bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reading Comprehension in French L2/L3 Learners: Does Syntactic Awareness Matter?
Authors: Sohail Juwairia , Hipfner-Boucher Kathleen , Deacon Hélène , Chen Xi
Published: August 2022

This study examines the contributions of syntactic awareness to reading comprehension, both within and across languages, in third-grade children learning French as a second (L2) or third language (L3). Participants were 72 non-francophone children enrolled in a Canadian French immersion program in which all academic instruction is in French. Children completed measures of reading comprehension, syntactic awareness, word reading, vocabulary, and reading-related control variables in both English and French. Regression analyses examining within-language relations revealed that French syntactic awareness made a significant unique contribution to French reading comprehension after controlling for nonverbal reasoning, language status (French as either L2 or L3), word reading, and vocabulary. Furthermore, French syntactic awareness contributed across languages to English reading comprehension, after accounting for English controls (word reading, vocabulary, syntactic awareness) in addition to nonverbal reasoning and language status. In sharp contrast, measures of English syntactic awareness made no unique contribution to reading comprehension in either English or French after the aforementioned controls. These findings add to theoretical models of reading comprehension by highlighting the importance of syntactic awareness in the language of instruction in supporting bilingual children’s reading comprehension.
The Role of Teacher-Generated, Learner-Generated, and Creative Content in Chinese EFL Students’ Narrative Writing: A Contextual Perspective
Authors: Wu Qiaoxia , Albert Agnes
Published: August 2022

Task complexity has long been posited as an influential task feature inspiring much research. However, task complexity frameworks might be in need of adjustment, as they tend to emphasize the role of cognitive factors and neglect affective ones despite the fact that learner agency and potential for creativity have been linked to certain aspects of task performance, possibly exerting their influence through learners’ affects. Thus, to investigate the role of agency and creativity in task-based L2 writing, this study aimed to explore the relationship between task conditions conceptualized as the levels of learner agency and the potential for creativity in Chinese students’ English written performances on the one hand, and the possible role that the study contexts might play in the written performances in each task condition on the other. Participants of the study were two groups of Chinese intermediate learners of English studying in Hungary and China (n = 40), producing 120 narratives altogether. In our study, different aspects of task performance, i.e., syntactic and lexical complexity and accuracy, were associated with learner agency and potential for creativity. Moreover, differences were found in fluency between Chinese students studying in the different contexts, indicating the possible role of study contexts in this regard.
Lexical Crosslinguistic Influence in L3 Spanish by Tagalog–English Bilinguals
Authors: Vargas Janina Camille , García Mayo María del Pilar
Published: August 2022

Crosslinguistic influence (CLI) has emerged as a topic of interest in the field of third language acquisition (L3A) due to the increasing focus on multilingual learners. Research has considered many different issues, such as the roles of typology/psychotypology, the influence of the L2, and L2 proficiency. Thus, the present study focuses on two less-studied factors, language dominance and L3 proficiency, in the lexical CLI in the oral and written output by 52 Tagalog–English early bilinguals with Spanish as their L3. They were grouped according to their language dominance based on the findings from the Bilingual Language Profile, and according to their Spanish proficiency. The experimental tasks included a written and an oral picture description task, followed by an exit questionnaire, wherein they expressed their perception about the similarities and differences between the languages in question. Instances of lexical CLI were identified according to the classifications used in previous studies. The results suggest that language dominance is not a significant predictor of the source language of the participants’ lexical CLI production. However, the results do indicate that proficiency plays a significant role in the number and type of lexical CLI production. In other words, the number of lexical CLI produced decreased as L3 proficiency increased.
Plasmonic Effects of Au@Ag Nanoparticles in Buffer and Active Layers of Polymer Solar Cells for Efficiency Enhancement
Authors: Alkhalayfeh Muheeb Ahmad , Aziz Azlan Abdul , Pakhuruddin Mohd Zamir , Katubi Khadijah Mohammedsaleh M.
Published: August 2022

Embedding nanoparticles (NPs) in the buffer layer of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells (BHJ PSCs) excites the surface plasmonic polaritons and enhances the pathlength of the light in the solar cells. On the other hand, embedding NPs in the active layer significantly improves absorption and increases the production of electron-hole (e-h) pairs in BHJ PSCs. Increasing the volume ratio of NPs embedded in BHJ PSCs enables the direct interfacing of the NPs with the active layer, which then serves as a charge recombination center. Therefore, this study integrates the aforementioned phenomena by exploiting the effects of embedding plasmonic Au@Ag NPs in the buffer and active layers of PSC and then determining the optimum volume ratio of Au@Ag NPs. The results show the absorption is increased across the 350–750 nm wavelength region, and the PCE of the device with embedded Au@Ag in two locations is enhanced from 2.50 to 4.24%, which implies a 69.6% improvement in the PCE in comparison to the reference cell. This improvement is contributed by the combined localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effects of multi-positional Au@Ag NPs, spiky durian-shaped morphology of Au@Ag NPs, and optimized volume ratio of Au@Ag NPs embedded in the PEDOT: PSS and PTB7:PC71BM layers.
Flexural Performance and Microstructural Studies of Trough-Shaped Geopolymer Ferrocement Panels
Authors: Ramalingam Malathy , Mohan Poornima , Kathirvel Parthiban , Murali Gunasekaran
Published: August 2022

Geopolymer mortar is the best solution as an alternative to cement mortar in civil engineering. This paper deals with the effect of geopolymer mortar on the strength and microstructural properties under ambient curing conditions. In this research, geopolymer mortars were prepared with fly ash and steel slag (in the ratio 1:2.0, 1:2.5 and 1:3.0) as precursors with NaOH and Na2SiO3 as activator solution solutions (in the ratios of 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0) with concentrations of NaOH as 8 M, 10 M, 12 M and 14 M to study the compressive strength behaviour. From the experimental results, it was observed that the geopolymer mortar mix with the ratio of fly ash and steel slag 1:2.5, 12 M NaOH solution and the ratio of NaOH and Na2SiO3 0.5 exhibits the maximum compressive strength results in the range of 55 MPa to 60 MPa. From the optimized results, ferrocement panels of size 1000 mm × 1000 mm × 50 mm were developed to study the flexural behaviour. The experimental results of the flexural strength were compared with the analytical results developed through ABAQUS software. It was observed that the Trough-shaped geopolymer ferrocement panel exhibits 56% higher value in its ultimate strength than the analytical work. In addition to the strength properties, microstructural analysis was carried out in the form of SEM, EDAX and XRD from the tested samples.
Microstructural Evolution of the Rail Steels Manufactured by Hanyang Iron Works
Authors: Man Tinghui , Zhou Yihao , Dong Nan , Liu Tengshi , Dong Han
Published: August 2022

The microstructural evolution of the rail steels manufactured by Hanyang Iron Works was investigated through optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). The OM and SEM images reveal that the microstructures are ferrite with a small amount of pearlite in the rail steel 1904, reticular ferrite and pearlite in the rail steels 1911 and 1921, and full pearlite in the rail steels 1917 and 1919, respectively. The EBSD results show that the rail steel 1904 holds the smallest average grain diameter owing to the pearlite with small size. Moreover, the average grain diameter of the pearlite cluster decreases in the rail steels manufactured after 1908, except for 1921, when it was on the verge of bankruptcy. The rail steels 1917 and 1919 exhibit a higher proportion of low angle grain boundaries and local misorientation with angles lower than 1°. Besides, the grain boundary misorientation holds a lower proportion in the range of 40~50° in the rail steels 1917 and 1919.
Online Multiple Object Tracking Using Spatial Pyramid Pooling Hashing and Image Retrieval for Autonomous Driving
Authors: Wei Hongjian , Huang Yingping
Published: August 2022

Multiple object tracking (MOT) is a fundamental issue and has attracted considerable attention in the autonomous driving community. This paper presents a novel MOT framework for autonomous driving. The framework consists of two stages of object representation and data association. In the stage of object representation, we employ appearance, motion, and position features to characterize objects. We design a spatial pyramidal pooling hash network (SPPHNet) to generate the appearance features. Multiple-level representative features in the SPPHNet are mapped into a similarity-preserving binary space, called hash features. The hash features retain the visual discriminability of high-dimensional features and are beneficial for computational efficiency. For data association, a two-tier data association scheme is designed to address the occlusion issue, consisting of an affinity cost model and a hash-based image retrieval model. The affinity cost model accommodates the hash features, disparity, and optical flow as the first tier of data association. The hash-based image retrieval model exploits the hash features and adopts image retrieval technology to handle reappearing objects as the second tier of data association. Experiments on the KITTI public benchmark dataset and our campus scenario sequences show that our method has superior tracking performance to the state-of-the-art vision-based MOT methods.
Vehicle Engine Noise Cancellation Based on a Multi-Channel Fractional-Order Active Noise Control Algorithm
Authors: Li Tao , Wang Minqi , He Yuyao , Wang Ning , Yang Jun , Ding Rongjun , Zhao Kaihui
Published: August 2022

For the problem of low-frequency noise suppression in a large area of the vehicle space, this paper proposes a novel multi-channel fractional-order active noise control algorithm and tests its ability for vehicle engine noise cancellation. The algorithm uses fractional-order calculus to replace the integer-order gradient descent to update the weighting coefficients of the filter, thereby avoiding imbalance or over-tuning phenomena during adaptive active noise cancellation and improving the control accuracy of the algorithm. A computer simulation was conducted in the noise cancellation scene of the vehicle, which showed that the algorithm is capable of suppressing single- and mixed-frequency noises, reducing the average sound pressure by approximately 20 dB. The experimental results demonstrated that the algorithm can effectively reduce the peak sound pressure of low-frequency noise for a certain type of vehicle engine by approximately 10 dB, whereas the total sound pressure level is reduced by approximately 4.7 dB.
Regenerative Braking Control Strategy with Real-Time Wavelet Transform for Composite Energy Buses
Authors: Lu Qiang , Zhou Wenlu , Zheng Yanping
Published: August 2022

In order to meet the safety requirements of automobile braking, to improve the braking energy recovery rate of pure electric buses and increase their driving range, the maximum regenerative braking force that the motor can provide is used to determine the front and rear wheel friction braking force distribution curve. A parallel regenerative braking control strategy, A, is proposed to make full use of the motor performance. Aiming at the problems of low power density and short cycle life with a single power battery, a composite energy system composed of power batteries and supercapacitors is designed, and an alternative energy control strategy, D, using real-time wavelet transform control is proposed. The required power is decomposed into high-frequency components and low-frequency components by using the wavelet transform control, in which the high-frequency power is borne by the supercapacitor to avoid impact on the power battery. The simulation model was created using MATLAB/Simulink software, and the simulation was carried out under combined cycle conditions to verify the effectiveness of the control strategy. The simulation results showed that compared with the original vehicle control strategy, adopting the A regenerative braking control strategy can reduce the battery SOC drop by 5.15%, increase the relative increase by 47.9%, and improve the braking energy recovery rate. Compared with the traditional logic threshold regenerative braking control strategy, AC, the AD control strategy can effectively reduce the impact of the peak current and high-frequency demands of the power battery on the battery. The maximum output current of the battery was reduced by 39.5%. The decrease in battery SOC decreased by 0.69%, and the relative increase increased by 12.43%. The driving range and braking performance of the vehicle have thus been effectively improved.
Evaluation of Rolling Bearing Performance Degradation Based on Comprehensive Index Reduction and SVDD
Authors: Xin Hongwei , Zhang Haidong , Yang Yanjun , Wang Jianguo
Published: August 2022

The evaluation of rolling bearing performance degradation has important implications for the prediction and health management (PHM) of rotating equipment. A method for evaluation of rolling bearing performance degradation based on comprehensive index reduction and support vector data description (SVDD) is proposed in this study. Firstly, the improved variational mode decomposition (VMD) method was used to decompose vibration signals, and the defect frequency amplitude ratio index which is sensitive to early faults is extracted. Secondly, a comprehensive feature index set of rolling bearings is constructed by combining traditional time-domain and time–frequency-domain indexes, and the main features are extracted by the dimensionality reduction algorithm of locally linear embedding (LLE). Finally, the SVDD evaluation model was utilized to characterize and evaluate the rolling bearing lifetime degradation process using the distance from the test sample to the trained hypersphere center. Results showed that the proposed comprehensive degradation index can accurately detect the occurrence of early weak fault stage of rolling bearings and objectively reveal the performance degradation process of rolling bearings.
Large Elastocaloric Effect Driven by Low Stress Induced in [001]-Oriented Polycrystalline Co51.6V31.4Ga17 Alloy
Authors: Liu Jian , He Jing , Ma Shengcan
Published: August 2022

In this work, we have studied the elastocaloric effect in directionally solidified Co51.6V31.4Ga17 alloys with a strong [001] preferred orientation. The entropy change for thermal-induced martensitic transformation is determined as 19.6 J kg−1 K−1. The sample exhibits stress-induced martensitic transformation with a hysteresis of 46 MPa, and the superelasticity is also verified by the in situ X-ray diffraction method. According to the elastocaloric effect tests, a noticeable change in adiabatic temperature up to 12.2 K has been achieved at the strain of 6%. The specific temperature change upon the critical stress loading can be attained as 132 K MPa−1. In addition, the difference in the loading–unloading temperature change can be ascribed to the imperfect adiabatic environment.
Plasma Temperatures in the Martian Subsolar Magnetosheath: MAVEN Observations
Authors: Ren Nian , Shen Chao , Ji Yong
Published: August 2022

We studied the thermal features of magnetized plasmas in the Martian subsolar magnetosheath using MAVEN’s observations from 2014 to 2019. Statistical analyses show that the average ion and electron temperature in the Martian subsolar magnetosheath are 210 and 31 eV, respectively, which are significantly lower than their counterparts in the subsolar magnetosheaths of Earth and Saturn which both have an inherent magnetosphere. However, the ratio T¯i/T¯e in the Martian subsolar magnetosheath is about 6.8, which is very close to that of Earth and Saturn. We further investigated the relationship between Ti/Te and the bulk ion flow velocity Vi, as well as the relationship between the total plasma beta β and Vi. Results show that the average value of Ti/Te when Vi<300km/s is considerably higher than when Vi>300km/s. A value of Vi closer to 250–300 km/s leads to a higher average value of the total plasma beta β. These results confirm the prediction of previous researchers, that there is not enough room for solar wind thermalization as the distance between the Martian bow shock and the so-called obstacle is of the order of a solar wind proton gyroradius.
An Application to Nonlinear Fractional Differential Equation via α-ΓF-Fuzzy Contractive Mappings in a Fuzzy Metric Space
Authors: Patel Uma Devi , Radenović Stojan
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we first introduce a new family of functions like an implicit function called Γ-functions. Furthermore, we introduce a new concept of α-ΓF-fuzzy contractive mappings, which is weaker than the class of fuzzy F-contractive mappings. Then, the existence and uniqueness of the fixed point are established for a new type of fuzzy contractive mappings in the setting of fuzzy metric spaces. Moreover, some examples and an application to nonlinear fractional differential equation are given, and these show the importance of the introduced theorems in fuzzy settings.
Improving the Road and Traffic Control Prediction Based on Fuzzy Logic Approach in Multiple Intersections
Authors: Jafari Sadiqa , Shahbazi Zeinab , Byun Yung-Cheol
Published: August 2022

Traffic congestion is a significant issue in many countries today. The suggested method is a novel control method based on multiple intersections considering the kind of traffic light and the duration of the green phase to determine the optimal balance at intersections by using fuzzy logic control, for which the balance should be adaptable to the unchanging behavior of time. It should reduce traffic volume in transport, average waits for each vehicle, and collisions between cars by controlling this balance in response to the typical behavior of time and randomness in traffic conditions. The proposed method is investigated at intersections using a sampling multi-agent system to set traffic light timings appropriately. The program is provided with many intersections, each of which is an independent entity exchanging information with the others. The stability per entity is proven separately. Simulation results show that Takagi–Sugeno (TS) fuzzy modeling performs better than Takagi–Sugeno (TS) fixed-time scheduling in decreasing the length of queueing times for vehicles.
Mixed Convection Flow of Water Conveying Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles over a Vertical Plate Experiencing the Impacts of Thermal Radiation
Authors: Khan Umair , Zaib Aurang , Ishak Anuar , Waini Iskandar , Pop Ioan
Published: August 2022

Water has drawn a lot of interest as a manufacturing lubricant since it is affordable, eco-friendly, and effective. Due to their exceptional mechanical qualities, water solubility, and variety of application scenarios, graphene oxide (GO)-based materials have the potential to increase the lubricant performance of water. The idea of this research was to quantify the linear 3D radiative stagnation-point flow induced by nanofluid through a vertical plate with a buoyancy or a mixed convection effect. The opposing, as well as the assisting, flows were considered in the model. The leading partial differential equations (PDEs) were transformed into dimensionless similarity equations, which were then solved numerically via a bvp4c solver. The influences of various physical constraints on the fluid flow and thermal properties of the nanofluid were investigated and are discussed. Water-based graphene oxide nanoparticles were considered in this study. The numerical outcomes indicated that multiple solutions were obtained in the case of the opposing flow (λ < 0). The critical values increased as the nanoparticle volume fraction became stronger. Furthermore, as the nanoparticles increased in strength, the friction factor increased and the heat transfer quickened. The radiation factor escalated the heat transfer in both solutions. In addition, a temporal stability analysis was also undertaken to verify the results, and it was observed that the branch of the first outcome became physically reliable (stable) whilst the branch of the second outcome became unstable, as time passed.
The Eccentric-Distance Sum Polynomials of Graphs by Using Graph Products
Authors: Altassan Alaa , Imran Muhammad , Akhter Shehnaz
Published: August 2022

The correlations between the physico-chemical properties of a chemical structure and its molecular structure-properties are used in quantitative structure-activity and property relationship studies (QSAR/QSPR) by using graph-theoretical analysis and techniques. It is well known that some structure-activity and quantitative structure-property studies, using eccentric distance sum, are better than the corresponding values obtained by using the Wiener index. In this article, we give precise expressions for the eccentric distance sum polynomial of some graph products such as join, Cartesian, lexicographic, corona and generalized hierarchical products. We implement our outcomes to calculate this polynomial for some significant families of molecular graphs in the form of the above graph products.
Analytical Solution for Wave Scattering by a Surface Obstacle above a Muddy Seabed
Authors: Chan I-Chi
Published: August 2022

We present an analytical solution for the scattering of linear progressive waves by a surface rectangular obstacle above a muddy seabed. The bottom cohesive mud is assumed to act as a Newtonian fluid, and the thickness of the mud layer is considered to be comparable to the Stokes boundary layer thickness. Our analytical results based on the matched eigenfunction expansions incorporate the combined effects of obstacles and a fluid mud bottom. By reducing the mud layer thickness or the dimensions of the obstacle to zero, the present study recovers the classical solution for wave scattering by a surface obstacle above a solid bed or wave propagation over a layer of fluid mud. Our analytical predictions of wave amplitudes and wave forces acting on the bottom of the obstacle agree satisfactorily with the available numerical results. The most prominent effect of a muddy seabed is a strong damping of wave amplitude. Parameter study reveals that the obstacle submerged depth, mud layer thickness, and wave frequency can have significant impacts on the attenuation of wave amplitude due to the presence of a muddy seabed.
Static and Dynamic Analysis of a Continuous Bioreactor Model for the Production of Biofuel from Refinery Wastewater Using Rhodococcus opacus
Authors: Ajbar Abdelhamid , Alqahtani Rubayyi T. , Musa Salihu S.
Published: August 2022

This paper studied the bifurcation phenomena that can occur in a continuous bioreactor for lipid-rich biomass production using Rhodococcus opacus that feeds on refinery wastewater. An unstructured model of the bioreactor was developed based on experimentally validated studies reported in the literature. The analysis of the unsteady-state model was carried out both analytically and through numerical simulations. It was shown that the inhibition effect of the biomass growth rate can lead to the occurrence of static bistability in the model. Periodic behavior was also found for some range of model parameters. The effect of model parameters on the productivity of the bioreactor was also investigated. The analysis carried out in this paper allowed for the detection of unsafe operating regions in the bioreactor which, would help in the attenuation of these operational problems in the early stage of process design.
Closed-Form Solutions for Locating Heat-Concentrated Sources Using Temperature Difference
Authors: Sun Daoyuan , Wu Yifan , Dong Longjun , Luo Qiaomu
Published: August 2022

The closed-form solution, one of the effective and sufficient optimization methods, is usually less computationally burdensome than iterative and nonlinear minimization in optimization problems of heat source localization. This work presents two-dimensional, closed-form solutions for locating heat-concentrated sources using temperature differences for known and unknown temperature gradient systems. The nonlinear location equations for heat-concentrated source location are simplified to linear equations, and they are solved directly to obtain the analytical solution. To validate the accuracy of the proposed analytical solutions, three numerical examples of heat source localization were conducted. Results show that the proposed analytical solutions have a higher accuracy than iterative results by Levenberg–Marquardt. The locating accuracy for the three sources using AS-KTG improved by 94.82%, 90.40%, and 92.77%, while the locating accuracy for the three sources using AS-UTG improved by 68.94%, 16.72%, and 46.86%, respectively. It is concluded that the proposed method can locate the heat sources using temperatures and coordinates of sensors without the need for a heat transfer coefficient, a heat transfer rate, and thermal conductivity. These proposed analytical solutions can provide a new approach to locating heat sources for more complicated conditions using temperature differences, such as the localization of geothermal sources and nuclear waste leak points.
A Creative Statistical Model of Geometric Area Index Number for Adequate Estimation of ESG, DESG Goals Achievement, and Other Macroeconomic (Im)balances Dynamics
Authors: Savoiu Gheorghe , Matei Sandra , Čudanov Mladen , Gogu Emilia
Published: August 2022

This paper can be considered as a brief answer to an old research question. Why do researchers need new statistical instruments based on geometric science? In the introduction, one can find some detailed significances, questions, premises, and hypotheses of the article’s research redistributed in the logic of the section, as only a reminder can do it. There are no mandatory access conditions equivalent to “Let no one ignorant of geometry enter here” from the portal of Plato’ s Academy during the literature review of index numbers (IN) or the index numbers method (INM). The originality of a geometric area index number (GAIN) and the simple description of a statistical instrument are the main characteristics of the next section, which is dedicated to its methodology and data. Therefore, this original statistical model of a classical index number is placed in a continuous changing of geometric coordinates and surfaces, caused by alternate states of disequilibrium and equilibrium in macroeconomic life or existence. Whenever the statistical index method has been considered a dead or obsolete solution, this false conclusion has been because it was conceived without its innovative history and multidimensional mathematical perspective. The complex structure of the article also required a section dedicated to practical approaches through macroeconomic indices systems. In the context of dynamic imbalances, this aspect limits the selective options of the new concept of a statistical model of a geometric area index to several inscribable but also regular polygons (“n-gons”) at the same time. These polygons take on stellar shapes as soon as they capture real dynamics by ensuring a significant degree of coverage of simultaneous evolutions. In the pragmatic section of results and discussions, the new statistical model of the geometric area index is built essentially not only as a new type of statistical-mathematical approach to complex and associated or correlated aggregative variations but also from the idea of practically replacing concrete variants with their functions. The final remarks underline some instrumental specificities concerning both constructive advantages and disadvantages but especially to the limitations and perspectives, which are closely related to some symmetries and asymmetries characteristic of the investigated phenomena.
Modeling and Analysis of the Influence of Fear on the Harvested Modified Leslie–Gower Model Involving Nonlinear Prey Refuge
Authors: Jamil Abdul Rahman Mahmoud , Naji Raid Kamel
Published: August 2022

Understanding the effects of fear, quadratic fixed effort harvesting, and predator-dependent refuge are essential topics in ecology. Accordingly, a modified Leslie–Gower prey–predator model incorporating these biological factors is mathematically modeled using the Beddington–DeAngelis type of functional response to describe the predation processes. The model’s qualitative features are investigated, including local equilibria stability, permanence, and global stability. Bifurcation analysis is carried out on the temporal model to identify local bifurcations such as transcritical, saddle-node, and Hopf bifurcation. A comprehensive numerical inquiry is carried out using MATLAB to verify the obtained theoretical findings and understand the effects of varying the system’s parameters on their dynamical behavior. It is observed that the existence of these factors makes the system’s dynamic behavior richer, so that it involves bi-stable behavior.
Pathophysiological Aspects of Aging in Venous Thromboembolism: An Update
Authors: Akrivou Dimitra , Perlepe Garifallia , Kirgou Paraskevi , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I. , Malli Foteini
Published: August 2022

The aim of this review is to highlight all the factors that associate venous thromboembolism (VTE) with aging. Elderly people are characterized by a higher incidence of thrombosis taking into account the co-existing comorbidities, complications and fatality that arise. Based on the Virchow triad, pathophysiological aspects of venous stasis, endothelium injury and hypercoagulability in elderly people (≥65 years) are described in detail. More precisely, venous wall structure, nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 expression are impaired in this age group. Furthermore, an increase in high-molecular-weight kininogen (HMWK), prekallikrein, factors V, VII, VIII, IX and XI, clot lysis time (CLT) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) is observed. Age-dependent platelet dysfunction and changes in anticoagulant factors are also illustrated. A “low-grade inflammation stage” is delineated as a possible risk factor for thrombosis in the elderly. Consequently, clinical implications for frail elderly people related to diagnosis, treatment, bleeding danger and VTE recurrence emerge. We conclude that aging is an acquired thrombotic factor closely related to pathophysiological changes.
Nicotine Exposure during Rodent Pregnancy Alters the Composition of Maternal Gut Microbiota and Abundance of Maternal and Amniotic Short Chain Fatty Acids
Authors: Zubcevic Jasenka , Watkins Jacqueline , Lin Cindy , Bautista Byrell , Hatch Heather M. , Tevosian Sergei G. , Hayward Linda F.
Published: August 2022

Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Numerous reports link smoking in pregnancy with serious adverse outcomes, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, low birth weight, perinatal morbidity, and infant mortality. Corollaries of consuming nicotine in pregnancy, separate from smoking, are less explored, and the mechanisms of nicotine action on maternal–fetal communication are poorly understood. This study examined alterations in the maternal gut microbiome in response to nicotine exposure during pregnancy. We report that changes in the maternal gut microbiota milieu are an important intermediary that may mediate the prenatal nicotine exposure effects, affect gene expression, and alter fetal exposure to circulating short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and leptin during in utero development.
Electrical Utilizations of Air Gap Region Formed on Superhydrophobic Silicone Rubber in NaCl Aqueous Solution
Authors: Okoshi Masayuki
Published: August 2022

A uniform air gap was successfully formed on a superhydrophobic silicone rubber in water or NaCl aqueous solution. The main chain of Si–O bonds of a silicone rubber was photodissociated by a 193 nm ArF excimer laser to lower the molecular weight only in the laser-irradiated microareas; due to the volume expansion, the microswelling structure was periodically fabricated on a silicone rubber, showing the superhydrophobic property. A pair of metal needles were inserted in the air gap formed on the superhydrophobic silicone rubber in a NaCl aqueous solution; an electrical insulation between two metal needles in the air gap was demonstrated. Additionally, a droplet of NaCl aqueous solution was confined in the air gap, after which the pair of metal needles contacted with the droplet through the air gap. As a result, an electrolysis of the droplet of NaCl aqueous solution occurred to produce hydrogen gas on the cathode in the air gap. Moreover, when Al and Cu wires were provided across the air gap and NaCl aqueous solution on the superhydrophobic silicone rubber, approximately 0.8–0.9 V of electric voltage was successfully generated between the two wires in the air gap based on the difference in electrochemical potential as an energy harvesting device in the sea.
Genotype-Specific Plastic Responses to Seed Bacteria under Drought Stress in Lactuca serriola
Authors: Jeong Seorin , Kim Tae-Min , Choi Byungwook , Kim Yousuk , Kim Hwan , Kim Eunsuk
Published: August 2022

Recent studies have demonstrated that seed-borne bacteria can enhance the performance of invasive plants in novel introduced habitats with environmental stresses. The effect of this plant-bacteria interaction may vary with plant species or even genotype; however, the genotype-dependent effects of seed bacteria have rarely been assessed. In this study, we examined the effects of bacterial strains isolated from seeds on the genotypes of an invasive xerophytic plant, Lactuca serriola. Plant genotypes were grown under drought conditions, and their plastic responses to bacterial infections were evaluated. Some genotypes produced more biomass, whereas others produced less biomass in response to infection with the same bacterial strain. Notably, the quantity of root-adhering soil depended on the bacterial treatment and plant genotypes and was positively correlated with the plastic responses of plant performance. Because tested bacteria could colonize the plant rhizosphere, bacterial infection appears to induce the differential formation of soil rhizosheaths among plant genotypes, consequently affecting the maintenance of soil water content under drought conditions. Given that drought tolerance is a critical attribute for the invasive success of L. serriola, these results imply that bacterial symbionts can facilitate the establishment of alien plant species, but their effects are likely genotype-specific.
Comparative Genomics and Physiology of Akkermansia muciniphila Isolates from Human Intestine Reveal Specialized Mucosal Adaptation
Authors: Ouwerkerk Janneke P. , Tytgat Hanne L. P. , Elzinga Janneke , Koehorst Jasper , Van den Abbeele Pieter , Henrissat Bernard , Gueimonde Miguel , Cani Patrice D. , Van de Wiele Tom , Belzer Clara , de Vos Willem M.
Published: August 2022

Akkermansia muciniphila is a champion of mucin degradation in the human gastrointestinal tract. Here, we report the isolation of six novel strains from healthy human donors and their genomic, proteomic and physiological characterization in comparison to the type-strains A. muciniphila MucT and A. glycaniphila PytT. Complete genome sequencing revealed that, despite their large genomic similarity (>97.6%), the novel isolates clustered into two distinct subspecies of A. muciniphila: Amuc1, which includes the type-strain MucT, and AmucU, a cluster of unassigned strains that have not yet been well characterized. CRISPR analysis showed all strains to be unique and confirmed that single healthy subjects can carry more than one A. muciniphila strain. Mucin degradation pathways were strongly conserved amongst all isolates, illustrating the exemplary niche adaptation of A. muciniphila to the mucin interface. This was confirmed by analysis of the predicted glycoside hydrolase profiles and supported by comparing the proteomes of A. muciniphila strain H2, belonging to the AmucU cluster, to MucT and A. glycaniphila PytT (including 610 and 727 proteins, respectively). While some intrinsic resistance was observed among the A. muciniphila straind, none of these seem to pose strain-specific risks in terms of their antibiotic resistance patterns nor a significant risk for the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance determinants, opening the way to apply the type-strain MucT or these new A. muciniphila strains as next generation beneficial microbes.
Fermented Soy Products and Their Potential Health Benefits: A Review
Authors: do Prado Fernanda Guilherme , Pagnoncelli Maria Giovana Binder , de Melo Pereira Gilberto Vinícius , Karp Susan Grace , Soccol Carlos Ricardo
Published: August 2022

In the growing search for therapeutic strategies, there is an interest in foods containing natural antioxidants and other bioactive compounds capable of preventing or reversing pathogenic processes associated with metabolic disease. Fermentation has been used as a potent way of improving the properties of soybean and their components. Microbial metabolism is responsible for producing the β-glucosidase enzyme that converts glycosidic isoflavones into aglycones with higher biological activity in fermented soy products, in addition to several end-metabolites associated with human health development, including peptides, phenolic acids, fatty acids, vitamins, flavonoids, minerals, and organic acids. Thus, several products have emerged from soybean fermentation by fungi, bacteria, or a combination of both. This review covers the key biological characteristics of soy and fermented soy products, including natto, miso, tofu, douchi, sufu, cheonggukjang, doenjang, kanjang, meju, tempeh, thua-nao, kinema, hawaijar, and tungrymbai. The inclusion of these foods in the diet has been associated with the reduction of chronic diseases, with potential anticancer, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, anticholesterol, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. These biological activities and the recently studied potential of fermented soybean molecules against SARS-CoV-2 are discussed. Finally, a patent landscape is presented to provide the state-of-the-art of the transfer of knowledge from the scientific sphere to the industrial application.
Environmental Exposure to Cyanobacteria Hepatotoxins in a Pacific Island Community: A Cross-Sectional Assessment
Authors: Hernandez Brenda Y. , Biggs Jason , Zhu Xuemei , Sotto Patrick , Nagata Michelle , Mendez Ana Joy Pacilan , Paulino Yvette
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: Cyanobacteria produce a wide range of secondary metabolites, including tumor-promoting hepatotoxins. We recently reported evidence of an independent association between oral cyanobacteria and hepatocellular carcinoma in a U.S. population. We sought to characterize the nature, sources, and health correlates of cyanotoxin exposure in the U.S. Pacific Island territory of Guam, which has a high incidence of liver cancer. (2) Methods: Seventy-four adult males and females were enrolled in a cross-sectional study to quantify cyanotoxins in saliva, urine, and blood and their correlation with health behaviors, medical history, and environmental exposures. Plant samples were collected from locations throughout the island. Microcystin/nodularin (MC/NOD), cylindrospermopsin (CYN), and anabaenopeptin (AB) were measured in biospecimens and in plant extracts by ELISA. (3) Results: Overall, among study participants MC/NOD were detected in 53.9% of saliva, 7.5% of urine, and 100% of serum.; CYN in 40.0% of saliva, 100.0% of urine, and 70.4% of serum; AB in 30.8% of saliva, 85% of urine, and 92.6% of serum. Salivary MC/NOD levels were significantly higher in individuals using municipal tap water as their primary source of drinking water; both salivary and urinary MC/NOD levels were higher in those not using store-bought/commercial water. Urine MC/NOD levels were highest among individuals consuming fruits and vegetables exclusively from local sources. Urine MC/NOD levels were elevated in individuals with hypertension and hyperlipidemia and salivary MC/NOD in those with recent alcohol consumption. Cyanotoxins were prevalent in plant samples including MC/NOD (46.6%), CYN (35.1%), and AB (51.7%). (4) Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that exposure to cyanobacterial hepatotoxins, including tumor promoters, may be prevalent in Guam and may originate from environmental sources. Population-based epidemiologic studies are needed to investigate the role of cyanotoxins in liver cancer development.
First Report of Bartonella spp. in Marsupials from Brazil, with a Description of Bartonella harrusi sp. nov. and a New Proposal for the Taxonomic Reclassification of Species of the Genus Bartonella
Authors: do Amaral Renan Bressianini , Cardozo Marita Vedovelli , Varani Alessandro de Mello , Furquim Maria Eduarda Chiaradia , Dias Clara Morato , Assis William Oliveira de , da Silva Alanderson Rodrigues , Herrera Heitor Miraglia , Machado Rosangela Zacarias , André Marcos Rogério
Published: August 2022

The genus Bartonella (Rhizobiales: Bartonellaceae) encompasses facultative intracellular Gram-negative alphaproteobacteria that parasitize mainly erythrocytes and endothelial cells, as well as macrophages, monocytes and dendritic cells. Although they can infect numerous mammal species and arthropod vectors worldwide, reports of Bartonella infections in marsupials are scarce. In fact, such agents have only been detected in marsupials and/or associated ectoparasites in Australia and the United States of America until the present moment. The present study aimed to isolate and characterize molecularly, morphologically and phenotypically Bartonella infecting free-living marsupials sampled in the Brazilian Pantanal, the largest wetland in South America. Two marsupials were captured in December 2018 and six marsupials in February 2019, totaling eight small mammals sampled: five (62.5%) Thylamys macrurus and three (37.5%) Monodelphis domestica. All blood samples were submitted to qPCR for Bartonella spp. based on the nuoG gene, a pre-enrichment liquid culture and a chocolate agar solid culture. Bartonella sp. was isolated from 3 T. macrurus and one M. domestica. One Bartonella isolate obtained from a T. macrurus blood sample (strain 117A) that showed to be closely related to the Bartonella vinsonii complex and Bartonella machadoae was selected for whole genome sequencing using a hybrid approach based on Illumina NovaSeq and Nanopore sequencing platforms. This strain showed a genome of 2.35 Mbp, with an average C + G content of 38.8%, coding for 2013 genes, and a 29 kb plasmid with an average C + G content of 34.5%. In addition, this strain exhibited an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of 85% with Bartonella species belonging to the B. vinsonii group and 91% with B. machadoae. Phylogenomic analysis based on 291 protein coding genes shared by the genomes of 53 Bartonella species positioned this strain closely to B. machadoae. This new isolated species was named Bartonella harrusi sp. nov., which was characterized as having small capnophilic, microaerophilic and aerobic rods with an absence of pili and flagella. In conclusion, the present work describes the biochemical, phenotypic and genomic characteristics of Bartonella harrusi, a new species isolated from the T. macrurus blood samples of the Brazilian Pantanal. Finally, a review of the taxonomic classification of members of the genus Bartonella is proposed, based on the ANI values accessed by whole genome sequencing analyses.
Macrolides from Streptomyces sp. SN5452 and Their Antifungal Activity against Pyricularia oryzae
Authors: Wang Yinan , Yang Di , Bi Yuhui , Yu Zhiguo
Published: August 2022

Pyricularia oryzae causes rice blast, the major destructive disease in nearly all rice fields. In order to obtain highly active compounds against P. oryzae, four new 20-membered macrolides named venturicidins G–J (1–4) were isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp. SN5452 along with two known ones, venturicidins A (5) and B (6). Their structures were determined by the cumulative analyses of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS) data. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their antifungal activity against P. oryzae. Interestingly, these compounds exhibited obvious inhibition to mycelial growth and conidial germination of P. oryzae. Remarkably, the EC50 values of venturicidins A (5), B (6), and I (3) against mycelial growth were 0.11, 0.15 and 0.35 µg/mL, and their EC50 values of conidial germination were 0.27, 0.39 and 1.14 µg/mL, respectively. The analysis of structure-activity relationships (SARs) revealed that the methylated positions might be involved in the antifungal activity of venturicidins. These results indicate that the venturicidins are prospective candidates for novel fungicides that can be applied in controlling rice blast.
Evidence for Electron Transfer from the Bidirectional Hydrogenase to the Photosynthetic Complex I (NDH-1) in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Appel Jens , Craig Sean , Theune Marius , Hüren Vanessa , Künzel Sven , Forberich Björn , Bryan Samantha , Gutekunst Kirstin
Published: August 2022

The cyanobacterial bidirectional [NiFe]-hydrogenase is a pentameric enzyme. Apart from the small and large hydrogenase subunits (HoxYH) it contains a diaphorase module (HoxEFU) that interacts with NAD(P)+ and ferredoxin. HoxEFU shows strong similarity to the outermost subunits (NuoEFG) of canonical respiratory complexes I. Photosynthetic complex I (NDH-1) lacks these three subunits. This led to the idea that HoxEFU might interact with NDH-1 instead. HoxEFUYH utilizes excited electrons from PSI for photohydrogen production and it catalyzes the reverse reaction and feeds electrons into the photosynthetic electron transport. We analyzed hydrogenase activity, photohydrogen evolution and hydrogen uptake, the respiration and photosynthetic electron transport of ΔhoxEFUYH, and a knock-out strain with dysfunctional NDH-1 (ΔndhD1/ΔndhD2) of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Photohydrogen production was prolonged in ΔndhD1/ΔndhD2 due to diminished hydrogen uptake. Electrons from hydrogen oxidation must follow a different route into the photosynthetic electron transport in this mutant compared to wild type cells. Furthermore, respiration was reduced in ΔhoxEFUYH and the ΔndhD1/ΔndhD2 localization of the hydrogenase to the membrane was impaired. These data indicate that electron transfer from the hydrogenase to the NDH-1 complex is either direct, by the binding of the hydrogenase to the complex, or indirect, via an additional mediator.