bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crossing Bacterial Genomic Features and Methylation Patterns with MeStudio: An Epigenomic Analysis Tool
Authors: Riccardi Christopher , Passeri Iacopo , Cangioli Lisa , Fagorzi Camilla , Fondi Marco , Mengoni Alessio
Published: December 2022

DNA methylation is one of the most observed epigenetic modifications. It is present in eukaryotes and prokaryotes and is related to several biological phenomena, including gene flow and adaptation to environmental conditions. The widespread use of third-generation sequencing technologies allows direct and easy detection of genome-wide methylation profiles, offering increasing opportunities to understand and exploit the epigenomic landscape of individuals and populations. Here, we present a pipeline named MeStudio, with the aim of analyzing and combining genome-wide methylation profiles with genomic features. Outputs report the presence of DNA methylation in coding sequences (CDSs) and noncoding sequences, including both intergenic sequences and sequences upstream of the CDS. We apply this novel tool, showing the usage and performance of MeStudio, on a set of single-molecule real-time sequencing outputs from strains of the bacterial species Sinorhizobium meliloti.
Molecular Pincers Using a Combination of N-H and C-H Donors for Anion Binding
Authors: Kim Jaehyeon , Kim Seung Hyeon , Heo Nam Jung , Hay Benjamin P. , Kim Sung Kuk
Published: December 2022

A naphthalene imide (1) and a naphthalene (2) bearing two pyrrole units have been synthesized, respectively, as anion receptors. It was revealed by 1H NMR spectral studies carried out in CD3CN that receptors 1 and 2 bind various anions via hydrogen bonds using both C-H and N-H donors. Compared with receptor 2, receptor 1 shows higher affinity for the test anions because of the enhanced acidity of its pyrrole NH and naphthalene CH hydrogens by the electron-withdrawing imide substituent. Molecular mechanics computations demonstrate that the receptors contact the halide anions via only one of the two respective available N-H and C-H donors whereas they use all four donors for binding of the oxyanions such as dihydrogen phosphate and hydrogen pyrophosphate. Receptor 1, a push-pull conjugated system, displays a strong fluorescence centered at 625 nm, while receptor 2 exhibits an emission with a maximum peak at 408 nm. In contrast, upon exposure of receptors 1 and 2 to the anions in question, their fluorescence was noticeably quenched particularly with relatively basic anions including F−, H2PO4−, HP2O73−, and HCO3−.
Late-Stage Functionalization through Click Chemistry Provides GLUT5-Targeting Glycoconjugate as a Potential PET Imaging Probe
Authors: Oronova Adelina , Tanasova Marina
Published: December 2022

The targeting of facilitative sugar transporters (GLUTs) has been utilized in the development of tools for diagnostics and therapy. The interest in this area is promoted by the phenomenon of alterations in cellular metabolic processes that are linked to multitudes of metabolic disorders and diseases. However, nonspecific targeting (e.g., glucose-transporting GLUTs) leads to a lack of disease detection efficiency. Among GLUTs, GLUT5 stands out as a prominent target for developing specific molecular tools due to its association with metabolic diseases, including cancer. This work reports a non-radiolabeled fluoride (19F) coumarin-based glycoconjugate of 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol as a potential PET imaging probe that targets the GLUT5 transporter. Inherent fluorescent properties of the coumarin fluorophore allowed us to establish the probe’s uptake efficiency and GLUT5-specificity in a GLUT5-positive breast cell line using fluorescence detection techniques. The click chemistry approach employed in the design of the probe enables late-stage functionalization, an essential requirement for obtaining the radiolabeled analog of the probe for future in vivo cancer imaging applications. The high affinity of the probe to GLUT5 allowed for the effective uptake in nutrition-rich media.
TRPC Channels in the Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Renal Tubular System: What Do We Know?
Authors: Englisch Colya N. , Paulsen Friedrich , Tschernig Thomas
Published: December 2022

The study of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels has dramatically increased during the past few years. TRP channels function as sensors and effectors in the cellular adaptation to environmental changes. Here, we review literature investigating the physiological and pathophysiological roles of TRPC channels in the renal tubular system with a focus on TRPC3 and TRPC6. TRPC3 plays a key role in Ca2+ homeostasis and is involved in transcellular Ca2+ reabsorption in the proximal tubule and the collecting duct. TRPC3 also conveys the osmosensitivity of principal cells of the collecting duct and is implicated in vasopressin-induced membrane translocation of AQP-2. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) can often be attributed to mutations of the PKD2 gene. TRPC3 is supposed to have a detrimental role in ADPKD-like conditions. The tubule-specific physiological functions of TRPC6 have not yet been entirely elucidated. Its pathophysiological role in ischemia-reperfusion injuries is a subject of debate. However, TRPC6 seems to be involved in tumorigenesis of renal cell carcinoma. In summary, TRPC channels are relevant in multiples conditions of the renal tubular system. There is a need to further elucidate their pathophysiology to better understand certain renal disorders and ultimately create new therapeutic targets to improve patient care.
Drug–Drug Interactions, Medication Adherence, and Stroke Should Be Considered When Approaching the Impact of Acid Suppression Therapy on Chronic Kidney Disease Patients. Comment on Chen et al. Impact of Acid Suppression Therapy on Renal and Survival Outcomes in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Taiwanese Nationwide Cohort Study. J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 5612
Authors: Li Ai-Hsien , Chiu Yen-Ling
Published: December 2022

Chen et al. have published a report in this journal comparing the prognostic impact of a Histamine-2-receptor antagonist (H2RA) and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in patients with chronic renal disease. Based on Taiwan’s National Insurance Database, they concluded that those patients treated with the H2RA demonstrated a dose–response relationship of H2RA to reduced risk of ESRD and overall cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality. In contrast, the CKD patients treated with the PPI were associated with an increased risk of overall mortality. However, from our point of view, there are some methodological and research concerns that need to be clarified by the authors. Otherwise, it would be too early to make a convincing conclusion.
A Novel Parameter for Fatigue Damage Assessment of Laser-Repaired Nickel-Based Alloy
Authors: Zhao Jianyu , Geng Chuanqing , Xie Huimin , Liu Fei
Published: December 2022

The fatigue damage assessment of laser-repaired components is critical to their service safety. However, since laser repairing is an advanced green remanufacturing technology, the current research on its fatigue mechanical behavior and fatigue damage evaluation methods is still immature. In addition, the relevant models used for the fatigue damage evaluation can only indicate the fatigue limit of components, which cannot describe the damage accumulation process of the components during the fatigue testing. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a fatigue damage evaluation method that can describe the fatigue damage accumulation and evolution to reveal the damage evolution mechanism during the fatigue test. In this study, based on the 3D-DIC technique, new damage parameters, i.e., strain average value and strain standard deviation, are proposed to quantitatively describe the damage status of the nickel-based components during the stress-based fatigue process. Then, based on the new damage parameters, a strain average value/strain standard deviation damage curve method is proposed to describe the damage status evolution of the components during the fatigue testing and evaluate its fatigue damage. For example, in the tensile fatigue test, the strain average value/strain standard deviation damage curves of the substrate component and the laser-repaired component can be divided into two damage stages. In the first damage stage, the damage increases slowly with the increase in the cycle number, whereas in the second damage stage, the damage increases rapidly with the increase in the cycle number. At this time, there is a demarcation point between the first damage stage and second damage stage in the strain average value damage curve and strain standard deviation damage curve. The cycle number of the demarcation point can be used as a reference value for the fatigue failure of the laser-repaired component. In addition, the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique was used to verify the validity of the evaluation results from the novel damage parameters.
Microstructure and Corrosive Wear Properties of CoCrFeNiMn High-Entropy Alloy Coatings
Authors: Wang Haodong , Kang Jiajie , Yue Wen , Jin Guo , Li Runjie , Zhou Yongkuan , Liang Jian , Yang Yuyun
Published: December 2022

In order to improve the wear resistance of offshore drilling equipment, CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy coatings were prepared by cold spraying (CS) and high-speed oxygen fuel spraying (HVOF), and the coatings were subjected to vacuum heat treatment at different temperatures (500 °C, 700 °C and 900 °C). The friction and wear experiments of the coatings before and after vacuum heat treatment were carried out in simulated seawater drilling fluid. The results show that CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy coatings prepared by CS and HVOF have dense structure and bond well with the substrate. After vacuum heat treatment, the main peaks of all oriented FCC phases are broadened and the peak strength is obviously enhanced. The two types of coatings achieve maximum hardness after vacuum heat treatment at 500 °C; the Vickers microhardness of CS-500 °C and HVOF-500 °C are 487.6 and 352.4 HV0.1, respectively. The wear rates of the two coatings at room temperature are very close. CS and HVOF coatings both have the lowest wear rate after vacuum heat treatment at 500 °C. The CS-500 °C coating has the lowest wear rate of 0.2152 mm3 m−1 N−1, about 4/5 (0.2651 mm3 m−1 N−1) of the HVOF-500 °C coating. The wear rates and wear amounts of the two coatings heat-treated at 700 °C and 900 °C decrease due to the decrease in microhardness. The wear mechanisms of the coatings before and after vacuum heat treatment are adhesive wear, abrasive wear, fatigue wear and oxidation wear.
Rapid Design, Microstructures, and Properties of Low-Cost Co-Free Al-Cr-Fe-Ni Eutectic Medium Entropy Alloys
Authors: Yuan Jiongpei , Yang Yujing , Duan Shougang , Dong Yong , Li Chuanqiang , Zhang Zhengrong
Published: December 2022

In this study, we establish a mathematical rule for accelerating the prediction of low-cost Co-free AlCraFebNic FCC/B2-structured eutectic medium entropy alloys (EMEAs). The mathematical formulas are c ≥ 1.0, 4.38a + 4.28b + 3.97c ≈ 20.55, and c − a ˃ 1.0. With this rule, we successfully predict the AlCr1.18FeNi2.8 and AlCrFe1.46Ni2.5 eutectic alloys and verify their eutectic morphology by experiments. Both the AlCr1.18FeNi2.8 and AlCrFe1.46Ni2.5 EHEAs exhibit excellent compressive mechanical properties, with yield stress higher than 500 MPa, compressive fracture strength higher than 2450 MPa, and fracture strain > 40%, which can be attributed to their unique lamellar microstructure. Moreover, both alloys exhibit good corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. Among them, the AlCr1.18FeNi2.8 EHEA exhibits better corrosion resistance due to the higher content of the FCC phase.
Spectroscopic Properties of Pr3+, Tm3+, and Ho3+ in Germanate-Based Glass Systems Modified by TiO2
Authors: Kuwik Marta , Kowalska Karolina , Pisarska Joanna , Pisarski Wojciech A.
Published: December 2022

In this paper, the effect of the GeO2:TiO2 molar ratio in glass composition on the spectroscopic properties of germanate glasses was systematically investigated. The visible luminescence bands associated with characteristic 1D2 → 3H4 (red), 5S2, 5F4 → 5I8 (green), and 1D2 → 3F4 (blue) transitions of Pr3+, Ho3+, and Tm3+ ions in systems modified by TiO2 were well observed, respectively. It was found that the luminescence intensity of glasses containing Pr3+ and Ho3+ ions increases, whereas, for Tm3+-doped systems, luminescence quenching with increasing content of TiO2 was observed. Based on Commission Internationale de I’Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates (x, y) analysis, it was demonstrated that the value of chromaticity coordinates for all glasses depends on the GeO2:TiO2 molar ratio. The addition of TiO2 to system compositions doped with Tm3+ ions shifts the (x, y) to the center of the CIE diagram. However, chromaticity coordinates evaluated for glasses containing Pr3+ ions move to a purer red color. Our results confirm that the spectroscopic properties of the studied glasses strongly depend on TiO2 content. Moreover, it can be stated that germanate-based glass systems modified by TiO2 can be used for optoelectronics in RGB technology as red (Pr3+), green (Ho3+), and blue (Tm3+) emitters.
Effects of Recycled Rubber Particles Incorporated as Partial Sand Replacement on Fresh and Hardened Properties of Cement-Based Concrete: Mechanical, Microstructural and Life Cycle Analyses
Authors: Garcia-Troncoso Natividad , Acosta-Calderon Samantha , Flores-Rada Jorge , Baykara Haci , Cornejo Mauricio H. , Riofrio Ariel , Vargas-Moreno Katherine
Published: December 2022

Cement is one of the most valuable materials in today’s society, as it is used in most construction developments known to mankind. However, the energy intensive process and significant environmental impacts related to the production of Ordinary Portland Cement have shown the importance of searching for more sustainable materials. Concrete uses different aggregates added to the cement binder to lower, not only cost, but other factors like environmental burden, while maintaining good mechanical properties. This study analyzes the properties of fresh and hardened concrete incorporating recycled rubber to replace fine aggregate. Locally sourced 2 mm diameter rubber was incorporated in a regular strength concrete matrix into three different replacement levels, i.e., 3%, 5%, and 10%. Compression, tensile, flexural, and modulus of elasticity of hardened concrete were carried out in specimens aged 7, 14, and 28 days. In addition, non-destructive ultrasonic pulse velocity and rebound number tests were only performed on specimens aged 28 days. Once the tests were carried out, the fresh and hardened concrete properties were obtained. Similarly, the compressive and flexural strengths had the exact relationship between the values obtained. On the other hand, the modulus of elasticity tends to decrease due to the presence of the rubber. Consequently, it is recommended not to develop mix designs with more than 5% rubber because it is not meaningfully affected. The fine aggregate can be partially replaced by the rubber, keeping almost the same performance compared with sand-only counterparts. In addition, the life cycle assessment showed a reduction of up to 40% in the global warming potential. In fact, the 15% recycled rubber concrete mix has a climate change indicator of approximately 245 kg of CO2 eq.
Study on Manufacturing via Slip Casting and Properties of Alumina-Titanium Composite Enhanced by Thialite Phase
Authors: Wachowski Marcin , Zygmuntowicz Justyna , Kosturek Robert , Piotrkiewicz Paulina , Żurowski Radosław , Więcław-Midor Anna , Śnieżek Lucjan
Published: December 2022

This paper aims to study the Al2O3/Ti ceramic-metal composite obtained by the slip casting method. Samples containing 50% volume of the solid phase, including 10% volume of the metallic phase, were investigated. The rheological properties were analyzed. Thermogravimetric analysis was performed. The properties of the obtained composite determined the phase composition using and SEM/EDS microstructural analysis and the XRD method. The size of the titanium particles equals 20.6 ± 10.1 mm, which corresponds to 27.5% of the initial size and indicates significant fragmentation of the titanium powder during the manufacturing of the composite. The relative density of the fabricated composites was equal to 99%. The slip casting method allows to obtain the proposed composite additionally enhanced by the presence of TiO2 and Al2TiO5 (thialite). Research results revealed a non-Newtonian character of the composite suspension flow with clear thinning under the influence of increasing shear forces. The obtained composites are characterized by the lack of visible defects (cracks, microcracks and delamination) on the surface.
Pulsation Reduction Using Dual Sidewall-Driven Micropumps
Authors: Atsumi Takuto , Takayama Toshio , Kaneko Makoto
Published: December 2022

Single-cell manipulation in microfluidic channels at the micrometer scale has recently become common. However, the current mainstream method using a syringe pump and a piezoelectric actuator is not suitable for long-term experiments. Some methods incorporate a pump mechanism into a microfluidic channel, but they are not suitable for mass production owing to their complex structures. Here, we propose a sidewall-driven micropump integrated into a microfluidic device as well as a method for reducing the pulsation of flow. This sidewall-driven micropump consists of small chambers lined up on both sides along the main flow path, with a wall separating the flow path and each chamber being deformed by air pressure. The chambers are pressurized to make the peristaltic motion of the wall possible, which generates flow in the main flow path. This pump can be created in a single layer, which allows a simplified structure to be achieved, although pulsation can occur when the pump is used alone. We created two types of chips with two micropumps placed in the flow path and attempted to reduce pulsation by driving them in different phases. The proposed dually driven micropump reduced pulsation when compared with the single pump. This device enables precise particle control and is expected to contribute to less costly and easier cell manipulation experiments.
Room Temperature Reduction of Titanium Tetrachloride-Activated Nitriles to Primary Amines with Ammonia-Borane
Authors: Ramachandran P. Veeraraghavan , Alawaed Abdulkhaliq A.
Published: December 2022

The reduction of a variety of aromatic and aliphatic nitriles, activated by a molar equivalent of titanium tetrachloride, has been achieved at room temperature using ammonia borane as a safe reductant. The corresponding methanamines were isolated in good to excellent yields following a simple acid-base workup.
Optimization of the Acid Cleavage of Proanthocyanidins and Other Polyphenols Extracted from Plant Matrices
Authors: Souza Jesus N. S. , Tolosa Tatiana , Teixeira Bruno , Moura Fábio , Silva Evaldo , Rogez Hervé
Published: December 2022

The chemical mechanism of the acid cleavage of proanthocyanidins (PAs) has been known for decades but has yet to be optimized. Therefore, we optimized this process in Byrsonima crassifolia, Euterpe oleracea and Inga edulis extracts using the response surface methodology and assessed the effect of hydrochloric acid concentration (0.3–3.7 N), time (39–291 min), and temperature (56–98 °C) on the following response variables: PAs reduction, astringency reduction, antioxidant capacity/total polyphenols (TEAC/TP) ratio, and cyanidin content. The response variables were maximized when cleavage was performed with 3 N HCl at 88 °C for 165 min. Under these conditions, the mean PAs value and astringency in the three extracts decreased by 91% and 75%, respectively, the TEAC/TP ratio remained unchanged after treatment (p > 0.05), and the increase in cyanidin confirmed the occurrence of cleavage. Thus, the results suggest that acid cleavage efficiently minimizes undesirable technological PAs characteristics, expanding the industrial applications.
Exercise Capacity, Iron Status, Body Composition, and Mediterranean Diet in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Bayerle Pauline , Beyer Sebastian , Tegtbur Uwe , Kück Momme , Adel John , Kwast Stefan , Pökel Christoph , Kerling Arno , Busse Martin
Published: December 2022

In addition to drug therapy, lifestyle modification, including physical activity, and nutrition management are an integral part of current guidelines for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, evidence on which clinical parameters are most influenced by nutritional behaviour, exercise capacity, or iron status is scarce. For a multicenter intervention study, we included participants with diagnosed CHF (n = 165) as well as participants with elevated NT-proBNP values and risk factors for CHF (n = 74). Cardiorespiratory fitness was tested with a bicycle test, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was assessed with the MDS questionnaire. Our data strengthened previous results confirming that the higher a person’s adherence to MedDiet, the higher the cardiorespiratory fitness and the lower the body fat. Furthermore, our results showed that anemia in patients with CHF has an impact in terms of cardiorespiratory fitness, and functional outcomes by questionnaire. Since our data revealed gaps in iron supply (37.9% with iron deficiency), malnutrition (only 7.8% with high adherence to MedDiet), and both symptomatic and non-symptomatic study participants failed to meet reference values for physical performance, we encourage the enforcement of the guidelines in the treatment of CHF more strongly.
Personality Determinants of Eating Behaviours among an Elite Group of Polish Athletes Training in Team Sports
Authors: Gacek Maria , Wojtowicz Agnieszka , Popek Adam
Published: December 2022

The nutritional behaviours of athletes are determined by environmental and individual factors. The aim of the research was to analyse the personality determinants of the eating behaviour among an elite group of Polish athletes training in team sports. The research was conducted among 213 athletes, using a proprietary validated nutritional behaviour questionnaire and the Neuroticism Extraversion Openness-Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R Personality Inventory). Statistical analysis was performed with the use of Pearson’s linear and Spearman’s signed rank correlation coefficients, as well as multiple regression evaluation, assuming the significance level of α = 0.05. It was shown that the overall index of proper eating behaviour increased with increasing neuroticism (r = 0.132) and decreased with increasing openness to experience (r = −0.143). When assessing individual nutritional behaviours, it was indicated, among others, that with increasing neuroticism, athletes more often avoided energy drinks (R = 0.173), and with increasing extraversion, they more frequently consumed vegetables at least twice a day (R = 0.154). At the same time, the consumption of raw vegetables (R = −0.153), 2–3 portions of vegetables and fruit per day (R = −0.157) and the limitation of sweet and salty snacks (R = −0.152) decreased along with an increase in openness. On the other hand, with increasing conscientiousness, the regular consumption of meals (R = 0.186), dairy products (R = 0.143) and the reduction of sweet and salty snacks (R = 0.148) increased. The model built on the basis of the Big Five personality traits explained, to a very large extent (approx. 99%), variance concerning the general index of normal eating behaviour among athletes. The predictive significance of the personality traits presented in the Big Five model was demonstrated in relation to the quality of nutritional choices among Polish athletes competitively training in team sports, which may be used to personalise the dietary education of athletes.
In-Season Consumption of Locally Produced Tomatoes Decreases Cardiovascular Risk Indices
Authors: Ruiz de Azua Ma. , Cruz-Carrión Álvaro , Muguerza Begoña , Aragonès Gerard , Arola-Arnal Anna , Romero María , Bravo Francisca , Suarez Manuel
Published: December 2022

Tomatoes are widely consumed worldwide at any time of the year. However, depending on the variety, they have a characteristic season. We evaluated the consequences metabolic of consumption of Ekstasis tomatoes from different geographical origin and in different seasons in Fischer 344 rats. The hepatic gene expression of key enzymes in lipid metabolism was also evaluated. Animals were classified in three photoperiods (L6, L12, and L18) and in three treatments (vehicle: VH; local tomato: LT; and non-local tomato: nLT). We measured serum metabolic parameters and the gene expression of liver enzymes related to lipid metabolism (Acc1, Cpt1a, Had, Fas1, Srebp-1c, Fatp5, Cd36). LT consumption in season decreased cardiovascular risk 1 and coefficient atherogenic by 1.81 (p = 0.031) and in L6 decreased TAG and glucose (p = 0.046; p = 0.024). The L18-LT animals had decreased total cholesterol (p = 0.029) and gene expression of Srebp1-c (p = 0.022) but increased expression of Acc1 (p = 0.032). The treatments significantly affected the expression of Acc1 and Fas1 in the liver and the levels of serum TAG and glucose. A significant effect of photoperiod on serum concentration of glucose, insulin, HOMA index, and on the hepatic expression of Srep1-c, Fas1, and Acc1 was observed.
Micronutrient Profile and Carbohydrate Microstructure of Commercially Prepared and Home Prepared Infant Fruit and Vegetable Purees
Authors: Huss Lyndsey R. , Dean Julie , Lamothe Lisa M. , Hamaker Bruce , Reuhs Brad , Goran Michael I. , Lê Kim-Anne
Published: December 2022

Large variability exists in ingredient selection and preparation of home prepared infant purees and there is a lack of data on nutritional quality in comparison to commercially prepared purees. This work had two aims. Study 1 compared the nutritional value of commercially prepared and home prepared infant purees. Food profiles from national food composition databases were used as a proxy for home prepared puree and served as the benchmark for the commercially prepared infant purees. Study 2 focused on a subset of produce that underwent molecular weight analysis to determine differences in carbohydrate profiles. Eighty-eight percent of the measurable micronutrients fell within or above the home prepared norm range with micronutrients falling below the range explained by differences in soil and growing conditions. Physicochemical characterization showed similar carbohydrate profiles with >90% of the carbohydrate fraction in the water extract constituted by low molecular weight sugars for purees produced with home preparation and commercial preparation. The estimated glycemic load (eGL) showed comparable potential impact on blood sugar levels with all purees having a low eGL (<10 glucose equivalent). In conclusion, these data suggest that both preparations provide similar micronutrient density and carbohydrate profiles.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel S-alkyl Phthalimide- and S-benzyl-oxadiazole-quinoline Hybrids as Inhibitors of Monoamine Oxidase and Acetylcholinesterase
Authors: Khan Bilal Ahmad , Hamdani Syeda Shamila , Jalil Saquib , Ejaz Syeda Abida , Iqbal Jamshed , Shawky Ahmed M. , Alqahtani Alaa M. , Gabr Gamal A. , Ibrahim Mahmoud A. A. , Sidhom Peter A.
Published: December 2022

New S-alkyl phthalimide 5a–f and S-benzyl 6a–d analogs of 5-(2-phenylquinolin-4-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol (4) were prepared by reacting 4 with N-bromoalkylphthalimide and CF3-substituted benzyl bromides in excellent yields. Spectroscopic techniques were employed to elucidate the structures of the synthesized molecules. The inhibition activity of newly synthesized molecules toward MAO-A, MAO-B, and AChE enzymes, was also assessed. All these compounds showed activity in the submicromolar range against all enzymes. Compounds 5a and 5f were found to be the most potent compounds against MAO-A (IC50 = 0.91 ± 0.15 nM) and MAO-B (IC50 = 0.84 ± 0.06 nM), while compound 5c showed the most efficient acetylcholinesterase inhibition (IC50 = 1.02± 0.65 μM). Docking predictions disclosed the docking poses of the synthesized molecules with all enzymes and demonstrated the outstanding potency of compounds 5a, 5f, and 5c (docking scores = −11.6, −15.3, and −14.0 kcal/mol against MAO-A, MAO-B, and AChE, respectively). These newly synthesized analogs act as up-and-coming candidates for the creation of safer curative use against Alzheimer’s illness.
Novel Development of Nanoparticles—A Promising Direction for Precise Tumor Management
Authors: Zhang Dengke , Tang Qingqing , Chen Juan , Wei Yanghui , Chen Jiawei
Published: December 2022

Although the clinical application of nanoparticles is still limited by biological barriers and distribution, with the deepening of our understanding of nanoparticles over the past decades, people are gradually breaking through the previous limitations in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors, providing novel strategies for clinical decision makers. The transition of nanoparticles from passive targeting to active tumor-targeting by abundant surface-modified nanoparticles is also a development process of precision cancer treatment. Different particles can be used as targeted delivery tools of antitumor drugs. The mechanism of gold nanoparticles inducing apoptosis and cycle arrest of tumor cells has been discovered. Moreover, the unique photothermal effect of gold nanoparticles may be widely used in tumor therapy in the future, with less side effects on surrounding tissues. Lipid-based nanoparticles are expected to overcome the blood–brain barrier due to their special characteristics, while polymer-based nanoparticles show better biocompatibility and lower toxicity. In this paper, we discuss the development of nanoparticles in tumor therapy and the challenges that need to be addressed.
Effects of Pine Needle Extracts on the Degradation of LLDPE
Authors: Li Xiangyao , Zhang Jie , Liu Chengchao , Mu Wenmin , Kong Zhe , Li Yan , Wang Zhongwei , Yu Qing , Cheng Guiqing , Chen Long
Published: December 2022

Polyolefin suffers from degradation during processing and application. To prolong the service life, antioxidants are needed in the packing formula of polyolefin products. The usage of natural antioxidants could avoid potential health hazards aroused by synthetic ones. Pine needles have long lives and hardly rot, suggesting their high resistance to degradation. To provide a new candidate of natural antioxidants and add more value to pine needles, pine needle extracts (PNE) were investigated as the antioxidant of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). PNE-modified LLDPE (PE-PNE) exhibited much better short-term and long-term aging resistance than pure LLDPE (PE): Oxidation induction time (OIT) of PE-PNE was 52 times higher than that of PE, and the increments of carbonyl index (CI) of PE-PNE-1st samples placed under daylight and in the dark were approximately 75% and 63% of PE under the same conditions. It could be attributed to the attractive antioxidant capacity of PNE (IC50 of DPPH radical scavenging was 115 μg/mL). In addition, the PE-PNE sample showed high processing stability and maintenance of the mechanical property during multiple extrusions: only a 0.2 g/10 min decrease in melting flow rate was found after five extrusions; the tensile strength and elongation at break were almost unchanged. All results reveal that pine needle extracts could play a role in LLDPE stabilization. Moreover, as pine needles are mainly considered a kind of waste, the present study would benefit the budget-reducing polyolefin industry.
Exploring the Materials and Condition of 20th-Century Dolls in Zoe Leonard’s Mouth Open, Teeth Showing 2000
Authors: Lee Judith , Ireland Libby , Townsend Joyce H. , Ormsby Bronwyn , Bartoletti Angelica , Cane Deborah , Da Ros Simoní , King Rose , del Gaudio Isabella , Curran Katherine
Published: December 2022

Systematic condition and analytical surveys were carried out on Zoe Leonard’s (b. 1961) Mouth Open, Teeth Showing 2000, an installation artwork in Tate’s collection consisting of 162 children’s dolls. The dolls were manufactured at various points within the 20th century and encompass several potentially problematic synthetic polymers found in modern and contemporary museum collections. To explore the doll materials and conservation condition, a multi-analytical approach was used to identify key synthetic polymer types and additives present, including portable and bench analytical techniques. Challenging degradation phenomena associated with different types of doll have been discussed and related to their material composition, which has helped our understanding of the conservation challenges inherent to this contemporary artwork.
Analyzing Intra-Cycle Velocity Profile and Trunk Inclination during Wheelchair Racing Propulsion
Authors: Poulet Yoann , Brassart Florian , Simonetti Emeline , Pillet Hélène , Faupin Arnaud , Sauret Christophe
Published: December 2022

The analysis of intra-cycle velocity profile of manual wheelchair (MWC) users has been used to highlight the significant role of trunk inertia in propulsion biomechanics. Maximal wheelchair linear velocity has previously been observed to be reached after the release of the handrims both during sports activities and daily life propulsion. This paper provides a combined analysis of linear velocity and trunk kinematics in elite wheelchair racing athletes during straight-line propulsion at stabilized speeds. MWC and trunk kinematics of eight athletes (level: 7 elite, 1 intermediate; classification: T54 (5), T53 (2) and T52 (1)) were monitored during 400 m races using inertial measurement units. An average propulsion cycle was computed for each athlete. The main finding of this article is the difference in propulsion patterns among the athletes, exhibiting either 1, 2 or 3 peaks in their velocity profile. A second peak in velocity is usually assumed to be caused by the inertia of the trunk. However, the presence of a second velocity peak among more severely impaired athletes with little to no trunk motion can either be associated to the inertia of the athletes’ arms or to their propulsion technique.
Transformer-Based Weed Segmentation for Grass Management
Authors: Jiang Kan , Afzaal Usman , Lee Joonwhoan
Published: December 2022

Weed control is among the most challenging issues for crop cultivation and turf grass management. In addition to hosting various insects and plant pathogens, weeds compete with crop for nutrients, water and sunlight. This results in problems such as the loss of crop yield, the contamination of food crops and disruption in the field aesthetics and practicality. Therefore, effective and efficient weed detection and mapping methods are indispensable. Deep learning (DL) techniques for the rapid recognition and localization of objects from images or videos have shown promising results in various areas of interest, including the agricultural sector. Attention-based Transformer models are a promising alternative to traditional constitutional neural networks (CNNs) and offer state-of-the-art results for multiple tasks in the natural language processing (NLP) domain. To this end, we exploited these models to address the aforementioned weed detection problem with potential applications in automated robots. Our weed dataset comprised of 1006 images for 10 weed classes, which allowed us to develop deep learning-based semantic segmentation models for the localization of these weed classes. The dataset was further augmented to cater for the need of a large sample set of the Transformer models. A study was conducted to evaluate the results of three types of Transformer architectures, which included Swin Transformer, SegFormer and Segmenter, on the dataset, with SegFormer achieving final Mean Accuracy (mAcc) and Mean Intersection of Union (mIoU) of 75.18% and 65.74%, while also being the least computationally expensive, with just 3.7 M parameters.
Wireless Communications for Smart Manufacturing and Industrial IoT: Existing Technologies, 5G and Beyond
Authors: Noor-A-Rahim Md. , John Jobish , Firyaguna Fadhil , Sherazi Hafiz Husnain Raza , Kushch Sergii , Vijayan Aswathi , O’Connell Eoin , Pesch Dirk , O’Flynn Brendan , O’Brien William , Hayes Martin , Armstrong Eddie
Published: December 2022

Smart manufacturing is a vision and major driver for change in today’s industry. The goal of smart manufacturing is to optimize manufacturing processes through constantly monitoring, controlling, and adapting processes towards more efficient and personalised manufacturing. This requires and relies on technologies for connected machines incorporating a variety of computation, sensing, actuation, and machine to machine communications modalities. As such, understanding the change towards smart manufacturing requires knowledge of the enabling technologies, their applications in real world scenarios and the communication protocols and their performance to meet application requirements. Particularly, wireless communication is becoming an integral part of modern smart manufacturing and is expected to play an important role in achieving the goals of smart manufacturing. This paper presents an extensive review of wireless communication protocols currently applied in manufacturing environments and provides a comprehensive review of the associated use cases whilst defining their expected impact on the future of smart manufacturing. Based on the review, we point out a number of open challenges and directions for future research in wireless communication technologies for smart manufacturing.
Angular Misalignment Calibration for Dual-Antenna GNSS/IMU Navigation Sensor
Authors: Kozlov Alexander , Kapralov Fedor
Published: December 2022

We address the angular misalignment calibration problem, which arises when a multi-antenna GNSS serves as a source of aiding information for inertial sensors in an integrated navigation system. Antennas usually occupy some outside structure of the moving carrier object, whilst an inertial measurement unit typically remains inside. Especially when using low- or mid-grade MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers, it is either impossible or impractical to physically align IMU-sensitive axes and GNSS antenna baselines within some 1–3 degrees due to the micromechanical nature of the inertial sensors: they are just too small to have any physical reference features to align to. However, in some applications, it is desirable to line up all sensors within a fraction-of-a-degree level of accuracy. One may imagine solving this problem via the long-term averaging of sensor signals in different positions to ensure observability and then using angle differences for analytical compensation. We suggest faster calibration in special rotations using sensor fusion. Apart from quicker convergence, this method also accounts for run-to-run inertial sensor bias instability. In addition, it allows further on-the-fly finer calibration in the background when the navigation system performs its regular operation, and carrier objects may undergo gradual deformations of its structure over the years.
Using Barometer for Floor Assignation within Statistical Indoor Localization
Authors: Fetzer Toni , Ebner Frank , Deinzer Frank , Grzegorzek Marcin
Published: December 2022

This paper presents methods for floor assignation within an indoor localization system. We integrate the barometer of the phone as an additional sensor to detect floor changes. In contrast to state-of-the-art methods, our statistical model uses a discrete state variable as floor information, instead of a continuous one. Due to the inconsistency of the barometric sensor data, our approach is based on relative pressure readings. All we need beforehand is the ceiling height including the ceiling’s thickness. Further, we discuss several variations of our method depending on the deployment scenario. Since a barometer alone is not able to detect the position of a pedestrian, we additionally incorporate Wi-Fi, iBeacons, Step and Turn Detection statistically in our experiments. This enables a realistic evaluation of our methods for floor assignation. The experimental results show that the usage of a barometer within 3D indoor localization systems can be highly recommended. In nearly all test cases, our approach improves the positioning accuracy while also keeping the update rates low.
Abscisic Acid Perception and Signaling in Chenopodium quinoa
Authors: Pizzio Gastón Alfredo
Published: December 2022

Food production and global economic stability are being threatened by climate change. The increment of drought episodes and the increase of soil salinization are major problems for agriculture worldwide. Chenopodium quinoa (quinoa), as a resilient crop, is capable of growth in harsh environments due to its versatility and adaptive capacity. Quinoa is classified as an extremophile crop, tolerant to salinity, drought and low temperature. Furthermore, quinoa is recognized as a pseudo-cereal with outstanding nutritional properties. The phytohormone ABA is a key regulator of physiological responses to salinity and drought, among others stressful conditions. In this article we want to revise recent discoveries regarding ABA perception and signaling in quinoa, and evaluate its implications on stress-tolerance breeding of this pseudocereal and other crops.
Methodologische Fragestellungen zu den Werken von Johann
Authors: Mikó Zoltán
Published: December 2022

Die vorliegende Arbeit thematisiert die methodologischen Fragestellungen zum Œuvre von Johann Gorgias. Gorgias war der einzige siebenbürgisch-deutsche Schriftsteller im 17. Jahrhundert, der in Deutschland Erfolge erzielen konnte. Die wichtigste Frage ist, ob es sich um einen deutschen oder siebenbürgisch(-ungarischen) Verfasser handelt. Die Werke von Gorgias entstanden in Deutschland und auch seine literarischen Vorbilder waren deutsche Schriftsteller wie Kindermann und Moscherosch. Die zweite Frage lautet, was wir heute mit Gorgias anfangen können. Die Frage nach der Gattung ist ungeklärt, da sich die Gorgias-Texte aus erotischen, pädagogisch-dozierenden oder z.T. frauenfeindlichen Elementen zusammensetzen.
Von der Conceptual Metaphor Theory zur Deliberate Metaphor Theory
Authors: Putterer Elisabeth
Published: December 2022

Der vorliegende Beitrag bietet einen Überblick über zwei Metapherntheorien, die für die linguistische Metaphernanalyse als wichtige Beschreibungsrahmen gelten. Zunächst wird der einflussreiche Ansatz von Lakoff und Johnson (1980), die Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) mit ihren wichtigsten Grundannahmen dargestellt. Anschließend werden einige Kritikpunkte präsentiert, die auf die theoretischen und methodischen Mängel der CMT hinweisen. Danach wird die von Gerard Steen (2008) entwickelte Deliberate Metaphor Theory (DMT) in den Fokus gestellt, die sich als Erweiterung der CMT versteht und sich zum Ziel setzt, eine umfassende Beschreibung der Metapher mit Berücksichtigung ihrer sprachlichen, konzeptuellen und kommunikativen Dimensionen zu ermöglichen. Schließlich werden die Reaktionen auf den Ansatz und die Debatte um die DMT diskutiert, die theoretischen Schwächen und methodischen Schwierigkeiten des Ansatzes, aber auch sein Erkenntnispotenzial aufgezeigt.
Perancangan Aplikasi DOCU (Dongkrak Cuan) sebagai Strategi IT dan Digital Marketing untuk Membantu Perusahaan dan UMKM
Authors: Sitanggang A S , Syafariani R F , Sari F W , Wartika Wartika
Published: December 2022

Pada perkembangan zaman yang sudah sangat pesat dan sudah berkembangnya industri teknologi informasi, berbagai kegiatan bisnis dari yang terkecil sampai yang terbesar sangat memanfaatkan perkembangan ini untuk menjalankan usahanya. Salah satu cara agar pengusaha bisa menjalankan bisnis diantara banyaknya pesaing yaitu menggunakan digital marketing, digital marketing menjadi cara bagi pengusaha untuk memasarkan produk atau jasa yang sedang diminati oleh masyarakat. Dalam penelitian ini, penulis menggunakan metode Waterfall. Dimana metode ini dilakukan dengan pendekatan yang sistematis, mulai dari tahap kebutuhan sistem lalu menuju ke tahap analisis, desain, coding, testing/verification, dan maintenance. Dalam membuat rancangan aplikasi penulis menggunakan Flowchart, Data Flow Diagram, Diagram Konteks, ERD, dan Tabel Relasi. Hasil dari penelitian ini menghasilkan aplikasi DOCU dengan tujuan penggunaan IT/Digital Marketing dalam meningkatkan penjualan serta meningkatkan performa perusahaan/UMKM. Maka adanya aplikasi penyedia layanan jasa ini juga menjadi jembatan para perusahaan dan UMKM dalam meningkatkan pengetahuan dalam penggunaan teknologi IT dan Digital Marketing.
Educação Básica e o estágio supervisionado dos estudantes do curso de Licenciatura em Computação da UFJF no contexto da pandemia de COVID-19
Authors: Fonseca Figueiredo Vitor , Gonçalves Silva Figueiredo Camila
Published: December 2022

O presente texto tem por objetivo analisar as modificações no ensino ministrado na Educação Básica brasileira no contexto da pandemia do SARS-CoV-2, também conhecido como o coronavírus ou COVID-19. Ademais, busca-se analisar como as mudanças implementadas no ensino escolar no contexto da pandemia impactaram a formação inicial de docentes, especialmente da Licenciatura em Computação da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF).
Promišljanje o nekim moralnim naglascima u naučavanju pape Franje
Authors: Matulić Tonči
Published: December 2022

Autor u doprinosu istovremeno predstavlja i promišlja o nekim moralnim naglascima u naučavanju pape Franje. U prvom dijelu doprinosa predstavlja i analizira moralne naglaske sadržane u njegovu nastupnom dokumentu, apostolskoj pobudnici Evangelii gaudium iz 2013. godine. U drugom dijelu autor ukratko predstavlja glavno nadahnuće moralnog naučavanja pape Franje, a to je božansko milosrđe, koje je istovremeno uzvišeno Božje svojstvo i sama srž Kristove evanđeoske poruke. Treći dio donosi autorova promišljanja o nekim aspektima obnove crkvenoga moralnog govora u porukama pape Franje te pozivu na dosljednost kršćanskoga svjedočenja, a na to se vezuje u četvrtom dijelu ovog doprinosa prikaz i analiza ključnih pojmova Franjine vizije Crkve kao Kristove zajednice koja u povijesti predstavlja sveti Božji narod na putu koji poznaje radosti i nade, ali također žalosti i tjeskobe. Budući da su neka moralna promišljanja i izjave pape Franje u nekim krugovima izazvali burne reakcije i žučljive rasprave, autor u posljednjem dijelu doprinosa ukratko predstavlja razloge i kontekst, a to je posinodalna apostolska pobudnica Amoris laetitia iz 2016. godine, s jasnom porukom, koja se proteže i na zaključak, da u tumačenju moralnoga naučavanja pape Franje treba njegovati ljubav i poštovanje, objektivnost i rasterećenost od predrasuda, a pritom nastojati zahvaćati dublje i cjelovitije u koncilsku viziju obnove moralne teologije u duhu evanđelja i cjelovitoga kršćanskog personalizma.
‘Nev-Heves’ Bir Şairin İlk Şiirleri: Dânişî-zâde Şevket Gavsî’nin ’Bahâr-ı Hevesim’ Adlı Şiir Mecmuası
Authors: EREN Hulusi
Published: December 2022

19. asrın ikinci yarısında doğan Mahmud Şevket Gavsî Bey, Osmanlının son dönem şairlerindendir. Neyzenlik yapan, musiki ile de yakından ilgilenen Şevket Bey klasik edebiyatın son döneminde Gavsî mahlasıyla şiirler yazarak geleneğin devamına katkı sağlamıştır. Bahâr-ı Hevesim, Şair Dâniş Bey ve Gülzâr-ı Şebâb, onun hayatının farklı dönemlerinde kaleme aldığı Türkçe manzumelerini bir araya getirdiği eserleridir. Bunlardan Bahâr-ı Hevesim, şairin ilk eseri olmasıyla dikkat çeker. Eser, 1308/1891’de Gavsî’nin çocukluk yıllarına rastlayan bir tarihte tertip edilmiştir. Mecmua niteliğindeki eserde farklı nazım şekilleriyle yazılan 15 manzume bulunur. Kendisini “nev-heves” bir şair olarak niteleyen şair, şiir yazma hevesine yenik düşerek mecmuasındaki şiirleri kaleme aldığını ifade etmektedir.
Bu çalışmada Şevket Gavsî’nin Bahar-ı Hevesim adlı eseri ele alınmıştır. Eserde bulunan şiirler önce şekil yönünden bir incelemeye tabi tutulmuş, ardından bunların muhteva yönüyle değerlendirmesi yapılmıştır. Böylece şairin edebî şahsiyetine dair bilinenlere katkılar sunmak ve bir eserin daha literatüre kazandırılması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmanın sonunda ise eserin transkribe metnine yer verilmiştir.