bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bio-Inspired Impregnations of Carbon Rovings for Tailored Bond Behavior in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Utech Toni , Neef Tobias , Mechtcherine Viktor , Scheffler Christina
Published: December 2023

Nature provides various templates for integrating organic and inorganic materials to create high-performance composites. Biological structures such as nacre and the structural elements of the glass sponge are built up in layers, leading to remarkable fracture toughness. In this work, the brick-and-mortar and layer-by-layer structures found in these biological examples have been abstracted and implemented by using an aqueous polymer dispersion in combination with nanoclay particles and sodium water glass. These dispersions were used as impregnation of carbon rovings in order to form bio-inspired contact zones towards the concrete matrix. The bonding behavior was investigated using the Yarn Pull-Out (YPO) test, and a beneficial behavior of the layered polymer–nanoclay dispersions was observed. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to determine the organic impregnation content of the roving. Further, light microscopy of the roving cross-sections prior to YPO and visual analyses of the fractured contact zone of split concrete specimens provided information on the quality of the impregnation and the interaction with the concrete matrix.
Water Damage Resistance of Tuff Asphalt Mixtures with Admixtures Based on Surface Energy Theory
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyuan , Ma Yunfei , Zhu Zongkai , Xu Jingyi , Zhang Yu , Tang Boming
Published: December 2023

At present, tuff aggregates as asphalt pavement mixtures have insufficient water damage resistance; hence, modifying and evaluating the related properties of tuff asphalt mixtures are necessary. In this study, cement and a liquid antistripping agent were selected as admixtures, and tuff and limestone mixtures without admixtures were selected as control. The surface energy for the SBS-modified asphalt polymers and aggregates in the mixtures was evaluated by using surface energy theory. The adhesion work and the spalling work of the polymer–aggregate interface was calculated, and a factor k was proposed to predict the water damage resistance of the tuff mixture with admixtures. The prediction values were compared with those of the macroscopic water stability test for the mixture. The results of this research showed that the factor k after adding admixtures was improved, and the increase range was from 7.14% to 47.62%. The admixture scheme with the best improvement was that with 2% cement content, in which the k value increased by 21.57% and 47.62% compared with that of the limestone and tuff mixtures without admixtures, respectively. The tested water stability indexes and the predicted factor k under different admixture schemes exhibited a good positive correlation, and the correlation equations were obtained by linear fitting. Thus, it was feasible to use the factor k characterizing the water damage resistance of tuff mixtures using surface energy theory.
Daily Optional Physical Education Does Not Counteract Increasing Inactivity by Age among Adolescents
Authors: Lábiscsák-Erdélyi Zsuzsa , Somhegyi Annamária , Veres-Balajti Ilona , Kósa Karolina
Published: December 2023

Background: This paper describes the outcomes of an integrated health promotion programme implemented in a Hungarian high school offering health education in the curriculum, daily optional physical education, teacher training in applying a person-centered approach in teaching, and parental involvement in school activities. Methods: The evaluation used mixed methods of which results of the before-6-months-after quantitative survey among pupils is described. The health status and behaviour of students were assessed by applying the Hungarian version of the HBSC questionnaire. Results: Significant improvement was found in the self-rated health of girls (6.6% increase in being of excellent health, p = 0.04), and the consumption of sweets and sugary soft drinks decreased significantly for both genders (boys: −10.2%, p = 0.01; girls: −6.06%, p = 0.04). However, the proportion of physically inactive girls significantly increased (girls: 11.2%, p = 0.01), and substance use did not change significantly. Discussion and conclusions: The intervention had significant positive impacts on subjective health and dietary habits and could counteract the secular trend of increasing tobacco, alcohol, and drug consumption by age among adolescents, but this unfortunately does not include physical inactivity. Offsetting the most widespread health risk behavior, physical inactivity, may require mandatory daily physical education in schools.
Linking Climate Change Information with Crop Growing Seasons in the Northwest Ethiopian Highlands
Authors: Tarekegn Gashaw Bimrew , Alaminie Addis A. , Debele Sisay E.
Published: December 2023

In Ethiopia, the impacts of climate change are expected to have significant consequences for agriculture and food security. This study investigates both past (1981–2010) and future (2041–2070) climate trends and their influence on the length of the growing season (LGS) in the North-Western Ethiopian highlands. Climate observations were obtained from the National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia, while the best performing and highest resolution models from the CMIP5 experiment and RCP6 (Coupled Models Intercomparison Project and representative concentration pathway 6) were used for the analysis. Standard statistical methods were applied to compute soil water content, evaluate climate variability and trends, and assess their impact on the length of the growing season. Maximum temperature (tasmax) and minimum temperature (tasmin) inter-annual variability anomalies show that the region has experienced cooler years than hotter years in the past. However, in the future, the coolest years are expected to decrease by −1.2 °C, while the hottest years will increase by +1.3 °C. During the major rainfall season (JJAS), the area has received an adequate amount of rainfall in the past and is very likely to receive similar rainfall in the future. On the other hand, the rainfall amount in the season February to May (FMAM) is expected to assist only with early planting. For the season October to January (ONDJ), the rainfall amount may help lengthen the growing season of JJAS if properly utilized; otherwise, the season has the potential to destroy crops before and during the harvesting time. The soil water content changes in the future remain close to those of the past period. The length of growing seasons has less variable onset and cessation dates, while in the future, the length of the growing period (LGP) of 174 to 177 days will be suitable for short- and long-cycle crops, as well as double cropping, benefiting crop production yield in the North-Western Ethiopian highlands in the future.
Multistep Forecast Averaging with Stochastic and Deterministic Trends
Authors: Kejriwal Mohitosh , Nguyen Linh , Yu Xuewen
Published: December 2023

This paper presents a new approach to constructing multistep combination forecasts in a nonstationary framework with stochastic and deterministic trends. Existing forecast combination approaches in the stationary setup typically target the in-sample asymptotic mean squared error (AMSE), relying on its approximate equivalence with the asymptotic forecast risk (AFR). Such equivalence, however, breaks down in a nonstationary setup. This paper develops combination forecasts based on minimizing an accumulated prediction errors (APE) criterion that directly targets the AFR and remains valid whether the time series is stationary or not. We show that the performance of APE-weighted forecasts is close to that of the optimal, infeasible combination forecasts. Simulation experiments are used to demonstrate the finite sample efficacy of the proposed procedure relative to Mallows/Cross-Validation weighting that target the AMSE as well as underscore the importance of accounting for both persistence and lag order uncertainty. An application to forecasting US macroeconomic time series confirms the simulation findings and illustrates the benefits of employing the APE criterion for real as well as nominal variables at both short and long horizons. A practical implication of our analysis is that the degree of persistence can play an important role in the choice of combination weights.
Underwater Image Enhancement Based on Color Feature Fusion
Authors: Gong Tianyu , Zhang Mengmeng , Zhou Yang , Bai Huihui
Published: December 2023

The ever-changing underwater environment, coupled with the complex degradation modes of underwater images, poses numerous challenges to underwater image enhancement efforts. Addressing the issues of low contrast and significant color deviations in underwater images, this paper presents an underwater image enhancement approach based on color feature fusion. By leveraging the properties of light propagation underwater, the proposed model employs a multi-channel feature extraction strategy, using convolution blocks of varying sizes to extract features from the red, green, and blue channels, thus effectively learning both global and local information of underwater images. Moreover, an attention mechanism is incorporated to design a residual enhancement module, augmenting the capability of feature representation. Lastly, a dynamic feature enhancement module is designed using deformable convolutions, enabling the network to capture underwater scene information with higher precision. Experimental results on public datasets demonstrate the outstanding performance of our proposed method in underwater image enhancement. Further, object detection experiments conducted on pre- and post-enhanced images underscore the value of our method for downstream tasks.
An Energy-Efficient Inverter-Based Voltage Reference Scheme with Wide Output Range Using Correlated Level Shifting Technique
Authors: Wei Rongshan , Chen Chu , Wei Cong , Wang Renping , Huang Lijie , Zhou Qikun , Hu Wei
Published: December 2023

A voltage reference is indispensable in Integrated Circuits. To improve the limited linear output voltage range and energy efficiency of a voltage reference, we innovatively propose a switched-capacitor-based programmable voltage reference scheme employing inverter-based OTAs to reduce the power consumption, simultaneously using a novel Correlated Level Shifting (CLS) technique (without active overhead) to enhance the OTA’s DC gain and integral gain. Experimented with SMIC 180 nm CMOS technology, a scheme-based voltage reference realizes a programable output voltage range from 266 to 995 mV at −30 to 120 °C, and the corresponding temperature coefficient (TC) ranges from 82.4 to 99.5 ppm/°C. The power consumption is 976 nW. Furthermore, comparative experiments and evaluations with other schemes have unequivocally verified the superiority of our proposed scheme, characterized by its high energy efficiency and wide output voltage range. The scheme can be suitably deployed in a multitude of novel edge-data processing systems.
Decomposition Analysis of Regional Electricity Consumption Drivers Considering Carbon Emission Constraints: A Comparison of Guangdong and Yunnan Provinces in China
Authors: Chen Haobo , Liu Shangyu , Kuang Yaoqiu , Shu Jie , Ma Zetao
Published: December 2023

Electricity consumption is closely linked to economic growth, social development, and carbon emissions. In order to fill the gap of previous studies on the decomposition of electricity consumption drivers that have not adequately considered carbon emission constraint, this study constructs the Kaya extended model of electricity consumption and analyzes the effects of drivers in industrial and residential sectors using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method, and empirically explores the temporal and spatial differences in electricity consumption. Results show that: (1) During 2005–2021, the total final electricity consumption growth in Guangdong was much higher than that in Yunnan, but the average annual growth rate in Guangdong was lower, and the largest growth in both provinces was in the industrial sector. (2) The labor productivity level effect is the primary driver that increases total final electricity consumption (Guangdong: 78.5%, Yunnan: 87.1%), and the industrial carbon emission intensity effect is the primary driver that decreases total final electricity consumption (Guangdong: −75.3%, Yunnan: −72.3%). (3) The year-to-year effect of each driver by subsector is overall positively correlated with the year-to-year change in the corresponding driver, and declining carbon emission intensity is a major factor in reducing electricity consumption. (4) The difference in each effect between Guangdong and Yunnan is mainly determined by a change in the corresponding driver and subsectoral electricity consumption. Policy implications are put forward to promote energy conservation and the realization of the carbon neutrality goal.
AI-Based Computational Model in Sustainable Transformation of Energy Markets
Authors: Rojek Izabela , Mroziński Adam , Kotlarz Piotr , Macko Marek , Mikołajewski Dariusz
Published: December 2023

The ability of artificial intelligence (AI) to process large amounts of data, analyze complex patterns, and make predictions is driving innovation in the energy sector and transformation of energy markets. It helps optimize operations, improve efficiency, reduce costs, and accelerate the transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources. AI is playing an increasingly important role in transforming energy markets in various aspects of the industry in different ways, including smart grids and energy management, renewable energy integration, energy forecasting and trading, demand response and load management, energy efficiency and conservation, maintenance and asset management, energy storage optimization, carbon emission reduction, market analytics and risk management, exploration and production, regulatory compliance, and safety. The aim of this article is to discuss our own AI-based computational model in sustainable transformation of energy markets and to lay the foundations for further harmonious development based on a computational (AI/ML-based) models, with particular reference to current limitations and priority directions for further research. Such an approach may encourage new research for the practical application of AI algorithms in critical domains of the energy sector.
Perovskite Solar Cell on Stainless Steel Substrate over 10% Efficiency for Building-Integrated Photovoltaics
Authors: Lee Solhee , Lee Sang-Won , Bae Soohyun , Hwang Jae-Keun , Lee Wonkyu , Pyun Dowon , Jeong Seok-Hyun , Kim Kyunghwan , Hwang Ji-Seong , Cho Sujin , Kim Donghwan , Kang Yoonmook , Lee Hae-Seok
Published: December 2023

This study investigated the integration of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) on stainless steel (SS) substrates for application in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Using advanced atomic force microscopy measurements, we confirmed that enhanced substrate roughness increased the reflectance along an interface. Consequently, a remarkable final efficiency of 11.9% was achieved. Notably, PSCs, known for their exceptional efficiency of 26.1%, can overcome the inherent efficiency limitations of SS-based thin-film solar cells. In this study, a PSC with an efficiency of 14% was fabricated on a flexible SS substrate. This study is a significant step towards advancing sustainable energy solutions for BIPV applications. The global shift towards renewable energy sources has catalyzed intensive research and development efforts, rendering the exploration of alternative materials and manufacturing processes a priority. The success of PSCs on SS substrates underscores their promise to achieve a balance between efficiency and versatility in BIPV solutions. Moreover, our findings reveal that controlling the substrate surface characteristics can significantly enhance the performance of PSCs, offering a pathway toward greater energy efficiency and sustainability in the construction industry.
Regional Residential Short-Term Load-Interval Forecasting Based on SSA-LSTM and Load Consumption Consistency Analysis
Authors: Zhang Ruixiang , Zhu Ziyu , Yuan Meng , Guo Yihan , Song Jie , Shi Xuanxuan , Wang Yu , Sun Yaojie
Published: December 2023

The electricity consumption behavior of the inhabitants is a major contributor to the uncertainty of the residential load system. Human-caused uncertainty may have a distributional component, but it is not well understood, which limits further understanding the stochastic component of load forecasting. This study proposes a short-term load-interval forecasting method considering the stochastic features caused by users’ electricity consumption behavior. The proposed method is composed of two parts: load-point forecasting using singular spectrum analysis and long short-term memory (SSA-LSTM), and load boundaries forecasting using statistical analysis. Firstly, the load sequence is decomposed and recombined using SSA to obtain regular and stochastic subsequences. Then, the load-point forecasting LSTM network model is trained from the regular subsequence. Subsequently, the load boundaries related to load consumption consistency are forecasted by statistical analysis. Finally, the forecasting results are combined to obtain the load-interval forecasting result. The case study reveals that compared with other common methods, the proposed method can forecast the load interval more accurately and stably based on the load time series. By using the proposed method, the evaluation index coverage rates (CRs) are (17.50%, 1.95%, 1.05%, 0.97%, 7.80%, 4.55%, 9.52%, 1.11%), (17.95%, 3.02%, 1.49%, 5.49%, 5.03%, 1.66%, 1.49%), (19.79%, 2.79%, 1.43%, 1.18%, 3.37%, 1.42%) higher than the compared methods, and the interval average convergences (IACs) are (−18.19%, −8.15%, 3.97%), (36.97%, 21.92%, 22.59%), (12.31%, 21.59%, 7.22%) compared to the existing methods in three different counties, respectively, which shows that the proposed method has better overall performance and applicability through our discussion.
Methanol Combustion Characteristics in Compression Ignition Engines: A Critical Review
Authors: Karvounis Panagiotis , Theotokatos Gerasimos , Vlaskos Ioannis , Hatziapostolou Antonios
Published: December 2023

Methanol has been identified as a transition fuel for the decarbonisation of combustion-based industries, including automotive and maritime. This study aims to conduct a critical review of methanol combustion in compression ignition engines and analyse the reviewed studies’ results to quantify methanol use’s impact on engine performance and emissions characteristics. The diesel and diesel–methanol operation of these engines are comparatively assessed, demonstrating the trade-offs between the methanol fraction, the key engine performance parameters, including brake thermal efficiency, peak in-cylinder pressure, heat release rate, and temperature, as well as the carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions. The types of the reviewed engines considering the main two combustion methods, namely premixed and diffusion combustion, are discussed. Research gaps are identified, and recommendations for future research directions to address existing challenges for the wider use of methanol as a marine fuel are provided. This comprehensive review provides insights supporting methanol engine operation, and it is expected to lead to further studies towards more efficient use of methanol-fueled marine engines.
Cluster-Based Approach to Estimate Demand in the Polish Power System Using Commercial Customers’ Data
Authors: Ząbkowski Tomasz , Gajowniczek Krzysztof , Matejko Grzegorz , Brożyna Jacek , Mentel Grzegorz , Charytanowicz Małgorzata , Jarnicka Jolanta , Olwert Anna , Radziszewska Weronika , Verstraete Jörg
Published: December 2023

This paper presents an approach to estimate demand in the Polish Power System (PPS) using the historical electricity usage of 27 thousand commercial customers, observed between 2016 and 2020. The customer data were clustered and samples as well as features were created to build neural network models. The goal of this research is to analyze if the clustering of customers can help to explain demand in the PPS. Additionally, considering that the datasets available for commercial customers are typically much smaller, it was analyzed what a minimal sample size drawn from the clusters would have to be in order to accurately estimate demand in the PPS. The evaluation and experiments were conducted for each year separately; the results proved that, considering adjusted R2 and mean absolute percentage error, our clustering-based method can deliver a high accuracy in the load estimation.
Utilization of Sunflower Husk Ash in the Production of Polyurethane Materials
Authors: Zakrzewska Patrycja , Kuźnia Monika , Zygmunt-Kowalska Beata , Magiera Anna , Magdziarz Aneta
Published: December 2023

Energy produced from waste biomass is more environmentally friendly than that produced from fossil resources. However, the problem of managing waste from the thermal conversion of biomass arises. The overarching goal of this article was to propose a method of utilizing biomass ash (sunflower husk) as a filler that positively affects the properties of rigid polyurethane foams. The scope of the presented research is to obtain and characterize rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs) with the addition of two types of fillers: sunflower husks (SHs) and sunflower husk ash (SHA). First, an analysis of the fillers was carried out. The carbon content of SHs (C~49%) was ten times higher in comparison to SHA’s carbon content (C~5%). The morphology of the fillers and the particle size distribution were determined, which showed that in the case of SHs, particles with a size of 500–1000 µm predominated, while in SHA, the particles were 1–20 µm. The content of inorganic compounds was also determined. Potassium and calcium compounds were the most abundant in both fillers. The second part of the research was the analysis of polyurethane materials with the addition of fillers. The obtained results indicate that filler addition had a positive effect on the dimensional stability of the foams by eliminating the risk of material shrinkage. The biodegradation process of polyurethane materials was also carried out. The reference foam weight loss after 8 weeks was ~10%, while the weight loss of the foam containing SHA was over 28%. Physical and mechanical properties, cell structure, and thermal stability tests were also carried out. The use of bio-waste fillers creates a possibility for the partial replacement of petrochemical products with environmentally friendly and recycled materials, which fits into the circular economy strategy.
Experimental Investigation of IOR Potential in Shale Oil Reservoirs by Surfactant and CO2 Injection: A Case Study in the Lucaogou Formation
Authors: Shi Yaoli , Xu Changfu , Wang Heng , Liu Hongxian , He Chunyu , Qin Jianhua , Wu Baocheng , Li Yingyan , Song Zhaojie
Published: December 2023

The current oil recovery of the Lucaogou shale oil reservoir is predicted to be about 7.2%. It is crucial to explore improved oil recovery (IOR) technologies, and further experimental and field research needs to be conducted to study the complex mechanism. In this study, laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the performance of one-step and multi-step depletion, CO2 huff-n-puff, and surfactant imbibition based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The sweep efficiencies were assessed via NMR imaging. In addition, hybrid methods of combining surfactant with CO2 huff-n-puff and the performance of injection sequence on oil recovery were investigated. The experimental results indicate that oil recoveries of depletion development at different initial pressures range from 4% to 11%. CO2 huff-n-puff has the highest oil recovery (30.45% and 40.70%), followed by surfactant imbibition (24.24% and 20.89%). Pore size distribution is an important factor. After three more cycles of surfactant imbibition and CO2 huff-n-puff, the oil recovery can be increased by 11.27% and 26.27%, respectively. Surfactant imbibition after CO2 huff-n-puff shows a viable method. Our study can provide guidance and theoretical support for shale oil development in the Lucaogou shale oil reservoir.
Study of Hedge Ignition and Flame Propagation Characteristics of Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine and Its Metamorphosed Mixtures in a Nitrogen Tetroxide Atmosphere
Authors: Wang Xinhui , Feng Yujia , Zhang Jinchao , Ma Ruirong , Wu Jin , He Ruining , Li Yang , Liang Jinhu
Published: December 2023

Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) is a common liquid propellant widely used in rocket engines and other applications. The safety of UDMH in service is affected by its slow oxidation during long-term storage to form impurities such as dimethylamine (DMA) and formaldehyde dimethylhydrazone (FDH). How these impurities affect combustion performance is not known, and in order to assess these effects, the present experiments investigated the combustion characteristics of self-igniting fuels and carried out ignition delay time measurements and flame propagation velocity measurements of pure UDMH and its denatured mixtures in a nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) atmosphere. This experiment was carried out to measure the delay time of hedge ignition of pure UDMH and qualitative analysis of its flame propagation properties under vacuum conditions at room temperature (T = 293 K). Ignition delay time measurements and flame propagation characterization were performed under the same experimental conditions for UDMH mixed with 1%, 5% and 10% FDH, UDMH mixed with 1%, 5% and 10% H2O, UDMH mixed with 1%, 5% and 10% DMA, as well as for UDMH mixed with the same proportions of the three substances (1%, 5% and 10%). The flame propagation characteristics were analyzed. The results showed that the incorporation of DMA, H2O and FDH in different proportions could inhibit the combustion of UDMH to varying degrees and prolong its ignition delay time. It is worth noting that the introduction of FDH had the least effect on it, and the least effect was observed at a concentration of 1%. In contrast, the effect of DMA on UDMH is more obvious, and the addition of H2O has the largest increase in the ignition delay time of UDMH. In the flame propagation experiment, the flame of the experimental group adding H2O can no longer fill the whole experimental window, while the other experimental groups can still make the window full of flame. Combined with the measurements of the ignition delay time, it can be seen that the moisture content has the greatest effect on the combustion characteristics.
Preparation of Anti-Zearalenone IgY and Development of an Indirect Competitive ELISA Method for the Measurement of Zearalenone in Post-Fermented Tea
Authors: Qiu Taotao , Zhang Huayi , Lei Hongtao , Zhang Lin , Zhang Yaqiong , Shen Xing , Xu Biyun , Zhu Jialin , Xiao Wentao , Zheng Jixu , Chen Jiahong
Published: December 2023

Post-fermented tea (PFT) is one of the most commonly consumed beverages worldwide. Rapid microbial growth and significant changes in the microbial composition of PFT during processing and storage pose a potential risk of contamination with mycotoxins such as zearalenone (ZEN). Screening for ZEN contamination in a simple, rapid, and inexpensive manner is required to ensure that PFT is safe for consumption. To monitor ZEN in PFT, ZEN was conjugated with bovine serum albumin to prepare egg yolk immunoglobulins (IgY). A specific indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) based on IgY was developed and validated. ZEN was extracted with acetonitrile and water (50:50, v/v) containing 5% acetic acid and purified using a mixture of primary and secondary amines and graphitized carbon black to remove matrix interference from the PFT samples. Under optimal conditions, the linear range of this assay was 13.8−508.9 ng mL−1, the limit of detection was 9.3 ng mL−1, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration was 83.8 ng mL−1. Cross-reactivity was negligible, and the assay was specific for ZEN-related molecules. The recovery rate of ZEN in the control blanks of PFT samples spiked with a defined concentration of ZEN of 89.5% to 98.0%. The recovery and accuracy of the method were qualified for PFT matrices. No significant differences were evident between the results of the actual PFT samples analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and ic-ELISA. The collective data indicate that the developed ic-ELISA can be used for the rapid and simple detection of ZEN in PFT products.
Effects of Baking and Frying on the Protein Oxidation of Wheat Dough
Authors: Liu Ru , Yang Yuhui , Cui Xiaojie , Mwabulili Fred , Xie Yanli
Published: December 2023

Protein oxidation caused by food processing is harmful to human health. A large number of studies have focused on the effects of hot processing on protein oxidation of meat products. As an important protein source for human beings, the effects of hot processing on protein oxidation in flour products are also worthy of further study. This study investigated the influences on the protein oxidation of wheat dough under baking (0–30 min, 200 °C or 20 min, 80–230 °C) and frying (0–18 min, 180 °C or 10 min, 140–200 °C). With the increase in baking and frying time and temperature, we found that the color of the dough deepened, the secondary structure of the protein changed from α-helix to β-sheet and β-turn, the content of carbonyl and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) increased, and the content of free sulfhydryl (SH) and free amino groups decreased. Furthermore, baking and frying resulted in a decrease in some special amino acid components in the dough, and an increase in the content of amino acid oxidation products, dityrosine, kynurenine, and N’-formylkynurenine. Moreover, the nutritional value evaluation results showed that excessive baking and frying reduced the free radical scavenging rate and digestibility of the dough. These results suggest that frying and baking can cause protein oxidation in the dough, resulting in the accumulation of protein oxidation products and decreased nutritional value. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce excessive processing or take reasonable intervention measures to reduce the effects of thermal processing on protein oxidation of flour products.
Cadaverine as a Potential Spoilage Indicator in Skin-Packed Beef and Modified-Atmosphere-Packed Beef
Authors: Thamsborg Kristian Key Milan , Lund Birgitte Winther , Byrne Derek Victor , Leisner Jørgen Johannes , Alexi Niki
Published: December 2023

This study investigated cadaverine as a spoilage indicator in commercial beef products stored under conditions favourable for the growth of lactic acid bacteria. Samples included vacuum-skin-packed entrecotes (EB) aged up to 42 days and modified-atmosphere-packed (70% O2 + 30% CO2) minced beef (MB) stored at 5 °C. Two MB product lines were analysed: one stored aerobically two days post-slaughter before mincing and another stored for 14 days in vacuum packaging prior to mincing. Sensory assessment/evaluation and microbial analysis were performed throughout the shelf life of the products and compared to cadaverine levels measured using LC-MS/MS. Cadaverine concentrations in EB reached approximately 40,000 µg/kg on the “best before” date, while remaining below 50 µg/kg in both MB products on the corresponding date. While cadaverine concentrations in EB displayed a consistent increase, suggesting its potential as a spoilage indicator post-ageing, the low concentrations in MB, did not correlate with sensory assessments, revealing its limitations as a universal spoilage marker. In conclusion, it is necessary to conduct product-specific studies to evaluate the applicability of cadaverine as a spoilage indicator for beef products.
In Search of Authenticity Biomarkers in Food Supplements Containing Sea Buckthorn: A Metabolomics Approach
Authors: Raclariu-Manolică Ancuța Cristina , Socaciu Carmen
Published: December 2023

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) (SB) is increasingly consumed worldwide as a food and food supplement. The remarkable richness in biologically active phytochemicals (polyphenols, carotenoids, sterols, vitamins) is responsible for its purported nutritional and health-promoting effects. Despite the considerable interest and high market demand for SB-based supplements, a limited number of studies report on the authentication of such commercially available products. Herein, untargeted metabolomics based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-ESI+MS) were able to compare the phytochemical fingerprint of leaves, berries, and various categories of SB-berry herbal supplements (teas, capsules, tablets, liquids). By untargeted metabolomics, a multivariate discrimination analysis and a univariate approach (t-test and ANOVA) showed some putative authentication biomarkers for berries, e.g., xylitol, violaxanthin, tryptophan, quinic acid, quercetin-3-rutinoside. Significant dominant molecules were found for leaves: luteolin-5-glucoside, arginine, isorhamnetin 3-rutinoside, serotonin, and tocopherol. The univariate analysis showed discriminations between the different classes of food supplements using similar algorithms. Finally, eight molecules were selected and considered significant putative authentication biomarkers. Further studies will be focused on quantitative evaluation.
Poverty, Wars, and Migrations: The Jonovski Family from the Village of Orovo
Authors: Jonovski Jovan
Published: December 2023

This article will cover the different types of migration in Macedonia and its Prespa region at the end of the 19th and 20th centuries through the Jonovski family from the village of Orovo. Poverty and wars caused many men to look for work and to earn money in distant places. Joshe, who was born around 1766, was first an economic migrant with his father, Marko, internally within the Ottoman Empire in Asia Minor (1880–1890). Later, he immigrated to the USA (1914–1918), before returning home to his family. However, after WWI, with the harsh attitude of the Greek government toward the Macedonian minority, this turned into permanent migration. His sons would be migrant workers in the USA, France, and Australia, while their wives and children stayed in Orovo. The village was destroyed and depopulated at the end of the Greek Civil War (1946–1949). Joshe and the remaining family reunited in Wroclaw, Poland, where in the 1950s Joshe died, and his daughters-in-law finally joined their husbands in the USA and Australia. His son Boris, with his family, moved to Skopje, Macedonia, Yugoslavia in 1968. We will look at the life and migrations of Joshe, his four children, and four grandchildren.
Boss, Can’t You Hear Me? The Impact Mechanism of Supervisor Phone Snubbing (Phubbing) on Employee Psychological Withdrawal Behavior
Authors: Yao Siqin , Nie Ting
Published: December 2023

With the excessive smartphone use in the workplace, supervisor phubbing has drawn broad concerns in managerial and academic fields. Though the neglect is unintentional, this behavior can generate counterproductive working behaviors. The basic assumptions of this study are that supervisor phubbing can impact employee psychological withdrawal behavior directly and indirectly via work alienation. To provide empirical evidence for the assumptions, the two-wave online survey of 302 Chinese employees without any supervisory functions was conducted on the Questionnaire Star platform. Based on the stressor-emotion model, work alienation is proved to be the psychological path in the positive relationship between supervisor phubbing and employee psychological withdrawal behavior. Different from the current studies exploring the impact mechanism of phubbing behavior on psychological withdrawal behavior between parents and children, couples, or friends, we put this mechanism into the workplace and focus on subordinate–superior relationships. In addition, the positive indirect effects are enhanced when employees have higher interpersonal sensitivity. In practice, these findings suggest that organizations should normalize the smart devices use in the workplace, and supervisors should balance their working roles with other roles. In addition, organizations should strengthen training on adjusting to negative emotions and interpersonal sensitivity control at work. Although two rounds of the time-lagged data were collected in a one-month interval, the limitations of cross-section data still exist, so the conclusions cannot establish causality. Hence, future research may conduct experimental or longitudinal research designs to make the conclusion more rigorous.
Community Health Nursing Education in Austria—The Need for Competences in Planning, Management and Collaboration: A Problem-Centered Qualitative Study
Authors: Lidauer Harald , Stummer Harald
Published: December 2023

(1) Background: The Austrian health care system is extremely fragmented. Primary care is mainly provided by self-employed GPs. Other health professionals are rarely integrated into primary care. But, according to the political plans of the Austrian government, a system of community nurses and community health nurses should be implemented and several pilot projects have already been started. (2) Objective: The present study explores the skills and competences needed in the planning, management and collaboration for the change in the system and gives recommendations for community health nurse education in Austria. (3) Methodology: Fifteen qualitative, problem-centered interviews were conducted with experts in the field of community health nursing and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. (4) Results: The skills and competences often and widely mentioned are interprofessional collaboration, cooperation with other actors, systems thinking, project and change management, and basic management skills, including strategic planning, communication, accounting and finance. Areas such as health planning and lobbying are also highlighted. The main competences are broken down into subcompetences, making it possible to create a detailed competence grid. Competences in planning, management and collaboration are particularly important in the initial stages of the first implementation of a community health nursing system. (5) Conclusions: Skills and competences in these areas occupy a central position. A multilayered breakdown of these competences is required in order to create a targeted requirements profile. Due to the small-scale fragmentation of the Austrian health care system, collaboration and coordination are more difficult and costly, but all the more important. The aforementioned skills and competences represent an essential expansion of nursing education in Austria.
Experience in Accessing Healthcare in Ethnic Minority Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis
Authors: Zhang Xiubin , Jaswal Aaron , Quint Jennifer
Published: December 2023

Background: Access to healthcare is part of every individual’s human rights; however, many studies have illustrated that ethnic minority patients seem to be confronted with barriers when using healthcare services. Understanding how healthcare utilities are accessed from the perspective of patients and why healthcare disparities occur with patients from a minority background has the potential to improve health equality and care quality. This qualitative systematic review aims to gain insights into the experiences of people with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) from a minority background and explore factors contributing to their experiences in accessing healthcare to inform related health policy makers and healthcare providers. Methods: This systematic review complied with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, where the Joanna Briggs Institute meta-aggregative instrument facilitated the qualitative synthesis. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022346055). PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL were the databases explored. Results: From the papers selected, 47 findings were derived from 10 included studies, and four synthesised findings were generated: (1) the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals affects the usage of healthcare services; (2) patients’ perceptions and cultural beliefs affect their compliance with disease management; (3) personal behaviours affect the usage of healthcare services; and (4) health resource inequalities have an impact on accessing healthcare services. Conclusions: This systematic review demonstrates that ethnic minorities with CRDs face inequalities when engaging in healthcare. The relationship between patients and clinicians impacting the use of healthcare is the most pivotal discovery, where not speaking the same language and being of a different race alongside the accompanying criticism and faith in facilities are key contributors to this effect. In addition, the thinking patterns of these marginalised groups may reflect their cultural upbringing and diminish their engagement with therapies. This paper has uncovered ways to attenuate inequalities amongst ethnic minorities in engaging with healthcare providers and provides insight into building effective equity-promoting interventions in healthcare systems. To overcome these disparities, coaching doctors to communicate better with minority cohorts could help such patients to be more comfortable in connecting with medical facilities.
Balancing Hormones and Gene Expressions for Rooting Success: Lovastatin Unveils Cytokinin Inhibition in Malus prunifolia var. ringo Apple Stem Cuttings
Authors: Sun Sinuo , Tahir Muhammad Mobeen , Xie Zushu , Wei Pengyan , Yu Jianing , Liu Hangkong , He Yinnan , Ren Xiaoying , Ma Yuanyuan , Mao Jiangping
Published: December 2023

Adventitious root (AR) formation is the key to asexual reproduction; however, cytokinin (CK) hampers AR formation. But the mechanism by which CK inhibits it is still unknown. In this study, we used Malus prunifolia var. ringo apple stem cuttings that were treated with exogenous 6-benzyl adenine (6-BA) at 1 mg/L and lovastatin (CK biosynthesis inhibitor) at 1 mg/L to compare with control (untreated) cuttings. The results indicated that the control and 6-BA-treated cuttings failed to produce ARs; however, lovastatin-treated cuttings successfully produced a few ARs after 20 days (d) of treatments by increasing indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and reducing zeatin riboside (ZR) content at several time points. The 6-BA treatment induced the expression of CK-related genes, such as MdARR3, MdARR5, MdARR5-2, MdAKH4, and MdCKX5, at most time points. However, lovastatin-treated cuttings reduced their expression, which favors AR formation. Furthermore, the expression of auxin-related genes, including MdIAA23, MdARF7, and MdARF19, was induced by lovastatin treatment. Like auxin-related genes, several root-development-related genes (MdWOX5, MdWOX11, MdLB29, and MdARRO1) were also promoted in response to lovastatin treatment that were repressed by 6-BA and control cuttings. In conclusion, lovastatin treatment supports AR formation by inhibiting CK biosynthesis inside the cuttings, as compared to the control and 6-BA-treated cuttings. This study laid the foundation for future studies on the relationship of CK biosynthesis inhibitors with adventitious rooting in apples and other crops.
Newborn Screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency: Lessons Learned from Screening and Follow-Up of the Preterm Newborn Population
Authors: Gaviglio Amy , Lasarev Michael , Sheller Ruthanne , Singh Sikha , Baker Mei
Published: December 2023

Newborn screening (NBS) for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) by measurement of T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) successfully identifies newborns with SCID and severe T-cell lymphopenia, as intended. At the same time, NBS programs face the challenge of false positive results, with a disproportionately high number in the premature newborn population. This study evaluates TREC values and SCID screening outcomes in premature newborns and elucidates evidence-based SCID screening practices that reduce unnecessary follow-up activities in this population. De-identified individual SCID newborn screening data and aggregate SCID screening data were obtained from seven states across the US for babies born between 2018 and 2020. Relevant statistics were performed on data pooled from these states to quantify screening performance metrics and clinical impact on various birth and gestational age categories of newborns. The data were normalized using multiples-of-the-median (MoM) values to allow for the aggregation of data across states. The aggregation of NBS data across a range of NBS programs highlighted the trajectory of TREC values over time, both between and within newborns, and provides evidence for improved SCID screening recommendations in the premature and low birth weight population.
Predicting Trajectories of Plate-Type Wind-Borne Debris in Turbulent Wind Flow with Uncertainties
Authors: Wang Feng , Huang Peng , Zhao Rongxin , Wu Huayong , Sun Mengjin , Zhou Zijie , Xing Yun
Published: December 2023

Debris poses multifaceted risks and jeopardizes various aspects of the environment, human health, safety, and infrastructure. The debris trajectory in turbulent wind flow is more dispersed due to the inherent randomness of the turbulent winds. This paper investigates the three-dimensional trajectories of plate-type wind-borne debris in turbulent wind fields via the method of numerical simulation. A 3D probabilistic trajectory model of plate-type wind-borne debris is developed. The debris trajectories are numerically calculated by solving the governing equation of debris motion and by introducing turbulent wind flows based on the near-ground wind field measured in the wind tunnel to account for the probability characteristics of the debris trajectory. The dimensionless velocities and displacements of the debris trajectory show good agreement with the experimental data in wind tunnel tests, confirming the rationality of the probabilistic trajectory model. Based on the validated trajectory model, the probability characteristics of the debris impact position, impact velocity, and kinetic energy, debris angular displacement, and angular velocity are analyzed in detail under five different wind attack angles. The proposed probabilistic model of plate-type debris in turbulent wind flow provides an accurate and effective method for predicting debris trajectory in three-dimensional space.
Entropy-Enthalpy Compensation in Ti-V-Mn-Cr BCC Alloys Used as Hydrogen Storage Materials
Authors: Kefi Chourouk , Huot Jacques
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we report the effect of the Cr/Mn ratio on the thermodynamic properties of Ti30V60Mn(10−x)Crx (x = 0, 3.3, 6.6 and 10) + 4 wt.% Zr alloys. It was found that the enthalpy and entropy change with the Cr/MN ratio and that the entropy and entropy variation is coupled in an enthalpy-entropy compensation fashion. Using a compensation quality factor, it was established that the enthalpy-entropy compensation is not due to a statistical origin, with a confidence of more than 95%.