bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Performance of Chemically Activated Carbons from Sawdust as Supercapacitor Electrodes
Authors: Nazhipkyzy Meruyert , Yeleuov Mukhtar , Sultakhan Shynggyskhan T. , Maltay Anar B. , Zhaparova Aizhan A. , Assylkhanova Dana D. , Nemkayeva Renata R.
Published: September 2022

Activated carbons (ACs) have been the most widespread carbon materials used in supercapacitors (SCs) due to their easy processing methods, good electrical conductivity, and abundant porosity. For the manufacture of electrodes, the obtained activated carbon based on sawdust (karagash and pine) was mixed with conductive carbon and polyvinylidene fluoride as a binder, in ratios of 75% activated carbon, 10% conductive carbon black, and 15% polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) in an N-methyl pyrrolidinone solution, to form a slurry and applied to a titanium foil. The total mass of each electrode was limited to vary from 2.0 to 4.0 mg. After that, the electrodes fitted with the separator and electrolyte solution were symmetrically assembled into sandwich-type cell construction. The carbon’s electrochemical properties were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (CGD) studies in a two-electrode cell in 6M KOH. The CV and CGD measurements were realized at different scan rates (5–160 mV s−1) and current densities (0.1–2.0 A g−1) in the potential window of 1 V. ACs from KOH activation showed a high specific capacitance of 202 F g−1 for karagash sawdust and 161 F g−1 for pine sawdust at low mass loading of 1.15 mg cm−2 and scan rate of 5 mV s−1 in cyclic voltammetry test and 193 and 159 F g−1 at a gravimetric current density of 0.1 A g−1 in the galvanostatic charge–discharge test. The specific discharge capacitance is 177 and 131 F g−1 at a current density of 2 A g−1. Even at a relatively high scan rate of 160 mV s−1, a decent specific capacitance of 147 F g−1 and 114 F g−1 was obtained, leading to high energy densities of 26.0 and 22.1 W h kg−1 based on averaged electrode mass. Surface properties and the porous structure of the ACs were studied by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method.
Numerical Simulation of NH3(CH2)2NH3MnCl4 Based Pb-Free Perovskite Solar Cells Via SCAPS-1D
Authors: Ahmad Khursheed , Raza Waseem , Khan Rais Ahmad , Alsalme Ali , Kim Haekyoung
Published: September 2022

Recently, the design and fabrication of lead (Pb)-free perovskite or perovskite-like materials have received great interest for the development of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Manganese (Mn) is a less toxic element, which may be an alternative to Pb. In this work, we explored the role of NH3(CH2)2NH3MnCl4 perovskite as a light absorber layer via SCAPS-1D. A Pb-free PSC device (FTO/TiO2/NH3(CH2)2NH3MnCl4/spiro-OMeTAD/Au) was simulated via SCAPS-1D software. The simulated Pb-free PSCs (FTO/TiO2/NH3(CH2)2NH3MnCl4/spiro-OMeTAD/Au) showed decent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.19%. Further, the impact of the thickness of absorber (NH3(CH2)2NH3MnCl4), electron transport (TiO2), and hole-transport (spiro-OMeTAD) layers were also investigated. Subsequently, various electron transport layers (ETLs) were also introduced to investigate the role of ETL. In further studies, an NH3(CH2)2NH3MnCl4-based PSC device (FTO/TiO2/NH3(CH2)2NH3MnCl4/spiro-OMeTAD/Au) was also developed (humidity = ~30–40%). The fabricated PSCs displayed an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 510 mV with a PCE of 0.12%.
Supplementation with Vitis vinifera Jingzaojing Leaf and Shoot Extract Improves Exercise Endurance in Mice
Authors: Lee Yong Gyun , Woo Hayoung , Choi Chul , Ryoo Ga-Hee , Chung Yun-Jo , Lee Ju-Hyung , Jung Su-Jin , Chae Soo-Wan , Bae Eun Ju , Park Byung-Hyun
Published: September 2022

Switching myofibers from the fast-glycolytic type to the slow-oxidative type is associated with an alleviation of the symptoms associated with various cardiometabolic diseases. This study investigates the effect of Vitis vinifera Jingzaojing leaf and shoot extract (JLSE), which is rich in phenolic compounds, on the regulation of skeletal muscle fiber-type switching, as well as the associated underlying mechanism. Male C57BL/6N mice were supplemented orally with vehicle or JLSE (300 mg/kg) and subjected to treadmill exercise training. After four weeks, mice in the JLSE-supplemented group showed significantly improved exercise endurance and mitochondrial oxidative capacity. JLSE supplementation increased the expression of sirtuin 6 and decreased Sox6 expression, thereby elevating the number of mitochondria and encouraging fast-to-slow myofiber switching. The results of our experiments suggest that JLSE supplementation reprograms myofiber composition to favor the slow oxidative type, ultimately enhancing exercise endurance.
Fetuin-A and Its Association with Anthropometric, Atherogenic, and Biochemical Parameters and Indices among Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Kulik-Kupka Karolina , Jabczyk Marzena , Nowak Justyna , Jagielski Paweł , Hudzik Bartosz , Zubelewicz-Szkodzińska Barbara
Published: September 2022

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) contributes to metabolic and endocrine complications for women of reproductive age. We set out to assess the relationship between fetuin-A and anthropometric parameters, anthropometric indices, body composition, and atherogenic indices, as well as carbohydrate and lipid profile in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods. The study included 49 women with PCOS, aged between 18 and 39 years. All patients were tested for fetuin-A, fasting glucose and insulin, and lipid parameters, after oral-glucose administration were done. All of them underwent anthropometric measurements and body composition analyses such as BMI (Body Mass Index), WHR (Waist to Hip Ratio), WHtR (Waist to Height Ratio), BAI (Body Adiposity Index), VAI (Visceral Adiposity Index), LAP (Lipid Accumulation Product), BRI (Body Roundness Index), ABSI (A Body Shape Index), ABSI z-core (ABSI with added mortality risk in correlation with age and gender), AIP (Atherogenic Risk of Plasma), AC (Atherogenic Coefficient), Castelli risk index-I, and Castelli risk index-II. Results: Obesity was diagnosed in 18 patients (36.7%) based on BMI index and 7 patients (14.3%) based on BAI index. Significantly increased risk of metabolic complications was observed among 26 patients (53.1%) based on waist circumferences. Based on VAI index, risk of metabolic disease was observed among 17 women (34.7%). Dyslipidemia such as hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and mixed hyperlipidemia was detected among 14 patients (28.6%), and insulin resistance was observed among 29 (59.2%). There was a positive correlation between fetuin-A and total cholesterol (r = 0.30, p = 0.0034). There was no statistically significant correlation between fetuin-A and all of the anthropometric measurements and anthropometric indices, atherogenic indices, and other biochemical parameters. Conclusion: Fetuin-A correlates with hypercholesterolemia. It is necessary to conduct further research regarding the relationship between fetuin-A concentrations and body composition, anthropometric indices, and metabolic disorders in women with PCOS. Surprisingly, the effects of concentration of fetuin-A and anthropometric indices (BAI, VAI, LAP, ABSI, ABSI z-core) in woman with PCOS have not been closely examined. Future studies that take these variables into account will need to be undertaken. More information on the relationship between fetuin-A concentrations and anthropometric indices would aid us in establishing a greater degree of accuracy on this matter.
Associations of Diet Quality and Heavy Metals with Obesity in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
Authors: Li Tiezheng , Yu Luhua , Yang Zongming , Shen Peng , Lin Hongbo , Shui Liming , Tang Mengling , Jin Mingjuan , Chen Kun , Wang Jianbing
Published: September 2022

A poor diet cannot fully explain the prevalence of obesity. Other environmental factors (e.g., heavy metals) have been reported to be associated with obesity. However, limited evidence is available for the combined effect of these factors on obesity. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study and used the data from the National Health and Examination Survey (2007–2018) to explore the associations between diet quality and heavy metals and obesity. Diet quality was evaluated by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) score. Heavy metals included serum cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg). We included 15,959 adults, with 5799 of obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2). After adjustment for covariates, every interquartile range increase in HEI-2015 scores, Pb, Cd and Hg was associated with a 35% (odds ratios [OR] = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60, 0.70), 11% (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.98), 9% (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87, 0.96), 5% (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.89) reduction in risk of peripheral obesity, respectively. In addition, the association between the HEI-2015 scores and peripheral obesity was attenuated by higher levels of heavy metals (All p interaction < 0.05). Results remained similar for abdominal obesity. Our study reveals the distinct effects of a high-quality diet and heavy metals on obesity prevalence, and the beneficial effect of a high-quality diet could be weakened by higher levels of heavy metals.
Relationship between Ideal Cardiovascular Health and Incident Proteinuria: A 5 Year Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: He Yu-Min , Chen Wei-Liang , Kao Tung-Wei , Wu Li-Wei , Yang Hui-Fang , Peng Tao-Chun
Published: September 2022

The objective of this study was to examine whether a higher number of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics are beneficial for lowering the risk of proteinuria. This is a retrospective cohort study with an average follow-up of 5 years. Participants between 21 and 75 years old and without a history of cardiovascular disease and proteinuria were enrolled. CVH metrics, including smoking, diet, physical activity, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, and fasting glucose, were assessed by questionnaires, physical examination, and blood analysis. Proteinuria was assessed by dipstick measurement. During the follow-up period, 169,366 participants were enrolled, and 1481 subjects developed proteinuria. A higher number of ideal CVH metrics was related to a lower risk of proteinuria after adjustment. Among the components of CVH metrics, ideal blood pressure (HR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.25–0.43), fasting glucose (HR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.12–0.22), and BMI (HR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.15–0.27) had beneficial effects on proteinuria. Despite no significant benefit of diet score, the corresponding lower sodium intake showed a lower risk of proteinuria (HR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.43–0.79). Incident proteinuria was inversely related to the number of ideal CVH metrics. CVH metrics may be a predictor of proteinuria, and achieving a higher number of ideal scores should be recommended as a proteinuria prevention strategy.
Development of a Sensitive ELISA for Gastric Intrinsic Factor and Detection of Intrinsic Factor Immunoreactivity in Human Serum
Authors: Greibe Eva , Nexo Ebba
Published: September 2022

Gastric Intrinsic Factor (IF) is produced by the parietal cells of the stomach and secreted into the gastrointestinal tract where it ensures the active absorption of vitamin B12. We hypothesized that a small amount of IF ends up in the circulation and can be measured in serum. The aim of this study was to develop an assay for measuring human IF and to demonstrate its presence in serum. We designed a sensitive ELISA for measurement of human IF using a commercial monoclonal antibody and an in-house polyclonal antibody as capture and detecting antibody, respectively. Imprecision, accuracy, and linearity of the assay were examined. We established a reference interval based on serum samples from 240 healthy donors, and explored the daily IF fluctuations in 20 healthy subjects. Employing a prototype IF ELISA and size exclusion chromatography experiments, we demonstrated the presence of IF in human serum. In its final design, the IF ELISA has a measurement range of 0.2 to 50 pmol/L. The intra-assay and total imprecision were 7.9% and 15%, respectively. The 95% reference interval (18–65 years) was 1.7–11.6 pmol/L. No diurnal fluctuation or notable sex differences were observed. Our results suggest that the assay is capable of detecting and quantifying human IF in the circulation and may prove useful in the characterization of patients with impaired IF production.
No Evidence for the Presence of SARS-CoV-2 in Bank Voles and Other Rodents in Germany, 2020–2022
Authors: Wernike Kerstin , Drewes Stephan , Mehl Calvin , Hesse Christin , Imholt Christian , Jacob Jens , Ulrich Rainer G. , Beer Martin
Published: September 2022

Rodentia is the most speciose mammalian order, found across the globe, with some species occurring in close proximity to humans. Furthermore, rodents are known hosts for a variety of zoonotic pathogens. Among other animal species, rodents came into focus when the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread through human populations across the globe, initially as laboratory animals to study the viral pathogenesis and to test countermeasures. Under experimental conditions, some rodent species including several cricetid species are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and a few of them can transmit the virus to conspecifics. To investigate whether SARS-CoV-2 is also spreading in wild rodent populations in Germany, we serologically tested samples of free-ranging bank voles (Myodes glareolus, n = 694), common voles (Microtus arvalis, n = 2), house mice (Mus musculus, n = 27), brown or Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus, n = 97) and Apodemus species (n = 8) for antibodies against the virus. The samples were collected from 2020 to 2022 in seven German federal states. All but one sample tested negative by a multispecies ELISA based on the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. The remaining sample, from a common vole collected in 2021, was within the inconclusive range of the RBD-ELISA, but this result could not be confirmed by a surrogate virus neutralization test as the sample gave a negative result in this test. These results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 has not become highly prevalent in wild rodent populations in Germany.
Nitric Oxide Production and Effects in Group B Streptococcus Chorioamnionitis
Authors: Keith Mary Frances , Gopalakrishna Kathyayini Parlakoti , Bhavana Venkata Hemanjani , Hillebrand Gideon Hayden , Elder Jordan Lynn , Megli Christina Joann , Sadovsky Yoel , Hooven Thomas Alexander
Published: September 2022

Intrauterine infection, or chorioamnionitis, due to group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a common cause of miscarriage and preterm birth. To cause chorioamnionitis, GBS must bypass maternal-fetal innate immune defenses including nitric oxide (NO), a microbicidal gas produced by nitric oxide synthases (NOS). This study examined placental NO production and its role in host-pathogen interactions in GBS chorioamnionitis. In a murine model of ascending GBS chorioamnionitis, placental NOS isoform expression quantified by RT-qPCR revealed a four-fold expression increase in inducible NOS, no significant change in expression of endothelial NOS, and decreased expression of neuronal NOS. These NOS expression results were recapitulated ex vivo in freshly collected human placental samples that were co-incubated with GBS. Immunohistochemistry of wild type C57BL/6 murine placentas with GBS chorioamnionitis demonstrated diffuse inducible NOS expression with high-expression foci in the junctional zone and areas of abscess. Pregnancy outcomes between wild type and inducible NOS-deficient mice did not differ significantly although wild type dams had a trend toward more frequent preterm delivery. We also identified possible molecular mechanisms that GBS uses to survive in a NO-rich environment. In vitro exposure of GBS to NO resulted in dose-dependent growth inhibition that varied by serovar. RNA-seq on two GBS strains with distinct NO resistance phenotypes revealed that both GBS strains shared several detoxification pathways that were differentially expressed during NO exposure. These results demonstrate that the placental immune response to GBS chorioamnionitis includes induced NO production and indicate that GBS activates conserved stress pathways in response to NO exposure.
Host–Parasite Interaction and Phylogenetic of a New Cnidarian Myxosporean (Endocnidozoa: Myxobolidae) Infecting a Valuative Commercialized Ornamental Fish from Pantanal Wetland Biome, Brazil
Authors: Mathews Patrick D. , Mertins Omar , Flores-Gonzales Anai P. P. , Espinoza Luis L. , Aguiar Julio C. , Milanin Tiago
Published: September 2022

Myxozoans are a diverse group of parasitic cnidarians of wide distribution. A new species, Myxobolus matogrossoensis n. sp., is herein described infecting wild specimens of tetra mato-grosso Hyphessobrycon eques, caught in the Pantanal biome, the world’s largest tropical wetland area. Cysts were found in 3 of the 30 examined fishes. Mature myxospores were ovoid in shape in frontal and measured 6.6 ± 0.4 µm (6.2–7.0 µm) in length and 3.5 ± 0.2 µm (3.3–3.7 µm) in width. The two polar capsules were elongated in shape, equal in size and occupying almost half of the myxospore body. They measured 3.3 ± 0.2 µm (3.1–3.5 µm) in length and 1.8 ± 0.1 µm (1.7–1.9 µm) in width. The polar tubules presented three to four turns. Phylogenetic analysis placed the new species within a clade containing myxobolid species from South American characiforms fish and appears as a close species of Myxobolus piraputangae and Myxobolus umidus. Nevertheless, the sequences of the new species and P. umidus and P. piraputangae have a large genetic divergence of 12 and 12.2% in their 18S rDNA gene, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a Myxobolus species parasitizing the tetra fish mato-grosso, thus increasing our knowledge of cnidarian myxosporean diversity from South America.
Steviol Glycoside, L-Arginine, and Chromium(III) Supplementation Attenuates Abnormalities in Glucose Metabolism in Streptozotocin-Induced Mildly Diabetic Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet
Authors: Kurek Jakub , Król Ewelina , Staniek Halina , Krejpcio Zbigniew
Published: September 2022

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and its glycosides are believed to exhibit several health-promoting properties. Recently, the mechanisms of the anti-diabetic effects of steviol glycosides (SG) have been the subject of intense research. The following study aims to evaluate the results of SG (stevioside (ST) and rebaudioside A (RA)) combined with L-arginine (L-Arg) and chromium(III) (CrIII) supplementation in streptozotocin- (STZ) induced mild type 2 diabetic rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD), with particular emphasis on carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms. The experiment was carried out on 110 male Wistar rats, 100 of which were fed an HFD to induce insulin resistance, followed by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to induce mild type 2 diabetes. After confirmation of hyperglycemia, the rats were divided into groups. Three groups served as controls: diabetic untreated, diabetic treated with metformin (300 mg/kg BW), and healthy group. Eight groups were fed an HFD enriched with stevioside or rebaudioside A (2500 mg/kg BW) combined with L-arginine (2000 or 4000 mg/kg BW) and Cr(III) (1 or 5 mg/kg BW) for six weeks. The results showed that supplementation with SG (ST and RA) combined with L-arg and Cr(III) could improve blood glucose levels in rats with mild type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, ST was more effective in improving blood glucose levels, insulin resistance indices, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) concentrations than RA. Although L-arg and Cr(III) supplementation did not independently affect most blood carbohydrate and lipid indices, it further improved some biomarkers when combined, particularly with ST. Notably, the beneficial impact of ST on the homeostatic model assessment–insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and on the quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI) was strengthened when mixed with a high dose of L-arg, while its impact on antioxidant status was improved when combined with a high dose of Cr(III) in rats with mild type 2 diabetes. In conclusion, these results suggest that supplementary stevioside combined with L-arginine and Cr(III) has therapeutic potential for mild type 2 diabetes. However, further studies are warranted to confirm these effects in other experimental models and humans.
Post-Injury Buprenorphine Administration Is Associated with Long-Term Region-Specific Glial Alterations in Rats
Authors: Ryu Jane , Jeizan Pantea , Ahmed Saira , Ehsan Sareena , Jose Jefin , Regan Sean , Gorse Karen , Kelliher Corrina , Lafrenaye Audrey
Published: September 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major leading cause of death and disability. While previous studies regarding focal pathologies following TBI have been done, there is a lack of information concerning the role of analgesics and their influences on injury pathology. Buprenorphine (Bup), an opioid analgesic, is a commonly used analgesic in experimental TBI models. Our previous studies investigated the acute effects of Buprenorphine-sustained release-Lab (Bup-SR-Lab) on diffuse neuronal/glial pathology, neuroinflammation, cell damage, and systemic physiology. The current study investigated the longer-term chronic outcomes of Bup-SR-Lab treatment at 4 weeks following TBI utilizing a central fluid percussion injury (cFPI) model in adult male rats. Histological assessments of physiological changes, neuronal damage, cortical and thalamic cytokine expression, microglial and astrocyte morphological changes, and myelin alterations were done, as we had done in our acute study. In the current study the Whisker Nuisance Task (WNT) was also performed pre- and 4w post-injury to assess changes in somatosensory sensitivity following saline or Bup-SR-Lab treatment. Bup-SR-Lab treatment had no impact on overall physiology or neuronal damage at 4w post-injury regardless of region or injury, nor did it have any significant effects on somatosensory sensitivity. However, greater IL-4 cytokine expression with Bup-SR-Lab treatment was observed compared to saline treated animals. Microglia and astrocytes also demonstrated region-specific morphological alterations associated with Bup-SR-Lab treatment, in which cortical microglia and thalamic astrocytes were particularly vulnerable to Bup-mediated changes. There were discernable injury-specific and region-specific differences regarding myelin integrity and changes in specific myelin basic protein (MBP) isoform expression following Bup-SR-Lab treatment. This study indicates that use of Bup-SR-Lab could impact TBI-induced glial alterations in a region-specific manner 4w following diffuse brain injury.
Application of Intranasal Administration in the Delivery of Antidepressant Active Ingredients
Authors: Jin Zhiyu , Han Yu , Zhang Danshen , Li Zhongqiu , Jing Yongshuai , Hu Beibei , Sun Shiguo
Published: September 2022

As a mental disease in modern society, depression shows an increasing occurrence, with low cure rate and high recurrence rate. It has become the most disabling disease in the world. At present, the treatment of depression is mainly based on drug therapy combined with psychological therapy, physical therapy, and other adjuvant therapy methods. Antidepressants are primarily administered peripherally (oral and intravenous) and have a slow onset of action. Antidepressant active ingredients, such as neuropeptides, natural active ingredients, and some chemical agents, are limited by factors such as the blood–brain barrier (BBB), first-pass metabolism, and extensive adverse effects caused by systemic administration. The potential anatomical link between the non-invasive nose–brain pathway and the lesion site of depression may provide a more attractive option for the delivery of antidepressant active ingredients. The purpose of this article is to describe the specific link between intranasal administration and depression, the challenges of intranasal administration, as well as studies of intranasal administration of antidepressant active ingredients.
Elastin-like Polypeptide Hydrogels for Tunable, Sustained Local Chemotherapy in Malignant Glioma
Authors: Dragojevic Sonja , Turner Lindsay , Pal Pallabi , Janorkar Amol V. , Raucher Drazen
Published: September 2022

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a primary brain tumor that carries a dismal prognosis, which is primarily attributed to tumor recurrence after surgery and resistance to chemotherapy. Since the tumor recurrence appears near the site of surgical resection, a concept of immediate and local application of chemotherapeutic after initial tumor removal could lead to improved treatment outcome. With the ultimate goal of developing a locally-applied, injectable drug delivery vehicle for GBM treatment, we created elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) hydrogels. The ELP hydrogels can be engineered to release anti-cancer drugs over an extended period. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical properties of ELP hydrogels, to characterize their ability to release doxorubicin over time, and to investigate, in vitro, the anti-proliferative effect of Dox-laden ELP hydrogels on GBM. Here, we present microstructural differences, swelling ratio measurements, drug release characteristics, and in vitro effects of different ELP hydrogel compositions. We found that manipulation of the ELP–collagen ratio allows for tunable drug release, that the released drug is taken up by cells, and that incubation with a small volume of ELP-Dox hydrogel drastically reduced survival and proliferation of GBM cells in vitro. These results underscore the potential of ELP hydrogels as a local delivery strategy to improve prognosis for GBM patients after tumor resection.
Evolution Properties of a Partially Coherent Twisted Laguerre-Gaussian Pulsed Beam Propagating through Anisotropic Atmospheric Turbulence
Authors: Xu Ying , Xu Yonggen , Wang Tiejun
Published: September 2022

Analytical expressions for the cross-spectral density matrix of a partially coherent twisted Laguerre-Gaussian pulsed (PCTLGP) beam in anisotropic atmospheric turbulence are derived based on the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle. Numerical results indicate that the atmospheric turbulence induces the degeneration of the spectral intensity distribution of the PCTLGP beam, and the PCTLGP beam also shows different evolution properties on propagation in weaker turbulence and stronger turbulence. The PCTLGP beam with a negative twisted factor exhibits an advantage over the Laguerre-Gaussian pulsed beam for reducing the atmospheric turbulence-induced degeneration, and this advantage is further strengthened with increasing the topological charge, mode order and absolute value of the twisted factor. In addition, we also find that the pulse duration will affect the spectral intensity of the PCTLGP beam in turbulence. This kind of beam will show potential application value in free-space optical communications and remote sensing.
Nanoparticle-Based Retinal Prostheses: The Effect of Shape and Size on Neuronal Coupling
Authors: Chiaravalli Greta , Lanzani Guglielmo , Sacco Riccardo
Published: September 2022

The use of organic semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) as retinal prostheses is attracting attention due to the possibility of injecting them directly into the desired tissue, with a minimally invasive surgical treatment. Polythiophene NPs localize in close proximity to the bipolar cell plasma membrane, which engulfs them, creating an intimate contact between the NP and the neuron. The intimate contact coupled with NP photoactivity are hypothesized to be the main guarantors of the electrostatic functioning of the bio-hybrid device. Since they may both be strongly affected by the geometric features of the NP, in this work, we use mathematical modeling to study the electrostatic polarization induced by light onto the NP and analyze how its spatial distribution is modified by varying the radius of the NP and its shape. Simulation results support the efficacy of the theoretical approach as a complementary virtual laboratory in the optimization of the current device and in the development of similar future NP-based technologies.
Mitigation of Salinity Stress in Maize Seedlings by the Application of Vermicompost and Sorghum Water Extracts
Authors: Alamer Khalid H. , Perveen Shaista , Khaliq Abdul , Zia Ul Haq Muhammad , Ibrahim Muhammad Usman , Ijaz Bader
Published: September 2022

Abiotic stresses are important constraints limiting crop productivity worldwide. Salinity is one of the most devastating environmental factors restraining the production of crops. It is urgently needed to search for environmentally safe and sustainable approaches to mitigate the harmful effects of salinity on plants. Hence, applying vermicompost and low-dose aqueous extract of sorghum delivers a pragmatic solution to ameliorate the detrimental outcomes of salinity on maize seedlings (Zea mays L.). The experiment consisted of three factors, each at different levels, i.e., salinity (control, 6, and 12 dS m−1), vermicompost (control, 5, and 10%), and sorghum water extract (control, 1, and 2%). Higher salt stress negatively influenced the morpho-physiological traits of maize. Nonetheless, applying vermicompost and sorghum water extract at 10% and 2%, respectively, increased tolerance against salinity. The application of 2% sorghum water extract and 10% vermicompost significantly improved morphological characteristics, chlorophyll contents, activities of antioxidant enzymes, leaf and root K+/Na+ ratio, and K+ contents. It decreased Na+ concentration, H2O2, and malondialdehyde contents at higher salinity levels. It can be concluded that soil-applied vermicompost and foliar-applied sorghum water extract mitigates the adverse impacts of salinity by activating the antioxidant defense system, improving chlorophyll contents, and reducing the accumulation of Na+ under salinity.
Productivity and Feed Quality Performance of Napier Grass (Cenchrus purpureus) Genotypes Growing under Different Soil Moisture Levels
Authors: Habte Ermias , Teshome Abel , Muktar Meki S. , Assefa Yilikal , Negawo Alemayehu T. , Machado Juarez Campolina , Ledo Francisco José da Silva , Jones Chris S.
Published: September 2022

In the semi-arid and arid environments of Sub-Sharan Africa, forage availability throughout the year is insufficient and highly limited during the dry seasons due to limited precipitation. Thus, the identification of drought stress-tolerant forage cultivars is one of the main activities in forage development programs. In this study, Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus), an important forage crop in Eastern and Central Africa that is broadly adapted to produce across tropical environments, was evaluated for its water use efficiency and production performance under field drought stress conditions. Eighty-four Napier grass genotypes were evaluated for their drought stress tolerance from 2018 to 2020 using agro-morphological and feed quality traits under two soil moisture stress regimes during the dry season, i.e., moderate (MWS) and severe (SWS) water stress conditions, and under rainfed conditions in the wet season (wet). Overall, the results indicated the existence of genotype variation for the traits studied. In general, the growth and productivity of the genotypes declined under SWS compared to MWS conditions. High biomass-yielding genotypes with enhanced WUE were consistently observed across harvests in each soil moisture stress regime. In addition, the top biomass-yielding genotypes produced the highest annual crude protein yield, indicating the possibility of developing high-feed-quality Napier grass genotypes for drought stress environments.
Sexual Differences in Eurya loquaiana Dunn Floral Scent and How Pollinators Respond
Authors: Wang Qian , Ding Bo , Deng Hongping
Published: September 2022

Eurya plants are usually dioecious or subdioecious with small fragrant flowers. Here, we investigate the floral scent components of the subdioecious species Eurya loquaiana Dunn and how floral scent affects pollinators. Headspace solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was used to compare the floral scents of male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers. We also test whether differences in floral scent affect the foraging behaviors of pollinators and describe the flower morphological traits of the three sexes. Twenty-eight floral scent compounds were tentatively identified, and four monoterpenoids were tentatively identified as the most abundant compounds: linalool oxide (pyranoid), linalool, lilac aldehyde, and linalool oxide (furanoid). There were floral scent differences among the sex types, and male flowers were more attractive to pollinators in the wild, even when visual factors were excluded, indicating that pollinators likely distinguish sexual differences by floral scent. In the competition for pollinators, the advantage that male flowers have over female and hermaphrodite flowers can likely be accounted for the differences in floral scent and display size.
Increasing the Efficiency of the Accumulation of Recombinant Proteins in Plant Cells: The Role of Transport Signal Peptides
Authors: Rozov Sergey , Deineko Elena
Published: September 2022

The problem with increasing the yield of recombinant proteins is resolvable using different approaches, including the transport of a target protein to cell compartments with a low protease activity. In the cell, protein targeting involves short-signal peptide sequences recognized by intracellular protein transport systems. The main systems of the protein transport across membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and endosymbiotic organelles are reviewed here, as are the major types and structure of the signal sequences targeting proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum and its derivatives, to plastids, and to mitochondria. The role of protein targeting to certain cell organelles depending on specific features of recombinant proteins and the effect of this targeting on the protein yield are discussed, in addition to the main directions of the search for signal sequences based on their primary structure. This knowledge makes it possible not only to predict a protein localization in the cell but also to reveal the most efficient sequences with potential biotechnological utility.
Molecular Simulations and Network Analyses of Surface/Interface Effects in Epoxy Resins: How Bonding Adapts to Boundary Conditions
Authors: Konrad Julian , Moretti Paolo , Zahn Dirk
Published: September 2022

In this study, we unravel the atomic structure of a covalent resin near boundaries such as surfaces and composite constituents. For this, a molecular simulation analysis of epoxy resin hardening under various boundary conditions was performed. On the atomic level of detail, molecular dynamics simulations were employed to study crosslinking reactions and self-organization of the polymer network within nm scale slab models. The resulting structures were then coarsened into a graph theoretical description for connectivity analysis of the nodes and combined with characterization of the node-to-node vector orientation. On this basis, we show that the local bonding of epoxy resins near interfaces tends to avoid under-coordinated linker sites. For both epoxy–vacuum surface models and epoxy–silica/epoxy cellulose interfaces, we find almost fully cured polymer networks. These feature a local increase in network linking lateral to the surface/interface, rather than the dangling of unreacted epoxy groups. Consequently, interface tension is low (as compared to the work of separating bulk epoxy), and the reactivity of the resin surface appears negligible.
Biosynthesis of P(3HB-co-3HHx) Copolymers by a Newly Engineered Strain of Cupriavidus necator PHB−4/pBBR_CnPro-phaCRp for Skin Tissue Engineering Application
Authors: Trakunjae Chanaporn , Sudesh Kumar , Neoh Soon Zher , Boondaeng Antika , Apiwatanapiwat Waraporn , Janchai Phornphimon , Vaithanomsat Pilanee
Published: September 2022

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polymers synthesized by certain bacteria and archaea with functions comparable to conventional plastics. Previously, our research group reported a newly PHA-producing bacterial strain, Rhodococcus pyridinivorans BSRT1-1, from the soil in Thailand. However, this strain’s PHA synthase (phaCRp) gene has not yet been characterized. Thus, this study aims to synthesize PHA using a newly engineered bacterial strain, Cupriavidus necator PHB−4/pBBR_CnPro-phaCRp, which harbors the phaCRp from strain BSRT1-1, and characterize the properties of PHA for skin tissue engineering application. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the characterization of the PhaC from R. pyridinivorans species. The results demonstrated that the expression of the phaCRp in C. necator PHB−4 had developed in PHA production up to 3.1 ± 0.3 g/L when using 10 g/L of crude palm kernel oil (CPKO) as a sole carbon source. Interestingly, the engineered strain produced a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) with 2 mol% of 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) monomer without adding precursor substrates. In addition, the 70 L stirrer bioreactor improved P(3HB-co-2 mol% 3HHx) yield 1.4-fold over the flask scale without altering monomer composition. Furthermore, the characterization of copolymer properties showed that this copolymer is promising for skin tissue engineering applications.
Methanol-Enhanced Fe(III) Oleate-Catalyzed Aquathermolysis of Heavy Oil
Authors: Guo Rui , Fu Wei , Qu Le , Li Yongfei , Yuan Weihua , Chen Gang
Published: September 2022

Fe(III) oleate (Fe(III)L) has been used in heavy oil aquathermolysis as catalysts, but the effect of the hydrogen donor on this reaction has not been considered. In this paper, we introduce methanol as the hydrogen donor in the Fe(III)L-catalyzed aquathermolysis to investigate the promotion effect of methanol on the aquathermolysis. The results show that the addition of methanol can increase the viscosity reduction rate of aquathermolysis from 81.81% to 91.23%. The heavy oil samples before and after aquathermolysis were characterized by thermogravimetric (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), elemental analysis (EA), and carbon number distribution to investigate the changes in physical and chemical properties and explore the mechanism of methanol as a hydrogen promoter. There was a significant decrease in asphaltene and resin in the oil sample subjected to the reaction after the addition of methanol; the wax precipitation point decreased from 38 °C to 31 °C; the S element content decreased by 1% and the C element content increased by 4%; the content of light saturated HC (less than C10) increased and the content of saturated HC with more than C10 decreased. It shows that the addition of methanol, which provides a large amount of active hydrogen, promotes the breakage of long-chain alkanes in heavy oil, the light component content increase, promotes the breakage of C–C and C–S bonds during the reaction, making the content of heteroatoms decrease, increases the viscosity reduction rate, and improves the fluidity of oil samples. The findings of this study can help for better understanding of the mechanism of methanol in aquathermolysis and facilitate the exploration and exploitation of heavy oil.
A Fuzzy Robust Programming Model for Sustainable Closed-Loop Supply Chain Network Design with Efficiency-Oriented Multi-Objective Optimization
Authors: Guo Yurong , Shi Quan , Guo Chiming
Published: September 2022

Sustainable closed-loop supply chain (SCLSC) network design and decision-making is a critical problem for enterprises and organizations’ operations because of its excellent economic, environmental, and social performance. This article proposes a multi-objective mixed-integer programming model with targets for minimum total cost, reduction in environmental damage, and maximum social responsibility. In order to deal with the uncertainty caused by the dynamic business environment, a fuzzy robust programming (FRP) approach is applied. Furthermore, an efficiency-oriented optimization methodology, hybridizing meta-heuristics and efficiency evaluation, is proposed to solve the developed multi-objective model and functions as auxiliary decision-making. Data envelopment analysis is applied to evaluate the sustainability performance of feasible solutions and calculate their efficiency. The efficiency can comprehensively reflect the sustainability performance and guide the evolution process of meta-heuristic algorithms. A numerical case validates the proposed FRP model and efficiency-oriented optimization methodology. The results demonstrate that with the proposed methodology, decision-makers not only can obtain a set of efficient schemes but also can determine the optimal scheme with the best sustainability performance.
Diffusion Model with Detail Complement for Super-Resolution of Remote Sensing
Authors: Liu Jinzhe , Yuan Zhiqiang , Pan Zhaoying , Fu Yiqun , Liu Li , Lu Bin
Published: September 2022

Remote sensing super-resolution (RSSR) aims to improve remote sensing (RS) image resolution while providing finer spatial details, which is of great significance for high-quality RS image interpretation. The traditional RSSR is based on the optimization method, which pays insufficient attention to small targets and lacks the ability of model understanding and detail supplement. To alleviate the above problems, we propose the generative Diffusion Model with Detail Complement (DMDC) for RS super-resolution. Firstly, unlike traditional optimization models with insufficient image understanding, we introduce the diffusion model as a generation model into RSSR tasks and regard low-resolution images as condition information to guide image generation. Next, considering that generative models may not be able to accurately recover specific small objects and complex scenes, we propose the detail supplement task to improve the recovery ability of DMDC. Finally, the strong diversity of the diffusion model makes it possibly inappropriate in RSSR, for this purpose, we come up with joint pixel constraint loss and denoise loss to optimize the direction of inverse diffusion. The extensive qualitative and quantitative experiments demonstrate the superiority of our method in RSSR with small and dense targets. Moreover, the results from direct transfer to different datasets also prove the superior generalization ability of DMDC.
Performance Evaluation and Noise Mitigation of the FY-3E Microwave Humidity Sounder
Authors: Mao Jiali , Qin Zhengkun , Li Juan , Han Yang , Huang Jing
Published: September 2022

Fengyun-3E, which is equipped with MicroWave Humidity Sounder 2 (MWHS-2) for detecting both temperature and humidity, is China’s latest polar orbiting meteorological satellite and China’s first satellite in early-morning orbit. The observation bias and observation error characteristics of MWHS-2 are evaluated by using ERA-5 as the background field. The results show that the biases range from −4 to 2 K, and the observation errors are within 1.5 K except for the window channels. A further analysis of the dependence on the scanning angles indicates that observation errors for the window channels and the 118-GHz channels increase with decreasing scanning angles. Observation errors of the window channels and water vapor channels are also latitudinally dependent, and the maximum errors in the high latitudes reach 2.0 K, while those in the tropical regions are approximately 0.8 K. In addition, the observed brightness temperature of FY-3E MWHS-2 is accompanied by striping noises along the track and high-frequency oscillation noises along the scanlines. The noise mitigation results show that both noises are approximately 0.2 K.
Multiplicative Long Short-Term Memory with Improved Mayfly Optimization for LULC Classification
Authors: Stateczny Andrzej , Bolugallu Shanthi Mandekolu , Divakarachari Parameshachari Bidare , Ganesan Kavithaa , Muthu Jamuna Rani
Published: September 2022

Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) monitoring is crucial for global transformation, sustainable land control, urban planning, urban growth prediction, and the establishment of climate regulations for long-term development. Remote sensing images have become increasingly important in many environmental planning and land use surveys in recent times. LULC is evaluated in this research using the Sat 4, Sat 6, and Eurosat datasets. Various spectral feature bands are involved, but unexpectedly little consideration has been given to these characteristics in deep learning models. Due to the wide availability of RGB models in computer vision, this research mainly utilized RGB bands. Once the pre-processing is carried out for the images of the selected dataset, the hybrid feature extraction is performed using Haralick texture features, an oriented gradient histogram, a local Gabor binary pattern histogram sequence, and Harris Corner Detection to extract features from the images. After that, the Improved Mayfly Optimization (IMO) method is used to choose the optimal features. IMO-based feature selection algorithms have several advantages that include features such as a high learning rate and computational efficiency. After obtaining the optimal feature selection, the LULC classes are classified using a multi-class classifier known as the Multiplicative Long Short-Term Memory (mLSTM) network. The main functionality of the multiplicative LSTM classifier is to recall appropriate information for a comprehensive duration. In order to accomplish an improved result in LULC classification, a higher amount of remote sensing data should be processed. So, the simulation outcomes demonstrated that the proposed IMO-mLSTM efficiently classifies the LULC classes in terms of classification accuracy, recall, and precision. When compared with ConvNet and Alexnet, the proposed IMO-mLSTM method accomplished accuracies of 99.99% on Sat 4, 99.98% on Sat 6, and 98.52% on the Eurosat datasets.
Real-Time Vehicle Sound Detection System Based on Depthwise Separable Convolution Neural Network and Spectrogram Augmentation
Authors: Wang Chaoyi , Song Yaozhe , Liu Haolong , Liu Huawei , Liu Jianpo , Li Baoqing , Yuan Xiaobing
Published: September 2022

This paper proposes a lightweight model combined with data augmentation for vehicle detection in an intelligent sensor system. Vehicle detection can be considered as a binary classification problem, vehicle or non-vehicle. Deep neural networks have shown high accuracy in audio classification, and convolution neural networks are widely used for audio feature extraction and audio classification. However, the performance of deep neural networks is highly dependent on the availability of large quantities of training data. Recordings such as tracked vehicles are limited, and data augmentation techniques can be applied to improve the overall detection accuracy. In our case, spectrogram augmentation is applied on the mel spectrogram before extracting the Mel-scale Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) features to improve the robustness of the system. Then depthwise separable convolution is applied to the CNN network for model compression and migrated to the hardware platform of the intelligent sensor system. The proposed approach is evaluated on a dataset recorded in the field using intelligent sensor systems with microphones. The final frame-level accuracy achieved was 94.64% for the test recordings and 34% of the parameters were reduced after compression.