bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Effects of Early Pruning, Leaf Removal, and Shoot Thinning on ‘MidSouth’ Grapes over Two Consecutive Vintages in South Mississippi
Authors: Williams Haley N. , Stafne Eric T. , Zhang Yan , Chang Sam K.C.
Published: January 2023

Yield components and fruit composition of ‘MidSouth’, an interspecific hybrid bunch grape (Vitis spp.) with relatively low total soluble solids and high titratable acidity, was evaluated in south Mississippi to determine if treatments consisting of early pruning, early pruning with pre-bloom leaf removal, normal pruning with post-fruit set leaf removal, or normal pruning in one study, or post-fruit set leaf removal, post-fruit set shoot thinning, or neither leaf removal nor shoot thinning in a second study could improve these qualities. Early pruning with leaf removal reduced berries per cluster, cluster weights, yields, and Ravaz index. Early pruning treatments had inconsistent results from year to year, and normal pruning treatments were not often significantly different. Shoot thinned vines had lower yields and Ravaz index and higher total soluble solids. Second study leaf removal vines had lower juice pH in 2020 and lower yield per vine in 2021. These findings show that ‘MidSouth’ can be altered by these practices, but they did not appear to sufficiently alter ‘MidSouth’ quality. Thus, early pruning with or without leaf removal, normal pruning with leaf removal, and shoot thinning are not recommended for ‘MidSouth’ in south Mississippi, and normal pruning without these practices should be continued.
Effects of Dietary Glycine Supplementation on Growth Performance, Immunological, and Erythrocyte Antioxidant Parameters in Common Carp, Cyprinus carpio
Authors: Abbasi Marzieh , Taheri Mirghaed Ali , Hoseini Seyyed Morteza , Rajabiesterabadi Hamid , Hoseinifar Seyed Hossein , Van Doan Hien
Published: January 2023

The effects of dietary glycine supplementation, 0 (control), 5 (5 GL), and 10 (10 GL) g/kg, have been investigated on growth performance, hematological parameters, erythrocyte antioxidant capacity, humoral and mucosal immunity in common carp, Cyprinus carpio. After eight weeks feeding, the 5 GL treatment exhibited significant improvement in growth performance and feed efficacy, compared to the control treatment. Red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, neutrophil and monocyte counts/percentages, RBC reduced glutathione (GSH) content, and skin mucosal alkaline phosphatase, peroxidase, protease, and lysozyme activities were similar in the glycine-treated fish and significantly higher than the control treatment. Blood lymphocyte percentage decreased in the glycine-treated fish, but lymphocyte count increased, compared to the control fish. RBC glutathione reductase activities in the glycine-treated fish were similar and significantly lower than the control treatment. The highest plasma lysozyme and alternative complement activities were observed in GL treatment. The glycine-treated fish, particularly 5 GL, exhibited significant improvement in RBC osmotic fragility resistance. Dietary glycine had no significant effects on RBC glutathione peroxidase activity, plasma immunoglobulin, eosinophil percentage/count, and hematological indices. In conclusion, most of the benefits of dietary glycine supplementation may be mediated by increased glutathione synthesis and antioxidant power.
Right Pulmonary Artery Distensibility Index in Heartworm Infected Dogs: Are the Different Methods Leading to Same Results?
Authors: Basile Angelo , Napoli Ettore , Brianti Emanuele , Venco Luigi
Published: January 2023

Canine Heartworm Disease (HWD) is mainly a pulmonary vascular disease. The reduction of the Pulmonary Artery Distensibility (PAD) is an early index of pulmonary vascular disease. Echocardiographic evaluation of the Right Pulmonary Artery Distensibility index (RPADi) is calculated as the percentage change in diameter of the right pulmonary artery (RPA) between systole and diastole. Historically, two main methods have been used for RPADi calculation: The Venco method and Visser method; however, different hybrid methods have also been used by other authors. Therefore, it could be difficult for a clinician to decide which method to apply and how to interpret the results based on the reference values reported. The aim of this study was to compare the RPADi obtained by five different techniques (Venco classic, Venco modified, Visser classic, Visser modified 1, and Visser modified 2). The study design was a retrospective, single center, observational study. Forty-seven client-owned dogs were included. The measurements were performed off-line as an average of three consecutive cardiac cycles by a single investigator blinded to the dogs’ diagnosis. The RPADi was satisfactorily obtained by all methods in all dogs. Intra-observer measurement variability was clinically acceptable both for systolic and diastolic measurements. Although the Bland–Altman test showed a statistical agreement between the various methods used to calculate the RPADi, these methods cannot be used interchangeably in a clinical setting. Instead, the measurement method and reference values should always be specified.
Enzyme Feed Additive with Arazyme Improve Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Gut Microbiome of Pigs
Authors: Kim Jong-Hoon , Ku Bon-Hwan , Ko Gwang-Pyo , Kang Man-Jong , Son Kwang-Hee , Bang Mi-Ae , Park Ho-Yong
Published: January 2023

The supplementation of pig diets with exogenous enzymes is widely used with the expectation that it will improve the efficiency of nutrient utilization, thereby, improving growth performance. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a 0.1% (v/v) multi-enzyme (a mixture of arazyme (2,500,000 Unit/kg), xylanase (200,000 Unit/kg) and mannanase (200,000 Unit/kg)) supplementation derived from invertebrate symbiotic bacteria on pig performance. Here, 256 growing pigs were assigned to control and treatment groups, respectively. The treatment group exhibited a significantly reduced average slaughter age; the final body weight and average daily gain increased compared with that of the control group. In the treatment group, the longissimus muscle showed a remarkable decrease in cooking loss, shear force, and color values with increased essential and non-essential amino acid concentrations. Furthermore, the concentrations of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment group increased. Feed additive supplementation increased the family of Ruminococcaceae and genera Lactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Turicibacter, and Oscillibacter, which play a positive role in the host physiology and health. Predicted metabolic pathway analysis confirmed that operational taxonomic units and predicted amino acid biosynthesis pathways were strongly associated. The results suggest that applying exogenous enzymes derived from invertebrate symbiotic bacteria enhances animal performance.
Is the Integration between Corn and Grass under Different Sowing Modalities a Viable Alternative for Silage?
Authors: Herrera Dayenne Mariane , Peixoto Wender Mateus , de Abreu Joadil Gonçalves de , dos Reis Rafael Henrique Pereira dos , de Sousa Fabiano Gama de , Balbinot Ernando , Klein Vanderley Antônio Chorobura , Costa Ricardo Pereira
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the fermentation pattern and dry-matter losses in corn (Zea mays L.) silage intercropped with Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu and Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombasa grasses in different sowing modalities through crop–livestock integration. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, which were arranged in a 2 × 5 factorial scheme with four repetitions. The first factor consisted of the grass cultivars Marandu and Mombasa. The second factor was the sowing modalities of grasses intercropped with corn: (1) simultaneous row sowing and inter-row corn sowing (no fertilizer); (2) simultaneous row sowing and inter-row corn sowing (with fertilizer); (3) simultaneous sowing with double grass row in the corn inter-row; (4) delayed sowing inter-row at 7 days after corn emergence; and (5) delayed sowing inter-row at 14 days after corn emergence. The forage buffer capacity (BC), silage pH and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) content, forage (FORDM) and silage dry-matter (SILDM) percentages, gas losses (GL), effluent losses (EL), and dry-matter recovery (DMR) parameters on the ensilage were evaluated. Only forage BC, silage NH3-N, and silage DMR variables differed (p < 0.05) from the control silage (monocropped corn) when the integration was carried out. The grass cultivar factors and sowing modalities for BC and NH3-N variables had an effect. The intercropping of corn and Marandu grass or Mombasa grass, in any grass sowing modality, did not affect the quality of the silage.
Evaluation of Incisional Wound Healing in Dogs after Closure with Staples or Tissue Glue and Comparison to Intradermal Suture Pattern
Authors: Balomenos Dimitrios B. , Gouletsou Pagona G. , Galatos Apostolos D.
Published: January 2023

The study aimed to monitor the healing process in the canine skin following surgical incision and closure using staples or tissue glue and to compare them with the intradermal suture pattern. Surgically created skin incisions in 10 dogs were apposed with staples, tissue glue (n-butyl cyanoacrylate) and continuous intradermal pattern. The cosmetic appearance of the wounds was blindly evaluated on days 7, 14 and 28 and once a month until the end of the experiment, i.e., one year after the incision. Ultrasonographic and clinical evaluation was performed on days 0–10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24 and 28, once a week until the end of the 3rd month and once a month until the end of the experiment. Histopathological evaluation was performed on days 7, 14, 28, 180 and 365. The median time required for the performance of each technique differed significantly between techniques; stapling lasted 21 s, glue 2 min 16 s and intradermal 15 min 37 s. Cosmetic appearance with glue was statistically worse than staples and intradermal. The clinical appearance of intradermal was significantly better than glue and staples. No significant differences were found at histological evaluation; however, glue had the worst score throughout the experiment. The overall evaluation of the techniques showed that glue had the worst score compared to intradermal and staples, with the difference being statistically significant in the first postoperative week. Intradermal suture pattern is much better than glue application for skin closure in dogs, whilst is not significantly better than staples. Staples should be preferred when time is an important factor.
Implementation of MRSA Nasal Swabs as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention to Decrease Anti-MRSA Therapy in COVID-19 Infection
Authors: DeKerlegand Alaina , Johnston Emily , Mellor Britney , Schrack Melanie Rae , O’Neal Catherine
Published: January 2023

In the early stages of treating patients with SARS-CoV-2, limited information was available to guide antimicrobial stewardship interventions. The COVID-19 Task Force and Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee, at a 988-bed academic medical center, implemented the use of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to assist with the de-escalation of anti-MRSA therapy in patients with suspected superimposed bacterial pneumonia in COVID-19. A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the impact of MRSA nasal swab PCR testing on the rate of anti-MRSA therapy between 13 April 2020 and 26 July 2020. A total of 122 patients were included in the analysis. Of the patients included in the final analysis, 58 (47.5%) had anti-MRSA therapy discontinued and 41 (33.6%) avoided anti-MRSA therapy completely due to a negative swab result. With the implementation of MRSA nasal swab PCR testing in COVID-19 patients, anti-MRSA therapy was reduced in 81% of patients in this study. In patients who continued with anti-MRSA therapy, nasal swabs were either positive for MRSA or an alternative indication for anti-MRSA therapy was noted. Only three patients in the cohort had MRSA identified in a sputum culture, all of whom had anti-MRSA therapy continued. MRSA nasal swab PCR testing may serve as an effective antimicrobial stewardship tool in COVID-19 pneumonia.
Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, and Mineral Content of Wild Rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.) Leaves as Affected by Saline Stress and Biostimulant Application
Authors: Di Mola Ida , Petropoulos Spyridon A. , Ottaiano Lucia , Cozzolino Eugenio , El-Nakhel Christophe , Rouphael Youssef , Mori Mauro
Published: January 2023

The availability of irrigation water of good quality is decreasing due to soil salinization and the deterioration of aquifers. Moreover, ongoing climate change severely affects crop production and necessitates the intensification of cropping systems in order to ensure food security at a global scale. For this purpose, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the mitigating effects of two natural biostimulants on Diplotaxis tenuifolia L. plants cultivated at different salinity levels (EC of 0 dS m−1, 2 dS m−1, 4 dS m−1, and 6 dS m−1) and harvested at six consecutive cropping cycles. The tested factors showed a varied combinatorial effect on the tested parameters. These findings indicate the importance of considering growing conditions and cropping periods when applying biostimulants in D. tenuifolia plants under salinity stress. Antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds, such as total phenols, carotenoids, and total ascorbic acid, were variably affected by salinity, biostimulant application, and harvesting time, while mineral profile was also affected by the tested factors depending on the combination of factors. Finally, nitrate content showed decreasing trends with increasing salinity, while biostimulant application resulted in the higher accumulation of nitrates compared to the untreated plants. Although biostimulant application seems to alleviate the negative effects of salinity stress, the effect of growing conditions, as indicated by successive crop cycles, is also important for the response of D. tenuifolia plants to saline conditions and biostimulant application.
The Effect of Antibiotics on Bacteriome of Sitophilus oryzae and Rhyzopertha dominica as a Factor Determining the Success of Foraging: A Chance for Antibiotic Therapy in Grain Stores
Authors: Kosewska Olga , Przemieniecki Sebastian Wojciech , Nietupski Mariusz
Published: January 2023

Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) and the lesser grain borer (Rhyzopertha dominica) are very important warehouse pests and, therefore, their control is crucial. At a key moment in the life of adult Sitophilus spp., the obligatory symbiotic nature of the Sodalis pierantonius bacterium opens up a new perspective for natural antibiotics and bactericides. In this study, we used nanopore sequencing for 16S rRNA barcoding to evaluate the internal bacteriome of S. oryzae and R. dominica and sterilized the insects’ internal microbiome with gentamicin. The treatment of the interior of S. oryzae with gentamicin (30 mg·g−1) hampered insect functioning (supposed lack of DOPA (4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) synthesis, stabilizing the exoskeleton by Sodalis pierantonius symbiont) and elicited a lethal effect in the first stages of this pest’s adult life. In addition, we identified biochemical biomarkers (enzymatic activity and substrate utilization) active in living individuals, but inactive in dead individuals (e.g., C8 esterase/lipase and α-chymotrypsin).
ViPER+: Vehicle Pose Estimation Using Ultra-Wideband Radios for Automated Construction Safety Monitoring
Authors: Ansaripour Alireza , Heydariaan Milad , Kim Kyungki , Gnawali Omprakash , Oyediran Hafiz
Published: January 2023

Pose estimation of heavy construction equipment is the key technology for real-time safety monitoring in road construction sites where heavy equipment and workers on foot collaborate in proximity. Ultra-wideband (UWB) radios hold great promise among various sensing technologies for providing accurate object localization in indoor and outdoor environments. However, in a road construction environment with heavy vehicles and equipment, the performance of UWB radios drastically declines because of blockages in the transmission signal between the transmitter and receiver causing Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) situations. To address this deficiency, our study presents a real-time pose estimating system called ViPER+ that can overcome NLOS situations and accurately determine the boundary of heavy construction equipment with multiple UWB tags attached to the surface of the equipment. To remove the impact of NLOS signals, we introduced an input correction method prior to localization to correct the input of the localization algorithm. Evaluation of ViPER+ in a real construction environment indicates that embedding NLOS detection technique in UWB-based pose estimation resulted in 40% improvements in location accuracy and 25% improvement in update rate compared to its previous implementation (ViPER).
Fractional Order Viscoelastic Model for Stress Relaxation of Polyvinyl Chloride Geomembranes
Authors: Wu Yunyun , Yin Chunjie , Zhang Xianlei , Gu Xiaoyu
Published: January 2023

Stress relaxation properties have a significant impact on the performance of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) geomembranes (GMBs) at the peripheral joints of the membrane faced rockfill dam (MFRD). This paper presents a fractional order viscoelastic model (FOVM) to measure the relaxation stress as a function of time. Model parameters were obtained by best fit to results from wide-width strip tensile tests conducted at three tensile rates and three initial strains for 48 h. The results of a 90 d stress relaxation test demonstrate the applicability of the model to describe the stress relaxation behavior of PVC GMBs. The tensile rate and initial strain marginally influenced the relaxation modulus rate, while having no effects on the fractional derivative order. Residual stress could account for the difference in relaxation stress between the longitudinal and transverse specimens. Finally, the FOVM could be used for predicting the service cycle under specifying failure stress criteria. Furthermore, it has great potential for applications in predicting the long-term deformation of PVC GMBs at the peripheral joints of MFRD. Furthermore, it has great potential for applications in predicting the long-term deformation of PVC GMBs at the peripheral joints of MFRD.
Performance Evaluation of Load-Balancing Algorithms with Different Service Broker Policies for Cloud Computing
Authors: Shahid Muhammad Asim , Alam Muhammad Mansoor , Su’ud Mazliham Mohd
Published: January 2023

Cloud computing has seen a major boom during the past few years. Many people have switched to cloud computing because traditional systems require complex resource distribution and cloud solutions are less expensive. Load balancing (LB) is one of the essential challenges in cloud computing used to balance the workload of cloud services. This research paper presents a performance evaluation of the existing load-balancing algorithms which are particle swarm optimization (PSO), round robin (RR), equally spread current execution (ESCE), and throttled load balancing. This study offers a detailed performance evaluation of various load-balancing algorithms by employing a cloud analyst platform. Efficiency concerning various service broker policy configurations for load-balancing algorithms’ virtual machine load balance was also calculated using metrics such as optimized response time (ORT), data center processing time (DCPT), virtual machine costs, data transfer costs, and total cost for different workloads and user bases. Many of the past papers that were mentioned in the literature worked on round robin and equally spread current execution, and throttled load-balancing algorithms were based on efficiency and response time in virtual machines without recognizing the relation between the task and the virtual machines, and the practical significance of the application. A comparison of specific load-balancing algorithms has been investigated. Different service broker policy (SBP) tests have been conducted to illustrate the load-balancing algorithm capabilities.
Simulation of Northern Winter Stratospheric Polar Vortex Regimes in CESM2-WACCM
Authors: Guo Dong , Liang Zhuoqi , Gui Qiang , Lu Qian , Zheng Qiong , Yu Shuyang
Published: January 2023

The possible impact of various Arctic polar vortex regimes for the stratosphere on the Northern Hemisphere extratropics has not been fully understood. Previous study has classified the stratospheric Arctic vortex to six regimes using the k-mean clustering algorithm based on the ERA5 reanalysis. The stability and robustness of the classification is further verified with a much longer model dataset and historical integrations from CESM2-WACCM. Consistent with the reanalysis, we clustered the Arctic stratospheric polar vortex forms into six patterns, named as homogeneously-intensified and -weakened regimes (HI, HW), North America-intensified and -weakened regimes (NAI, HAW), and Eurasia-intensified and -weakened regimes (EUI, EUW). A zonally uniform positive (negative) Northern Annular Mode (NAM) pattern develops during the HI (HW) regime from the stratosphere to troposphere. The NAM-like pattern shifts toward the western hemisphere with the largest negative (positive) anomalous height center shifting to North America during the NAI (NAW) regime. In contrast, the maximum polar anomaly center moves towards polar Eurasia during the EUI (EUW) regime. The HI, NAI, and EUW regimes are accompanied with weakened wave activities, while the HW, NAW, and EUI regimes are preceded by enhanced planetary waves. Accordingly, persistent anomalies of warmth (coldness) exist over midlatitude Eurasia and North America during the HI (HW). Anomalous warmth (coldness) centers exist in northern Eurasia, while anomalous coldness (warmth) centers exist around the Mediterranean Sea during the NAI (NAW) regime. Anomalous warmth (coldness) centers develop in East Asia in the EUI (EUW) periods. The rainfall anomaly distributions also vary with the stratospheric polar vortex regime. The frequency for stratospheric regimes during SSWs and strong vortex events is also assessed and consistent with previous findings.
Manual and Automatic Measurements of Sunshine Duration in Cassubian Lakeland (Northern Poland)
Authors: Owczarek Małgorzata , Malinowska Mirosława
Published: January 2023

The aim of this research is to compare daily sunshine duration data measured using a Campbell–Stokes sunshine recorder (CS) and a CSD3 sunshine duration sensor. This was undertaken because in recent decades automatic sunshine duration sensors have been systematically replacing traditional sunshine recorder. This replacement created a problem with the data quality, and the continuity of homogeneous series. The study material consisted of the daily sunshine duration sums derived from synchronous manual and automated measurements at the Borucino station (northern Poland) for the years 2015–2021. Comparison covered the daily and monthly sums and their statistical distributions. In most cases, the daily sum recorded by the sensor CSD3 was higher than that measured by the CS. On average, higher values of sums were obtained from CSD3 for all months of the year, with the exception of June. This can be explained by the higher sensitivity threshold of the CS, as well as by the difference in height of both instruments above the station’s level. Higher daily totals recorded by the CS than by the CSD3 occurred not only in June. The cause was most likely the so-called “overburning effect”. Monthly regression equations were determined, allowing for substitution of the CS measurement results with the values recorded automatically.
Disturbances of Doppler Frequency Shift of Ionospheric Signal and of Telluric Current Caused by Atmospheric Waves from Explosive Eruption of Hunga Tonga Volcano on January 15, 2022
Authors: Salikhov Nazyf , Shepetov Alexander , Pak Galina , Saveliev Vladimir , Nurakynov Serik , Ryabov Vladimir , Zhukov Valery
Published: January 2023

After the explosive eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano on 15 January 2022, disturbances were observed at a distance of about 12,000 km in Northern Tien Shan and regarded variations in the atmospheric pressure, in telluric current, and in the Doppler frequency shift of ionospheric signal. At 16:00:55 UTC, a pulse of atmospheric pressure was detected there, with peak amplitude of 1.3 hPa and propagation speed of 0.3056 km/s, equal to the velocity of Lamb waves. In the variations in the Doppler frequency shift, disturbances of two types were registered on the 3212 km and 2969 km long inclined radio paths, one of which arose as a response to the passage of a Lamb wave (0.3059 km/s) through the reflection point of the radio wave and another as reaction to an acoustic-gravity wave (0.2602 km/s). Two successive perturbations were also detected in the records of telluric current at the arrival times of the Lamb and acoustic-gravity waves at the registration point. According to the parameters of the Lamb wave, the energy transfer into the atmosphere upon the explosion of the Hunga Tonga volcano was roughly estimated to be 2000 Mt of TNT equivalent.
Behavior of Autumn Airborne Ragweed Pollen and Its Size-Segregated Allergens (Amb a 1): A study in Urban Saitama, Japan
Authors: Wang Weiqian , Wang Qingyue , Lu Senlin , Lin Yichun , Suzuki Miho , Saito Yuma
Published: January 2023

The prevalence of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) pollinosis has been increasing worldwide. This study focused on the behavior of autumn airborne pollen and the major ragweed allergen -Amb a 1 particle in urban Saitama, Japan, in 2016. Burkard sampler results showed that the airborne ragweed pollen scattering season was from September 1st to October 9th. Over 83% of sampling events had pollen counts of over 13 grains/m3, indicating the high potential health risks of ragweed pollen in the atmosphere. The results of a surface plasmon resonance immunoassay (SPR) indicated that the average Amb a 1 count was about 16.5 pg /pollen. The airborne Amb a 1 concentration was up to 4.7 ng/m3, of which about 45% was accumulated in ultrafine particles, such as particulate matter with a diameter ≤1.1 µm (PM1.1). Although ragweed pollen was hardly observed during the October 14th–17th sampling campaign, the concentration of ambient Amb a 1 particles in PM1.1 was also determined to be 4.59 ng/m3, which could be explained by the longer scattering of fine particles in the atmosphere. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis results showed that temperature (daily, r = 0.41; event, r = 0.87) could affect the behavior of the airborne pollen counts, and ambient water-soluble ions (such as Ca2+ and NO3−) could affect Amb a 1 in PM1.1. Additionally, air mass trajectories and wind rose results indicated that air masses with long-range transportation could also influence the temporary behavior of Amb a 1 and pollen counts via the wind. Mugwort and Humulus japonicus pollens were also observed to extend pollen scattering periods. Airborne pollen and allergenic particles could be considered air pollutants, as they pose health risks and are susceptible to environmental influences.
Effect of Flame Retardants and Electrolyte Variations on Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Fulik Natalia , Hofmann Andreas , Nötzel Dorit , Müller Marcus , Reuter Ingo , Müller Freya , Smith Anna , Hanemann Thomas
Published: January 2023

Lithium-ion batteries are being increasingly used and deployed commercially. Cell-level improvements that address flammability characteristics and thermal runaway are currently being intensively tested and explored. In this study, three additives—namely, lithium oxalate, sodium fumarate and sodium malonate—which exhibit fire-retardant properties are investigated with respect to their incorporation into graphite anodes and their electro/chemical interactions within the anode and the cell material studied. It has been shown that flame-retardant concentrations of up to approximately 20 wt.% within the anode coating do not cause significant capacity degradation but can provide a flame-retardant effect due to their inherent, fire-retardant release of CO2 gas. The flame-retardant-containing layers exhibit good adhesion to the current collector. Their suitability in lithium-ion cells was tested in pouch cells and, when compared to pure graphite anodes, showed almost no deterioration regarding cell capacity when used in moderate (≤20 wt.%) concentrations.
Cycle Tests on the Influence of Different Charging Currents—A Case Study on Different Commercial, Cylindrical Lithium Ion Cells
Authors: Parschau Anke , Degler David , Fill Alexander , Birke Kai Peter , Allmendinger Frank
Published: January 2023

On the way to a Precise Battery, the generation of measurement results and findings based on them play an important role. Although cycle life tests are time-consuming and expensive, they can provide support and important information. Especially in the current topic of accelerating the charging process, it is important to know how different charging currents affect different cell types. The CC CV charging method is still the most common, widely used method. Therefore, long-term cycle tests are carried out in this work in order to clarify the influence of different charging currents, as recommended by the cell manufacturers. Common high-energy and high-power cylindrical lithium ion cells are investigated and compared. In addition to the influence of the charging protocol on the aging, charging time and heating, the effects on the dispersion of the cells as well as the effects on the constant current and the constant voltage part of the charging process are considered. From the results it can be seen how different the investigated cells behave in response to increased charging currents. Even supposedly similar cells show significant differences in aging behavior.
Particle Nanoarchitectonics for Nanomedicine and Nanotherapeutic Drugs with Special Emphasis on Nasal Drugs and Aging
Authors: Aziz Tariq , Nadeem Abad Ali , Sarwar Abid , Perveen Ishrat , Hussain Nageen , Khan Ayaz Ali , Daudzai Zubaida , Cui Haiying , Lin Lin
Published: January 2023

Aging is a multifunctional physiological manifestation. The nasal cavity is considered a major site for easy and cost-effective drug and vaccine administration, due to high permeability, low enzymatic activity, and the presence of a high number of immunocompetent cells. This review article primarily focuses on aging genetics, physical parameters, and the use of nanoparticles as delivery systems of drugs and vaccines via the nasal cavity. Studies have identified various genes involved in centenarian and average-aged people. VEGF is a key mediator involved in angiogenesis. Different therapeutic approaches induce vascular function and angiogenesis. FOLR1 gene codes for folate receptor alpha protein that helps in regulating the transport of vitamin B folate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and folate analogs inside the cell. This gene also aids in slowing the aging process down by cellular regeneration and promotes healthy aging by reducing aging symptoms. It has been found through the literature that GATA 6, Yamanaka factors, and FOLR1 work in synchronization to induce healthy and delayed aging. The role and applications of genes including CBS, CISD, SIRT 1, and SIRT 6 play a significant role in aging.
Protein Kinase CK2 and Epstein–Barr Virus
Authors: Montenarh Mathias , Grässer Friedrich A. , Götz Claudia
Published: January 2023

Protein kinase CK2 is a pleiotropic protein kinase, which phosphorylates a number of cellular and viral proteins. Thereby, this kinase is implicated in the regulation of cellular signaling, controlling of cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, immune response, migration and invasion. In general, viruses use host signaling mechanisms for the replication of their genome as well as for cell transformation leading to cancer. Therefore, it is not surprising that CK2 also plays a role in controlling viral infection and the generation of cancer cells. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) lytically infects epithelial cells of the oropharynx and B cells. These latently infected B cells subsequently become resting memory B cells when passing the germinal center. Importantly, EBV is responsible for the generation of tumors such as Burkitt’s lymphoma. EBV was one of the first human viruses, which was connected to CK2 in the early nineties of the last century. The present review shows that protein kinase CK2 phosphorylates EBV encoded proteins as well as cellular proteins, which are implicated in the lytic and persistent infection and in EBV-induced neoplastic transformation. EBV-encoded and CK2-phosphorylated proteins together with CK2-phosphorylated cellular signaling proteins have the potential to provide efficient virus replication and cell transformation. Since there are powerful inhibitors known for CK2 kinase activity, CK2 might become an attractive target for the inhibition of EBV replication and cell transformation.
A Broad Characterization of Glycogen Storage Disease IV Patients: A Clinical, Genetic, and Histopathological Study
Authors: Wilke Matheus Vernet Machado Bressan , de Oliveira Bibiana Mello , Starosta Rodrigo Tzovenos , Shinawi Marwan , Lu Liang , He Mai , Ma Yamin , Stoll Janis , de Souza Carolina Fischinger Moura , de Siqueira Ana Cecilia Menezes , Vieira Sandra Maria Gonçalves , Cerski Carlos Thadeu , Refosco Lilia Farret , Schwartz Ida Vanessa Doederlein
Published: January 2023

Glycogen storage disease type IV (GSD IV) is an ultra-rare autosomal recessive disease caused by variants in the GBE1 gene, which encodes the glycogen branching enzyme (GBE). GSD IV accounts for approximately 3% of all GSD. The phenotype of GSD IV ranges from neonatal death to mild adult-onset disease with variable hepatic, muscular, neurologic, dermatologic, and cardiac involvement. There is a paucity of literature and clinical and dietary management in GSD IV, and liver transplantation (LT) is described to correct the primary hepatic enzyme defect. Objectives: We herein describe five cases of patients with GSD IV with different ages of onset and outcomes as well as a novel GBE1 variant. Methods: This is a descriptive case series of patients receiving care for GSD IV at Reference Centers for Rare Diseases in Brazil and in the United States of America. Patients were selected based on confirmatory GBE1 genotypes performed after strong clinical suspicion. Results: Pt #1 is a Latin male with the chief complaints of hepatosplenomegaly, failure to thrive, and elevated liver enzymes starting at the age of 5 months. Before LT at the age of two, empirical treatment with corn starch (CS) and high protein therapy was performed with subjective improvement in his overall disposition and liver size. Pt #2 is a 30-month-old Afro-American descent patient with the chief complaints of failure to gain adequate weight, hypotonia, and hepatosplenomegaly at the age of 15 months. Treatment with CS was initiated without overall improvement of the symptoms. Pt #3.1 is a female Latin patient, sister to pt #3.2, with onset of symptoms at the age of 3 months with bloody diarrhea, abdominal distention, and splenomegaly. There was no attempt of treatment with CS. Pt #4 is an 8-year-old male patient of European descent who had his initial evaluation at 12 months, which was remarkable for hepatosplenomegaly, elevated ALT and AST levels, and a moderate dilatation of the left ventricle with normal systolic function that improved after LT. Pt #1, #3.2 and #4 presented with high levels of chitotriosidase. Pt #2 was found to have the novel variant c.826G > C p.(Ala276Pro). Conclusions: GSD IV is a rare disease with different ages of presentation and different cardiac phenotypes, which is associated with high levels of chitotriosidase. Attempts of dietary intervention with CS did not show a clear improvement in our case series.
Reinitiation and Subsequent Discontinuation of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers among New and Prevalent Users Aged 65 Years or More with Peripheral Arterial Disease
Authors: Wawruch Martin , Murin Jan , Tesar Tomas , Petrova Miriam , Paduchova Martina , Celovska Denisa , Havelkova Beata , Trnka Michal , Masarykova Lucia , Alfian Sofa D. , Aarnio Emma
Published: January 2023

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) are recommended in the treatment of arterial hypertension in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The aims of our study were: (a) to analyse the extent of reinitiation and subsequent discontinuation in older hypertensive PAD patients non-persistent with ACEIs/ARBs; (b) to determine patient and medication factors associated with reinitiation and subsequent discontinuation; and (c) to compare these factors between prevalent and new users. The analysis of reinitiation was performed on a sample of 1642 non-persistent patients aged ≥65 years with PAD newly diagnosed in 2012. Patients reinitiating ACEIs/ARBs were used for the analysis of subsequent discontinuation identified according to the treatment gap period of at least 6 months without any prescription of ACEI/ARB. In the group of non-persistent patients, 875 (53.3%) patients reinitiated ACEIs/ARBs during a follow-up (24.8 months on average). Within this group, subsequent discontinuation was identified in 414 (47.3%) patients. Being a new user was associated with subsequent discontinuation, but not with reinitiation. Myocardial infarction during non-persistence and after reinitiation was associated with reinitiation and lower likelihood of subsequent discontinuation, respectively. Being a prevalent or a new user is associated with the use of medication also after initial discontinuation.
Environmentally Responsive Materials for Building Envelopes: A Review on Manufacturing and Biomimicry-Based Approaches
Authors: Ortega Del Rosario Maria De Los Ángeles , Beermann Kimberly , Chen Austin Miguel
Published: January 2023

Buildings must adapt and respond dynamically to their environment to reduce their energy loads and mitigate environmental impacts. Several approaches have addressed responsive behavior in buildings, such as adaptive and biomimetic envelopes. However, biomimetic approaches lack sustainability consideration, as conducted in biomimicry approaches. This study provides a comprehensive review of biomimicry approaches to develop responsive envelopes, aiming to understand the connection between material selection and manufacturing. This review of the last five years of building construction and architecture-related studies consisted of a two-phase search query, including keywords that answered three research questions relating to the biomimicry and biomimetic-based building envelopes and their materials and manufacturing and excluding other non-related industrial sectors. The first phase focused on understanding biomimicry approaches implemented in building envelopes by reviewing the mechanisms, species, functions, strategies, materials, and morphology. The second concerned the case studies relating to biomimicry approaches and envelopes. Results highlighted that most of the existing responsive envelope characteristics are achievable with complex materials requiring manufacturing processes with no environmentally friendly techniques. Additive and controlled subtractive manufacturing processes may improve sustainability, but there is still some challenge to developing materials that fully adapt to large-scale and sustainability needs, leaving a significant gap in this field.
Phoneme Representation and Articulatory Impairment: Insights from Adults with Comorbid Motor Coordination Disorder and Dyslexia
Authors: Marchetti Rebecca , Pinto Serge , Spieser Laure , Vaugoyeau Marianne , Cavalli Eddy , El Ahmadi Abdessadek , Assaiante Christine , Colé Pascale
Published: January 2023

Phonemic processing skills are impaired both in children and adults with dyslexia. Since phoneme representation development is based on articulatory gestures, it is likely that these gestures influence oral reading-related skills as assessed through phonemic awareness tasks. In our study, fifty-two young dyslexic adults, with and without motor impairment, and fifty-nine skilled readers performed reading, phonemic awareness, and articulatory tasks. The two dyslexic groups exhibited slower articulatory rates than skilled readers and the comorbid dyslexic group presenting with an additional difficulty in respiratory control (reduced speech proportion and increased pause duration). Two versions of the phoneme awareness task (PAT) with pseudoword strings were administered: a classical version under time pressure and a delayed version in which access to phonemic representations and articulatory programs was facilitated. The two groups with dyslexia were outperformed by the control group in both versions. Although the two groups with dyslexia performed equally well on the classical PAT, the comorbid group performed significantly less efficiently on the delayed PAT, suggesting an additional contribution of articulatory impairment in the task for this group. Overall, our results suggest that impaired phoneme representations in dyslexia may be explained, at least partially, by articulatory deficits affecting access to them.
The Impact of Citizens’ Participation Level on Smart Sustainable Cities Outcomes: Evidence from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alamoudi Abood Khaled , Abidoye Rotimi Boluwatife , Lam Terence Y. M.
Published: January 2023

It is imperative to expand the concept of smart cities beyond merely focusing on technology to include human, social, and environmental capital investing to develop smart sustainable cities (SSC). In recognition of smart cities’ advantages, several cities have adopted smart city labels. Although citizens’ engagement in public urban development and decision-making has been acknowledged globally in many countries, evaluating the outcomes that allow citizens to contribute does not measure and compare with other factors. This study examines the impact between the citizens’ participation level (CPL) and the smart sustainable cities outcome (SSCO). Four factors were extracted from the literature review and interviews were conducted with 12 decision and policymakers to establish the importance of these factors and to suggest any other additional factors. In addition, a questionnaire survey was utilised to assess and validate the result by experts in the field of the built environment. The mean score (MS) ranking was used to confirm the importance of these predicted correlations with SSCO. Endogeneity tests and multivariate regression analysis were adopted to validate the causality between CLP and SSCO. The results suggest that a positive significant correlation exists between the CPL and SSCO. A higher CPL leads to a higher level of SSCO, but this does not apply the other way around. The four significant factors of CPL to engage and empower citizens are accountability and responsibility, transparency, participation, and inclusion. This paper contributes to knowledge by identifying the measures of CPL and SSCO that can support the implementation of SSC by understanding what can be expected from the government and decision-makers and what can be expected from the citizens.
Experimental Investigation and Numerical Simulation of Corrugated Steel Plate Shear Wall Considering the Gravity Load
Authors: Li Fangfang , Gao Junjie , Zhang Yu , Chen Yu , Lv Yang
Published: January 2023

The corrugated steel plate shear wall (CSPSW) has high strength, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity and can be used as the lateral force-resisting system of multi-story and high-rise buildings. The vertical load transmitted by the upper floor and frame columns may inevitably act on the corrugated steel plate shear wall. However, the influence of the gravity load on the performance of the corrugated steel shear wall is not considered in most studies. To investigate the behavior of corrugated steel plate shear walls considering the actual gravity load, four scaled SPSWs under lateral and vertical loading were tested. The specimens’ failure mode, envelope curves, and hysteretic curves were analyzed. A numerical simulation model was established based on the validation of the experimental test on the SPSWs. The results showed that the hysteresis curves of the test were consistent with those of the simulation results. Finally, parametric analysis was conducted on the SPSWs with different types of infill plates, height-to-thickness ratio, and gravity loads.
Approximating Helical Pile Pullout Resistance Using Metaheuristic-Enabled Fuzzy Hybrids
Authors: Ahmadianroohbakhsh Mohammadmehdi , Fahool Farzad , Pour Mohammad , Mojtahedi S. , Ghorbanirezaei Behnam , Nehdi Moncef
Published: January 2023

Piles have paramount importance for various structural systems in a wide scope of civil and geotechnical engineering works. Accurately predicting the pullout resistance of piles is critical for the long-term structural resilience of civil infrastructures. In this research, three sophisticated models are employed for precisely predicting the pullout resistance (Pul) of helical piles. Metaheuristic schemes of gray wolf optimization (GWO), differential evolution (DE), and ant colony optimization (ACO) were deployed for tuning an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in mapping the Pul behavior from three independent factors, namely the embedment ratio, the density class, and the ratio of the shaft base diameter to the shaft diameter. Based on the results, i.e., the Pearson’s correlation coefficient (R = 0.99986 vs. 0.99962 and 0.99981) and root mean square error (RMSE = 7.2802 vs. 12.1223 and 8.5777), the GWO-ANFIS surpassed the DE- and ACO-based ensembles in the training phase. However, smaller errors were obtained for the DE-ANFIS and ACO-ANFIS in predicting the Pul pattern. Overall, the results show that all three models are capable of predicting the Pul for helical piles in both loose and dense soils with superior accuracy. Hence, the combination of ANFIS and the mentioned metaheuristic algorithms is recommended for real-world purposes.
Parameter Sensitivity Analysis of the Seismic Response of a Piled Wharf Structure
Authors: Zhao Jingtong , Cui Chunyi , Zhang Peng , Wang Kunpeng , Zhao Min
Published: January 2023

To investigate the seismic response characteristics of piled wharf structures, a numerical model of the soil-structure interaction system is established. Extensive fiducial error and grey correlation analyses are also conducted to obtain the grey correlation degree sequence of the internal force of piled wharf structure and deformation, as well as the acceleration of surrounding soils. The results show that the peak acceleration at the typical point of the soil is more sensitive to the variations in friction angle and ground motion intensity, while the lateral extreme displacement is the most sensitive to the variations in the elastic modulus of the soil. The grey correlation sequences of the peak acceleration and lateral extreme displacement at the feature points of the soil around the pile greatly vary, indicating that the key factors of the different sequences control the target parameters corresponding to them. The sensitivity of the internal force of the pile foundation of the pier structure to the ground motion intensity and friction angle is more sensitive than the elastic modulus and cohesion. This presented parameter sensitivity analysis procedure for the seismic response of piled wharf structures can provide a reference for the seismic design of piled wharf structures, as well as for disaster prevention prediction.