bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estado da Arte sobre formação de professores de Ciências da Natureza e Matemática na Modalidade Educação de Jovens e Adultos no Encontro Nacional de Pesquisas em Educação em Ciências (2011 - 2021)
Authors: Fonseca Edimar Fonseca da , Teixeira Maria do Rocio Fontoura
Published: April 2022

Este artigo apresenta uma análise do mapeamento das interlocuções acadêmicas, teórico-metodológicas e temáticas dos grupos que pesquisam sobre Educação de Jovens e Adultos e Formação de Professores de Ciências da Natureza e Matemática. O mapeamento foi realizado a partir das produções apresentadas no Encontro Nacional de Pesquisa em Educação em Ciências, com a utilização do espaço temporal de 2011 a 2021, caracterizado como uma pesquisa de metodologia “estado da arte”. Como resultado encontramos poucos trabalhos envolvendo as temáticas em estudo, ficando a certeza da necessidade de ampliar os espaços de formação de professores da Educação de Jovens e Adultos, especificamente por áreas do conhecimento. Observamos um crescimento de estudos voltados a formação de professores de forma geral, mas é a urgente a necessidade de discutir as especificidades, tanta da EJA, como das áreas e seus componentes curriculares.
Atividade antifúngica in vitro de extratos aquosos do bagaço da Oliveira (Olea europaea L.) frente a isolados fúngicos causadores de candidíase, dermatofitose e esporotricose em humanos e animais
Authors: Ripoll Márcia Kutscher , Martins Otávia de Almeida , Waller Stefanie Bressan , Silva Anna Luiza , Faria Renata Osório de , Gomes Angelita dos Reis , Picoli Tony , Meireles Mário Carlos Araújo , Acunha Tanize dos Santos , Chaves Fabio Clasen , Mello João Roberto Braga de
Published: April 2022

As infecções fúngicas tem se tornado cada vez mais frequentes nos últimos anos. Destacam-se as dermatofitoses, esporotricoses e candidoses. Em função da resistência aos fármacos disponíveis e tendo em vista diversificar o âmbito farmacêutico, realizou-se o estudo a partir do bagaço de O. europaea. Estudos relacionados à oliveira não abordam o bagaço que representa potencial alternativa econômica devido a suas toneladas descartadas pela indústria. Objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o perfil sensibilidade in vitro de isolados fúngicos frente extratos aquosos de bagaço de O. europeae. Testar toxicidade celular dos extratos utilizados e determinar presença e quantidade dos compostos fenólicos (oleuropeína e hidroxitirosol). Não foi observado atividade antifúngica desses extratos aquosos diante dos isolados de dermatófitos e Sporothrix brasiliensis. Dos isolados de Candida spp. testados para susceptibilidade, dois foram sensíveis ao extrato de decocção do bagaço a partir da concentração 50 mg/ml de DEC 10’. Na toxicidade da decocção do bagaço de oliveira, observou-se concentrações a partir de 12,5 mg/ml permitiram que pelo menos 50% das células MDBK se mantivessem viáveis. As concentrações de 3,13 até 0,78 mg/ml foram seguras, pois ocorreu 100% de viabilidade celular. Dos compostos (CLAE) hidroxitirosol variou a concentração de 8 x10-4 a 34 x10-4 mg/ml em INF 10’ e de 11 x10-4 a 81 x10-4 mg/ml em DEC 10’. Para oleuropeína, os extratos DEC 10’ variaram sua concentração de 87 x10-3 a 7 x10-3 mg/ml, já para INF 10’ os valores foram de 23 x10-3 mg/ml a não detectado em algumas variedades.
Plano de Estudo Tutorado (Pet) como estratégia para o ensino não presencial: Uma avaliação na qualidade e aplicabilidade para o ensino de Ciências e Biologia
Authors: Veloso Pedro Henrique Fonseca , Fonseca Maria Cecília Afonso , Duarte Maria Eduarda Novais , Rodrigues Sara Emanuelle Ribeiro , Cardoso Filho Otávio
Published: April 2022

O Plano de Estudos Tutorados (PET) é um material desenvolvido pela Secretaria de Estado de Educação de Minas Gerais, é um material de distribuição gratuita que foi adotado pelo Regime de Ensino não presencial, ofertado a alunos da rede pública de ensino durante o período pandêmico. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho visa avaliar a qualidade do PET e sua aplicabilidade para o ensino de ciências e biologia. O material foi analisado e categorizado de acordo com as normativas de aplicabilidade além de questões relacionadas ao ensino prático, abordando habilitas previstas na Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC), uso na rede pública, o contexto da prática pedagógica por investigação e a falta de aulas práticas, elemento essencial para o conhecimento de ciências e biologia. Concluímos que o material supre a necessidade para o ensino emergencial remoto, mas ainda sim apresenta pontos negativos, como a ausência de aulas práticas e questões regionais em sua construção, sendo indicada uma readequação no material de acordo com os currículos.
Retail display life extension of beef by gelatin-chitosan edible coating incorporated with allspice leaves extract
Authors: Massingue Armando Abel , Bueno Lethicia Olimpio , Carmo Lorrany Ramos do , Fontes Paulo Rogério , Ramos Alcinéia de Lemos Souza , Ramos Eduardo Mendes
Published: April 2022

This study was aimed to examine the potential use of ethanolic allspice extracts as antioxidant agent on the edible gelatin-chitosan coating film to preserve the beef during retail display. Beef sirloins steaks were used in control (without edible coating), GEL (coating film) and AEXT (coating film containing 300 mg/kg of allspice extract) treatments, overwrapped in oxygen-permeable film and evaluated up to 10 days, in refrigeration (2.5°C). The effects and their interactions were analyzed using the F test (ANOVA) and, when statistically significant (P < 0.05), the means were compared using Duncan test. The psychrotrophic bacteria multiplication was not affected by treatments, but lactic acid bacteria growth was retarded in the coated meat samples. The edible coatings decreased weight losses and lipid oxidation of the meat compared to the control during storage, but the AEXT coating was most effective as an antioxidant. The coatings did not affect the myoglobin redox forms but increased the color stability, leading to samples with lighter (higher L* values) and bright red (higher h values) colors for up to 8-days against 6-days to control. However, these changes in instrumental color were considered small. The use of allspice extract on the edible coating film as an antioxidant is feasible, but more studies are needed to reach the ideal blend to reduce meat discoloration during display.
O desenvolvimento de depressão puerperal após violência obstétrica: Uma revisão
Authors: Cardozo Mariah Marrara , Alves Suzana Cássia Feltrin , Santos Letícia dos Reis , Jacob Lara Stephanie Aparecida de Souza , Patah Giovanna Camarotto , Ferreira Ana Carolina Paiva , Fernandes Clara Melnick , Vieira Camila Maria , Santos Gabriella Carvalho , Bitelman Vanessa Munhoz
Published: April 2022

Objetivo: Avaliar a relação do desenvolvimento de depressão pós parto após a violência obstétrica. Métodos: Trata-se de uma revisão de literatura do tipo integrativa, conduzida através de busca de artigos científicos nas bases de dados eletrônicas Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina do Instituto Nacional de Saúde dos Estados Unidos (PubMED), Biblioteca Eletrônica Científica Online (SciELO), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Colaboração Cochrane e na ferramenta de pesquisa Google Acadêmico, entre os anos de 2012 e 2022. Os descritores utilizados na pesquisa se encontram indexados no Descritores em Ciências da Saúde (DeCS), sendo eles “Depressão Pós-Parto” e “Violência Obstétrica” e seus correspondentes na língua inglesa, “Depression, Postpartum” e “Obstetric Violence”, associados pelo operador booleano “AND”. Resultaram o total de 136 artigos encontrados; destes, 24 foram selecionados seguindo os critérios de inclusão, submetidos a análise qualitativa e discutidos. Resultados e Discussão: Apesar dos direitos protetores contra a violência obstétrica, muitas mulheres sofrem ameaças à sua integridade física, psicológica, direito à informação e liberdade de escolha no ato do parto, predispondo-as ao desenvolvimento de depressão puerperal, seja pelo precário conhecimento das gestantes acerca dos seus direitos e das práticas obstétricas adequadas no momento do parto a determinantes psicossociais, como nível de escolaridade, a renda econômica e a etnia. Conclusão: Portanto, é necessária a disseminação de informação às gestantes acerca de seus direitos e do que caracteriza violência obstétrica, para que possam se posicionar quando necessário, reduzindo as taxas de traumas relacionados ao parto e, assim, de depressão puerperal.
Balıkgöl (Ağrı) Kıyılarında Arazi Örtüsü/Kullanımının Zamansal Değişimi (1989-2021)
Authors: BAYRAK Mehtap , YULU Adem , ÖZTÜRK Yahya
Published: April 2022

Arazi örtüsü/kullanımında meydana gelen hızlı değişimlerin tespit edilmesi, geleceğe yönelik planlı-sürdürülebilir bir arazi kullanımın belirlenmesinde son derece önemlidir. Bu çalışma, Balıkgöl (Ağrı) kıyılarında 1989 ve 2021 yılları arasında yer alan arazi örtüsü/kullanım değişimlerini ortaya koymak amacı ile uydu görüntüleri ve arazi gözlemlerinden faydalanılarak hazırlanmıştır. Tespit edilen sonuçlara göre Balıkgöl kıyılarında özellikle rekreasyonel faaliyetlere bağlı olarak işlevsel değişimlerin ortaya çıktığı gözlemlenmiştir. Mera alanlarının 1989 yılında kıyılarda geniş bir alan kapladığı, 2021 yılında ise fiziki coğrafya koşullarının elverişli olduğu kıyı yakınında yer alan yerleşmeler çevresinde, 100 metrelik dar bir alanda tarımsal faaliyetlerin yapıldığı tespit edilmiştir. Çalışmada, en son aşamada Puyravaud formülü kullanılarak her bir arazi örtüsü tipi için yıllık değişim oranları hesaplanmıştır. Her bir arazi kullanım özelliği için değerler benzer hassasiyetle oranlanmış, Kappa İndisi kullanılarak doğruluk analizi yapılmıştır.
Demineralized Cortical Bone Matrix Augmented With Peripheral Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Rabbit Medial Meniscal Reconstruction
Authors: Mao Beini , Zhang Zhong , Lai Sike , Zhang Kaibo , Li Jian , Fu Weili
Published: April 2022

Tissue engineering is a promising treatment strategy for meniscal regeneration after meniscal injury. However, existing scaffold materials and seed cells still have many disadvantages. The objective of the present study is to explore the feasibility of peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PBMSCs) augmented with demineralized cortical bone matrix (DCBM) pretreated with TGF-β3 as a tissue-engineered meniscus graft and the repair effect. PBMSCs were collected from rabbit peripheral blood and subjected to three-lineage differentiation and flow cytometry identification. DCBM was prepared by decalcification, decellularization, and cross-linking rabbit cortical bone. Various characteristics such as biomechanical properties, histological characteristics, microstructure and DNA content were characterized. The cytotoxicity and the effects of DCBM on the adhesion and migration of PBMSCs were evaluated separately. The meniscus-forming ability of PBMSCs/DCBM complex in vitro induced by TGF-β3 was also evaluated at the molecular and genetic levels, respectively. Eventually, the present study evaluated the repair effect and cartilage protection effect of PBMSCs/DCBM as a meniscal graft in a rabbit model of medial meniscal reconstruction in 3 and 6 months. The results showed PBMSCs positively express CD29 and CD44, negatively express CD34 and CD45, and have three-lineage differentiation ability, thus can be used as tissue engineering meniscus seed cells. After the sample procedure, the cell and DNA contents of DCBM decreased, the tensile modulus did not decrease significantly, and the DCBM had a pore structure and no obvious cytotoxicity. PBMSCs could adhere and grow on the scaffold. Under induction of TGF-β3, PBMSCs/DCBM composites expressed glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and the related gene expression also increased. The results of the in vivo experiments that the PBMSCs/DCBM group had a better repair effect than the DCBM group and the control group at both 12 and 24 weeks, and the protective effect on cartilage was also better. Therefore, the application of DCBM augmented with PBMSCs for meniscus injury treatment is a preferred option for tissue-engineered meniscus.
Image Classification and Recognition of Rice Diseases: A Hybrid DBN and Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Lu Yang , Du Jiaojiao , Liu Pengfei , Zhang Yong , Hao Zhiqiang
Published: April 2022

Rice blast, rice sheath blight, and rice brown spot have become the most popular diseases in the cold areas of northern China. In order to further improve the accuracy and efficiency of rice disease diagnosis, a framework for automatic classification and recognition of rice diseases is proposed in this study. First, we constructed a training and testing data set including 1,500 images of rice blast, 1,500 images of rice sheath blight, and 1,500 images of rice brown spot, and 1,100 healthy images were collected from the rice experimental field. Second, the deep belief network (DBN) model is designed to include 15 hidden restricted Boltzmann machine layers and a support vector machine (SVM) optimized with switching particle swarm (SPSO). It is noted that the developed DBN and SPSO-SVM can simultaneously learn three proposed features including color, texture, and shape to recognize the disease type from the region of interest obtained by preprocessing the disease images. The proposed model leads to a hit rate of 91.37%, accuracy of 94.03%, and a false measurement rate of 8.63%, with the 10-fold cross-validation strategy. The value of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) is 0.97, whose accuracy is much higher than that of the conventional machine learning model. The simulation results show that the DBN and SPSO-SVM models can effectively extract the image features of rice diseases during recognition, and have good anti-interference and robustness.
Application of the pH-Responsive PCL/PEG-Nar Nanofiber Membrane in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis
Authors: Wang Zetao , Zhong Yanping , He Si , Liang Ruiming , Liao Chuanan , Zheng Li , Zhao Jinmin
Published: April 2022

Electrospinning technology is widely used in the field of drug delivery due to its advantages of convenience, high efficiency, and low cost. To investigate the therapeutic effect of naringenin (Nar) on osteoarthritis (OA), the pH-responsive system of the polycaprolactone/polyethylene glycol-naringenin (PCL/PEG-Nar) nanofiber membrane was designed and used as drug delivery systems (DDS) in the treatment of OA. The PEG-Nar conjugate was constructed via ester linkage between mPEG-COOH and the carboxyl group of naringenin, and the PCL/PEG-Nar nanofiber membrane was prepared by electrospinning technology. When placed in the weak acid OA microenvironment, the PCL/PEG-Nar nanofiber membrane can be cleverly “turned on” to continuously release Nar with anti-inflammatory effect to alleviate the severity of OA. In this study, the construction and the application of the pH-responsive PCL/PEG-Nar nanofiber membrane drug delivery platform would throw new light on OA treatment.
Implantable Biomaterials for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration–Technology Trends and Translational Tribulations
Authors: Sanchez Rezza Angela , Kulahci Yalcin , Gorantla Vijay S. , Zor Fatih , Drzeniek Norman M.
Published: April 2022

The use of autografted nerve in surgical repair of peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) is severely limited due to donor site morbidity and restricted tissue availability. As an alternative, synthetic nerve guidance channels (NGCs) are available on the market for surgical nerve repair, but they fail to promote nerve regeneration across larger critical gap nerve injuries. Therefore, such injuries remain unaddressed, result in poor healing outcomes and are a limiting factor in limb reconstruction and transplantation. On the other hand, a myriad of advanced biomaterial strategies to address critical nerve injuries are proposed in preclinical literature but only few of those have found their way into clinical practice. The design of synthetic nerve grafts should follow rational criteria and make use of a combination of bioinstructive cues to actively promote nerve regeneration. To identify the most promising NGC designs for translation into applicable products, thorough mode of action studies, standardized readouts and validation in large animals are needed. We identify design criteria for NGC fabrication according to the current state of research, give a broad overview of bioactive and functionalized biomaterials and highlight emerging composite implant strategies using therapeutic cells, soluble factors, structural features and intrinsically conductive substrates. Finally, we discuss translational progress in bioartificial conduits for nerve repair from the surgeon’s perspective and give an outlook toward future challenges in the field.
Multifunctional Arabinoxylan-functionalized-Graphene Oxide Based Composite Hydrogel for Skin Tissue Engineering
Authors: Khan Muhammad Umar Aslam , Razak Saiful Izwan Abd , Hassan Anwarul , Qureshi Saima , Stojanović Goran M. , Ihsan-Ul-Haq
Published: April 2022

Wound healing is an important physiological process involving a series of cellular and molecular developments. A multifunctional hydrogel that prevents infection and promotes wound healing has great significance for wound healing applications in biomedical engineering. We have functionalized arabinoxylan and graphene oxide (GO) using the hydrothermal method, through cross-linking GO-arabinoxylan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) to get multifunctional composite hydrogels. These composite hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, SEM, water contact angle, and mechanical testing to determine structural, morphological, wetting, and mechanical behavior, respectively. Swelling and biodegradation were also conducted in different media. The enhanced antibacterial activities were observed against different bacterial strains (E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa); anticancer activities and biocompatibility assays were found effective against U-87 and MC3T3-E1 cell lines due to the synergic effect of hydrogels. In vivo activities were conducted using a mouse full-thickness skin model, and accelerated wound healing was found without any major inflammation within 7 days with improved vascularization. From the results, these composite hydrogels might be potential wound dressing materials for biomedical applications.
The Dynamic Feature of Macrophage M1/M2 Imbalance Facilitates the Progression of Non-Traumatic Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head
Authors: Tan Zhen , Wang Yan , Chen Yingqi , Liu Youwen , Ma Maoxiao , Ma Zetao , Wang Chao , Zeng Hui , Xue Lixiang , Yue Chen , Wang Deli
Published: April 2022

Non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (NONFH) remains a common refractory disease with poorly understood pathogenesis. Macrophage M1/M2 imbalance and chronic inflammatory microenvironment have been suggested to be closely related to osteonecrosis. Here we describe direct visual evidence for the involvement of dynamic changes in macrophages and the chronic inflammatory microenvironment in human NONFH. Osteonecrosis induces inflammatory responses and macrophage enrichment in the reparative area, and the number of inflammatory cells and macrophages falls during progressive-to end-stage NONFH. Multiplex immunohistochemistry demonstrated that macrophage M1/M2 ratio increased from 3 to 10 during progressive-to end-stage. During the progressive-stage, new blood vessels formed in the reparative area, M2 macrophages accumulated in perivascular (M1/M2 ratio ∼0.05), while M1 macrophages were enriched in avascular areas (M1/M2 ratio ∼12). Furthermore, inflammatory cytokines were detected in synovial fluid and plasma using cytometric bead arrays. Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β were persistently enriched in synovial fluid compared to plasma in patients with NONFH, and this difference was confirmed by immunohistochemistry staining. However, only IL-6 levels in plasma were higher in patients with progressive-stage NONFH than in osteoarthritis. Moreover, fibrosis tissues were observed in the necrotic area in progressive-stage and end-stage NONFH based on Sirius Red staining. Together, these findings indicate that macrophage M1/M2 imbalance facilitates the progression of NONFH, a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by chronic inflammation, osteonecrosis and tissue fibrosis in the local lesion. Inhibiting inflammation, promoting the resolution of inflammation, switching macrophages to an M2 phenotype, or inhibiting their adoption of an M1 phenotype may be useful therapeutic strategies against NONFH.
Impacts of Coastal Infrastructure on Shoreline Response to Major Hurricanes in Southwest Louisiana
Authors: Cadigan Jack A. , Bekkaye Jasmine H. , Jafari Navid H. , Zhu Ling , Booth Ashley R. , Chen Qin , Raubenheimer Britt , Harris Brian D. , O’Connor Chris , Lane Robert , Kemp G. Paul , Day Jason N. , Day John W. , Ulloa Hanssel Omar
Published: April 2022

The Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, located along the Chenier Plain in Southwest Louisiana, was the location of the sequential landfall of two major hurricanes in the 2020 hurricane season. To protect the rapidly retreating coastline along the Refuge, a system of breakwaters was constructed, which was partially completed by the 2020 hurricane season. Multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary rapid response deployments of wave gauges, piezometers, geotechnical measurements, vegetation sampling, and drone surveys were conducted before and after Hurricanes Laura and Delta along two transects in the Refuge; one protected by a breakwater system and one which was the natural, unprotected shoreline. Geomorphological changes were similar on both transects after Hurricane Laura, while after Delta there was higher inland sediment deposition on the natural shoreline. Floodwaters drained from the transect with breakwater protection more slowly than the natural shoreline, though topography profiles are similar, indicating a potential dampening or complex hydrodynamic interactions between the sediment—wetland—breakwater system. In addition, observations of a fluidized mud deposit in Rollover Bayou in the Refuge are presented and discussed in context of the maintenance of wetland elevation and stability in the sediment starved Chenier Plain.
Cholesterol and Hedgehog Signaling: Mutual Regulation and Beyond
Authors: Xu Shouying , Tang Chao
Published: April 2022

The Hedgehog (HH) signaling is one of the key agents that govern the precisely regulated developmental processes of multicellular organisms in vertebrates and invertebrates. The HH pathway in the receiving cell includes Patched1, a twelve-pass transmembrane receptor, and Smoothened, a seven-transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), and the downstream GLI family of three transcriptional factors (GLI1-GLI3). Mutations of HH gene and the main components in HH signaling are also associated with numerous types of diseases. Before secretion, the HH protein undergoes post-translational cholesterol modification to gain full activity, and cholesterol is believed to be essential for proper HH signaling transduction. In addition, results from recent studies show the reciprocal effect that HH signaling functions in cholesterol metabolism as well as in cholesterol homeostasis, which provides feedback to HH pathway. Here, we hope to provide new insights into HH signaling function by discussing the role of cholesterol in HH protein maturation, secretion and HH signaling transduction, and the potential role of HH in regulation of cholesterol as well.
A Review of Energy Storage Mechanisms in Aqueous Aluminium Technology
Authors: Melzack N. , Wills R. G. A.
Published: April 2022

This systematic review covers the developments in aqueous aluminium energy storage technology from 2012, including primary and secondary battery applications and supercapacitors. Aluminium is an abundant material with a high theoretical volumetric energy density of –8.04 Ah cm−3. Combined with aqueous electrolytes, which have twice the ionic storage potential as non-aqueous versions, this technology has the potential to serve many energy storage needs. The charge transfer mechanisms are discussed in detail with respect to aqueous aluminium-ion secondary batteries, where most research has focused in recent years. TiO2 nanopowders have shown to be promising negative electrodes, with the potential for pseudocapacitive energy storage in aluminuim-ion cells. This review summarises the advances in Al-ion systems using aqueous electrolytes, focusing on electrochemical performance.
Novel Insights Into the Sulfated Glucuronic Acid-Based Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Mechanism of Exopolysaccharides From Halophilic Archaeon Haloarcula hispanica
Authors: Xu Yueqiang , Li Yan , You Xin , Pei Caixia , Wang Zhuo , Jiao Siming , Zhao Xin , Lin Xuan , Lü Yang , Jin Cheng , Gao George Fu , Li Jianjun , Wang Qi , Du Yuguang
Published: April 2022

The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is the most widely spread disease in the 21st century. Due to the continuous emergence of variants across the world, it is necessary to expand our understanding of host–virus interactions and explore new agents against SARS-CoV-2. In this study, it was found exopolysaccharides (EPSs) from halophilic archaeon Haloarcula hispanica ATCC33960 can bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 with the binding constant KD of 2.23 nM, block the binding of spike protein to Vero E6 and bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells, and inhibit pseudovirus infection. However, EPSs from the gene deletion mutant △HAH_1206 almost completely lost the antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. A significant reduction of glucuronic acid (GlcA) and the sulfation level in EPSs of △HAH_1206 was clearly observed. Our results indicated that sulfated GlcA in EPSs is possible for a main structural unit in their inhibition of binding of SARS-CoV-2 to host cells, which would provide a novel antiviral mechanism and a guide for designing new agents against SARS-CoV-2.
Phase Field Modeling on By-Product Migration in Crosslinking Polymers for HVDC Cable Insulation Applications
Authors: Li Fei , Li Huaqiang , Jiang Lei , Wang Dong , Gao Jinghui , Zhong Lisheng
Published: April 2022

Cross-linking by-products has been considered as one of the crucial factors for dielectric properties of cross-linked polyethylene, which plays an important role in the insulation performance of high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables. It migrates across cable insulation incorporating space charge effect, temperature variation of conductivity, etc., which makes it a long-standing puzzle of manipulating the electric field distribution for HVDC cable insulation, especially with the increasing voltage level. Nevertheless, there still lacks a theoretical model describing the migration of the by-products, especially for cable insulation with sizeable dimensions. In this article, a phase field model is established to simulate the migration of acetophenone (i.e., one of the by-products) through calculating the free energy landscape considering the competition between the diffusion driven by concentration gradient and the uphill diffusion caused by by-product aggregation. The results show that the time-dependence migration during degassing leads to an uneven distribution of acetophenone across the cable insulation, which is in good coincidence with the measured results for a full-size cable. Accordingly, the distortion of the electric field in HVDC cable insulation due to the radial distribution variation of acetophenone has been estimated regarding the relationship between by-product content and conductivity, and a method of manipulating the distribution of acetophenone is proposed to optimize the distribution of the electric field in cable insulation. Our work provides a numerical approach for the simulation of by-product migration in crosslinked polymers for insulation applications.
Active Sites Regulation for High-Performance Oxygen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalysts
Authors: Tang Yu , Zhang Tianyi , Wu Xuan , Deng Shukang
Published: April 2022

Electrochemical water splitting to produce molecular hydrogen and oxygen provides a promising strategy engineering for scalable hydrogen production with high purity. Unfortunately, the sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reactions (OER) due to the interdependence multiple steps procedure require high overpotential to achieve appreciable catalytic current density, resulting in relatively low energy conversion efficiencies. Therefore, development of high-performance OER electrocatalysts is vital to drive the commercial application of water splitting. This review highlights current progress of representative catalyst electrocatalysts in the past decade. Active site regulation for excellent OER performance of precious metal single atoms catalyst, high-entropy alloy, transition metals oxides, transition metal chalcogenide are emphasized. And a more in-depth exploration of OER reaction mechanism by in situ technique and DFT results will be conducted. This review can provide the basis for the development and modification of OER electrocatalysts.
Hybrid Plasmids Encoding Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Traits Among Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae ST2096 in India
Authors: Shankar Chaitra , Vasudevan Karthick , Jacob Jobin John , Baker Stephen , Isaac Barney J. , Neeravi Ayyan Raj , Sethuvel Dhiviya Prabaa Muthuirulandi , George Biju , Veeraraghavan Balaji
Published: April 2022

Background

Hypervirulent variants ofKlebsiella pneumoniae(HvKp) were typically associated with a broadly antimicrobial susceptible clone of sequence type (ST) 23 at the time of its emergence. Concerningly, HvKp is now also emerging within multidrug-resistant (MDR) clones, including ST11, ST15, and ST147. MDR-HvKp either carry both the virulence and resistance plasmids or carry a large hybrid plasmid coding for both virulence and resistance determinants. Here, we aimed to genetically characterize a collection of MDR-HvKp ST2096 isolates haboring hybrid plasmids carrying both antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence genes.

Methods

NineK. pneumoniaeST2096 isolated over 1 year from the blood sample of hospitalized patients in southern India that were MDR and suspected to be HvKp were selected. All nine isolates were subjected to short-read whole-genome sequencing; a subset (n = 4) was additionally subjected to long-read sequencing to obtain complete genomes for characterization. Mucoviscosity assay was also performed for phenotypic assessment.

Results

Among the nine isolates, seven were carbapenem-resistant, two of which carriedblaNDM-5on an IncFII plasmid and five carriedblaOXA-232on a ColKP3 plasmid. The organisms were confirmed as HvKp, with characteristic virulence genes (rmpA2,iutA, andiucABCD) carried on a large (~320 kbp) IncFIB–IncHI1B co-integrate. This hybrid plasmid also carried theaadA2,armA,blaOXA-1,msrE,mphE,sul1, anddfrA14AMR genes in addition to the heavy-metal resistance genes. The hybrid plasmid showed about 60% similarity to the IncHI1B virulence plasmid ofK. pneumoniaeSGH10 and ~70% sequence identity with the first identified IncHI1B pNDM-MAR plasmid. Notably, the hybrid plasmid carried its type IV-A3 CRISPR-Cas system which harbored spacer regions againsttraLof IncF plasmids, thereby preventing their acquisition.

Conclusion

The convergence of virulence and AMR is clinically concerning inK. pneumoniae. Our data highlight the role of hybrid plasmids carrying both AMR and virulence genes inK. pneumoniaeST2096, suggesting that MDR-HvKp is not confined to selected clones; we highlight the continued emergence of such genotypes across the species. The convergence is occurring globally amidst several clones and is of great concern to public health.
Bifidobacterium Treated by Electrostatic Spray Drying Relieved Constipation by Changing the Relative Abundance of Bacteria Associated With Gastrointestinal Regulatory Peptides
Authors: Jiang Tian , Lu Wenwei , Fang Zhifeng , Wang Hongchao , Zhu Jinlin , Zhang Hao , Zhao Jianxin
Published: April 2022

In this study, three different microencapsulation methods were used to embed Bifidobacterium to explore the alleviating effects of embedding methods on constipated mice. By measuring the defecation-related parameters, it was found that the Bifidobacteria treated by electrostatic spray drying had the best ability to relieved constipation. Furthermore, by detecting constipation-related gastrointestinal regulatory peptides, inflammatory factors, intestinal microbiota, and SCFAs, it was discovered that Bifidobacteria treated by electrostatic spray drying changed the composition of intestinal microbiota, especially the relative abundance of bacteria that were positively correlated with AQP3, but negatively correlated with ET-1 and SS, then increased the level of AQP3 in the intestine, and finally relieved constipation by increasing the fecal water content and small intestinal propulsion rate. In conclusion, the electrostatic spray drying method was superior to the other two methods in maintaining the activity of Bifidobacteria and relieved constipation by changing the relative abundance of bacteria that were correlated with gastrointestinal regulatory peptides and increasing the content of fecal water and small intestinal propulsion rate.
Case Report: Importance of MRI Examination in the Diagnosis and Evaluation of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination Induced Myocarditis: Our Experience and Literature Review
Authors: Watanabe Keita , Ashikaga Takashi , Maejima Yasuhiro , Tao Susumu , Terui Mao , Kishigami Tetsuya , Kaneko Masakazu , Nakajima Ryota , Okata Shinichiro , Lee Tetsumin , Horie Tomoki , Nagase Masashi , Nitta Giichi , Miyazaki Ryoichi , Nagamine Sho , Nagata Yasutoshi , Nozato Toshihiro , Goya Masahiko , Sasano Tetsuo
Published: April 2022

Acute myocarditis is a rare but serious complication associated with mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. In this article, four COVID-19 mRNA vaccination induced myocarditis cases managed at our tertiary Medical Center have been discussed. Three patients had typical myocarditis. One patient suffered from atrioventricular block and heart failure, which required more intensive treatment, but eventually improved. Additionally, a review of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features related to the diagnosis of myocarditis showed that COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-associated myocarditis tend to have more late-gadolinium enhancement (LGE) accumulation in the inferior lateral wall direction. According to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the diagnosis of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-associated myocarditis is based on clinical symptoms, altered myocardial enzymes, cardiac MRI finding, or histopathology. Cardiac MRI is relatively less invasive than myocardial biopsy and plays an important role in the diagnosis of myocarditis. This review may aid in the diagnosis of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-associated myocarditis.
Kinking of Frozen Elephant Trunk Hybrid Prostheses: Incidence, Mechanism, and Management
Authors: Kayali Fatima , Qutaishat Sara , Jubouri Matti , Chikhal Rohan , Tan Sven Z. C. P. , Bashir Mohamad
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Kinking of the Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) stent graft is one of the most devastating complications of the FET procedure. It can present post-operatively with reduced arterial pressures in the lower limbs and intermittent claudication. However, it can also be visualized intra-operatively by the surgeons. Unresolved kinking of the stent graft can result in intraluminal thrombus formation and subsequent multi-organ septic emboli.

Aims

The main scope of this review is to collate, summarize and present all the evidence in the literature on kinking of FET stent grafts.

Methods

We carried out a comprehensive literature search on multiple electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid, and Scopus to collate all research evidence on the incidence, mechanism, and management of FET graft kinking.

Results

Incidence of kinking is variable, ranging from 0% to 8% in the literature, with varying rates associated with each stent graft type. The Thoraflex HybridTM prosthesis seemed to be the most commonly used and superior graft, and out of all the 15 cases of kinking reported in the literature, 5 (33.3%) were associated with just the Frozenix graft which had the highest incidence. There are multiple theories regarding the mechanism of kinking, including the direction of blood flow, the length of the stent grafts used, and the position of the prosthesis in relation to the flexure of the aorta. Multiple reparative management techniques have been suggested in the literature and include total endovascular repair, open repair, balloon dilatation, and deploying a second stent graft.

Conclusion

Graft kinking is one of the most critical complications of the FET technique. Its life-threatening sequelae warrant appropriate follow-up of these patients post-operatively, in addition to time management if kinking is suspected. Given the limited evidence in the literature, future studies should incorporate graft kinking into their outcomes reporting.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Rock Mechanical Properties and in-situ Stress in Tight Sandstone Oil Reservoirs
Authors: Cai Mingliyang , Li Ming , Zhu Xiaoshuan , Luo Hao , Zhang Qiang
Published: April 2022

Comprehensive research on reservoir rock mechanics and in-situ stress properties combined with petrophysical experiments, logging models and numerical simulation is an important means to achieve efficient development of tight sandstone oil reservoirs. In this study, a large number of rock mechanics and acoustic experiments, full-wave train array acoustic wave tests, hydraulic fracturing data and three-dimensional finite element simulations were used to study the rock mechanical properties and in-situ stress characteristics of continental tight oil reservoirs in the Yanchang Formation. The results show that under uniaxial conditions, the tight sandstone samples mainly suffer from tensional ruptures. With the increase of confining pressure, the tight sandstone samples undergo obvious shear ruptures. When the confining pressure is loaded to 35 MPa, a typical vertical shear fracture will be formed. The hydraulic fracturing calculation results show that the in-situ stress state of the target layer satisfies σv (vertical principal stress)>σH (maximum horizontal principal stress)>σh (minimum horizontal principal stress). Based on the results of rock mechanics and acoustic tests, we have constructed the dynamic and static mechanical parameter conversion models of tight oil reservoirs and the logging interpretation model of current in-situ stress. Furthermore, the finite element method is used to simulate the three-dimensional structural stress field of the target layer. The simulations show that the horizontal principal stress distribution in the work area is consistent with the applied environmental stress. The σH of the target layer is mainly distributed in 32–50 MPa, and the σh is mainly distributed in 20–34 MPa. Both σH and σh are relatively high in the southern uplift of the work area; among them, σH is usually greater than 44 MPa, and σh is usually greater than 24 MPa. The northern part of the study area developed several grooved areas with relatively low stress values. The regions with high stress values are often distributed in bands, which may be related to the compression caused by the deformation of the strata. For shear stress, left-handed and right-handed regions usually alternate with each other. However, the extent of the left-handed area in the southern uplift area is larger than that of the right-handed area, indicating that the tight oil reservoirs in the study area are mainly affected by left-handed activities.
Comparative Metabolomics and Lipidomics of Four Juvenoids Application to Scylla paramamosain Hepatopancreas: Implications of Lipid Metabolism During Ovarian Maturation
Authors: Fu Yin , Zhang Fengying , Ma Chunyan , Wang Wei , Liu Zhiqiang , Chen Wei , Zhao Ming , Ma Lingbo
Published: April 2022

This study was the first to evaluate multiple hormonal manipulations to hepatopancreas over the ovarian development stages of the mud crab, Scylla paramamosain. A total of 1258 metabolites in 75 hepatopancreas explants from five female crabs were induced by juvenile hormone III (JH III), methyl farnesoate (MF), farnesoic acid (FA) and methoprene (Met), as identified from combined metabolomics and lipidomics (LC-MS/MS). 101 significant metabolites and 47 significant pathways were selected and compared for their comprehensive effects to ovarian maturation. While MF played an extensive role in lipid accumulation, JH III and Met shared similar effects, especially in the commonly and significantly elevated triglycerides and lysophospholipids (fold change≥2 and ≤0.5, VIP≥1). The significant upregulation of β-oxidation and key regulators in lipid degradation by FA (P ≤ 0.05) resulted in less lipid accumulation from this treatment, with a shift toward lipid export and energy consumption, unlike the effects of MF, JH III and Met. It was possible that MF and FA played their own unique roles and acted in synergy to modulate lipid metabolism during crab ovarian maturation. Our study yielded insights into the MF-related lipid metabolism in crustacean hepatopancreas for the overall regulation of ovarian maturation, and harbored the potential use of juvenoids to induce reproductive maturity of this economic crab species.
Gab-SSDS: An AI-Based Similar Days Selection Method for Load Forecast
Authors: Janković Zoran , Vesin Boban , Selakov Aleksandar , Berntzen Lasse
Published: April 2022

The important, while mostly underestimated, step in the process of short-term load forecasting–STLF is the selection of similar days. Similar days are identified based on numerous factors, such as weather, time, electricity prices, geographical conditions and consumers’ types. However, those factors influence the load differently within different circumstances and conditions. To investigate and optimise the similar days selection process, a new forecasting method, named Genetic algorithm-based–smart similar days selection method–Gab-SSDS, has been proposed. The presented approach implements the genetic algorithm selecting similar days, used as input parameters for the STLF. Unlike other load forecasting methods that use the genetic algorithm only to optimise the forecasting engine, authors suggest additional use for the input selection phase to identify the individual impact of different factors on forecasted load. Several experiments were executed to investigate the method’s effectiveness, the forecast accuracy of the proposed approach and how using the genetic algorithm for similar days selection can improve traditional forecasting based on an artificial neural network. The paper reports the experimental results, which affirm that the use of the presented method has the potential to increase the forecast accuracy of the STLF.
Salinity Effects on Microbial Derived-C of Coastal Wetland Soils in the Yellow River Delta
Authors: Shao Pengshuai , Han Hongyan , Sun Jingkuan , Yang Hongjun , Xie Hongtu
Published: April 2022

Microorganisms play a crucial role in regulating the turnover and transformation of soil organic carbon (SOC), whereas microbial contribution to SOC formation and storage is still unclear in coastal wetlands. In this study, we collected topsoil (0–20 cm) with 7 salinity concentrations and explored the shifts in microbial residues [represented by amino sugar (AS)] and their contribution to the SOC pool of coastal wetlands in the Yellow River delta. The gradually increasing soil salinity reduced soil water content (SWC), SOC, and soil nitrogen (N), especially in high salinity soils of coastal wetlands. Total ASs and their ratio to SOC, respectively, decreased by 90.56 and 66.35% from low salinity to high salinity soils, indicating that coastal wetlands with high salinity restrained microbial residue accumulation and microbial residue-C retention in the SOC pool. Together with redundancy analysis and path analysis, we found that SWC, pH, SOC, soil N, and glucosamine/muramic arid were positively associated with the ratio of ASs to SOC. The higher available soil resource (i.e., water, C substrate, and nutrient) increased microbial residue accumulation, promoting microbial derived-C contribution to SOC in low salinity coastal wetlands. The greatly decreased microbial residue contribution to SOC might be ascribed to microbial stress strategy and low available C substrate in coastal wetlands with high salinity concentration. Additionally, the gradually increasing salinity reduced fungal residue contribution to SOC but did not change bacterial residue contribution to SOC. These findings indicated that changed fungal residues would substantially influence SOC storage. Our study elucidates microbial contribution to SOC pool through residue reservoir in coastal wetlands and pushes microbial metabolites to a new application in global wetland SOC cycling.
Effect of Natural Hazards on the Income and Sense of Subjective Well-Being of Rural Residents: Evidence From Rural China
Authors: Huang Lei
Published: April 2022

China is a country that experiences severe natural hazards. In comparison to urban residents, farmers in rural areas of China are more susceptible to these natural hazards, whose impact is multidimensional; however, existing research has mainly focused on the household level. Based on China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) data in 2019, a total of 17,900 farmer households have been chosen to discuss the influences of natural hazards on the rural income and subjective well-being from the individual perspective and the family perspective; further, regional differences within the sphere of influence have been analyzed. Empirical results demonstrate that (1) the farmer household income is a factor that affects subjective well-being, but does not play a decisive role. (2) From the perspective of spatial differences and laws, subjective well-being and the income of farmers vary significantly. The subjective well-being in North China (NC) is the highest, while the subjective well-being in the Central South (CS) is the lowest. The distribution trend of rural income is high in Southeast China (SE) and low in Northwest China (NW). (3) Natural hazards can lower the subjective well-being [Mean ATT (average treatment effect) = –0.1040] and income (Mean ATT = –0.1715) of farmers significantly. Moreover, the influences of natural hazards on subjective well-being are lower than that on income. Therefore, it is imperative to ascertain the impact of natural hazards on farmers’ subjective well-being and household income. Further, the government should consider regional differences and the different affected groups, and also strengthen the farmers’ ability to cope with hazards and their post-hazard recovery ability during the implementation of hazard rescue.
Potential of Genome Editing to Capture Diversity From Australian Wild Rice Relatives
Authors: Abdullah Muhammad , Okemo Pauline , Furtado Agnelo , Henry Robert
Published: April 2022

Rice, a staple food worldwide and a model crop, could benefit from the introduction of novel genetics from wild relatives. Wild rice in the AA genome group closely related to domesticated rice is found across the tropical world. Due to their locality outside the range of domesticated rice, Australian wild rice populations are a potential source of unique traits for rice breeding. These rice species provide a diverse gene pool for improvement that could be utilized for desirable traits such as stress resistance, disease tolerance, and nutritional qualities. However, they remain poorly characterized. The CRISPR/Cas system has revolutionized gene editing and has improved our understanding of gene functions. Coupled with the increasing availability of genomic information on the species, genes in Australian wild rice could be modified through genome editing technologies to produce new domesticates. Alternatively, beneficial alleles from these rice species could be incorporated into cultivated rice to improve critical traits. Here, we summarize the beneficial traits in Australian wild rice, the available genomic information and the potential of gene editing to discover and understand the functions of novel alleles. Moreover, we discuss the potential domestication of these wild rice species for health and economic benefits to rice production globally.