bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Encapsulation of Inorganic Nanoparticles by Anionic Emulsion Polymerization of Diethyl Methylene Malonate for Developing Hybrid Microparticles with Tailorable Composition
Authors: Joshi Shreyas , Klier John , Beltramo Peter J.
Published: February 2024

Colloidal particle self-assembly into higher-ordered structures has been of great interest due to the promise of creating metamaterials with novel macroscopic properties. The physicochemical properties of these metamaterials can be tailored to achieve composites with tunable functionalities, either by controlling the assembly morphology and/or chemistry of the colloidal building blocks. This work describes a strategy of developing microparticles with a hybrid configuration that have an inorganic and an organic part. The inorganic part comprises functional nanoparticles, which are embedded within an organic polymer particle composed of diethyl methylene malonate polymer [p(DEMM)] prepared using anionic emulsion polymerization. DEMM polymerization is initiated entirely by the presence of hydroxyl anions and the resulting particle diameter can be tuned between 300 nm and 1 micrometer by reaction pH. Inorganic nanoparticles with varying chemistry (TiO2, CdTe, ZnO) can be loaded into the p(DEMM) particle with a controlled weight fraction, as confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis. The colloidal stability of the composite microparticles is seen to be dependent on the ligand coating attached to the inorganic constituent. These results provide a synthetic groundwork for creating hybrid, stimuli-responsive microparticles.
Saturated Micellar Networks: Phase Separation and Nanoemulsification Capacity
Authors: Slavova Tatiana G. , Radulova Gergana M. , Danov Krassimir D.
Published: February 2024

Different oils can be homogeneously dispersed in the network junctions of the separated bicontinuous micellar phases. Upon dilution, these dispersions spontaneously form nanoemulsions. The possibility of a micellar sponge phase formation in the case of mixtures with three anionic and two zwitterionic surfactants in the presence of divalent and monovalent salts is studied. The best results are obtained using sodium lauryl ether sulfate with 1 ethylene oxide group (SLES-1EO) and both cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) or N,N-dimethyldodecylamine N-oxide (DDAO) in the presence of an appropriate small amount of MgCl2 and CaCl2. Bicontinuous micellar phases can be produced also in high-salinity NaCl solutions. The bulk properties of these phases are independent of the concentration of the initial solutions from which they are separated, and their Newtonian viscosities are in the range from 0.3 Pa·s to 0.8 Pa·s. Both 8 wt% CAPB- and DDAO-containing sponge phases engulf up to 10 wt% limonene and spontaneously form nanoemulsion upon dilution with droplet sizes of 110–120 nm. Vitamin E can be homogeneously dispersed only in CAPB-containing saturated micellar network, and upon dilution, these dispersions spontaneously form nanoemulsions with smaller droplet sizes of 66 nm for both 8 diastereomers and 2 diastereomers mixtures of vitamin E.
Techno-Economic Optimization of Radiator Configurations in Power Transformer Cooling
Authors: Koca Aliihsan , Senturk Oguzkan , Akbal Ömer , Özcan Hakan
Published: February 2024

In this research, a numerical approach is created to assess the effective parameters of power transformer thermal management and, as a result, improve their cooling systems. This study analyzes the radiator’s thermal performance across several arrangements and optimizes the dimensions and configurations for varied cooling loads from a techno-economic perspective. The optimization criteria were the radiator’s height (L), fin spacing (D), and number of fins (N). Due to the great complexity of the generated models, the coupled thermo-hydraulic numerical simulations were carried out on a computer cluster. An in-house radiator test facility was constructed for the experiments in order to verify the numerical model. The simulation findings accord well with the empirically obtained values. A total of 76 radiator sets were investigated. Following that, the generated findings were used to perform an optimization analysis. Finally, the response surface method was used to establish an ideal radiator layout for the specified cooling capacity at the lowest possible cost. These findings reveal that the best cooling performance is obtained when the spacing between the fins is 50 mm. Cooling capacity per unit cost rises as radiator size decreases. The cost factor and geometric details were shown to have strong connections.
Investigating the Performance of Gammatone Filters and Their Applicability to Design Cochlear Implant Processing System
Authors: Islam Rumana , Tarique Mohammed
Published: February 2024

Commercially available cochlear implants are designed to aid profoundly deaf people in understanding speech and environmental sounds. A typical cochlear implant uses a bank of bandpass filters to decompose an audio signal into a set of dynamic signals. These filters’ critical center frequencies f0 imitate the human cochlea’s vibration patterns caused by audio signals. Gammatone filters (GTFs), with two unique characteristics: (a) an appropriate “pseudo resonant” frequency transfer function, mimicking the human cochlea, and (b) realizing efficient hardware implementation, could demonstrate them as unique candidates for cochlear implant design. Although GTFs have recently attracted considerable attention from researchers, a comprehensive exposition of GTFs is still absent in the literature. This paper starts by enumerating the impulse response of GTFs. Then, the magnitude spectrum, |H(f)|, and bandwidth, more specifically, the equivalent rectangular bandwidth (ERB) of GTFs, are derived. The simulation results suggested that optimally chosen filter parameters, e.g., critical center frequencies,f0; temporal decay parameter, b; and order of the filter, n, can minimize the interference of the filter bank frequencies and very likely model the filter bandwidth (ERB), independent of f0b. Finally, these optimized filters are applied to delineate a filter bank for a cochlear implant design based on the Clarion processor model.
Can the ADC Value Be Used as an Imaging “Biopsy” in Endometrial Cancer?
Authors: Petrila Octavia , Nistor Ionut , Romedea Narcis Sandy , Negru Dragos , Scripcariu Viorel
Published: February 2024

Background: The tumor histological grade is closely related to the prognosis of patients with endometrial cancer (EC). Multiparametric MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), provides information about the cellular density that may be useful to differentiate between benign and malignant uterine lesions. However, correlations between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and histopathological grading in endometrial cancer remain controversial. Material and methods: We retrospectively evaluated 92 patients with endometrial cancers, including both endometrioid adenocarcinomas (64) and non-endometrioid adenocarcinomas (28). All patients underwent DWI procedures, and mean ADC values were calculated in a region of interest. These values were then correlated with the tumor grading offered by the histopathological examination, which was considered the gold standard. In this way, the patients were divided into three groups (G1, G2, and G3). The ADC values were then compared to the results offered by the biopsy to see if the DWI sequence and ADC map could replace this procedure. We also compared the mean ADC values to the myometrial invasion (</>50%) and lymphovascular space invasion. Results: We have divided the ADC values into three categories corresponding to three grades: >0.850 × 10−3 mm2/s (ADC1), 0.730–0.849 × 10−3 mm2/s (ADC2) and <0.730 × 10−3 mm2/s (ADC3). The diagnostic accuracy of the ADC value was 85.71% for ADC1, 75.76% for ADC2, and 91.66% for ADC3. In 77 cases out of 92, the category in which they were placed using the ADC value corresponded to the result offered by the histopathological exam with an accuracy of 83.69%. For only 56.52% of patients, the biopsy result included the grading system. For each grading category, the mean ADC value showed better results than the biopsy; for G1 patients, the mean ADC value had an accuracy of 85.71% compared to 66.66% in the biopsy, G2 had 75.76% compared to 68.42%, and G3 had 91.66 compared to 75%. For both deep myometrial invasion and lymphovascular space invasion, there is a close, inversely proportional correlation with the mean ADC value. Conclusions: Mean endometrial tumor ADC on MR-DWI is inversely related to the histological grade, deep myometrial invasion and lymphovascular space invasion. Using this method, the patients could be better divided into risk categories for personalized treatment.
Impact of Venezuelan Migration on the Informal Workforce of Native Workers in Colombia
Authors: Prieto Bustos William , Castillo Robayo Cristian Darío , Campo Robledo Jacobo , Molina Dominguez Juliana
Published: February 2024

Colombia experienced a substantial increase in annual migration flow from Venezuela from 2013 to 2019, accumulating 1.7 million migrants by the end of 2019. According to migration data, 2016 was a breaking point in migration growth, with an increase of 137.57% compared with 2015 and at which time the influx of migrant workers began to be massive, rapid, and involuntary. In this regard, the research paper investigates, using a difference-in-differences model, the impacts on the labor market across different definitions of the informal workforce, testing the hypothesis that short-term labor migration increased (1) the number of employed individuals in companies with a workforce of fewer than five people, (2) the number of employed individuals not contributing to the social security system, and (3) the relative participation of the informal workforce in total employment from 2015 to 2018. The main results indicate an expansion in the labor market’s informal segment, increasing the number of non-returned native workers in the informal workforce without significant increases in the participation of informality in total employment. The results remain robust across various samples in models adjusted for departmental-, municipal-, and individual-level data. Following the economic theory, the research findings seem to follow a transmission mechanism in which migrant workers reduce labor costs and increase production in informal markets, providing better conditions to increase informal jobs for native workers. Several national and international stakeholders implementing income-generation alternatives in the border departments focusing on migrant employment services could find the research findings helpful in at least two aspects: (1) fighting cultural stereotypes upon which basis native workers tend to see migration as a threat to their current job holdings requires evidence that shows migrant workers contribute to economic growth and employment; (2) promoting better public policies to take advantage of initial conditions that favor labor integration of migrant workers such as cultural and language similarities among natives and migrants works better when there is evidence of the migration’s positive impacts.
Cooling Techniques for Enhanced Efficiency of Photovoltaic Panels—Comparative Analysis with Environmental and Economic Insights
Authors: Ibrahim Tarek , Abou Akrouch Mohamad , Hachem Farouk , Ramadan Mohamad , Ramadan Haitham S. , Khaled Mahmoud
Published: February 2024

Photovoltaic panels play a pivotal role in the renewable energy sector, serving as a crucial component for generating environmentally friendly electricity from sunlight. However, a persistent challenge lies in the adverse effects of rising temperatures resulting from prolonged exposure to solar radiation. Consequently, this elevated temperature hinders the efficiency of photovoltaic panels and reduces power production, primarily due to changes in semiconductor properties within the solar cells. Given the depletion of limited fossil fuel resources and the urgent need to reduce carbon gas emissions, scientists and researchers are actively exploring innovative strategies to enhance photovoltaic panel efficiency through advanced cooling methods. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of various cooling technologies employed to enhance the performance of PV panels, encompassing water-based, air-based, and phase-change materials, alongside novel cooling approaches. This study collects and assesses data from recent studies on cooling the PV panel, considering both environmental and economic factors, illustrating the importance of cooling methods on photovoltaic panel efficiency. Among the investigated cooling methods, the thermoelectric cooling method emerges as a promising solution, demonstrating noteworthy improvements in energy efficiency and a positive environmental footprint while maintaining economic viability. As future work, studies should be made at the level of different periods of time throughout the years and for longer periods. This research contributes to the ongoing effort to identify effective cooling strategies, ultimately advancing electricity generation from photovoltaic panels and promoting the adoption of sustainable energy systems.
Numerical Investigation of Thermo-Flow Characteristics of Tubes with Transverse Micro-Fins
Authors: Jasiński Piotr Bogusław
Published: February 2024

The article presents the results of numerical studies of heat transfer and pressure drops in a channel with transverse micro-fins. The main aim of the study was to prepare the thermal and flow characteristics of such a channel for a variable longitudinal spacing of micro-fins. For the tested pipe with an internal diameter of D = 12 mm, the absolute height of the micro-fins was e = 0.243 mm, which is 2% of its diameter. The tests were carried out for turbulent flow in the range of Reynolds numbers of 5000–250,000 with the variable spacing of micro-ribs in the range of L = 0.28–13.52 mm, which corresponds to their dimensionless longitudinal distance, L/D = 0.023–1.126. For the studied geometries, the characteristics of the friction factor, ft(Re), and the Nusselt number, Nu(Re), are shown in the graphs. The highest values of Nu were observed for a spacing of L/D = 0.092 in the range of Re = 5000–60,000, while the lowest were observed for a geometry of L/D = 0.035 for Re = 60,000–250,000. The friction factors, however, were the highest for the two geometries L/D = 0.161 and L/D = 0.229 over the entire range of the tested Re numbers. A large discrepancy was observed between the friction factors calculated from the Colebrook–White equation (for irregular relative roughness depicted in the Moody diagram) and those obtained from simulations (for pipes with the same roughness height but regular geometry created by micro-fins). An analysis of the heat transfer efficiency of the tested geometries was also presented, taking into account the criterion of equal pumping power, i.e., the PEC (performance evaluation criteria) coefficient. The highest values of the PEC coefficient, up to 1.25–1.28, were obtained for micro-fin spacings of L/D = 0.069 and L/D = 0.092 in the Re number range of 20.000–30.000.
StegoBackoff: Creating a Covert Channel in Smart Grids Using the Backoff Procedure of IEEE 802.11 Networks
Authors: Teca Geovani , Natkaniec Marek
Published: February 2024

A smart grid constitutes an electrical infrastructure that integrates communication technologies to optimize electricity production, distribution, and consumption. Within the smart grid, IEEE 802.11 networks play a crucial role in facilitating communication between smart meters and data collectors, operating within a shared transmission medium. However, a notable challenge arises due to the lack of certainty regarding the genuine identity of data recipients. In response, we present a solution—a novel covert channel leveraging the IEEE 802.11 backoff procedure—to transmit data that requires special protection. Implemented using the ns-3 simulator, our covert channel achieved a throughput of 140,000 bps when single covert station realized transmission in the wireless channel, and 880 bps in a populated environment characterized by high traffic volumes. This performance metric shows that our mechanism is better than other covert channels, where the performance in saturated conditions usually does not exceed several hundred bps. This covert channel represents a new approach to fortifying data integrity and privacy within smart grid communication.
Review and Statistical Analysis of U.S. Structural Firefighting Injuries: Their Causes and Effects
Authors: Garcia Juliana , Bazzocchi Michael C. F. , Fite Kevin , Ocampo Juan D. , Martinez Marcias
Published: February 2024

Safety and prevention of injuries should always be considered in a firefighting environment due to the hazardous conditions experienced on the fireground. These hazardous environmental conditions lead to an increased risk of contracting job-related injuries and illnesses. This review article focuses on evaluating from a statistical perspective the potential solutions found in the literature and how they decrease the likelihood and impact of occupational firefighting injuries. Investigating, identifying, and prioritizing the most common activities leading to injury, the nature of injury, and the body parts affected is a vital step in the implementation of preventive solutions. The scientific community has conducted various studies to evaluate the main injuries and injury profiles commonly suffered by firefighters. Researchers have conducted many independent studies on firefighter communities in the United States, while others have referenced national databases from sources such as the National Fire Protection Association, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Unfortunately, the results of these independent studies lacked standardization in survey categories and terminology, impairing the ability to obtain a clear consensus among studies on the primary nature of injuries, the body parts injured, and the activities contributing to these injuries. Consequently, this review article performed a comparative statistical analysis of published data between 1992 and 2020 to define and rank the most common work scenarios where firefighters were likely to be injured, the most common types of injuries, the parts of the body affected, and the activities that most contribute to United States firefighter injuries as documented in both national databases and independent research surveys. The statistical analysis consisted of determining the mean, standard deviation, confidence intervals (95%), and coefficients of variation for the reported data. The present study identified that despite the preventative measures taken by many organizations in the firefighting community, strains and sprains were still the leading type of injury reported from all the databases under this analysis.
Development and Characterization of Edible Films Based on Cassava Starch Modified by Corona Treatment
Authors: Otálora González Carlos Mauricio , Felix Manuel , Bengoechea Carlos , Flores Silvia , Gerschenson Lía Noemí
Published: February 2024

Corona treatment (CT), a surface treatment widely used in the plastic industry, can be used to alter the properties of cassava starch. In the present work, CT was performed on dry granular starch (DS), water-suspended humid granular starch (HS), and gelatinized starch (GS). Different properties and structural characteristics of treated starches were studied. A lowering in pH was generally observed after CT and the rheological properties depended on the starch presentation. A reinforcement of DS and HS samples after CT was deduced from higher viscosity values in flow assays and viscoelastic moduli, but weak gels were obtained when CT was applied to GS. Changes in the A-type polymorphic structure, as well as a drop in relative crystallinity, were produced by CT for DS and HS. Additionally, changes in O-H and C-O-C FTIR bands were observed. Therefore, CT can be applied for starch modification, producing predominantly cross-linking in the DS and de-polymerization in the HS. Casting films made from the modified DS showed higher tensile strength and lower hydrophilicity, solubility, water absorption capacity, and water vapor permeability. Thus, the DS cross-linking induced by CT improved mechanical characteristics and hydrophobicity in edible films, which can be better used as packaging materials.
Research Progress on Quality Detection of Livestock and Poultry Meat Based on Machine Vision, Hyperspectral and Multi-Source Information Fusion Technologies
Authors: Xu Zeyu , Han Yu , Zhao Dianbo , Li Ke , Li Junguang , Dong Junyi , Shi Wenbo , Zhao Huijuan , Bai Yanhong
Published: February 2024

Presently, the traditional methods employed for detecting livestock and poultry meat predominantly involve sensory evaluation conducted by humans, chemical index detection, and microbial detection. While these methods demonstrate commendable accuracy in detection, their application becomes more challenging when applied to large-scale production by enterprises. Compared with traditional detection methods, machine vision and hyperspectral technology can realize real-time online detection of large throughput because of their advantages of high efficiency, accuracy, and non-contact measurement, so they have been widely concerned by researchers. Based on this, in order to further enhance the accuracy of online quality detection for livestock and poultry meat, this article presents a comprehensive overview of methods based on machine vision, hyperspectral, and multi-sensor information fusion technologies. This review encompasses an examination of the current research status and the latest advancements in these methodologies while also deliberating on potential future development trends. The ultimate objective is to provide pertinent information and serve as a valuable research resource for the non-destructive online quality detection of livestock and poultry meat.
Effects of Geographical Origin and Tree Age on the Stable Isotopes and Multi-Elements of Pu-erh Tea
Authors: Chen Ming-Ming , Liao Qiu-Hong , Qian Li-Li , Zou Hai-Dan , Li Yan-Long , Song Yan , Xia Yu , Liu Yi , Liu Hong-Yan , Liu Ze-Long
Published: February 2024

Pu-erh tea is a famous tea worldwide, and identification of the geographical origin of Pu-erh tea can not only protect manufacture’s interests, but also boost consumers’ confidence. However, tree age may also influence the fingerprints of Pu-erh tea. In order to study the effects of the geographical origin and tree age on the interactions of stable isotopes and multi-elements of Pu-erh tea, 53 Pu-erh tea leaves with three different age stages from three different areas in Yunnan were collected in 2023. The δ13C, δ15N values and 25 elements were determined and analyzed. The results showed that δ13C, δ15N, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu had significant differences among different geographical origins (p < 0.05). Mn content was significantly influenced by region and tree age interaction. Based on multi-way analysis of variance, principal component analysis and step-wised discriminant analysis, 24 parameters were found to be closely related to the geographical origin rather than tree age, and the geographical origin of Pu-erh tea can be 100.0% discriminated in cross-validation with six parameters (δ13C, δ15N, Mn, Mg, La, and Tb). The study could provide references for the establishment of a database for the traceability of Pu-erh tea, and even the identification of tea sample regions with different tree ages.
Food Pesticide Residues Monitoring and Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Hua Yuwei , Liu Guangyang
Published: February 2024

This Special Issue presents a share of the work published in the journal Foods on pesticide residue monitoring and risk assessment in food [...]
Improving the Rheological Properties of Dough Obtained by Partial Substitution of Wheat Flour with Freeze-Dried Olive Pomace
Authors: Dahdah Patricia , Cabizza Roberto , Farbo Maria Grazia , Fadda Costantino , Mara Andrea , Hassoun Georges , Piga Antonio
Published: February 2024

Mediterranean countries are known for their high-quality olives and the production and consumption of olive oil. Olive pomace (OP), the major by-product of olive oil extraction, is receiving attention for its potential as a functional compound in food products, reflecting its physiology- and health-promoting attributes. This study assessed the physico-chemical characteristics of OP obtained from two Sardinian olive cultivars, Bosana and Semidana, and the effect of OP incorporation on the baking performance of wheat dough. We assessed the rheological parameters, pasting profile, and fermentation of doughs obtained through the partial substitution of wheat flour with OP at 0 (control), 1, 2, 3, and 5%. OP inclusion resulted in significant differences in the studied parameters compared with control samples. Positive effects included a decrease in development time, improved dough stability and storage, and superior loss modulus and gas retention capacity. Negative effects comprised an increase in dough resistance and a decrease in dough development height, gas production, gas retention, pasting profile, stickiness, and elasticity. These differences in the OP dough were due to the interactions between polyphenols and fibre with water and the starch–gluten matrix. This study found improvements in dough characteristics following the substitution of wheat flour with low percentages of OP, especially Semidana at 1%. Although higher percentages of OP would be associated with greater nutritional and health benefits, they resulted in a degradation of the dough’s attributes, producing a gluten-free-like matrix in the final product.
The Impact of Information Presentation on Consumer Perceptions of Cricket-Containing Chocolate Chip Cookies
Authors: Gao Yupeng , Chonpracha Pitchayapat , Li Bin , Ardoin Ryan , Prinyawiwatkul Witoon
Published: February 2024

As a source of protein and other nutrients for a growing population, edible insect production offers environmental and sustainability advantages over traditional meat production. Although around 2 billion people consume insects worldwide, Western consumers are still reluctant to practice entomophagy, hindered largely by neophobia and negative emotions. In addition to sensory quality and safety, an informational component may be crucial to consumers’ decision making involving insect consumption. In this study, three different information types, namely text, image, and a tangible product, were used to convey information about chocolate chip cookies (CCCs) containing cricket flour. The nature of the information was related to the ingredient usage level (5%), the type of insect (cricket), nutritional values, sustainability benefits, packaging, celebrity endorsement, and/or visual appearance of an actual product. Consumers’ willingness to consume (WTC), acceptance, and purchase intent (PI) were measured in response to each informed condition. Once informed of the insect ingredient, all scores significantly (α = 0.05) dropped. The lowest WTC (1.97 ± 1.06, Text), acceptance (3.55 ± 2.23, Image), and PI (1.85 ± 1.05, Text) scores were found after identifying cricket as the insect ingredient. Compared to other informed conditions, the presentation of a real chocolate chip cookie containing insects achieved the highest scores on all affective scores (WTC: 3.4 ± 1.04, acceptance: 6.17 ± 1.89, PI: 3.07 ± 1.09). The greatest improvement in scores was observed after information about nutrition and sustainability benefits (based on ANOVA), which was more impactful for males than females (based on a t-test). Celebrity endorsement did not have a significant effect. The presentation of the actual CCC containing cricket flour (for visual observation only) significantly increased WTC, acceptance, and PI compared to presenting text and images alone. Acceptance, WTC, and certain information cues were significant predictors of PI for CCCs containing cricket flour.
Impact of κ-Carrageenan on the Cold-Set Pea Protein Isolate Emulsion-Filled Gels: Mechanical Property, Microstructure, and In Vitro Digestive Behavior
Authors: Li Xiaojiao , Chen Xing , Cheng Hao
Published: February 2024

More understanding of the relationship among the microstructure, mechanical property, and digestive behavior is essential for the application of emulsion gels in the food industry. In this study, heat-denatured pea protein isolate particles and κ-carrageenan were used to fabricate cold-set emulsion gels induced by CaCl2, and the effect of κ-carrageenan concentration on the gel formation mechanism, microstructure, texture, and digestive properties was investigated. Microstructure analysis obtained by confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed that pea protein/κ-carrageenan coupled gel networks formed at the polysaccharide concentration ranged from 0.25% to 0.75%, while the higher κ-carrageenan concentration resulted in the formation of continuous and homogenous κ-carrageenan gel networks comprised of protein enriched microdomains. The hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds played an important role in maintaining the gel structure. The water holding capacity and gel hardness of pea protein emulsion gels increased by 37% and 75 fold, respectively, through increasing κ-carrageenan concentration up to 1.5%. Moreover, in vitro digestion experiments based on the INFOGEST guidelines suggested that the presence of 0.25% κ-carrageenan could promote the digestion of lipids, but the increased κ-carrageenan concentration could delay the lipid and protein hydrolysis under gastrointestinal conditions. These results may provide theoretical guidance for the development of innovative pea protein isolate-based emulsion gel formulations with diverse textures and digestive properties.
Volatilome, Microbial, and Sensory Profiles of Coffee Leaf and Coffee Leaf-Toasted Maté Kombuchas
Authors: Sales Amanda Luísa , Cunha Sara C. , Ferreira Isabel M.P.L.V.O. , Morgado Jéssika , Melo Lauro , DePaula Juliana , Miguel Marco Antonio L. , Farah Adriana
Published: February 2024

Kombucha is a fermented beverage traditionally made from the leaves of Camelia sinensis. The market has drastically expanded recently, and the beverage has become more elaborated with new, healthy food materials and flavors. Pruning and harvesting during coffee production may generate tons of coffee leaves that are discarded although they contain substantial amounts of bioactive compounds, including those found in maté tea and coffee seeds. This study characterized the changes in volatilome, microbial, and sensory profiles of pure and blended arabica coffee leaf tea kombuchas between 3–9 days of fermentation. Acceptance was also evaluated by consumers from Rio de Janeiro (n = 103). Kombuchas (K) were prepared using black tea kombucha starter (BTKS) (10%), sucrose (10%), a symbiotic culture of Bacteria and Yeasts (SCOBY) (2.5%), and a pure coffee leaf infusion (CL) or a 50:50 blend with toasted maté infusion (CL-TM) at 2.5%. The RATA test was chosen for sensory profile characterization. One hundred volatile organic compounds were identified when all infusions and kombucha samples were considered. The potential impact compounds identified in CL K and CL-TM K were: methyl salicylate, benzaldehyde, hexanal, nonanal, pentadecanal, phenylethyl-alcohol, cedrol, 3,5-octadien-2-one, β-damascenone, α-ionone, β-ionone, acetic acid, caproic acid, octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, isovaleric acid, linalool, (S)-dihydroactinidiolide, isoamyl alcohol, ethyl hexanoate, and geranyl acetone. Aroma and flavor descriptors with higher intensities in CL K included fruity, peach, sweet, and herbal, while CL-TM K included additional toasted mate notes. The highest mean acceptance score was given to CL-TM K and CL K on day 3 (6.6 and 6.4, respectively, on a nine-point scale). Arabica coffee leaf can be a co-product with similar fingerprinting to maté and black tea, which can be explored for the elaboration of potentially healthy fermented beverages in food industries.
Evaluating the Accuracy of Upper Limb Movement in the Sagittal Plane among Computer Users during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Jaskólski Arkadiusz , Lucka Ewa , Lucki Mateusz , Lisiński Przemysław
Published: February 2024

(1) Background: The most common musculoskeletal pathology among healthcare professionals is neck and/or shoulder pain. The aim of this study was to determine the dominant upper limb functionality concerning the ability to replicate a given movement pattern among employees reporting neck or upper limb pain while using a computer during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: The study was conducted from March to April 2021 on a group of 45 medical employees who used a computer workstation for 4 to 6 h of their working time. In the design of this study, three study groups were created: a group of patients with pain syndrome of segment C5/C7 of the spine, a group of patients with shoulder pain syndrome, and a control group of healthy volunteers. (3) Results: The examined groups significantly differed in the correctness of performing the given movement (p = 0.001) and the minimum value of inclination during the exercise session (p = 0.026), as well as the maximum lowering (p = 0.03) in relation to the control group. (4) Conclusions: The VECTIS device can be used to assess the accuracy of reflecting the prescribed movement of the upper limb in rehabilitation programs for patients with cervical spine pain syndrome and shoulder pain syndrome.
Metabolic Insights into Caffeine’s Anti-Adipogenic Effects: An Exploration through Intestinal Microbiota Modulation in Obesity
Authors: Fortunato Isabela Monique , Pereira Quélita Cristina , Oliveira Fabricio de Sousa , Alvarez Marisa Claudia , Santos Tanila Wood dos , Ribeiro Marcelo Lima
Published: February 2024

Obesity, a chronic condition marked by the excessive accumulation of adipose tissue, not only affects individual well-being but also significantly inflates healthcare costs. The physiological excess of fat manifests as triglyceride (TG) deposition within adipose tissue, with white adipose tissue (WAT) expansion via adipocyte hyperplasia being a key adipogenesis mechanism. As efforts intensify to address this global health crisis, understanding the complex interplay of contributing factors becomes critical for effective public health interventions and improved patient outcomes. In this context, gut microbiota-derived metabolites play an important role in orchestrating obesity modulation. Microbial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), secondary bile acids (BA), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and trimethylamine (TMA) are the main intestinal metabolites in dyslipidemic states. Emerging evidence highlights the microbiota’s substantial role in influencing host metabolism and subsequent health outcomes, presenting new avenues for therapeutic strategies, including polyphenol-based manipulations of these microbial populations. Among various agents, caffeine emerges as a potent modulator of metabolic pathways, exhibiting anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and obesity-mitigating properties. Notably, caffeine’s anti-adipogenic potential, attributed to the downregulation of key adipogenesis regulators, has been established. Recent findings further indicate that caffeine’s influence on obesity may be mediated through alterations in the gut microbiota and its metabolic byproducts. Therefore, the present review summarizes the anti-adipogenic effect of caffeine in modulating obesity through the intestinal microbiota and its metabolites.
Local Application of Acibenzolar-S-Methyl Treatment Induces Antiviral Responses in Distal Leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Ito Seiya , Sakugawa Kagari , Novianti Fawzia , Arie Tsutomu , Komatsu Ken
Published: February 2024

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a plant defense mechanism that provides protection against a broad spectrum of pathogens in distal tissues. Recent studies have revealed a concerted function of salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP) in the establishment of SAR against bacterial pathogens, but it remains unknown whether NHP is also involved in SAR against viruses. We found that the local application of acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a synthetic analog of SA, suppressed plantago asiatica mosaic virus (PlAMV) infection in the distal leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. This suppression of infection in untreated distal leaves was observed at 1 day, but not at 3 days, after application. ASM application significantly increased the expression of SAR-related genes, including PR1, SID2, and ALD1 after 1 day of application. Viral suppression in distal leaves after local ASM application was not observed in the sid2-2 mutant, which is defective in isochorismate synthase 1 (ICS1), which is involved in salicylic acid synthesis; or in the fmo1 mutant, which is defective in the synthesis of NHP; or in the SA receptor npr1-1 mutant. Finally, we found that the local application of NHP suppressed PlAMV infection in the distal leaves. These results indicate that the local application of ASM induces antiviral SAR against PlAMV through a mechanism involving NHP.
cGLRs Join Their Cousins of Pattern Recognition Receptor Family to Regulate Immune Homeostasis
Authors: Kumar Vijay , Stewart John H.
Published: February 2024

Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) recognize danger signals such as PAMPs/MAMPs and DAMPs to initiate a protective immune response. TLRs, NLRs, CLRs, and RLRs are well-characterized PRRs of the host immune system. cGLRs have been recently identified as PRRs. In humans, the cGAS/STING signaling pathway is a part of cGLRs. cGAS recognizes cytosolic dsDNA as a PAMP or DAMP to initiate the STING-dependent immune response comprising type 1 IFN release, NF-κB activation, autophagy, and cellular senescence. The present article discusses the emergence of cGLRs as critical PRRs and how they regulate immune responses. We examined the role of cGAS/STING signaling, a well-studied cGLR system, in the activation of the immune system. The following sections discuss the role of cGAS/STING dysregulation in disease and how immune cross-talk with other PRRs maintains immune homeostasis. This understanding will lead to the design of better vaccines and immunotherapeutics for various diseases, including infections, autoimmunity, and cancers.
Association of DPP-4 Concentrations with the Occurrence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Excessive Gestational Weight Gain
Authors: Niebrzydowska-Tatus Magdalena , Pełech Aleksandra , Bień Katarzyna , Mekler Julia , Santiago Miracle , Kimber-Trojnar Żaneta , Trojnar Marcin
Published: February 2024

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is considered one of the most common diseases that occur during pregnancy. In addition to increasing the risk of numerous complications throughout gestation, it is also believed to have a long-term potential to impact the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease for the mother and her offspring. While there are clear guidelines for healthy weight gain in pregnancy depending on pre-pregnancy BMI, as well as dietary and training recommendations to achieve this, an increasing number of women are experiencing excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG). Such patients have a higher risk of developing GDM and gestational hypertension, as well as requiring caesarian delivery. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) is a glycoprotein that seems to play an important role in glucose metabolism, and inhibition of its activity positively affects glucose regulation. The aim of our study was to compare DPP-4 concentrations in patients with GDM and EGWG with healthy women. DPP-4 levels were assessed in serum and urine samples collected on the day of delivery. The bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method was also used to analyze the body composition of patients on the second day of the postpartum period. DPP-4 serum concentrations were significantly higher in patients in the GDM and EGWG groups compared to healthy women. Urinary DPP-4 concentrations were significantly higher in the control and GDM groups than in the EGWG group. Serum DPP-4 levels were positively correlated with BMI measured before pregnancy, on the delivery day, and in the early postpartum period, among other factors. According to our knowledge, this is the first study to determine DPP-4 levels in EGWG patients. DPP-4 may be related to the occurrence of GDM and EGWG; however, this requires further research.
Kinematic Calibration for the 3-UPS/S Shipborne Stabilized Platform Based on Transfer Learning
Authors: Xu Min , Tian Wenjie , Zhang Xiangpeng
Published: February 2024

The three-degrees-of-freedom (3-DOF) parallel robot is commonly employed as a shipborne stabilized platform for real-time compensation of ship disturbances. Pose accuracy is one of its most critical performance indicators. Currently, neural networks have been applied to the kinematic calibration of stabilized platforms to compensate for pose errors and enhance motion accuracy. However, collecting a large amount of measured configuration data for robots entails high costs and time, which restricts the widespread use of neural networks. In this study, a “transfer network” is established by combining fine-tuning with a Back Propagation (BP) neural network. This network takes the motion transmission characteristics inherent in the ideal kinematic model as prior knowledge and transfers them to a network trained based on the actual poses. Compared with the conventional BP neural network trained by actual poses alone, the transfer network shows significant performance advantages, effectively solving the problems of low prediction accuracy and weak generalization ability in the case of small-sample measured data. Considering this, the impact pattern of the sample number of the actual pose on the effectiveness of transfer learning is revealed through the construction of multiple transfer network models under varying sample numbers of the actual pose, providing valuable marine engineering guidance. Finally, simulated sea-service experiments were conducted on the 3-UPS/S shipborne stabilized platform to validate the correctness and superiority of the proposed method.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Refill Friction Stir Spot-Welded Joints of 2A12Al and 7B04Al: Effects of Tool Size and Welding Parameters
Authors: Wang Yisong , Li Pengyang , Jiang Haitao , Yang Kang , Chen Zhenhao , Chuai Haijiao , Wu Xiaoyan , Meng Qiang , Ma Lin
Published: February 2024

To solve problems in dissimilarly light metal joints, refilled friction stir spot welding (RFSSW) is proposed instead of resistance spot welding. However, rotation speed, dwell time, plunge depth, and the diameter of welding tools all have a great influence on joints, which brings great challenges in optimizing welding parameters to ensure their mechanical properties. In this study, the 1.5 mm thick 2A12Al and 2 mm thick 7B04Al lap joints were prepared by Taguchi orthogonal experiment design and RFSSW. The welding tool (shoulder) diameters were 5 mm and 7 mm, respectively. The macro/microstructures of the cross-section, the geometrical characteristics of the effective welding depth (EWD), the stir zone area (SZA), and the stir zone volume (SZV) were characterized. The shear strength and failure mode of the lap joint were analyzed using an optical microscope. It was found that EWD, SZA, and SZV had a good correlation with tensile–shear force. The optimal welding parameters of 5 mm diameter joints are 1500 rpm of rotation speed, 2.5 mm of plunge depth, and 0 s of dwell time, which for 7 mm joints are 1200 rpm, 1.5 mm, and 2 s. The tensile–shear force of 5 mm and 7 mm joints welded with these optical parameters was 4965 N and 5920 N, respectively. At the same time, the 5 mm diameter joints had better strength and strength stability.
Strength and Failure Analysis of Fiber-Wound Composite Gas Cylinder via Numerical Simulation
Authors: Wu Xiaodi , Yang Bo , Zhou Song
Published: February 2024

Based on the classical grid theory and related regulations, a structure model of a fiber-wound composite gas cylinder was designed in this paper. Based on the design results, a finite element model of a fully wound composite cylinder of an aluminum alloy inner liner with a working pressure of 35 MPa was established based on the ABAQUS software, and its stress distribution under working pressure and minimum burst pressure was analyzed. According to engineering experience, the pressure tolerance of composite cylinders can be improved by proper autofrettage pressure before working pressure, so the influence of autofrettage pressure was analyzed in this paper. The optimum autofrettage pressure was selected by setting the autofrettage gradient, and damage analysis was carried out on the cylinder with nominal working pressure of 35 MPa based on the Hashin failure criterion. The results show the initial damage sequence: matrix stretching occurs before the fiber stretching, and the damage generally starts from the spiral-wound layer. The tensile damage first appears in the transition section between the head and the barrel body, and the damage of the spiral-wound layer develops from the inner layer of the wound layer to the outer layer, while the damage of the circumferentially wound layer develops from the outer layer to the inner layer.
Dynamically Meaningful Latent Representations of Dynamical Systems
Authors: Nasim Imran , Henderson Michael E.
Published: February 2024

Dynamical systems are ubiquitous in the physical world and are often well-described by partial differential equations (PDEs). Despite their formally infinite-dimensional solution space, a number of systems have long time dynamics that live on a low-dimensional manifold. However, current methods to probe the long time dynamics require prerequisite knowledge about the underlying dynamics of the system. In this study, we present a data-driven hybrid modeling approach to help tackle this problem by combining numerically derived representations and latent representations obtained from an autoencoder. We validate our latent representations and show they are dynamically interpretable, capturing the dynamical characteristics of qualitatively distinct solution types. Furthermore, we probe the topological preservation of the latent representation with respect to the raw dynamical data using methods from persistent homology. Finally, we show that our framework is generalizable, having been successfully applied to both integrable and non-integrable systems that capture a rich and diverse array of solution types. Our method does not require any prior dynamical knowledge of the system and can be used to discover the intrinsic dynamical behavior in a purely data-driven way.
A Study of Some New Hermite–Hadamard Inequalities via Specific Convex Functions with Applications
Authors: Junjua Moin-ud-Din , Qayyum Ather , Munir Arslan , Budak Hüseyin , Saleem Muhammad Mohsen , Supadi Siti Suzlin
Published: February 2024

Convexity plays a crucial role in the development of fractional integral inequalities. Many fractional integral inequalities are derived based on convexity properties and techniques. These inequalities have several applications in different fields such as optimization, mathematical modeling and signal processing. The main goal of this article is to establish a novel and generalized identity for the Caputo–Fabrizio fractional operator. With the help of this specific developed identity, we derive new fractional integral inequalities via exponential convex functions. Furthermore, we give an application to some special means.