bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Precursors on the Electrochemical Properties of Mixed RuOx/MnOx Electrodes Prepared by Thermal Decomposition
Authors: Petrucci Elisabetta , Porcelli Francesco , Orsini Monica , De Santis Serena , Sotgiu Giovanni
Published: October 2022

Growing thin layers of mixed-metal oxides on titanium supports allows for the preparation of versatile electrodes that can be used in many applications. In this work, electrodes coated with thin films of ruthenium (RuOx) and manganese oxide (MnOx) were fabricated via thermal decomposition of a precursor solution deposited on a titanium substrate by spin coating. In particular, we combined different Ru and Mn precursors, either organic or inorganic, and investigated their influence on the morphology and electrochemical properties of the materials. The tested salts were: Ruthenium(III) acetylacetonate (Ru(acac)3), Ruthenium(III) chloride (RuCl3·xH2O), Manganese(II) nitrate (Mn(NO3)2·4H2O), and Manganese(III) acetylacetonate (Mn(acac)3). After fabrication, the films were subjected to different characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), polarization analysis, open-circuit potential (OCP) measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) experiments. The results indicate that compared to the others, the combination of RuCl3 and Mn(acac) produces fewer compact films, which are more susceptible to corrosion, but have outstanding capacitive properties. In particular, this sample exhibits a capacitance of 8.3 mF cm−2 and a coulombic efficiency of higher than 90% in the entire range of investigated current densities.
Optimal Design of the Gating and Riser System for Complex Casting Using an Evolutionary Algorithm
Authors: He Bo , Lei Yiyu , Jiang Mengqi , Wang Fei
Published: October 2022

The gating and riser system design is essential for both quality and cost in large-scale casting and is expected to reach several objectives simultaneously. However, even with the help of commercial simulation software, the design of gating and riser systems is still the result of a long-term trial-and-error optimal process owing to the conflict between the objectives. Several evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have been reported to be helpful in the selection of the geometrical dimensions of gating and riser systems. In this study, a route with sequential use of a multi-objective EA and single-objective optimization algorithm was developed to help design gating and riser systems, respectively. This route was applied in an actual case and verified using commercial simulation software. The results showed a dramatic decrease in the time cost in design and acceptable casting quality. Thus, the proposed design method is time-saving.
Study of Growth and Properties of Electrodeposited Sodium Iron Hexacyanoferrate Films
Authors: Pohlitz Michael , Müller Christian K.
Published: October 2022

Sodium iron hexacyanoferrate (NaFeHCF) films were electrodeposited on Au/Cr/Si for the study of growth behavior and physical properties. The NaFeHCF films were studied by different analytical methods to prove the chemical composition, morphology and crystal structure. The grains of the film grow with a cubic structure with an average lattice parameter of 10.10 Å and the preferential growth direction along the [111] direction of the cubic cell. The films show a repeatable bipolar resistive switching behavior accompanied by high current changes (up to a factor of ~105). The different resistive states in the materials are dominated by ohmic conduction.
Preparation and Properties of Different Polyether-Type Defoamers for Concrete
Authors: Qiao Min , Wu Jingzhi , Gao Nanxiao , Shan Guangcheng , Shen Fei , Chen Jian , Zhu Bosong
Published: October 2022

In this study, a series of polyether-type defoamers for concrete which consist of the same alkyl chain (hydrophobic part) but different polyether chains (hydrophilic part) was prepared, and the structure–property relationship of the defoamers was investigated for the first time. Using oleyl alcohol (OA) as the starting agent (alkyl chain), the polyether defoamers with different polyether chains were prepared by changing the amount and sequence of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) units. The properties of different defoamers were tested in aqueous solutions, and fresh and hardened mortars; the structure–property relationship of the defoamers was thus studied. The results indicated that the defoaming capacity of the polyether defoamers decreased with an increased EO amount, and the defoamers linked with both EO and PO units (PO before EO) had a stronger defoaming capacity than those linked with EO only. This study is beneficial for the development and applications of novel synthetic polyether-type defoamers for concrete.
Surface Modification of PHBV Fibrous Scaffold via Lithium Borohydride Reduction
Authors: Chaber Paweł , Tylko Grzegorz , Włodarczyk Jakub , Nitschke Paweł , Hercog Anna , Jurczyk Sebastian , Rech Jakub , Kubacki Jerzy , Adamus Grażyna
Published: October 2022

In this study, lithium borohydride (LiBH4) reduction was used to modify the surface chemistry of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) fibers. Although the most common reaction employed in the surface treatment of polyester materials is hydrolysis, it is not suitable for fiber modification of bacterial polyesters, which are highly resistant to this type of reaction. The use of LiBH4 allowed the formation of surface hydroxyl groups under very mild conditions, which was crucial for maintaining the fibers’ integrity. The presence of these groups resulted in a noticeable improvement in the surface hydrophilicity of PHBV, as revealed by contact angle measurements. After the treatment with a LiBH4 solution, the electrospun PHBV fibrous mat had a significantly greater number of viable osteoblast-like cells (SaOS-2 cell line) than the untreated mat. Moreover, the results of the cell proliferation measurements correlated well with the observed cell morphology. The most flattened SaOS-2 cells were found on the surface that supported the best cell attachment. Most importantly, the results of our study indicated that the degree of surface modification could be controlled by changing the degradation time and concentration of the borohydride solution. This was of great importance since it allowed optimization of the surface properties to achieve the highest cell-proliferation capacity.
Study of the Phase-Change Thermal-Storage Characteristics of a Solar Collector
Authors: Deng Yuxuan , Xu Jing , Li Yanna , Zhang Yanli , Kuang Chunyan
Published: October 2022

A combined solar phase-change thermal-storage heating system is proposed, wherein erythritol is used as the phase-change material (PCM) used to fill the thermal-storage device, and the storage cavity is heated and stored with a disc concentrator. The Solidification/Melting, Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) model of ANSYS Fluent software was used to simulate the phase-change process of erythritol inside the thermal-storage device. The thermal-storage device was designed based on our numerical calculations, and its performance was tested. We found that larger PCM-volume fractions correlated with lower PCM volume-expansion rates and longer total melting times during the heat storage process. When the φ value equaled 80%, the PCM solid–liquid-phase interface and temperature distribution were most uniform and showed the best heat storage. In addition, the size of the heat-storage device affected the heat-exchange area, and the total melting time of the PCM decreased and then increased as the width-to-height ratio (I) increased. With this design capacity, the late stage of the charging process of the heat-storage device accounted for 70% of the total time, and the heat energy-utilization rate during the boiling process was 66.3%. Overall, this combined heating system can be considered a very efficient solar energy-utilization terminal for basic domestic energy needs.
Short Circuiting Transfer, Formation, and Microstructure of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy by External Longitudinal Magnetic Field Hybrid Metal Inert Gas Welding Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Shi Chao , Sun Hongwei , Lu Jiping
Published: October 2022

In this work, the external longitudinal magnetic field hybrid metal inert gas welding (M-MIG) additive manufacturing method is employed to produce the Ti-6Al-4V alloy part. The effect of process parameters on the droplet transfer formation and microstructure of the part was studied by a high-speed camera, optical microscope, and electron backscattered diffraction. The results showed that a typical short-circuiting transfer was obtained with the wire feeding speed of 2 m/min–4 m/min. An external longitudinal magnetic field had an obvious effect on the arc shape. The uniform formation of the deposition layer was obtained with the wire feeding speed of 4 m/min. The width of M-MIG deposition layer was greater than that of the MIG, and the width of M-MIG deposition layer was increased with the increase of the magnetic excitation current. The microstructure of the deposition layer was mainly comprised of acicular martensite α’ and massive martensite αm. In addition, the β grain size in the M-MIG was less than that of the MIG. The average microhardness of the MIG deposition layer was 281.6 HV, which was less than that of M-MIG.
Detecting the Deformation Behavior of Bimodal Ti-6Al-4V Using a Digital Image Correlation Technique
Authors: Li Mei-Yue , Zhang Bin , Song Zhu-Man , Luo Xue-Mei , Zhang Guang-Ping
Published: October 2022

The evolution of a local strain of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy subjected to tensile loading was investigated in situ by using the digital image correlation technique. The results show that some local strain concentration areas have already appeared in the elastic deformation stage, which then connected and became concentrated in the gauge region when the specimen yielded. The strain compatibility of grains in the macroscopic region is kept constant. The deformation process is further divided into six parts based on the development of the maximum strain gradient, and the strain compatibility of each stage of the alloy is summarized and analyzed. The quasi-in situ experiment reveals that the primary α(αp) grains undertake the main deformation at the micro-scale.
Secondary Hardening of a High-N Ni-Free Stainless Steel
Authors: Siredey-Schwaller Nathalie , Charbonnier Pierre , Zhang Yudong , Guyon Julien , Perroud Olivier , Laheurte Pascal
Published: October 2022

High-N Ni-free stainless steels are used for their excellent mechanical properties combined with their high corrosion resistance, especially for biomedical applications. Even though it is well-known that secondary hardening during annealing after cold working has been observed in many materials, this phenomenon was not reported for these materials, one of the best known being Biodur108©, although numerous efforts have been made to increase its hardness. In this work, thermomechanical treatments at low temperature of cold-deformed Biodur108© were conducted to increase the hardness. Hardness as high as 830 Hv was obtained. For this material, the annealing of a deformed sample at intermediate temperature leads to a secondary hardening phenomenon. The mechanisms responsible for this secondary hardening were analyzed. It was found that for deformed samples, annealing at 575 °C leads to the formation of small Cr2N precipitates along grain boundaries and sub-grain boundaries, and simultaneously with a new body-centered cubic (BCC) phase that possesses a super structure. The newly formed phases have sub-micrometric grain sizes.
Study of the Magnetized Hybrid Nanofluid Flow through a Flat Elastic Surface with Applications in Solar Energy
Authors: Bhatti Muhammad Mubashir , Öztop Hakan F. , Ellahi Rahmat
Published: October 2022

The main theme of the present study is to analyze numerically the effects of the magnetic field on the hybrid nanofluid flow over a flat elastic surface. The effects of the thermal and velocity slips are also analyzed in view of the hybrid nanofluid flow. It is considered a combination of titanium oxide (TiO2) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles that are suspended in the incompressible and electrically conducting fluid (water). The behavior of the Brownian motion of the nanoparticles and the thermophoretic forces are contemplated in the physical and mathematical formulations. Moreover, the impact of the Joule heating and viscous dissipation are also discussed using the energy equation. The mathematical modeling is simulated with the help of similarity variables. The resulting equations are solved using the Keller–Box method with a combination of finite difference schemes (FDSs). Hybrid nanofluids provide significant advantages over the usual heat transfer fluids. Therefore, the use of nanofluids is beneficial to improve the thermophysical properties of the working fluid. All of the results are discussed for the various physical parameters involved in governing the flow. From the graphical results, it is found that the hybrid nanoparticles improve the concentration, temperature, and velocity profiles, as well as the thickness of the relevant boundary layer. The conjunction of a magnetic field and the velocity slip, strongly opposes the fluid motion. The boundary layer thickness and concentration profile are significantly reduced with the higher levels of the Schmidt number.
Effect of Mo on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of the Polycrystalline Superalloy with High W Content
Authors: Quan Qiongrui , Sun Shijie , Sheng Naicheng , Deng Juan , Hou Guichen , Li Jinguo , Chen Jidong , Zhou Yizhou , Sun Xiaofeng
Published: October 2022

The effect of the Mo contents of 1.0 wt.%, 1.5 wt.%, 2.0 wt.%, and 3.0 wt.% on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the polycrystalline superalloy with a high W content was studied. The typical dendrite morphology was observed in the high-W superalloy with different Mo contents, containing γ matrix, γ′ phase, eutectic, and MC carbide. After the heat treatment, the primary MC carbides were decomposed into M6C carbides, while a needle-like topologically close-packed (TCP) phase was formed in the alloy with high Mo content, in contrast to the other three alloys with low Mo content. The Mo addition increased the lattice parameter of the γ and γ′ phases and also changed the lattice misfits of the γ and γ′ phase lattice misfits towards a larger negative. The addition of Mo improved the yield strength at room temperature due to the solid solution strengthening and coherency strengthening. The improvement of the stress rupture lives at 975 °C/225 MPa was due to the combination of the suppressed propagation of the microcracks by the carbides and a more negative misfit. When the Mo content reached 3.0 wt.%, the TCP phases formed and decreased the ultimate tensile strength and the stress rupture lives as a result.
Characterization of Wear Properties of Pure Nickel Modified by Ni-Cr Composite and CaF2 Solid Lubricant Addition
Authors: Kotkowiak Mateusz , Piasecki Adam
Published: October 2022

Nickel composites doped by chromium and calcium fluoride were produced by powder metallurgy. The friction coefficient of the samples containing 20% of the CaF2 was lower at elevated temperatures (600 °C) than the friction coefficient for the Ni-50%NiCr(80/20) composite (0.14 vs. 0.20). Sample surfaces were analyzed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). EDS analysis proved tribofilm formation on the surface of the sample with CaF2 addition. A laser confocal microscope (LCM) was used to investigate the surface condition of the counter-sample after wear tests. The presence of the tribofilm reduced the wear of the frictional pair, and because of that the wear tracks were smooth. Tribofilm limited the abrasive wear and ploughing. Therefore, the tribofilm protected the sample and counter-sample from wear.
Influence of Replacing Cement with Waste Glass on Mechanical Properties of Concrete
Authors: Zeybek Özer , Özkılıç Yasin Onuralp , Karalar Memduh , Çelik Ali İhsan , Qaidi Shaker , Ahmad Jawad , Burduhos-Nergis Dumitru Doru , Burduhos-Nergis Diana Petronela
Published: October 2022

In this study, the effect of waste glass on the mechanical properties of concrete was examined by conducting a series of compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength tests. According to this aim, waste glass powder (WGP) was first used as a partial replacement for cement and six different ratios of WGP were utilized in concrete production: 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. To examine the combined effect of different ratios of WGP on concrete performance, mixed samples (10%, 20%, 30%) were then prepared by replacing cement, and fine and coarse aggregates with both WGP and crashed glass particles. Workability and slump values of concrete produced with different amounts of waste glass were determined on the fresh state of concrete, and these properties were compared with those of plain concrete. For the hardened concrete, 150 mm × 150 mm × 150 mm cubic specimens and cylindrical specimens with a diameter of 100 mm and a height of 200 mm were tested to identify the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of the concrete produced with waste glass. Next, a three-point bending test was carried out on samples with dimensions of 100 × 100 × 400 mm, and a span length of 300 mm to obtain the flexure behavior of different mixtures. According to the results obtained, a 20% substitution of WGP as cement can be considered the optimum dose. On the other hand, for concrete produced with combined WGP and crashed glass particles, mechanical properties increased up to a certain limit and then decreased owing to poor workability. Thus, 10% can be considered the optimum replacement level, as combined waste glass shows considerably higher strength and better workability properties. Furthermore, scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis was performed to investigate the microstructure of the composition. Good adhesion was observed between the waste glass and cementitious concrete. Lastly, practical empirical equations have been developed to determine the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexure strength of concrete with different amounts of waste glass. Instead of conducting an experiment, these strength values of the concrete produced with glass powder can be easily estimated at the design stage with the help of proposed expressions.
Effect of Rolling Temperature on Microstructure and Properties of Al-Mg-Li Alloy
Authors: Li Weiwei , Wu Mingdong , Xiao Daihong , Huang Lanping , Liu Wensheng , Tang Sai
Published: October 2022

In this study, the effects of hot-rolled processes at different temperatures (420 °C, 450 °C, and 480 °C) and subsequent solid solution and aging treatments on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion properties of Al-Mg-Li alloys with trace Sc and Zr addition were investigated. The aging treatment of rolled sheets after solid solution treatment could obtain Al3Li particles and Al3(Sc, Zr)/Al3Li core–shell particles to improve the mechanical properties of Al-Mg-Li alloy products effectively. The results showed that, as the rolling temperatures increased from 420 °C to 480 °C, the alloy’s ultimate tensile strengths and yield strengths increased, while the corrosion resistance decreased. The increase in rolling temperature increased the precipitation-free zone (PFZ) width of the alloy, which undermined the corrosion resistance of the alloy. Moreover, elevating the hot rolling temperature changes the texture strength of the alloy. Particularly in the 480 °C hot-rolled sample, the decrease in the Brass texture strength and the increase in the S texture and Copper texture strength led to an increase in the Taylor factor (M). The increase in rolling temperature also raised the number density of the Al3(Sc, Zr)/Al3Li core–shell particles. The presence of such particles not only inhibits grain growth but also changes the strength mechanism from dislocation cutting to Orowan bypassing. Due to the combination effect of grain morphology, texture evolution, and precipitation behavior, the 480 °C hot-rolled sample had the highest properties.
Enhanced Surface Plasmon by Clusters in TiO2-Ag Composite
Authors: Zhang Yongjun , Xu Zhen , Wu Shengjun , Zhu Aonan , Zhao Xiaoyu , Wang Yaxin
Published: October 2022

The surface plasmon in the composite composed of the noble metals and the semiconductors is interesting because of the various charges and the potential applications in many fields. Based on a highly ordered 2D polystyrene spheres array, the ordered composite nanocap arrays composed of TiO2 and Ag were prepared by the co-sputtering technique, and the surface morphology was tuned by changing TiO2 sputtering power. When TiO2 sputtering power was 60 W and Ag sputtering power was 10 W, the composite unit arrays showed the nanocap shapes decorated by many composite clusters around. The composite clusters led to the additional local coupling of the electromagnetic fields and significant Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) observations, which was also confirmed by the finite-different time-domain simulation. The SERS-active substrate composed of the composite nanocaps decorated by clusters realized the accurate detection of the thiram with concentrations down to 10−9 M.
Resistive Switching Characteristics of Alloyed AlSiOx Insulator for Neuromorphic Devices
Authors: Lee Yunseok , Jang Jiung , Jeon Beomki , Lee Kisong , Chung Daewon , Kim Sungjun
Published: October 2022

Charge-based memories, such as NAND flash and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), have reached scaling limits and various next-generation memories are being studied to overcome their issues. Resistive random-access memory (RRAM) has advantages in structural scalability and long retention characteristics, and thus has been studied as a next-generation memory application and neuromorphic system area. In this paper, AlSiOx, which was used as an alloyed insulator, was used to secure stable switching. We demonstrate synaptic characteristics, as well as the basic resistive switching characteristics with multi-level cells (MLC) by applying the DC sweep and pulses. Conduction mechanism analysis for resistive switching characteristics was conducted to understand the resistive switching properties of the device. MLC, retention, and endurance are evaluated and potentiation/depression curves are mimicked for a neuromorphic device.
A New Model for Remaining Useful Life Prediction Based on NICE and TCN-BiLSTM under Missing Data
Authors: Zheng Jianfei , Zhang Bowei , Ma Jing , Zhang Qingchao , Yang Lihao
Published: October 2022

The Remaining Useful Life (RUL) prediction of engineering equipment is bound to face the situation of missing data. The existing methods of RUL prediction for such cases mainly take “data generation—RUL prediction” as the basic idea but are often limited to the generation of one-dimensional test data, resulting in the extraction of the prediction network. Therefore, this paper proposes a multivariate degradation device based on Nonlinear Independent Components Estimation (NICE) and the Temporal Convolutional Network–Bidirectional Long Short-term Memory (TCN-BiLSTM) network for the RUL prediction requirements in the case of missing data. First, based on the NICE network, realistic data are generated through reversible sampling; then, the filling of multivariate missing data is completed. Next, the filled multivariate degradation data are processed to generate multivariate degradation data and predicted labels for constructing the training set and test set. Based on this, a residual life prediction model integrating TCN and the BiLSTM network is proposed. To evaluate the proposed method, this paper takes an example of the RUL prediction of aeroengines to perform multivariate degradation data-filling and prediction tasks. The results demonstrate the superiority and potential application value of the method.
Influence of Processing Conditions on the Mechanical Properties of 17-4PH Specimens Produced by Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Ariza-Galván Enrique , Montealegre-Meléndez Isabel , Pérez-Soriano Eva María , Neubauer Erich , Kitzmantel Michael , Arévalo Cristina
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this research is to study the influence of the processing conditions that affect the final behaviour of specimens made from a 17-4PH composition powder without the necessary thermal treatment to be considered 17-4PH, which is manufactured using the additive technique known as plasma metal deposition (PMD). To that end, two walls manufactured from the prealloyed powder were built under two distinct atmospheric conditions, i.e., air and argon, with previously optimized manufacturing parameters. The additional effect of two applied thermal treatments (TT) was studied by means of property and microstructural analyses of the extracted specimens from each consolidated wall. The two thermal treatments consisted of a heating rate of 10 °C/min to 482 °C (TT1) and 620 °C (TT2), with the temperatures for 1 and 4 h, respectively; the cooling rate was 5 °C/min for both treatments. According to the findings, the presence of an argon atmosphere during manufacturing promoted the presence of an austenite phase, reducing the deformation of the samples and enhancing their Young’s modulus. The TT1 treatment positively contributed, improving the mechanical properties in general, and TT2 substantially improved the elongation in both sets of specimens.
Preface to the Special Issue “Mathematical Modeling in Industrial Engineering and Electrical Engineering”—Special Issue Book
Authors: Versaci Mario
Published: October 2022

It is now clear that cooperation between academia and industries is crucial for social, cultural, technological and economic progress and innovation [...]
A General-Purpose Multi-Dimensional Convex Landscape Generator
Authors: Liu Wenwen , Yuen Shiu Yin , Chung Kwok Wai , Sung Chi Wan
Published: October 2022

Heuristic and evolutionary algorithms are proposed to solve challenging real-world optimization problems. In the evolutionary community, many benchmark problems for empirical evaluations of algorithms have been proposed. One of the most important classes of test problems is the class of convex functions, particularly the d-dimensional sphere function. However, the convex function type is somewhat limited. In principle, one can select a set of convex basis functions and use operations that preserve convexity to generate a family of convex functions. This method will inevitably introduce bias in favor of the basis functions. In this paper, the problem is solved by employing insights from computational geometry, which gives the first-ever general-purpose multi-dimensional convex landscape generator. The new proposed generator has the advantage of being generic, which means that it has no bias toward a specific analytical function. A set of N random d-dimensional points is generated for the construction of a d-dimensional convex hull. The upper part of the convex hull is removed by considering the normal of the polygons. The remaining part defines a convex function. It is shown that the complexity of constructing the function is O(Md3), where M is the number of polygons of the convex function. For the method to work as a benchmark function, queries of an arbitrary (d−1) dimensional input are generated, and the generator has to return the value of the convex function. The complexity of answering the query is O(Md). The convexity of the function from the generator is verified with a nonconvex ratio test. The performance of the generator is also evaluated using the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (BFGS) gradient descent algorithm. The source code of the generator is available.
Knowledge Graph-Based Framework for Decision Making Process with Limited Interaction
Authors: Albagli-Kim Sivan , Beimel Dizza
Published: October 2022

In this work, we present an algorithmic framework that supports a decision process in which an end user is assisted by a domain expert to solve a problem. In addition, the communication between the end user and the domain expert is characterized by a limited number of questions and answers. The framework we have developed helps the domain expert to pinpoint a small number of questions to the end user to increase the likelihood of their insights being correct. The proposed framework is based on the domain expert’s knowledge and includes an interaction with both the domain expert and the end user. The domain expert’s knowledge is represented by a knowledge graph, and the end user’s information related to the problem is entered into the graph as evidence. This triggers the inference algorithm in the graph, which suggests to the domain expert the next question for the end user. The paper presents a detailed proposed framework in a medical diagnostic domain; however, it can be adapted to additional domains with a similar setup. The software framework we have developed makes the decision-making process accessible in an interactive and explainable manner, which includes the use of semantic technology and is, therefore, innovative.
Oncolytic Vaccinia Virus Carrying Aphrocallistes vastus Lectin (oncoVV-AVL) Enhances Inflammatory Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Zheng Xinnan , Xu Weizhe , Ying Qi , Ni Jiajun , Jia Xiaoyuan , Zhou Yanrong , Ye Ting , Li Gongchu , Chen Kan
Published: October 2022

Aphrocallistes vastus lectin (AVL) is a C-type marine lectin derived from sponges. Our previous study demonstrated that oncolytic vaccinia virus carrying AVL (oncoVV-AVL) significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of oncoVV in cervical cancer, colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma through the activation of Ras/ERK, MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. In this study, the inflammatory response induced by oncoVV-AVL in a hepatocellular carcinoma cell (HCC) model was investigated. The results showed that oncoVV-AVL increased the levels of inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α through activating the AP-1 signaling pathway in HCC. This study provides novel insights into the utilization of lectin AVL in the field of cancer therapy.
Nutraceuticals from Algae: Current View and Prospects from a Research Perspective
Authors: Tiwari Brijesh K. , Garcia-Vaquero Marco
Published: October 2022

In recent years, algae, both microalgae and macroalgae, have attracted the attention of the scientific community as a source of multiple active molecules or bioactives, including polysaccharides, fatty acids, proteins and peptides, polyphenols, diterpenes, steroids, and alkaloids [...]
The Beneficial Effect of Personalized Lifestyle Intervention in Chronic Kidney Disease Follow-Up Project for National Health Insurance Specific Health Checkup: A Five-Year Community-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Takeuchi Hidemi , Uchida Haruhito A. , Katayama Katsuyoshi , Matsuoka-Uchiyama Natsumi , Okamoto Shugo , Onishi Yasuhiro , Okuyama Yuka , Umebayashi Ryoko , Miyaji Kodai , Kai Akiko , Matsumoto Izumi , Taniguchi Keiko , Yamashita Fukiko , Emi Tsutomu , Sugiyama Hitoshi , Wada Jun
Published: October 2022

Background and Objectives: Mimasaka city is a relatively small city with a population of 28,381, and an aging rate (≥65 years old) of 38.9%, where only one nephrology clinic is available. Since 2013, the city has conducted its own unique lifestyle intervention for the participants of the National Health Insurance specific medical health checkup, aiming to prevent the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) severity. Materials and Methods: The persons in National Health Insurance specific medical health checkup (40–74 years old) conducted in Mimasaka city in 2013, with eGFR less than 50 mL/min/1.73 m² or 50–90 mL/min/1.73 m² with urine dipstick protein 1+ or more, were registered for the CKD follow-up project, as high-risk subjects for advanced renal dysfunction. Municipal workers directly visited the subjects’ homes to provide individual health guidance and encourage medical consultation. We aimed to examine the effect of home-visit intervention on the changes of renal function and related factors until 2017. Results: The number of the high-risk subjects who continuously received the health checkup until 2017 was 63, and only 23 (36.5%) visited a medical institution in the first year. The eGFR decreased by only 0.4 mL/min/1.73 m²/year, and the subjects with urinary protein 1+ or higher decreased significantly from 20 (31.7%) to 9 (14.3%) (p = 0.034) in the high-risk subjects. The changes in eGFR and urinary protein was almost in the same fashion regardless of their medical institution visits. Next, we examined the effects of various factors on ΔeGFR, the changes of eGFR from 2013 to 2017, by multivariate linear regression analysis. The effects of medical institution visit were not significant, and the degree of urinary protein (coefficient B: 4.503, β: 0.705, p < 0.001), age (coefficient B: 4.753, β: 0.341, p = 0.004), and smoking (coefficient B: 5.878, β: 0.295, p = 0.031) had independent significant effects, indicating that they were the factors exacerbating the decrease in eGFR from the baseline. Conclusions: The personalized lifestyle intervention by home-visit in CKD follow-up project showed the possibility of beneficial effects on the deterioration of renal function. This may be an efficient method to change behavior in a small community with limited medical resources.
Echinocystic Acid Bidesmoside Saponins from Microglossa afzelii O. Hoffm and Their Cytotoxic Activity against the CAL-27 Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cell Line
Authors: Tchegnitegni Billy Toussie , Ahmed Tehmina , Ngouafong Francis Tatong , Kamso Viviane Flore Kamlo , Teponno Rémy Bertrand , Lenta Bruno Ndjakou , Tapondjou Léon Azefack , Ali Arslan , Musharraf Syed Ghulam
Published: October 2022

This paper describes eight new triterpenoid saponins, including afzeliioside A (1), four acetylated afzeliiosides as pairs of inseparable regioisomers, called afzeliiosides B/C (2/3) and D/E (4/5), afzeliiosides F-H (6–8), and a known impatiprin C (9), which were isolated from the n-BuOH fraction of the liana of Microglossa afzelii. Their structures were established mainly by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, HRFAB-MS, tandem ESI-MS/MS, and chemical methods, as well as a comparison of their spectral data with those of related compounds. All the isolates were screened for their cytotoxic activity against the CAL-27 oral squamous carcinoma cell line. Only compounds 4/5 (EC50 = 36.0 μg/mL (32.7 μM)) exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity. This work presents the first chemical and biological investigation of Microglossa afzelii and reports, for the first time, on the isolation of saponins in the genus Microglossa.
A Novel Ketone-Supplemented Diet Improves Recognition Memory and Hippocampal Mitochondrial Efficiency in Healthy Adult Mice
Authors: Saito Erin R. , Warren Cali E. , Hanegan Cameron M. , Larsen John G. , du Randt Johannes D. , Cannon Mio , Saito Jeremy Y. , Campbell Rachel J. , Kemberling Colin M. , Miller Gavin S. , Edwards Jeffrey G. , Bikman Benjamin T.
Published: October 2022

Mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive impairment are common symptoms in many neurologic and psychiatric disorders, as well as nonpathological aging. Ketones have been suggested as therapeutic for their efficacy in epilepsy and other brain pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease and major depressive disorder. However, their effects on cognitive function in healthy individuals is less established. Here, we explored the mitochondrial and performative outcomes of a novel eight-week ketone-supplemented ketogenic (KETO) diet in healthy adult male and female mice. In a novel object recognition test, KETO mice spent more time with the novel, compared to familiar, object, indicating an improvement in recognition memory. High-resolution respirometry on permeabilized hippocampal tissue returned significant reductions in mitochondrial O2 consumption. No changes in ATP production were observed, yielding a significantly higher ATP:O2 ratio, a measure of mitochondrial efficiency. Together, these findings demonstrate the KETO diet improves hippocampal mitochondrial efficiency. They add to a growing body of evidence that suggests ketones and ketogenic diets are neuroprotective and metabolically and cognitively relevant, even in healthy adults. They also suggest that ketogenic lifestyle changes may be effective strategies for protecting against cognitive decline associated with aging and disease.
Preliminary Investigation of the Effect of Maceration Procedures on Bone Metabolome and Lipidome
Authors: Bonicelli Andrea , Cheung William , Hughes Sheree , Wescott Daniel J. , Procopio Noemi
Published: October 2022

The study of post-mortem changes is a crucial component of forensic investigation. Human forensic taphonomic facilities (HFTFs) are the only institutions allowing the design and execution of controlled human decomposition experiments. When bodies are skeletonized, bones are normally stored in skeletal collections and used for anthropological studies. However, HFTFs apply chemical and/or thermal treatments to the remains prior bone long-term storage. These treatments are believed to alter heavily the original biochemical and molecular signature of bone material. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of these procedures on the bone metabolome and lipidome by using an animal bone model. Three intact bovine tibiae were processed using three protocols routinely applied at HFTFs, and their three counterparts were used as non-treated controls. Bone powder samples were subjected to biphasic extraction and both metabolites and lipids were analysed via liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry. Results showed severe reductions in the abundances of both metabolites and lipids, and the presence of contamination introduced by cleaning agents. Despite the preliminary nature of the study, we demonstrated that the biochemical profile of bone is heavily affected by the maceration procedures. Ideally, these treatments should be avoided, or replaced by minimally invasive procedures agreed across HFTFs.
Simplified Cell Magnetic Isolation Assisted SC2 Chip to Realize “Sample in and Chemotaxis Out”: Validated by Healthy and T2DM Patients’ Neutrophils
Authors: Yang Xiao , Gao Chaoru , Liu Yong , Zhu Ling , Yang Ke
Published: October 2022

Neutrophil migration in tissues critically regulates the human immune response and can either play a protective role in host defense or cause health problems. Microfluidic chips are increasingly applied to study neutrophil migration, attributing to their advantages of low reagent consumption, stable chemical gradients, visualized cell chemotaxis monitoring, and quantification. Most chemotaxis chips suffered from low throughput and fussy cell separation operations. We here reported a novel and simple “sample in and chemotaxis out” method for rapid neutrophils isolation from a small amount of whole blood based on a simplified magnetic method, followed by a chemotaxis assay on a microfluidic chip (SC2 chip) consisting of six cell migration units and six-cell arrangement areas. The advantages of the “sample in and chemotaxis out” method included: less reagent consumption (10 μL of blood + 1 μL of magnetic beads + 1 μL of lysis buffer); less time (5 min of cell isolation + 15 min of chemotaxis testing); no ultracentrifugation; more convenient; higher efficiency; high throughput. We have successfully validated the approach by measuring neutrophil chemotaxis to frequently-used chemoattractant (i.e., fMLP). The effects of D-glucose and mannitol on neutrophil chemotaxis were also analyzed. In addition, we demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach for testing clinical samples from diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) patients. We found neutrophils’ migration speed was higher in the “well-control” T2DM than in the “poor-control” group. Pearson coefficient analysis further showed that the migration speed of T2DM was negatively correlated with physiological indicators, such as HbA1c (−0.44), triglyceride (−0.36), C-reactive protein (−0.28), and total cholesterol (−0.28). We are very confident that the developed “sample in and chemotaxis out” method was hoped to be an attractive model for analyzing the chemotaxis of healthy and disease-associated neutrophils.
Enhancement of the Optical and Dielectric Properties at Low Frequency of (Sr1−xCax)5Ti4O13, (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06) Structure Ceramics
Authors: Ahmed Sara J. , Ali Asad , Zaman Abid , Alhodaib Aiyeshah , Alghtani Abdulaziz H. , Bejaoui Imen , Tirth Vineet , Algahtani Ali , Khan Mohsin , Abdullah  , Aljohani Mohammed
Published: October 2022

Low loss Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) series, i.e., (Sr1−xCax)5Ti4O13, 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06, has been synthesized by a mixed oxide route. In this work, the substitution of Ca2+ cation in Sr5Ti4O13 sintered ceramics was chosen to enhance the structural, optical, and dielectric properties of the product. It was found that the Ca2+ content has significant effects on enhancing the dielectric properties as compared to Mn and glass additions. It was observed that the relative density, band gap energy, and dielectric loss (tangent loss) increase while relative permittivity decreases along with Ca2+ content. High relative density (96.7%), low porosity, and high band gap energy (2.241 eV) values were obtained in (Sr1−xCax)5Ti4O13, 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06 sintered ceramics. These results will play a key role in the application of dielectric resonators.
Numerical Study of a Solar Cell to Achieve the Highest InGaN Power Conversion Efficiency for the Whole In-Content Range
Authors: Martínez-Revuelta Rubén , Solís-Cisneros Horacio I. , Trejo-Hernández Raúl , Pérez-Patricio Madaín , Paniagua-Chávez Martha L. , Grajales-Coutiño Rubén , Camas-Anzueto Jorge L. , Hernández-Gutiérrez Carlos A.
Published: October 2022

A solar cell structure with a graded bandgap absorber layer based on InGaN has been proposed to overcome early predicted efficiency. Technological issues such as carrier concentration in the p- and n-type are based on the data available in the literature. The influence of carrier concentration-dependent mobility on the absorber layer has been studied, obtaining considerable improvements in efficiency and photocurrent density. Efficiency over the tandem solar cell theoretical limit has been reached. A current density of 52.95 mA/cm2, with an efficiency of over 85%, is determined for a PiN structure with an InGaN step-graded bandgap absorption layer and 65.44% of power conversion efficiency for the same structure considering piezoelectric polarization of fully-strained layers and interfaces with electron and hole surface recombination velocities of 10−3 cm/s.
Effect of Environmental Heterogeneity and Trophic Status in Sampling Strategy on Estimation of Small-Scale Regional Biodiversity of Microorganisms
Authors: Zhu Changyu , Langlois Gaytha A. , Zhao Yan
Published: October 2022

Microorganisms are diverse and play key roles in lake ecosystems, therefore, a robust estimation of their biodiversity and community structure is crucial for determining their ecological roles in lakes. Conventionally, molecular surveys of microorganisms in lakes are primarily based on equidistant sampling. However, this sampling strategy overlooks the effects of environmental heterogeneity and trophic status in lake ecosystems, which might result in inaccurate biodiversity assessments of microorganisms. Here, we conducted equidistant sampling from 10 sites in two regions with different trophic status within East Lake (Wuhan, China), to verify the reliability of this sampling strategy and assess the influence of environmental heterogeneity and trophic status on this strategy. Rarefaction curves showed that the species richness of microbial communities in the region of the lake with higher eutrophication failed to reach saturation compared with that in lower trophic status. The microbial compositions of samples from the region with higher trophic status differed significantly (P < 0.05) from those in the region with lower trophic status. The result of this pattern may be explained by complex adaptations of lake microorganisms in high eutrophication regions with environmental conditions, where community differentiation can be viewed as adaptations to these environmental selection forces. Therefore, when conducting surveys of microbial biodiversity in a heterogeneous environment, investigators should incorporate intensive sampling to assess the variability in microbial distribution in response to a range of factors in the local microenvironment.
Effect of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacterial Strains That Coexist in Rhizosphere Soil on Italian Ryegrass Regrowth
Authors: Wu Di , Wang Xiao-Ling , Zhu Xi-Xia , Wang Hai-Hong , Liu Wei , Qi Lin , Song Peng , Zhang Ming-Ming , Zhao Wei
Published: October 2022

Potted Italian ryegrasses (Lolium multiflorum L.) were used to investigate the effect of ammonia-oxidizing bacterial (AOB) strain that coexisted in rhizosphere soil on Italian ryegrass regrowth. The results showed that the isolated and screened AOB strain (S2_8_1) had 100% similarity to Ensifer sesbaniae. The inoculation of S2_8_1 on day 44 before defoliation caused its copy number in rhizosphere soils to increase by 83–157% from day 34 before defoliation to day 14 after defoliation compared with that in Italian ryegrass without S2_8_1 inoculation, indicating that S2_8_1 coexisted permanently with Italian ryegrass. The coexistence promoted the delivery of root-derived cytokinin to leaves and to increase its cytokinin concentrations; thus, the Italian ryegrass regrowth accelerated. During the 14-day regrowth period, the S2_8_1 coexistence with Italian ryegrass caused its leaf and xylem sap cytokinin concentrations, rhizosphere soil nitrification rates, net photosynthetic rates, and total biomass to increase by 38%, 58%, 105%, 18%, and 39% on day 14 after defoliation, respectively. The inoculation of S2_8_1 on day 2 before defoliation also increased the regrowth of Italian ryegrass. Thus, the coexistence of AOB with Italian ryegrass increased its regrowth by regulating the delivery of cytokinins from roots to leaves.
Potential of Therapeutic Small Molecules in Apoptosis Regulation in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases: An Updated Review
Authors: Dailah Hamad Ghaleb
Published: October 2022

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) include Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the common feature of NDs is the progressive death of specific neurons in the brain. Apoptosis is very important in developing the nervous system, nonetheless an elevated level of cell death has been observed in the case of NDs. NDs are different in terms of their neuronal vulnerability and clinical manifestations, however they have some overlapping neurodegenerative pathways. It has been demonstrated by several studies with cell lines and animal models that apoptosis has a significant contribution to make in advancing AD, ALS, HD, and PD. Numerous dying neurons were also identified in the brains of individuals with NDs and these conditions were found to be linked with substantial cell loss along with common characteristics of apoptosis including activation of caspases and cysteine-proteases, DNA fragmentation, and chromatin condensation. It has been demonstrated that several therapeutic agents including antioxidants, minocycline, GAPDH ligands, p53 inhibitors, JNK (c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase) inhibitors, glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibitor, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, D2 dopamine receptor agonists, FK506, cell cycle inhibitors, statins, drugs targeting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, and gene therapy have the potential to provide protection to neurons against apoptosis. Therefore, the use of these potential therapeutic agents might be beneficial in the treatment of NDs. In this review, we have summarized the pathways that are linked with apoptotic neuronal death in the case of various NDs. We have particularly focused on the therapeutic agents that have neuroprotective properties and the potential to regulate apoptosis in NDs.