bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is the Leptin/Adiponectin Ratio a Better Diagnostic Biomarker for Insulin Resistance than Leptin or Adiponectin Alone in Adolescents?
Authors: Agostinis-Sobrinho César , Vicente Sofia , Norkiene Sigute , Rauckienė-Michaelsson Alona , Kievisienė Justina , Dubey Viney , Razbadauskas Arturas , Lopes Luís , Santos Rute
Published: August 2022

Background: Recently, the leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio has been suggested as a novel predictor of cardio-metabolic and other chronic diseases. Aim: To evaluate the ability of leptin (L), adiponectin (A), and the L/A ratio in identifying high risk of insulin resistance IR in adolescents, adjusted by cardiorespiratory fitness, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and body fat percentage. Subjects and methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis with 529 adolescents aged 12–18 years-old. Blood samples were taken to analyze glucose, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels. IR (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was estimated from fasting serum insulin and glucose). Results: Adiponectin, leptin, and L/A ratio were accurate to predict IR among adolescents. The optimal L/A cut-off value to indicate risk of IR development was >0.35 in boys and >0.97 in girls. Logistic analyses showed that the suggested cut-off points for adiponectin (girls: OR: 2.87 (1.26–6.53); p = 0.012); leptin (boys: OR: 5.23 (1.16–7.14) p = 0.006; girls: OR: 2.99 (1.10–8.09) p = 0.031), and the L/A ratio (boys: OR: 8.38 (2.6–26.8) p < 0.001; girls: OR: 6.1 (2.1–17.0) p < 0.001), were significant predictors of IR, after adjustments for age, pubertal stage, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body fat percentage. Conclusion: Leptin and L/A ratio were associated with IR risk, after adjustments for confounders in both sexes and adiponectin in girls. The L/A ratio seems to have a higher diagnostic accuracy to identify IR risk than adiponectin or leptin, in both sexes.
Body Composition in Children: What Does It Tell Us So Far?
Authors: Androutsos Odysseas , Zampelas Antonis
Published: August 2022

The Special Issue “Body Composition in Children” of the journal “CHILDREN” aimed to publish both original and review articles focusing on the prevalence and determinants of obesity across childhood, the role of body composition in children’s health, new approaches to assessing body composition, and interventions aiming to improve body composition in children and adolescents [...]
The Influence of Parents on Emotion Regulation in Middle Childhood: A Systematic Review
Authors: De Raeymaecker Karen , Dhar Monica
Published: August 2022

Emotion regulation (ER) has been identified as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology, making it an ideal target for prevention and treatment. This study explores how parents can nurture the development of child ER. In April 2022, a systematic review was executed focusing on malleable factors in the parental emotion-socialization process during middle childhood. Papers in PubMed, Web of Science and Medline were screened on content-related and methodological criteria. Their methodological quality was assessed. Knowledge was assembled using a summarizing framework encompassing four factors involved in emotion socialization. Fifty papers shed light on modifiable factors at the level of parental meta-emotion philosophy, emotion-related socialization behaviors, the ER skills of parents and the emotional climate of the family. Adaptive socialization appears to be context- and child-specific, thereby taxing parents’ ER skills and their ability to put them into practice flexibly. The four changeable factors in the emotion-socialization process are highly intertwined, resulting in four possible entries for parent-directed interventions. Importantly, time should be devoted to the ER capacities of parents and their ability to attune to the situation and their child. Regarding the latter, replication studies are necessary. Recommendations for clinical interventions are provided.
Evaluations on Ceramic Fracture Toughness Measurement by Edge Chipping
Authors: Yao Qingyu , Chen Yongfang , Wang Zhongying , Qi Huan
Published: August 2022

Advanced ceramics, such as alumina and zirconia, are widely used in modern industries, due to their superior properties, such as high hardness and strength. Fracture toughness is a significant property that describes the capability of materials to resist crack instability and expansion to failure, and also helps when calculating the allowable working stress, and crack size, of the component. This paper comprehensively lists the current toughness-testing methods. With comparative investigations of various methods, edge chipping is found to be the simplest way of measuring the ceramic fracture-toughness, in terms of the dominant median crack, chip geometrical similarity, and force-distance relations, giving consideration to its potential application in industry. Moreover, to avoid the data variance from crack-length measurement in edge chipping, it is further proposed that the energy analyses can be used to improve the way in which the toughness expression is formulated.
Effect of Fluorinated Comonomer, Polymerizable Emulsifier, and Crosslinking on Water Resistance of Latex Coatings
Authors: Machotova Jana , Knotek Petr , Cernoskova Eva , Svoboda Roman , Zarybnicka Lucie , Kohl Miroslav , Kalendova Andrea
Published: August 2022

Common latex coatings suffer from poor water resistance, which often limits their practical application. This paper reports on the preparation of polyacrylate latexes using various approaches to tune the water resistance, wettability, and surface properties of their coating films. The mutual effects of fluorinated monomer copolymerization, emulsifier type (polymerizable and general), and intra- or interparticle covalent crosslinking (due to allyl methacrylate copolymerization and a keto-hydrazide reaction, respectively) were studied. The polyacrylate latexes were synthesized through a two-step semicontinuous emulsion polymerization of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, and methacrylic acid as the basic monomers. The fluorinated monomer was incorporated into the second-step polymer (at a content of 30 wt.% based on the second-step monomer feeds). The water resistance, wettability, and surface properties of the coating films were evaluated with focus on the water absorption, water whitening, water contact angle, and surface topography using atomic force microscopy. It was found that highly water-resistant and hydrophobic coatings that possessed a self-healing ability were prepared, provided that the polymerizable emulsifier and the fluorinated monomer were involved in the latex synthesis, along with the intra- and interparticle covalent crosslinking.
Adsorption Kinetics of Hg(II) on Eco-Friendly Prepared Oxidized Graphenes
Authors: Tene Talia , Arias Arias Fabian , Guevara Marco , García Juan Carlos González , Arias Polanco Melvin , Scarcello Andrea , Caputi Lorenzo S. , Bellucci Stefano , Vacacela Gomez Cristian
Published: August 2022

Extra-functionalized oxidized graphenes are widely preferred for the removal of different pollutants, however, removal with pristine oxidized graphenes, i.e., graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is vaguely explored. Herein, we report a comparative adsorption kinetics study of the removal of mercury(II) (Hg(II)) from water using eco-friendly prepared GO and rGO. This work consists of the synthesis protocol and the corresponding morphological and spectroscopical characterization of the obtained pristine adsorbents as well as the adsorption mechanism in terms of initial concentration, removal percentage, pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order models, intraparticle diffusion study, and pH analysis. In particular, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images evidence the presence of thin sheets with some defects on the GO structure, these defects substantially disappear in rGO, after reduction. Raman spectrum of rGO shows a less intense D* peak which is attributed to the diamond-like carbon phase. Most importantly, the equilibrium adsorption time in GO is 10 min with a removal percentage of ~28% while in rGO it is 20 min with a removal percentage of ~75%. The adsorption process of Hg(II) either in GO or rGO is more in line with the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that the adsorption kinetics could be controlled by chemisorption. Our results evidence the interesting adsorbing properties of pristine oxidized graphenes and are expected to be useful for the proposal and study of non-extra functionalized graphene-based materials for water treatment.
D-Cysteine Functionalized Superhydrophobic Nanocomposite Coating with Multiple-Action Antibacterial Property and Enhanced Mechanical Durability
Authors: Qian Hongchang , Liu Wenlong , Chang Weiwei , Hao Xiangping , Zhang Dawei
Published: August 2022

In this study, a durable superhydrophobic antibacterial coating was developed by a facile spraying method. A mixture of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) and hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles was sprayed on carbon steel to provide a superhydrophobic substrate. D-cysteine (D-cys) functionalized SiO2/dopamine/silver nanoparticles with multilayer core-shell structure were then sprayed on superhydrophobic substrate to enhance antibacterial performance. The results of morphology observation and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated the successful preparation of antibacterial nanoparticles and presented the hierarchical micro/nanostructures of coating surface. The as-prepared coating exhibited superhydrophobicity, with the water contact angle of ~153°. The coating was endowed with good mechanical durability, which maintained the water contact angle of ~150° after 180 cycles in tape-peel tests. The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed satisfactory corrosion resistance of this coating during 3 days of immersion in 3.5% NaCl solution. Furthermore, the coating showed excellent antibacterial performances against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which benefited from the synergistic actions of low wettability of superhydrophobic surface, bactericidal behavior of Ag nanoparticles, and biofilm inhibition effect of D-cys.
Single or Combine? Tourism Demand Volatility Forecasting with Exponential Weighting and Smooth Transition Combining Methods
Authors: Zhang Yuruixian , Choo Wei Chong , Ho Jen Sim , Wan Cheong Kin
Published: August 2022

Tourism forecasting has garnered considerable interest. However, integrating tourism forecasting with volatility is significantly less typical. This study investigates the performance of both the single models and their combinations for forecasting the volatility of tourism demand. The seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model is used to construct the mean equation, and three single models, namely the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) family models, the error-trend-seasonal exponential smoothing (ETS-ES) model, and the innovative smooth transition exponential smoothing (STES) model, are employed to estimate the volatility of monthly tourist arrivals into Malaysia. This study also assesses the accuracy of forecasts using simple average (SA), minimum variance (MV), and novel smooth transition (ST). STES performs the best of the single models for forecasting the out-of-sample of tourism demand volatility, followed closely by ETS-ES. In contrast, the ST combining method surpasses SA and MV. Interestingly, forecast combining methods do not always outperform the best single model, but they consistently outperform the worst single model. The MCS and DM tests confirm the aforementioned findings. This article merits consideration for future forecasting research on tourism demand volatility.
Mechanical Properties of Rubberised Concrete Confined with Basalt-Fibre Textile-Reinforced Mortar Jackets
Authors: Skyrianou Ioanna , Koutas Lampros N. , Papakonstantinou Christos G.
Published: August 2022

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the mechanical properties of rubberised concrete confined with basalt-fibre textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) jackets. The main aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the TRM confinement scheme on cylindrical rubberised concrete specimens by examining five different mixtures (rubber content ranging from 10.5% up to 42% of the total aggregate volume), including a plain concrete reference mixture. Unconfined and confined specimens with either one or two TRM layers were subjected to monotonic axial loading. The results indicate a decrease in the compressive strength of unconfined concrete as the rubber content increased. The stress–strain curves of rubberised concrete became smoother at the peak as the rubber content increased, also exhibiting increased axial strain capacity post-peak. Rubberised concrete exhibited less brittle failure than plain concrete, accompanied by increased lateral dilation. Confinement with TRM increased the compressive strength, while also enhanced the performance in terms of toughness and axial deformation capacity compared to unconfined concrete. Overall, it is concluded that there is a promising potential for using TRM-confined rubberised concrete in applications with ductility demands and low environmental footprint specifications.
Vacancy Defects in Bulk and Quasi-Bulk GaN Crystals
Authors: Tuomisto Filip
Published: August 2022

In-grown vacancy defects in bulk and quasi-bulk GaN crystals have been extensively studied with positron annihilation spectroscopy. High concentrations of Ga-vacancy-related defects are found irrespective of the growth method used in crystals with a high O contamination or intentional O doping, and they act as the dominant compensating native defect for n-type conductivity. Low-temperature crystal growth also leads to high concentrations of Ga-vacancy-related defects. Ga vacancies are present in the crystals as a part of the different types of complexes with O, H, and/or VN, depending on the growth conditions.
Experimental Investigation to Confirm the Presence of TiB2 Reinforcements in the Matrix and Effect of Artificial Aging on Hardness and Tensile Properties of Stir-Cast LM4-TiB2 Composite
Authors: Doddapaneni Srinivas , Kumar Sathish , Shettar Manjunath , Rao Suma , Sharma Sathyashankara , MC Gowrishankar
Published: August 2022

The present work focuses on the effect of multistage solution heat treatment (MSHT) and artificial aging on two-stage stir-cast LM4 + TiB2 (1, 2, and 3 wt.%) composites on the mechanical properties as compared to as-cast and single-stage solution heat-treated (SSHT) composites. Two novel tests, viz. the confirmation hardness test and the chemical analysis test, were performed to ensure the soundness of the casting and uniform distribution of TiB2 within the matrix. Samples subjected to MSHT + aging at 100–200 °C displayed the highest hardness and UTS values compared to as-cast and SSHT + aging at 100–200 °C samples. Compared to as-cast alloy, peak-aged samples of 1–3 wt.% (MSHT + aging at 100 °C), hardness values improved from 107–150%, and UTS values improved from 47–68%. The presence of metastable phases (θ′-Al2Cu and θ″-Al3Cu) and of hard TiB2 particles are the reason for the improvement in the properties. Peak aged LM4 + 3 wt.% TiB2 composite displayed the highest hardness of 175 VHN and UTS of 251 MPa. Fracture analysis of the LM4 alloy showed dimple rupture, and its composites revealed quasi-cleavage fracture. Based on the overall results, the inclusion of TiB2, MSHT, and artificial aging treatment on the LM4 alloy significantly influenced the composites’ mechanical properties.
The Crystal Structure of Sergeysmirnovite, MgZn2(PO4)2·4H2O, and Complexity of the Hopeite Group and Related Structures
Authors: Krivovichev Sergey V. , Panikorovskii Taras L. , Yakovenchuk Victor N.
Published: August 2022

The crystal structure of sergeysmirnovite, MgZn2(PO4)2·4H2O (orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 10.6286(4), b = 18.3700(6), c = 5.02060(15) Å, V = 980.26(6) Å3, Z = 4), a new member of the hopeite group of minerals, was determined and refined to R1 = 0.030 using crystals from the Këster mineral deposit in Sakha-Yakutia, Russia. Similar to other members of the hopeite group, the crystal structure of sergeysmirnovite is based upon [Zn(PO4)]– layers interlinked via interstitial [MO2(H2O)4]2– octahedra, where M = Mg2+. The layers are parallel to the (010) plane. Within the layer, the ZnO4 tetrahedra share common corners to form chains running along [001]. Sergeysmirnovite is a dimorph of reaphookhillite, a mineral from the Reaphook Hill zinc deposit in South Australia. The relations between sergeysmirnovite and reaphookhillite are the same as those between hopeite and parahopeite. Topological and structural complexity analysis using information theory shows that the hopeite (sergeysmirnovite) structure type is more complex, both structurally and topologically, than the parahopeite (reaphookhillite) structure type. Such complexity relations contradict the general observation that more complex polymorphs possess higher physical density and higher stability, since parahopeite is denser than hopeite. It could be hypothesized that hopeite is metastable under ambient conditions and separated from parahopeite by a structural and topological reconstruction that requires an essential energy barrier that is difficult to overcome.
The Impact of Organised Screening Programs on Breast Cancer Stage at Diagnosis for Canadian Women Aged 40–49 and 50–59
Authors: Wilkinson Anna N. , Billette Jean-Michel , Ellison Larry F. , Killip Michael A. , Islam Nayaar , Seely Jean M.
Published: August 2022

The relationship between Canadian mammography screening practices for women 40–49 and breast cancer (BC) stage at diagnosis in women 40–49 and 50–59 years was assessed using data from the Canadian Cancer Registry, provincial/territorial screening practices, and screening information from the Canadian Community Health Survey. For the 2010 to 2017 period, women aged 40–49 were diagnosed with lesser relative proportions of stage I BC (35.7 vs. 45.3%; p < 0.001), but greater proportions of stage II (42.6 vs. 36.7%, p < 0.001) and III (17.3 vs. 13.1%, p < 0.001) compared to women 50–59. Stage IV was lower among women 40–49 than 50–59 (4.4% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.005). Jurisdictions with organised screening programs for women 40–49 with annual recall (screeners) were compared with those without (comparators). Women aged 40–49 in comparator jurisdictions had higher proportions of stages II (43.7% vs. 40.7%, p < 0.001), III (18.3% vs. 15.6%, p < 0.001) and IV (4.6% vs. 3.9%, p = 0.001) compared to their peers in screener jurisdictions. Based on screening practices for women aged 40–49, women aged 50–59 had higher proportions of stages II (37.2% vs. 36.0%, p = 0.003) and III (13.6% vs. 12.3%, p < 0.001) in the comparator versus screener groups. The results of this study can be used to reassess the optimum lower age for BC screening in Canada.
Revision of the Plagiothecium cavifolium complex (Bryophyta: Plagiotheciaceae)
Authors: Wolski Grzegorz J. , Tylak Aneta , Buck William R.
Published: August 2022

In the Northern Hemisphere, Plagiothecium cavifolium is currently one of the most widely distributed species. This taxon has been described as extremely variable for decades, but the reasons for this variability have not been investigated in detail. The analysis of original materials and diagnoses, as well as a detailed analysis of the history of names considered as synonyms of P. cavifolium sensu lato, showed that in terms of qualitative and quantitative characteristics, a number of the names of this complex differ significantly from the diagnosis of Hypnum cavifolium (basionym of P. cavifolium). The most important features distinguishing individual taxa include: julaceous stems; imbricate leaves, their symmetry, concavity; serration of leaf apices; the length of the cells from the middle part of the leaf; and the orientation of the capsules. Thus, the research conducted within P. cavifolium sensu lato made it possible to distinguish seven separate taxa: P. cavifolium (= P. cavifolium sensu stricto), P. flaccidum, P. tenue (being a new combination), P. ikegamii, P. subjulaceum, P. sakuraii and P. otii (four resurrected species). In addition, the analysis of original materials and the diagnosis of several taxa allowed them to be excluded from the described complex, and here we propose their synonymization with other taxa, such as P. longisetum and Hygrohypnum luridum. Photographic documentation and a key to distinguishing species within the described complex are attached. For two names (P. sakuraii and P. succulentum var. longifolium) lectotypes are proposed.
The Causality and Uncertainty of the COVID-19 Pandemic to Bursa Malaysia Financial Services Index’s Constituents
Authors: Zuhud Daeng Ahmad Zuhri , Musa Muhammad Hasannudin , Ismail Munira , Bahaludin Hafizah , Razak Fatimah Abdul
Published: August 2022

Valued in hundreds of billions of Malaysian ringgit, the Bursa Malaysia Financial Services Index’s constituents comprise several of the strongest performing financial constituents in Bursa Malaysia’s Main Market. Although these constituents persistently reside mostly within the large market capitalization (cap), the existence of the individual constituent’s causal influence or intensity relative to each other’s performance during uncertain or even certain times is unknown. Thus, the key purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the individual constituent’s causal intensity, from early 2018 (pre-COVID-19) to the end of the year 2021 (post-COVID-19) using Granger causality and Schreiber transfer entropy. Furthermore, network science is used to measure and visualize the fluctuating causal degree of the source and the effected constituents. The results show that both the Granger causality and Schreiber transfer entropy networks detected patterns of increasing causality from pre- to post-COVID-19 but with differing causal intensities. Unexpectedly, both networks showed that the small- and mid-caps had high causal intensity during and after COVID-19. Using Bursa Malaysia’s sub-sector for further analysis, the Insurance sub-sector rapidly increased in causality as the year progressed, making it one of the index’s largest sources of causality. Even after removing large amounts of weak causal intensities, Schreiber transfer entropy was still able to detect higher amounts of causal sources from the Insurance sub-sector, whilst Granger causal sources declined rapidly post-COVID-19. The method of using directed temporal networks for the visualization of temporal causal sources is demonstrated to be a powerful approach that can aid in investment decision making.
Power Transmission Lines: Worldwide Research Trends
Authors: Alcayde-García Francisca , Salmerón-Manzano Esther , Montero Miguel A. , Alcayde Alfredo , Manzano-Agugliaro Francisco
Published: August 2022

The importance of the quality and continuity of electricity supply is increasingly evident given the dependence of the world economy on its daily and instantaneous operation. In turn, the network is made up of power transmission lines. This study has been carried out based on the Scopus database, where all the publications, over 5000 documents, related to the topic of the power transmission lines have been analyzed up to the year 2022. This manuscript aims to highlight the main global research trends in power transmission lines and to detect which are the emerging areas. This manuscript cover three main aspects: First, the main scientific categories of these publications and their temporal trends. Second, the countries and affiliations that contribute to the research and their main research topics. Third, identification of the main trends in the field using the detection of scientific communities by means of the clustering method. The three main scientific categories found were Engineering, Energy and Computer Science. This research is most strongly developed in China, as the top 10 institutions are from this country, followed by USA and in third place by Russia. Twelve lines of research have been detected: Line Inspection, Leakage Current, Magnetic Fields, Fault Location, Icing, Lines Design, Natural Disasters, Temperature, Half-wave, Arc Flash, Pattern Recognition, and Artificial Intelligence. This research will open new perspectives for future research on power transmission lines.
Design of an Anti-Corona Device for HVAC Substation Connectors
Authors: Larrea Ane Miren , De La Hoz Manuel , Etxegarai Agurtzane , Mazon Angel Javier , Aranzabal Itxaso
Published: August 2022

One of the aspects to consider during high-voltage (HV) equipment design is the reduction in the probability of corona effect onset. Indeed, the corona effect is related to high electric field values beyond the equipment’s insulation levels and insulation strength, among other factors. This issue can be addressed during the design step, either by modifying the geometry of the electrical device or by including additional elements in the equipment structure to smooth out the voltage gradient along critical regions, such as anti-corona devices. The study of anti-corona devices for HV insulators is well documented, in contrast to substation connectors. Therefore, the present study proposed the design of a novel anti-corona device for HV substation connectors, including a method for the selection of its dimensions. This study shows that the relationship between the dimensional design variables and the critical electrical field on the connector is described by linear and rational functions. Thus, the design process times are cut down due to a reduction in the number of simulations required to run the assessment of the anti-corona device arrangement impact.
Morphology and Particle Size of a Synthesized NMC 811 Cathode Precursor with Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate and Nickel Sulfate as Nickel Sources and Comparison of Their Electrochemical Performances in an NMC 811 Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Wijareni Anisa Surya , Widiyandari Hendri , Purwanto Agus , Arif Aditya Farhan , Mubarok Mohammad Zaki
Published: August 2022

Cathode precursors of lithium-NMC 811 were synthesized by the coprecipitation method using two different nickel sources, namely mixed nickel–cobalt hydroxide precipitate (MHP) and nickel sulfate. The characteristics of the synthesized precursors were compared with the characteristics of the commercial NMC 811 cathode precursor obtained from the international market. The XRD analyses identified that the diffraction peaks of the three precursor materials were in close agreement to that of Li0.05Ni0.75Co0.1Mn0.1O2, with the figure(s) of merit (FoM) of 0.81, 0.88, and 0.9, respectively, for the synthesized precursor that used MHP as the source of nickel (SM-LNMCO-811), nickel sulfate as the source of nickel (SX-LNMCO-811), and the commercial precursor (K-NMC-811). The elemental analysis of the synthesized precursors revealed the Ni:Mn:Co mol ratios of 0.8:0.08:0.12 and 0.76:0.11:0.13 for SM-LNMCO-811 and SX-LNMCO-811, respectively. The SEM analysis revealed that SX-LNMCO-811 and K-NMC-811 showed a similar particle morphology with a spherical shape; the SM-LNMCO-811 exhibited an irregular particle morphology. The particle size analysis showed that SM-LNMCO-811 had the largest average particle size (285.2 μm) while K-NMC-811 and SX-LNMCO-811 samples had almost the same average values (i.e., 18.28 and 17.16 µm, respectively). The results of the charge–discharge measurement of the fabricated battery cylindrical cells with SM-LNMCO-811, SX-LNMCO-811, and K-NMC-811 as cathode materials showed the best discharge value of the SX-LNMCO-811 sample at 178.93 mAh/g with an initial efficiency of 94.32%, which is in line with the electrochemical impedance measurement results that showed the largest ion conductivity and lithium ion diffusion coefficient value of the SX-LNMCO-811 sample that utilized the synthesized nickel sulfate as the source of the nickel.
Production of Alternative Fuels Based on Municipal Sewage Sludge and Selected Types of ELV Waste
Authors: Rećko Krzysztof
Published: August 2022

The construction of new wastewater treatment plants and the modernization of existing ones lead to the expansion of sewage networks, resulting in a sharp increase in the volume of municipal sewage sludge, which translates into a global problem of sludge management. The solution to this problem could be the recovery of energy from sewage sludge in the cement industry to exploit its energy potential. The aim of the present study was to examine the results of laboratory research on the production of alternative fuels based on municipal sewage sludge, plastic waste from end-of-life vehicles, and wood waste (sawdust) from carpentry enterprises. The tests were carried out for waste mixtures designated as PAZO I, PAZO II, PAZO III, and PAZO IV fuels, differing in the percentage of waste used and the type of plastic waste. The following parameters were evaluated in fuels: water content, ash content, sulfur content, and calorific value. Water content of the obtained fuels ranged from 17.1% to 19.4%, the ash content ranged from 2.5% to 3.4%, while PAZO II fuel was characterized by the highest ash content, which was 17.6%, but it remained within the limits permissible for alternative fuels.The sulfur and chlorine contents did not exceed the permissible values for alternative fuels. The calorific value of alternative fuels obtained was high and ranged from 16.5 MJ/kg to 33 MJ/kg. Furthermore, the composition of the individual fuel mixtures was selected to avoid energy-intensive sludge drying, whereas the fuel met the requirements for alternative fuels. The energy properties and water content of the obtained fuels indicate that the maximum amount of sewage sludge should not exceed 25% to maintain the parameters permissible for alternative fuels. Therefore, the analysis of the results leads to the conclusion that the obtained fuels, based on municipal sewage sludge, plastic waste, and wood waste (sawdust), meet the requirements for alternative fuels used in the cement industry. Today, the fuels based on municipal sewage sludge can be more of an alternative to conventional fuels used in the cement industry. The application of the fuels produced in the cement industry eliminates the formation of combustion byproducts in the form of slag and ash since they become a component of clinker. As an additional source of energy, the use of fuels in the cement industry will create an opportunity to move toward the circular economy.
Coexpression Network Analysis Based Characterisation of the R2R3-MYB Family Genes in Tolerant Poplar Infected with Melampsora larici-populina
Authors: Chen Qiaoli , Wang Feng , Li Danlei
Published: August 2022

R2R3-MYB protein is the most abundant class of MYB transcription factor family in plants. The transcript profiles of two E4 races of Melampsora larici-populina-tolerant poplars and an intolerant poplar were investigated to characterise the role of the R2R3-MYB family genes in the poplar–E4 interaction. In this study, 217 R2R3-MYBs were identified, and 83 R2R3-MYB genes were assigned to 22 different coexpression modules by weighted gene coexpression network analysis. Most R2R3-MYB genes were unchanged in the early period of E4 infection in both tolerant and intolerant poplars. However, there were obvious increases in differentially expressed R2R3-MYB genes in tolerant poplars at 2 and 4 dpi when defence responses occurred, suggesting that differently expressed R2R3-MYB genes at these time points may play an important role in poplar resistance to E4 infection. In total, 34 R2R3-MYB genes showed differential expression at 2 and 4 dpi between tolerant and intolerant poplars. Among them, 16 differentially expressed R2R3-MYB genes were related to 43 defence-related genes that had significant differences between tolerant and intolerant poplars. There might be coregulatory relationships between R2R3-MYBs and other TFs during poplar–E4 interaction. Some differentially expressed R2R3-MYB genes were related to genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and IAA or free SA signal transduction and might help activate defence response during poplar–E4 interaction. MYB194 could be an important node in the convergence of IAA and SA signalling.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Gene Expression Changes during Repair from Mechanical Wounding in Aquilaria sinensis
Authors: Du Ruyue , Zhuo Yanjing , Xu Jieru , Ming Cheng , Chen Jinhui
Published: August 2022

Plants repair their mechanical wounds by reprogramming secondary metabolism. However, which genes are reprogrammed during this repair process in Aquilaria sinensis has rarely been studied. Here, we used high-throughput RNA sequencing to explore the changes in the transcriptome of Aquilaria’s xylem, six months after the stem was subjected to mechanical wounding. In total, 1165 transcripts were differentially accumulated, of which 1002 transcripts were increased and 163 were decreased in their abundances (|log2 (fold change)| ≥ 1 and FDR ≤ 0.05). The majority of these genes encode products involved in plant secondary metabolism, transcription regulation, and phytohormone metabolism and signaling. The up-regulated genes were classified into 15 significantly enriched GO terms and were involved in 83 pathways, whereas the down-regulated genes were classified into 5 significantly enriched GO terms and represented 43 pathways. Gene annotation demonstrated that 100 transcripts could encode transcription factors (TFs), such as WRKY, AP2, MYB, and Helix-loop-helix (HLH) TFs. We inferred that the differential expression of TFs, genes associated with plant hormones, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and sesquiterpenoid biosynthesis may contribute to the repair of the stem after mechanical wounding in A. sinensis. Using co-expression analysis and prediction of TF binding sites, a TF–gene regulatory network for Aquilaria lignin biosynthesis was constructed. This included the MYB, HLH, WRKY, and AP2 TFs, and the COMT1, 4CLL7, and CCR1 genes. The changes in 10 candidate genes were validated by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR, indicating significant differences between the treated and untreated areas. Our study provides global gene expression patterns under mechanical wounding and would be valuable to further studies on the molecular mechanisms of plant repair in A. sinensis.
Guava Seed Oil: Potential Waste for the Rhamnolipids Production
Authors: Yoshimura Ingrid , Salazar-Bryam Ana Maria , Faria Adriano Uemura de , Leite Lucas Prado , Lovaglio Roberta Barros , Contiero Jonas
Published: August 2022

Guava is consumed in natura and is also of considerable importance to the food industry. The seeds and peel of this fruit are discarded, however, guava seeds yield oil (~13%) that can be used for the bioproducts synthesis. The use of a by-product as a carbon source is advantageous, as it reduces the environmental impact of possible harmful materials to nature, while adding value to products. In addition, the use of untested substrates can bring new yield and characterization results. Thus, this research sought to study rhamnolipids (RLs) production from guava seed oil, a by-product of the fructorefinery. The experiments were carried out using Pseudomonas aeruginosa LBI 2A1 and experimental design was used to optimize the variables Carbon and Nitrogen concentration. Characterization of RLs produced occurred by LC-MS. In this study, variables in the quadratic forms and the interaction between them influenced the response (p < 0.05). The most significant variable was N concentration. Maximum RLs yield achieved 39.97 g/L, predominantly of mono-RL. Characterization analysis revealed 9 homologues including the presence of RhaC10C14:2 (m/z 555) whose structure has not previously been observed. This research showed that guava seed oil is an alternative potential carbon source for rhamnolipid production with rare rhamnolipid homologues.
Mixed Fermentation of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Bacillus licheniformis Changed the Chemical Composition, Bacterial Community, and Rumen Degradation Rate of Tea Residue
Authors: Huang Xiaoyun , Xu Yinying , Wu Xinyan , Ding Yuhang , Fan Caiyun , Xue Yanfeng , Zhuo Zhao , Cheng Jianbo
Published: August 2022

Tea residue, as a byproduct in tea processing, is highly nutritious and can be used as a good raw material for ruminant feed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) and Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) mixed fermentation of tea residue mixture (tea residue:wheat bran, 7:3) on chemical composition, bacterial community, and rumen degradation rate. Changes in chemical composition and bacterial community were evaluated after 0 (F0), 1 (F1), 3 (F3), and 5 (F5) days of fermentation. The rumen degradation rate was studied by the in situ nylon bag method. Compared with group F0, acid soluble protein in other groups increased while pH and neutral detergent fiber decreased (p < 0.05). The group F5 was the best. The diversity of bacterial communities in group F0 was significantly lower than those in the other groups (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of phylum Firmicutes and the genus Lactobacillus increased with increasing fermentation time. The rumen degradation rates of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber were increased after fermentation. In conclusion, mixed fermentation of tea residue by L. plantarum and B. licheniformis can ameliorate chemical composition, reduce bacterial community diversity, and improve the rumen degradation rate.
Sherry Wines: Worldwide Production, Chemical Composition and Screening Conception for Flor Yeasts
Authors: Avdanina Daria , Zghun Alexander
Published: August 2022

The manufacturing of sherry wines is a unique, carefully regulated process, from harvesting to quality control of the finished product, involving dynamic biological aging in a “criadera-solera” system or some other techniques. Specialized “flor” strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae play the central role in the sherry manufacturing process. As a result, sherry wines have a characteristic and unique chemical composition that determines their organoleptic properties (such as color, odor, and taste) and distinguishes them from all other types of wine. The use of modern methods of genetics and biotechnology contributes to a deep understanding of the microbiology of sherry production and allows us to define a new methodology for breeding valuable flor strains. This review discusses the main sherry-producing regions and the chemical composition of sherry wines, as well as genetic, oenological, and other selective markers for flor strains that can be used for screening novel candidates that are promising for sherry production among environmental isolates.
Predicting Mandarin Fruit Acceptability: From High-Field to Benchtop NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Migues Ignacio , Rivas Fernando , Moyna Guillermo , Kelly Simon D. , Heinzen Horacio
Published: August 2022

Recent advances in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) have led to the development of low-field benchtop NMR systems with improved sensitivity and resolution suitable for use in research and quality-control laboratories. Compared to their high-resolution counterparts, their lower purchase and running costs make them a good alternative for routine use. In this article, we show the adaptation of a method for predicting the consumer acceptability of mandarins, originally reported using a high-field 400 MHz NMR spectrometer, to benchtop 60 MHz NMR systems. Our findings reveal that both instruments yield comparable results regarding sugar and citric acid levels, leading to the development of virtually identical predictive linear models. However, the lower cost of benchtop NMR systems would allow cultivators to implement this chemometric-based method as an additional tool for the selection of new cultivars.
A2 Milk: New Perspectives for Food Technology and Human Health
Authors: Fernández-Rico Salvador , Mondragón Alicia del Carmen , López-Santamarina Aroa , Cardelle-Cobas Alejandra , Regal Patricia , Lamas Alexandre , Ibarra Israel Samuel , Cepeda Alberto , Miranda José Manuel
Published: August 2022

Although milk consumption is increasing worldwide, in some geographical regions, its consumption has persistently declined in recent decades. This fact, together with the increase in milk production prices, has caused both milk producers and the dairy industry to be immersed in a major crisis. Some possible solutions to this problem are to get people who do not currently consume milk to start drinking it again, or to market milk and dairy products with a higher added value. In this context, a type of milk called A2 has recently received attention from the industry. This type of milk, characterized by a difference in an amino acid at position 67 of the β-casein polypeptide chain, releases much smaller amounts of bioactive opioid peptide β-casomorphin 7 upon digestion, which has been linked to harmful effects on human health. Additionally, A2 milk has been attributed worse technological properties in the production of some dairy products. Thus, doubts exist about the convenience for the dairy industry to bet on this product. The aim of this review is to provide an update on the effects on human health of A2 milk, as well as its different technological properties to produce dairy products.
Intelligent Evaluation of Stone Cell Content of Korla Fragrant Pears by Vis/NIR Reflection Spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Tongzhao , Zhang Yixiao , Liu Yuanyuan , Zhang Zhijuan , Yan Tongbin
Published: August 2022

Stone cells are a distinctive characteristic of pears and their formation negatively affects the quality of the fruit. To evaluate the stone cell content (SCC) of Korla fragrant pears, we developed a Vis/NIR spectroscopy system that allowed for the adjustment of the illuminating angle. The successive projective algorithm (SPA) and the Monte Carlo uninformative variable elimination (MCUVE) based on the sampling algorithm were used to select characteristic wavelengths. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was used to optimize the combination of penalty factor C and kernel function parameter g. Support vector regression (SVR) was used to construct the evaluation model of the SCC. The SCC of the calibration set ranged from 0.240% to 0.657% and that of the validation set ranged from 0.315% to 0.652%. The SPA and MCUVE were used to optimize 57 and 83 characteristic wavelengths, respectively. The combinations of C and g were (6.2561, 0.2643) and (2.5133, 0.1128), respectively, when different characteristic wavelengths were used as inputs of SVR, indicating that the first combination had good generalization ability. The correlation coefficients of the SPA-SVR model after pre-processing the standardized normal variate (SNV) for both sets were 0.966 and 0.951, respectively. These results show that the SNV-SPA-SVR model satisfied the requirements of intelligent evaluation of SCC in Korla fragrant pears.
How Do Consumers Understand Food Processing? A Study on the Brazilian Population
Authors: Monteiro Jordanna Santos , Nakano Eduardo Yoshio , Zandonadi Renata Puppin , Botelho Raquel Braz Assunção , Araujo Wilma Maria Coelho
Published: August 2022

Food guides are official documents that guide consumers’ food choices. They inform the qualitative classification of food groups and messages on how to adopt a healthy diet. The classifications and nomenclatures adopted in these documents vary according to cultural, nutritional, and scientific criteria. This study aimed to evaluate the understanding of Brazilian consumers regarding food classification according to the Food Guide for the Brazilian Population (FGBP) concepts. An instrument was constructed to assess consumer understanding. It was named “Understanding of the Level of Processing of Food” (ULPF) and validated according to the concepts of constructs presented by psychometrics such as the Delphi methodology. The instrument was composed of 36 items approved by experts (concordance > 80% and with good internal consistency). A total of 2333 Brazilians from all regions participated in the study. The results suggest that food classification according to the level of processing was difficult for participants to understand. About 85% of them did not understand or did not know the definitions and classification of food and preparations according to food and science technology (FST) and the FGBP. More than 50% of the participants believed that it was easier to classify food according to food groups.
Effect of Washing Times on the Quality Characteristics and Protein Oxidation of Silver Carp Surimi
Authors: Zhang Xiaodi , Zhang Yiqi , Ding Haochen , Zhang Wenhai , Dai Zhiyuan
Published: August 2022

The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects of different washing times (zero (W0), one (W1), two (W2), and three (W3) times) on the physicochemical characteristics, gel property, and protein oxidation of silver carp surimi during 4 °C refrigeration. The results showed that the yield, types of fatty acids, redness (a*), total volatile basic nitrogen, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances of the surimi tended to decrease, and the whiteness, pH, gel strength, and water retention tended to increase with the increase of washing times. Meanwhile, washing removed some fatty acids and the fatty acid species showed a decreasing trend. The FTIR spectra showed that washing did not change the functional group composition but changed the content of each group of the functional groups, while decreasing the proportion of β-sheet structures. Compared with the unwashed surimi, washing caused some of the immobilized water in the minced fish to be transferred to free water, and the water fluidity was enhanced. The washing enhanced the water holding capacity in the surimi gels, and the microstructure of the surimi gels was denser and delayed the protein oxidation during refrigeration. However, the difference between W2 and W3 surimi was not significant (p > 0.05). In practice, W2 can be used to produce surimi to improve its yield and reduce water consumption.
Adulteration Detection of Edible Bird’s Nests Using Rapid Spectroscopic Techniques Coupled with Multi-Class Discriminant Analysis
Authors: Ng Jing Sheng , Muhammad Syahidah Akmal , Yong Chin Hong , Mohd Rodhi Ainolsyakira , Ibrahim Baharudin , Adenan Mohd Noor Hidayat , Moosa Salmah , Othman Zainon , Abdullah Salim Nazaratul Ashifa , Sharif Zawiyah , Ismail Faridah , Kelly Simon D. , Cannavan Andrew
Published: August 2022

Edible bird’s nests (EBNs) are vulnerable to adulteration due to their huge demand for traditional medicine and high market price. Presently, there are pressing needs to explore field-deployable rapid screening techniques to detect adulteration of EBNs. The objective of this study is to explore the feasibility of using a handheld near-infrared (VIS/SW-NIR) spectroscopic device for the determination of EBN authenticity against the benchmark performance of a benchtop mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometer. Forty-nine authentic EBNs from the different states in Malaysia and 13 different adulterants (five types) were obtained and used to simulate the adulteration of EBNs at 1, 5 and 10% adulteration by mass (a total of 15 adulterated samples). The VIS/SW-NIR and MIR spectra collated were subsequently processed, modelled and classified using multi-class discriminant analysis. The VIS/SW-NIR results showed 100% correct classification for the collagen and nutrient agar classes in authenticity classification, while for the other classes, the lowest correct classification rate was 96.3%. For MIR analysis, only the karaya gum class had 100% correct classification whilst for the other four classes, the lowest rate of correct classification was at 94.4%. In conclusion, the combination of spectroscopic analysis with chemometrics can be a powerful screening tool to detect EBN adulteration.