bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ABLA: Application-Based Load-Balanced Approach for Adaptive Mapping of Datacenter Networks
Authors: Quttoum Ahmad Nahar , Alsarhan Ayoub , Moh’d Abidalrahman , Alshareet Osama , Nawaf Suhieb , Khasawneh Fawaz , Aljaidi Mohammad , Alshammari Mohammed , Awasthi Anjali
Published: September 2023

Cloud-based services are growing more rapidly than ever, and so does the management challenge on their providers’ side. Cloud-based datacenter networks are built with nodes of huge processing power, connected by high bandwidth capacities to carry their interior traffic requirements. However, such cloud networks still have limits that are imposed not necessarily by their physical components, but by the schemes of resource management being deployed. Traditionally, for an institute to provide services, it needs to have its own datacenter facility that interconnects its servers through a topology that matches its desired administrative policies and scaling objectives. With the theme of cloud-based IaaS, such datacenter topologies can be created virtually over the cloud. Nowadays, a significant part of those institutes who provide us with our daily services have their infrastructures hosted over cloud ones. Therefore, resources of such cloud networks need to be efficiently utilized, in order to keep their performance and hosting prices competitive. A typical datacenter network mainly consists of server nodes and network links. Besides the resources of the server nodes, the network bandwidth resources are considered a crucial key determinant for the whole datacenter performance. Indeed, a server without sufficient bandwidth capacities is almost useless. Proposals in the literature present schemes for resource utilization on either side of the problem at a time: the nodes or the links. Working in isolation can never deliver efficient mapping solutions. ABLA is an Application-Based, and Load balancing Approach for adaptive mapping proposal. ABLA’s methodology tackles both sides of the datacenter, the nodes and links. It starts by (1) breaking down the node’s resource requirement for the requested applications to be hosted over the virtual server machines besides (2) reading the topological connectivity and bandwidth requirements for each virtual node to all other nodes in the virtual datacenter topology. Compared to other models in the literature, the simulation results show that our proposed ABLA model provides for complete mapping services via load-balanced hosting networks. This allows for competitive hosting prices, with higher performance and service satisfaction rates.
Validation of a Biomechanical Injury and Disease Assessment Platform Applying an Inertial-Based Biosensor and Axis Vector Computation
Authors: Kim Wangdo , Vela Emir A. , Kohles Sean S. , Huayamave Victor , Gonzalez Oscar
Published: September 2023

Inertial kinetics and kinematics have substantial influences on human biomechanical function. A new algorithm for Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)-based motion tracking is presented in this work. The primary aims of this paper are to combine recent developments in improved biosensor technology with mainstream motion-tracking hardware to measure the overall performance of human movement based on joint axis-angle representations of limb rotation. This work describes an alternative approach to representing three-dimensional rotations using a normalized vector around which an identified joint angle defines the overall rotation, rather than a traditional Euler angle approach. Furthermore, IMUs allow for the direct measurement of joint angular velocities, offering the opportunity to increase the accuracy of instantaneous axis of rotation estimations. Although the axis-angle representation requires vector quotient algebra (quaternions) to define rotation, this approach may be preferred for many graphics, vision, and virtual reality software applications. The analytical method was validated with laboratory data gathered from an infant dummy leg’s flexion and extension knee movements and applied to a living subject’s upper limb movement. The results showed that the novel approach could reasonably handle a simple case and provide a detailed analysis of axis-angle migration. The described algorithm could play a notable role in the biomechanical analysis of human joints and offers a harbinger of IMU-based biosensors that may detect pathological patterns of joint disease and injury.
Enhancing Efficiency in Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning through Topological-Sorted Potential Calculation
Authors: Zhou Ziyun , Shang Jingwei , Li Yimang
Published: September 2023

Hierarchical reinforcement learning (HRL) offers a hierarchical structure for organizing tasks, enabling agents to learn and make decisions autonomously in complex environments. However, traditional HRL approaches face limitations in effectively handling complex tasks. Reward machines, which specify high-level goals and associated rewards for sub-goals, have been introduced to address these limitations by facilitating the agent’s understanding and reasoning with respect to the task hierarchy. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to enhance HRL performance through topologically sorted potential calculation for reward machines. By leveraging the topological structure of the task hierarchy, our method efficiently determines potentials for different sub-goals. This topological sorting enables the agent to prioritize actions leading to the accomplishment of higher-level goals, enhancing the learning process. To assess the efficacy of our approach, we conducted experiments in the grid-world environment with OpenAI-Gym. The results showcase the superiority of our proposed method over traditional HRL techniques and reward machine-based reinforcement learning approaches in terms of learning efficiency and overall task performance.
The Economic Impact and Carbon Footprint Dependence of Energy Management Strategies in Hydrogen-Based Microgrids
Authors: Rey Jesús , Segura Francisca , Andújar José Manuel , Ferrario Andrea Monforti
Published: September 2023

This paper presents an economic impact analysis and carbon footprint study of a hydrogen-based microgrid. The economic impact is evaluated with respect to investment costs, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, as well as savings, taking into account two different energy management strategies (EMSs): a hydrogen-based priority strategy and a battery-based priority strategy. The research was carried out in a real microgrid located at the University of Huelva, in southwestern Spain. The results (which can be extrapolated to microgrids with a similar architecture) show that, although both strategies have the same initial investment costs (EUR 52,339.78), at the end of the microgrid lifespan, the hydrogen-based strategy requires higher replacement costs (EUR 74,177.4 vs. 17,537.88) and operation and maintenance costs (EUR 35,254.03 vs. 34,877.08), however, it provides better annual savings (EUR 36,753.05 vs. 36,282.58) and a lower carbon footprint (98.15% vs. 95.73% CO2 savings) than the battery-based strategy. Furthermore, in a scenario where CO2 emission prices are increasing, the hydrogen-based strategy will bring even higher annual cost savings in the coming years.
Determinants of Corporate Fossil Energy Assets Impairment and Measurement of Stranded Assets Risk
Authors: Zhao Hao , Wu Chuanqing , Wen Yang
Published: September 2023

Climate change and transition risks have become major issues concerning the sustainable development of human society today. And the stranded fossil energy assets generated in this context are gradually becoming an important factor affecting corporate development and the stability of financial markets. Based on the data of China’s A-share listed companies in the high-carbon industry from 1998 to 2021, a two-way fixed-effects model is used to study the determinants of corporate fossil energy asset impairment. Furthermore, a “two-stage estimation approach” is used to measure the risk of stranding corporate fossil energy assets The results show that: (1) climate transition risks are a significant cause of stranded corporate fossil energy assets; (2) the stranded risk of Chinese companies’ fossil energy assets has been oscillating upward over the past two decades; (3) the stranded risk has increased significantly after the “double carbon” target. Based on the above conclusions, this paper puts forward relevant suggestions from both government and enterprise perspectives.
A Building-Integrated Bifacial and Transparent PV Generator Operated by an “Under-Glass” Single Axis Solar Tracker
Authors: Carbone Rosario , Borrello Cosimo
Published: September 2023

Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) play a key role in the world energy transition. This is motivating the scientific community to develop innovative electrical and thermal systems characterized by very high efficiency to specifically address the energy needs of modern buildings. Naturally, the integration of the latest generation photovoltaic (PV) systems into buildings helps to satisfy this need, and, with this objective in mind, an innovative and highly efficient building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system is presented and discussed in this paper. The proposed PV system is purpose-built to be fully integrated into a variety of buildings (preferably into their rooftops) and assumes the form of a PV skylight. It is based on a certain number of innovative rotating bifacial PV modules, which are specifically made to be installed “under-glass” within a custom-made transparent casing. Thanks to their properties, the PV modules can be rotated using a very low-power, reliable, and efficient mono-axial solar tracking system, fully protected against adverse atmospheric agents. Once the proposed PV skylight is fully integrated into a building, it generates electricity and, additionally, helps to improve both the energy performance and the aesthetic appearance of the building. The electricity generation and illuminance performances of the proposed PV skylight are experimentally tested using a low-power homemade prototype driven by different solar tracking logics and under different operating conditions; the most relevant results are summarized and extensively discussed. The main outcome of the experimental study is that the most effective performance of the PV skylight is obtained by installing, in its available surface, the maximum possible number of rotating bifacial PV modules, side by side and with no empty spaces between them.
Detection of Stealthy False Data Injection Attacks in Modular Multilevel Converters
Authors: Chen Xingxing , Song Shuguang
Published: September 2023

A modular multilevel converter (MMC) in a high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission system consists of an electric-coupled physical system and a communication-coupled cyber system, leading to a cyber-physical system (CPS). Such a CPS is vulnerable to false data injection attacks (FDIA), which are the main category of cyberattacks. FDIAs can be launched by injecting false data into the control or communication system of the MMC to change the submodule (SM) capacitor voltage seen by the central controller. Consequently, the capacitor voltage of the attacked SM will deviate from its normal value and thus threaten the safe operation of the converter. Stealthy FDIAs characterized by elaborated attack sequences are more dangerous because they can deceive and bypass the attack detector presented in the existing literature for the MMC. To address this issue, this paper proposes a stealthy FDIA detection method to obtain the real SM capacitor voltages. Thus, the attacked SM can be located by comparing its real capacitor voltage with prespecified thresholds. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed detection and protection strategies.
Forecast of Operational Downtime of the Generating Units for Sediment Cleaning in the Water Intakes: A Case of the Jirau Hydropower Plant
Authors: Prado Lenio , Fonseca Marcelo , Bernardes José V. , Santos Mateus G. , Bortoni Edson C. , Bastos Guilherme S.
Published: September 2023

Hydropower plants (HPP) in the Amazon basin suffer from issues caused by trees and sediments carried by the river. The Jirau HPP, located in the occidental Amazon basin, is directly affected by high sediment transportation. These materials accumulate in the water intakes and obstruct the trash racks installed in the intake system to prevent the entry of materials. As a result, head losses negatively impact the efficiency of the generating units and the power production capacity. The HPP operation team must monitor these losses and take action timely to clear the intakes. One of the possible actions is to stop the GU to let the sediment settle down. Therefore, intelligent methods are required to predict the downtime for sediment settling and restoring operational functionality. Thus, this work proposes a technique that utilizes hidden Markov models and Bayesian networks to predict the fifty Jirau generation units’ downtime, thereby reducing their inactive time and providing methodologies for establishing operating rules. The model is based on accurate operational data extracted from the hydropower plant, which ensures greater fidelity to the daily operational reality of the plant. The results demonstrate the model’s effectiveness and indicate the extent of the impact on downtime under varying sediment levels and when neighboring units are generating or inactive.
Computation of High-Order Sensitivities of Model Responses to Model Parameters—I: Underlying Motivation and Current Methods
Authors: Cacuci Dan Gabriel
Published: September 2023

The mathematical/computational model of a physical system comprises parameters and independent and dependent variables. Since the physical system is seldom known precisely and since the model’s parameters stem from experimental procedures that are also subject to uncertainties, the results predicted by a computational model are imperfect. Quantifying the reliability and accuracy of results produced by a model (called “model responses”) requires the availability of sensitivities (i.e., functional partial derivatives) of model responses with respect to model parameters. This work reviews the basic motivations for computing high-order sensitivities and illustrates their importance by means of an OECD/NEA reactor physics benchmark, which is representative of a “large-scale system” involving many (21,976) uncertain parameters. The computation of higher-order sensitivities by conventional methods (finite differences and/or statistical procedures) is subject to the “curse of dimensionality”. Furthermore, as will be illustrated in this work, the accuracy of high-order sensitivities computed using such conventional methods cannot be a priori guaranteed. High-order sensitivities can be computed accurately and efficiently solely by applying the high-order adjoint sensitivity analysis methodology. The principles underlying this adjoint methodology are also reviewed in preparation for introducing, in the accompanying Part II, the “High-Order Function/Feature Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology” (nth-FASAM), which aims at most efficiently computing exact expressions of high-order sensitivities of model responses to functions (“features”) of model parameters.
Computation of High-Order Sensitivities of Model Responses to Model Parameters—II: Introducing the Second-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology for Computing Response Sensitivities to Functions/Features of Parameters
Authors: Cacuci Dan Gabriel
Published: September 2023

This work introduces a new methodology, which generalizes the extant second-order adjoint sensitivity analysis methodology for computing sensitivities of model responses to primary model parameters. This new methodology enables the computation, with unparalleled efficiency, of second-order sensitivities of responses to functions of uncertain model parameters, including uncertain boundaries and internal interfaces, for linear and/or nonlinear models. Such functions of primary model parameters customarily describe characteristic “features” of the system under consideration, including correlations modeling material properties, flow regimes, etc. The number of such “feature” functions is considerably smaller than the total number of primary model parameters. By enabling the computations of exact expressions of second-order sensitivities of model responses to model “features”, the number of required large-scale adjoint computations is greatly reduced. As shown in this work, obtaining the first- and second-order sensitivities to the primary model parameters from the corresponding response sensitivities to the feature functions can be performed analytically, thereby involving just the respective function/feature of parameters rather than the entire model. By replacing large-scale computations involving the model with relatively trivial computations involving just the feature functions, this new second-order adjoint sensitivity analysis methodology reaches unsurpassed efficiency. The applicability and unparalleled efficiency of this “2nd-Order Function/Feature Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology” (2nd-FASAM) is illustrated using a paradigm particle transport model that involves feature functions of many parameters, while admitting closed-form analytic solutions. Ongoing work will generalize the mathematical framework of the 2nd-FASAM to enable the computation of arbitrarily high-order sensitivities of model responses to functions/features of model parameters.
Commercial Level Analysis of P2P vs. Net-Metering Comparing Economic and Technical Indexes
Authors: Soto Esteban A. , Ortega Alexander Vizcarrondo , Hernandez Andrea , Bosman Lisa
Published: September 2023

As photovoltaics (PV), also known as solar electricity, has been growing over the years, the energy markets have been gradually moving toward decentralization. However, recent media accusations suggest that decentralized renewable energy is slowly becoming unpopular because of the hidden fees being charged to owners of installed PV systems. In response, this paper investigates the potential for alternative approaches to incentivize owners using peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing. This study provides an analytical comparison between the use of the P2P mechanism, the net-metering mechanism, and a combination of these in the commercial sector. Through the use of a simulation, this case study presents the possible outcomes of the implementation of these models in a microgrid. Using technical and economic indexes the comparison was made by looking at the following indexes: peak power, energy balance, economic benefit, and transaction index. Based on a microgrid of 28 commercial buildings, readings of consumption were taken at intervals of one hour, and a Python model was made to find PV size and compare trading mechanisms. It was found that the combination of P2P and net-metering had the best overall performance, followed by net-metering itself, with the best season being all for both, and summer for net-metering by itself. This shows that a P2P model implemented in a microgrid helps create more energy balance, although the combination would achieve the highest performance. This study can be used by policymakers for proposing renewable energy policies and regulations that are more beneficial to all prosumers and consumers.
Performance Analysis of Electric Vehicles with a Fuel Cell–Supercapacitor Hybrid System
Authors: Armenta-Déu Carlos , Arenas Alejandro
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a new methodology to evaluate the performance of an electric vehicle hybrid power system consisting of a fuel cell and a supercapacitor. The study compares the results to those obtained for a battery electric vehicle. The methodology extends to three driving modes, ECO, NORMAL, and SPORT, corresponding to conservative, moderate, and aggressive acceleration, and three driving conditions, low, medium, and high energy demand. We develop a simulation process to evaluate the energy consumption and the energy rate of a specific electric vehicle used as a prototype for the study. The methodology applies to a driving route that includes acceleration, deceleration, braking, and constant speed segments, reproducing standard driving conditions in urban journeys. The proposed method considers combined driving modes, ECO, NORMAL, and SPORT, in each acceleration process, with variable fractions, from 0% to 100%, for each mode. This methodology optimizes the simulation results for the current driving patterns in urban environments. The simulation results show an average reduction in energy consumption of 37% and 27.1% in vehicle weight, contributing to lower energy use. The study concludes that using a hybrid power system, a fuel cell/supercapacitor, instead of a battery in electric vehicles is beneficial, especially in journeys with frequent acceleration processes.
Mapping Vegetation Types by Different Fully Convolutional Neural Network Structures with Inadequate Training Labels in Complex Landscape Urban Areas
Authors: Chen Shudan , Zhang Meng , Lei Fan
Published: September 2023

Highly accurate urban vegetation extraction is important to supporting ecological and management planning in urban areas. However, achieving high-precision classification of urban vegetation is challenging due to dramatic land changes in cities, the complexity of land cover, and hill shading. Although convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have unique advantages in remote sensing image classification, they require a large amount of training sample data, making it difficult to adequately train the network to improve classification accuracy. Therefore, this paper proposed an urban vegetation classification method by combining the advantages of transfer learning, deep learning, and ensemble learning. First, three UNet++ networks (UNet++, VGG16-UNet++, and ResNet50-UNet++) were pre-trained using the open sample set of urban land use/land cover (LULC), and the deep features of Sentinel-2 images were extracted using the pre-trained three UNet++ networks. Subsequently, the optimal deep feature set was then selected by Relief-F and input into the Stacking algorithm for urban vegetation classification. The results showed that deeper features extracted by UNet++ networks were able to easily distinguish between different vegetation types compared to Sentinel-2 spectral features. The overall classification accuracy (OA) of UNet++ networks and the Stacking algorithm (UNS) was 92.74%, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.8905. The classification results of UNet++ networks and the Stacking algorithm improved by 2.34%, 1.8%, 2.29%, and 10.74% in OA compared to a single neural network (UNet++, VGG16-UNet++, and ResNet50-UNet++) and the Stacking algorithm, respectively. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the method with common vegetation classification algorithms (RF, U-Net, and DeepLab V3+) indicated that the results of UNS were 11.31%, 9.38%, and 3.05% better in terms of OA, respectively. Generally, the method developed in this paper could accurately obtain urban vegetation information and provide a reference for research on urban vegetation classification.
The Effectiveness of Pressure Safety Valves in Chemical Supply Systems to Prevent Fire, Explosion, and Overpressure in the Korean Semiconductor Industry
Authors: Oh Kyeong-Seok , Jeong Euittum , Shim Woo Sub , Baek Jong-Bae
Published: September 2023

This study was conducted to review the safety and appropriateness of PSV (Pressure Safety Valve) installation in the supply tank, which is a pressure vessel included in supply systems dedicated to supplying the acid/alkaline substances used in the Korean semiconductor manufacturing process. Three aspects of design, risk assessment, and regulations were reviewed to determine if there is a source of pressure higher than the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of the supply tank that could cause fires, explosions, and overpressure. In the case of the design review, all 17 overpressure scenarios described in API Standard 521, i.e., pressure-relieving and depressuring systems, were reviewed, and there was no overpressure scenario above the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP). Then, the risk assessment, i.e., the Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) technique, was used, and as a result of reviewing all possible risk situations, we can state that there were no overpressure scenarios that can exceed the design pressure of the supply tank; thus, we decided that the installation of a PSV on top of the supply tank is unnecessary. Finally, accident prevention measures against overpressure, such as the KS B 6750-3 system design and the Korean Industrial Standard, were reviewed from a legal point of view. It was confirmed that the hazardous chemical supply system for the semiconductor industry designed in this study has several protective functions to prevent fires, explosions, and overpressure. As a result of reviewing the above three aspects, it can be said that there is no need to install a pressure safety valve in a pressure vessel storing hazardous chemicals.
Antibacterial Activity and Transcriptomic Analysis of Hesperetin against Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris Vegetative Cells
Authors: Zhao Siqi , Nan Yanzi , Yao Runyu , Wang Langhong , Zeng Xinan , Aadil Rana Muhammad , Shabbir Muhammad Asim
Published: September 2023

The aim of this research was to investigate the antimicrobial characteristics and mechanism of hesperetin against Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris vegetative cells. The results presented show that hesperetin had effective antimicrobial activity on Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris vegetative cells, minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of 0.0625 g/L, and minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) greater than 2 g/L. Moreover, treatment of hesperetin caused significant damage to cell integrity, preventing the growth of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris vegetative cells, enhancing the leakage of nucleic acid and proteins, and destroying the vegetative cell morphology. To further investigate the mechanism, transcriptomic analysis was carried out, and 3056 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that hesperetin inhibits Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris by affecting the intracellular nitrogen metabolism and amino acid metabolism. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis explained that hesperetin was also able to prevent the growth of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris by affecting the processes of nutrient transport, energy metabolism, and flagella motility. These results provide new insights into the antimicrobial effects and mechanism of hesperetin against Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris, which provides a new method for inactive Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris in the juice industry.
Processing-Induced Markers in Proteins of Commercial Plant-Based Drinks in Relation to Compositional Aspects
Authors: Roland Ida Schwartz , Aguilera-Toro Miguel , Nielsen Søren Drud-Heydary , Poulsen Nina Aagaard , Larsen Lotte Bach
Published: September 2023

The consumption of plant-based drinks is increasing, but they represent a product category normally with lower protein content as compared with bovine milk. Furthermore, the products are highly processed and, therefore, the proteins in this product category may carry a significant processing history. In the present study, a series of 17 freshly produced, commercially available plant-based drinks were benchmarked according to protein-quality parameters. The plant-based drinks represented different plant sources, as well as some mixed products, and were investigated relative to composition, aggregate sizes, presence of non-reducible proteins complexes, and level of processing-induced markers in the proteins. Processing-induced changes in the proteins were determined by a newly developed cocktail method, determining markers related to Maillard and dehydroalanine pathways, as well as intact lysine by triple quadrupole-multiple reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry. It was found that all drinks contained non-reducible protein complexes, but specifically, oat-based drinks represented the largest span contents of processing-induced markers within the proteins, which may relate to their inherent processing histories. Furthermore, it was shown that in products containing added sugar, Maillard reaction-related processing markers were increased over the dehydroalanine pathway.
Sunflower and Palm Kernel Meal Present Bioaccessible Compounds after Digestion with Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Bisinotto Mariana Sisconeto , da Silva Napoli Daniele Cristina , Simabuco Fernando Moreira , Bezerra Rosângela Maria Neves , Antunes Adriane Elisabete Costa , Galland Fabiana , Pacheco Maria Teresa Bertoldo
Published: September 2023

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and African palm kernel (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) are among the most cultivated in the world regarding oil extraction. The oil industry generates a large amount of meal as a by-product, which can be a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds. However, the physiological effects of bioactive compounds in such matrices are only valid if they remain bioavailable and bioactive after simulated gastrointestinal digestion. This study evaluated the chemical composition and antioxidant and prebiotic potential of de-oiled sunflower (DS) and de-oiled palm kernel (DP) meal after in vitro digestion. The DS sample had the highest protein content and the best chemical score, in which lysine was the limiting amino acid. Digested samples showed increased antioxidant activity, measured by in vitro methods. The digested DS sample showed a better antioxidant effect compared to DP. Moreover, both samples managed to preserve DNA supercoiling in the presence of the oxidizing agent. The insoluble fractions after digestion stimulated the growth of prebiotic bacterium, similar to inulin. In conclusion, simulated gastrointestinal digestion promoted in both matrices an increase in protein bioaccessibility and antioxidant capacity, pointing to a metabolic modulation favorable to the organism.
Consumers’ Trust in Different Sources of Information Related to Food Hazards and Their Judgment of Government Performance—A Cross-Sectional Study in Brazil
Authors: Rembischevski Peter , Caldas Eloisa Dutra
Published: September 2023

Trust in institutions is fundamental for the stability and proper functioning of democracies, particularly in matters of high public sensitivity, such as food safety. This study aimed to assess trust levels in different sources of information and respondents’ evaluation of the performance of government agencies responsible for controlling food-related hazards. Individuals interviewed in three environments (hospitals/clinics, supermarkets, universities, N = 1000) answered a face-to-face questionnaire in the Federal District of Brazil, and another population (health surveillance employees at the municipal, state and federal levels; N = 1017) answered the questionnaire online. About 60% of the population interviewed considered government performance to be low/very low. Scientists/universities, medical doctors (MD)/health professionals, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) were judged to be the most reliable sources of information on food hazards, while the food industry, supermarkets and social media inspired the lowest trust. Individuals from the hospitals/clinics group had significantly higher trust in MD/health professionals, media and websites than the two other Federal District groups. In general, income and education were the most predictive factors for the results, being negatively associated with assessment of government performance and trust in most information sources. In the Federal District, there was a negative association between trust levels in the government and worry about pesticides and genetically modified food, but a positive association between trust in NGOs and worry on these hazards. The results point to the need for the implementation of more effective communication strategies by institutions in which the population has low trust levels, such as government and food companies.
Holographic Recording of Unslanted Volume Transmission Gratings in Acrylamide/Propargyl Acrylate Hydrogel Layers: Towards Nucleic Acids Biosensing
Authors: Zezza Paola , Lucío María Isabel , Naydenova Izabela , Bañuls María-José , Maquieira Ángel
Published: September 2023

The role of volume hydrogel holographic gratings as optical transducers in sensor devices for point-of-care applications is increasing due to their ability to be functionalized for achieving enhanced selectivity. The first step in the development of these transducers is the optimization of the holographic recording process. The optimization aims at achieving gratings with reproducible diffraction efficiency, which remains stable after reiterative washings, typically required when working with analytes of a biological nature or several step tests. The recording process of volume phase transmission gratings within Acrylamide/Propargyl Acrylate hydrogel layers reported in this work was successfully performed, and the obtained diffraction gratings were optically characterized. Unslanted volume transmission gratings were recorded in the hydrogel layers diffraction efficiencies; up to 80% were achieved. Additionally, the recorded gratings demonstrated stability in water after multiple washing steps. The hydrogels, after functionalization with oligonucleotide probes, yields a specific hybridization response, recognizing the complementary strand as demonstrated by fluorescence. Analyte-sensitive hydrogel layers with holographic structures are a promising candidate for the next generation of in vitro diagnostic tests.
The Genetic Diversity and Genetic Structure of the Germplasm Resources of the Medicinal Orchid Plant Habenaria dentata
Authors: Yang Yishan , Tang Jianmin , Zou Rong , Luo Yajin , Deng Zhenhai , Li Dongxin , Chai Shengfeng , Wei Xiao
Published: September 2023

Habenaria dentata has medicinal and ornamental value, but the number of wild populations is decreasing dramatically. Thus, conducting research on its genetic diversity and structure is necessary to provide a basis for its conservation. This study aimed to explore the genetic diversity of the wild plant H. dentata and protect and optimize its wild resources. The genetic diversity of 133 samples from six wild populations of H. dentata was analyzed using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat molecular markers to provide a scientific basis for the screening of improved germplasm resources. The results showed that the average number of alleles was 1.765, the average number of effective alleles was 1.424, the average Nei’s gene diversity index was 0.252, the average Shannon diversity index was 0.381, and the average percentage of polymorphic loci was 76.499%. The variation within the populations was 77.34%, and the variation between the populations was 22.66%. The gene flow was 1.705, which was greater than 1. The results of the cluster analysis showed that the six populations were mainly divided into four clusters and were not classified according to their geographical location. There was no significant correlation between the geographical location and genetic distance between the populations (r = 0.557, p > 0.05). The genetic diversity of H. dentata is high. Among the six wild populations, the genetic diversity of the Mulun population was the highest and this population can be used as a key protection unit. The study on the genetic diversity of H. dentata can not only reveal the reasons for the decrease in the number of individuals in the population to a certain extent, and put forward the protection strategy, but also provide a scientific basis for the breeding of excellent seed resources.
Novel Variants of PPP2R1A in Catalytic Subunit Binding Domain and Genotype–Phenotype Analysis in Neurodevelopmentally Delayed Patients
Authors: Qian Yanyan , Jiang Yinmo , Wang Ji , Li Gang , Wu Bingbing , Zhou Yuanfeng , Xu Xiu , Wang Huijun
Published: September 2023

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of high-incidence rare diseases with genetic heterogeneity. PPP2R1A, the regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A, is a recently discovered gene associated with NDDs. Whole/clinical exome sequencing was performed in five patients with a family with NDDs. In vitro experiments were performed to evaluate the mutants’ expression and interactions with the complex. The genotype–phenotype correlations of reported cases as well as our patients with PPP2R1A variants were reviewed. We reported five unrelated individuals with PPP2R1A variants, including two novel missense variants and one frameshift variant. The protein expression of the Arg498Leu variant was less than that of the wild-type protein, the frameshift variant Asn282Argfs*14 was not decreased but truncated, and these two variants impaired the interactions with endogenous PPP25RD and PPP2CA. Furthermore, we found that pathogenic variants clustered in HEAT repeats V, VI and VII, and patients with the Met180Val/Thr variants had macrocephaly, severe ID and hypotonia, but no epilepsy, whereas those with Arg258 amino acid changes had microcephaly, while a few had epilepsy or feeding problems. In this study, we reported five NDD patients with PPP2R1A gene variants and expanded PPP2R1A pathogenic variant spectrum. The genotype and phenotype association findings provide reminders regarding the prognostication and evidence for genetic counseling.
Background Tests and Improvements at LAC-UFF Aiming at Sample Size Reduction in Foraminifera 14C Measurement
Authors: Netto Bruna M. , Macario Kita D. , Assumpção Ayrton , Diaz Maikel , Fallon Stewart J. , Xu Xiaomei , Chanca Ingrid , Carvalho Carla
Published: September 2023

Foraminifera are widely used in paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic studies, providing information about past ocean conditions. However, in order to use these tracers, it is essential to obtain an accurate chronology. Radiocarbon has proven to be a powerful tool in developing robust chronologies. Sample sizes of a few milligrams of carbonate material are needed for precise radiocarbon determination using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). In the specific case of paleoceanographic and paleoenvironmental studies, Foraminifera microfossils are the most important indicator of oceanic conditions. However, for establishing the chronology of deposition, sample availability is often limited. In AMS facilities using solid ion sources, such as the Radiocarbon Laboratory of the Universidade Federal Fluminense (LAC-UFF), in Brazil, CO2 samples need to be converted to graphite after physical and chemical pre-treatment to remove contamination. Reducing the sample sizes increases the relative contribution of contamination and can favor increased background levels. In this work, we tested different amounts of 14C-free carbonate samples as a means to evaluate the pattern of contamination. For the sealed tube Zn/TiH2 graphitization method, we tested prebaking the graphitization tubes and compared storage procedures. As a result, the background for regular-sized samples was decreased, and accurate measurement of carbonate samples containing ca. 0.5 mg C could be performed. Prebaked graphitization tubes can safely be stored in desiccator cabinets for up to 4 weeks. Foraminifera samples with mass as low as 1 mg (ca. 0.1 mg C) can now be measured at the LAC-UFF AMS facility, provided that C contamination can be estimated and corrected. The developments presented in this work allowed for the study of species-specific Foraminifera and other small-sized carbonate samples.
Should Caregivers Also Be Included in Multicomponent Physical-Exercise-Based Interventions for People with a Neurocognitive Disorder? The Caregivers’ Perspective
Authors: Borges-Machado Flávia , Barros Duarte , Silva Paula , Marques Pedro , Carvalho Joana , Ribeiro Oscar
Published: September 2023

Informal caregivers of people with neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) may play a decisive role in guaranteeing partners’ participation in community-based physical exercise interventions. However, little is still known about their perspective on being involved in such programs that are specifically designed for their partners. This study aimed to explore the views of caregivers of people with NCDs about taking part in a multicomponent physical exercise intervention with their partners and to explore the perceived impact of this program on those caregivers who enrolled in it. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted with 20 caregivers (67.5 ± 13.94 years; seven female) from the “Body & Brain” project. Ten took part in the physical exercise sessions (active-participating caregivers), and the others did not (social-participating caregivers). Data retrieved from semi-structured interviews were analyzed following a thematic analysis approach. Regardless of their participation level, all caregivers reported their inclusion to be important in enhancing their partners’ initiation and engagement in the sessions; also, they all identified personal gains. Active-participating caregivers reported exercise-related benefits on general health, enjoyment, and social connectedness. Social-participating caregivers considered this intervention an opportunity for respite and appreciated being involved only occasionally (i.e., occasional gatherings or telephone contacts). The findings support the inclusion of caregivers in physical exercise interventions designed for partners with NCDs, considering their decisive role in the partners’ adherence and engagement and due to the perceived gains. Future community-based interventions designed for people with NCDs should consider giving caregivers the opportunity to choose whether they want or not to be actively involved in the exercise sessions. Further studies with larger samples are needed to verify these results, comparing caregivers’ point of view at baseline and post-intervention.
Effect of Cold Plasma Treatment on the Softening of Winter Jujubes (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Dongzao)
Authors: Jia Sitong , Zhang Na , Dong Chenghu , Zheng Pufan , Ji Haipeng , Yu Jinze , Yan Shijie , Chen Cunkun , Liang Liya
Published: September 2023

Cold plasma (CP) is a green and efficient preservation technology, but its effect on preventing the postharvest softening of fruits and vegetables is still unclear, and the effects of different CP intensities on the postharvest softening of winter jujubes (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. cv. Dongzao) have been little studied. In this study, we investigated the effects of different CP intensities (0 kV, 40 kV, and 80 kV) on the postharvest storage quality of winter jujubes and the activities of key enzymes related to softening during storage. The results showed that compared with the control group, the contents of firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and vitamin C (VC) in the CP treatment group were higher and the respiratory intensity and weight loss rate were lower. In addition, CP treatment can also inhibit the degradation of protopectin and cellulose and the accumulation of soluble pectin. Moreover, CP treatment inhibited the activities of polygalacturonase (PG), pectin methyl esterase (PME), 3α-L-arabinoside (α-L-Af), 4β-galactosidase (β-gal), cellulase (Cx), and β-glucosidase (β-Glu). This shows that CP treatment has a positive effect on the preservation of winter jujubes, and the preservation effect of the 80 kV treatment was better than that of the 40 kV treatment. This provides a certain basis for cold plasma treatment in the preservation of winter jujubes.
Occurrence and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn., Sapindaceae) Fruit Samples
Authors: AL-Huqail Arwa A. , Singh Rattan , Širić Ivan , Kumar Pankaj , Abou Fayssal Sami , Kumar Vinod , Bachheti Rakesh Kumar , Andabaka Željko , Goala Madhumita , Eid Ebrahem M.
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to assess the occurrence of eight heavy metals in lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruit samples collected from orchards of the Dehradun and Haridwar districts in Uttarakhand, India. Lychee fruit samples were collected from ten (10) sampling locations from May to June 2023 and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Results showed that lychee fruit samples showed varying levels of selected heavy metals, i.e., Cd (0.009–0.095 mg/kg), Cr (0.079–0.960 mg/kg), Cu (0.095–0.258 mg/kg), Fe (0.254–0.531 mg/kg), Pb (0.000–0.011 mg/kg), Mn (0.862–1.903 mg/kg), Ni (0.166–0.310 mg/kg), and Zn (0.076–0.149 mg/kg). It was observed that lychee fruit sampling sites near urban and industrial areas had higher concentrations of heavy metals as compared to those in rural and agricultural areas. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) and clustered heatmap dendrogram results showed that several sites had significant similarities in terms of heavy metal availability. Overall, the levels of all heavy metals were below the safe limits as suggested by health risk studies. The selected indices such as daily intake of metals (DIM), health risk index (HRI), and target hazard quotient (THQ) did not exceed the standard limit which indicated consumption of lychee fruit was safe at all sampling sites. The results of this study emphasize the need to regularly monitor lychee heavy metal levels and implement sustainable agricultural and environmental practices to reduce contamination sources.
Dormancy Characteristics of Euphorbia maculata L. Seeds and Strategies for Their Effective Germination
Authors: Park Kyungtae , Lee Hamin , Jang Bo-Kook , Cho Ju-Sung
Published: September 2023

Euphorbia maculata L. has been confirmed to have functional properties, including anticytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects. However, studies on the dormancy and germination of its seeds for cultivation purposes are lacking. The potential of E. maculata as a valuable plant species has not been fully realized due to the lack of understanding of its seed dormancy and germination characteristics. E. maculata seeds were collected and germination tests were performed at various temperatures to determine their dormant state. Next, seeds were stratified with various temperatures, and treated temperature conditions similar to those of its natural habitat to induce dormancy release. The seeds exhibited very low germination below 30 °C, which indicates the possibility of innate dormancy. Subsequently, dormancy was released by cold stratification, and an expansion in the temperature range suitable for germination was observed, confirming that E. maculata seeds exhibit conditional dormancy. Conversely, high-temperature moist stratification did not effectively break dormancy as it led to seed decay. Therefore, we treated the seeds at various high temperatures in a dry environment. This facilitated dormancy release without the need for moist stratification, allowing for seed storage while ensuring the uniform and rapid production of E. maculata seedlings and minimizing seed wastage. Additionally, seeds with broken dormancy did not require a high temperature for germination, making them more cost-effective. Therefore, comprehensively examining germination and dormancy characteristics may optimize the cultivation process of this valuable plant species, E. maculata.