bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biotransformation of Waste Bile Acids: A New Possible Sustainable Approach to Anti-Fungal Molecules for Crop Plant Bioprotection?
Authors: Grandini Alessandro , Summa Daniela , Costa Stefania , Buzzi Raissa , Tamburini Elena , Sacchetti Gianni , Guerrini Alessandra
Published: April 2022

Phytopathogenic fungi are among the main causes of productivity losses in agriculture. To date, synthetic chemical pesticides, such as hydroxyanilides, anilinopyrimidines and azole derivatives, represent the main treatment tools for crop plant defence. However, the large and uncontrolled use of these substances has evidenced several side effects, namely the resistance to treatments, environmental damage and human health risks. The general trend is to replace chemicals with natural molecules in order to reduce these side effects. Moreover, the valorisation of agri-food industry by-products through biotransformation processes represents a sustainable alternative to chemical synthesis in several sectors. This research is aimed at comparing the anti-phytopathogenic activity of waste bovine and porcine bile with secosteroids obtained by biotransformation of bile acids with Rhodococcus strains. The ultimate goal is to apply these natural products on food crops affected by phytopathogenic fungi.
Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier: Advances in Nanoparticle Technology for Drug Delivery in Neuro-Oncology
Authors: Hersh Andrew M. , Alomari Safwan , Tyler Betty M.
Published: April 2022

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) constitutes a microvascular network responsible for excluding most drugs from the brain. Treatment of brain tumors is limited by the impermeability of the BBB and, consequently, survival outcomes for malignant brain tumors remain poor. Nanoparticles (NPs) represent a potential solution to improve drug transport to brain tumors, given their small size and capacity to target tumor cells. Here, we review the unique physical and chemical properties of NPs that aid in BBB transport and discuss mechanisms of NP transport across the BBB, including paracellular transport, carrier-mediated transport, and adsorptive- and receptor-mediated transcytosis. The major types of NPs investigated for treatment of brain tumors are detailed, including polymeric NPs, liposomes, solid lipid NPs, dendrimers, metals, quantum dots, and nanogels. In addition to their role in drug delivery, NPs can be used as imaging contrast agents and can be conjugated with imaging probes to assist in visualizing tumors, demarcating lesion boundaries and margins, and monitoring drug delivery and treatment response. Multifunctional NPs can be designed that are capable of targeting tumors for both imaging and therapeutic purposes. Finally, limitations of NPs for brain tumor treatment are discussed.
Adverse Events in NMOSD Therapy
Authors: Giglhuber Katrin , Berthele Achim
Published: April 2022

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are rare neurologic autoimmune diseases that have a poor prognosis if left untreated. For many years, generic oral immunosuppressants and repurposed monoclonal antibodies that target the interleukin-6 pathway or B cells were the mainstays of drug treatment. Recently, these drug treatments have been complemented by new biologics developed and approved specifically for NMOSD. In principle, all of these drugs are effective, but treatment recommendations that take this into account are still pending. Instead, the choice of a drug may depend on other criteria such as drug safety or tolerability. In this review, we summarise current knowledge on the adverse effects of azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, rituximab, tocilizumab, eculizumab, satralizumab, and inebilizumab in NMOSD. Infections, cytopenias, and infusion-related reactions are most common, but the data are as heterogeneous as the manifestations are diverse. Nevertheless, knowledge of safety issues may facilitate treatment choices for individual patients.
Cytomolecular Classification of Thyroid Nodules Using Fine-Needle Washes Aspiration Biopsies
Authors: Capitoli Giulia , Piga Isabella , L’Imperio Vincenzo , Clerici Francesca , Leni Davide , Garancini Mattia , Casati Gabriele , Galimberti Stefania , Magni Fulvio , Pagni Fabio
Published: April 2022

Fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNA) represent the gold standard to exclude the malignant nature of thyroid nodules. After cytomorphology, 20–30% of cases are deemed “indeterminate for malignancy” and undergo surgery. However, after thyroidectomy, 70–80% of these nodules are benign. The identification of tools for improving FNA’s diagnostic performances is explored by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI). A clinical study was conducted in order to build a classification model for the characterization of thyroid nodules on a large cohort of 240 samples, showing that MALDI-MSI can be effective in separating areas with benign/malignant cells. The model had optimal performances in the internal validation set (n = 70), with 100.0% (95% CI = 83.2–100.0%) sensitivity and 96.0% (95% CI = 86.3–99.5%) specificity. The external validation (n = 170) showed a specificity of 82.9% (95% CI = 74.3–89.5%) and a sensitivity of 43.1% (95% CI = 30.9–56.0%). The performance of the model was hampered in the presence of poor and/or noisy spectra. Consequently, restricting the evaluation to the subset of FNAs with adequate cellularity, sensitivity improved up to 76.5% (95% CI = 58.8–89.3). Results also suggest the putative role of MALDI-MSI in routine clinical triage, with a three levels diagnostic classification that accounts for an indeterminate gray zone of nodules requiring a strict follow-up.
Recognition of a Novel Gene Signature for Human Glioblastoma
Authors: Lu Chih-Hao , Wei Sung-Tai , Liu Jia-Jun , Chang Yu-Jen , Lin Yu-Feng , Yu Chin-Sheng , Chang Sunny Li-Yun
Published: April 2022

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most common malignant and incurable brain tumors. The identification of a gene signature for GBM may be helpful for its diagnosis, treatment, prediction of prognosis and even the development of treatments. In this study, we used the GSE108474 database to perform GSEA and machine learning analysis, and identified a 33-gene signature of GBM by examining astrocytoma or non-GBM glioma differential gene expression. The 33 identified signature genes included the overexpressed genes COL6A2, ABCC3, COL8A1, FAM20A, ADM, CTHRC1, PDPN, IBSP, MIR210HG, GPX8, MYL9 and PDLIM4, as well as the underexpressed genes CHST9, CSDC2, ENHO, FERMT1, IGFN1, LINC00836, MGAT4C, SHANK2 and VIPR2. Protein functional analysis by CELLO2GO implied that these signature genes might be involved in regulating various aspects of biological function, including anatomical structure development, cell proliferation and adhesion, signaling transduction and many of the genes were annotated in response to stress. Of these 33 signature genes, 23 have previously been reported to be functionally correlated with GBM; the roles of the remaining 10 genes in glioma development remain unknown. Our results were the first to reveal that GBM exhibited the overexpressed GPX8 gene and underexpressed signature genes including CHST9, CSDC2, ENHO, FERMT1, IGFN1, LINC00836, MGAT4C and SHANK2, which might play crucial roles in the tumorigenesis of different gliomas.
Influence of the Type of Amino Acid on the Permeability and Properties of Ibuprofenates of Isopropyl Amino Acid Esters
Authors: Ossowicz-Rupniewska Paula , Klebeko Joanna , Świątek Ewelina , Bilska Karolina , Nowak Anna , Duchnik Wiktoria , Kucharski Łukasz , Struk Łukasz , Wenelska Karolina , Klimowicz Adam , Janus Ewa
Published: April 2022

Modifications of (RS)-2-[4-(2-methylpropyl)phenyl] propanoic acid with amino acid isopropyl esters were synthesised using different methods via a common intermediate. The main reaction was the esterification of the carboxyl group of amino acids with isopropanol and chlorination of the amino group of the amino acid, followed by an exchange or neutralisation reaction and protonation. All of the proposed methods were very efficient, and the compounds obtained have great potential to be more effective drugs with increased skin permeability compared with ibuprofen. In addition, it was shown how the introduction of a modification in the form of an ion pair affects the properties of the obtained compound.
Plant Systems Biology in 2022 and Beyond
Authors: Gechev Tsanko , Petrov Veselin
Published: April 2022

Plants have remarkable plasticity due to their vast genetic potential which interacts with many external factors and developmental signals to govern development and adaptation to changing environments [...]
Impact of Epithelial Cell Shedding on Intestinal Homeostasis
Authors: Ngo Phuong A. , Neurath Markus F. , López-Posadas Rocío
Published: April 2022

The gut barrier acts as a first line of defense in the body, and plays a vital role in nutrition and immunoregulation. A layer of epithelial cells bound together via intercellular junction proteins maintains intestinal barrier integrity. Based on a tight equilibrium between cell extrusion and cell restitution, the renewal of the epithelium (epithelial turnover) permits the preservation of cell numbers. As the last step within the epithelial turnover, cell shedding occurs due to the pressure of cell division and migration from the base of the crypt. During this process, redistribution of tight junction proteins enables the sealing of the epithelial gap left by the extruded cell, and thereby maintains barrier function. Disturbance in cell shedding can create transient gaps (leaky gut) or cell accumulation in the epithelial layer. In fact, numerous studies have described the association between dysregulated cell shedding and infection, inflammation, and cancer; thus epithelial cell extrusion is considered a key defense mechanism. In the gastrointestinal tract, altered cell shedding has been observed in mouse models of intestinal inflammation and appears as a potential cause of barrier loss in human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite the relevance of this process, there are many unanswered questions regarding cell shedding. The investigation of those mechanisms controlling cell extrusion in the gut will definitely contribute to our understanding of intestinal homeostasis. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge about intestinal cell shedding under both physiological and pathological circumstances.
Performance Evaluation of Distributed Database Strategies Using Docker as a Service for Industrial IoT Data: Application to Industry 4.0
Authors: Gkamas Theodosios , Karaiskos Vasileios , Kontogiannis Sotirios
Published: April 2022

Databases are an integral part of almost every application nowadays. For example, applications using Internet of Things (IoT) sensory data, such as in Industry 4.0, are a classic example of an organized storage system. Due to its enormous size, it may be stored in the cloud. This paper presents the authors’ proposition for cloudcentric sensory measurements and measurements acquisition. Then, it focuses on evaluating industrial cloud storage engines for sensory functions, experimenting with three open-source types of distributed Database Management Systems (DBMS); MongoDB and PostgreSQL, with two forms of PostgreSQL schemes (Javascript Object Notation (JSON)-based and relational), against their respective horizontal scaling strategies. Several experimental cases have been performed to measure database queries’ response time, achieved throughput, and corresponding failures. Three distinct scenarios have been thoroughly tested, the most common but widely used: (i) data insertions, (ii) select/find queries, and (iii) queries related to aggregate correlation functions. The experimental results concluded that PostgreSQL with JSON achieves a 5–57% better response than MongoDB for the insert queries (cases of native, two, and four shards implementations), while, on the contrary, MongoDB achieved 56–91% higher throughput than PostgreSQL for the same set up. Furthermore, for the data insertion experimental cases of six and eight shards, MongoDB performed 13–20% more than Postgres in response time, achieving × 2 times higher throughput. Relational PostgreSQL was × 2 times faster than MongoDB in its standalone implementation for selection queries. At the same time, MongoDB achieved 19–31% faster responses and 44–63% higher throughput than PostgreSQL in the four tested sharding subcases (two, four, six, eight shards), accordingly. Finally, the relational PostgreSQL outperformed MongoDB and PostgreSQL JSON significantly in all correlation function experiments, with performance improvements from MongoDB, closing the gap with PostgreSQL towards minimizing response time to 26% and 3% for six and eight shards, respectively, and achieving significant gains towards average achieved throughput.
Exploring Cold Hardiness within a Butterfly Clade: Supercooling Ability and Polyol Profiles in European Satyrinae
Authors: Vrba Pavel , Sucháčková Bartoňová Alena , Andres Miloš , Nedvěd Oldřich , Šimek Petr , Konvička Martin
Published: April 2022

The cold hardiness of overwintering stages affects the distribution of temperate and cold-zone insects. Studies on Erebia, a species-rich cold-zone butterfly genus, detected unexpected diversity of cold hardiness traits. We expanded our investigation to eight Satyrinae species of seven genera. We assessed Autumn and Winter supercooling points (SCPs) and concentrations of putatively cryoprotective sugars and polyols via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Aphantopus hyperantus and Hipparchia semele survived freezing of body fluids; Coenonympha arcania, C. gardetta, and Melanargia galathea died prior to freezing; Maniola jurtina, Chazara briseis, and Minois dryas displayed a mixed response. SCP varied from −22 to −9 °C among species. Total sugar and polyol concentrations (TSPC) varied sixfold (2 to 12 μg × mg−1) and eightfold including the Erebia spp. results. SCP and TSPC did not correlate. Alpine Erebia spp. contained high trehalose, threitol, and erythritol; C. briseis and C. gardetta contained high ribitol and trehalose; lowland species contained high saccharose, maltose, fructose, and sorbitol. SCP, TSPC, and glycerol concentrations were affected by phylogeny. Species of mountains or steppes tend to be freeze-avoidant, overwinter as young larvae, and contain high concentrations of trehalose, while those of mesic environments tend to be freeze-tolerant, overwinter as later instars, and rely on compounds such as maltose, saccharose, and fructose.
Student Preferences about University Education Department Instructor Attire
Authors: Shepherd Dan , Yeon Sanghee
Published: April 2022

Significant research has been conducted into the preferences of college students for what their course instructors wear while teaching face-to-face university classes. This article focuses on a specific focus within that research: students within a teacher education department of a midsized midwestern state university. The study used a survey to examine student preferences into this topic. Data were gathered using an online survey of 92 teacher education department students in one midwestern state university. The survey asked students to respond to images of men and women in various levels of formal dress: very informal attire, casual attire, business casual attire, and more formal attire. Students were asked to respond on a Likert-type scale about the impact of instructor dress on their own learning, on their perception of the instructor’s competence, and on their attitudes toward the professor’s apparent approachability or friendliness. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. This study suggests that students prefer their instructors to wear business casual attire while teaching. This finding was true for both male and female professors, and the survey results further indicate that business casual dress is best for student learning, for student perception of the instructor’s competence, and for the perceived approachability of the professor by students. The results of this study provide direction for college-level instructors seeking to enhance their overall effectiveness.
Spatiotemporal Evolution and Relationship between Night Time Light and Land Surface Temperature: A Case Study of Beijing, China
Authors: Li Zhe , Wu Feng , Ma Huiqiang , Xu Zhanjun , Wang Shaohua
Published: April 2022

Rapid urbanization has triggered significant changes in urban land surface temperature (LST), which in turn affects urban ecosystems and the health of residents. Therefore, exploring the interrelationship between urban development and LST can help optimize the urban thermal environment and promote sustainable development. Based on remote sensing data from 2004–2019 within the sixth ring road of Beijing, this study investigates the spatiotemporal coupling law of night time light (NTL) and LST using an overall coupling model and analyzes the degree of coordination between them using a coordination model. The spatial response law between them was also analyzed using standard deviation ellipses and bivariate spatial autocorrelation. The results show that, from the perspective of spatiotemporal evolution, the spatial distributions of NTL and LST within the sixth ring road of Beijing were closely related from 2004 to 2019, although the overall coupling of NTL and LST was initially decreased and then continuously increased. From the perspective of coordination types, the main types of coordination between NTL and LST deteriorated over time. The increase in LST lagged behind NTL from 2004 to 2009 (heating hysteresis type), while LST increased ahead of NTL from 2014 to 2019 (heating advance type). This suggests that urban development became less efficient, while LST increases became more significant. In terms of correlation, NTL and LST showed significant positive correlation and spatial positive correlation; the correlation coefficient first decreased significantly and then continued to increase. From 2004 to 2009, the temperature increase caused by urbanization was suppressed due to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and related ecological protection policies, resulting in a significant decrease in the correlation coefficient between NTL and LST. From 2009 to 2019, short-term measures taken by Beijing during the Olympic Games were no longer effective, and the opposition between urban development and related policies made the policies increasingly less effective, thereby increasing the correlation coefficient between NTL and LST, and the increase in LST was more significant. This will greatly affect the urban ecological environment and residents’ health and make the previous government investment to suppress the temperature increase all in vain. This study can provide theoretical and practical support for the development of thermal environment optimization schemes and LST mitigation strategies in Beijing and other cities.
Pathways towards the Sustainable Management of Woody Invasive Species: Understanding What Drives Land Users’ Decisions to Adopt and Use Land Management Practices
Authors: Adoyo Beatrice , Schaffner Urs , Mukhovi Stellah , Kiteme Boniface , Mbaabu Purity Rima , Eckert Sandra , Choge Simon , Ehrensperger Albrecht
Published: April 2022

Sustainable land management (SLM) practices are key for achieving land degradation neutrality, but their continued implementation lag behind the progression of various forms of land degradation. While many scholars have assessed the drivers of SLM uptake for restoring land affected by desertification, drought, and floods (SDG 15.3 and partly SDG 2.4), little is known about the implication of SLM implementation on invasive alien species (IAS) management. This study aimed at understanding the challenges and proposing solutions for the uptake of SLMs with respect to the management of the invasive tree, Prosopis juliflora, in Baringo County, Kenya. Data were collected with semi-structured questionnaires, the responses were coded into themes, and c-coefficient tables were used to determine code linkages. Our results show that the availability of incentives is the main motivation for invasion management. Thus, management efforts have often focused on private parcels, while communally shared lands tended to be neglected despite their vulnerability to invasion. We conclude that sustainable IAS management lies at a landscape scale, and thus the national IAS management strategies should adopt a collective approach by empowering local actors to engage in SLM implementation.
Land Zoning Management to Achieve Carbon Neutrality: A Case Study of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration, China
Authors: Liu Gang , Zhang Fan
Published: April 2022

Land use/cover change (LUCC) has been identified as a crucial driver of changes in the spatiotemporal distribution of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, few studies have proposed land use optimization to identify key zones for launching ecological engineering projects. Adopting multi-source data and spatial analysis, we estimate the impact of LUCC on CO2 emissions and ecological support capacity. Importantly, the spatial evolution and inequality of carbon sources and sinks are evaluated. The results suggest that (1) the growth of urban areas due to urbanization has exceeded 5293 km2 over the last 18 years and that the number of closed forest areas increased by 1444 km2 while decreases of 16,418, 9437, and 1250 km2 were observed in the water body, cropland, and grassland land-use types, respectively; (2) CO2 levels rose dramatically in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration, increasing from 8.7 × 107 tCO2 in 2000 to 26 × 107 tCO2 in 2018; (3) there is increasing inequality in the emission levels among cities; and (4) the spatial differences in the carbon sink and ecological support capacity are huge. Our findings have the potential to improve the government’s understanding of how to take action to optimize land-use types and how to launch engineering projects in key zones to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality, as well as to provide a new perspective for studies on the controls and mitigation of CO2 emissions.
Engineering of Synthetic Transcriptional Switches in Yeast
Authors: Tominaga Masahiro , Kondo Akihiko , Ishii Jun
Published: April 2022

Transcriptional switches can be utilized for many purposes in synthetic biology, including the assembly of complex genetic circuits to achieve sophisticated cellular systems and the construction of biosensors for real-time monitoring of intracellular metabolite concentrations. Although to date such switches have mainly been developed in prokaryotes, those for eukaryotes are increasingly being reported as both rational and random engineering technologies mature. In this review, we describe yeast transcriptional switches with different modes of action and how to alter their properties. We also discuss directed evolution technologies for the rapid and robust construction of yeast transcriptional switches.
Efficacy of Various Laser Wavelengths in the Surgical Treatment of Ankyloglossia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Murias Iwona , Grzech-Leśniak Kinga , Murias Anna , Walicka-Cupryś Katarzyna , Dominiak Marzena , Golob Deeb Janina , Matys Jacek
Published: April 2022

Ankyloglossia, commonly known as tongue-tie, is the most common disorder of tongue morphology characterized by aberrant attachment of the lingual frenum. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive literature review and evaluate the effectiveness of various laser wavelengths in the surgical treatment of patients with ankyloglossia. An electronic screening of PubMed and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases was conducted on 8 November 2021. The following search terms were used to review the available data on the subject of interest: (ankyloglossia OR tongue tie OR short lingual frenulum OR lingual frenectomy OR lingual frenulectomy OR lingual frenotomy OR lingual frenulotomy) AND laser. The use of lasers in ankyloglossia treatment resulted in shorter procedure time, reduced indications for general anesthesia, reduced administration of postoperative analgesics, fewer sutures or none needed, reduced postoperative bleeding, and improved healing. Despite many advantages, this method has its clinical limitations: it requires the use of expensive equipment; well-trained personnel familiar with lasers; and personal protective equipment for the patient, caregiver, operator, and assistant. The laser procedure does not eliminate the need for myofunctional exercises and work with a speech therapist.
Lessons Learned from Donor Cell-Derived Myeloid Neoplasms: Report of Three Cases and Review of the Literature
Authors: Deshmukh Komal , Kelemen Katalin
Published: April 2022

Donor-cell derived myeloid neoplasm (DDMN), a rare complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), is of interest for its potential to reveal donor-derived and host-derived factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of leukemia. The accurate diagnosis of donor-derived leukemias has been facilitated by the more frequent use of molecular techniques. In this study, we describe three additional cases of DDMN; the first reported case of donor-derived chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), one acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21)(q22;22); RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and one donor-derived MDS with deletion 5q. A review of the cytogenetic profiles of previously reported DDMN indicates a significant contribution of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms. Cases with direct evidence of donor- or recipient-dependent factors are rare; a role of direct transfer of leukemic cells, genomic instability of the donor, abnormal gene methylation in donor cells, proleukemic potential of abnormal stromal niche, and the role of immunological surveillance after transplantation has been observed. The role of additional potential pathogenetic factors that are without clinically observed evidence are also reviewed.
Investigation of the Effects of Cooling and Lubricating Strategies on Tribological Characteristics in Machining of Hybrid Composites
Authors: Şap Serhat , Usca Üsame Ali , Uzun Mahir , Kuntoğlu Mustafa , Salur Emin , Pimenov Danil Yurievich
Published: April 2022

Engineering materials are expected to contain physical and mechanical properties to meet the requirements and to improve the functionality according to their application area. In this direction, hybrid composites stand as an excellent option to fulfill these requests thanks to their production procedure. Despite the powder metallurgy method that allows for manufacturing products with high accuracy, machining operations are still required to obtain a final product. On the other hand, such materials are characterized with uncertainties in the structure and extremely hard reinforcement particles that aggravate the machinability. One of the prominent solutions for better machinability of composites is to use evolutionary cooling and lubricating strategies. This study focuses on the determination of tribological behavior of Cu-based, B-Ti-SiCP reinforced, about 5% wt. hybrid composites under milling of several environments, such as dry, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL)-assisted and cryogenic LN2-assisted. Comprehensive evaluation was carried out by considering tool wear, temperature, energy, surface roughness, surface texture and chips morphology as the machinability characteristics. The findings of this experimental research showed that cryogenic cooling improves the tribological conditions by reducing the cutting temperatures, flank wear tendency and required cutting energy. On the other hand, MQL based lubricating strategy provided the best tool wear index and surface characteristics, i.e., surface roughness and surface topography, which is related to spectacular ability in developing the friction conditions in the deformation zones. Therefore, this paper offers a novel milling strategy for Cu-based hybrid composites with the help of environmentally-friendly techniques.
Gamma Irradiation and Ag and ZnO Nanoparticles Combined Treatment of Cotton Textile Materials
Authors: Capraru Ovidiu-Alexandru , Lungu Bogdan , Virgolici Marian , Constantin Mihai , Cutrubinis Mihalis , Chirila Laura , Cinteza Ludmila Otilia , Stanculescu Ioana
Published: April 2022

In this work, cotton textile materials were impregnated by immersion with three different nanocomposites: Ag/chitosan, Ag/polyvinylpyrrolidone, and ZnO/polyvinylpyrrolidone and irradiated with a 60Co gamma source. After the nanoparticles impregnation, the cotton materials were irradiated in a dry and wet state at 5 and 20 kGy radiation doses. The following methods were used for the characterization of the obtained cotton materials to reveal the modification of the textile materials: Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and thermogravimetry (TG). The obtained materials have good antibacterial properties. The microbiological tests have shown the best material results for the gamma irradition and Ag nanoparticles combined treatment. The objective was to create a more environmentally friendly approach for textile functionalization by eliminating toxic chemicals-based technology and replacing it with the eco-friendlier gamma technology.
Enhancing Hot-Electron Photodetection of a TiO2/Au Schottky Junction by Employing a Hybrid Plasmonic Nanostructure
Authors: Wang Wenyan , Zhang Cheng , Qiu Kaifang , Li Guohui , Zhai Aiping , Hao Yuying , Li Xiaofeng , Cui Yanxia
Published: April 2022

Hot-electron photodetectors (HEPDs) are triggering a strong surge of interest in applications of image sensors and optics communication, since they can realize photoelectric responses when the incident photon energy is lower than the bandwidth of the semiconductor. In traditional HEPD systems, the metal layers are dressed with regular gratings, which can only excite plasmonic resonance over a narrow bandwidth, limiting the hot-electron photoelectric effect. To break this limitation, hybrid plasmonic nanostructures should be applied in HEPDs. Here, we propose a TiO2 based HEPD device incorporated with a hybrid plasmonic nanostructure, which consists of Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) and a conformal transparent Au film. With the assistance of the plasmonic resonances excited in this hybrid nanostructure, the spectrum of the photocurrent response is significantly broadened from the UV band to the visible and near-infrared (NIR) ranges. It is demonstrated that at the wavelengths of 660 nm and 850 nm, the photocurrent in the hybrid HEPD device is enhanced by 610% and 960%, respectively, compared with the counterparts without the addition of Au NPs. This work promotes the development of high performances HEPDs, offering an alternative strategy for realizing photodetection and image sensing in the NIR range.
Modelling of Longitudinal Elastic Wave Propagation in a Steel Rod Using the Discrete Element Method
Authors: Knak Magdalena , Nitka Michał , Wojtczak Erwin , Rucka Magdalena
Published: April 2022

The paper deals with the issue of modelling elastic wave propagation using the discrete element method (DEM). The case of a longitudinal wave in a rod with a circular cross-section was considered. A novel, complex algorithm consisting of the preparation of models and simulation of elastic waves was developed. A series of DEM models were prepared for simulations, differing in discretisation and material parameters. Additional calculations with the finite element method (FEM) were performed. Numerical wave signals were obtained from each simulation and compared with experimental results to choose the best DEM model based on the correlation between the waveforms. Moreover, dispersion curves were prepared for each model to verify the agreement with the Pochhammer-Chree wave propagation theory. Both experimental and theoretical approaches indicated the same model as the most suitable. The analysis results allowed stating that DEM can be successfully used for modelling wave propagation in structural rods.
Observation of a Flat and Extended Surface State in a Topological Semimetal
Authors: Mori Ryo , Wang Kefeng , Morimoto Takahiro , Ciocys Samuel , Denlinger Jonathan D. , Paglione Johnpierre , Lanzara Alessandra
Published: April 2022

A flat band structure in momentum space is considered key for the realization of novel phenomena. A topological flat band, also known as a drumhead state, is an ideal platform to drive new exotic topological quantum phases. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments, we reveal the emergence of a highly localized surface state in a topological semimetal BaAl4 and provide its full energy and momentum space topology. We find that the observed surface state is localized in momentum, inside a square-shaped bulk Dirac nodal loop, and in energy, leading to a flat band and a peak in the density of state. These results imply this class of materials as an experimental realization of drumhead surface states and provide an important reference for future studies of the fundamental physics of correlated quantum effects in topological materials.
Enhanced X-ray Emissions Arising from High Pulse Repetition Frequency Ultrashort Pulse Laser Materials Processing
Authors: Schille Jörg , Kraft Sebastian , Kattan Dany , Löschner Udo
Published: April 2022

The ongoing trend in the development of powerful ultrashort pulse lasers has attracted increasing attention for this technology to be applied in large-scale surface engineering and modern microfabrication. However, the emission of undesired X-ray photon radiation was recently reported even for industrially relevant laser irradiation regimes, causing serious health risks for laser operators. In the meantime, more than twenty influencing factors have been identified with substantial effects on X-ray photon emission released by ultrashort pulse laser processes. The presented study on enhanced X-ray emission arising from high pulse repetition frequency ultrashort pulse laser processing provides new insights into the interrelation of the highest-contributing parameters. It is verified by the example of AISI 304 substrates that X-ray photon emission can considerably exceed the legal dose rate limit when ultrashort laser pulses with peak intensities below 1 × 1013 W/cm² irradiate at a 0.5 MHz pulse repetition frequency. The peak intensity threshold value for X-ray emissions decreases with larger laser spot sizes and longer pulse durations. Another key finding of this study is that the suction flow conditions in the laser processing area can affect the released X-ray emission dose rate. The presented results support the development of effective X-ray protection strategies for safe and risk-free ultrashort pulse laser operation in industrial and academic research applications.
Sol-Gel-Derived Fibers Based on Amorphous α-Hydroxy-Carboxylate-Modified Titanium(IV) Oxide as a 3-Dimensional Scaffold
Authors: Christ Bastian , Glaubitt Walther , Berberich Katrin , Weigel Tobias , Probst Jörn , Sextl Gerhard , Dembski Sofia
Published: April 2022

The development of novel fibrous biomaterials and further processing of medical devices is still challenging. For instance, titanium(IV) oxide is a well-established biocompatible material, and the synthesis of TiOx particles and coatings via the sol-gel process has frequently been published. However, synthesis protocols of sol-gel-derived TiOx fibers are hardly known. In this publication, the authors present a synthesis and fabrication of purely sol-gel-derived TiOx fiber fleeces starting from the liquid sol-gel precursor titanium ethylate (TEOT). Here, the α-hydroxy-carboxylic acid lactic acid (LA) was used as a chelating ligand to reduce the reactivity towards hydrolysis of TEOT enabling a spinnable sol. The resulting fibers were processed into a non-woven fleece, characterized with FTIR, 13C-MAS-NMR, XRD, and screened with regard to their stability in physiological solution. They revealed an unexpected dependency between the LA content and the dissolution behavior. Finally, in vitro cell culture experiments proved their potential suitability as an open-mesh structured scaffold material, even for challenging applications such as therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs).
Vibration Responses of the Bearing-Rotor-Gear System with the Misaligned Rotor
Authors: Wang Fengtao , Dai Peng , Wang Jianping , Niu Linkai
Published: April 2022

The bearing-rotor-gear system is an important mechanical component for transmitting motion and power. Due to the complex responses, the condition assessment of the transmission system becomes more difficult. Thus, a model of the bearing-rotor-gear system with a misaligned rotor is built for implementing the complex response analysis. The misalignment rotor is realized by offset connection of couplings, and the creative excitation force is transferred to the bearing inner ring through the rotor. The constructed model is checked by the corresponding experiment. From the simulation results, it is found that vibration responses are modulated by rotor frequencies, and there are rotor frequencies, harmonic frequencies of bearings, and gear pairs in the spectrum. When the misalignment defect is deepening, the high-order harmonic responses are excited. If the revolving speed increases, the modulation of the rotor frequencies is accentuated, the vibration intensity generated by gear pairs is attenuated, while the harmonic response and super-harmonic response of bearings can be suppressed, and the system vibrates mainly at the low-frequency band. When the load becomes higher, the amplitudes of the rotor frequencies, meshing frequencies, and defect frequencies are all increased.
Research into the Impact of Spindle Speed and Feed Rate Changes on the Life of a Deep-Drilling Technology Tool
Authors: Pollák Martin , Kočiško Marek , Petrus Jaroslav , Grozav Sorin Dumitru , Ceclan Vasile
Published: April 2022

The drilling process in real production places ever-increasing demands on the length and accuracy of the holes made. The drilling of holes beyond a length-to-diameter ratio of 5–10 is called deep drilling. The aim of the research was to determine in detail the deep-drilling process input conditions, their impact on the stability of the cutting process and the degree to which the output requirements were achieved. The focus of the analysis was on how the monitored technological and physical impacts translate into achieving the required gun-drill life and the quality and dimensional accuracy of deep holes, as well as their overall impact on tool life. Based on the analysis, tests were conducted to verify the impact of individual parameters on tool life. The obtained results were then statistically evaluated and optimized. Drawing on the evaluated experimental results, solutions and procedures were proposed and implemented in the environment of a real operation. This research obtained the optimal values of the frequency of rotation and displacement to ensure maximum tool life while maintaining the efficiency of the production of drilled parts. At the same time, based on the research, a methodology and recommendations for deep-drilling technology were developed.
An Internal Resonance Based Method for Reducing Torsional Vibration of a Gear System
Authors: Jin Bohan , Bian Yushu , Tian Dongbo , Gao Zhihui
Published: April 2022

The gear system is one of the most widely-used transmission systems due to its accurate transmission ratio and high efficiency. However, torsional vibration may severely degrade transmission performance and shorten the gear lifespan. In view of this, a nonlinear interaction principle suitable for vibration energy transfer is researched, and an internal resonance based method is put forward to reduce the torsional vibration of the gear system. According to the coupling relationship between the gear torsional vibration mode and the vibration absorber mode, the 1:1 internal resonance condition is analyzed by the multiple scale method and the sufficient and necessary conditions for establishing internal resonance are obtained. Through stability analysis, the vibration energy transfer channel based on internal resonance is successfully established, by which vibration energy can be transferred to and dissipated by the vibration absorber. Based on numerical and virtual prototyping simulations, vibration reduction performances are examined, including effectiveness, damping characteristics and robustness. The research results show that the proposed internal resonance based method can effectively reduce the torsional vibration of the gear system.
From Novelty Detection to a Genetic Algorithm Optimized Classification for the Diagnosis of a SCADA-Equipped Complex Machine
Authors: Viale Luca , Daga Alessandro Paolo , Fasana Alessandro , Garibaldi Luigi
Published: April 2022

In the field of Diagnostics, the fundamental task of detecting damage is basically a binary classification problem, which is addressed in many cases via Novelty Detection (ND): an observation is classified as novel if it differs significantly from reference, healthy data. ND is practically implemented summarizing a multivariate dataset with univariate distance information called Novelty Index. As many different approaches are possible to produce NIs, in this analysis, the possibility of implementing a simple classifier in a reduced-dimensionality space of NIs is studied. In addition to a simple decision-tree-like classification method, the process for obtaining the NIs can result as a dimension reduction method and, in turn, the NIs can be used for other classification algorithms. In addition, a case study will be analyzed thanks to the data published by the Prognostics and Health Management Europe (PHME) society, on the occasion of the Data Challenge 2021.
Dynamic Behaviors of a Stochastic Eco-Epidemiological Model for Viral Infection in the Toxin-Producing Phytoplankton and Zooplankton System
Authors: Feng Xiaomei , Miao Yuan , Sun Shulin , Wang Lei
Published: April 2022

It is well known that the evolution of natural populations is almost inevitably disturbed by various environmental factors. Various experiments have shown that the growth of phytoplankton might be affected by nutrient availability, water temperature, and light, while the development of zooplankton is more disturbed by the pH value of the seawater, water temperature, and water movement. However, it is not clear how these environmental fluctuations affect the dynamical behavior of the phytoplankton and zooplankton system. In this paper, a stochastic eco-epidemiological model for viral infection in the toxin-producing phytoplankton and zooplankton system is proposed. Firstly, the existence and uniqueness of globally positive solutions for this model is shown. Secondly, the stochastic boundedness of solutions for the model is proved. Moreover, sufficient conditions for the extinction and persistence in the mean for the phytoplankton and zooplankton are obtained by constructing appropriate stochastic Lyapunov functions and using analytical techniques. Numerical simulations are carried out to demonstrate different dynamical behaviors including coexistence, extinction of the whole plankton system, partial persistence and extinction, and their corresponding probability density curves.
gL1 Scheme for Solving a Class of Generalized Time-Fractional Diffusion Equations
Authors: Li Xuhao , Wong Patricia J. Y.
Published: April 2022

In this paper, a numerical scheme based on a general temporal mesh is constructed for a generalized time-fractional diffusion problem of order α. The main idea involves the generalized linear interpolation and so we term the numerical scheme the gL1 scheme. The stability and convergence of the numerical scheme are analyzed using the energy method. It is proven that the temporal convergence order is (2−α) for a general temporal mesh. Simulation is carried out to verify the efficiency of the proposed numerical scheme.
Mitigation of Circulating Bearing Current in Induction Motor Drive Using Modified ANN Based MRAS for Traction Application
Authors: Sengamalai Usha , Thamizh Thentral T. M. , Ramasamy Palanisamy , Bajaj Mohit , Hussain Bukhari Syed Sabir , Elattar Ehab E. , Althobaiti Ahmed , Kamel Salah
Published: April 2022

Induction motors are popularly used in various applications because of the proposed modest construction, substantiated process, and limited size of specific power. The traditional AC traction drives are experimentally analyzed. There is a high circulating current due to the high Common-Mode Voltage (CMV). The high Circulating Bearing Current (CBC) is a major problem in conventional two-level voltage source inverter fed parallel-connected sensor-based induction motors for traction applications. A sensorless method is well known for shrinking costs and enhancing the reliability of an induction motor drive. The modified artificial neural network-based model reference adaptive system is designed to realize speed estimation methods for the sensorless drive. Four dissimilar multilevel inverter network topologies are being implemented to reduce CBC in the proposed sensorless traction motor drives. The multilevel inverter types are T-bridge, Neutral Point Clamped Inverter (NPC), cascaded H-bridge, and modified reduced switch topologies. The four methods are compared, and the best method has been identified in terms of 80% less CMV compared to the conventional one. The modified cascaded H-bridge inverter reduces the CBC of the proposed artificial neural network-based parallel connected induction motor; it is 50% compared to the conventional method. The CBC of the modified method is analyzed and associated with the traditional method. Finally, the parallel-connected induction motor traction drive hardware is implemented, and the performance is analyzed.
A Stepwise Algorithm for Linearly Combining Biomarkers under Youden Index Maximization
Authors: Aznar-Gimeno Rocío , Esteban Luis M. , del-Hoyo-Alonso Rafael , Borque-Fernando Ángel , Sanz Gerardo
Published: April 2022

Combining multiple biomarkers to provide predictive models with a greater discriminatory ability is a discipline that has received attention in recent years. Choosing the probability threshold that corresponds to the highest combined marker accuracy is key in disease diagnosis. The Youden index is a statistical metric that provides an appropriate synthetic index for diagnostic accuracy and a good criterion for choosing a cut-off point to dichotomize a biomarker. In this study, we present a new stepwise algorithm for linearly combining continuous biomarkers to maximize the Youden index. To investigate the performance of our algorithm, we analyzed a wide range of simulated scenarios and compared its performance with that of five other linear combination methods in the literature (a stepwise approach introduced by Yin and Tian, the min-max approach, logistic regression, a parametric approach under multivariate normality and a non-parametric kernel smoothing approach). The obtained results show that our proposed stepwise approach showed similar results to other algorithms in normal simulated scenarios and outperforms all other algorithms in non-normal simulated scenarios. In scenarios of biomarkers with the same means and a different covariance matrix for the diseased and non-diseased population, the min-max approach outperforms the rest. The methods were also applied on two real datasets (to discriminate Duchenne muscular dystrophy and prostate cancer), whose results also showed a higher predictive ability in our algorithm in the prostate cancer database.