bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting the Holy Triangle of Quorum Sensing, Biofilm Formation, and Antibiotic Resistance in Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Sionov Ronit Vogt , Steinberg Doron
Published: June 2022

Chronic and recurrent bacterial infections are frequently associated with the formation of biofilms on biotic or abiotic materials that are composed of mono- or multi-species cultures of bacteria/fungi embedded in an extracellular matrix produced by the microorganisms. Biofilm formation is, among others, regulated by quorum sensing (QS) which is an interbacterial communication system usually composed of two-component systems (TCSs) of secreted autoinducer compounds that activate signal transduction pathways through interaction with their respective receptors. Embedded in the biofilms, the bacteria are protected from environmental stress stimuli, and they often show reduced responses to antibiotics, making it difficult to eradicate the bacterial infection. Besides reduced penetration of antibiotics through the intricate structure of the biofilms, the sessile biofilm-embedded bacteria show reduced metabolic activity making them intrinsically less sensitive to antibiotics. Moreover, they frequently express elevated levels of efflux pumps that extrude antibiotics, thereby reducing their intracellular levels. Some efflux pumps are involved in the secretion of QS compounds and biofilm-related materials, besides being important for removing toxic substances from the bacteria. Some efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) have been shown to both prevent biofilm formation and sensitize the bacteria to antibiotics, suggesting a relationship between these processes. Additionally, QS inhibitors or quenchers may affect antibiotic susceptibility. Thus, targeting elements that regulate QS and biofilm formation might be a promising approach to combat antibiotic-resistant biofilm-related bacterial infections.
Establishment of a Cre-loxP System Based on a Leaky LAC4 Promoter and an Unstable panARS Element in Kluyveromyces marxianus
Authors: Ren Haiyan , Yin Anqi , Wu Pingping , Zhou Huanyu , Zhou Jungang , Yu Yao , Lu Hong
Published: June 2022

The Cre-loxP system produces structural variations, such as deletion, duplication, inversion and translocation, at specific loci and induces chromosomal rearrangements in the genome. To achieve chromosomal rearrangements in Kluyveromyces marxianus, the positions and sequences of centromeres were identified in this species for the first time. Next, a Cre-loxP system was established in K. marxianus. In this system, the Cre recombinase was expressed from a leaky LAC4 promoter in a plasmid to alleviate the cytotoxicity of Cre, and the unstable plasmid contained a panARS element to facilitate the clearance of the plasmid from the cells. By using LAC4 as a reporter gene, the recombination frequencies between loxP sites or loxPsym sites were 99% and 73%, respectively. A K. marxianus strain containing 16 loxPsym sites in the genome was constructed. The recombination frequency of large-scale chromosomal rearrangements between 16 loxPsym sites was up to 38.9%. Our study provides valuable information and tools for studying chromosomal structures and functions in K. marxianus.
Effect of Caging on Cryptosporidium parvum Proliferation in Mice
Authors: Creasey Hannah N. , Zhang Wen , Widmer Giovanni
Published: June 2022

Cryptosporidiosis is an enteric infection caused by several protozoan species in the genus Cryptosporidium (phylum Apicomplexa). Immunosuppressed mice are commonly used to model this infection. Surprisingly, for a pathogen like Cryptosporidium parvum, which is readily transmitted fecal-orally, mice housed in the same cage can develop vastly different levels of infection, ranging from undetectable to lethal. The motivation for this study was to investigate this phenomenon and assess the association between the severity of cryptosporidiosis and the fecal microbiota. To this aim, the association between severity of cryptosporidiosis and caging (group caged vs. individually caged) and between the microbiota taxonomy and the course of the infection was examined. In contrast to mice caged in groups of four, a majority of mice caged individually did not excrete a detectable level of oocysts. Microbiota α diversity in samples collected between three days prior to infection and one day post-infection was negatively correlated with the severity of cryptosporidiosis, suggesting a causal negative relationship between microbiota diversity and susceptibility to C. parvum.
Leishmania infantum Infection of Primary Human Myeloid Cells
Authors: Picard Morgane , Soundaramourty Calaiselvy , Silvestre Ricardo , Estaquier Jérôme , André Sónia
Published: June 2022

Circulating phagocytic cells often serve as cellular targets for a large number of pathogens such as Leishmania parasites. Studying primary human cells in an infectious context requires lengthy procedures for cell isolation that may affect the analysis performed. Using whole blood and a no-lyse and no-wash flow cytometric assay (NoNo assay), we monitored the Leishmania infantum infection of primary human cells. We demonstrated, using fluorescent parasites, that among monocyte cell populations, L. infantum preferentially infects classical (CD14+CD16−) and intermediate (CD14+CD16+) primary human monocytes in whole blood. Because classical monocytes are the preponderant population, they represent the larger L. infantum reservoir. Moreover, we also found that, concomitantly to monocyte infection, a subset of PMNs is infected early in whole blood. Of interest, in whole blood, PMNs are less infected compared to classical monocytes. Overall, by using this NoNo assay, we provided a novel avenue in our understanding of host–leishmania interactions.
Modeling of a Three-Stage Cascaded Refrigeration System Based on Standard Refrigeration Compressors in Cryogenic Applications above 110 K
Authors: Rogala Zbigniew , Kwiatkowski Adrian
Published: June 2022

More and more applications, such as natural gas liquefaction, LNG reliquefaction, whole body cryotherapy and cryopreservation, require cooling in the temperature range from 110 to 150 K. This can be achieved in systems using standard refrigeration compressors, which are reliable and cost-effective, but are subject to certain operating limits. This paper investigates the potential of a three-stage cascaded refrigeration system based on standard refrigeration compressors in this range of temperatures. The investigation takes into account the vital limitations of refrigeration compressors and aims to look for possible refrigerant configurations (taking into account PFCs, HFCs, HCs and HOs); performance limitations such as cooling power temperature and system COP; and the influences of system architecture (single-stage and two-stage compression). The paper investigates whether it is possible to design a three-stage cascaded refrigeration system using standard refrigeration compressors, and if so, at what cost? This investigation shows that the three-stage cascaded refrigeration system can reach the lowest temperature of 127 K with a COP of 0.179, which corresponds to a Carnot efficiency of 0.262. Moreover, systems based on natural refrigerants are found to be advantageous in terms of achieved temperatures compared to those that use synthetic refrigerants. Furthermore, only the application of R50 (methane) is shown to allow temperatures below 130 K to be achieved, and this is possible only in a two-stage compression cascade system. For most of the investigated configurations, the suction pressure must be below atmospheric pressure to thermally couple cascade stages.
Effect of TiO2 Calcination Pretreatment on the Performance of Pt/TiO2 Catalyst for CO Oxidation
Authors: Cai Jianyu , Yu Zehui , Fan Xing , Li Jian
Published: June 2022

In order to improve the CO catalytic oxidation performance of a Pt/TiO2 catalyst, a series of Pt/TiO2 catalysts were prepared via an impregnation method in this study, and various characterization methods were used to explore the effect of TiO2 calcination pretreatment on the CO catalytic oxidation performance of the catalysts. The results revealed that Pt/TiO2 (700 °C) prepared by TiO2 after calcination pretreatment at 700 °C exhibits a superior CO oxidation activity at low temperatures. After calcination pretreatment, the catalyst exhibited a suitable specific surface area and pore structure, which is beneficial to the diffusion of reactants and reaction products. At the same time, the proportion of adsorbed oxygen on the catalyst surface was increased, which promoted the oxidation of CO. After calcination pretreatment, the adsorption capacity of the catalyst for CO and CO2 decreased, which was beneficial for the simultaneous inhibition of the CO self-poisoning of Pt sites. In addition, the Pt species exhibited a higher degree of dispersion and a smaller particle size, thereby increasing the CO oxidation activity of the Pt/TiO2 (700 °C) catalyst.
Pulsed Laser Phosphorus Doping and Nanocomposite Catalysts Deposition in Forming a-MoSx/NP-Mo//n+p-Si Photocathodes for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production
Authors: Fominski Vyacheslav , Demin Maxim , Fominski Dmitry , Romanov Roman , Rubinkovskaya Oxana , Shvets Petr , Goikhman Aleksandr
Published: June 2022

Pulsed laser deposition of nanostructured molybdenum sulfide films creates specific nonequilibrium growth conditions, which improve the electrocatalytic properties of the films in a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The enhanced catalytic performance of the amorphous a-MoSx (2 ≤ x ≤ 3) matrix is due to the synergistic effect of the Mo nanoparticles (Mo-NP) formed during the laser ablation of a MoS2 target. This work looks at the possibility of employing a-MoSx/NP-Mo films (4 and 20 nm thickness) to produce hydrogen by photo-stimulated HER using a p-Si cathode. A simple technique of pulsed laser p-Si doping with phosphorus was used to form an n+p-junction. Investigations of the energy band arrangement at the interface between a-MoSx/NP-Mo and n+-Si showed that the photo-HER on an a-MoSx/NP-Mo//n+p-Si photocathode with a 20 nm thick catalytic film proceeded according to a Z-scheme. The thickness of interfacial SiOy(P) nanolayer varied little in photo-HER without interfering with the effective electric current across the interface. The a-MoSx/NP-Mo//n+p-Si photocathode showed good long-term durability; its onset potential was 390 mV and photocurrent density was at 0 V was 28.7 mA/cm2. The a-MoSx/NP-Mo//n+p-Si photocathodes and their laser-based production technique offer a promising pathway toward sustainable solar hydrogen production.
Morphology Adjustment and Optimization of CuS as Enzyme Mimics for the High Efficient Colorimetric Determination of Cr(VI) in Water
Authors: Tu Xinman , Ge Linhong , Deng Lamei , Zhang Li
Published: June 2022

Metal sulfide is often utilized as a catalyzed material to form colorimetric response system for some heavy metal detection. While the aggregation effect and conventional morphology limited the catalyzed efficiency. Herein, a robust method based on morphology adjustment was proposed to improve the dispersibility and catalytic performance of CuS. The results demonstrated when the solvent ratio of ethylene glycol and dimethyl sulfoxide arrived at 3:1, it displayed an optimal structure which is like a patulous flower. Meanwhile, an optimal surface binding energy (ΔE) of 120.1 kcal/mol was obtained via theoretical calculation model. The flower-like structure caused a 2-fold increase in the catalytic level. Subsequently, the CuS was employed to make colorimetric detection of Cr(VI) in water. The assay results exhibited a linear range of the Cr(VI) from 60 to 340 nM, the limit of detection was 1.07 nM. In the practical tests for Qianhu lake water, the spiked recoveries were 93.6% and 104% with the RSD of 4.71% and 3.08%. Therefore, this CuS-based colorimetric method possesses a satisfactory application prospect for the Cr(VI) determination in water.
Whole Genome Variant Dataset for Enriching Studies across 18 Different Cancers
Authors: Torcivia John , Abdilleh Kawther , Seidl Fabian , Shahzada Owais , Rodriguez Rebecca , Pot David , Mazumder Raja
Published: June 2022

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has helped to revolutionize biology, but the computational challenge remains for extracting valuable inferences from this information. Here, we present the cancer-associated variants from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) WGS dataset. This set of data will allow cancer researchers to further expand their analysis beyond the exomic regions of the genome to the entire genome. A total of 1342 WGS alignments available from the consortium were processed with VarScan2 and deposited to the NCI Cancer Cloud. The sample set covers 18 different cancers and reveals 157,313,519 pooled (non-unique) cancer-associated single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) across all samples. There was an average of 117,223 SNVs per sample, with a range from 1111 to 775,470 and a standard deviation of 163,273. The dataset was incorporated into BigQuery, which allows for fast access and cross-mapping, which will allow researchers to enrich their current studies with a plethora of newly available genomic data.
First Data on Ornithodoros moubata Aquaporins: Structural, Phylogenetic and Immunogenic Characterisation as Vaccine Targets
Authors: Pérez-Sánchez Ricardo , Cano-Argüelles Ana Laura , González-Sánchez María , Oleaga Ana
Published: June 2022

Ornithodoros moubata transmits African swine fever and human relapsing fever in Africa. The elimination of O. moubata populations from anthropic environments is expected to improve the prevention and control of these diseases. Tick vaccines have emerged as a sustainable method for tick control, and tick aquaporins (AQPs) are promising targets for tick vaccines due to their vital functions, immunogenicity and ease of access by neutralising host antibodies. This study aimed at the systematic identification of the AQPs expressed by O. moubata (OmAQPs) and their characterisation as vaccine targets. Therefore, AQP coding sequences were recovered from available transcriptomic datasets, followed by PCR amplification, cloning, sequence verification and the analysis of the AQP protein structure and epitope exposure. Seven OmAQPs were identified and characterised: six were aquaglyceroporins, and one was a water-specific aquaporin. All of these were expressed in the salivary glands and midgut and only three in the coxal glands. Epitope exposure analysis identified three extracellular domains in each AQP, which concentrate overlapping B and T cell epitopes, making them interesting vaccine targets. Based on these domain sequences, a set of ten antigenic peptides was designed, which showed adequate properties to be produced and tested in pilot vaccine trials.
Microbiological, Clinical and Radiological Aspects of Diabetic Foot Ulcers Infected with Methicillin-Resistant and -Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Stańkowska Maria , Garbacz Katarzyna , Korzon-Burakowska Anna , Bronk Marek , Skotarczak Monika , Szymańska-Dubowik Anna
Published: June 2022

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes. This study aimed to assess the factors with an impact on the infection of diabetic foot ulcers by methicillin-resistant S. aureus and to evaluate the influence of methicillin resistance on the frequency of osteitis (based on classic X-ray images). A total of 863 patients suffering from DFU were analyzed during the study period. Out of 201 isolated S. aureus cases, 31 (15.4%) were methicillin-resistant (MRSA). MRSA infections were associated with a higher incidence of osteitis compared to MSSA infections (p << 0.0001), both the occurrence of smaller (<50%)) and greater (>50%) inflammatory bone changes (p << 0.0001). Furthermore, MRSA occurred significantly more frequently in men than in women (p < 0.01) and more often among patients with type 2 diabetes than among patients with type 1 diabetes (p < 0.05). MRSA were isolated statistically less often in overweight patients than in patients with normal BMI (p < 0.05). DFUs infected with MRSA were significantly more frequently associated with the presence of Pseudomonas sp. and other non-fermenting bacilli than those infected with MSSA (p < 0.05). To conclude, osteitis incidence is related to MRSA infection in patients with diabetic foot ulcers; thus, patients infected by S. aureus should be closely monitored in the course of using antibiotics and treated with narrow-spectrum antibiotics.
Phototransformations of 2,3-Diamino-2-Butenedinitrile (DAMN) Monomers Isolated in Low-Temperature Argon Matrix
Authors: Reva Igor , Rostkowska Hanna , Lapinski Leszek
Published: June 2022

UV-induced transformations were studied for monomers of 2,3-diamino-2-butenedinitrile (DAMN) isolated in argon matrices. Photoinduced hydrogen-atom transfer was found to be the major process occurring upon UV (λ > 320 nm or λ > 295 nm) excitation of matrix-isolated DAMN monomers. As a result of the transfer of a hydrogen atom from an amino group to a nitrile fragment, a tautomer of DAMN involving a ketenimine group was generated. Identification of this photo-produced species was based on comparison of its experimental IR spectrum with the spectrum theoretically predicted for the ketenimine form. Another product photogenerated upon UV (λ > 320 nm, λ > 295 nm, or λ > 270 nm) irradiation of DAMN isolated in Ar matrices was identified as 4-amino-1H-imidazole-5-carbonitrile (AICN). The structure of this photoproduct was unambiguously assigned on the basis of an exact match of wavenumbers of the bands in the IR spectrum of this photogenerated species and the wavenumbers of IR bands of AICN trapped (in a separate experiment) from the gas phase into an Ar matrix.
Experimental Realization of Reconfigurable Photonic Lattices in Coherent Rydberg Atomic Vapors
Authors: Liang Shun , Yu Qingsong , Lei Xing , Ning Shaohuan , Li Changbiao , Zhang Yanpeng , Zhang Zhaoyang
Published: June 2022

We experimentally demonstrated the formation of a one-dimensional electromagnetically induced optical lattice in coherently prepared three-level 85Rb Rydberg atomic vapors with electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The one-dimensional photonic lattice was optically induced by a coupling field with a spatially periodical intensity distribution deriving from the interference of two strong Gaussian beams from the same laser source (~480 nm). Under the Rydberg-EIT condition, the incident weak probe beam can feel a tunable spatially modulated susceptibility, which is verified by the controllable discrete diffraction pattern observed at the output plane of the vapor cell. This investigation not only opens the door for experimentally introducing the strong interaction between Rydberg atoms to govern the beam dynamics in photonic lattices based on atomic coherence but also provides an easily accessible periodic environment for exploring Rydberg-atom physics and related applications.
Laser Self-Mixing Interferometer Based on Multiple Reflections and Phase-Modulation Technique
Authors: Wang Xiulin , Lv Liping , Zhu Desheng , Chen Hanqiao , Huang Wencai
Published: June 2022

An improved method combining multiple reflections with the phase-modulation technique (MR-PM) is proposed to construct a self-mixing interferometer with high accuracy. The phase modulation is performed by using an electro-optic modulator that is placed in the external cavity. To broaden the harmonic components spectrum of the self-mixing signal, the multiple-reflection technique is employed. By extracting orthogonal signals from the spectrum, phase demodulation is implemented to realize displacement reconstruction. The principle and signal processing approach are described in detail. A series of simulations and experiments indicate that the measurement accuracy of the system can be effectively improved with the increase in reflection times. The vibration with an amplitude of 44 nm has been proved to be measurable with a reconstruction error less than 3 nm. Due to the advantages of high accuracy and broad measurement range, the proposed method will play a significant role in the field of non-contact nanometer vibration measurement.
Endophytic Fungal and Bacterial Microbiota Shift in Rice and Barnyardgrass Grown under Co-Culture Condition
Authors: Li Shuyan , Yan Qiling , Wang Jieyu , Peng Qiong
Published: June 2022

Although barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli L.) is more competitive than rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the aboveground part, little is known about whether barnyardgrass is still competitive in recruiting endophytes and the root microbiota composition variation of rice under the barnyardgrass stress. Here, by detailed temporal characterization of root-associated microbiomes of rice plants during co-planted barnyardgrass stress and a comparison with the microbiomes of unplanted soil, we found that the bacterial community diversity of rice was dramatically higher while the fungal community richness was significantly lower than that of barnyardgrass at BBCH 45 and 57. More importantly, rice recruited more endophytic bacteria at BBCH 45 and 57, and more endophytic fungi at BBCH 17, 24, 37 to aginst the biotic stress from barnyardgrass. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) showed that rice and barnyardgrass had different community compositions of endophytic bacteria and fungi in roots. The PICRUSt predictive analysis indicated that majority of metabolic pathways of bacteria were overrepresented in barnyardgrass. However, eleven pathways were significantly presented in rice. In addition, rice and barnyardgrass harbored different fungal trophic modes using FUNGuild analysis. A negative correlation between bacteria and fungi in rice and barnyardgrass roots was found via network analysis. Actinobacteria was the vital bacteria in rice, while Proteobacteria dominated in barnyardgrass, and Ascomycota was the vital fungi in each species. These findings provided data and a theoretical basis for the in-depth understanding of the competition of barnyardgrass and endophytes and have implications relevant to weed prevention and control strategies using root microbiota.
Viscoelastic Behavior and Phase Structure of High-Content SBS-Modified Asphalt
Authors: Yuan Dongdong , Xing Chengwei , Jiang Wei , Xiao Jingjing , Wu Wangjie , Li Pengfei , Li Yupeng
Published: June 2022

To investigate the effect of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) modifier content on the viscoelastic behavior of SBS-modified asphalt (SBSMA) at different temperatures and phase structures, the star SBS modifier was chosen to fabricate seven types of SBSMA with different contents. Multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR), linear amplitude sweep (LAS), and low-temperature frequency sweep tests were adopted to study the influence of SBS modifier content on the viscoelastic performance of SBSMA at high to low temperatures. The SBSMA’s microstructure with different contents was investigated using a fluorescence microscope. The results indicated that the change in non-recoverable creep compliance and creep recovery rate was bounded by 4.5% content at high temperatures, with an apparent turning point. The changing slope of content at less than 4.5% was much higher than that of the content greater than 4.5%. At medium temperatures, the fatigue life of SBSMA increased exponentially with the rising modifier content. The rate of increase in fatigue life was the largest as the content increased from 4.5% to 6.0%. At low temperatures, the low-temperature viscoelastic property index G (60 s) of SBSMA decreased logarithmically as the modifier content increased. In terms of the microscopic phase structure, the SBS modifier gradually changed from the dispersed to the continuous phase state with the increasing SBS modifier content.
Potential for Biomethanisation of CO2 from Anaerobic Digestion of Organic Wastes in the United Kingdom
Authors: Bywater Angela , Heaven Sonia , Zhang Yue , Banks Charles J.
Published: June 2022

The United Kingdom (UK) has a decarbonisation strategy that includes energy from both hydrogen and biomethane. The latter comes from the growing anaerobic digestion (AD) market, which in 2020 produced 23.3 TWh of energy in the form of biogas. According to the strategy, this must be upgraded to biomethane by removal of carbon dioxide (CO2): a goal that could also be fulfilled through CO2 biomethanisation, alleviating the need for carbon capture and storage. Results are presented from a survey of publicly available datasets coupled with modelling to identify potential scale and knowledge gaps. Literature data were used to estimate maximum biomethane concentrations by feedstock type: these ranged from 79% for food wastes to 93% for livestock manures. Data from various government sources were used to estimate the overall potential for CO2 biomethanisation with current AD infrastructure. Values for the uplift in biomethane production ranged from 57% to 61%, but the need for more consistent data collection methodologies was highlighted. On average, however, if CO2 biomethanisation was applied in all currently operating UK AD plants an energy production uplift of 12,954 GWh could be achieved based on 2020 figures. This is sufficient to justify the inclusion of CO2 biomethanisation in decarbonisation strategies, in the UK and worldwide.
An Integrated Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making Model for New Product Development: The Case of Taiwan Organic Light-Emitting Diode Industry
Authors: Chen Wen-Chin , Lin Pao-Wen , Deng Wei-Jaw
Published: June 2022

Due to the strong demand for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display products and the highly competitive global market, OLED enterprises need to proactively make product innovations for presuming business competitive advantage, high sales, high profits, high customer consuming value, and the sustainability of the enterprise. A suitable multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model for OLED new product development (NPD) can help OLED enterprises’ R&D team to minimize risks and maximize the success rate of NPD. However, the literature reviews of the MCDM model for OLED NPD are very rare. This study aims to propose the approaches for establishing an integrated MCDM model for OLED NPD that apply three methodologies which include the literature review and expert panel, Interpretive structural modeling (ISM), and Fuzzy analytic network process (FANP). Meanwhile, after the implication of the proposed approaches in the case study of Taiwan OLED NPD, this study proposes an integrated MCDM model for OLED NPD in Taiwan. The research results reveal fifteen evaluation criteria of OLED NPD and their relative weight. Furthermore, the research results reveal the top three important criteria are return on investment, expert research and industry evaluation, and R&D funding preparation. The proposed approaches can be applied in other industries for establishing an integrated MCDM model for their own NPD. The proposed integrated MCDM model for OLED NPD in Taiwan can help enterprises in the Taiwan OLED industry to develop new OLED products in an efficient way and to boost sales, profits, and competitive advantages. Besides, this study enriches the research references of MCDM model for NPD and OLED field.
Physical and Mechanical Characterization of a Functionalized Cotton Fabric with Nanocomposite Based on Silver Nanoparticles and Carboxymethyl Chitosan Using Green Chemistry
Authors: Quispe-Quispe Linda Gabriela , Limpe-Ramos Patricia , Arenas-Chávez Carlos Alberto , Gomez Monica Marcela , Mejia Christian R. , Alvarez-Risco Aldo , Del-Aguila-Arcentales Shyla , Yáñez Jaime A. , Vera-Gonzales Corina
Published: June 2022

Cotton is the most widely used natural fiber for textiles but its innate capacity to absorb moisture, retain oxygen, and high specific surface area make it more prone to microbial contamination, becoming an appropriate medium for the growth of bacteria and fungi. In recent years, the incorporation of silver nanoparticles in textile products has been widely used due to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and low toxicity towards mammalian cells. The aim of the current study is to synthesize and characterize a nanocomposite based on silver nanoparticles and carboxymethyl chitosan (AgNPs-CMC), which was utilized to provide a functional finish to cotton fabric. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) to produce a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) image showed that the nanocomposite presents AgNPs with a 5–20 nm size. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of silver nanoparticles. The concentration of silver in the functionalized fabric was evaluated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), which reported an average concentration of 13.5 mg of silver per kg of functionalized fabric. SEM showed that silver nanoparticles present a uniform distribution on the surface of the functionalized cotton fabric fibers. On the other hand, by infrared spectroscopy, it was observed that the functionalized fabric variation (compared to control) had a displaced peak of intensity at 1594.32 cm−1, corresponding to carboxylate anions. Similarly, Raman spectroscopy showed an intense peak at 1592.84 cm−1, which corresponds to the primary amino group of carboxymethyl chitosan, and a peak at 1371.5 cm−1 corresponding to the carboxylic anions. Finally, the physical and mechanical tests of tensile strength and color index of the functional fabric reported that it was no different (p ˃ 0.05) than the control fabric. Our results demonstrate that we have obtained an improved functionalized cotton fabric using green chemistry that does not alter intrinsic properties of the fabric and has the potential to be utilized in the manufacturing of hospital garments.
A Biorefinery Approach to Biodiesel Production from Castor Plants
Authors: Sandoval-Salas Fabiola , Méndez-Carreto Carlos , Ortega-Avila Graciela , Barrales-Fernández Christell , Hernández-Ochoa León Raúl , Sanchez Nestor
Published: June 2022

The high consumption of fossil fuels has significant environmental implications. An alternative to reduce the use of fossil fuels and develop ecological and economic processes is the bio-refinery approach. In the present study, the authors present the production of biodiesel from castor plants through a biorefinery approach. The process includes sub-processes associated with the integral use of castor plants, such as biodiesel production, oil extraction, fertilizer, and solid biomass production. Economic analyses show that producing only biodiesel is not feasible, but economic indicators (NPV, IRR, and profitability index) show it is much more feasible to establish businesses for the valorization of products and subproducts of castor plants, such as biomass densification. The internal rate return for the second scenario (E2) was 568%, whereas, for the first scenario (E1), it was not possible to obtain a return on investment.
Incentive Policies for Scientific Publications in the State Universities of Chile
Authors: Troncoso Elizabeth , Ganga-Contreras Francisco , Briceño Margarita
Published: June 2022

Most state universities in Chile (15 out of 18) have monetary incentive policies for scientific publications, but they are based on criteria that do not necessarily aim to improve institutional performance in all disciplines. This work compares affinities and differences of these policies in three areas: (i) type of publications encouraged, (ii) beneficiaries, and (iii) monetary amounts per type of publication. It was found that the 15 universities encourage publications with WoS indexing, 13 do so for Scopus and SciELO, and 6 are open to other databases. Only seven institutions encourage the production of books and book chapters. As expected, the 15 universities direct the incentives to their academic staff, although with different requirements, six accept non-academic staff, and only one university considers its student body. In general, the highest monetary amounts are received by WoS publications, with differentiation by quartile or impact factor of the journal. All in all, there is a clear need to design incentive policies in universities that are more homogeneous and take into account the “quality” and “impact” of the research they publish based on different metrics that tend to provide robust analyses in the different areas of knowledge.
The Topology of Quantum Theory and Social Choice
Authors: Chichilnisky Graciela
Published: June 2022

Based on the axioms of quantum theory, we identify a class of topological singularities that encode a fundamental difference between classic and quantum probability, and explain quantum theory’s puzzles and phenomena in simple mathematical terms so they are no longer ‘quantum paradoxes’. The singularities provide also new experimental insights and predictions that are presented in this article and establish a surprising new connection between the physical and social sciences. The key is the topology of spaces of quantum events and of the frameworks postulated by these axioms. These are quite different from their counterparts in classic probability and explain mathematically the interference between quantum experiments and the existence of several frameworks or ‘violation of unicity’ that characterizes quantum physics. They also explain entanglement, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, order dependence of observations, the conjunction fallacy and geometric phenomena such as Pancharatnam–Berry phases. Somewhat surprisingly, we find that the same topological singularities explain the impossibility of selecting a social preference among different individual preferences: which is Arrow’s social choice paradox: the foundations of social choice and of quantum theory are therefore mathematically equivalent. We identify necessary and sufficient conditions on how to restrict experiments to avoid these singularities and recover unicity, avoiding possible interference between experiments and also quantum paradoxes; the same topological restriction is shown to provide a resolution to the social choice impossibility theorem of Chichilnisky.
A Study on Phase-Changing Materials for Controllable Stiffness in Robotic Joints
Authors: Ma Bingyin , Shaqura Mohammed Z. , Richardson Robert C. , Dehghani-Sanij Abbas A.
Published: June 2022

This paper studies the viability of using a class of phase-changing materials for the design of controlled variable stiffness robotic joints which enable the design of robots that can operate in confined spaces. In such environments, robots need to be able to navigate in proximity or while in contact with their environment to reach one or more manipulated target. Joints with controllable stiffness can substantially enhance functionality of this class of robots where relatively higher joint stiffness is required to support the robot weight against gravity and low stiffness is desired when operating in complex or delicate environments. The research work presented in this paper focuses on examining thermorheological fluids (TRF) to design and manufacture thermally controlled variable stiffness joints. Two phase-changing materials are considered in the study: low-melting-point solder and hot-melt adhesive. Both materials are embedded in a custom designed joint fabricated using 3D printing and silicone casting. Joint stiffness was investigated with both materials and reported here. The results shows that the proposed variable stiffness joints with TRF achieve wide ranges of load-deflection ratio varying between 0.05 N/mm (when thermally activated) to about 10 N/mm (in bonding state). On average, the joint can withstand 20 times its total weight when in the bonding state. Design challenges and durability of TRF-based joints are discussed.
An Overview of Environmental Cues That Affect Germination of Nondormant Seeds
Authors: Soltani Elias , Baskin Carol C. , Gonzalez-Andujar Jose L.
Published: June 2022

For a successful germination and plant growth, seeds must germinate at the right time. Seeds must become nondormant and must fulfill the seed germination requirements. These requirements include light/dark, moisture, temperature, and other environmental cues (e.g., ethylene, exudate from host roots, or chemicals from fire) in the habitat. Seeds come out from dormancy in response to environmental cues, but depending on the species, they may need to be exposed to a second set of environmental cue to germinate. That is, nondormant seeds require specific temperature and water conditions to germination, and sometimes unfavorable temperature and water conditions will cause seeds to enter secondary dormancy. There are still mysteries about how/what environmental cues help seeds detect the right time/conditions for germination after dormancy is broken. Our knowledge of species-specific conditions is incomplete and further studies are needed.
Application of proficiency testing scheme at determining the tank capacity on the results of laser 3D scanning
Authors: Samoilenko Oleksandr , Zaiets Volodymyr , Adamenko Oleksandr , Akolzin Ivan , Glushko Yurii
Published: June 2022

A three-level proficiency testing scheme is proposed in the form of the interlaboratory comparisons for the determination of the tank capacity of all possible types calculated by the laboratories’ own software. The proficiency testing scheme will be available to any accredited or non-accredited laboratory worldwide. Each laboratory chooses from the proposed computational tasks what it needs. To protect the confidentiality of the information within the framework of this scheme, all the Participants generate their individual codes, which they indicate in the file name with the results of their calculations.

The laboratories are suggested to pass successfully three levels of operation characteristics testing ranked by the increase of the set tasks:

1) calculation of the tanks’ interval capacities without introducing any corrections by their 3D models prepared by the Provider;

2) calculation of the tanks' interval capacities by introducing all necessary corrections by their 3D models prepared by the Provider;

3) calculation of the tanks’ interval capacities by scans that have not been subjected to preliminary preparation by the Provider.

To participate in the first level of the proficiency testing, it is necessary to:

— download the program of proficiency testing of the first level from the site SE «Ukrmetrteststandart» https://metrology.kiev.ua/ru/mezhlaboratornye-sravneniya;

— download files with point coordinates on the tank wall from Google disk Comparison: http://bit.ly/vgsucsm;

— calculate interval capacities of the tanks without the introduction of any corrections;

— send files with calibration tables of the tanks to the Provider’s e-mail: vgsucsm@gmail.com;

— if the submitted data is suitable for analysis, then register and pay for the service;

— receive the results of the proficiency testing via your e-mail;

— read the publication of the proficiency testing results in the journal «Measurement infrastructure» https://mi-journal-online.org.

At the first level of the proficiency testing, the payment is fulfilled only for the registration of the Participant and the execution of the documents on the completion of this level.
PEMODELAN TEROWONGAN PADA BATUAN DENGAN METODE FINITE ELEMENT
Authors: Wally Junaida , Riza Muhammad , Setiyarto Y. Djoko
Published: June 2022

Dalam pemodelan suatu terowongan pada batuan sangat penting untuk memperhatikan kondisi geologi dari lokasi terowongan tersebut. Sebab pada batuan terdapat bidang diskontinu yang akan mempengaruhi model suatu terowongan. Dimana salah satunya berupa joint. Joint merupakan bagian lemah dari batuan. Dengan adanya joint maka displacement yang terjadi di sekitar terowongan menjadi lebih besar.

Pada studi ini analisis dilakukan menggunakan metode empirik, dari metode empirik akan diperoleh rekomendasi penggalian dan penyangga yang sesuai dengan kondisi geologi. Kemudian hasil tersebut akan diverifikasi dengan menggunakan metode finite element PHASE2 dan Plaxis 3D Tunnel. Pemodelan tanah/batuan yang digunakan untuk PHASE2 adalah Mohr Coulumb dan Hoek and Brown dengan mempertimbangkan joint maupun tidak ada joint. Pemodelan tanah/batuan untuk Plaxis 3D Tunnel adalah Mohr Coulumb. Pada Metode finite element terowongan akan ditinjau untuk kondisi unsupport dan support.

Nilai yang akan dianalisis pada metode numerik adalah besarnya deformasi yang terjadi di sekitar terowongan, tegangan yang bekerja di sekitar terowongan, bending moment dan shear force yang bekerja pada shotcrete.
EVALUASI KAPASITAS RUMAH POMPA HAILAI MARINA DALAM MENANGGULANGI BANJIR JAKARTA UTARA
Authors: Laksana Aulia Aji , Pratiwi Vitta
Published: June 2022

Karena adanya dampak pemanasan global (global warming), maka meningkatnya suhu rata-rata atsmosfir, laut, dan daratan bumi. Maka mencairkan lapisan es Antartika dan menghangatkan lautan sehingga meningkatnya muka air pada lautan dan mengakibatkan tinggi muka air lebih tinggi dibandingkan permukaan daratan Jakarta Utara yang mengakibatkan banjir dan genangan di kawasan ini, maka dari itu studi yang saya lakukan untuk menanggulangi banjir dengan menggunakan sistem pompa agar air yang ada di kawasan tampungan tidak melimpas pada tanggul dan diturunkan tinggi muka airnya. Pemodelan ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan program sofware HEC-RAS 4.1.0.
3-D Numerical Modelling Of Cakar Ayam System To Maximize Itâ€™s Stability Performance
Authors: Sulaeman Agus , Suro Sajiharjo Marto , Jalali Salihin Bin
Published: June 2022

This paper presents an analysis of Cakar Ayam system using the finite element method. The basic concept of the Cakar Ayam system considers the passive-soil pressure creating a stiff condition of slab-pipe system. This means that the thin concrete slab floats on the supporting soil and the pipes serve as stiffeners slab concrete, stay vertical due to the passive-soil pressure. In this study, the simulation was done to the stiffness ratio of 0.02 to 1.2 under soil friction angle 20 o , bearing capacity and displacement were recorded for each pairs then plotted in the graph.The study was intended to illustrate the basic mechanism of the Cakar Ayam system. Two cases have been considered for the parametric studies. The parameters investigated are thickness of slab and diameter of pipes. It is shown that such a Cakar Ayam system improves the behaviour of the raft foundation. It is also found that all the parameters used in the parametric studies influence the behaviour of the Cakar Ayam system.
ANALISIS STABILITAS LERENG PADA RUAS JALAN ABE-ARSO STA 3+700 DENGAN PERKUATAN GEOTEKSTIL
Authors: CHANDRA ALFIAN ADIE
Published: June 2022

Ruas jalan Abe â€“ Arso merupakan jalur penghubung antara Kota Jayapura dan Kabupaten Keerom dan merupakan jalur utama perekonomian sebelum adanya jembatan youtefa bagi warga Keerom. Longsor yang terjadi pada ruas jalan Abe-Arso STA 3+700 sangat menganggu dan mengurangi aktifitas perekonomian dan dirasa perlu untuk dilakukan penelitian mengenai penyebab dan penanganan longsoran, Salah satu alternatif penanganan longsor yaitu menggunakan geotekstil, karena geotekstil bersifat permanen dan dalam pengerjaan atau pemasangannya tidak membutuhkan waktu yang begitu lama. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh faktor penyebab longsor yang terjadi di lokasi penelitian dan untuk memperoleh angka keamanan lereng jika penanganan longsor  menggunakan geotekstil.

Berdasarkan metode keseimbangan gaya dan elemen hingga di peroleh faktor dominan penyebab dari kelongsoran yang terjadi dilapangan adalah: beban gempa dengan angka keamanan sebesar 0,1116, beban dengan muka air tanah sebesar 0,91. Hasil analisis pada lereng asli dengan perkuatan geotekstil yang dilakukan dengan perhitungan manual diperoleh angka kemanan sebesar 6,4 dan menggunakan plaxis diperoleh angka kemanan sebesar 6,9, kedua nilai tersebut > 1,3, lereng dalam kondisi stabil jika menggunakan perkuatan dengan geotekstil.

 

Kata kunci: Stabilitas lereng, geotekstil, faktor keamanan, plaxis
Les animaux hors d’Afrique peuvent-ils être concernes par la flambée de monkeypox en cours, voire en devenir des acteurs importants / Version en anglais : Can animals outside Africa be affected by the ongoing monkeypox outbreak, or even become important players ?
Authors: Haddad Nadia , Cordevant Christophe
Published: June 2022

La flambée extra-africaine inédite de monkeypox questionne sur le risque de transmission du virus Monkeypox (MPXV) à des animaux des pays nouvellement infectés et sur leur capacité à servir d’hôtes de liaison, voire à constituer des réservoirs autochtones pour ce virus zoonotique. Cette question est d’autant plus légitime que le rôle de réservoir de petits mammifères, rongeurs et écureuils en particulier, est fortement suspecté dans les pays d’Afrique centrale et de l’Ouest traditionnellement infectés. De plus, plusieurs espèces d’autres continents se sont montrées réceptives voire sensibles et capables de retransmettre le virus à d’autres animaux et/ ou des humains. Du fait de la réalité de la transmission interhumaine, il devrait être recommandé, par principe de précaution, d’éviter tout contact et toute proximité entre les humains susceptibles d’excréter le virus et les animaux de compagnie, dont les NAC, les rongeurs synanthropes et les écureuils, afin d’anticiper tout risque même théorique d’infection.
Un ensemble funéraire du Campaniforme / Bronze ancien : le site des « Touches » à Plénée-Jugon (Côtes-d’Armor)
Authors: Blanchard Audrey , Dufournet Annabelle , Leblé Geoffrey , Sassi Mohamed , Polinski Alexandre
Published: June 2022

La fouille menée sur le site des «Touches » à Plénée-Jugon (Côtes-d’Armor) au printemps 2015 a permis de mettre au jour un ensemble funéraire composé de 13 sépultures. Situé sur un replat en milieu de pente, il se développe sur 170 m ² en limite orientale de l’emprise. Les structures funéraires sont des fosses de formes quadrangulaires aux angles arrondis, orientées nord-ouest/ sud-est ou ouest-sud-ouest/ est-nord-est. Si aucun reste osseux n’est conservé sur ce terrain peu propice, les nombreuses pierres découvertes dans les comblements permettent de proposer l’existence de plusieurs dispositifs : coffre de bois mobile, planches, coffrage, système de marquage au sol. Le mobilier est rare et majoritairement en position secondaire. Un récipient céramique atteste d’au moins un geste intentionnel de dépôt associé à une sépulture. Les datations par le radiocarbone (oscillant de 2600 à 1600 cal BC) tout comme les caractéristiques typo technologique du mobilier ne permettent qu’une large attribution de cet ensemble au Campaniforme et/ ou à l’âge du Bronze ancien.
High Order Multi-block Boundary-value Integration Methods for Stiff ODEs
Authors: Ogunfeyitimi S. E. , Ikhile M. N. O.
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we present a new family of multi-block boundary value integration methods based on the Enright second derivative type-methods for differential equations. We rigorously show that this class of multi-block methods are generally $A_{k_1,k_2}$-stable for all block number by verifying through employing the Wiener-Hopf factorization of a matrix polynomial to determine the root distribution of the stability polynomial. Further more, the correct implementation procedure is as well determine by Wiener-Hopf factorization. Some numerical results are presented and a comparison is made with some existing methods. The new methods which output multi-block of solutions of the ordinary differential equations on application, and are unlike the conventional linear multistep methods which output a solution at a point or the conventional boundary value methods and multi-block methods which output a block of solutions per step. The second derivative multi-block boundary value integration methods are a new approach at obtaining very large scale integration methods for the numerical solution of differential equations.