bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Usability of a Psychotherapeutic Interactive Gaming Tool Used in Facial Emotion Recognition for People with Schizophrenia
Authors: González Roberto Pablo , Tortadès Ingrid , Alpiste Francesc , Fernandez Joaquín , Torner Jordi , Garcia-Franco Mar , Martin-Martínez José Ramón , Vilamala Sònia , Escandell Maria Jose , Casas-Anguera Emma , Prat Gemma , Ochoa Susana
Published: March 2021

The objective of the study was to test the usability of ‘Feeling Master’ as a psychotherapeutic interactive gaming tool with LEGO cartoon faces showing the five basic emotions, for the assessment of emotional recognition in people with schizophrenia in comparison with healthy controls, and the relationship between face affect recognition (FER), attributional style, and theory of mind (ToM), which is the ability to understand the potential mental states and intentions of others. Nineteen individuals with schizophrenia (SZ) and 17 healthy control (HC) subjects completed the ‘Feeling Master’ that includes five basic emotions. To assess social cognition, the group with schizophrenia was evaluated with the Personal and Situational Attribution Questionnaire (IPSAQ) for the assessment of attributional style and the Hinting Task (ToM). Patients with SZ showed significant impairments in emotion recognition and their response time appeared to be slower than the HC in the recognition of each emotion. Taking into account the impairment in the recognition of each emotion, we only found a trend toward significance in error rates on fear recognition. The correlations between correct response on the ‘Feeling Master’ and the hinting task appeared to be significant in the correlation of surprise and theory of mind. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the ‘Feeling Master’ could be useful for the evaluation of FER in people with schizophrenia. These results sustain the notion that impairments in emotion recognition are more prevalent in people with schizophrenia and that these are related with impairment in ToM.
Inclusionary Housing: An Evaluation of a New Public Rental Housing Governance Instrument in China
Authors: Yan Juan , Haffner Marietta , Elsinga Marja
Published: March 2021

Inclusionary housing (IH) is a regulatory instrument adopted by local governments in many countries to produce affordable housing by capturing resources created through the marketplace. In order to assess whether it is efficient, scholarly attention has been widely focused on its evaluation. However, there is a lack of studies evaluating IH from a governance perspective. Since IH is about involving private actors in affordable housing production, the governance point of view of cooperating governmental and non-governmental actors governing society to achieve societal goals is highly relevant. The two most important elements of governance—actors and interrelationships among these actors—are taken to build an analytical framework to explore and evaluate the governance of IH. Based on a research approach that combines a literature review and a case study of China, this paper concludes that the ineffective governance of Chinese IH is based on three challenges: (1) The distribution of costs and benefits across actors is unequal since private developers bear the cost, but do not enjoy the increments of land value; (2) there is no sufficient compensation for developers to offset the cost; and (3) there is no room for negotiations for flexibility in a declining market. Given that IH is favored in many Chinese cities, this paper offers the policy implications: local governments should bear more costs of IH, rethink their relations with developers, provide flexible compliance options for developers, and perform differently in a flourishing housing market and a declining housing market.
Modelling the Impacts of Habitat Changes on the Population Density of Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) Based on Its Landscape Preferences
Authors: Csikós Nándor , Szilassi Péter
Published: March 2021

The dramatic decline of the abundance of farmland bird species can be related to the level of land-use intensity or the land-cover heterogeneity of rural landscapes. Our study area in central Europe (Hungary) included 3049 skylark observation points and their 600 m buffer zones. We used a very detailed map (20 × 20 m minimum mapping unit), the Hungarian Ecosystem Basemap, as a land-cover dataset for the calculation of three landscape indices: mean patch size (MPS), mean fractal dimension (MFRACT), and Shannon diversity index (SDI) to describe the landscape structure of the study areas. Generalized linear models were used to analyze the effect of land-cover types and landscape patterns on the abundance of the Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis). According to our findings, the proportions of arable land, open sand steppes, closed grassland patches, and shape complexity and size characteristics of these land cover patches have a positive effect on skylark abundance, while the SDI was negatively associated with the skylark population. On the basis of the used statistical model, the abundance density (individuals/km*) of skylarks could be estimated with 37.77% absolute percentage error and 2.12 mean absolute error. We predicted the skylark population density inside the Natura 2000 Special Protected Area of Hungary which is 0–6 individuals/km* and 23746 ± 8968 skylarks. The results can be implemented for the landscape management of rural landscapes, and the method used are adaptable for the density estimation of other farmland bird species in rural landscapes. According to our findings, inside the protected areas should increase the proportion, the average size and shape complexity of arable land, salt steppes and meadows, and closed grassland land cover patches.
Conservative Finite Volume Schemes for Multidimensional Fragmentation Problems
Authors: Saha Jitraj , Bück Andreas
Published: March 2021

In this article, a new numerical scheme for the solution of the multidimensional fragmentation problem is presented. It is the first that uses the conservative form of the multidimensional problem. The idea to apply the finite volume scheme for solving one-dimensional linear fragmentation problems is extended over a generalized multidimensional setup. The derivation is given in detail for two-dimensional and three-dimensional problems; an outline for the extension to higher dimensions is also presented. Additionally, the existing one-dimensional finite volume scheme for solving conservative one-dimensional multi-fragmentation equation is extended to solve multidimensional problems. The accuracy and efficiency of both proposed schemes is analyzed for several test problems.
An Extended SEIR Model with Vaccination for Forecasting the COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia Using an Ensemble Kalman Filter
Authors: Ghostine Rabih , Gharamti Mohamad , Hassrouny Sally , Hoteit Ibrahim
Published: March 2021

In this paper, an extended SEIR model with a vaccination compartment is proposed to simulate the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread in Saudi Arabia. The model considers seven stages of infection: susceptible (S), exposed (E), infectious (I), quarantined (Q), recovered (R), deaths (D), and vaccinated (V). Initially, a mathematical analysis is carried out to illustrate the non-negativity, boundedness, epidemic equilibrium, existence, and uniqueness of the endemic equilibrium, and the basic reproduction number of the proposed model. Such numerical models can be, however, subject to various sources of uncertainties, due to an imperfect description of the biological processes governing the disease spread, which may strongly limit their forecasting skills. A data assimilation method, mainly, the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), is then used to constrain the model outputs and its parameters with available data. We conduct joint state-parameters estimation experiments assimilating daily data into the proposed model using the EnKF in order to enhance the model’s forecasting skills. Starting from the estimated set of model parameters, we then conduct short-term predictions in order to assess the predicability range of the model. We apply the proposed assimilation system on real data sets from Saudi Arabia. The numerical results demonstrate the capability of the proposed model in achieving accurate prediction of the epidemic development up to two-week time scales. Finally, we investigate the effect of vaccination on the spread of the pandemic.
The μ-Basis of Improper Rational Parametric Surface and Its Application
Authors: Pérez-Díaz Sonia , Shen Li-Yong
Published: March 2021

The μ-basis is a newly developed algebraic tool in curve and surface representations and it is used to analyze some essential geometric properties of curves and surfaces. However, the theoretical frame of μ-bases is still developing, especially of surfaces. We study the μ-basis of a rational surface V defined parametrically by P(t¯),t¯=(t1,t2) not being necessarily proper (or invertible). For applications using the μ-basis, an inversion formula for a given proper parametrization P(t¯) is obtained. In addition, the degree of the rational map ϕP associated with any P(t¯) is computed. If P(t¯) is improper, we give some partial results in finding a proper reparametrization of V. Finally, the implicitization formula is derived from P (not being necessarily proper). The discussions only need to compute the greatest common divisors and univariate resultants of polynomials constructed from the μ-basis. Examples are given to illustrate the computational processes of the presented results.
Using First-Passage Times to Analyze Tumor Growth Delay
Authors: Román-Román Patricia , Román-Román Sergio , Serrano-Pérez Juan José , Torres-Ruiz Francisco
Published: March 2021

A central aspect of in vivo experiments with anticancer therapies is the comparison of the effect of different therapies, or doses of the same therapeutic agent, on tumor growth. One of the most popular clinical endpoints is tumor growth delay, which measures the effect of treatment on the time required for tumor volume to reach a specific value. This effect has been analyzed through a variety of statistical methods: conventional descriptive analysis, linear regression, Cox regression, etc. We propose a new approach based on stochastic modeling of tumor growth and the study of first-passage time variables. This approach allows us to prove that the time required for tumor volume to reach a specific value must be determined empirically as the average of the times required for the volume of individual tumors to reach said value instead of the time required for the average volume of the tumors to reach the value of interest. In addition, we define several measures in random environments to compare the time required for the tumor volume to multiply k times its initial volume in control, as well as treated groups, and the usefulness of these measures is illustrated by means of an application to real data.
A Huge Hemorrhagic Epidermoid Cyst of the Perineum with Hypoechoic Semisolid Ultrasonographic Feature Mimicking Scar Endometriosis
Authors: Nam Gina , Lee Sa Ra , Eum Hye Rim , Kim Sung Hoon , Chae Hee Dong , Kim Gwang Jun
Published: March 2021

Epidermoid cysts are small, solitary, and slow-growing lesions that rarely appear in the perineum and mostly arise because of trauma. This study examined a huge perineal epidermoid cyst that slowly grew over eight years in a premenopausal woman. Ultrasonography showed that the hemorrhage in the cyst was a semisolid hypoechoic mass, which mimicked endometrioma, and was tentatively diagnosed as scar endometriosis in the perineum after vaginal delivery. This case study highlights the importance of wide surgical excision and histopathologic diagnosis, even with typical ultrasonography and surgical findings.
Measuring Awareness of Infection Control Guidelines for Patients with COVID-19 in Radiology Departments in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Almatari M. , Alghamdi Ali , Alamri Sultan , Otaibey Mufeed , Alghamdi Ahmad , Alasmari Azah , Alelyani Magbool
Published: March 2021

Due to the contagious nature of the COVID-19 virus, healthcare workers are at a great risk of infection. Since medical imaging plays a significant part in the healthcare system and is often used in the diagnosis of potential COVID-19 patients, the radiology personnel are at a very high risk of becoming infected. Purpose: This study aims to assess the enforcement of infection control guidelines for patients with COVID-19 during medical imaging procedures and raise awareness of infection control in different hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A total of 128 responses were collected from four hospitals across Saudi Arabia using a new structured questionnaire, which was created for health workers by the WHO specifically for this purpose. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. Results: Most participants correctly followed the guidelines of the WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on infection control in the X-ray and general radiology departments. Guideline awareness was higher among magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised tomography (CT) radiographers, which reduced the risk of future infections. Out of the total respondents, 98.4% stated that they had received formal training in hand hygiene. Only 40.6% of participants, however, knew that respiratory droplets are the primary mode of transmission of the virus from person to person. Conclusion: The knowledge of healthcare professionals in the radiology department regarding infection control needs to be continually assessed. A focus on educational interventions on infection control is required in order to maintain well-informed medical staff.
Deep Learning Sequence Methods in Multiphysics Modeling of Steel Solidification
Authors: Koric Seid , Abueidda Diab W.
Published: March 2021

The solidifying steel follows highly nonlinear thermo-mechanical behavior depending on the loading history, temperature, and metallurgical phase fraction calculations (liquid, ferrite, and austenite). Numerical modeling with a computationally challenging multiphysics approach is used on high-performance computing to generate sufficient training and testing data for subsequent deep learning. We have demonstrated how the innovative sequence deep learning methods can learn from multiphysics modeling data of a solidifying slice traveling in a continuous caster and correctly and instantly capture the complex history and temperature-dependent phenomenon in test data samples never seen by the deep learning networks.
Feasibility Study of the Cranial Implant Fabricated without Supports in Electron Beam Melting
Authors: Moiduddin Khaja , Mian Syed Hammad , Ameen Wadea , Alkhalefah Hisham , Sayeed Abdul
Published: March 2021

Additive manufacturing (AM), particularly electron beam melting (EBM), is becoming increasingly common in the medical industry because of its remarkable benefits. The application of personalized titanium alloy implants produced using EBM has received considerable attention in recent times due to their simplicity and efficacy. However, these tailored implants are not cost-effective, placing a tremendous strain on the patient. The use of additional materials as support during the manufacturing process is one of the key causes of its high cost. A lot of research has been done to lessen the use of supports through various types of support designs. There is indeed a noticeable paucity of studies in the literature that have examined customized implants produced without or minimal supports. This research, therefore, reports on the investigation of cranial implants fabricated with and without supports. The two personalized implants are evaluated in terms of their cost, fabrication time, and accuracy. The study showed impressive results for cranial implants manufactured without supports that cost 39% less than the implants with supports. Similarly, the implant’s (without supports) build time was 18% less than its equivalent with supports. The two implants also demonstrated similar fitting accuracy with 0.2613 mm error in the instance of implant built without supports and 0.2544 mm for the implant with supports. The results indicate that cranial implants can be produced without EBM supports, which can minimize both production time and cost substantially. However, the manufacture of other complex implants without supports needs further study. The future study also requires a detailed review of the mechanical and structural characteristics of cranial implants built without supports.
The Concept of a Novel Path Planning Strategy for Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing of Bulky Parts: Pixel
Authors: Ferreira Rafael Pereira , Scotti Américo
Published: March 2021

An innovative trajectory strategy was proposed and accessed for wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), applicable to different and more complex geometries, rather than being a single solution. This strategy, named Pixel, can be defined as a complex multitask procedure to carry out optimized path planning, whose operation is made through computational algorithms (heuristics), with accessible computational resources and tolerable computational time. The model layers are fractioned in squared grids, and a set of dots is systematically generated and distributed inside the sliced outlines, resembling pixels on a screen, over which the trajectory is planned. The Pixel strategy was based on creating trajectories from the technique travelling salesman problem (TSP). Unlike existing algorithms, the Pixel strategy uses an adapted greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) metaheuristic, aided by four concurrent trajectory planning heuristics, developed by the authors. Interactions provide successive trajectories from randomized initial solutions (global search) and subsequent iterative improvements (local search). After all recurrent loops, a trajectory is defined and written in machine code. Computational evaluation was implemented to demonstrate the effect of each of the heuristics on the final trajectory. An experimental evaluation was eventually carried out using two different not easily printable shapes to demonstrate the practical feasibility of the proposed strategy.
HPTLC-Based Chemical Profiling: An Approach to Monitor Plant Metabolic Expansion Caused by Fungal Endophytes
Authors: Salomé-Abarca Luis F. , van den Hondel Cees A. M. J. J. , Erol Özlem , Klinkhamer Peter G. L. , Kim Hye Kyong , Choi Young Hae
Published: March 2021

Fungal endophytes isolated from two latex bearing species were chosen as models to show their potential to expand their host plant chemical diversity. Thirty-three strains were isolated from Alstonia scholaris (Apocynaceae) and Euphorbia myrsinites (Euphorbiaceae). High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) was used to metabolically profile samples. The selected strains were well clustered in three major groups by hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) of the HPTLC data, and the chemical profiles were strongly correlated with the strains’ colony size. This correlation was confirmed by orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) modeling using colony size as “Y” variable. Based on the multivariate data analysis of the HPTLC data, the fastest growing strains of each cluster were selected and used for subsequent experiments: co-culturing to investigate interactions between endophytes-phytopathogens, and biotransformation of plant metabolites by endophytes. The strains exhibited a high capacity to fight against fungal pathogens. Moreover, there was an increase in the antifungal activity after being fed with host-plant metabolites. These results suggest that endophytes play a role in plant defense mechanisms either directly or by biotransformation/induction of metabolites. Regarding HPTLC-based metabolomics, it has proved to be a robust approach to monitor the interactions among fungal endophytes, the host plant and potential phytopathogens.
Fecal Microbiome and Resistome Profiling of Healthy and Diseased Pakistani Individuals Using Next-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Afridi Ome Kalsoom , Ali Johar , Chang Jeong Ho
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we aimed to characterize the fecal microbiome and its resistomes of healthy and diseased subjects infected with multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli using next-generation sequencing (NGS). After initial screening, 26 stools samples belonging to healthy (n = 13) and diseased subjects (n = 13) were selected and subjected to NGS. A total of 23 and 42 antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) conferring resistance to 6 and 9 classes of antibiotics were identified in the resistomes of healthy and diseased subjects, respectively. Bacteroidetes were found to be the major phylum in both healthy and diseased subjects; however, Proteobacteria was predominantly present in the diseased subjects only. Microbial dysbiosis and predominance of various ARGs in the resistome of diseased subjects reflect the excessive usage of antibiotics in Pakistan and warrants immediate attention to regulate the use of various antimicrobials.
Combined Mining and Pulp-Lifting of Ferromanganese Nodules and Rare-Earth Element-Rich Mud around Minamitorishima Island in the Western North Pacific: A Prefeasibility Study
Authors: Yamazaki Tetsuo , Nakatani Naoki , Arai Rei , Sekimoto Tsunehiro , Katayama Hiroyuki
Published: March 2021

An examination of the technical and economic feasibility of the combined mining of the rare-earth element-rich mud (REE-rich mud) and ferromanganese nodules (FN) around Minamitorishima (Marcus) Island in Northwest Pacific is introduced. A previous study showed that the mining of REE-rich mud around Minamitorishima Island was not economically feasible. Therefore, in this study, three changes from the previous mining model to improve its economy are proposed. The first one is combined mining with FN in the area. The second one is introducing a pulp-lifting system that can lift both REE-rich mud and FN at high concentrations through a riser pipe. The third one is the reuse of waste mud and processed slag for construction materials. The economic evaluation results show a change from a slightly negative to quite positive economy depending on the mixing ratio of REE-rich mud and FN in the pulp-lifting. In addition, some technical approaches necessary to realize the combined mining method are introduced.
Monitoring of Ground Movements Due to Mine Water Rise Using Satellite-Based Radar Interferometry—A Comprehensive Case Study for Low Movement Rates in the German Mining Area Lugau/Oelsnitz
Authors: John André
Published: March 2021

In terms of its history and complexity, the Lugau/Oelsnitz mining area is a representative example of many hard coal fields in Europe. The special characteristic, however, is the low water inflow and the associated long flooding process with corresponding low and long-ongoing ground movements. In order to ensure the long-term monitoring of ground movements in the future, an adapted and cost-effective concept based on modern methods should be implemented. The today widely used radar interferometry, is well established as a method but the results offer many possibilities for interpretation, which one should be aware of in order to derive reliable information. Presented are the results of a complex interferometric evaluation, based on Sentinel-1 data from different orbits, and an analysis of the spatiotemporal characteristic of ground movements. The focus of this paper is a detailed presentation of the workflow and an application-related interpretation of the results. The pool of methods used includes radar interferometry, but also spatiotemporal analysis and modeling. The overall objective of this comprehensive case study is to present the possibilities but also the limitations of the application of radar interferometry and to provide a perspective for future monitoring in post-mining areas.
Triterpenes and Phenolic Compounds from the Fungus Fuscoporia torulosa: Isolation, Structure Determination and Biological Activity
Authors: Béni Zoltán , Dékány Miklós , Sárközy András , Kincses Annamária , Spengler Gabriella , Papp Viktor , Hohmann Judit , Ványolós Attila
Published: March 2021

Investigation of the methanol extract of the poroid fungus Fuscoporia torulosa resulted in the isolation of a novel triterpene, fuscoporic acid (1), together with inoscavin A and its previously undescribed Z isomer (2 and 3), 3,4-dihydroxy-benzaldehide (4), osmundacetone (5), senexdiolic acid (6), natalic acid (7), and ergosta-7,22-diene-3-one (8). The structures of fungal compounds were determined on the basis of NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses, as well as molecular modeling studies. Compounds 1, 6–8 were examined for their antibacterial properties on resistant clinical isolates, and cytotoxic activity on human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines. Compound 8 was effective against Colo 205 (IC50 11.65 ± 1.67 µM), Colo 320 (IC50 8.43 ± 1.1 µM) and MRC-5 (IC50 7.92 ± 1.42 µM) cell lines. Potentially synergistic relationship was investigated between 8 and doxorubicin, which revealed a synergism between the examined compounds with a combination index (CI) at the 50% growth inhibition dose (ED50) of 0.521 ± 0.15. Several compounds (1 and 6–8) were tested for P-glycoprotein modulatory effect in Colo 320 resistant cancer cells, but none of the compounds proved to be effective in this assay. Fungal metabolites 2–5 were evaluated for their antioxidant activity using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and DPPH assays. Compounds 4 and 5 were found to have a considerable antioxidant effect with EC50 0.25 ± 0.01 (DPPH) and 12.20 ± 0.92 mmol TE/g (ORAC). The current article provides valuable information on both the chemical and pharmacological profiles of Fuscoporia torulosa, paving the way for future studies with this species.
Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Surface Treatment of Polymers and Influence on Cell Cultivation
Authors: Turkoglu Sasmazel Hilal , Alazzawi Marwa , Kadim Abid Alsahib Nabeel
Published: March 2021

Atmospheric plasma treatment is an effective and economical surface treatment technique. The main advantage of this technique is that the bulk properties of the material remain unchanged while the surface properties and biocompatibility are enhanced. Polymers are used in many biomedical applications; such as implants, because of their variable bulk properties. On the other hand, their surface properties are inadequate which demands certain surface treatments including atmospheric pressure plasma treatment. In biomedical applications, surface treatment is important to promote good cell adhesion, proliferation, and growth. This article aim is to give an overview of different atmospheric pressure plasma treatments of polymer surface, and their influence on cell-material interaction with different cell lines.
Perovskite Light-Emitting Devices with Doped Hole Transporting Layer
Authors: Peng Zhiwei , Gao Yuhan , Xie Guohua
Published: March 2021

Perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have drawn global attention in recent years and have been used in a range of semiconductor devices, especially for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, because of the nature of low-conductive ligands of PQDs and surface and bulk defects in the devices, charge injection and transport should be carefully managed in order to maximize the electroluminescent performances. In this study, we employed three p-dopants, i.e., 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ), 1,3,4,5,7,8-hexafluoro-11,11,12,12-tetracyanonaphtho-2,6-quinodimethane (F6-TCNNQ), and 11,11,12,12-tetracyanonaphtho-2,6-quinodimethane (TCNH14), respectively doped into the commonly used hole transporting layer (HTL) poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine] (PTAA). Compared with the devices with the neat PTAA, those with the doped PTAA as the HTLs achieved the improved electroluminescent performances. In particular, the device with the strong oxidant F4-TCNQ exhibited an improvement factor of 27% in the peak external quantum efficiency compared with the control device with the neat PTAA. The capacitance and transient electroluminescent measurements were carried out to identify the imperceptible interactions in the doped HTL and at the interface between the HTL and PQDs.
Secondary Structure Libraries for Artificial Evolution Experiments
Authors: Sgallová Ráchel , Curtis Edward A.
Published: March 2021

Methods of artificial evolution such as SELEX and in vitro selection have made it possible to isolate RNA and DNA motifs with a wide range of functions from large random sequence libraries. Once the primary sequence of a functional motif is known, the sequence space around it can be comprehensively explored using a combination of random mutagenesis and selection. However, methods to explore the sequence space of a secondary structure are not as well characterized. Here we address this question by describing a method to construct libraries in a single synthesis which are enriched for sequences with the potential to form a specific secondary structure, such as that of an aptamer, ribozyme, or deoxyribozyme. Although interactions such as base pairs cannot be encoded in a library using conventional DNA synthesizers, it is possible to modulate the probability that two positions will have the potential to pair by biasing the nucleotide composition at these positions. Here we show how to maximize this probability for each of the possible ways to encode a pair (in this study defined as A-U or U-A or C-G or G-C or G.U or U.G). We then use these optimized coding schemes to calculate the number of different variants of model stems and secondary structures expected to occur in a library for a series of structures in which the number of pairs and the extent of conservation of unpaired positions is systematically varied. Our calculations reveal a tradeoff between maximizing the probability of forming a pair and maximizing the number of possible variants of a desired secondary structure that can occur in the library. They also indicate that the optimal coding strategy for a library depends on the complexity of the motif being characterized. Because this approach provides a simple way to generate libraries enriched for sequences with the potential to form a specific secondary structure, we anticipate that it should be useful for the optimization and structural characterization of functional nucleic acid motifs.
Techniques for Mitigating the Effects of Smoke Taint While Maintaining Quality in Wine Production: A Review
Authors: Mirabelli-Montan Ysadora A. , Marangon Matteo , Graça Antonio , Mayr Marangon Christine M. , Wilkinson Kerry L.
Published: March 2021

Smoke taint has become a prominent issue for the global wine industry as climate change continues to impact the length and extremity of fire seasons around the world. Although the issue has prompted a surge in research on the subject in recent years, no singular solution has yet been identified that is capable of maintaining the quality of wine made from smoke-affected grapes. In this review, we summarize the main research on smoke taint, the key discoveries, as well as the prevailing uncertainties. We also examine methods for mitigating smoke taint in the vineyard, in the winery, and post production. We assess the effectiveness of remediation methods (proposed and actual) based on available research. Our findings are in agreement with previous studies, suggesting that the most viable remedies for smoke taint are still the commercially available activated carbon fining and reverse osmosis treatments, but that the quality of the final treated wines is fundamentally dependent on the initial severity of the taint. In this review, suggestions for future studies are introduced for improving our understanding of methods that have thus far only been preliminarily investigated. We select regions that have already been subjected to severe wildfires, and therefore subjected to smoke taint (particularly Australia and California) as a case study to inform other wine-producing countries that will likely be impacted in the future and suggest specific data collection and policy implementation actions that should be taken, even in countries that have not yet been impacted by smoke taint. Ultimately, we streamline the available information on the topic of smoke taint, apply it to a global perspective that considers the various stakeholders involved, and provide a launching point for further research on the topic.
Oleogels—Their Applicability and Methods of Characterization
Authors: Flöter Eckhard , Wettlaufer Till , Conty Valentina , Scharfe Maria
Published: March 2021

Oleogels or, more precisely, non-triglyceride structured lipid phases have been researched excessively in the last decade. Yet, no comprehensive knowledge base has emerged, allowing technology elevation from the laboratory bench into the industrial food application. That is partly due to insufficient characterization of the structuring systems studied. Examining a single composition decided upon by arbitrary methods does not stimulate progress in the research and technology area. A framework that gives much better guidance to product applications can easily be derived. For example, the incremental structure contribution concept is advocated as a parameter to compare the potency of structuring systems. These can straightforwardly be determined by combining solubility data and structural measurements in the recommended manner. The current method to determine the oil-binding capacity suffers from reproducibility and relevance. A newly developed method is suggested to overcome these shortcomings. The recommended new characterization of oleogels should contribute to a more comprehensive knowledge base necessary for product innovations.
Insight into the Sorption of 5-Fluorouracil and Methotrexate onto Soil–pH, Ionic Strength, and Co-Contaminant Influence
Authors: Markiewicz Katarzyna , Białk-Bielińska Anna , Łukaszewicz Paulina , Stepnowski Piotr , Dołżonek Joanna
Published: March 2021

Nowadays anticancer drugs (ADs), like other pharmaceuticals, are recognized as new emerging pollutants, meaning that they are not commonly monitored in the environment; however, they have great potential to enter the environment and cause adverse effects there. The current scientific literature highlights the problem of their presence in the aquatic environment by publishing more and more results on their analytics and ecotoxicological evaluation. In order to properly assess the risk associated with the presence of ADs in the environment, it is also necessary to investigate the processes that are important in understanding the environmental fate of these compounds. However, the state of knowledge on mobility of ADs in the environment is still very limited. Therefore, the main aim of our study was to investigate the sorption potential of two anticancer drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and methotrexate (MTX), onto different soils. Special attention was paid to the determination of the influence of pH and ionic strength as well as presence of co-contaminants (cadmium (Cd2+) and another pharmaceutical—metoprolol (MET)) on the sorption of 5-FU and MTX onto soil. The obtained distribution coefficient values (Kd) ranged from 2.52 to 6.36 L·kg−1 and from 6.79 to 12.94 L·kg−1 for 5-FU and MTX, respectively. Investigated compounds may be classified as slightly or low mobile in the soil matrix (depending on soil). 5-FU may be recognized as more mobile in comparison to MET. It was proved that presence of other soil contaminants may strongly influence their mobility in soil structures. The investigated co-contaminant (MET) caused around 25-fold increased sorption of 5-FU, whereas diminished sorption of MTX. Moreover, the influence of environmental conditions such as pH and ionic strength on their sorption has been clearly demonstrated.
Composite Polybenzimidazole Membrane with High Capacity Retention for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
Authors: Duburg Jacobus C. , Azizi Kobra , Primdahl Søren , Hjuler Hans Aage , Zanzola Elena , Schmidt Thomas J. , Gubler Lorenz
Published: March 2021

Currently, energy storage technologies are becoming essential in the transition of replacing fossil fuels with more renewable electricity production means. Among storage technologies, redox flow batteries (RFBs) can represent a valid option due to their unique characteristic of decoupling energy storage from power output. To push RFBs further into the market, it is essential to include low-cost materials such as new generation membranes with low ohmic resistance, high transport selectivity, and long durability. This work proposes a composite membrane for vanadium RFBs and a method of preparation. The membrane was prepared starting from two polymers, meta-polybenzimidazole (6 μm) and porous polypropylene (30 μm), through a gluing approach by hot-pressing. In a vanadium RFB, the composite membrane exhibited a high energy efficiency (~84%) and discharge capacity (~90%) with a 99% capacity retention over 90 cycles at 120 mA·cm−2, exceeding commercial Nafion® NR212 (~82% efficiency, capacity drop from 90% to 40%) and Fumasep® FAP-450 (~76% efficiency, capacity drop from 80 to 65%).
The Isorhamnetin-Containing Fraction of Philippine Honey Produced by the Stingless Bee Tetragonula biroi Is an Antibiotic against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Suarez Angelica Faith L. , Tirador April Dawn G. , Villorente Zenith M. , Bagarinao Cathrina F. , Sollesta Jan Vincent N. , Dumancas Gerard G. , Sun Zhe , Zhan Zhao Qi , Saludes Jonel P. , Dalisay Doralyn S.
Published: March 2021

Honey exhibits antibacterial and antioxidant activities that are ascribed to its diverse secondary metabolites. In the Philippines, the antibacterial and antioxidant activities, as well as the bioactive metabolite contents of the honey, have not been thoroughly described. In this report, we investigated the in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant activities of honey from Apis mellifera and Tetragonula biroi, identified the compound responsible for the antibacterial activity, and compared the observed bioactivities and metabolite profiles to that of Manuka honey, which is recognized for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The secondary metabolite contents of honey were extracted using a nonionic polymeric resin followed by antibacterial and antioxidant assays, and then spectroscopic analyses of the phenolic and flavonoid contents. Results showed that honey extracts produced by T. biroi exhibits antibiotic activity against Staphylococcal pathogens as well as high antioxidant activity, which are correlated to its high flavonoid and phenolic content as compared to honey produced by A. mellifera. The bioassay-guided fractionation paired with Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) and tandem MS analyses found the presence of the flavonoid isorhamnetin (3-methylquercetin) in T. biroi honey extract, which was demonstrated as one of the compounds with inhibitory activity against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC BAA-44. Our findings suggest that Philippine honey produced by T. biroi is a potential nutraceutical that possesses antibiotic and antioxidant activities.
PLGA Based Nanospheres as a Potent Macrophage-Specific Drug Delivery System
Authors: Boltnarova Barbora , Kubackova Jana , Skoda Josef , Stefela Alzbeta , Smekalova Monika , Svacinova Petra , Pavkova Ivona , Dittrich Milan , Scherman Daniel , Zbytovska Jarmila , Pavek Petr , Holas Ondrej
Published: March 2021

Macrophages possess an innate ability to scavenge heterogenous objects from the systemic circulation and to regulate inflammatory diseases in various organs via cytokine production. That makes them attractive targets for nanomedicine-based therapeutic approaches to inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we have prepared several different poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer nanospheres for macrophage-targeted drug delivery using both nanoprecipitation and emulsification solvent evaporation methods. Two experimental linear PLGA polymers with relatively low molar weight, one experimental branched PLGA with unique star-like molecular architecture, and a commercially available PLGA, were used for nanosphere formulation and compared to their macrophage uptake capacity. The nanosphere formulations labelled with loaded fluorescent dye Rhodamine B were further tested in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages and in hepatocyte cell lines AML-12, HepG2. We found that nanospheres larger than 100 nm prepared using nanoprecipitation significantly enhanced distribution of fluorescent dye selectively into macrophages. No effects of nanospheres on cellular viability were observed. Additionally, no significant proinflammatory effect after macrophage exposure to nanospheres was detected as assessed by a determination of proinflammatory cytokines Il-1β and Tnfα mRNA. All experimental PLGA nanoformulations surpassed the nanospheres obtained with the commercially available polymer taken as a control in their capacity as macrophage-specific carriers.
Electrospun PCL-Based Vascular Grafts: In Vitro Tests
Authors: Zavan Barbara , Gardin Chiara , Guarino Vincenzo , Rocca Tiberio , Cruz Maya Iriczalli , Zanotti Federica , Ferroni Letizia , Brunello Giulia , Chachques Juan-Carlos , Ambrosio Luigi , Gasbarro Vincenzo
Published: March 2021

Background: Electrospun fibers have attracted a lot of attention from researchers due to their several characteristics, such as a very thin diameter, three-dimensional topography, large surface area, flexible surface, good mechanical characteristics, suitable for widespread applications. Indeed, electro-spinning offers many benefits, such as great surface-to-volume ratio, adjustable porosity, and the ability of imitating the tissue extra-cellular matrix. Methods: we processed Poly ε-caprolactone (PCL) via electrospinning for the production of bilayered tubular scaffolds for vascular tissue engineering application. Endothelial cells and fibroblasts were seeded into the two side of the scaffolds: endothelial cells onto the inner side composed of PCL/Gelatin fibers able to mimic the inner surface of the vessels, and fibroblasts onto the outer side only exposing PCL fibers. Extracellular matrix production and organization has been performed by means of classical immunofluorescence against collagen type I fibers, Scanning Electron-Microscopy (SEM) has been performed in order to evaluated ultrastructural morphology, gene expression by means gene expression has been performed to evaluate the phenotype of endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Results and conclusion: results confirmed that both cells population are able to conserve their phenotype colonizing the surface supporting the hypothesis that PCL scaffolds based on electrospun fibers should be a good candidate for vascular surgery.
High Gain and Broadband Absorption Graphene Photodetector Decorated with Bi2Te3 Nanowires
Authors: Yoo Tae Jin , Kim Wan Sik , Chang Kyoung Eun , Kim Cihyun , Kwon Min Gyu , Jo Ji Young , Lee Byoung Hun
Published: March 2021

A graphene photodetector decorated with Bi2Te3 nanowires (NWs) with a high gain of up to 3 × 104 and wide bandwidth window (400–2200 nm) has been demonstrated. The photoconductive gain was improved by two orders of magnitude compared to the gain of a photodetector using a graphene/Bi2Te3 nanoplate junction. Additionally, the position of photocurrent generation was investigated at the graphene/Bi2Te3 NWs junction. Eventually, with low bandgap Bi2Te3 NWs and a graphene junction, the photoresponsivity improved by 200% at 2200 nm (~0.09 mA/W).
Application of Multi-Slice Computed Tomography for the Preoperative Diagnosis and Classification of Pulmonary Cystic Echinococcosis
Authors: Wu Lizhong , Pema  , Mu Longlong , Si Mingjue , Xu Jie , Ciren Guojie , Cai Lingling
Published: March 2021

Pulmonary cystic echinococcosis remains a serious threat to public health. A standardized, imaging-based classification method for pulmonary echinococcosis has not yet been developed despite the existence of a standardized ultrasound classification method and treatment plan for hepatic cystic echinococcosis. Chest computed tomography (CT) images from 34 cases of pulmonary cystic echinococcosis with 46 lesions were used for classification based on the World Health Organization (WHO) standardized ultrasound classification of hepatic cystic echinococcosis. CT findings were compared with intraoperative observations and postoperative pathological results to assess accuracy. Pulmonary cystic echinococcosis was common in women (14/34, 41.2%) and children (14/34, 41.2%) with a single cyst (28/46, 60.9%). Most lesions were classified as cystic echinococcosis 1(CE1, 19/46) or cystic echinococcosis 3(CE3, 21/46). Blood leukocytosis was mostly observed in CE3 lesions (100%, 9/9) (p < 0.05). The preoperative CT diagnosis of pulmonary cystic echinococcosis had an accuracy rate of 100%. The preoperative CT typing, and postoperative pathological typing had a coincidence rate of 97.8% (45/46). Our study provided a classification method based on CT imaging for pulmonary cystic echinococcosis that can be used during pre-surgical planning to reduce patient’s postoperative complications and mortality.
Automatic Bias Control Technique of Dual-Parallel Mach–Zehnder Modulator Based on Simulated Annealing Algorithm for Quadrupled Signal Generation
Authors: Bae Youngseok , Jang Sunghoon , Yoo Sungjun , Yi Minwoo , Ryoo Joonhyung , Shin Jinwoo
Published: March 2021

The radio frequency (RF) signal generation method using an external modulator is widely used in microwave photonics applications because it has the advantage of being able to generate coherent and stable RF signals with a higher resolution performance compared to the conventional method. A Mach–Zehnder modulator is widely used as an external modulator due to its high electro-optic coefficients and low attenuation characteristics but has a critical problem in that its electrical characteristics are changed by external environments such as temperature. In this paper, we considered the stabilization configuration to overcome this problem and propose an automatic bias control technique based on the simulated annealing algorithm of a dual-parallel Mach–Zehnder modulator (DPMZM) for quadruple signal generation. The proposed technique searches for the bias voltages of the modulator in real-time through the temperature test. In addition, the output of the quadrupled signal of the DPMZM is constantly controlled throughout the temperature range. Finally, it is confirmed that signals of a 10 GHz and 22 GHz frequency are generated using the intermediate frequency signals of a 2.5 GHz and 5.5 GHz frequency with the proposed automatic bias control technique, respectively.
Comparison of Main Covid-19 Outbreaks and Interpretation Based on Age Differences
Authors: Nguyen Federico , Selce Andrea
Published: March 2021

The main scope of this study is a critical comparison of data coming from different regions in the world, where significant outbreaks of the Covid-19 pandemic took place, accounting for age differences among the considered samples. Scaling laws are derived, driving interpretations of the death toll in the analyzed clusters.