bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
B2B Networking, Renewable Energy, and Sustainability
Authors: Askarany Davood , Yazdifar Hassan , Dow Kevin
Published: June 2021

While the benefits and advantages of using renewable energies are remarkable, and their prices have been decreasing dramatically and are expected to fall further, the diffusion and adoption of renewable energies still lag fossil energies. This paper improves our understanding regarding the role of the interrelationship among businesses (as an example of B2B networking amongst parent and subsidiary firms). Furthermore, it demonstrates the way/s that such interrelationships can contribute to the diffusion and adoption of sustainable and energy-efficient technologies. This study describes four diffusion channels in the interrelated firms which can help with promoting and using renewable and sustainable energies. The paper also reports the actual share of each diffusion channel contributing to implementing sustainable energy-efficient technologies in practice. The findings suggest that parent organisations enforce the majority (over 50%) of sustainable and energy-efficient technologies implemented in a B2B environment. In comparison, inter-subsidiary relationships are responsible for less than 30% of the implemented sustainable and energy-efficient technologies in organisations. The findings are in line with the forced perspective theory. They could, to some degree, explain the differences in the levels of implementation of sustainable and energy-efficient technologies in practice. These findings can help practitioners prioritise the diffusion channels when they want to facilitate the implementation of new technologies in their organisations. While some organisations may expect a more successful implementation of innovations initiated by subsidiaries than those enforced by parent organisations, the levels of success of the adoption of sustainable and energy-efficient technologies are not examined in this study. Further research is recommended to investigate the extent of association between different diffusion channels and the levels of success in terms of the adoption of innovation. We did not find similar studies to compare the results, which could be one of the limitations of this study.
Ecosystems in Books: Evaluating the Inspirational Service of the Weser River in Germany
Authors: Jiang Wei , Marggraf Rainer
Published: June 2021

Attempts at assessing the monetary value of cultural ecosystem services has proven challenging due to their non-material and non-market characteristics. Innovative methods are needed to fill this methodological gap. In this paper, a novel approach is developed for evaluating the inspirational service, one type of valuable cultural service, of a specific ecosystem embodied in published books. Taking the Weser River in Germany as an example, a breadth of evidence found in 19 books shows the strong inspiration of the river to people living around it who create plenty of literary and artistic works that represent different faces of the river, such as novels, poems, folklore and paintings. Based on the prices of these books and the estimated number of persons who have read these books, the total value of the inspirational service provided by the Weser River is calculated as 168,499 € from 1980 to 2019, leading to the annual value of 5616.63 €/year and the unit value of 0.24 €/ha/year with the water surface area of 23,123 ha and the period of 30 years. The advantages and shortcomings of this approach are discussed, and suggestions for the improvement and further research are made.
New Insights into Profibrotic Myofibroblast Formation in Systemic Sclerosis: When the Vascular Wall Becomes the Enemy
Authors: Romano Eloisa , Rosa Irene , Fioretto Bianca Saveria , Matucci-Cerinic Marco , Manetti Mirko
Published: June 2021

In systemic sclerosis (SSc), abnormalities in microvessel morphology occur early and evolve into a distinctive vasculopathy that relentlessly advances in parallel with the development of tissue fibrosis orchestrated by myofibroblasts in nearly all affected organs. Our knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying such a unique relationship between SSc-related vasculopathy and fibrosis has profoundly changed over the last few years. Indeed, increasing evidence has suggested that endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT), a process in which profibrotic myofibroblasts originate from endothelial cells, may take center stage in SSc pathogenesis. While in arterioles and small arteries EndoMT may lead to the accumulation of myofibroblasts within the vessel wall and development of fibroproliferative vascular lesions, in capillary vessels it may instead result in vascular destruction and formation of myofibroblasts that migrate into the perivascular space with consequent tissue fibrosis and microvessel rarefaction, which are hallmarks of SSc. Besides endothelial cells, other vascular wall-resident cells, such as pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells, may acquire a myofibroblast-like synthetic phenotype contributing to both SSc-related vascular dysfunction and fibrosis. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying the differentiation of myofibroblasts inside the vessel wall provides the rationale for novel targeted therapeutic strategies for the treatment of SSc.
The Human Self Has Two Serial Aspects and Is Dynamic: A Concept Based on Neurophysiological Evidence Supporting a Multiple Aspects Self Theory (MAST)
Authors: Walla Peter , Northoff Georg , Herbert Cornelia
Published: June 2021

The self is an increasingly central topic in current neuroscience. Understanding the neural processes that are involved in self-referential processing and functioning may also be crucial to understanding consciousness. The current short communication goes beyond the typical concept that the self is singular, as has been assumed from neuroanatomical descriptions of the self by fMRI and PET studies. Long ago, theoretically, the idea of multiple aspects of the human self-arose, highlighting a dynamic organizational structure, but an increasing number of electrophysiological brain imaging studies, searching for the temporal dynamics of self-referential brain processes, now has empirical evidence supporting their existence. This short communication focuses on the theoretical idea of a dynamic self and provides first preliminary empirical evidence, including results from own studies of the authors, in support of, and highlights the serial dynamics of the human self, suggesting a primitive Me1 and an elaborate Me2 (a non-personal and a personal self). By focusing on the temporal dimension of the self, we propose that multiple aspects of the self can be distinguished based on their temporal sequence. A multiple aspects Self Theory (MAST) is proposed. This model is meant as a theoretical framework for future studies providing further support.
Moringa and Graphite as Additives to Conventional Petroleum-Based Lubricants
Authors: Nomède-Martyr Nadiège , Bilas Philippe , Bercion Yves , Thomas Philippe
Published: June 2021

Many researches are focused on the tribological performances of pure vegetable oil in order to replace the conventional mineral engine oils. This work investigates the influence of local moringa oil (noted VO) on the performances of lubricants formed from a blend of dodecane and graphite particles at ambient temperature. In a first part, a reduction of about 50% of friction properties of dodecane is observed when adding small amounts of moringa oil (VO), which is intended to be used as a bio-base performance additive in lubricant formulations. The friction properties of their blends with graphite, generally employed as solid lubricant additive, showed an adsorption effect of fatty acid molecules. The more promising results were obtained for the blend containing 2 w% of VO. Physicochemical characterizations of the tribofilms evidence the good antiwear properties of the lubricant.
Adaptation of Fracture Mechanics Methods for Quality Assessment of Tungsten Carbide Cutting Inserts
Authors: Samborski Sylwester , Józwik Jerzy , Skoczylas Jakub , Kłonica Mariusz
Published: June 2021

Tungsten carbide (WC) is well known as one of the hardest materials widely used in machining, cutting and drilling, especially for cutting tools production. Knowing fracture toughness grants the opportunity to prevent catastrophic wear of a tool. Moreover, fracture toughness of WC-based materials may vary because of different material compositions, as well as a different way of production. Hence, each material should be treated individually. In this paper, SM25T (HW) tungsten carbide (HW—uncoated grade, TNMR 401060 SM25T, manufactured by Baildonit company, Katowice, Poland) was taken into consideration. Sintered carbides—designated as S—are designed to be applied for machining steel, cast steel and malleable cast iron. Fracture mechanics methods were adapted to make a quality assessment of WC cutting inserts. Both quasi-statical three-point bending tests, as well as Charpy dynamic impact tests, were performed to calculate static and dynamic fracture toughness (KIC and KID, respectively). In addition, a special emphasis was placed on the microscopic analysis of fracture surfaces after impact tests to discuss material irregularities, such as porosity, cracks and so-called “river patterns”. There is a lack of scientific works in this field of study. However, cutting engineers are interested in obtaining the experimental results of that kind. Although there are a few standardized methods that may be used to determine fracture toughness of hard metals, none of them is expected to be the most reliable. Moreover, there is a lack of scientific works in the field of determining static and dynamic fracture toughness of WC by the presented method. The proposed examination solution can be then successfully used to calculate toughness properties of WC-based materials, as the results obtained seem to be with a good agreement with other works.
Chemo-Enzymatic Baeyer–Villiger Oxidation Facilitated with Lipases Immobilized in the Supported Ionic Liquid Phase
Authors: Szelwicka Anna , Wolny Anna , Grymel Miroslawa , Jurczyk Sebastian , Boncel Slawomir , Chrobok Anna
Published: June 2021

A novel method for chemo-enzymatic Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones in the presence of supported ionic liquid-like phase biocatalyst was designed. In this work, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were applied as a support for ionic liquids which were anchored to nanotubes covalently by amide or imine bonds. Next, lipases B from Candida antarctica, Candida rugosa, or Aspergillus oryzae were immobilized on the prepared materials. The biocatalysts were characterized using various techniques, like thermogravimetry, IR spectroscopy, XPS, elemental analysis, and SEM-EDS microscopy. In the proposed approach, a biocatalyst consisting of a lipase as an active phase allowed the generation of peracid in situ from the corresponding precursor and a green oxidant–hydrogen peroxide. The activity and stability of the obtained biocatalysts in the model oxidation of 2-adamantanone were demonstrated. High conversion of substrate (92%) was achieved under favorable conditions (toluene: n-octanoic acid ratio 1:1 = v:v, 35% aq. H2O2 2 eq., 0.080 g of biocatalyst per 1 mmol of ketone at 20 °C, reaction time 4 h) with four reaction cycles without a drop in its activity. Our ‘properties-by-design’ approach is distinguished by its short reaction time at low temperature and higher thermal stability in comparison with other biocatalysts presented in the literature reports.
Nonlocal Vibration Analysis of a Nonuniform Carbon Nanotube with Elastic Constraints and an Attached Mass
Authors: De Rosa Maria Anna , Lippiello Maria , Babilio Enrico , Ceraldi Carla
Published: June 2021

Here, we consider the free vibration of a tapered beam modeling nonuniform single-walled carbon nanotubes, i.e., nanocones. The beam is clamped at one end and elastically restrained at the other, where a concentrated mass is also located. The equation of motion and relevant boundary conditions are written considering nonlocal effects. To compute the natural frequencies, the differential quadrature method (DQM) is applied. The influence of the small-scale parameter, taper ratio coefficient, and added mass on the first natural frequency is investigated and discussed. Some numerical examples are provided to verify the accuracy and validity of the proposed method, and numerical results are compared to those obtained from exact solution. Since the numerical results are in excellent agreement with the exact solution, we argue that DQM provides a simple and powerful tool that can also be used for the free vibration analysis of carbon nanocones with general boundary conditions for which closed-form solutions are not available in the literature.
Single-Station Coda Wave Interferometry: A Feasibility Study Using Machine Learning
Authors: Saenger Erik H. , Finger Claudia , Karimpouli Sadegh , Tahmasebi Pejman
Published: June 2021

Coda wave interferometry usually is applied with pairs of stations analyzing the signal transmitted from one station to another. A feasibility study was performed to evaluate if one single station could be used. In this case, the reflected coda wave signal from a zone to be identified was analyzed. Finite-difference simulations of wave propagation were used to study whether ultrasonic measurements could be used to detect velocity changes in such a zone up to a depth of 1.6 m in a highly scattering medium. For this aim, 1D convolutional neural networks were used for prediction. The crack density, the crack length, and the intrinsic attenuation were varied in the considered background material. The influence of noise and the sensor width was elaborated as well. It was shown that, in general, the suggested single-station approach is a possible way to identify damage zones, and the method was robust against the studied variations. The suggested workflow also took advantage of machine-learning techniques, and can be transferred to the detection of defects in concrete structures.
Surface Modification of Polyester Fabrics by Ozone and Its Effect on Coloration Using Disperse Dyes
Authors: Gabardo Rafaela Stefanie , de Carvalho Cotre Dayane Samara , Lis Arias Manuel José , Moisés Murilo Pereira , Martins Ferreira Bruna Thaisa , Samulewski Rafael Block , Hinestroza Juan P. , Bezerra Fabricio Maestá
Published: June 2021

Polyester fibers (PES) are the most consumed textile fibers due to their low water absorption; non-ionic character and high crystallinity. However, due to their chemical structure, the chemical interactions between polyester, finishing products, and dyes are quite challenging. We report on the use of ozone to modify the surface of polyester fibers with the goal of improving the interaction of the modified surface with finishing compounds and dyes. We used C.I. Disperse Yellow 211 to dye ozone-treated polyester fabrics and evaluated the effects of ozone treatment using FTIR-ATR, Raman spectroscopy, SEM imaging, rubbing tests, and capillarity measurements. We evaluated the dyeing performance via color analysis, and determined the dyeing kinetics. Experimental results indicate that the modification of polyester fabrics with ozone is a feasible pre-treatment that improves dyeing efficiency allowing better solidity of color and a decrease in the amount of dye required.
Influence of Ti-Si-N Nanocomposite Coating on Heat Radiation Resistance of Fireproof Fabrics
Authors: Miedzińska Danuta , Giełżecki Jan , Mania Ryszard , Marszalek Konstanty , Wolański Robert
Published: June 2021

Fireproof fabrics are commonly used for protection of fireguards. Such materials must be characterized by improved heat resistance, especially to radiation and flame. In this paper, fireproof fabric (NATAN and PROTON—trademark names) was covered with Ti-Si-N nanocomposite reflective coating using magnetron sputtering. The fabrics were subjected to heat radiation of heat flux density from 0.615 to 2.525 kW/m2. A testing stage equipped with a heat source, thermal imaging camera and thermocouples was used. Two variants of the coatings were studied: Ti-Si and (Ti,Si)N considering different thicknesses of layers. The temperature increment and time to reach the pain threshold (60 °C) which corresponds approximately to a 2nd-degree burn according to Henriques criterion were analyzed. In addition, the microstructural analysis of the samples using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) system was performed. The improvement of heat resistance showed for Ti-Si-coated PROTON and NATAN for all tested heat flux densities. Time to reach 60 °C for PROTON fabric increased maximally from 11.23 s (without coating) to 13.13 s (Ti-Si coating) for heat flux density of 0.615 kW/m2 and for NATAN—maximally from 7.76 s (without coating) to 11.30 s (Ti-Si coating) for the same heat flux density.
Study on Quality Prediction of 2219 Aluminum Alloy Friction Stir Welding Based on Real-Time Temperature Signal
Authors: Wang Haijun , He Diqiu , Liao Mingjian , Liu Peng , Lai Ruilin
Published: June 2021

The online prediction of friction stir welding quality is an important part of intelligent welding. In this paper, a new method for the online evaluation of weld quality is proposed, which takes the real-time temperature signal as the main research variable. We conducted a welding experiment with 2219 aluminum alloy of 6 mm thickness. The temperature signal is decomposed into components of different frequency bands by wavelet packet method and the energy of component signals is used as the characteristic parameter to evaluate the weld quality. A prediction model of weld performance based on least squares support vector machine and genetic algorithm was established. The experimental results showed that, when welding defects are caused by a sudden perturbation during welding, the amplitude of the temperature signal near the tool rotation frequency will change significantly. When improper process parameters are used, the frequency band component of the temperature signal in the range of 0~11 Hz increases significantly, and the statistical mean value of the temperature signal will also be different. The accuracy of the prediction model reached 90.6%, and the AUC value was 0.939, which reflects the good prediction ability of the model.
Organosulfur Materials with High Photo- and Photo-Oxidation Stability: 10-Anthryl Sulfoxides and Sulfones and Their Photophysical Properties Dependent on the Sulfur Oxidation State
Authors: Bałczewski Piotr , Kowalska Emilia , Różycka-Sokołowska Ewa , Uznański Paweł , Wilk Joanna , Koprowski Marek , Owsianik Krzysztof , Marciniak Bernard
Published: June 2021

While few studies show only symmetrical and poorly mono-SOn (n = 0–2) substituted acenes, in this study, we present a synthesis of a new group of unsymmetrical, significantly substituted derivatives, which revealed unique photophysical properties. Both sulfides (S), sulfoxides (SO) and sulfones (SO2) showed very high photochemical stabilities, unusual for these groups, during UV-irradiation at 254/365 nm (air O2 and Ar), which was higher than any found in the literature. For the (S)/(SO) series (254 nm), the stabilities of 80–519 min. (air O2 and Ar) were found. At 365 nm, stabilities of 124—812 min./(air O2) for (S)/(SO) and higher for (SO2) were observed. Photoluminescence lifetimes of (SOn) of the lower anthryl symmetry remained in the following order: (SO2) < (S) < (SO); those with full symmetry were in the following order: (S) < (SO) < (SO2). The enhanced photostability was explained with DFT/MS/Hammett’s constants, which showed the leading role of the SOn groups in stabilization of HOMO/LUMO frontier orbitals. The SOn (n = 0–2) substituted acenes turned out to be tunable violet/blue/green emitters by oxidation of S atoms and the introduction of rich substitution.
Controlling Calcium Carbonate Particle Morphology, Size, and Molecular Order Using Silicate
Authors: Minkowicz Lior , Dagan Arie , Uvarov Vladimir , Benny Ofra
Published: June 2021

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is one of the most abundant substances on earth and has a large array of industrial applications. Considerable research has been conducted in an effort to synthesize calcium carbonate microparticles with controllable and specific morphologies and sizes. CaCO3 produced by a precipitation reaction of calcium nitrate and sodium carbonate solution was found to have high polymorphism and batch to batch variability. In this study, we investigated the polymorphism of the precipitated material and analyzed the chemical composition, particle morphology, and crystalline state revealing that the presence of silicon atoms in the precipitant is a key factor effecting particle shape and crystal state. An elemental analysis of single particles within a polymorphic sample, using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) conjugated microscopy, showed that only spherical particles, but not irregular shaped one, contained traces of silicon atoms. In agreement, silicon-containing additives lead to homogenous, amorphous nanosphere particles, verified by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Our findings provide important insights into the mechanism of calcium carbonate synthesis, as well as introducing a method to control the precipitants at the micro-scale for many diverse applications.
Structures and Properties of New Organic Molecule-Based Metals, (D)2BrC2H4SO3 [D = BEDT-TTF and BETS]
Authors: Akutsu Hiroki , Koyama Yuta , Turner Scott S. , Nakazawa Yasuhiro
Published: June 2021

An organic anion, 2-bromoethanesulfonate (BrC2H4SO3−), provides one bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) and two bis(ethylenedithio)tetraselenafulvalene (BETS) salts, the compositions of which are β’’-β’’-(BEDT-TTF)2BrC2H4SO3 (1), β’’-β’’-(BETS)2BrC2H4SO3 (2), and θ-(BETS)2BrC2H4SO3 (3), respectively. Compound 1 shows a metal–insulator transition at around 70 K. Compound 2 is isomorphous to 1, and 3 is polymorphic with 2. Compounds 2 and 3 show metallic behavior at least down to 4.2 K. The pressure dependence of the electrical resistivity of 1 is also reported.
An Efficient DA-Net Architecture for Lung Nodule Segmentation
Authors: Maqsood Muazzam , Yasmin Sadaf , Mehmood Irfan , Bukhari Maryam , Kim Mucheol
Published: June 2021

A typical growth of cells inside tissue is normally known as a nodular entity. Lung nodule segmentation from computed tomography (CT) images becomes crucial for early lung cancer diagnosis. An issue that pertains to the segmentation of lung nodules is homogenous modular variants. The resemblance among nodules as well as among neighboring regions is very challenging to deal with. Here, we propose an end-to-end U-Net-based segmentation framework named DA-Net for efficient lung nodule segmentation. This method extracts rich features by integrating compactly and densely linked rich convolutional blocks merged with Atrous convolutions blocks to broaden the view of filters without dropping loss and coverage data. We first extract the lung’s ROI images from the whole CT scan slices using standard image processing operations and k-means clustering. This reduces the search space of the model to only lungs where the nodules are present instead of the whole CT scan slice. The evaluation of the suggested model was performed through utilizing the LIDC-IDRI dataset. According to the results, we found that DA-Net showed good performance, achieving an 81% Dice score value and 71.6% IOU score.
Finite Element Analysis of Nonlinear Bioheat Model in Skin Tissue Due to External Thermal Sources
Authors: Marin Marin , Hobiny Aatef , Abbas Ibrahim
Published: June 2021

In this work, numerical estimations of a nonlinear hyperbolic bioheat equation under various boundary conditions for medicinal treatments of tumor cells are constructed. The heating source components in a nonlinear hyperbolic bioheat transfer model, such as the rate of blood perfusions and the metabolic heating generations, are considered experimentally temperature-dependent functions. Due to the nonlinearity of the governing relations, the finite element method is adopted to solve such a problem. The results for temperature are presented graphically. Parametric analysis is then performed to identify an appropriate procedure to select significant design variables in order to yield further accuracy to achieve efficient thermal power in hyperthermia treatments.
Accuracy of Semi-Analytical and Numerical Approaches in the Evaluation of Serial Bernoulli Production Lines
Authors: Ložar Viktor , Hadžić Neven , Opetuk Tihomir , Slapničar Vedran
Published: June 2021

The manufacturing industry has a great impact on the economic growth of countries. It is, therefore, crucial to master the skills of the production system by mathematical tools that enable the evaluation of the production systems’ performance measures. Four mathematical approaches toward the modeling of steady-state behavior of serial Bernoulli production lines were considered in this study, namely, the analytical approach, the finite state method, the aggregation procedure, and numerical modeling. The accuracy of the performance measures determined using the semi-analytical methods and the numerical approach was validated using numerous theoretical examples and the results obtained using the analytical model. All of the considered methods demonstrated relevant reliability, regardless of the different theoretical backgrounds.
Multidimensional Linear and Nonlinear Partial Integro-Differential Equation in Bessel Potential Spaces with Applications in Option Pricing
Authors: Ševčovič Daniel , Udeani Cyril Izuchukwu
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this paper is to analyze solutions of a non-local nonlinear partial integro-differential equation (PIDE) in multidimensional spaces. Such class of PIDE often arises in financial modeling. We employ the theory of abstract semilinear parabolic equations in order to prove existence and uniqueness of solutions in the scale of Bessel potential spaces. We consider a wide class of Lévy measures satisfying suitable growth conditions near the origin and infinity. The novelty of the paper is the generalization of already known results in the one space dimension to the multidimensional case. We consider Black–Scholes models for option pricing on underlying assets following a Lévy stochastic process with jumps. As an application to option pricing in the one-dimensional space, we consider a general shift function arising from a nonlinear option pricing model taking into account a large trader stock-trading strategy. We prove existence and uniqueness of a solution to the nonlinear PIDE in which the shift function may depend on a prescribed large investor stock-trading strategy function.
Krylov SSP Integrating Factor Runge–Kutta WENO Methods
Authors: Chen Shanqin
Published: June 2021

Weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) methods are especially efficient for numerically solving nonlinear hyperbolic equations. In order to achieve strong stability and large time-steps, strong stability preserving (SSP) integrating factor (IF) methods were designed in the literature, but the methods there were only for one-dimensional (1D) problems that have a stiff linear component and a non-stiff nonlinear component. In this paper, we extend WENO methods with large time-stepping SSP integrating factor Runge–Kutta time discretization to solve general nonlinear two-dimensional (2D) problems by a splitting method. How to evaluate the matrix exponential operator efficiently is a tremendous challenge when we apply IF temporal discretization for PDEs on high spatial dimensions. In this work, the matrix exponential computation is approximated through the Krylov subspace projection method. Numerical examples are shown to demonstrate the accuracy and large time-step size of the present method.
Modeling the Risk of Infectious Diseases Transmitted by Aedes aegypti Using Survival and Aging Statistical Analysis with a Case Study in Colombia
Authors: Velasco Henry , Laniado Henry , Toro Mauricio , Catano-López Alexandra , Leiva Víctor , Lio Yuhlong
Published: June 2021

Many infectious diseases are deadly to humans. The Aedes aegypi mosquito is the principal vector of infectious diseases that include chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever, and zika. Some factors such as survival time and aging are vital in its development and capacity to transmit the pathogens, which in turn are affected by environmental factors such as temperature. In this paper, we consider aging as the biological wear and tear presented in some mosquito populations over time, whereas survival is considered as the maximum time that a mosquito lives. We propose statistical methods that are commonly used in engineering for reliability analysis to compare transmission riskiness among different mosquitoes. We conducted a case study in three Colombian cities: Bello, Riohacha, and Villavicencio. In this study, we detected that the Aedes aegypi female mosquitoes in Bello live longer than in Riohacha and Villavicencio, and the females in Riohacha live longer than those in Villavicencio. Regarding aging, the females from Riohacha age slower than in Villavicencio and the latter age slower than in Bello. Mosquito populations that age slower are considered young and the other ones are old. In addition, we detected that the females from Bello in the temperature range of 27 ∘C–28 ∘C age slower than those in Bello at higher temperatures. In general, a young female has a higher risk of transmitting a disease to humans than an old female, regardless of its survival time. These findings have not been previously reported in studies of this type of infectious diseases and contributed to new knowledge in biomedicine.
Inhibitory Effect of Asplenium incisum on Bacterial Growth, Inflammation, and Osteoclastogenesis
Authors: Moon Seong-Hee , Son Ju-Lee , Shin Seong-Jin , Oh Seung-Han , Kim Seong-Hwan , Bae Ji-Myung
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives:Asplenium incisum, a natural plant, is known to possess numerous pharmacological and biochemical properties. However, the inhibitory effect of A. incisum against Porphyromonas gingivalis and other factors related to periodontal disease have not yet been demonstrated. This study aimed to investigate the potential of A. incisum extract as a phytotherapeutic candidate for improving periodontal diseases by assessing its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-osteoclastogenic activities. Materials and Methods: The inhibition of proliferation of P. gingivalis by A. incisum and the sustainability of its antibacterial activity were evaluated in this study. The production of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)) and nitric oxide (NO) from lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To identify the anti-osteoclastogenic activity, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and TRAP activity analyses were performed on bone marrow macrophages. Results: The proliferation of P. gingivalis was significantly inhibited by A. incisum (p < 0.001), and the antibacterial activity was sustained for up to 3 days. A. incisum showed anti-inflammatory activities by significantly decreasing the release of TNF-α, IL-6 (p < 0.05), and NO (p < 0.01). In addition, A. incisum significantly suppressed TRAP-positive cells and TRAP activity (at 30 μg/mL, p < 0.01) without causing any cytotoxicity (p > 0.05). Conclusions:A. incisum showed antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-osteoclastogenic activities, suggesting it has strong therapeutic potential against periodontal diseases.
Lactobacillus Reuteri DSM 17938 (Limosilactobacillus reuteri) in Diarrhea and Constipation: Two Sides of the Same Coin?
Authors: Saviano Angela , Brigida Mattia , Migneco Alessio , Gunawardena Gayani , Zanza Christian , Candelli Marcello , Franceschi Francesco , Ojetti Veronica
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives: Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (L. reuteri) is a probiotic that can colonize different human body sites, including primarily the gastrointestinal tract, but also the urinary tract, the skin, and breast milk. Literature data showed that the administration of L. reuteri can be beneficial to human health. The aim of this review was to summarize current knowledge on the role of L. reuteri in the management of gastrointestinal symptoms, abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation, both in adults and children, which are frequent reasons for admission to the emergency department (ED), in order to promote the best selection of probiotic type in the treatment of these uncomfortable and common symptoms. Materials and Methods: We searched articles on PubMed® from January 2011 to January 2021. Results: Numerous clinical studies suggested that L. reuteri may be helpful in modulating gut microbiota, eliminating infections, and attenuating the gastrointestinal symptoms of enteric colitis, antibiotic-associated diarrhea (also related to the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection), irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic constipation. In both children and in adults, L. reuteri shortens the duration of acute infectious diarrhea and improves abdominal pain in patients with colitis or inflammatory bowel disease. It can ameliorate dyspepsia and symptoms of gastritis in patients with HP infection. Moreover, it improves gut motility and chronic constipation. Conclusion: Currently, probiotics are widely used to prevent and treat numerous gastrointestinal disorders. In our opinion, L. reuteri meets all the requirements to be considered a safe, well-tolerated, and efficacious probiotic that is able to contribute to the beneficial effects on gut-human health, preventing and treating many gastrointestinal symptoms, and speeding up the recovery and discharge of patients accessing the emergency department.
Systematic Review of Mind-Body Interventions to Treat Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: Khanpour Ardestani Samaneh , Karkhaneh Mohammad , Stein Eleanor , Punja Salima , Junqueira Daniela R. , Kuzmyn Tatiana , Pearson Michelle , Smith Laurie , Olson Karin , Vohra Sunita
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic condition distinguished by disabling fatigue associated with post-exertional malaise, as well as changes to sleep, autonomic functioning, and cognition. Mind-body interventions (MBIs) utilize the ongoing interaction between the mind and body to improve health and wellbeing. Purpose: To systematically review studies using MBIs for the treatment of ME/CFS symptoms. Materials and Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched (inception to September 2020). Interventional studies on adults diagnosed with ME/CFS, using one of the MBIs in comparison with any placebo, standard of care treatment or waitlist control, and measuring outcomes relevant to the signs and symptoms of ME/CFS and quality of life were assessed for inclusion. Characteristics and findings of the included studies were summarized using a descriptive approach. Results: 12 out of 382 retrieved references were included. Seven studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with one including three reports (1 RCT, 2 single-arms); others were single-arm trials. Interventions included mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, relaxation, Qigong, cognitive-behavioral stress management, acceptance and commitment therapy and isometric yoga. The outcomes measured most often were fatigue severity, anxiety/depression, and quality of life. Fatigue severity and symptoms of anxiety/depression were improved in nine and eight studies respectively, and three studies found that MBIs improved quality of life. Conclusions: Fatigue severity, anxiety/depression and physical and mental functioning were shown to be improved in patients receiving MBIs. However, small sample sizes, heterogeneous diagnostic criteria, and a high risk of bias may challenge this result. Further research using standardized outcomes would help advance the field.
Re-Evaluation of Chemotherapeutic Potential of Pyoktanin Blue
Authors: Sakagami Hiroshi , Furukawa Toshiko , Satoh Keitaro , Amano Shigeru , Iijima Yosuke , Koshikawa Takuro , Asai Daisuke , Fukuchi Kunihiko , Takemura Hiromu , Kanamoto Taisei , Yokose Satoshi
Published: June 2021

Background: Pyoktanin blue (PB) is used for staining tissues and cells, and it is applied in photodynamic therapy due to its potent bactericidal activity. However, clinical application of PB as an antiviral and antitumor agent has been limited due to its potent toxicity. For clinical application, the antitumor and antiviral activity as well as the neurotoxicity of PB were re-evaluated with a chemotherapeutic index. Methods: Tumor-specificity (TS) was determined by the ratio of CC50 against normal oral cells/oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); neurotoxicity by that of normal oral/neuronal cells; antiviral activity by that of mock-infected/virus-infected cells; and potency-selectivity expression (PSE) by dividing TS by CC50 (OSCC). Results: Antitumor activity of PB (assessed by TS and PSE) was comparable with that of DXR and much higher than that of 5-FU and melphalan. PB induced caspase-3 activation and subG1 cell accumulation in an OSCC cell line (Ca9-22). PB and anticancer drugs showed comparable cytotoxicity against both neuronal cells and OSCC cell lines. PB showed no detectable anti-HIV/HSV activity, in contrast to reverse transferase inhibitors, sulfated glucans, and alkaline extract of leaves of S.P. Conclusions: PB showed first-class anticancer activity and neurotoxicity, suggesting the importance of establishing the safe treatment schedule.
Zoning Lubricant Die Application for Improving Formability of Box-Shaped Deep Drawn Parts
Authors: Phanitwong Wiriyakorn , Sriborwornmongkol Juksawat , Thipprakmas Sutasn
Published: June 2021

The ‘formability’ of sheet metal is a major keyword referring to process design in the sheet metal forming industry. Higher formability could reflect lower production costs and time. Many studies have been carried out to improve formability in various ways, by using the finite element method and experimental approaches. In the present research, a new zoning lubricant technique is proposed. The stainless steel SUS304 square deep drawn box is used as an investigative model. Based on the material flow analysis, we found that zoning lubricant die application could reduce the difference in material flow velocity between wall and corner zones. This material flow characteristic resulted in decreased nonconcurrent plastic deformation during the deep drawing process, as well as decreased stretching in the cup wall and the delaying of the fracture. In the present research, the design of the zoning lubricant die was strictly concerned with achieving functionality related to the friction coefficient, area of zoning, and blank-holder pressure. A smaller friction coefficient positioned in the corner zone and larger friction coefficient positioned in the wall zone are recommended. It was revealed that, by appropriate zoning lubricant die application, formability could be increased in terms of box height by approximately 7 mm or 10%.
Targeted Metabolomics: The LC-MS/MS Based Quantification of the Metabolites Involved in the Methylation Biochemical Pathways
Authors: Ntasi Georgia , Tsarbopoulos Anthony , Mikros Emmanuel , Gikas Evagelos
Published: June 2021

Biochemical methylation reactions mediate the transfer of the methyl group regulating vital biochemical reactions implicated in various diseases as well as the methylation of DNA regulating the replication processes occurring in living organisms. As a finite number of methyl carriers are involved in the methyl transfer, their quantification could aid towards the assessment of an organism’s methylation potential. An Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography-Liquid Chromatography Multiple Reaction Monitoring (HILIC-LC-MRM) mass spectrometry (MS) methodology was developed and validated according to Food & Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), and International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) for the simultaneous determination of nine metabolites i.e., B12, folic acid, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine, betaine, phosphocholine, N,N-dimethylglycine, and deoxythymidine monophosphate in human blood plasma. The sample pretreatment was based on a single step Solid-phase extraction (SPE) methodology using C18 cartridges. The methodology was found to accurately quantitate the analytes under investigation according to the corresponding dynamic range proposed in the literature for each analyte. The applicability of the method was assessed using blood donor samples and its applicability demonstrated by the assessment of their basal levels, which were shown to agree with the established basal levels. The methodology can be used for diagnostic purposes as well as for epigenetic screening.
Isolation and Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeasts from Typical Bulgarian Sourdoughs
Authors: Petkova Mariana , Stefanova Petya , Gotcheva Velitchka , Angelov Angel
Published: June 2021

Traditional sourdoughs in Bulgaria were almost extinct during the centralized food production system. However, a rapidly developing trend of sourdough revival in the country is setting the demand for increased production and use of commercial starter cultures. The selection of strains for such cultures is based on geographical specificity and beneficial technological properties. In this connection, the aim of this study was to isolate, identify and characterize lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts from typical Bulgarian sourdoughs for the selection of strains for commercial sourdough starter cultures. Twelve samples of typical Bulgarian sourdoughs were collected from different geographical locations. All samples were analyzed for pH, total titratable acidity and dry matter content. Enumeration of LAB and yeast was also carried out. Molecular identification by 16S rDNA sequence analysis was performed for 167 LAB isolates, and 106 yeast strains were identified by ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rRNA gene partial sequence analysis. The LAB strains were characterized according to their amylolytic and proteolytic activity and acidification capacity, and 11 strains were selected for further testing of their antimicrobial properties. The strains with the most pronounced antibacterial and antifungal activity are listed as recommended candidates for the development of starter cultures for sourdoughs or other food products.
CRISPR loci-PCR as Tool for Tracking Azospirillum sp. Strain B510
Authors: Rilling Joaquin I. , Maruyama Fumito , Sadowsky Michael J. , Acuña Jacquelinne J. , Jorquera Milko A.
Published: June 2021

Azospirillum-based plant and soil inoculants are widely used in agriculture. The inoculated Azospirillum strains are commonly tracked by both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods, which are time-consuming or expensive. In this context, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) loci structure is unique in the bacterial genome, including some Azospirillum species. Here, we investigated the use of CRISPR loci to track specific Azospirillum strains in soils systems by PCR. Primer sets for Azospirillum sp. strain B510 were designed and evaluated by colony and endpoint PCR. The CRISPRloci-PCR approach was standardized for Azospirillum sp. strain B510, and its specificity was observed by testing against 9 different Azospirillum strains, and 38 strains of diverse bacterial genera isolated from wheat plants. The CRISPRloci-PCR approach was validated in assays with substrate and wheat seedlings. Azospirillum sp. strain B510 was detected after of two weeks of inoculation in both sterile and nonsterile substrates as well as rhizosphere grown in sterile substrate. The CRISPRloci-PCR approach was found to be a useful molecular tool for specific tracking of Azospirillum at the strain level. This technique can be easily adapted to other microbial inoculants carrying CRISPR loci and can be used to complement other microbiological techniques.
Sourdough Microbiome Comparison and Benefits
Authors: Lau Siew Wen , Chong Ann Qi , Chin Nyuk Ling , Talib Rosnita A. , Basha Roseliza Kadir
Published: June 2021

Sourdough is the oldest form of leavened bread used as early as 2000 BC by the ancient Egyptians. It may have been discovered by accident when wild yeast drifted into dough that had been left out resulting in fermentation of good microorganisms, which made bread with better flavour and texture. The discovery was continued where sourdough was produced as a means of reducing wastage with little known (at that point of time) beneficial effects to health. With the progress and advent of science and technology in nutrition, sourdough fermentation is now known to possess many desirable attributes in terms of health benefits. It has become the focus of attention and practice in modern healthy eating lifestyles when linked to the secret of good health. The sourdough starter is an excellent habitat where natural and wild yeast plus beneficial bacteria grow by ingesting only water and flour. As each sourdough starter is unique, with different activities, populations and interactions of yeast and bacteria due to different ingredients, environment, fermentation time and its carbohydrate fermentation pattern, there is no exact elucidation on the complete make-up of the sourdough microbiome. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains that are part of the sourdough starter are considered as probiotics which have great potential for improving gastrointestinal health. Hence, from a wide literature surveyed, this paper gives an overview of microbial communities found in different sourdough starters. This review also provides a systematic analysis that identifies, categorises and compares these microbes in the effort of linking them to specific functions, particularly to unlock their health benefits.
Virome in the Lungs: The Role of Anelloviruses in Childhood Respiratory Diseases
Authors: Dodi Giulia , Attanasi Marina , Di Filippo Paola , Di Pillo Sabrina , Chiarelli Francesco
Published: June 2021

More recently, increasing attention has been directed to exploring the function of the global virome in health and disease. Currently, by new molecular techniques, such as metagenomic DNA sequencing, the virome has been better unveiled. By investigating the human lung virome, we could provide novel insights into respiratory diseases. The virome, as a part of the microbiome, is characterized by a constant change in composition related to the type of diet, environment, and our genetic code, and other incalculable factors. The virome plays a substantial role in modulating human immune defenses and contributing to the inflammatory processes. Anelloviruses (AVs) are new components of the virome. AVs are already present during early life and reproduce without apparently causing harm to the host. The role of AVs is still unknown, but several reports have shown that AVs could activate the inflammasomes, intracellular multiprotein oligomers of the innate immune system, which show a crucial role in the host defense to several pathogens. In this narrative revision, we summarize the epidemiological data related to the possible link between microbial alterations and chronic respiratory diseases in children. Briefly, we also describe the characteristics of the most frequent viral family present in the lung virome, Anelloviridae. Furthermore, we discuss how AVs could modulate the immune system in children, affecting the development of chronic respiratory diseases, particularly asthma, the most common chronic inflammatory disease in childhood.