bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Farmland Transfer and Income Distribution Effect of Heterogeneous Farmers with Livelihood Capital: Evidence from CFPS
Authors: Wang Xueqi , Xu Zhongguo , Li Guan , Zhuo Yuefei , Zou Wei
Published: July 2023

Farmland transfer is a crucial aspect of modernizing China’s agriculture, which has a significant impact on farmers’ income distribution. With rapid urbanization, farmers’ livelihood has changed significantly, and the income effects of farmland transfer will differ among heterogeneous farmers. Based on the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data, this study examines the impact of farmland transfer on farmers’ income growth and income disparity, as well as the income differences in farmland transfer among farmers with different types of livelihood capital. An endogenous switching regression model and unconditional quantile treatment effects are used to correct the selection bias and farmer heterogeneity. The results show that (1) farmland transfer increases farmers’ income. Specifically, farmland transfer-in increases farmers’ income by 21.15%, while transfer-out increases it by 43.33%. (2) The impact of farmland transfer on farmers’ income has a “Matthew effect” and will widen the income gap between farmers. (3) Moreover, farmland transfer exhibits diverse income effects on heterogeneous farmers with livelihood capital. Capital-rich farmers experience the largest income-growth effect from farmland transfer-in, while capital-balanced farmers experience the largest income-growth effect from farmland transfer-out. The policy implications are to further improve the farmland transfer market and enable low-income farmers to participate by improving their qualifications and abilities.
China’s National Park Construction Contributes to Carbon Peaking and Neutrality Goals
Authors: Wang Shaohan , Song Shuang , Shi Mengxi , Hu Shanshan , Xing Shuhan , Bai He , Xu Dawei
Published: July 2023

The official establishment of China’s national parks marks a new stage in the construction of China’s ecological civilization system. National parks systematically protect the areas with the richest biodiversity and the most complete ecosystem processes in China. This is beneficial not only for China’s natural conservation work, but also for the world’s response to environmental issues, such as climate change. Based on remote sensing images of land use in the four periods 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, this study calculated the land use changes in each national park during the corresponding period. Using the Plus model LEAS module, the driving factors of land use change in the national parks were studied and explored. In addition, the study used the InVEST model carbon storage module, using remote sensing images from different periods and the corresponding carbon pools of each national park as the basic data for model operation, to obtain the carbon storage changes in each national park over the past 30 years. Based on the hotspot analysis function, the hotspot areas of carbon storage changes in the national parks in the past 30 years were determined. Consequently, based on the CARS module of the PLUS model, the carbon storage in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park in 2030 was estimated under different scenarios. Research suggested that, except for Sanjiangyuan National Park where grassland is the main land use type, the other four national parks are all dominated by forests, and the expansion and changes in the main land use types were due to human activities. In the past 30 years, the carbon storage in China’s national park ecosystem has mainly shown a trend of first increasing and then gradually decreasing. Based on the changes in carbon storage in the national park, restoration scenarios were simulated for the core protected and generally controlled areas of Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park. Under the ideal scenario, the highest value of carbon storage would be achieved by 2030, which would be 7,468,250 t higher than that in 2020. The present study provides a reference for the regional management of China’s national parks and further confirms that the implementation of the national park system can enhance China’s ability to achieve carbon peaking and neutrality goals.
Thermodynamic and Kinetic Aspects of Gold Adsorption in Micrometric Activated Carbon and the Impact of Their Loss in Adsorption, Desorption, and Reactivation Plants
Authors: Martínez-Peñuñuri Rodrigo , Parga-Torres Jose R. , Valenzuela-García Jesus L. , Díaz-Galaviz Héctor J. , González-Zamarripa Gregorio , García-Alegría Alejandro M.
Published: July 2023

The production and loss of fine particles of activated carbon (AC) loaded with gold in the adsorption processes is a worldwide problem, mainly due to the behavior of increasing its adsorption capacity with respect to the decrease in particle size, which becomes relevant to determine the thermodynamic and kinetic activity of the gold adsorption and the economic impact of its loss, with the escape towards the later stages of the system of adsorption, desorption, and reactivation (ADR) plants of AC. Through the adsorption of gold in a synthetic medium with sodium cyanide concentration, using different particle sizes, AC weights, and adsorption times, data were generated for analysis by three different isotherm models, resulting in a better tendency for the Freundlich isotherm, from which thermodynamic parameters of ΔG equal to −2.022 kcal/mol, ΔH equal to −16.710 kcal/mol, and ΔS equal to −0.049 kcal/molK were obtained, which shows that it is a spontaneous, exothermic process with a lower degree of disorder. The kinetic analysis was performed with two different models, from which the pseudo-second-order model was used due to a better tendency and displayed a behavior that leaves open the interpretation of the increase in adsorption with respect to the decrease in the AC particle size but demonstrated the importance of recovering these particles in relation to their gold concentration and the economic impact from their poor recovery, which, for this case study, amounted to ~0.3 million dollars per year.
Investigation into Brazilian Palygorskite for Its Potential Use as Pharmaceutical Excipient: Perspectives and Applications
Authors: Meirelles Lyghia Maria Araújo , Barbosa Raquel de Melo , Sanchez-Espejo Rita , García-Villén Fátima , Perioli Luana , Viseras César , Moura Tulio Flavio Accioly de Lima e , Raffin Fernanda Nervo
Published: July 2023

Palygorskite is an aluminum and magnesium silicate characterized by its fibrous morphology, providing it with great versatility in industrial applications, including pharmaceuticals. Although most of the reserves are in the United States, in recent years occurrences of commercially exploited deposits in Brazil have been recorded, mainly in the country’s northeast region. This has motivated this study, which analyzes raw Brazilian palygorskite compared to a commercial sample (Pharmasorb® colloidal) to demonstrate its pharmaceutical potential. The chemical and mineral composition of the samples were evaluated for surface properties, granulometry, morphology, crystallography, thermal analysis, and spectroscopy. Raw palygorskite presented 67% purity, against 74% for Pharmasorb® colloidal. The percentage purity relates to the presence of contaminants, mainly carbonates and quartz (harmless under conventional conditions of pharmaceutical use). Furthermore, it was possible to confirm the chemical composition of these phyllosilicates, formed primarily of silicon, aluminum, and magnesium oxides. The crystallographic and spectroscopic profiles were consistent in both samples, showing characteristic peaks for palygorskite (2θ = 8.3°) and bands attributed to fibrous phyllosilicates below 1200 cm−1, respectively. The thermal analysis allowed the identification of the main events of palygorskite, with slight differences between the evaluated samples: loss of water adsorbed onto the surface (~85 °C), removal of water contained in the channels (~200 °C), coordinated water loss (~475 °C), and, finally, the dehydroxylation (>620 °C). The physicochemical characteristics of raw palygorskite align with pharmacopeial specifications, exhibiting a high specific surface area (122 m2/g), moderately negative charge (−13.1 mV), and compliance with the required limits for heavy metals and arsenic. These favorable technical attributes indicate promising prospects for its use as a pharmaceutical ingredient in the production of medicines and cosmetics.
Hydrothermal Pretreatment of KOH for the Preparation of PAC and Its Adsorption on TC
Authors: Wang Shouqi , Wu Linkai , Wang Liangcai , Zhou Jianbin , Ma Huanhuan , Chen Dengyu
Published: July 2023

The environment has been heavily contaminated with tetracycline (TC) due to its excessive use; however, activated carbon possessing well-developed pores can effectively adsorb TC. This study synthesized pinecone-derived activated carbon (PAC) with high specific surface area (1744.659 cm2/g, 1688.427 cm2/g) and high adsorption properties (840.62 mg/g, 827.33 mg/g) via hydrothermal pretreatment methods utilizing pinecones as precursors. The results showed that PAC treated with 6% KOH solution had excellent adsorption properties. It is found that the adsorption process accords with the PSO model, and a large amount of C=C in PAC provides the carrier for π-πEDA interaction. The results of characterization and the isothermal model show that TC plays a key role in the adsorption process of PAC. It is concluded that the adsorption process of TC on PAC prepared by hydrothermal pretreatment is mainly pore filling and π-πEDA interaction, which makes it a promising adsorbent for TC adsorption.
Influence of Homogenization on Phase Transformations during Isothermal Aging of Inconel 718 Superalloys Fabricated by Additive Manufacturing and Suction Casting
Authors: Zhao Yunhao , Xiong Wei
Published: July 2023

The attainment of the desired strength of the Inconel 718 superalloy heavily relies on the isothermal aging process, which plays a critical role in achieving the anticipated hardening effect. Surprisingly, there remains a dearth of dedicated studies investigating the influence of homogenization on phase transformations during the isothermal aging process, leaving a gap in the knowledge required to guide the design of post-heat treatment strategies. Addressing this gap, our work investigates the impact of homogenization time on phase transformations during isothermal aging at 730 °C in Inconel 718 alloys produced via additive manufacturing (AM) and suction casting (SC) methods. Intriguingly, we observe contrasting behaviors in the particle size of γ″ and γ′ in aged samples, depending on the homogenization time and the alloy processing method. Specifically, in AM alloys, extended homogenization time leads to an increase in the particle size of γ″ and γ′, whereas the opposite trend is observed in SC alloys. Furthermore, despite undergoing the same heat treatment, the AM alloys exhibit smaller particle sizes but higher precipitate number densities compared to the SC alloys, resulting in superior hardness. Notably, pronounced grain refinement during aging is evident in 1 h homogenized SC samples under 1180 °C, warranting further investigations into the underlying mechanisms. This study elucidates the crucial role of homogenization in attaining the desired microstructure following subsequent aging processes. Moreover, it offers novel insights for developing post-heat treatment strategies for superalloys.
The Removal of CH4 and NOx from Marine LNG Engine Exhaust by NTP Combined with Catalyst: A Review
Authors: Zhu Neng , Hong Yu , Cai Yunkai , Dong Fei , Song Jie
Published: July 2023

Compared to diesel, liquefied natural gas (LNG), often used as an alternative fuel for marine engines, comes with significant advantages in reducing emissions of particulate matter (PM), SOx, CO2, and other pollutants. Promoting the use of LNG is of great significance for achieving carbon peaking and neutrality worldwide, as well as improving the energy structure. However, compared to diesel engines, medium- and high-speed marine LNG engines may produce higher methane (CH4) emissions and also have nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission issues. For the removal of CH4 and NOx from the exhaust of marine LNG engines, the traditional technical route of combining a methane oxidation catalyst (MOC) and an HN3 selective catalytic reduction system (NH3-SCR) will face problems, such as low conversion efficiency and high operation cost. In view of this, the technology of non-thermal plasma (NTP) combined with CH4-SCR is proposed. However, the synergistic mechanism between NTP and catalysts is still unclear, which limits the optimization of an NTP-CH4-SCR system. This article summarizes the synergistic mechanism of NTP and catalysts in the integrated treatment process of CH4 and NOx, including experimental analysis and numerical simulation. And the relevant impact parameters (such as electrode diameter, electrode shape, electrode material, and barrier material, etc.) of NTP reactor energy optimization are discussed. The work of this paper is of great significance for guiding the high-efficiency removal of CH4 and NOx for an NTP-CH4-SCR system.
Engineering Characteristics and Microscopic Mechanism of Soil–Cement–Bentonite (SCB) Cut-Off Wall Backfills with a Fixed Fluidity
Authors: Zhou Tan , Hu Jianhua , Liu Taoying , Zhao Fengwen , Yin Yanjun , Guo Mengmeng
Published: July 2023

Soil–cement–bentonite (SCB) backfill has been widely used in constructing cut-off walls to inhibit groundwater movement in contaminated sites. This study prepares SCB backfill with fixed fluidity. We conducted a series of experiments to investigate the engineering characteristics and microscopic mechanism of the backfill. The results indicate that the water content in the slurry was more sensitive to the bentonite content. The unconfined compression strength (UCS) value increased with an increase in the cement content, and the change with an increase in bentonite content was not noticeable. The permeability coefficient decreased distinctly with an increase in the cement and bentonite contents. The porosity of the SCB backfill increased with increasing bentonite content and decreased with increasing cement content. The UCS of SCB backfill was linearly and negatively correlated with the porosity; the permeability coefficient was not significantly related to the porosity. The percentage of micro- and small-pore throats in the backfill increased with increasing bentonite and cement contents. As cement and bentonite content increased by 6% in the backfill, the proportion of micro- and small-pore throats increased by 0.7% and 1.2%, respectively. The percentage of micro- and small-pore throats is deduced to be more suitable as a characterization parameter for the permeability of the SCB backfill. The overall results of this study show that the reasonably proportioned SCB backfill has potential as an eco-friendly and cost-effective material. Based on the requirements of strength and permeability coefficient (UCS > 100 kPa, 28 days permeability coefficient <1 × 10−7 cm/s), we suggested using a backfill with 12% bentonite and 9% cement as the cut-off wall mix ratio.
Effect of Crosshead Speed and Volume Ratio on Compressive Mechanical Properties of Mono- and Double-Gyroid Structures Made of Inconel 718
Authors: Monkova Katarina , Monka Peter Pavol , Pantazopoulos George A. , Toulfatzis Anagnostis I. , Šmeringaiová Anna , Török Jozef , Papadopoulou Sofia
Published: July 2023

The current development of additive technologies brings not only new possibilities but also new challenges. One of them is the use of regular cellular materials in various components and constructions so that they fully utilize the potential of porous structures and their advantages related to weight reduction and material-saving while maintaining the required safety and operational reliability of devices containing such components. It is therefore very important to know the properties of such materials and their behavior under different types of loads. The article deals with the investigation of the mechanical properties of porous structures made by the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) of Inconel 718. Two types of basic cell topology, mono-structure Gyroid (G) and double-structure Gyroid + Gyroid (GG), with material volume ratios of 10, 15 and 20 %, were studied within our research to compare their properties under quasi-static compressive loading. The testing procedure was performed at ambient temperature with a servo-hydraulic testing machine at three different crosshead testing speeds. The recorded data were processed, while the stress–strain curves were plotted, and Young’s modulus, the yield strength Re0.2, and the stress at the first peak of the local maximum σLocMax were identified. The results showed the best behavior under compression load among the studied structures displayed by mono-structure Gyroid at 10 %. At the same time, it can be concluded that the wall thickness of the structure plays an important role in the compressive properties but on the other hand, crosshead speed doesn´t influence results significantly.
Effect of Shot Peening on the Strength and Corrosion Properties of 6082-T651 Aluminium Alloy
Authors: Ravnikar Dunja , Šturm Roman , Žagar Sebastjan
Published: July 2023

This paper investigated the effect of shot peening on the strength and corrosion properties of 6082-T651 aluminium alloy. The microstructure, surface roughness, microhardness, residual stresses, and corrosion behaviour were investigated and compared with those of untreated aluminium alloy. Cracks and delaminations in the surface layer could only be seen on the treated specimens at a working pressure of 4 bar and 8 bar, while no such effect was observed at a working pressure of 1.6 bar. The surface roughness was increased more than 15 times after shot peening at a working pressure of 8 bar. Shot peening resulted in an increase in microhardness of 27% and a deeper layer with higher compressive residual stresses compared to the untreated specimens. All treated specimens exhibited improved corrosion resistance with a lower degree of anodic dissolution. The current density of the treated specimen with the lowest surface roughness was more than two-fold lower than that of the untreated specimen.
Synthesis of Compliant Parallel Mechanisms Using an Improved Beam-Based Method with the Optimization of Multiple Resonant Modes
Authors: Low Vin , Yeo Song Huat , Pham Minh Tuan
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes an improved beam-based method to synthesize a compliant parallel mechanism (CPM) with multiple degrees of freedom (DoFs). The proposed method utilizes a structural optimization technique to synthesize a three-legged CPM with a single-beam structure constructed by two perpendicular segments in each leg to achieve the desired DoFs and fully decoupled motion. In addition, an objective function is proposed to optimize the primary resonant frequencies in actuating directions to targeted values to achieve the desired dynamic behaviors. A 4-DoF CPM, with one translation and three rotations, is synthesized using the improved beam-based method and all of the primary resonant frequencies are optimized to the targeted values. The 4-DoF CPM prototype is fabricated monolithically and evaluated experimentally in terms of its mechanical characteristics, workspace, and resonant modes. The obtained results show that the experimental stiffness and dynamic properties agree with the predictions. In particular, the prototype has good motion decoupling capability, as reflected by the high stiffness ratios of more than 500 between the non-actuating and actuating directions; the large workspaces of up to 4.0 mm and 7.2° for the translation and rotations, respectively; and the resonant frequencies being close to the targeted ones. In addition, the highest deviations between the predicted and experimental results are 9.49% and 9.13% for the stiffness and dynamic behaviors, respectively, demonstrating the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Adaptive Sliding Mode Feedback Control Algorithm for a Nonlinear Knee Extension Model
Authors: Arof Saharul , Noorsal Emilia , Yahaya Saiful Zaimy , Hussain Zakaria , Mohd Ali Yusnita , Abdullah Mohd Hanapiah , Safie Muhamad Khuzzairie
Published: July 2023

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been widely used to treat spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Many research studies employ a closed-loop FES system to monitor the stimulated muscle response and provide a precise amount of charge to the muscle. However, most closed-loop FES devices perform poorly and sometimes fail when muscle nonlinearity effects such as fatigue, time delay response, stiffness, spasticity, and subject change happen. The poor performance of the closed-loop FES device is mainly due to discrepancies in the feedback control algorithms. Most of the existing feedback control algorithms were not designed to adapt to new changes in patients with different nonlinearity effects, resulting in early muscle fatigue. Therefore, this research proposes an adaptive sliding mode (SM) feedback control algorithm that could adapt and fine-tune internal control settings in real-time according to the current subject’s nonlinear and time-varying muscle response during the rehabilitation (knee extension) exercise. The adaptive SM feedback controller consists mainly of system identification, direct torque control, and tunable feedback control settings. Employing the system identification unit in the feedback control algorithm enables real-time self-tuning and adjusting of the SM internal control settings according to the current patient’s condition. Initially, the patient’s knee trajectory response was identified by extracting meaningful information, which included time delay, rise time, overshoot, and steady-state error. The extracted information was used to fine-tune and update the internal SM control settings. Finally, the performance of the proposed adaptive SM feedback control algorithm in terms of system response time, stability, and rehabilitation time was analysed using a nonlinear knee model. The findings from the simulation results indicate that the adaptive SM feedback controller demonstrated the best control performance in accurately tracking the desired knee angle movement by having faster response times, smaller overshoots, and lower steady-state errors when compared with the conventional SM across four reference angle settings (20°, 30°, 40°, and 76°). The adaptive feedback SM controller was also observed to compensate for muscle nonlinearities, including fatigue, stiffness, spasticity, time delay, and other disturbances.
Synthesis and Structural and Magnetic Properties of Polycrystalline GaMo4Se8
Authors: Malta José F. , Henriques Marta S. C. , Paixão José A. , Gonçalves António P.
Published: July 2023

GaMo4Se8, is a lacunar spinel where skyrmions have been recently reported. This compound belongs to the GaM4X8 family, where M is a transition metal (V or Mo) and X is a chalcogenide (S or Se). In this work, we have obtained pure GaMo4Se8 in polycrystalline form through an innovative two-step synthetic route. Phase purity and chemical composition were confirmed through the Rietveld refinement of the powder XRD pattern, the sample characterisation having been complemented with SEM analysis. The magnetic phase diagram was investigated using DC (VSM) and AC magnetometry, which disclosed the presence of cycloidal, skyrmionic and ferromagnetic phases in polycrystalline GaMo4Se8.
The Forecasting of a Leading Country’s Government Expenditure Using a Recurrent Neural Network with a Gated Recurrent Unit
Authors: Yang Cheng-Hong , Molefyane Tshimologo , Lin Yu-Da
Published: July 2023

Economic forecasting is crucial in determining a country’s economic growth or decline. Productivity and the labor force must be increased to achieve economic growth, which leads to the growth of gross domestic product (GDP) and income. Machine learning has been used to provide accurate economic forecasts, which are essential to sound economic policy. This study formulated a gated recurrent unit (GRU) neural network model to predict government expenditure, an essential component of gross domestic product. The GRU model was evaluated against autoregressive integrated moving average, support vector regression, exponential smoothing, extreme gradient boosting, convolutional neural network, and long short-term memory models using World Bank data regarding government expenditure from 1990 to 2020. The mean absolute error, root mean square error, and mean absolute percentage error were used as performance metrics. The GRU model demonstrates superior performance compared to all other models in terms of MAE, RMSE, and MAPE (with an average MAPE of 2.774%) when forecasting government spending using data from the world’s 15 largest economies from 1990 to 2020. The results indicate that the GRU can be used to provide accurate economic forecasts.
An Effective Analytical Approach to Predicting the Surface Contact Temperature of the Face Gear Drives
Authors: Wen Jun , Zhou Yuansheng , Tang Jinyuan , Dai Yu
Published: July 2023

The anti-scuffing bearing capacity of gears is a significant issue for their service lives, especially for the cases with heavy loads or high speeds. Generally, the anti-scuffing bearing capacity is evaluated according to the surface contact temperature that can be calculated with either analytical methods or finite element analysis (FEA) methods. The analytical methods usually apply the theory of Blok to efficiently obtain the results by simplifying some actual physical conditions, which are well considered in the FEA methods with accurate results but more computation time. Conversely, a new efficient and accurate analytical method is proposed by introducing the actual lubricant film thickness and continuous heat transfer for the theory of Blok. These two physical conditions are the key issues for the calculation of the two parts of surface contact temperature, flash temperature and bulk temperature, respectively. For the calculation of flash temperature, elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) is introduced to consider the lubricant film thickness for the theory of Blok, and the result is obtained by solving the Reynolds equation efficiently with the finite difference method. For the bulk temperature, the result for a contacting point on the gear tooth surface is directly obtained according the theory of Blok, and the continuous heat transfer among the adjacent contacting points is considered with Gaussian heat morphology, which can accurately construct the bulk temperature field distribution in the contact region. The proposed method is validated as in good agreement with the FEA method and with less computation time.
The Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Sarcopenia: Mechanism of Action and Potential Efficacy
Authors: Therdyothin Atiporn , Phiphopthatsanee Nacharin , Isanejad Masoud
Published: July 2023

Sarcopenia, a progressive disease characterized by a decline in muscle strength, quality, and mass, affects aging population worldwide, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Besides resistance exercise, various nutritional strategies, including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation, have been sought to prevent this condition. This narrative review summarizes the current evidence on the effect and mechanism of n-3 PUFA on musculoskeletal health. Despite conflicting evidence, n-3 PUFA is suggested to benefit muscle mass and volume, with more evident effects with higher supplementation dose (>2 g/day). n-3 PUFA supplementation likely improves handgrip and quadriceps strength in the elderly. Improved muscle functions, measured by walking speed and time-up-to-go test, are also observed, especially with longer duration of supplementation (>6 months), although the changes are small and unlikely to be clinically meaningful. Lastly, n-3 PUFA supplementation may positively affect muscle protein synthesis response to anabolic stimuli, alleviating age-related anabolic resistance. Proposed mechanisms by which n-3 PUFA supplementation improves muscle health include 1. anti-inflammatory properties, 2. augmented expression of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway, 3. decreased intracellular protein breakdown, 4. improved mitochondrial biogenesis and function, 5. enhanced amino acid transport, and 6. modulation of neuromuscular junction activity. In conclusion, n-3 PUFAs likely improve musculoskeletal health related to sarcopenia, with suggestive effect on muscle mass, strength, physical performance, and muscle protein synthesis. However, the interpretation of the findings is limited by the small number of participants, heterogeneity of supplementation regimens, and different measuring protocols.
Development of a Green Polymeric Membrane for Sodium Diclofenac Removal from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Raota Camila Suliani , Crespo Janaina da Silva , Baldasso Camila , Giovanela Marcelo
Published: July 2023

Water-soluble polymers provide an alternative to organic solvent requirements in membrane manufacture, aiming at accomplishing the Green Chemistry principles. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a biodegradable and non-toxic polymer renowned for its solubility in water. However, PVA is little explored in membrane processes due to its hydrophilicity, which reduces its stability and performance. Crosslinking procedures through an esterification reaction with carboxylic acids can address this concern. For this, experimental design methodology and statistical analysis were employed to achieve the optimal crosslinking conditions of PVA with citric acid as a crosslinker, aiming at the best permeate production and sodium diclofenac (DCF) removal from water. The membranes were produced following an experimental design and characterized using multiple techniques to understand the effect of crosslinking on the membrane performance. Characterization and filtration results demonstrated that crosslinking regulates the membranes’ properties, and the optimized conditions (crosslinking at 110 °C for 110 min) produced a membrane able to remove 44% DCF from water with a permeate production of 2.2 L m−2 h−1 at 3 bar, comparable to commercial loose nanofiltration membranes. This study contributes to a more profound knowledge of green membranes to make water treatment a sustainable practice in the near future.
Establishment of a Rapid LAMP Assay for Aeromonas hydrophila and Comparison with the Application of qPCR
Authors: Gao Zihui , Yang Chunhua , Zhang Xiaobo , Hu Bing , Zhang Huang , Zhang Zhihong , Kuang Wendong , Zheng Qiuyue , Cao Jijuan
Published: July 2023

The development of an exceptionally sensitive diagnostic technique for early identification of aquaculture diseases, specifically Aeromonas hydrophila, is essential for efficient management of disease outbreaks at aquaculture locations. In this research, a swift and sensitive diagnostic assay employing Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of Aeromonas hydrophila was devised and compared to the conventional qPCR method documented by Rong Wang. Validation of the diagnostic assay was carried out using actual samples obtained from aquaculture fish. The findings revealed that based on the rapid detection of crude bacterial genomic DNA, the fluorescent LAMP assay possessed a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.559 ng/μL (0.315–1.693, 95% CI), while the LOD for qPCR stood at 4.301 ng/μL (2.084–8.876, 95% CI). Both techniques demonstrated outstanding specificity, exhibiting no cross-reactivity with bacteria from the same or closely related genera. A total of 74 fish samples suspected to be infected with the fish disease were gathered, with 26 and 23 samples testing positive for Aeromonas hydrophila via LAMP and qPCR, respectively. The concordance analysis for LAMP and qPCR methods generated a Kappa value of 0.909 (0.778–1.000, 95% CI), signifying a high degree of diagnostic consensus. This study highlights that the LAMP assay eliminates the thermal cycle temperature change process of qPCR, uses lysate to crudely extract bacterial genomic DNA, and can complete the detection within 40 min, rendering it a practical and efficient alternative for monitoring disease outbreaks at aquaculture sites.
MESSES: Software for Transforming Messy Research Datasets into Clean Submissions to Metabolomics Workbench for Public Sharing
Authors: Thompson P. Travis , Moseley Hunter N. B.
Published: July 2023

In recent years, the FAIR guiding principles and the broader concept of open science has grown in importance in academic research, especially as funding entities have aggressively promoted public sharing of research products. Key to public research sharing is deposition of datasets into online data repositories, but it can be a chore to transform messy unstructured data into the forms required by these repositories. To help generate Metabolomics Workbench depositions, we have developed the MESSES (Metadata from Experimental SpreadSheets Extraction System) software package, implemented in the Python 3 programming language and supported on Linux, Windows, and Mac operating systems. MESSES helps transform tabular data from multiple sources into a Metabolomics Workbench specific deposition format. The package provides three commands, extract, validate, and convert, that implement a natural data transformation workflow. Moreover, MESSES facilitates richer metadata capture than is typically attempted by manual efforts. The source code and extensive documentation is hosted on GitHub and is also available on the Python Package Index for easy installation.
Flexible Pressure Sensors and Machine Learning Algorithms for Human Walking Phase Monitoring
Authors: Nguyen Thanh-Hai , Ngo Ba-Viet , Nguyen Thanh-Nghia , Vu Chi Cuong
Published: July 2023

Soft sensors are attracting much attention from researchers worldwide due to their versatility in practical projects. There are already many applications of soft sensors in aspects of life, consisting of human-robot interfaces, flexible electronics, medical monitoring, and healthcare. However, most of these studies have focused on a specific area, such as fabrication, data analysis, or experimentation. This approach can lead to challenges regarding the reliability, accuracy, or connectivity of the components. Therefore, there is a pressing need to consider the sensor’s placement in an overall system and find ways to maximize the efficiency of such flexible sensors. This paper proposes a fabrication method for soft capacitive pressure sensors with spacer fabric, conductive inks, and encapsulation glue. The sensor exhibits a good sensitivity of 0.04 kPa−1, a fast recovery time of 7 milliseconds, and stability of 10,000 cycles. We also evaluate how to connect the sensor to other traditional sensors or hardware components. Some machine learning models are applied to these built-in soft sensors. As expected, the embedded wearables achieve a high accuracy of 96% when recognizing human walking phases.
Epidemiology of Cryptosporidium Infection in Romania: A Review
Authors: Dărăbuș Gheorghe , Lupu Maria Alina , Mederle Narcisa , Dărăbuș Rodica Georgiana , Imre Kalman , Mederle Ovidiu , Imre Mirela , Paduraru Ana Alexandra , Morariu Sorin , Olariu Tudor Rares
Published: July 2023

Since 1983, when the first report of a human Cryptosporidium spp. infection was published in Romania, and until now, many studies on cryptosporidiosis have been published in our country, but most of them are in the Romanian language and in national journals less accessible to international scientific databases. Although the infection was first recognized as a problem in children or immunocompromised people or more of a problem in low-income or underdeveloped global countries, we have shown in this review that it can also occur in people with normal immunological function and that the epidemiology of our country can provide a theoretical basis for the formulation of a Cryptosporidium spp. prevention strategy. In addition, 9.1% of healthy children and 73% of immunocompromised children were observed to have Cryptosporidium spp. infections. Higher rates have also been reported in immunocompromised adults (1.8–50%). Analyzing the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in animals, we found values of 28.52% in cattle, 18% in buffalo calves, between 27.8 and 60.4% in pigs, 52.7% in dogs, and 29.4% in cats. Furthermore, in Romania, the burden of cryptosporidiosis, including acute infections and long-term sequelae, is currently unknown.
Characterization of Tunneled Wide Band Gap Mixed Conductors: The Na2O-Ga2O3-TiO2 System
Authors: García-Fernández Javier , Hernando María , Torres-Pardo Almudena , López María Luisa , Fernández-Díaz María Teresa , Zhang Qing , Terasaki Osamu , Ramírez-Castellanos Julio , González-Calbet José M.
Published: July 2023

This article focuses on the Na2O-Ga2O3-TiO2 system, which is barely explored in the study of transparent conductive oxides (TCOs). NaxGa4+xTin−4−xO2n−2 (n = 5, 6, and 7 and x ≈ 0.7–0.8) materials were characterized using neutron powder diffraction and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Activation energy, as a function of different structures depending on tunnel size, shows a significant improvement in Na+ ion conduction from hexagonal to octagonal tunnels. New insights into the relationship between the crystal structure and the transport properties of TCOs, which are crucial for the design and development of new optoelectronic devices, are provided.
Antioxidative 2D Bismuth Selenide via Halide Passivation for Enhanced Device Stability
Authors: Chen Jiayi , Wu Guodong , Ding Yamei , Chen Qichao , Gao Wenya , Zhang Tuo , Jing Xu , Lin Huiwen , Xue Feng , Tao Li
Published: July 2023

The topological insulator 2D Bi2Se3 is promising for electronic devices due to its unique electronic properties; however, it is challenging to prepare antioxidative nanosheets since Bi2Se3 is prone to oxidation. Surface passivation using ligand agents after Bi2Se3 exfoliation works well to protect the surface, but the process is time-consuming and technically challenging; a passivation agent that is stable under a highly biased potential is significant for in situ passivation of the Bi2Se3 surface. In this work, the roles of halide anions (Cl−, Br−, and I−) in respect of the chemical properties of synthetic Bi2Se3 nanosheets during electrochemical intercalated exfoliation were investigated to determine the antioxidation capacity. It was found that Bi2Se3 nanosheets prepared in a solution of tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBA+ and Cl−) have the best oxidation resistance via the surface bonding of Bi with Cl, which promotes obtaining better device stability. This work paves an avenue for adjusting the components of the electrolyte to further promote the stability of 2D Bi2Se3-nanosheet-based electronic devices.
Progress in the Synthesis and Application of Tellurium Nanomaterials
Authors: Zhu Hongliang , Fan Li , Wang Kaili , Liu Hao , Zhang Jiawei , Yan Shancheng
Published: July 2023

In recent decades, low-dimensional nanodevices have shown great potential to extend Moore’s Law. The n-type semiconductors already have several candidate materials for semiconductors with high carrier transport and device performance, but the development of their p-type counterparts remains a challenge. As a p-type narrow bandgap semiconductor, tellurium nanostructure has outstanding electrical properties, controllable bandgap, and good environmental stability. With the addition of methods for synthesizing various emerging tellurium nanostructures with controllable size, shape, and structure, tellurium nanomaterials show great application prospects in next-generation electronics and optoelectronic devices. For tellurium-based nanomaterials, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy are the main characterization methods for their morphology. In this paper, the controllable synthesis methods of different tellurium nanostructures are reviewed, and the latest progress in the application of tellurium nanostructures is summarized. The applications of tellurium nanostructures in electronics and optoelectronics, including field-effect transistors, photodetectors, and sensors, are highlighted. Finally, the future challenges, opportunities, and development directions of tellurium nanomaterials are prospected.
Boosting the Capacitive Performance of Supercapacitors by Hybridizing N, P-Codoped Carbon Polycrystalline with Mn3O4-Based Flexible Electrodes
Authors: Kang Yu-Min , Yang Wein-Duo
Published: July 2023

Chitosan, a biomass raw material, was utilized as a carbon skeleton source and served as a nitrogen (N) atom dopant in this study. By co-doping phosphorus (P) atoms from H3PO4 and nitrogen (N) atoms with a carbon (C) skeleton and hybridizing them with Mn3O4 on a carbon fiber cloth (CC), an Mn3O4@NPC/CC electrode was fabricated, which exhibited an excellent capacitive performance. The N, P-codoped carbon polycrystalline material was hybridized with Mn3O4 during the chitosan carbonization process. This carbon polycrystalline structure exhibited an enhanced conductivity and increased mesopore content, thereby optimizing the micropore/mesopore ratio in the electrode material. This optimization contributed to the improved storage, transmission, and diffusion of electrolyte ions within the Mn3O4@NPC electrode. The electrochemical behavior was evaluated via cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests using a 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. The capacitance significantly increased to 256.8 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, and the capacitance retention rate reached 97.3% after 5000 charge/discharge cycles, owing to the higher concentration of the P-dopant in the Mn3O4@NPC/CC electrode. These findings highlight the tremendous potential of flexible supercapacitor electrodes in various applications.
Evolution of Cu-In Catalyst Nanoparticles under Hydrogen Plasma Treatment and Silicon Nanowire Growth Conditions
Authors: Wang Weixi , Ngo Éric , Bulkin Pavel , Zhang Zhengyu , Foldyna Martin , Roca i Cabarrocas Pere , Johnson Erik V. , Maurice Jean-Luc
Published: July 2023

We report silicon nanowire (SiNW) growth with a novel Cu-In bimetallic catalyst using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method. We study the structure of the catalyst nanoparticles (NPs) throughout a two-step process that includes a hydrogen plasma pre-treatment at 200 °C and the SiNW growth itself in a hydrogen-silane plasma at 420 °C. We show that the H2-plasma induces a coalescence of the Cu-rich cores of as-deposited thermally evaporated NPs that does not occur when the same annealing is applied without plasma. The SiNW growth process at 420 °C induces a phase transformation of the catalyst cores to Cu7In3; while a hydrogen plasma treatment at 420 °C without silane can lead to the formation of the Cu11In9 phase. In situ transmission electron microscopy experiments show that the SiNWs synthesis with Cu-In bimetallic catalyst NPs follows an essentially vapor-solid–solid process. By adjusting the catalyst composition, we manage to obtain small-diameter SiNWs—below 10 nm—among which we observe the metastable hexagonal diamond phase of Si, which is predicted to have a direct bandgap.
The Association of Food Groups and Consumption Time with Hyperuricemia: The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2018
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Yang Ruiming , Cao Ziteng , Han Sijia , Han Tianshu , Jiang Wenbo , Wang Xinyang , Wei Wei
Published: July 2023

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is associated with a wide range of diseases and increases the public health burden on society as a whole. In addition to genetic variation, diet plays a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of HUA as an important modifiable behavior. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether food groups and consumption time are associated with HUA. A total of 41,230 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2018 were included in the study. All meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, were obtained according to their corresponding Food Patterns Equivalents Database dietary data. The binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between food groups, food consumption time and HUA. We found that the intake of fruit (mixed in various forms) (OR = 0.942, 95% CI: 0.909–0.976) or freshly squeezed juices (OR = 0.915, 95% CI: 0.859–0.975), milk (OR = 0.839, 95% CI: 0.808–0.872), and eggs (OR = 0.881, 95% CI: 0.839–0.924), poultry (OR = 1.055, 95% CI: 1.033–1.077) and seafood high in n-3 fatty acids (OR = 1.068, 95% CI: 0.1.018–1.120) at dinner, eating refined grains at breakfast (OR = 0.954, 95% CI: 0.924–0.985) and dinner (OR = 0.962, 95% CI: 0.944–0.980), eating whole grains (OR = 0.908, 95% CI: 0.845–0.976) at lunch, consuming alcoholic beverages or foods at breakfast (OR = 0.748, 95% CI: 0.564–0.990)/lunch (OR = 1.118, 95% CI: 1.008–1.240)/dinner (OR = 1.127, 95% CI: 1.073–1.185) were associated with HUA. Eating particular meals at particular times of the day was related to a lower risk of HUA.
Effect of Chromium Nanoparticles and Switching from a High-Fat to a Low-Fat Diet on the Cecal Microenvironment in Obese Rats
Authors: Fotschki Bartosz , Ognik Katarzyna , Cholewińska Ewelina , Grzelak-Błaszczyk Katarzyna , Myszczyński Kamil , Krauze Magdalena , Juśkiewicz Jerzy
Published: July 2023

Previous studies showed that chromium nanoparticles (Cr-NPs) might be used as dietary compounds against some obesity-related disorders; however, there is little information on how these compounds influence the gut microenvironment. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the negative effects of a high-fat diet in the large intestine of rats might be mitigated by switching to a low-fat diet and supplementation with Cr-NPs. Microbiota sequencing analysis revealed that the main action of the Cr-NPs was focused on changing the gut microbiota’s activity. Supplementation with nanoparticles decreased the activity of β-glucuronidase and enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis of dietary oligosaccharides and, thus, lowered the concentration of short-chain fatty acids in the cecum. In this group, there was also an elevated level of cecal lithocholic acid. The most favorable effect on the regulation of obesity-related disorders was observed when a high-fat diet was switched to a low-fat diet. This dietary change enhanced the production of short-chain fatty acids, reduced the level of secondary bile acids, and increased the microbial taxonomic richness, microbial differences, and microbial enzymatic activity in the cecum. To conclude, supplementation of a high-fat diet with Cr-NPs primarily had an effect on intestinal microbial activity, but switching to a low-fat diet had a powerful, all-encompassing effect on the gut that improved both microbial activity and composition.
Breastfeeding Duration and Timing of Bottle Supplementation: Associations with Body Mass Index from Childhood to Young-Adulthood
Authors: Blanco Estela , Martinez Suzanna M. , East Patricia , Burrows Raquel , Correa-Burrows Paulina , Lozoff Betsy , Gahagan Sheila
Published: July 2023

Evidence for the association between breastfeeding (BF) duration and later body mass index (BMI) is inconsistent. We explored how BF duration and BF type (exclusive or partial) related to BMI from childhood to young adulthood in a Chilean cohort. Infants were recruited at 6 months between 1994 and 1996 in Santiago, Chile (n = 821). Mothers reported date of first bottle and last BF; anthropometry was measured at 1, 5, 10, 16, and 23 years. We tested whether: (1) type of BF at 6 months (none, partial, exclusive) and (2) duration of exclusive BF (<1 month, 1 to <3 months, 3 to <6 months, and ≥6 months) related to BMI. At 6 months, 35% received both breastmilk and formula (“partial BF”) and 38% were exclusively breastfed. We found some evidence of an association between longer BF and lower BMI z-scores at young ages but observed null effects for later BMI. Specifically, BF for 3 to <6 months compared to <1 month related to lower BMI z-scores at 1 and 5 years (both p < 0.05). Our results are in partial accordance with others who have not found a protective effect of longer BF for lower BMI.