bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial Peptide Brevinin-1RL1 from Frog Skin Secretion Induces Apoptosis and Necrosis of Tumor Cells
Authors: Ju Xiaoman , Fan Dongmei , Kong Lingmei , Yang Qihong , Zhu Yiying , Zhang Shaohua , Su Guifeng , Li Yan
Published: April 2021

Cancer has always been one of the most common malignant diseases in the world. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find potent agents with selective antitumor activity against cancer cells. It has been reported that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can selectively target tumor cells. In this study, we focused on the anti-tumor activity and mechanism of Brevinin-1RL1, a cationic α-helical AMP isolated from frog Rana limnocharis skin secretions. We found that Brevinin-1RL1 preferentially inhibits tumor cells rather than non-tumor cells with slight hemolytic activity. Cell viability assay demonstrated the intermolecular disulfide bridge contributes to the inhibitory activity of the peptide as the antitumor activity was abolished when the disulfide bridge reduced. Further mechanism studies revealed that both necrosis and apoptosis are involved in Brevinin-1RL1 mediated tumor cells death. Moreover, Brevinin-1RL1 induced extrinsic and mitochondria intrinsic apoptosis is caspases dependent, as the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-FMK rescued Brevinin-1RL1 induced tumor cell proliferative inhibition. Immunohistology staining showed Brevinin-1RL1 mainly aggregated on the surface of the tumor cells. These results together suggested that Brevinin-1RL1 preferentially converges on the cancer cells to trigger necrosis and caspase-dependent apoptosis and Brevinin-1RL1 could be considered as a pharmacological candidate for further development as anti-cancer agent.
Highly Efficient Ag3PO4/g-C3N4 Z-Scheme Photocatalyst for Its Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance in Degradation of Rhodamine B and Phenol
Authors: Zhang Mingxi , Du Hanxiao , Ji Juan , Li Fengfeng , Lin Y. C. , Qin Chenwei , Zhang Ze , Shen Yi
Published: April 2021

Ag3PO4/g-C3N4 heterojunctions, with different g-C3N4 dosages, were synthesized using an in situ deposition method, and the photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 heterojunctions was studied under simulated sunlight conditions. The results revealed that Ag3PO4/g-C3N4 exhibited excellent photocatalytic degradation activity for rhodamine B (Rh B) and phenol under the same light conditions. When the dosage of g-C3N4 was 30%, the degradation rate of Rh B at 9 min and phenol at 30 min was found to be 99.4% and 97.3%, respectively. After five cycles of the degradation experiment for Rh B, g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 still demonstrated stable photodegradation characteristics. The significant improvement in the photocatalytic activity and stability of g-C3N4/Ag3PO4 was attributed to the rapid charge separation between g-C3N4 and Ag3PO4 during the Z-scheme charge transfer and recombination process.
Domestication of Plants of Ugni molinae Turcz (Myrtaceae) Interferes in the Biology of Chilesia rudis (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) Larvae
Authors: Chacón-Fuentes Manuel , Bardehle Leonardo , Seguel Ivette , Rubilar Fernanda , Martínez-Cisterna Daniel , Quiroz Andrés
Published: April 2021

In terms of the domestication process in murtilla, studies have found changes in the concentration of phenolic compounds, with reduction of chemical defense of plants, depending on the change in the feeding behavior of insects. Thus, we hypothesized that the domestication of Ugni molinae decreases the content of phenolic compounds and modifies the feeding preference of Chilesia rudis larvae. Leaves of three parental ecotypes and four cultivated ecotypes were used in preference experiments to evaluate the mass gain and leaves consumption of larvae. Phenolic extracts from leaves of U. molinae were analyzed by HPLC. Identified compounds were incorporated in an artificial diet to assess their effect on mass gain, consumption, and survival of the larvae. The presence of phenolic compounds in bodies and feces was also evaluated. In terms of choice assays, larvae preferred parental ecotypes. Regarding compounds, vanillin was the most varied between the ecotypes in leaves. However, plant domestication did not show a reduction in phenolic compound concentration of the ecotypes studied. Furthermore, there was no clear relation between phenolic compounds and the performance of C. rudis larvae. Whether this was because of sequestration of some compounds by larvae is unknown. Finally, results of this study could also suggest that studied phenolic compounds have no role in the C. rudis larvae resistance in this stage of murtilla domestication process.
Therapeutic Potential of Tuna Backbone Peptide and Its Analogs: An In Vitro and In Silico Study
Authors: Gopinatth Varun , Mendez Rufa L. , Ballinger Elaine , Kwon Jung Yeon
Published: April 2021

Tuna backbone peptide (TBP) has been reported to exert potent inhibitory activity against lipid peroxidation in vitro. Since this bears relevant physiological implications, this study was undertaken to assess the impact of peptide modifications on its bioactivity and other therapeutic potential using in vitro and in silico approach. Some TBP analogs, despite lower purity than the parent peptide, exerted promising antioxidant activities in vitro demonstrated by ABTS radical scavenging assay and cellular antioxidant activity assay. In silico digestion of the peptides resulted in the generation of antioxidant, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPPIV) inhibitory dipeptides. Using bioinformatics platforms, we found five stable TBP analogs that hold therapeutic potential with their predicted multifunctionality, stability, non-toxicity, and low bitterness intensity. This work shows how screening and prospecting for bioactive peptides can be improved with the use of in vitro and in silico approaches.
Nanoparticle-Based Rifampicin Delivery System Development
Authors: Motiei Marjan , Pleno de Gouveia Luis , Šopík Tomáš , Vícha Robert , Škoda David , Císař Jaroslav , Khalili Reza , Domincová Bergerová Eva , Münster Lukáš , Fei Haojie , Sedlařík Vladimír , Sáha Petr
Published: April 2021

The alkaline milieu of chronic wounds severely impairs the therapeutic effect of antibiotics, such as rifampicin; as such, the development of new drugs, or the smart delivery of existing drugs, is required. Herein, two innovative polyelectrolyte nanoparticles (PENs), composed of an amphiphilic chitosan core and a polycationic shell, were synthesized at alkaline pH, and in vitro performances were assessed by 1H NMR, elemental analysis, FT-IR, XRD, DSC, DLS, SEM, TEM, UV/Vis spectrophotometry, and HPLC. According to the results, the nanostructures exhibited different morphologies but similar physicochemical properties and release profiles. It was also hypothesized that the simultaneous use of the nanosystem and an antioxidant could be therapeutically beneficial. Therefore, the simultaneous effects of ascorbic acid and PENs were evaluated on the release profile and degradation of rifampicin, in which the results confirmed their synergistic protective effect at pH 8.5, as opposed to pH 7.4. Overall, this study highlighted the benefits of nanoparticulate development in the presence of antioxidants, at alkaline pH, as an efficient approach for decreasing rifampicin degradation.
Photoluminescence Gas Sensing by Fluorescein-Dye Anions/1-Butanesulfonate/Layered Double Hydroxide Hybrid Materials under Humid Environment Conditions
Authors: Sasai Ryo , Yamamoto Satoshi , Naito Akane
Published: April 2021

In this study, we investigated the photoluminous spectroscopic behavior of hybrid powder incorporating both anionic fluorescein dye (AFD) and 1-butanesulfonate (C4S) with layered double hydroxide (LDH) in the presence of NH3 or NO2 gas under various relative humidity conditions. In the presence of NH3 gas, drastic photoluminescence enhancement from the LDH/AFD/C4S hybrid was observed at relative humidity (RH) ≥ 40% when the NH3 reached a certain concentration. Meanwhile, the LDH/AFD/C4S hybrid was exposed to NO2 gas at various relative humidity conditions, and the following behavior was observed: At RH ≥ 60%, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity from the hybrid gradually decreased as NO2 concentration increased. Therefore, the LDH/AFD/C4S hybrid investigated in this study is inferred to be suitable for optical NH3/NO2 sensor devices, which can be used in humid air.
Graphene Oxide Chemistry Management via the Use of KMnO4/K2Cr2O7 Oxidizing Agents
Authors: Shiyanova Kseniya A. , Gudkov Maksim V. , Rabchinskii Maxim K. , Sokura Liliia A. , Stolyarova Dina Y. , Baidakova Marina V. , Shashkin Dmitriy P. , Trofimuk Andrei D. , Smirnov Dmitry A. , Komarov Ivan A. , Timofeeva Victoria A. , Melnikov Valery P.
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we propose a facile approach to the management of graphene oxide (GO) chemistry via its synthesis using KMnO4/K2Cr2O7 oxidizing agents at different ratios. Using Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, we show that the number of basal-plane and edge-located oxygenic groups can be controllably tuned by altering the KMnO4/K2Cr2O7 ratio. The linear two-fold reduction in the number of the hydroxyls and epoxides with the simultaneous three-fold rise in the content of carbonyls and carboxyls is indicated upon the transition from KMnO4 to K2Cr2O7 as a predominant oxidizing agent. The effect of the oxidation mixture’s composition on the structure of the synthesized GOs is also comprehensively studied by means of X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic-force microscopy, optical microscopy, and the laser diffraction method. The nanoscale corrugation of the GO platelets with the increase of the K2Cr2O7 content is signified, whereas the 10–100 μm lateral size, lamellar, and defect-free structure is demonstrated for all of the synthesized GOs regardless of the KMnO4/K2Cr2O7 ratio. The proposed method for the synthesis of GO with the desired chemistry opens up new horizons for the development of graphene-based materials with tunable functional properties.
Alveolar Echinococcosis of the Parotid Gland—An Ultra Rare Location Reported from Western Europe
Authors: Koppen Tim , Barth Thomas F. E. , Eichhorn Klaus W. , Gabrielpillai Jennis , Kader Ralph , Bootz Friedrich , Send Thorsten
Published: April 2021

(1) Background: Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is restricted to the northern hemisphere with high endemic regions in Central Europe, North and Central Asia as well as Western China. The larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis) causes AE with tumor-like growth. Humans are accidental hosts. This report is on the first case of AE becoming clinically manifested in the parotic gland. (2) Case presentation: A 52-year-old male patient presented with progressive and painful swelling of the right parotid gland persisting for one year. We performed a partial parotidectomy. The histological examination and immunohistological staining revealed larval stage of E. multilocularis. (3) Conclusion: E. multilocularis is known to infect animals and humans coincidentally, and leads to AE. It is one of the most life-threatening zoonoses in Europe. It typically manifests in the liver (50–77%), with further spreading to other organs being a rare phenomenon. Echinococcosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions of the parotid gland in endemic areas, but AE has not been described so far in the parotid gland as the sole manifestation and, therefore, impedes the correct diagnosis. A complete resection should be the aim, however, preservation of the facial nerve and adjuvant albendazole therapy is mandatory.
The Prevalence of Virulence Determinants and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in Methicillin—Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Nursing Home in Poland
Authors: Kasela Martyna , Grzegorczyk Agnieszka , Nowakowicz-Dębek Bożena , Malm Anna
Published: April 2021

Nursing homes (NH) contribute to the regional spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Moreover, residents are vulnerable to the colonization and subsequent infection of MRSA etiology. We aimed at investigating the molecular and phenotypic characteristics of 21 MRSA collected from the residents and personnel in an NH (Lublin, Poland) during 2018. All MRSA were screened for 20 genes encoding virulence determinants (sea-see, eta, etb, tst, lukS-F-PV, eno, cna, ebpS, fib, bbp, fnbA, fnbB, icaADBC) and for resistance to 18 antimicrobials. To establish the relatedness and clonal complexes of MRSA in NH we applied multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat fingerprinting (MLVF), pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing. We identified four sequence types (ST) among two clonal complexes (CC): ST (CC22) known as EMRSA-15 as well as three novel STs—ST6295 (CC8), ST6293 (CC8) and ST6294. All tested MRSA were negative for sec, eta, etb, lukS-F-PV, bbp and ebpS genes. The most prevalent gene encoding toxin was sed (52.4%; n = 11/21), and adhesins were eno and fnbA (100%). Only 9.5% (n = 2/21) of MRSA were classified as multidrug-resistant. The emergence of novel MRSA with a unique virulence and the presence of epidemic clone EMRSA-15 creates challenges for controlling the spread of MRSA in NH.
COVID-19—Importance for Patients on the Waiting List and after Kidney Transplantation—A Single Center Evaluation in 2020–2021
Authors: Boedecker Simone C. , Klimpke Pascal , Kraus Daniel , Runkel Stefan , Galle Peter R. , Koch Martina , Weinmann-Menke Julia
Published: April 2021

(1) Background: Dialysis patients and recipients of a kidney allograft are at high risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2. It has been shown that the development of potent neutralizing humoral immunity against SARS CoV-2 leads to an increased probability of survival. However, the question of whether immunocompromised patients develop antibodies has not yet been sufficiently investigated; (2) Methods: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were examined in hemodialysis patients on the waiting list for kidney transplantation as well as patients after kidney transplantation. Patients were interviewed about symptoms and comorbidities, BMI, and smoking history; (3) Results: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were found in 16 out of 259 patients (6%). The trend of infections here reflects the general course of infection in Germany with a peak in November/December of 2020. Remarkably, patients on the waiting list experienced only mild disease. In contrast, transplanted patients had to be hospitalized but recovered rapidly from COVID-19. Most interesting is that all immunosuppressed patients developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 after infection; (4) Conclusions: Even with extensive hygiene concepts, an above-average number of patients were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the second wave of infections in Germany. Because SARS-CoV-2 infection triggered the formation of antibodies even in these immunocompromised patients, we expect vaccination to be effective in this group of patients. Thus, dialysis patients and patients after kidney transplantation should be given high priority in vaccination programs.
Unexpected Cross-Reaction with Honigbergiella-Like DNA in a PCR for Detection of Bovine Tritrichomonas foetus
Authors: Dąbrowska Joanna , Karamon Jacek , Kochanowski Maciej , Sroka Jacek , Cencek Tomasz
Published: April 2021

The prevalence of bovine Tritrichomonas foetus infection has decreased almost to zero in most European countries, such as Poland, which has been Tritrichomonas foetus-free since 1997. However, trichomonosis is a notifiable disease and there is a duty to examine samples from cattle. In this study, we present an unexpected cross-reaction with Honigbergiella-like DNA in a specimen from a bull. The bovine sample was submitted to the Department of Parasitology National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy (NVRI) for confirmatory testing after having been examined at the Regional Veterinary Laboratory, during a routine T. foetus diagnosis. Positive results from microscopic observation and cultures were confirmed. Noteworthily, parasites grew on Diamond’s medium only after seven days of incubation, while optimal growth of trichomonads is generally observed after two to four days for this medium. Moreover, by using PCR we obtained positive results for the presence of T. foetus. However, sequencing of the amplification product revealed 99.62% identity with Honigbergiella sp. Our data suggest that false-positive results may occur in commonly used PCR tests. Thus, unexpected results should be carefully interpreted.
Pharmacy Practice in High-Volume Community Settings: Barriers and Ethical Responsibilities
Authors: Owens Christopher T. , Baergen Ralph
Published: April 2021

Pharmaceutical care describes a philosophy and practice paradigm that calls upon pharmacists to work with other healthcare professionals and patients to achieve optimal health outcomes. Among the most accessible health professionals, pharmacists have responsibilities to individual patients and to public health, and this has been especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pharmacists in high-volume community settings provide a growing number of clinical services (i.e., immunizations and point-of-care testing), but according to job satisfaction and workplace survey data, demands related to filling prescriptions, insufficient staffing, and working conditions are often not optimal for these enhanced responsibilities and lead to job dissatisfaction. Professional codes of ethics require a high level of practice that is currently difficult to maintain due to a number of related barriers. In this paper, we summarize recent changes to the scope of practice of pharmacists, cite ethical responsibilities from the American Pharmacists Association Code of Ethics, review data and comments from workplace surveys, and make a call for change. Corporate managers, state boards of pharmacy, and professional organizations have a shared responsibility to work with community pharmacists in all settings to find solutions that ensure optimal and ethical patient care. Attention to these areas will enhance patient care and increase job satisfaction.
A Novel Approach to Pharmacy Practice Law Instruction
Authors: Deneff Matthew , Holle Lisa M. , Fitzgerald Jill M. , Wheeler Kathryn
Published: April 2021

Pharmacy law instruction is often taught as a didactic course; however practical application of pharmacy law is a main component of pharmacy practice. Technology-based simulations are becoming more frequently used to enhance didactic pharmacy education. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utility of and student perceptions on the usefulness of MyDispense community pharmacy simulation for additional law instruction that if successful might prompt curricular revamping. This Institutional Review Board–approved, two-year, qualitative, prospective, survey study was conducted in a case study class where students completed MyDispense exercises focused on common legal issues that arise in practice, both individually before and within groups during class. Participating students completed a qualitative survey directed at use of MyDispense for pharmacy law review, which included a series of close-ended questions graded on a Likert scale and open-ended questions thematically grouped. Thirty-eight (41%) and twenty-eight (31%) students completed surveys in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The majority of respondents felt exercises improved their understanding of pharmacy laws, focused on challenging areas, and were more interesting than additional lectures. However, certain topics were reported as irrelevant based on practice experiences or not ideal for simulation, and students desired exercises on state laws versus pharmacy policies. Students reported the MyDispense simulation exercises helped them to recall pharmacy laws and focus on topics that were challenging. These study results prompted curricular revamping to incorporate MyDispense throughout the curriculum for practice in recognizing and solving legal scenarios, along with didactic course changes.
Microshape Measurement Method Using Speckle Interferometry Based on Phase Analysis
Authors: Arai Yasuhiko
Published: April 2021

A method for the measurement of the shape of a fine structure beyond the diffraction limit based on speckle interferometry has been reported. In this paper, the mechanism for measuring the shape of the fine structure in speckle interferometry using scattered light as the illumination light is discussed. Furthermore, by analyzing the phase distribution of the scattered light from the surface of the measured object, this method can be used to measure the shapes of periodic structures and single silica microspheres beyond the diffraction limit.
Design and Dispersion Control of Microstructured Multicore Tellurite Glass Fibers with In-Phase and Out-of-Phase Supermodes
Authors: Anashkina Elena A. , Andrianov Alexey V.
Published: April 2021

High nonlinearity and transparency in the 1–5 μm spectral range make tellurite glass fibers highly interesting for the development of nonlinear optical devices. For nonlinear optical fibers, group velocity dispersion that can be controlled by microstructuring is also of great importance. In this work, we present a comprehensive numerical analysis of dispersion and nonlinear properties of microstructured two-, four-, six-, and eight-core tellurite glass fibers for in-phase and out-of-phase supermodes and compare them with the results for one-core fibers in the near- and mid-infrared ranges. Out-of-phase supermodes in tellurite multicore fibers are studied for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The dispersion curves for in-phase and out-of-phase supermodes are shifted from the dispersion curve for one-core fiber in opposite directions; the effect is stronger for large coupling between the fields in individual cores. The zero dispersion wavelengths of in-phase and out-of-phase supermodes shift to opposite sides with respect to the zero-dispersion wavelength of a one-core fiber. For out-of-phase supermodes, the dispersion can be anomalous even at 1.55 μm, corresponding to the operating wavelength of Er-doped fiber lasers.
Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded with N-Acetyl Cysteine to Mitigate Ozone and Other Possible Oxidative Stresses in Durum Wheat
Authors: Picchi Valentina , Gobbi Serena , Fattizzo Matteo , Zefelippo Mario , Faoro Franco
Published: April 2021

Modern durum wheat cultivars are more prone to ozone stress because of their high photosynthetic efficiency and leaf gas exchanges that cause a greater pollutant uptake. This, in turn, generates an increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production that is a challenge to control by the antioxidant system of the plant, therefore affecting final yield, with a reduction up to 25%. With the aim of mitigating oxidative stress in wheat, we used chitosan nanoparticles (CHT-NPs) either unloaded or loaded with the antioxidant compound N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), on plants grown either in a greenhouse or in an open field. NAC-loaded NPs were prepared by adding 0.5 mg/mL NAC to the CHT solution before ionotropic gelation with tripolyphosphate (TTP). Greenhouse experiments evidenced that CHT-NPs and CHT-NPs-NAC were able to increase the level of the leaf antioxidant pool, particularly ascorbic acid (AsA) content. However, the results of field trials, while confirming the increase in the AsA level, at least in the first phenological stages, were less conclusive. The presence of NAC did not appear to significantly affect the leaf antioxidant pool, although the grain yield was slightly higher in NAC-treated parcels. Furthermore, both NAC-loaded and -unloaded CHT-NPs partially reduced the symptom severity and increased the weight of 1000 seeds, thus showing a moderate mitigation of ozone injury.
Pulse Root Ideotype for Water Stress in Temperate Cropping System
Authors: Rao Shiwangni , Armstrong Roger , Silva-Perez Viridiana , Tefera Abeya T. , Rosewarne Garry M.
Published: April 2021

Pulses are a key component of crop production systems in Southern Australia due to their rotational benefits and potential profit margins. However, cultivation in temperate cropping systems such as that of Southern Australia is limited by low soil water availability and subsoil constraints. This limitation of soil water is compounded by the irregular rainfall, resulting in the absence of plant available water at depth. An increase in the productivity of key pulses and expansion into environments and soil types traditionally considered marginal for their growth will require improved use of the limited soil water and adaptation to sub soil constrains. Roots serve as the interface between soil constraints and the whole plant. Changes in root system architecture (RSA) can be utilised as an adaptive strategy in achieving yield potential under limited rainfall, heterogenous distribution of resources and other soil-based constraints. The existing literature has identified a “‘Steep, Deep and Cheap” root ideotype as a preferred RSA. However, this idiotype is not efficient in a temperate system where plant available water is limited at depth. In addition, this root ideotype and other root architectural studies have focused on cereal crops, which have different structures and growth patterns to pulses due to their monocotyledonous nature and determinant growth habit. The paucity of pulse-specific root architectural studies warrants further investigations into pulse RSA, which should be combined with an examination of the existing variability of known genetic traits so as to develop strategies to alleviate production constraints through either tolerance or avoidance mechanisms. This review proposes a new model of root system architecture of “Wide, Shallow and Fine” roots based on pulse roots in temperate cropping systems. The proposed ideotype has, in addition to other root traits, a root density concentrated in the upper soil layers to capture in-season rainfall before it is lost due to evaporation. The review highlights the potential to achieve this in key pulse crops including chickpea, lentil, faba bean, field pea and lupin. Where possible, comparisons to determinate crops such as cereals have also been made. The review identifies the key root traits that have shown a degree of adaptation via tolerance or avoidance to water stress and documents the current known variability that exists in and amongst pulse crops setting priorities for future research.
Achieving a Sustainable Development Process by Deployment of Solar PV Power in ASEAN: A SWOT Analysis
Authors: Wang Hengtian , Yang Xiaolong , Lou Qihe , Xu Xinxin
Published: April 2021

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has experienced rapid social and economic development in the past decades, while energy shortage, environmental pollution, and climate change are the factors that prevent a sustainable development process. Deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) power is one of the effective alternatives to overcome the above barriers and assist ASEAN to achieve the aspirational target of 23% renewable energy (RE) in the total primary energy supply (TPES). In this study, SWOT analysis is adopted to analyze the internal strengths and weaknesses and the external threats and opportunities tightly related to the development of solar PV power in ASEAN countries. Through the SWOT analysis, great potential for the development of solar PV power in ASEAN is found. As long as appropriate policies are implemented and proper actions are taken, huge space for deployment of solar PV power can be expected. Based on the SWOT analysis, countermeasures that emphasize further deployment of solar PV power in ASEAN countries are put forward. The tactics include arousing people’s awareness of a sustainable development process, government issue coherence and stable incentive policies, fostering a solar PV industry chain and master key technology, and seek opportunities via an international cooperation.
Effect of the Gas Volume Fraction on the Pressure Load of the Multiphase Pump Blade
Authors: Shi Guangtai , Yan Dandan , Liu Xiaobing , Xiao Yexiang , Shu Zekui
Published: April 2021

The gas volume fraction (GVF) often changes from time to time in a multiphase pump, causing the power capability of the pump to be increasingly affected. In the purpose of revealing the pressure load characteristics of the multiphase pump impeller blade with the gas-liquid two-phase case, firstly, a numerical simulation which uses the SST k-ω turbulence model is verified with an experiment. Then, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software is employed to investigate the variation characteristics of static pressure and pressure load of the multiphase pump impeller blade under the diverse inlet gas volume fractions (IGVFs) and flow rates. The results show that the effect of IGVF on the head and hydraulic efficiency at a small flow rate is obviously less than that at design and large flow rates. The static pressure on the blade pressure side (PS) is scarcely affected by the IGVF. However, the IGVF has an evident effect on the static pressure on the impeller blade suction side (SS). Moreover, the pump power capability is descended by degrees as the IGVF increases, and it is also descended with the increase of the flow rate at the impeller inlet. Simultaneously, under the same IGVF, with the increase of the flow rate, the peak value of the pressure load begins to gradually move toward the outlet and its value from hub to shroud is increased. The research results have important theoretical significance for improving the power capability of the multiphase pump impeller.
Land Cover Mapping and Ecological Risk Assessment in the Context of Recent Ecological Migration
Authors: Zhang Tingting , Du Zhenrong , Yang Jianyu , Yao Xiaochuang , Ou Cong , Niu Bowen , Yan Shuai
Published: April 2021

In order to protect the ecological environment and solve the poverty problem in the western region, China has established an ecological migration (EM) policy. This policy aims to relocate populations from poverty-stricken areas with fragile ecological environments, which inevitably leads to changes in land cover and the ecological environment. The objective of this study was to identify the effects of EM in a typical region (Wuwei), including changes in the land cover and ecological risk (ER). A land cover change monitoring method was implemented for the 2010–2019 period for six land cover classes using random forest, which is an effective supervised machine learning method. The land cover change patterns were analyzed by determining the area changes of the six classes and applying a land use transition matrix, and a landscape ecological risk model based on landscape disturbance and fragility was used. Our results demonstrate that the increase and decrease in the area of cultivated land, unused land, and construction land can be divided into two stages (2010–2015 and 2015–2019). The area of water and perennial snow doubled during the study periods. The major land cover transitions were between unused land and construction land and between unused land and crop land. In addition, the ER value for the Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve decreased because of the implementation of EM in the study area, indicating that the ecological environment was effectively improved. The results demonstrate the advantage of the proposed approach in understanding the impact of EM on regional land cover changes and the ecological environment so as to provide guidance for follow-up planning and development.
5G Numerologies Assessment for URLLC in Industrial Communications
Authors: Segura David , Khatib Emil J. , Munilla Jorge , Barco Raquel
Published: April 2021

The fifth-generation (5G) network is presented as one of the main options for Industry 4.0 connectivity. Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC) is the 5G service category used by critical mechanisms, with a millisecond end-to-end delay and reduced probability of failure. 5G defines new numerologies, together with mini-slots for a faster scheduling. The main challenge of this is to select the appropriate numerology according to radio conditions. This fact is very important in industrial scenarios, where the fundamental problems are interference and multipath propagation, due to the presence of concrete walls and large metallic machinery and structures. Therefore, this paper is focused on analyzing the impact of the numerology selection on the delay experienced at radio link level for a remote-control service. The study, which has been carried out in a simulated cellular factory environment, has been performed for different packet sizes and channel conditions, focusing on outliers. Evaluation results show that not always a higher numerology, with a shorter slot duration, is appropriate for this type of service, particularly under Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) conditions.
OSCAR: An Optimized Scheduling Cell Allocation Algorithm for Convergecast in IEEE 802.15.4e TSCH Networks
Authors: Osman Mohamed , Nabki Frederic
Published: April 2021

Today’s wireless sensor networks expect to receive increasingly more data from different sources. The Time Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) protocol defined in the IEEE 802.15.4-2015 version of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard plays a crucial role in reducing latency and minimizing energy consumption. In the case of convergecast traffic, nodes close to the root have consistently heavy traffic and suffer from severe network congestion problems. In this paper, we propose OSCAR, an novel autonomous scheduling TSCH cell allocation algorithm based on Orchestra. This new design differs from Orchestra by allocating slots according to the location of the node relative to the root. The goal of this algorithm is to allocate slots to nodes according to their needs. This algorithm manages the number of timeslots allocated to each node using the value of the rank described by the RPL routing protocol. The goal is that the closer the node is to the root, the more slots it gets in order to maximize the transmission opportunities. To avoid overconsumption, OSCAR sets up a mechanism to adjust the radio duty cycle of each node by reducing the slots allocated to inactive nodes regardless of their position in the network. We implement OSCAR on Contiki-ng and evaluate its performance by both simulations and experimentation. The performance assessment of OSCAR shows that it outperforms Orchestra on the average latency and reliability, without significantly increasing the average duty cycle, especially when the traffic load is high.
Current Trends and Challenges for Rapid SMART Diagnostics at Point-of-Site Testing for Marine Toxins
Authors: Dillon Michael , Zaczek-Moczydlowska Maja A. , Edwards Christine , Turner Andrew D. , Miller Peter I. , Moore Heather , McKinney April , Lawton Linda , Campbell Katrina
Published: April 2021

In the past twenty years marine biotoxin analysis in routine regulatory monitoring has advanced significantly in Europe (EU) and other regions from the use of the mouse bioassay (MBA) towards the high-end analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with tandem mass spectrometry (MS). Previously, acceptance of these advanced methods, in progressing away from the MBA, was hindered by a lack of commercial certified analytical standards for method development and validation. This has now been addressed whereby the availability of a wide range of analytical standards from several companies in the EU, North America and Asia has enhanced the development and validation of methods to the required regulatory standards. However, the cost of the high-end analytical equipment, lengthy procedures and the need for qualified personnel to perform analysis can still be a challenge for routine monitoring laboratories. In developing regions, aquaculture production is increasing and alternative inexpensive Sensitive, Measurable, Accurate and Real-Time (SMART) rapid point-of-site testing (POST) methods suitable for novice end users that can be validated and internationally accepted remain an objective for both regulators and the industry. The range of commercial testing kits on the market for marine toxin analysis remains limited and even more so those meeting the requirements for use in regulatory control. Individual assays include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and lateral flow membrane-based immunoassays (LFIA) for EU-regulated toxins, such as okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysistoxins (DTXs), saxitoxin (STX) and its analogues and domoic acid (DA) in the form of three separate tests offering varying costs and benefits for the industry. It can be observed from the literature that not only are developments and improvements ongoing for these assays, but there are also novel assays being developed using upcoming state-of-the-art biosensor technology. This review focuses on both currently available methods and recent advances in innovative methods for marine biotoxin testing and the end-user practicalities that need to be observed. Furthermore, it highlights trends that are influencing assay developments such as multiplexing capabilities and rapid POST, indicating potential detection methods that will shape the future market.
IMU Data and GPS Position Information Direct Fusion Based on LSTM
Authors: Guang Xingxing , Gao Yanbin , Liu Pan , Li Guangchun
Published: April 2021

In recent years, the application of deep learning to the inertial navigation field has brought new vitality to inertial navigation technology. In this study, we propose a method using long short-term memory (LSTM) to estimate position information based on inertial measurement unit (IMU) data and Global Positioning System (GPS) position information. Simulations and experiments show the practicability of the proposed method in both static and dynamic cases. In static cases, vehicle stop data are simulated or recorded. In dynamic cases, uniform rectilinear motion data are simulated or recorded. The value range of LSTM hyperparameters is explored through both static and dynamic simulations. The simulations and experiments results are compared with the strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS)/GPS integrated navigation system based on kalman filter (KF). In a simulation, the LSTM method’s computed position error Standard Deviation (STD) was 52.38% of what the SINS computed. The biggest simulation radial error estimated by the LSTM method was 0.57 m. In experiments, the LSTM method computed a position error STD of 23.08% using only SINSs. The biggest experimental radial error the LSTM method estimated was 1.31 m. The position estimated by the LSTM fusion method has no cumulative divergence error compared to SINS (computed). All in all, the trained LSTM is a dependable fusion method for combining IMU data and GPS position information to estimate position.
Validating an Evaporative Calibrator for Gaseous Oxidized Mercury
Authors: Gačnik Jan , Živković Igor , Ribeiro Guevara Sergio , Jaćimović Radojko , Kotnik Jože , Horvat Milena
Published: April 2021

Understanding atmospheric mercury chemistry is the key for explaining the biogeochemical cycle of mercury and for improving the predictive capability of computational models. Increased efforts are being made to ensure comparable Hg speciation measurements in the air through establishing metrological traceability. While traceability for elemental mercury has been recently set, this is by no means the case for gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM). Since a calibration unit suitable for traceable GOM calibrations based on evaporation of HgCl2 solution was recently developed, the purpose of our work was to extensively evaluate its performance. A highly specific and sensitive 197Hg radiotracer was used for validation over a wide range of concentrations. By comparing experimental and calculated values, we obtained recoveries for the calibration unit. The average recoveries ranged from 88.5% for 1178 ng m−3 HgCl2 gas concentration to 39.4% for 5.90 ng m−3 HgCl2 gas concentration. The losses were due to the adsorption of oxidized Hg on the inner walls of the calibrator and tubing. An adsorption isotherm was applied to estimate adsorption enthalpy (ΔHads); a ΔHads value of −12.33 kJ mol−1 was obtained, suggesting exothermal adsorption. The results of the calibrator performance evaluation suggest that a newly developed calibration unit is only suitable for concentrations of HgCl2 higher than 1 µg m−3. The concentration dependence of recoveries prevents the system from being used for calibration of instruments for ambient GOM measurements. Moreover, the previously assessed uncertainty of this unit at µg m−3 level (2.0%, k = 2) was re-evaluated by including uncertainty related to recovery and was found to be 4.1%, k = 2. Calibrator performance was also evaluated for HgBr2 gas calibration; the recoveries were much lower for HgBr2 gas than for HgCl2 gas even at a high HgBr2 gas concentration (>1 µg m−3). As HgBr2 is often used as a proxy for various atmospheric HgBr species, the suitability of the unit for such calibration must be further developed.
NLOS Multipath Classification of GNSS Signal Correlation Output Using Machine Learning
Authors: Suzuki Taro , Amano Yoshiharu
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes a method for detecting non-line-of-sight (NLOS) multipath, which causes large positioning errors in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). We use GNSS signal correlation output, which is the most primitive GNSS signal processing output, to detect NLOS multipath based on machine learning. The shape of the multi-correlator outputs is distorted due to the NLOS multipath. The features of the shape of the multi-correlator are used to discriminate the NLOS multipath. We implement two supervised learning methods, a support vector machine (SVM) and a neural network (NN), and compare their performance. In addition, we also propose an automated method of collecting training data for LOS and NLOS signals of machine learning. The evaluation of the proposed NLOS detection method in an urban environment confirmed that NN was better than SVM, and 97.7% of NLOS signals were correctly discriminated.
Assessment of Background Illumination Influence on Accuracy of Measurements Performed on Optical Coordinate Measuring Machine Equipped with Video Probe
Authors: Harmatys Wiktor , Gąska Adam , Gąska Piotr , Gruza Maciej , Sładek Jerzy A.
Published: April 2021

Currently the Coordinate Measuring Technique is facing new challenges both in terms of used methodology and a speed of measurement. More and more often modern optical systems or multisensor systems replace classic solutions. Measurement performed using the optical system is more vulnerable to incorrect points acquisition due to such factors as an inadequate focus or parameters of applied illumination. This article examines the effect of an increasing illumination on the measurement result. A glass reference plate with marked circles and a hole plate standard were used for the measurements performed on a multi-sensor machine Zeiss O’ Inspect 442. The experiment consisted of measurements of standard objects with different values of the backlight at the maximum magnification. Such approach allows to assess the influence of controlled parameter on errors of diameter and form measurements as well as an uncertainty of measurements by determination of ellipses of point repeatability. The analysis of the obtained results shows that increasing backlight mainly affects the result of the diameter measurement.
Relevancy of Nizatidine’s Release from Floating Tablets with Viscosity of Various Cellulose Ethers
Authors: Shahzad Yasser , Ibrar Namra , Hussain Talib , Yousaf Abid Mehmood , Khan Ikram Ullah , Rizvi Syed A. A.
Published: April 2021

Nizatidine is a gastroprotective drug with a short biological half-life and narrow absorption window. This study aimed at developing floating tablets of nizatidine using various HPMC viscosity grades, namely K4M, E4M, K15 and K200M. Directly compressed tablets revealed an excellent uniformity in hardness, thickness and weight and nizatidine was evenly distributed within the matrix floating tablets. Buoyancy study revealed floating lag time as low as 18–38 s, and tablets remain buoyant for upto 24 h. However, the later depended upon viscosity grade of HPMC and that the higher the viscosity, the less was the total floating time. In vitro dissolution indicated viscosity dependent nizatidine release from the floating tablets. HPMC K4M and E4M based floating tablets released almost 100% drug in 12 h, whilst higher viscosity polymers such as K15 and K200M only released 81.88% and 75.81% drug, respectively. The drug release followed non-Fickian diffusion from tablets formulated with K4M, K15 and K200M, whilst super case II transport was observed with E4M based tablets. More interestingly, K4M and E4M polymers have similar viscosity yet exhibited different drug release mechanism. This was attributed to the difference in degree of substitution of methoxyl- and hydroxypropoxyl- groups on polymer backbone.
Extractive Summarization Based on Dynamic Memory Network
Authors: Li Ping , Yu Jiong
Published: April 2021

We present an extractive summarization model based on the Bert and dynamic memory network. The model based on Bert uses the transformer to extract text features and uses the pre-trained model to construct the sentence embeddings. The model based on Bert labels the sentences automatically without using any hand-crafted features and the datasets are symmetry labeled. We also present a dynamic memory network method for extractive summarization. Experiments are conducted on several summarization benchmark datasets. Our model shows comparable performance compared with other extractive summarization methods.
Pharmaceutical Assessment Suggests Locomotion Hyperactivity in Zebrafish Triggered by Arecoline Might Be Associated with Multiple Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors Activation
Authors: Siregar Petrus , Audira Gilbert , Feng Ling-Yi , Lee Jia-Hau , Santoso Fiorency , Yu Wen-Hao , Lai Yu-Heng , Li Jih-Heng , Lin Ying-Ting , Chen Jung-Ren , Hsiao Chung-Der
Published: April 2021

Arecoline is one of the nicotinic acid-based alkaloids, which is found in the betel nut. In addition to its function as a muscarinic agonist, arecoline exhibits several adverse effects, such as inducing growth retardation and causing developmental defects in animal embryos, including zebrafish, chicken, and mice. In this study, we aimed to study the potential adverse effects of waterborne arecoline exposure on zebrafish larvae locomotor activity and investigate the possible mechanism of the arecoline effects in zebrafish behavior. The zebrafish behavior analysis, together with molecular docking and the antagonist co-exposure experiment using muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists were conducted. Zebrafish larvae aged 96 h post-fertilization (hpf) were exposed to different concentrations (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 ppm) of arecoline for 30 min and 24 h, respectively, to find out the effect of arecoline in different time exposures. Locomotor activities were measured and quantified at 120 hpf. The results showed that arecoline caused zebrafish larvae locomotor hyperactivities, even at a very low concentration. For the mechanistic study, we conducted a structure-based molecular docking simulation and antagonist co-exposure experiment to explore the potential interactions between arecoline and eight subtypes, namely, M1a, M2a, M2b, M3a, M3b, M4a, M5a, and M5b, of zebrafish endogenous muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs). Arecoline was predicted to show a strong binding affinity to most of the subtypes. We also discovered that the locomotion hyperactivity phenotypes triggered by arecoline could be rescued by co-incubating it with M1 to M4 mAChR antagonists. Taken together, by a pharmacological approach, we demonstrated that arecoline functions as a highly potent hyperactivity-stimulating compound in zebrafish that is mediated by multiple muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.