bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effectiveness of NIV and CPAP Training on the Job in COVID-19 Acute Care Wards: A Nurses’ Self-Assessment of Skills
Authors: Bambi Stefano , Parente Eustachio , Bardacci Yari , Baldassini Rodriguez Samuele , Forciniti Carolina , Ballerini Lorenzo , Caruso Christian , El Aoufy Khadija , Poggianti Marta , Bonacaro Antonio , Rona Roberto , Rasero Laura , Lucchini Alberto
Published: December 2022

Background: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in COVID-19 patients outside of intensive care unit (ICU) settings was a feasible support during the pandemic outbreak. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an “on the job” NIV training program provided to 66 nurses working in 3 COVID-19 wards in an Italian university hospital. Methods: A quasi-experimental longitudinal before–after study was designed. The NIV Team education program, provided by expert ICU nurses, included: 3 h sessions of training on the job during work-shifts about the management of helmet-continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) Venturi systems, and NIV with oronasal and full-face masks. An eleven-item “brief skills self-report tool” was administered before and after the program to explore the perception of NIV education program attendees about their level of skills. Results: In total, 59 nurses responded to the questionnaire. There was an improvement in the skill levels of the management of Helmet-CPAP (median before training 2, inter-quartile range (IQR) 0–6; median after training 8, IQR 3–9; p < 0.0001), and mask-NIV (median before training 2, IQR 0–6; median after training 8, IQR 3–9; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Training on the job performed by expert ICU nurses can be a valuable and fast means to implement new Helmet-CPAP and mask-NIV skills outside of ICUs.
Surveillance of Human Cases of Salmonellosis, Campylobacteriosis, Listeriosis, and Hepatitis A in Campania (Southern Italy): Seven-Year Monitoring (2013–2019)
Authors: Colarusso Germana , Peruzy Maria Francesca , Mazzone Polina , Ambrosio Rosa Luisa , Pellicanò Roberta , D’Argenzio Angelo , Anastasio Aniello , Baldi Loredana
Published: December 2022

Foodborne infections cause illness and death every year worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe trends in 2013–2019 in the occurrence of human cases of salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, listeriosis, and hepatitis A in the Campania region. Human case data were provided by the National Surveillance System of disease and were grouped by year, province, age group, and sex. Moreover, the number of people hospitalized was recorded. In the Campania region, the total number of confirmed human cases for the diseases investigated was 1924, with Hepatitis A and the Salmonellosis as the first most reported (1009 and 825 cases, respectively). The incidence rates of gastroenteritis under study were lower than those in Italy and European Union in the same period, with the exception of Hepatitis A whose incidence was higher than that recorded in Italy. Data on hospitalizations pointed out the onset of severe forms of infection also for listeriosis and campylobacteriosis, whose incidence was very low (27 and 63 cases, respectively). Unfortunately, no information on the foods implicated is available. Although probably underestimated, gastroenteritis due to foodborne agents still represents a burden in Campania, and continuous monitoring and implementation of the currently available regional surveillance system is required.
The Core-Targeted RRM2 Gene of Berberine Hydrochloride Promotes Breast Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion via the Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: He Jiaming , Wei Qiang , Jiang Rong , Luan Tiankuo , He Shuang , Lu Ruijin , Xu Hang , Ran Jianhua , Li Jing , Chen Dilong
Published: December 2022

Berberine hydrochloride (BBR) could inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of various cancer cells. As the only enzyme for the de novo synthesis of ribonucleotides, RRM2 is closely related to the development of tumorigenesis. However, not much is currently known about the functional roles of RRM2 in breast cancer (BRCA), and whether BBR regulates the migration and invasion of BRCA cells by regulating the expression of RRM2 remains to be determined. We study the effects of BBR on BRCA cell proliferation in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo by using colony formation assays, EdU assays, and xenograft models. Transcriptome sequencing, the random forest algorithm, and KEGG analysis were utilized to explore the therapeutic target genes and relative pathways. The expression of RRM2 in BRCA patients was analyzed with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, the GEPIA website tool, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and the UALCAN database. The survival probability of BRCA patients could be predicted by survival curve and nomogram analysis. Molecular docking was used to explore the affinity between BBR and potential targets. Gain- and loss-of-function methods were employed to explore the biological process in RRM2 participants. We comprehensively investigated the pharmacological characteristics of BBR on BRCA cell lines and discovered that BBR could inhibit the proliferation of BRCA cells in vitro and in vivo. Combining transcriptome sequencing and KEGG analysis, we found that BBR mainly affected the biological behavior of BRCA cells via HIF-1α and AMPK signal pathways. Additionally, by using bioinformatics and molecular docking, we demonstrated that RRM2 plays an oncogenic role in BRCA samples and that it acts as the hub gene of BBR on BRCA cells. Knockdown and overexpression studies indicated that RRM2 promoted BRCA cell migration as well as invasion in vitro by affecting the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our study demonstrated the significance of BBR regulating HIF-1α and AMPK signaling pathways in BRCA cells. Moreover, we revealed the carcinogenic role and potential mechanism of RRM2 as a core regulatory factor of BBR in BRCA in controlling BRCA invasion, migration, and EMT, suggesting that RRM2 may be a therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for BRCA therapy.
Identifying Surgical and Trauma Patients in New Zealand for Opioid-Related Pharmacoepidemiological Research: A Descriptive Study
Authors: Gong Jiayi , Chan Amy Hai Yan , Beyene Kebede , Merry Alan Forbes , Tomlin Andrew , Jones Peter
Published: December 2022

Unique aspects of New Zealand’s (NZ) health system allow for a novel pharmacoepidemiologic approach to conducting population-based clinical research. A defined cohort of surgical and trauma patients would facilitate future studies into opioid utilisation, outcomes, and other questions related to surgery and trauma. We aimed to describe all patients admitted to a NZ hospital with trauma or to undergo surgery between 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2019. This was a retrospective population-based study involving all hospital centres in NZ. We excluded patients with hospitalisation episodes for surgery or trauma one year before the event. We identified 1.78 million surgical only patients, 633,386 trauma only, and 250,800 trauma with surgery patients. Trauma only patients had the highest prevalence of death within one year of event (17.8%), history of opioid dispensing (18.3%), mental health disorders (17.0%) and chronic pain (2.3%). Moreover, trauma patients also had the highest prevalence of those with higher comorbidity burden. We plan to use this dataset for future research into the prevalence and outcomes of persistent opioid use, and to make our dataset available to other researchers upon request. Our findings of significant differences between cohorts suggest studies should treat surgical and trauma patients separately.
Development of Gelatin-Coated Hydrogel Microspheres for Novel Bioink Design: A Crosslinker Study
Authors: Zieman Joshua , Cohan Megan , Wang Yale , De La Sancha Alexa , Kanungo Muskan , Azzouz Ryan , Smith Rebekah , Schmidt Keagan , Kumpaty Subha , Chen Junhong , Zhang Wujie
Published: December 2022

The development of vascularized tissue is a substantial challenge within the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Studies have shown that positively-charged microspheres exhibit dual-functions: (1) facilitation of vascularization and (2) controlled release of bioactive compounds. In this study, gelatin-coated microspheres were produced and processed with either EDC or transglutaminase, two crosslinkers. The results indicated that the processing stages did not significantly impact the size of the microspheres. EDC and transglutaminase had different effects on surface morphology and microsphere stability in a simulated colonic environment. Incorporation of EGM and TGM into bioink did not negatively impact bioprintability (as indicated by density and kinematic viscosity), and the microspheres had a uniform distribution within the scaffold. These microspheres show great potential for tissue engineering applications.
Antibacterial and Proliferative Effects of NaOH-Coated Titanium, Zirconia, and Ceramic-Reinforced PEEK Dental Composites on Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Lijnev Artiom , Elango Jeevithan , Gómez-López Vicente M. , Pérez-Albacete Martínez Carlos , Granero Marín José Manuel , Maté Sánchez De Val José Eduardo
Published: December 2022

Several metallic and polymer-based implants have been fabricated for orthopedic applications. For instance, titanium (Ti), zirconia (Zr), and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) are employed due to their excellent biocompatibility properties. Hence, the present study aimed to compare the functional and biological properties of these three biomaterials with surface modification. For this purpose, Ti, Zr, and ceramic-reinforced PEEK (CrPEEK) were coated with NaOH and tested for the biological response. Our results showed that the surface modification of these biomaterials significantly improved the water contact, protein adhesion, and bioactivity compared with uncoated samples. Among the NaOH-coated biomaterials, Ti and CrPEEK showed higher protein absorption than Zr. However, the mineral binding ability was higher in CrPEEK than in the other two biomaterials. Although the coating improved the functional properties, NaOH coating did not influence the antibacterial effect against E. coli and S. aureus in these biomaterials. Similar to the antibacterial effects, the NaOH coating did not contribute any significant changes in cell proliferation and cell loading, and CrPEEK showed better biocompatibility among the biomaterials. Therefore, this study concluded that the surface modification of biomaterials could potentially improve the functional properties but not the antibacterial and biocompatibility, and CrPEEK could be an alternative material to Ti and Zr with desirable qualities in orthopedic applications.
Flat Bands in Network Superstructures of Atomic Chains
Authors: Heo Donghyeok , Lee Junseop , Zhang Anwei , Rhim Jun-Won
Published: December 2022

We investigate the origin of the ubiquitous existence of flat bands in the network superstructures of atomic chains, where one-dimensional (1D) atomic chains array periodically. While there can be many ways to connect those chains, we consider two representative ways of linking them, the dot-type and triangle-type links. Then, we construct a variety of superstructures, such as the square, rectangular, and honeycomb network superstructures with dot-type links and the honeycomb superstructure with triangle-type links. These links provide the wavefunctions with an opportunity to have destructive interference, which stabilizes the compact localized state (CLS). In the network superstructures, there exist multiple flat bands proportional to the number of atoms of each chain, and the corresponding eigenenergies can be found from the stability condition of the compact localized state. Finally, we demonstrate that the finite bandwidth of the nearly flat bands of the network superstructures arising from the next-nearest-neighbor hopping processes can be suppressed by increasing the length of the chains consisting of the superstructures.
Sweet Cherry Diversity and Relationships in Modern and Local Varieties Based on SNP Markers
Authors: Palasciano Marino , Zuluaga Diana L. , Cerbino Domenico , Blanco Emanuela , Aufiero Gaetano , D’Agostino Nunzio , Sonnante Gabriella
Published: December 2022

The sweet cherry is an important fruit species that is widespread globally. In addition to the well-known traditional and modern varieties, a myriad of landraces is present in Europe, as well as in southern Italy. This study aims to evaluate the population structure, genetic relationships, and cases of duplicate samples in a collection of 143 accessions using GBS-derived SNP markers. The genetic material under investigation includes modern commercial varieties, ancient European and American varieties, landraces, and individuals retrieved from small orchards. Some of the known varieties were genetically analyzed here for the first time. In addition, several genotypes were collected from the Basilicata region (southern Italy), an area largely unexplored for sweet cherry genetic resources. The relationships among genotypes were assessed using four different methods: allele frequency and ancestry estimation, principal component analysis, Neighbor-Joining tree, and identity-by-state estimation. The analyses returned quite congruent results and highlighted the presence of four main genetic groups, namely: (i) American varieties, (ii) the ‘Germersdorfer-Ferrovia’ cluster, (iii) the ‘Burlat’ group, and (iv) the group of Italian landraces. The main drivers of clustering were ancestry, geographical distribution, and some important traits such as self-compatibility. The sweet cherries from Basilicata, herewith examined for the first time, were mostly distributed within the group of Italian landraces, being particularly linked to the autochthonous varieties of the Campania region. However, some genotypes were outside this group, thus suggesting the introduction of genetic material from other Italian regions or from European countries. The considerable amount of American and European modern varieties analyzed are genetically very closely related, suggesting a reduced genetic basis. In addition, we highlighted the discriminating ability of SNP markers to distinguish between an original variety and its mutant. Overall, our results may be useful in defining conservation strategies for sweet cherry germplasm and developing future breeding programs to enlarge the genetic basis of commercial varieties.
Synthesis, Properties and Spatial Structure of 4-[(3,5-Dimethyl-1,2-oxazol-4-yl)sulfonyl]cytisine
Authors: Ibrayev Marat K. , Nurkenov Oralgazy A. , Rakhimberlinova Zhanara B. , Takibayeva Altynaray T. , Turdybekov Dastan M. , Seilkhanov Tulegen M. , Issabayeva Meruyert B. , Kelmyalene Assel A. , Kezdikbayeva Assel T. , Mendibayeva Anel Z.
Published: December 2022

This article has studied the synthesis of a new derivative of the known alkaloid cytisine contained in the seeds of plants of Cytisus laburnum L. and Thermopsis lanceolata R.Br., both of the Lugiminosae family. The new compound has been obtained from two biologically active compounds, such as isoxazole and cytisine. It has been demonstrated that the reaction led to the single-stage method under very mild conditions to obtain 4-[(3,5-dimethyl-1,2-oxazol-4-yl)sulfonyl]cytisine. This class of compounds is promising for obtaining the new biologically active compounds. This article has examined, in detail, a structure with using the 1H and 13C NMR and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy of COSY (1H-1H), HMQC (1H-13C) and HMBC (1H-13C). As a result, the homo- and heteronuclear spin-spin couplings should be established. The X-ray diffraction analysis has determined the spatial structure of a new derivative based on the cytisine alkaloid. Thus, its hemorheological activity has been studied.
Response of Cucumis sativus to Neighbors in a Species-Specific Manner
Authors: Zhang Xiu , Yan Jingfan , Wu Fengzhi
Published: December 2022

Plants exhibit various behaviors of growth and allocation that play an important role in plant performance and social interaction as they grow together. However, it is unclear how Cucumis sativus plants respond to different neighbors. Here, we performed 5 neighbor combinations with C. sativus as the focal species. The selected materials of C. sativus responded to neighbors and exhibited different behavior strategies in a species-specific manner. All competition treatments reduced the growth of C. sativus seedlings to a certain extent, but only the Eruca sativa neighbor treatment reached a significant level in total root length and shoot biomass. Compared with growing under solitary conditions, focal plants avoided, tended to and did not change their allocation to their nearby plants. The larger the biomass of their neighbors, the stronger the inhibition of the focal plants. In addition, no significant correlations between growth and allocation variables were found, suggesting that growth and allocation are two important aspects of C. sativus behavioral strategies. Our findings provide reference and support for agricultural production of C. sativus, but further research and practice are still needed.
Fern Spores—“Ready-to-Use” Standards for Plant Genome Size Estimation Using a Flow Cytometric Approach
Authors: Tang Sheng-Kai , Lee Pei-Hsuan , Liou Wei-Ting , Lin Chen-Hsiang , Huang Yao-Moan , Kuo Li-Yaung
Published: December 2022

Spores and pollen of plants were used as flow cytometric materials to efficiently infer genome sizes. Given this advantage, they hold great potential for various flow cytometric applications, particularly as plant genome size standards. To develop such novel standards, we investigated conditions of pretreatment (bead vortex), buffer, and reliable genome sizes of three fern spore collections—Cibotium taiwanense “Kuo4395”, Sphaeropteris lepifera “Tang0001”, and Alsophila metteniana “Lee s.n.”. Additionally, up to 30 year-old spore collections were obtained from herbarium specimens and from samples stored at 4 °C; their spore nuclei were extracted, and the quality and quantity of these nucleus extractions through storage ages were examined. Nuclear extractions with a longer bead vortex duration or lower spore/bead ratio generally resulted in a higher recovered quantity but a lower quality or purity. For each spore standard, the protocol optimization was determined by their performance in bead vortex conditions, and a 1C genome size was further inferred by linear regression (C. taiwanense “Kuo4395” = 5.058 pg; S. lepifera “Tang0001” = 7.117 pg; and A. metteniana “Lee s.n.” = 19.379 pg). Spore nucleus quality and quantity are significantly negatively correlated with storage ages. Nuclear extractions of 10-year-old refrigerated spores remained qualified as a genome size standard; however, none of the herbarium spore collections fit such criteria. Our study is the first to develop and apply dried and refrigerated spores for genome size standards. These standards are ready to use, easy to manipulate, and feature long-term storage in comparison with traditionally used standards of fresh leaves.
Nitrogen Fertilization and Solvents as Factors Modifying the Antioxidant and Anticancer Potential of Arnica montana L. Flower Head Extracts
Authors: Sugier Danuta , Sugier Piotr , Jakubowicz-Gil Joanna , Gawlik-Dziki Urszula , Zając Adrian , Król Beata , Chmiel Stanisław , Kończak Magdalena , Pięt Mateusz , Paduch Roman
Published: December 2022

Arnica montana L. is one of Europe’s endemic endangered medicinal plants, with diverse biological activities commonly used in medicine, pharmacy, and cosmetics. Its flower heads are a rich source of raw material, with antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiradical, antioxidant, and antitumor properties. The objective of the present study was (i) to characterize the chemical composition of flower heads of A. montana plants cultivated under nitrogen fertilization, (ii) to identify the impact of the nitrogen fertilization and extraction method (water, ethanol) on the antioxidant activity of extracts, and (iii) to determine the role of different nitrogen doses applied during plant cultivation and different extraction methods in the anticancer activity of the extracts through analysis of apoptosis and autophagy induction in HT29, HeLa, and SW620 cell lines. The present study shows that nitrogen is a crucial determinant of the chemical composition of arnica flower heads and the antioxidant and anticancer activity of the analyzed extracts. Nitrogen fertilization can modify the composition of pharmacologically active substances (sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, essential oil) in Arnicae flos. The content of sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, and essential oil increased with the increase in the nitrogen doses to 60 kg N ha−1 by 0.66%, 1.45%, and 0.27%, respectively. A further increase in the nitrogen dose resulted in a decrease in the content of the analyzed secondary metabolites. Varied levels of nitrogen application can be regarded as a relevant way to modify the chemical composition of arnica flower heads and to increase the anticancer activity, which was confirmed by the increase in the level of apoptosis with the increase in fertilization to a level of 60 kg N ha−1. The fertilization of arnica plants with low doses of nitrogen (30 and 60 kg N ha−1) significantly increased the LOX inhibition ability of the ethanol extracts. The present study is the first report on the anticancer activity of A. montana water extracts, with emphasis on the role of water as a solvent. In further studies of factors modifying the quality of Arnicae flos, attention should be paid to the simultaneous use of nitrogen and other microelements to achieve synergistic results and to the possibility of a more frequent use of water as a solvent in studies on the biological activity of A. montana extracts.
Identification of Genomic Regions Associated with High Grain Zn Content in Polished Rice Using Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS)
Authors: Uttam Goparaju Anurag , Suman Karre , Jaldhani Veerendra , Babu Pulagam Madhu , Rao Durbha Sanjeeva , Sundaram Raman Meenakshi , Neeraja Chirravuri Naga
Published: December 2022

Globally, micronutrient (iron and zinc) enriched rice has been a sustainable and cost-effective solution to overcome malnutrition or hidden hunger. Understanding the genetic basis and identifying the genomic regions for grain zinc (Zn) across diverse genetic backgrounds is an important step to develop biofortified rice varieties. In this case, an RIL population (306 RILs) obtained from a cross between the high-yielding rice variety MTU1010 and the high-zinc rice variety Ranbir Basmati was utilized to pinpoint the genomic region(s) and QTL(s) responsible for grain zinc (Zn) content. A total of 2746 SNP markers spanning a genetic distance of 2445 cM were employed for quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis, which resulted in the identification of 47 QTLs for mineral (Zn and Fe) and agronomic traits with 3.5–36.0% phenotypic variance explained (PVE) over the seasons. On Chr02, consistent QTLs for grain Zn polished (qZnPR.2.1) and Zn brown (qZnBR.2.2) were identified. On Chr09, two additional reliable QTLs for grain Zn brown (qZnBR.9.1 and qZnBR.9.2) were identified. The major-effect QTLs identified in this study were associated with few key genes related to Zn and Fe transporter activity. The genomic regions, candidate genes, and molecular markers associated with these major QTLs will be useful for genomic-assisted breeding for developing Zn-biofortified varieties.
Mulberroside F from In Vitro Culture of Mulberry and the Potential Use of the Root Extracts in Cosmeceutical Applications
Authors: Thamrongwatwongsa Jiralapat , Pattarapipatkul Nattaya , Jaithon Titiradsadakorn , Jindaruk Ananya , Paemanee Atchara , T-Thienprasert Nattanan Panjaworayan , Phonphoem Wannarat Pornsiriwong
Published: December 2022

Mulberry (Morus spp.) is primarily used in sericulture, and its uses also extend to the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Mulberry extracts are rich in many bioactive compounds that exhibit a wide range of biological properties. Mulberroside F (Moracin M-6, 3′-di-O-β-D-glucopyranoside), one of the bioactive compounds found in mulberry, has previously been reported as a whitening agent by inhibiting melanin synthesis and exhibiting antioxidant effects. However, there is still limited information on the presence of this compound in plants cultured in vitro. In this study, the mulberroside F content, biochemical, and cytotoxic properties of the extracts from mulberry cultured in vitro were determined. The results revealed that both root and callus were found to be a potential source of mulberroside F. Furthermore, the mulberroside F content was positively correlated with the inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity. Cell viability assay also revealed that crude extract of the mulberry root has no cytotoxicity in both human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) and Vero cells. Taken together, mulberry tissue culture represents a possible alternative and continuous production of mulberroside F, which could be further utilized in cosmeceutical applications.
Investigation of Transport Mechanism and Nanostructure of Nylon-6,6/PVA Blend Polymers
Authors: Mohamed Hamdy F. M. , Abdel-Hady Esam E. , Mohammed Wael M.
Published: December 2022

A casting technique was used to prepare poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blend polymers with different concentrations of Nylon-6,6 to increase the free-volume size and control the ionic conductivity of the blended polymers. The thermal activation energy for some blends is lower than that of pure polymers, indicating that their thermal stability is somewhere in between that of pure Nylon-6,6 and pure PVA. The degree of crystallinity of the blend sample (25.7%) was lower than that of the pure components (41.0 and 31.6% for pure Nylon-6,6 and PVA, respectively). The dielectric properties of the blended samples were investigated for different frequencies (50 Hz–5 MHz). The σac versus frequency was found to obey Jonscher’s universal power law. The calculated values of the s parameter were increased from 0.53 to 0.783 for 0 and 100 wt.% Nylon-6,6, respectively, and values less than 1 indicate the hopping conduction mechanism. The barrier height (Wm) was found to increase from 0.33 to 0.72 for 0 and 100 wt.% Nylon-6,6, respectively. The ionic conductivity decreases as the concentration of Nylon-6,6 is blended into PVA because increasing the Nylon-6,6 concentration reduces the number of mobile charge carriers. Positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy was used to investigate the free volume’s nanostructure. The hole volume size grows exponentially with the concentration of Nylon-6,6 mixed with PVA. The Nylon-6,6/PVA blends’ free-volume distribution indicates that there is no phase separation in the blended samples. Mixing PVA and Nylon-6,6 resulted in a negative deviation (miscible blends), as evidenced by the interaction parameter’s negative value. The strong correlation between the free-volume size and other macroscopic properties like ionic conductivity suggests that the free-volume size influences these macroscopic properties.
Structural and Physicochemical Characterization of Extracted Proteins Fractions from Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) as a Potential Food Ingredient to Replace Ovalbumin in Foams and Emulsions
Authors: Soto-Madrid Daniela , Pérez Nicole , Gutiérrez-Cutiño Marlen , Matiacevich Silvia , Zúñiga Rommy N.
Published: December 2022

Chickpeas are the third most abundant legume crop worldwide, having a high protein content (14.9–24.6%) with interesting technological properties, thus representing a sustainable alternative to animal proteins. In this study, the surface and structural properties of total (TE) and sequential (ALB, GLO, and GLU) protein fractions isolated from defatted chickpea flour were evaluated and compared with an animal protein, ovalbumin (OVO). Differences in their physicochemical properties were evidenced when comparing TE with ALB, GLO, and GLU fractions. In addition, using a simple and low-cost extraction method it was obtained a high protein yield (82 ± 4%) with a significant content of essential and hydrophobic amino acids. Chickpea proteins presented improved interfacial and surface behavior compared to OVO, where GLO showed the most significant effects, correlated with its secondary structure and associated with its flexibility and higher surface hydrophobicity. Therefore, chickpea proteins have improved surface properties compared to OVO, evidencing their potential use as foam and/or emulsion stabilizers in food formulations for the replacement of animal proteins.
Development of an Atomic-Oxygen-Erosion-Resistant, Alumina-Fiber-Reinforced, Fluorinated Polybenzoxazine Composite for Low-Earth Orbital Applications
Authors: Oppenheimer Leah , Ramkumar Malavika , Machado Irlaine , Scott Chris , Winroth Scott , Ishida Hatsuo
Published: December 2022

An atomic-oxygen-erosion-resistant fluorinated benzoxazine resin and composite were developed. The benzoxazine resin, abbreviated as “BAF-oda-fu,” consists of four benzoxazine rings, and was synthesized from bisphenol AF (BAF), 4,4′-oxydianiline (oda), furfurylamine (fu), and paraformaldehyde. The resin was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). An analysis of the solvent-washed product showed a technical grade purity (>95%) and a yield of approximately 85%. Subsequent polymerization of the resin was successfully performed by heating step-wise and opening the benzoxazine rings to form a crosslinked network. Thermal analyses showed a melting temperature of 115 °C and polymerization temperature of 238 °C, both being characteristic values of benzoxazine monomers. The benzoxazine resin was also blended with polyoctahedral sisesquoxane (POSS) and reinforced with alumina fibers. The Tg of the resin, as determined by DMA of the composite, could reach as high as 308 °C when post-curing and the POSS additive were utilized. The low-Earth orbit atomic-oxygen erosion rate was simulated by an RF plasma asher/etcher. The atomic-oxygen resistance of poly(BAF-oda-fu) fell along an established trend line based on its fluorine content.
Effect of Mucilage Extracted from Corchorus olitorius Leaves on Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA)-Stabilized Oil-in-Water Emulsions
Authors: Kim Do-Yeong , Kim Hyunsu
Published: December 2022

The present study examined the effect of mucilage extracted from Corchorus olitorius L. leaves on the emulsifying stability of bovine serum albumin (BSA)-stabilized oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions during the storage for seven days. O/W emulsions were prepared with a 90% aqueous phase containing C. olitorius mucilage (0–1.00% w/v) together with 0.5% (w/v) BSA and 10% oil phase. Emulsion properties were analyzed by measuring droplet size, zeta potential, spectroturbidity, backscattering profiles (%BS), and visual observations. The mean droplet size of emulsions prepared with 0.75 and 1.00% mucilage did not show significant changes during storage. The zeta potential of all the emulsions exhibited a negative charge of approximately −40 mV, but electrical repulsion was not the dominant stabilization mechanism in the emulsion. C. olitorius mucilage was able to increase the viscosity of the aqueous phase of the O/W emulsion system, which prevented droplet flocculation and enhanced the emulsion stability against phase separation at higher concentrations. The most stable emulsions during the storage period were those with 1.00% C. olitorius mucilage. In conclusion, C. olitorius mucilage has good potential for the preparation of stable O/W emulsions and can be used as a plant-based natural emulsifying and thickening agent in the food industry.
Fabrication of Biodegradable and Biocompatible Functional Polymers for Anti-Infection and Augmenting Wound Repair
Authors: Deng Shuhua , Chen Anfu , Chen Weijia , Lai Jindi , Pei Yameng , Wen Jiahua , Yang Can , Luo Jiajun , Zhang Jingjing , Lei Caihong , Varma Swastina Nath , Liu Chaozong
Published: December 2022

The problem of bacteria-induced infections threatens the lives of many patients. Meanwhile, the misuse of antibiotics has led to a significant increase in bacterial resistance. There are two main ways to alleviate the issue: one is to introduce antimicrobial agents to medical devices to get local drug releasing and alleviating systemic toxicity and resistance, and the other is to develop new antimicrobial methods to kill bacteria. New antimicrobial methods include cationic polymers, metal ions, hydrophobic structures to prevent bacterial adhesion, photothermal sterilization, new biocides, etc. Biodegradable biocompatible synthetic polymers have been widely used in the medical field. They are often used in tissue engineering scaffolds as well as wound dressings, where bacterial infections in these medical devices can be serious or even fatal. However, such materials usually do not have inherent antimicrobial properties. They can be used as carriers for drug delivery or compounded with other antimicrobial materials to achieve antimicrobial effects. This review focuses on the antimicrobial behavior, preparation methods, and biocompatibility testing of biodegradable biocompatible synthetic polymers. Degradable biocompatible natural polymers with antimicrobial properties are also briefly described. Finally, the medical applications of these polymeric materials are presented.
Effect of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on the Cross-Linking Process in Natural Rubber Vulcanization
Authors: Vázquez-Martínez Yoliria , Ramírez-Herrera Claudia A. , Mondragón Margarita , Elías-Zúñiga Alex , Elizalde Luis E.
Published: December 2022

In this study, the effect of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on the cross-linking of natural rubber (NR) using organic peroxides was investigated. NR-SWCNTs nanocomposites were prepared in an open two-roller mill followed by vulcanization with the compression molding process. Three different organic peroxides, 1,1-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane (T29), dicumyl peroxide (DCP), and 2,5-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-2,5-dimethyl-3-hexyne (T145), were used as vulcanizing agents. SWCNTs promote a remarkable reduction in the vulcanization time and increase the degree of cross-linking of vulcanized rubber when compared with neat or natural rubber–carbon-black composites; the same tendency was obtained in the NR-SWCNTs vulcanized with sulfur. Additionally, the mechanical performance of the NR-SWCNTs composites was significantly improved up to 75, 83, 27, and 10% for tensile strength, moduli, tear strength, and hardness. Raman spectroscopy studies evidence the occurrence of reaction between nanotube walls and free radicals generated from using organic peroxides during the vulcanization process. These results demonstrate that the incorporation of SWCNTs in combination with the use of organic peroxides for the NR vulcanization represents a potential alternative for the improvement of the physicochemical properties of NR composites.
Regeneration Approach to Enhance the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Chitosan for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Panda Pradeep Kumar , Sadeghi Kambiz , Park Kitae , Seo Jongchul
Published: December 2022

Owing to its biodegradability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, chitosan (Cs) is a ubiquitous biopolymer. However, applications of Cs are limited owing to the existence of strong inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen bonds within its network. To address this issue, we regenerated medium-molecular-weight Cs to enhance the physico-chemical and functional properties using a cationic approach. Accordingly, alkaline modification was employed to introduce an additional positive charge to the amine functional groups of Cs and moderately disintegrate the inter- and intra-hydrogen bonds. The chemical structure of Cs and regenerated chitosan (RCs) was confirmed through Fourier transform infrared and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. RCs showed higher zeta potential value compared to Cs. Additionally, using X-ray diffraction, RCs exhibited low crystallinity, which can be attributed to the repulsive force caused by the positive surface charge and the destruction of hydrogen bonds. The RCs exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than Cs. Furthermore, the minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of RCs against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were reduced by almost four times compared with those of Cs. The superior functional properties of RCs can be attributed to the formation of a polycationic structure after alkaline modification. Thus, RCs can be introduced as potent agents for various biomedical purposes.
Coarse X-ray Lumbar Vertebrae Pose Localization and Registration Using Triangulation Correspondence
Authors: Yookwan Watcharaphong , Limchareon Sornsupha , Lee Sang-Hun , Jang Jun-Su , Lee Daesung , Chinnasarn Krisana
Published: December 2022

Plain film X-ray scanners are indispensable for medical diagnostics and clinical procedures. This type of device typically produces two radiographic images of the human spine, including the anteroposterior and lateral views. However, these two photographs presented perspectives that were distinct. The proposed procedure consists of three fundamental steps. For automated cropping, the grayscale lumbar input image was initially projected vertically using its vertical pattern. Then, Delaunay triangulation was performed with the SURF features serving as the triangle nodes. The posture area of the vertebrae was calculated by utilizing the edge density of each node. The proposed method provided an automated estimation of the position of the human lumbar vertebrae, thereby decreasing the radiologist’s workload, computing time, and complexity in a variety of bone-clinical applications. Numerous applications can be supported by the results of the proposed method, including the segmentation of lumbar vertebrae pose, bone mineral density examination, and vertebral pose deformation. The proposed method can estimate the vertebral position with an accuracy of 80.32 percent, a recall rate of 85.37 percent, a precision rate of 82.36%, and a false-negative rate of 15.42 percent.
Designing Dispatching Rules via Novel Genetic Programming with Feature Selection in Dynamic Job-Shop Scheduling
Authors: Sitahong Adilanmu , Yuan Yiping , Li Ming , Ma Junyan , Ba Zhiyong , Lu Yongxin
Published: December 2022

Genetic Programming (GP) has been widely employed to create dispatching rules intelligently for production scheduling. The success of GP depends on a suitable terminal set of selected features. Specifically, techniques that consider feature selection in GP to enhance rule understandability for dynamic job shop scheduling (DJSS) have been successful. However, existing feature selection algorithms in GP focus more emphasis on obtaining more compact rules with fewer features than on improving effectiveness. This paper is an attempt at combining a novel GP method, GP via dynamic diversity management, with feature selection to design effective and interpretable dispatching rules for DJSS. The idea of the novel GP method is to achieve a progressive transition from exploration to exploitation by relating the level of population diversity to the stopping criteria and elapsed duration. We hypothesize that diverse and promising individuals obtained from the novel GP method can guide the feature selection to design competitive rules. The proposed approach is compared with three GP-based algorithms and 20 benchmark rules in the different job shop conditions and scheduling objectives. Experiments show that the proposed approach greatly outperforms the compared methods in generating more interpretable and effective rules for the three objective functions. Overall, the average improvement over the best-evolved rules by the other three GP-based algorithms is 13.28%, 12.57%, and 15.62% in the mean tardiness (MT), mean flow time (MFT), and mean weighted tardiness (MWT) objective, respectively.
Synthesis, Modification, and Characterization of Fe3O4@SiO2-PEI-Dextranase Nanoparticles for Enzymatic Degradation of Dextran in Fermented Mash
Authors: Amador-Gómez Luis Pablo , Luna Solano Guadalupe , Urrea-García Galo Rafael , Gines-Palestino Ruby Sheila , Cantú-Lozano Denis
Published: December 2022

During the sugar production process, undesirable compounds such as dextrans are produced and contaminate the flow of the sugar mill, reaching levels in the fluid of more than 10,000 ppm. Dextranase is an enzyme that has different industrial applications, since it catalyzes the hydrolysis of the bonds in random sites of the dextran. Therefore, the enzyme was immobilized using synthesized ferrite magnetic nanoparticles to degrade dextran in the fermented mash, because it is suitable to reuse and has a large surface area to bind dextranase on a solid carrier for easy magnetic separation. The synthesized bare and modified nanoparticles were characterized using SEM, EDS, FTIR, and XRD and confirmed the core–shell silica by increasing the silica composition from 0.2% of bare Fe3O4 NPs to 31.3% of modified Fe3O4 NPs. Ultrasonic treatment reduced the calculated crystal size with Scherer’s equation from 91.3 to 13.5 nm, providing more particles for immobilization. The solvothermal process synthesized ferrite nanoparticles (Fe3O4) and modified them with TEOS and PEI. The obtained immobilization efficiency was 28%. Perhaps it was lower; Fe3O4 degraded almost the same as the free enzyme. The percentage of dextran degradation with free enzymes and immobilized enzymes with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles was 61 and 52%, respectively.
Molecular Model Construction and Optimization Study of Gas Coal in the Huainan Mining Area
Authors: Qu Lina , Liu Long , Chen Jinhao , Wang Zhenzhen
Published: December 2022

To construct the macromolecular model of gas coal in the Huainan mining area, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) tests were used to analyze the microstructure characteristics of coal including the aromatic ring type, the linkage mode, and the chemical bonding composition. The model was simulated and optimized by molecular mechanics (MM) and molecular dynamics (MD). The experimental results showed that the coal macromolecular formula in the Huainan mine was expressed as C181H150O9N3. The aromatic ring was dominated by anthracene and phenanthrene. Aliphatic carbon mainly existed in the form of methylene and methine. The oxygen atoms existed in the form of ether−oxygen bonds. The ratio of pyridine nitrogen to pyrrolic nitrogen was 2:1. The molecular simulation results showed the π−π interaction between the aromatic lamellae within the molecule. The van der Waals energy was the major factor of coal molecular structure stability and energy change. The results of the calculated 13C-NMR carbon spectrum and density simulation agreed well with the experimental results. The study provides a scientific and reasonable method for coal macromolecular model prediction and theoretical support for coal spontaneous combustion prevention technology.
Non-Conventional Cuts in Batch Distillation to Brazilian Spirits (cachaça) Production: A Computational Simulation Approach
Authors: Tenorio Lhucas M. S. , Batista Fabio R. M. , Monteiro Simone
Published: December 2022

In this work, an algorithm was developed to determine different possibilities of distillation cuts to support productivity and improve the final quality of cachaça, a Brazilian spirit beverage. The distillation process was simulated using the Aspen Plus® software, considering a wide range of fermented musts compositions available in the literature obtained by fermentation with different yeast strains. Twenty-four simulations were carried out considering eight compounds as follows: water and ethanol (major compounds); acetic acid, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, 1-propanol, isobutanol, and isoamyl alcohol (minor compounds). The calculations considered a long-time process, i.e., until almost all the ethanol in the fermented must was distilled. The algorithm enabled the identification of countless distilling cuts, resulting in products with different alcoholic grades and process yields. One fermented must became viable to produce cachaça after the suggested non-traditional method of cuts proposed in this work. Furthermore, the non-traditional distilling cut provided a productivity gain of more than 50%. Finally, the ratio of acetaldehyde and ethanol concentration was the key parameter to determine whether the fermented musts could provide products meeting cachaça’s legislation.
An Analysis of the Circular Economy Practices of Pesticide Container Waste in Pakistan
Authors: Raza Ali , Naqvi Syed Asif Ali , Mehdi Muhammad Abuzar , Usman Muhammad , Ali Sadia , Shah Ashfaq Ahmad , Hussain Bilal
Published: December 2022

Empty pesticide container recycling helps control nonpoint source pollution and provides alternative sources for basic materials. This article investigates end users’ adoption of recycling their pesticide container waste and investigates the determinants influencing their adoption. The study uses an extensive farm survey of 210 farmers from the District Faisalabad of the Province of Punjab (Pakistan). It applies the partial least squares structural equation modeling technique to assess the impact of different elements, such as subjective norms, attitude, perceived behavioral control, intention, and environmental concerns, on end users’ adoption regarding recycling of pesticide empty container waste. The results explain that perceived behavioral control and intention to reuse pesticide container waste positively predict end users’ adoption. Furthermore, adoption is positively impacted by attitude, subjective norms, and environmental concerns via the intention to recycle pesticide container waste. The study urges the need to encourage end users to share responsibility for pesticide container waste management for a sustainable society.
Jerusalema, a Heritage Day Song of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Modise Julia Mantsali
Published: December 2022

Musical activities, religious or spiritual, share much in common. They tend to evoke powerful emotional responses in participating individuals and have great significance at the personal, social and communal levels. Music and dance have always been strongly connected in South Africa. The songs of South Africa were prominent for the social and political role they played in the struggle against apartheid rule. Post-apartheid era songs were used to reconcile a nation that was deeply divided. Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika (God Bless Africa), became the national anthem of a democratic South Africa. Jerusalema music and dance was unofficially adopted as the Heritage Day song when President Cyril Ramaphosa encouraged the people to participate in the Jerusalemadancechallenge “to remember the loved ones lost to the COVID-19 disease and to quietly rejoice in the diverse heritage of our nation”. A qualitative study was conducted using webnography to find the meaning ascribed to Jerusalema music by the viewers of the video during the COVID-19 pandemic. While several themes emerged after the qualitative content analysis was performed, the focus of this article was on one of the themes that led the viewers of this music video to believe that Jerusalema brought the world together through music and dance during the COVID-19 hard lockdown. South Africans embraced it as the Heritage Day song.