bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of the Acidity Coefficient on the Properties of Molten Modified Blast Furnace Slag and Those of the Produced Slag Fibers
Authors: Du Peipei , Zhang Yuzhu , Long Yue , Xing Lei
Published: April 2022

The online preparation of fibers using molten modified blast furnace slag can not only achieve the high-value-added utilization of the slag but can also make use of the sensible heat of the slag. In this paper, blast furnace slag was modified using iron tailings, and was then used to prepare slag fiber online; the effects of the acidity coefficient on the properties of the molten modified blast furnace slag and modified blast furnace slag fiber were investigated. With an increase in the acidity coefficient from 1.2 to 1.6, the temperature range of the slag melt, with viscosity in the 1–3 Pa·s range, increased from 101.2 °C to 119.9 °C. The melting temperature increased from 1326.2 °C to 1388.7 °C, and the suitable fiber-forming temperature range increased from 70.7 °C to 82.9 °C. With the increasing acidity coefficient, the crystallization temperature of the molten modified slag decreased markedly. When the acidity coefficient was greater than 1.4, the slag system was still in a disordered glassy phase at 1100 °C. The hardening speed gradually reduced with the increasing acidity coefficient when the modified slag was cooled at the critical cooling rate, resulting in a gradual increase in fiber formability. The fibers prepared from the modified slag at different acidity coefficients had smooth surfaces, and were arranged in a crossed manner at the macroscopic level. Their color was white, and small quantities of slag balls were doped inside the fibers. With an increase in the acidity coefficient from 1.2 to 1.6, the average fiber diameter increased from 4.2 μm to 8.2 μm, and their slag ball content increased from 0.73% to 4.49%. Overall, the acidity coefficient of modified blast furnace slag should be less than 1.5 in actual production.
Test and Microstructural Analysis of a Steel Slag Cement-Based Material Using the Response Surface Method
Authors: Zhang Xuanshuo , Li Hongbo , Li Sheng , Ding Yongfa , Zhang Hubiao , Tong Yufei , Hua Shudong
Published: April 2022

In this study, the silica fume replacement rate, fly ash replacement rate, and curing temperature were regarded as the independent variables, and the compressive and flexural strengths were regarded as the response values. The response surface method was used to construct the response surface polynomial regression model and obtain the optimal preparation parameters of a steel slag cement-based gel slurry (SCGS). The univariate and multivariate effects on the SCGS’s strength were investigated via analysis of variance and a three-dimensional surface model, and the hydration products and strength development law were characterized via scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The actual compressive strengths at 3 and 28 d of age were 31.78 and 53.94 MPa, respectively, which were close to the predicted values (32.59 and 55.81 MPa, respectively), demonstrating that the optimized strengths were accurate and reliable. Further, the hydration reaction rate of SiO2 in the silica fume and the physical filling effect of the inert components of fly ash and steel slag under the optimal parameters were the key factors for the early strength of the material. Moreover, continuous C3S hydration in steel slag and the continuous excitation of the volcanic ash properties of fly ash were important factors for the later strength.
Material Extrusion of Structural Polymer–Aluminum Joints—Examining Shear Strength, Wetting, Polymer Melt Rheology and Aging
Authors: Bechtel Stephan , Schweitzer Rouven , Frey Maximilian , Busch Ralf , Herrmann Hans-Georg
Published: April 2022

Generating polymer–metal structures by means of additive manufacturing offers huge potential for customized, sustainable and lightweight solutions. However, challenges exist, primarily with regard to reliability and reproducibility of the additively generated joints. In this study, the polymers ABS, PETG and PLA, which are common in material extrusion, were joined to grit-blasted aluminum substrates. Temperature dependence of polymer melt rheology, wetting and tensile single-lap-shear strength were examined in order to obtain appropriate thermal processing conditions. Joints with high adhesive strength in the fresh state were aged for up to 100 days in two different moderate environments. For the given conditions, PETG was most suitable for generating structural joints. Contrary to PETG, ABS–aluminum joints in the fresh state as well as PLA–aluminum joints in the aged state did not meet the demands of a structural joint. For the considered polymers and processing conditions, this study implies that the suitability of a polymer and a thermal processing condition to form a polymer–aluminum joint by material extrusion can be evaluated based on the polymer’s rheological properties. Moreover, wetting experiments improved estimation of the resulting tensile single-lap-shear strength.
Low-Power Laser Powder Bed Fusion Processing of Scalmalloy®
Authors: Martucci Alessandra , Aversa Alberta , Manfredi Diego , Bondioli Federica , Biamino Sara , Ugues Daniele , Lombardi Mariangela , Fino Paolo
Published: April 2022

Among recently developed high-strength and lightweight alloys, the high-performance Scalmalloy® certainly stands out for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) production. The primary goal of this study was to optimize the Scalmalloy® LPBF process parameters by setting power values suitable for the use of lab-scale machines. Despite that these LPBF machines are commonly characterized by considerably lower maximum power values (around 100 W) compared to industrial-scale machines (up to 480 W), they are widely used when quick setup and short processing time are needed and a limited amount of powder is available. In order to obtain the optimal process parameters, the influence of volumetric energy density (VED) on the sample porosity, microstructure and mechanical properties was accurately studied. The obtained results reveal the stability of the microstructural and mechanical behaviour of the alloy for VEDs higher than 175 Jmm−3. In this way, an energy-and-time-saving choice at low VEDs can be taken for the LPBF production of Scalmalloy®. After identifying the low-power optimized process parameters, the effects of the heat treatment on the microstructural and mechanical properties were investigated. The results prove that low-VED heat-treated samples produced with an LPBF lab-scale machine can achieve outstanding mechanical performance compared with the results of energy-intensive industrial production.
Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Evolution of TiNi-Based Intermetallic Alloy with Nb Addition
Authors: Yang Hsin-Feng , Chen Tao-Hsing , Syu Ying-Ying
Published: April 2022

TiNi intermetallic alloys were prepared with 2, 4 and 6 at.% niobium (Nb) addition. The mechanical properties and microstructures of the alloys were investigated under both static (1 × 10−1 to 1 × 10−3 s−1) and dynamic (4 × 103 to 6 × 103 s−1) loading conditions. The intermetallic alloy structures and surface morphologies of the alloys were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. In addition, the fracture morphologies were observed by optical microscopy (OM). It was shown that the addition of 2 to 4 at.% Nb increased the strength of the TiNi alloy. However, as the level of Nb addition was further increased to 6 at.%, a significant reduction in strength occurred. For a constant Nb addition, the plastic flow stress and strain rate sensitivity increased with increasing strain rate under both loading conditions (static and dynamic). The XRD and SEM results showed that the original surface morphologies were composed primarily of dendritic structures and fine β-Nb + TiNi eutectic systems. Moreover, the OM results showed that the alloys underwent a transition from a brittle fracture mode to a ductile fracture mode as the level of Nb addition increased.
Mechanical Properties and Axial Compression Deformation Property of Steel Fiber Reinforced Self-Compacting Concrete Containing High Level Fly Ash
Authors: Liu Pan , Hai Ran , Liu Junxia , Huang Zhiquan
Published: April 2022

The cement industry has brought serious environmental pollution problems. In the background of ecological civilization, accelerating rational use of waste resources plays an important role in protecting the environment. In this study, self-compacting concrete (SCC) is prepared using fly ash and lime powder as supplementary cementitious materials by replacing 50%, 60%, and 70% of ordinary Portland cement. By systematically analyzing the influence of the fly ash replacement rate on the workability and mechanical properties of SCC, steel-fiber-reinforced SCC containing 60% fly ash is chosen for further study, and steel fiber is added at the percentages of 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1.00%. The performances in fresh and hardened states are investigated in terms of workability, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and axial compression deformation property. The obtained outcomes indicate that although the incorporation of fly ash can improve the workability of the mixture, there is a negative correlation between the mechanical properties of SCC and the fly ash replacement rate. For steel-fiber-reinforced SCC containing 60% fly ash, when the content of steel fibers exceeds 0.75%, the workability decreases sharply, and even when the volume fraction is 1.00%, the passing ability cannot meet the requirements of the technical specifications for applications of self-compacting concrete. The analysis results for mechanical properties show that compressive strength is not changed significantly with increasing percentage of steel fibers. The steel fibers strengthen splitting tensile strength and flexural strength significantly, and compared with that of without steel fibers, they increased by 22% and 58%, respectively, with steel fibers up to 1.00%. Additionally, the parameters of the axial compression deformation property are improved by introducing steel fibers, especially the strain energy (Vε) and relative toughness (Γ) of steel-fiber-reinforced SCC containing a high level of fly ash.
Deviations of the SLM Produced Lattice Structures and Their Influence on Mechanical Properties
Authors: Vrána Radek , Koutecký Tomáš , Červinek Ondřej , Zikmund Tomáš , Pantělejev Libor , Kaiser Jozef , Koutný Daniel
Published: April 2022

Selective laser melting (SLM) is an additive manufacturing technology suitable for producing cellular lattice structures using fine metal powder and a laser beam. However, the shape and dimensional deviations occur on the thin struts during manufacturing, influencing the mechanical properties of the structure. There are attempts in the literature to describe the actual shape of the struts’ geometry, however, on a smaller data sample only, and there is a lack of a universal FEA material model applicable to a wider range of lattice structure diameters. To describe the actual dimensions of the struts, a set of lattice structures, with diameters ranging from 0.6 to 3.0 mm, were manufactured using SLM. These samples were digitized using micro-computed tomography (μCT) and fully analyzed for shape and dimensions. The results show large deviations in diameters of inscribed and circumscribed cylinders, indicating an elliptical shape of the struts. With increasing lattice structure diameter, the deviations decreased. In terms of the effect of the shape and dimensions on the mechanical properties, the Gaussian cylinder was found to describe struts in the diameter range of 1.5 to 3.0 mm sufficiently well. For smaller diameters, it is appropriate to represent the actual cross-section by an ellipse. The use of substitute ellipses, in combination with the compression test results, has resulted in FEA material model that can be used for the 0.6 to 3.0 mm struts’ diameter range. The model has fixed Young’s and tangential modules for these diameters and is controlled only by the yield strength parameter (YST).
Operational Stability Analysis on the Roller-Coating Process for a Roll Coating-Simulation Test Equipment
Authors: Lv Hongzhan , Yang Kehang , You Jia , Wang Shuyan
Published: April 2022

In the research on key technology of radiation-curing coil steel coating, it is necessary to evaluate the coating stability of radiation-curing coil steel coating materials. In this paper, a roll coating-simulation test equipment is proposed to test coating status. Considering the operational stability of the equipment, dynamic vibration response analysis and stability analysis of the roller-coating process are performed on the equipment. The test results show that the rotor vibration of the designed roll coating-simulation test equipment meets the requirements of rotating machinery, and the coating thickness remains stable under the vibration condition, which satisfies the working condition of the test equipment.
Quantum–Classical Mechanics: Nano-Resonance in Polymethine Dyes
Authors: Egorov Vladimir V.
Published: April 2022

It is well known in quantum mechanics that the theory of quantum transitions is based on the convergence of the series of time-dependent perturbation theory. This series converges in atomic and nuclear physics. However, in molecular and chemical physics, this series converges only in the Born–Oppenheimer adiabatic approximation and due to the application of the Franck–Condon principle, and it diverges as a result of going beyond the adiabatic approximation and the Franck–Condon principle. This divergence (singularity) is associated with the incommensurability of the masses of light electrons and heavy nuclei which jointly participate in the full-fledged movement in the transient state of molecular “quantum” transitions. In a new physical theory—quantum–classical mechanics (Egorov, V.V. Heliyon Physics 2019, 5, e02579)—this singularity is damped by introducing chaos into the transient state. This transient chaos is introduced by replacing the infinitely small imaginary additive in the energy denominator of the spectral representation of the total Green’s function of the system with a finite value and is called dozy chaos. In this article, resonance at the nanoscale (nano-resonance) between electron and nuclear reorganization motions in the quantum–classical (dozy-chaos) mechanics of elementary electron transfers in condensed media and their applications to polymethine dyes and J-aggregates in solutions are reviewed. Nano-resonance explains the resonant character of the transformation of the shape of the optical absorption band in a series of polymethine dyes in which the length of the polymethine chain changes, as well as the nature of the red-shifted absorption band of the J-aggregates of polymethine dyes (J-band), which is narrow and intense. The process of dye aggregation in an aqueous solution with an increase in its concentration by the formation of J-aggregates is considered a structural tuning of the “polymethine dye + environment” system into resonance with light absorption. For J-aggregates in Langmuir films, the asymmetry of the luminescence and absorption bands, as well as the small value of their Stokes shifts, are explained. The parasitic transformation of the resonant shape of the optical absorption band of a polymethine dye in solution during the transition from one-photon to two-photon absorption is also explained, and the conditions for the restoration of this nano-resonance shape are predicted.
Improving YOLOv4-Tiny’s Construction Machinery and Material Identification Method by Incorporating Attention Mechanism
Authors: Yao Jiale , Cai Dengsheng , Fan Xiangsuo , Li Bing
Published: April 2022

To facilitate the development of intelligent unmanned loaders and improve the recognition accuracy of loaders in complex scenes, we propose a construction machinery and material target detection algorithm incorporating an attention mechanism (AM) to improve YOLOv4-Tiny. First, to ensure the robustness of the proposed algorithm, we adopt style migration and sliding window segmentation to increase the underlying dataset’s diversity. Second, to address the problem that YOLOv4-Tiny’s (the base network) framework only adopts a layer-by-layer connection form, which demonstrates an insufficient feature extraction ability, we adopt a multilayer cascaded residual module to deeply connect low- and high-level information. Finally, to filter redundant feature information and make the proposed algorithm focus more on important feature information, a channel AM is added to the base network to perform a secondary screening of feature information in the region of interest, which effectively improves the detection accuracy. In addition, to achieve small-scale object detection, a multiscale feature pyramid network structure is employed in the prediction module of the proposed algorithm to output two prediction networks with different scale sizes. The experimental results show that, compared with the traditional network structure, the proposed algorithm fully incorporates the advantages of residual networks and AM, which effectively improves its feature extraction ability and recognition accuracy of targets at different scales. The final proposed algorithm exhibits the features of high recognition accuracy and fast recognition speed, with mean average precision and detection speed reaching 96.82% and 134.4 fps, respectively.
Brownian Motion Effects on the Stabilization of Stochastic Solutions to Fractional Diffusion Equations with Polynomials
Authors: Mohammed Wael W. , Alshammari Mohammed , Cesarano Clemente , Albadrani Sultan , El-Morshedy M.
Published: April 2022

A class of stochastic fractional diffusion equations with polynomials is considered in this article. This equation is used in numerous applications, such as ecology, bioengineering, biology, and mechanical and chemical engineering. As a result, it is critical to obtain exact solutions to this equation. To obtain these solutions, the tanh-coth method is utilized. Furthermore, we clarify the impact of noise on solution stabilization by simulating our solutions.
Artificial Intelligence in Fractional-Order Systems Approximation with High Performances: Application in Modelling of an Isotopic Separation Process
Authors: Motorga Roxana , Mureșan Vlad , Ungureșan Mihaela-Ligia , Abrudean Mihail , Vălean Honoriu , Clitan Iulia
Published: April 2022

This paper presents a solution for the modelling, implementation and simulation of the fractional-order process of producing the enriched 13C isotope, through the chemical exchange between carbamate and carbon dioxide. To achieve the goal of implementation and simulation of the considered process, an original solution for the approximation of fractional-order systems at the variation of the system’s differentiation order is proposed, based on artificial intelligence methods. The separation process has the property of being strongly non-linear and also having fractional-order behaviour. Consequently, in the implementation of the mathematical model of the process, the theory associated with the fractional-order system’s domain has to be considered and applied. For learning the dynamics of the structure parameters of the fractional-order part of the model, neural networks, which are associated with the artificial intelligence domain, are used. Using these types of approximations, the simulation and the prediction of the produced 13C isotope concentration dynamics are made with high accuracy. In order to prove the efficiency of the proposed solutions, a comparation between the responses of the determined model and the experimental responses is made. The proposed model implementation is made based on using four trained neural networks. Moreover, in the final part of the paper, an original method for the online identification of the separation process model is proposed. This original method can identify the process of fractional differentiation order variation in relation to time, a phenomenon which is quite frequent in the operation of the real separation plant. In the last section of the paper, it is proven that artificial intelligence methods can successfully sustain the system model in all the scenarios, resulting in the feasible premise of designing an automatic control system for the 13C isotope concentration, a method which can be applied in the case of other industrial applications too.
Clinical Evaluation of Micro-Embolic Activity with Unexpected Predisposing Factors and Performance of Horizon AF PLUS during Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Authors: Condello Ignazio , Lorusso Roberto , Santarpino Giuseppe , Fiore Flavio , Nasso Giuseppe , Speziale Giuseppe
Published: April 2022

Background: During Cardiopulmonary Bypass (CPB) gaseous micro-emboli (GMEs) decrease the quality of the blood flow and the capillary oxygen delivery, increasing the incidence of postoperative neurocognitive disorders (POCD) following cardiac surgery. In these circumstances, the use of an efficient device, could be crucial for the removal and reduction of micro-embolic activity. Methods: From February 2022 to March 2022, we prospectively collected data from 40 consecutive patients undergoing conventional and minimally invasive cardiac surgery that used the Horizon AF PLUS (Eurosets, Medolla, Italy). We collected, during the CPB’s time, the incidence of unexpected predisposing factors for micro-embolic activity reported in the literature with the GMEs count and their diameter through the GAMPT BCC 300 (Germany). Results: The group of patients without unexpected predisposing factors for micro-embolic activity (55%) reported a GME volume of 0.59 ± 0.1 (μL) in the arterial line (p-value 0.67). In both groups were no reported performance deficit during the procedures for oxygenation and CO2 removal. Conclusions: Our clinical analysis showed that Horizon AF PLUS is an effective and safe device without iatrogenic perioperative complications, for the reduction of micro embolic activity during CPBs procedures, with high efficiency in terms of oxygenating performance and thermal exchange.
TiO2–SnO2 Nanocomposites for Photocatalytic Environmental Remediation under UV-Light
Authors: Deshmukh Sandip M. , Patil Santosh S. , Babar Santosh B. , Alshehri Sultan , Ghoneim Mohammed M. , Tamboli Asiya M. , Lam Nguyen Hoang , Truong Nguyen Tam Nguyen , Kim Chang Duk , Tamboli Mohaseen S. , Khetre Sanjay M. , Bamane Sambhaji R.
Published: April 2022

The photocatalytic removal of water contaminants for ecological systems has become essential in the past few decades. Consequently, for commercialization, cost-efficient, earth-abundant and easy to synthesize photocatalysts for dye degradation are of urgent need. We have demonstrated a simple and feasible approach for fabricating TiO2–SnO2 nanocomposite photocatalysts via urea-assisted-thermal-decomposition with different mass ratios. The as-synthesized materials were characterized by different physicochemical techniques. The phase formation and crystallite size were calculated by using XRD. The STEM, UV-Vis, DRS, HR-TEM and EDS revealed the effective formation of the heterojunction between TiO2 and SnO2, and enrichment in the UV-absorption spectrum. All synthesized materials were used for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) under UV light. The optimized results of the TiO2–SnO2 nanocomposite showed excellent photostability and photocatalytic activity over a number of degradation-reaction cycles of methyl-orange (MO) dye under the illumination of ultraviolet light. In addition, the recent method has great potential to be applied as a proficient method for mixed-metal-oxide-nanocomposite synthesis.
Effect of Cr, Mo, and V Elements on the Microstructure and Thermal Fatigue Properties of the Chromium Hot-Work Steels Processed by Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Wang Mei , You Bo , Wu Yan , Liang Bo , Gao Xianhui , Li Wei , Wei Qingsong
Published: April 2022

Thermal fatigue is the main failure mode for chromium hot-work steels. In this study, pre-alloyed chromium hot-work steel powders with three different Cr, Mo, and V addition levels (low content (LH), medium content (MH), and high content (HH)) were used for selective laser melting (SLM). The microstructure and thermal fatigue properties of these SLM-processed materials were investigated. After thermal fatigue tests, LH possessed the lowest hardness (approximately 573 HV5) and longest crack length, MH possessed the highest hardness (approximately 688 HV5) and HH (with the hardness of approximately 675 HV5) possessed the shortest crack length. It can be concluded that the increase of V content in MH is the main reason for the refined grains which result in an enhanced hardness and thermal fatigue resistance compared to LH. The further increase of the Cr and Mo content in HH leads to the grain coarsening and hardness decreasing, which is supposed to degrade the thermal fatigue resistant properties according to the conventional theory. However, HH exhibited an enhanced thermal fatigue resistance compared to MH. That is because the higher stored energy in MH deteriorated its thermal fatigue resistance compared to HH.
Influence of Beam Power on Structures and Mechanical Characteristics of Electron-Beam-Welded Joints of Copper and Stainless Steel
Authors: Kaisheva Darina , Anchev Angel , Valkov Stefan , Dunchev Vladimir , Kotlarski Georgi , Stoyanov Borislav , Ormanova Maria , Atanasova Milka , Petrov Peter
Published: April 2022

In this study, we present the results of electron-beam welding of joints with 304-L stainless steel and copper. The influence of the beam’s power on the structures and mechanical properties of the welded joints was studied; the experiments were realized at a beam deflection of 0.3 mm to the Cu plate and beam powers of 2400, 3000, and 3600 W. The phase compositions of the obtained welded joints were studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD); the microstructure and chemical composition were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), respectively. The mechanical properties were studied by using tensile experiments and microhardness investigations. The phase compositions of the welded joints were in the forms of substitutional solid solutions between Fe, Cu, and pure copper and remained unchanged in terms of power. It was found that the microstructures changed gradually with the application of different values of the power of the electron beam. The results of the tensile tests showed higher tensile strengths at lower beam powers (i.e., 2400 and 3000 W) that dropped at 3600 W. The relative elongations rose with increases in the power of the electron beam. Moreover, it was found that the microhardnesses strongly depended on the applied technological conditions (defined by the electron beam’s power) and the corresponding microstructures of the welded joints.
Electrochemical Detection of Alpha-Fetoprotein Based on Black Phosphorus Nanosheets Modification with Iron Ions
Authors: Chen Yiyan , Chen Xiaoping , Lin Jianwei , Zhuang Yafeng , Han Zhizhong , Chen Jinghua
Published: April 2022

Black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) were synthesized with liquid exfoliation combined with the ultrasonic method and loaded with Fe3+ by simply mixing. The morphology, structure and electrochemical properties of the synthesized Fe3+/BPNSs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV), etc. The load of Fe3+ can improve the electrochemical performance of BPNSs and enhance the sensitivity of the detection. Additionally, Fe3+/BPNSs display good biocompatibility. In this study, immunosensors based on Fe3+/BPNSs were constructed to detect alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). The detection is due to the specific binding between the AFP antigen and antibody on the surface of the immunosensors, which can reduce the current response of Fe3+/BPNSs. The immunosensors have a good linear relationship in the range of 0.005 ng·mL−1 to 50 ng·mL−1, and the detection limit is 1.2 pg·mL−1. The results show that surface modification with metal ions is a simple and effective way to improve the electrochemical properties of BPNSs, which will broaden the prospects for the future application of BPNSs in the electrochemical field.
Pathogenic Potential and Control of Chryseobacterium Species from Clinical, Fish, Food and Environmental Sources
Authors: Mwanza Elebert Pauline , Hugo Arno , Charimba George , Hugo Celia J.
Published: April 2022

Chryseobacterium species are isolated and taxonomically evaluated from a wide range of sources. While C. gleum and C. indologenes have been implicated in human disease, the potential pathogenicity of numerous other species have not been investigated. The aims were therefore to evaluate 37 Chryseobacterium species and Elizabethkingia meningoseptica from environmental, food, fish, water and clinical sources for production of haemolysis, growth at 37 °C, and production of virulence enzymes. The control of these strains were investigated by determination of antimicrobial and disinfectant resistance. All the species produced α- or β-haemolysis. In terms of growth at 37 °C and production of virulence enzymes, C. soldanellicola (environmental), C. oranimense (food) and C. koreense (natural mineral water) could be potential human pathogens. Chryseobacterium piscium might be pathogenic to fish. Trimethoprim could be the most effective antimicrobial for the treatment of a Chryseobacterium species infection, while the disinfectants that contain poly-dimethyl ammonium chloride or benzalkonium chloride could be regarded as the most effective for decontamination of surfaces contaminated with Chryseobacterium species.
Replication Compartments—The Great Survival Strategy for Epstein–Barr Virus Lytic Replication
Authors: Sugimoto Atsuko
Published: April 2022

During Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) lytic replication, viral DNA synthesis is carried out in viral replication factories called replication compartments (RCs), which are located at discrete sites in the nucleus. Viral proteins constituting the viral replication machinery are accumulated in the RCs to amplify viral genomes. Newly synthesized viral DNA is stored in a subdomain of the RC termed the BMRF1-core, matured by host factors, and finally packed into assembled viral capsids. Late (L) genes are transcribed from DNA stored in the BMRF1-core through a process that is mainly dependent on the viral pre-initiation complex (vPIC). RC formation is a well-regulated system and strongly advantageous for EBV survival because of the following aspects: (1) RCs enable the spatial separation of newly synthesized viral DNA from the cellular chromosome for protection and maturation of viral DNA; (2) EBV-coded proteins and their interaction partners are recruited to RCs, which enhances the interactions among viral proteins, cellular proteins, and viral DNA; (3) the formation of RCs benefits continuous replication, leading to L gene transcription; and (4) DNA storage and maturation leads to efficient progeny viral production. Here, we review the state of knowledge of this important viral structure and discuss its roles in EBV survival.
First Report of Lumpy Skin Disease in Myanmar and Molecular Analysis of the Field Virus Isolates
Authors: Maw Min Thein , Khin Myint Myint , Hadrill David , Meki Irene Kasindi , Settypalli Tirumala Bharani Kumar , Kyin Maung Maung , Myint Win Win , Thein Wai Zin , Aye Ohnmar , Palamara Elisa , Win Ye Tun , Cattoli Giovanni , Lamien Charles Euloge
Published: April 2022

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) causes lumpy skin disease in cattle and buffaloes, which is associated with significant animal production and economic losses. Since the 2000s, LSDV has spread from Africa to several countries in the Middle East; Europe; and Asia; including, more recently, several south-east Asian countries. In November 2020, Myanmar reported its first LSD outbreak. This study reports on the first incursion of LSD in Myanmar and the molecular analysis of the LSDV detected. Staff from the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation collected samples from cattle with suspected LSD infection. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations’ Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) and the Joint International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/FAO program’s Animal Health and Production laboratory provided LSDV diagnostic support to two regional veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Myanmar. Samples from 13 cattle tested positive by real-time PCR. Selected samples underwent sequence analysis in IAEA laboratories. The results show that the Myanmar LSDV sequences clustered with LSDV isolates from Bangladesh and India, LSDV Kenya, and LSDV NI-2490. Further characterization showed that the Myanmar LSDV is 100% identical to isolates from Bangladesh and India, implying a common source of introduction. These findings inform diagnosis and development of control strategies.
Persulfide-Responsive Transcription Factor SqrR Regulates Gene Transfer and Biofilm Formation via the Metabolic Modulation of Cyclic di-GMP in Rhodobacter capsulatus
Authors: Shimizu Takayuki , Aritoshi Toma , Beatty J. Thomas , Masuda Tatsuru
Published: April 2022

Bacterial phage-like particles (gene transfer agents—GTAs) are widely employed as a crucial genetic vector in horizontal gene transfer. GTA-mediated gene transfer is induced in response to various stresses; however, regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. We found that the persulfide-responsive transcription factor SqrR may repress the expression of several GTA-related genes in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus. Here, we show that the sqrR deletion mutant (ΔsqrR) produces higher amounts of intra- and extracellular GTA and gene transfer activity than the wild type (WT). The transcript levels of GTA-related genes are also increased in ΔsqrR. In spite of the presumption that GTA-related genes are regulated in response to sulfide by SqrR, treatment with sulfide did not alter the transcript levels of these genes in the WT strain. Surprisingly, hydrogen peroxide increased the transcript levels of GTA-related genes in the WT, and this alteration was abolished in the ΔsqrR strain. Moreover, the absence of SqrR changed the intracellular cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) levels, and the amount of c-di-GMP was correlated with GTA activity and biofilm formation. These results suggest that SqrR is related to the repression of GTA production and the activation of biofilm formation via control of the intracellular c-di-GMP levels.
A Better Disinfectant for Low-Resourced Hospitals? A Multi-Period Cluster Randomised Trial Comparing Hypochlorous Acid with Sodium Hypochlorite in Nigerian Hospitals: The EWASH Trial
Authors: Gon Giorgia , Dansero Lucia , Aiken Alexander M. , Bottomley Christian , Dancer Stephanie J. , Graham Wendy J. , Ike Olivia C. , Lewis Michelle , Meakin Nick , Okafor Obiora , Uwaezuoke Nkolika S. , Okwor Tochi Joy
Published: April 2022

Environmental hygiene in hospitals is a major challenge worldwide. Low-resourced hospitals in African countries continue to rely on sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as major disinfectant. However, NaOCl has several limitations such as the need for daily dilution, irritation, and corrosion. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is an innovative surface disinfectant produced by saline electrolysis with a much higher safety profile. We assessed non-inferiority of HOCl against standard NaOCl for surface disinfection in two hospitals in Abuja, Nigeria using a double-blind multi-period randomised cross-over study. Microbiological cleanliness [Aerobic Colony Counts (ACC)] was measured using dipslides. We aggregated data at the cluster-period level and fitted a linear regression. Microbiological cleanliness was high for both disinfectant (84.8% HOCl; 87.3% NaOCl). No evidence of a significant difference between the two products was found (RD = 2%, 90%CI: −5.1%–+0.4%; p-value = 0.163). We cannot rule out the possibility of HOCl being inferior by up to 5.1 percentage points and hence we did not strictly meet the non-inferiority margin we set ourselves. However, even a maximum difference of 5.1% in favour of sodium hypochlorite would not suggest there is a clinically relevant difference between the two products. We demonstrated that HOCl and NaOCl have a similar efficacy in achieving microbiological cleanliness, with HOCl acting at a lower concentration. With a better safety profile, and potential applicability across many healthcare uses, HOCl provides an attractive and potentially cost-efficient alternative to sodium hypochlorite in low resource settings.
Sulfuric Acid Immobilized on Activated Carbon Aminated with Ethylenediamine: An Efficient Reusable Catalyst for the Synthesis of Acetals (Ketals)
Authors: Liu Wenzhu , Guo Ruike , Peng Guanmin , Yin Dulin
Published: April 2022

Through the amination of oxidized activated carbon with ethylenediamine and then the adsorption of sulfuric acid, a strong carbon-based solid acid catalyst with hydrogen sulfate (denoted as AC-N-SO4H) was prepared, of which the surface acid density was 0.85 mmol/g. The acetalization of benzaldehyde with ethylene glycol catalyzed by AC-N-SO4H was investigated. The optimized catalyst dosage accounted for 5 wt.% of the benzaldehyde mass, and the molar ratio of glycol to benzaldehyde was 1.75. After reacting such mixture at 80 °C for 5 h, the benzaldehyde was almost quantitatively converted into acetal; the conversion yield was up to 99.4%, and no byproduct was detected. It is surprising that the catalyst could be easily recovered and reused ten times without significant deactivation, with the conversion yield remaining above 99%. The catalyst also exhibited good substrate suitability for the acetalization of aliphatic aldehydes and the ketalization of ketones with different 1,2-diols.
Piezoelectric Property of Electrospun PVDF Nanofibers as Linking Tips of Artificial-Hair-Cell Structures in Cochlea
Authors: Sabouni Tabari Rana , Chen Yu , Thummavichai Kunyapat , Zhang Yan , Saadi Zakaria , Neves Ana I. S. , Xia Yongde , Zhu Yanqiu
Published: April 2022

The death of hair cells and damage of natural tip links is one of the main causes of hearing-loss disability, and the development of an advanced artificial hearing aid holds the key to assisting those suffering from hearing loss. This study demonstrates the potential of using electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers to serve as the artificial tip links, for long-term hearing-aid-device development based on their piezoelectric properties. We have shown that the electrospun PVDF-fiber web, consisting of fibers ranging from 30–220 nm in diameter with high β-phase content, possesses the high piezoresponse of 170 mV. Analyses based on combined characterization methods including SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, Raman, DSC, XPS, PFM and piezoelectricity have confirmed that an optimized value of 15 wt.% PVDF could act as an effective candidate for a tip-link connector in a vibration-frequency prototype. Based on this easily reproducible electrospinning technique and the multifunctionalities of the resulting PVDF fibers, this fundamental study may shed light on the bio-inspired design of artificial, self-powered, high performance, hair-cell-like sensors in cochlea to tackle the hearing loss issue.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-Measured Ionized Magnesium Is Inversely Associated with Type 2 Diabetes in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study
Authors: Garcia Erwin , Shalaurova Irina , Matyus Steven P. , Schutten Joelle C. , Bakker Stephan J. L. , Dullaart Robin P. F. , Connelly Margery A.
Published: April 2022

The aims were to optimize a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based assay for quantifying ionized or free magnesium and investigate its association with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A high-throughput, ionized magnesium assay was optimized and evaluated. Plasma magnesium was quantified, and associations with T2D were ascertained in Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS) participants. Coefficients of variation for the ionized magnesium assay ranged from 0.7–1.5% for intra-assay and 4.2–4.7% for inter-assay precision. In IRAS (n = 1342), ionized magnesium was significantly lower in subjects with prediabetes and T2D than in normoglycemic subjects, and lower in participants with T2D than those with prediabetes (p < 0.0001). Cross-sectional regression analyses revealed that magnesium was associated with T2D at baseline in models adjusted for multiple clinical risk factors (p = 0.032). This association appeared to be modified by sex, in such a way that the associations were present in women (OR = 0.54 (95% CI 0.37–0.79), p = 0.0015) and not in men (OR = 0.98 (95% CI 0.71–1.35), p = 0.90). Longitudinal regression analyses revealed an inverse association between magnesium and future T2D in the total population (p = 0.035) that was attenuated by LP-IR (p = 0.22). No interactions were detected between magnesium and age, race, BMI, glucose, insulin, triglycerides, or LPIR for the prospective association with future T2D. However, a significant interaction between magnesium and sex was present, now with a trend for an association in men (OR = 0.75 (95% CI 0.55–1.02), p = 0.065 and absence of an association in women (OR = 1.01 (0.76–1.33), p = 0.97). Conclusions: lower ionized magnesium, as measured by an NMR-based assay optimized for accuracy and precision, was associated cross-sectionally with T2D at baseline and longitudinally with incident T2D in IRAS.
Impact of a Digital Lifestyle Intervention on Diabetes Self-Management: A Pilot Study
Authors: Bretschneider Maxi Pia , Klásek Jan , Karbanová Martina , Timpel Patrick , Herrmann Sandra , Schwarz Peter E. H.
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study was to provide preliminary evidence on the impact of the digital health application Vitadio on improving glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This was a 3-month, prospective, multicenter, open-label trial with an intraindividual control group. Participants received a digital lifestyle intervention. HbA1c levels were observed at 3 time points: retrospectively, at 3 months before app use; at baseline, at the start of usage; and 3 months after the start of use. In addition, changes in other metabolic parameters (fasting glucose, body weight, and waist circumference), patient reported outcomes (quality of life, self-efficacy, and depression), and data generated within the app (frequency of use, steps, and photos of meals) were evaluated. Repeated measures analysis of variance with the Bonferroni correction was used to assess the overall difference in HbA1c values between the intervention and the intraindividual control group, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Participants (n = 42) were 57 ± 7.4 years old, 55% male, and with a mean baseline HbA1c of 7.9 ± 1.0%. An average HbA1c reduction of −0.9 ± 1.1% (p < 0.001) was achieved. The digital health application was effective in significantly reducing body weight (−4.3 ± 4.5 kg), body mass index (−1.4 ± 1.5 kg/m2), waist circumference (−5.7 ± 15 cm), and fasting glucose (−0.6 ± 1.3 mmol/L). The digital therapy achieved a clinically meaningful and significant HbA1c reduction as well as a positive effect on metabolic parameters. These results provide preliminary evidence that Vitadio may be effective in supporting patient diabetes management by motivating patients to adopt healthier lifestyles and improving their self-management.
Effect of a Six-Month Lifestyle Intervention on the Physical Activity and Fitness Status of Adults with NAFLD and Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Mascaró Catalina M. , Bouzas Cristina , Montemayor Sofia , Casares Miguel , Llompart Isabel , Ugarriza Lucía , Borràs Pere-Antoni , Martínez J. Alfredo , Tur Josep A.
Published: April 2022

(1) Background: Physical inactivity has been linked to NAFLD, and exercise has been reported as useful to reduce intrahepatic fat content in NAFLD. (2) Objectives: To assess the physical activity (PA) and fitness status after a six-month lifestyle intervention (diet and PA) in adults with NAFLD and metabolic syndrome (MetS). (3) Design: Prospective cohort analysis of data obtained between baseline and six-year parallel-group randomized trial (n = 155, aged 40–60 years old, with MetS and NAFLD). Participants were randomized into three nutritional and PA intervention groups: Conventional diet (CD); MedDiet-high meal frequency (MD-HMF); MedDiet-physical activity (MD-PA). (4) Methods: PA and fitness status were assessed using a validated Minnesota questionnaire, ALPHA-FIT test battery, accelerometers, and functional fitness score. Information related to age, gender, education level, marital status, socioeconomic status, smoking habit, and alcohol consumption were also obtained. (5) Results: The CD group had higher improvement in standing handgrip than the MD-HMF group. The MD-PA group did more modified push-up repetitions than the CD group. The MD-PA and CD groups showed higher sitting handgrip than the MD-HMF group. The MD-HMF group showed the highest decrease in aerobic capacity. The MD-PA group showed lower light intensity PA/day than the CD and MD-HMF groups. The MD-PA group showed higher moderate intensity PA than the CD and MD-HMF groups. The CD group reported more METs per day than the MD-HMF group. (6) Conclusions: Lifestyle six-month intervention with diet and regular PA improved functional fitness in middle-aged patients with NAFLD and MetS. Aerobic capacity improved in patients who followed a Mediterranean diet and regular training sessions at six months.
Subsets of Cytokines and Chemokines from DENV-4-Infected Patients Could Regulate the Endothelial Integrity of Cultured Microvascular Endothelial Cells
Authors: Cipitelli Marcio da Costa , Paiva Iury Amancio , Badolato-Corrêa Jéssica , Marinho Cíntia Ferreira , Fiestas Solórzano Victor Edgar , da Costa Faria Nieli Rodrigues , de Azeredo Elzinandes Leal , de Souza Luiz José , da Cunha Rivaldo Venâncio , de-Oliveira-Pinto Luzia Maria
Published: April 2022

Introduction: It is a consensus that inflammatory mediators produced by immune cells contribute to changes in endothelial permeability in dengue. We propose to relate inflammatory mediators seen in dengue patients with the in vitro alteration of endothelial cells (ECs) cultured with serum from these patients. Methods: Patients with mild (DF) to moderate and severe dengue (DFWS/Sev) were selected. ELISA quantified inflammatory mediators. Expression of adhesion molecules and CD147 were evaluated in the ECs cultured with the patient’s serum by flow cytometry. We assessed endothelial permeability by measuring transendothelial electrical resistance in cocultures of ECs with patient serum. Results: Dengue infection led to an increase in inflammatory mediators—the IL-10 distinguished DF from DFWS/Sev. There were no changes in CD31, CD54, and CD106 but decreased CD147 expression in ECs. DFWS/Sev sera induced a greater difference in endothelial permeability than DF sera. Correlation statistical test indicated that low IL-10 and IFN-γ and high CCL5 maintain the integrity of ECs in DF patients. In contrast, increased TNF, IFN-γ, CXCL8, and CCL2 maintain EC integrity in DFWS/Sev patients. Conclusions: Our preliminary data suggest that a subset of inflammatory mediators may be related to the maintenance or loss of endothelial integrity, reflecting the clinical prognosis.