January 2023

The Curriculum Sequencing (CS) problem is a challenging task to tackle in the field of online teaching and learning system development. The current methods of education management might still possess certain drawbacks that would cause ineffectiveness and incompatibility of the whole system. A solution for achieving better user satisfaction would be to treat users individually and to offer educational materials in a customized way. Adaptive Curriculum Sequencing (ACS) plays an important role in education management system, for it helps finding the optimal sequence of a curriculum among various possible solutions, which is a typical NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel metaheuristic algorithm named Group-Theoretic Particle Swarm Optimization (GT-PSO) to tackle the ACS problem. GT-PSO would rebuild the search paradigm adaptively based on the solid mathematical foundation of symmetric group through encoding the solution candidates, decomposing the search space, guiding neighborhood movements, and updating the swarm topology. The objective function is the learning goal, with additional intrinsic and extrinsic information from those users. Experimental results show that GT-PSO has outperformed most other methods in real-life scenarios, and the insights provided by our proposed method further indicate the theoretical and practical value of an effective and robust education management system.