bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synergistic Antiviral Effects of Metal Oxides and Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Gupta Indrani , Azizighannad Samar , Farinas Edgardo T. , Mitra Somenath
Published: October 2022

In this research, the synergistic antiviral effects of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and metal oxides (MO) in the form of novel hybrid structures (MO-CNTs) are presented. Raw CNTs, Ni(OH)2, Fe2O3 and MnO2, as well as Ni(OH)2-CNT, Fe2O3-CNT and MnO2-CNT were explored in this study against Escherichia. coli MS2 bacteriophage, which was used as a virus surrogate. The nano particles were synthesized and characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Kinetic parameters such as the LD50 (lethal dose to kill 50% of the population), T50 and T80 (time taken to kill 50% and 80% of the population), SGR (specific growth rate) and IRD (initial rate of deactivation of the population) were also studied to examine the antiviral efficacy of these nanomaterials. Among all the nanomaterials, Ni(OH)2-CNT was the most effective antiviral agent followed by Fe2O3-CNT, MnO2-CNT, raw CNTs, Ni(OH)2, Fe2O3 and MnO2. When comparing the metal oxide-CNTs to the raw CNTs, the average enhancement was 20.2%. The average antiviral activity enhancement of the MO-CNTs were between 50 and 54% higher than the MO itself. When compared to the raw CNTs, the average enhancement over all the MO-CNTs was 20.2%. The kinetic studies showed that the LD50 of Ni(OH)2-CNT was the lowest (16µg/mL), which implies that it was the most toxic of all the compounds studied. The LD50 of Ni(OH)2, Fe2O3 and MnO2 were 17.3×, 14.5× and 10.8× times greater than their corresponding hybrids with the CNTs. The synergistic mechanism involved the entrapment of phage viruses by the nano structured CNTs leading to structural damage along with toxicity to phage from the release of MO ions. The metal oxide-CNT nano hybrids developed in this project are promising candidates in applications such as antiviral coatings, nanocomposites, adsorbents and as components of personal protection gears.
Adsorption Characteristics of Hair Dyes Removal from Aqueous Solution onto Oak Cupules Powder Coated with ZnO
Authors: Al-Ma’abreh Alaa M. , Abuassaf Razan Ataallah , Hmedat Dareen A. , Alkhabbas Manal , Edris Gada , Hussein-Al-Ali Samer Hasan , Alawaideh Samer
Published: October 2022

Three hair dyes of Arianor madder red 306003 (R), Arian or Straw Yellow 306005 (Y), and Arianor ebony 306020 (E) were removed from an aqueous solution in a batch mode using a powder of oak cupules coated with ZnO (COZ). The COZ-adsorbent material was characterized in terms of XRD, FT-IR, and SEM analysis. The best conditions for the uptake of hair dyes by COZ were investigated. For Y dye, the best uptake was estimated on 0.06 g of COZ at 7.0 pH for 150 min. The E dye uptake requires 120 min on 0.05 g of COZ at 9.0 pH. For E hair dye, kinetic data revealed a pseudo-first-order model for E hair dye and a pseudo-second-order model for R and Y. Equilibrium data exhibited consistency with the Langmuir isotherm model for the adsorption of E dye onto COZ, and the Freundlich isotherm model for the adsorption of R and Y hair dyes onto COZ. Isotherms models of D-R and Temkin were also examined. The thermodynamic parameters (−ve ∆G and +ve ∆H and ∆S) demonstrated that the removal of hair dyes by COZ is spontaneous, endothermic, and feasible. The adsorption capacity of COZ for R, Y, and E uptake was found to be 55.5, 52.6, and 135.1 mg·g−1, respectively. Furthermore, COZ reusability was demonstrated after five cycles of regeneration, with a negligible decline in adsorption extent (13.08%, 13.85, and 10.20% for R, Y, and E, respectively) in comparison to its initial capacity.
Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of Tubby-like Protein (TLP) Gene Family Members in Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Authors: Li Shuangtao , Wang Guixia , Chang Linlin , Sun Rui , Wu Ruishuang , Zhong Chuanfei , Gao Yongshun , Zhang Hongli , Wei Lingzhi , Wei Yongqing , Zhang Yuntao , Dong Jing , Sun Jian
Published: October 2022

Tubby-like proteins (TLPs) play important roles in plant growth and development and in responses to abiotic stress. However, TLPs in strawberry remain poorly studied. In this study, eight TLPs were identified in woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca subspecies vesca ‘Ruegen’). Protein structure analysis revealed that the structure of FvTLPs is highly conserved, but evolutionary and gene structure analyses revealed that the evolutionary pattern of FvTLP family members differs from that of their orthologous genes in Arabidopsis, poplar, and apple. Subcellular localization assays revealed that FvTLPs were localized to the nucleus and plasma membrane. FvTLPs showed no transcriptional activity. Yeast two-hybrid assays revealed that FvTLPs interact with specific FvSKP1s. The expression patterns of FvTLPs in different tissues and under various abiotic stresses (salt, drought, cold, and heat) and hormone treatments (ABA (abscisic acid) and MeJA (methyl jasmonate)) were determined. The expression patterns of FvTLPs indicated that they play a role in regulating growth and development and responses to abiotic stress in F. vesca. The GUS (beta-glucuronidase) activity of FvTLP1pro::GUS plants in GUS activity assays increased under salt and drought stress and abscisic acid treatment. The results of this study provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of TLPs.
MicroRNA in Extracellular Vesicles from Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Alters Endothelial Angiogenic Response
Authors: Khandagale Avinash , Corcoran Padraic , Nikpour Maryam , Isaksson Anders , Wikström Gerhard , Siegbahn Agneta , Christersson Christina
Published: October 2022

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by a progressive elevation of pulmonary pressure leading to right ventricular dysfunction and is associated with a poor prognosis. Patients with PAH have increased numbers of circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) and altered expression of circulating microRNAs (miRs). The study aimed to evaluate the miR profile contained within purified EVs derived from the plasma of PAH patients as compared to healthy controls (HC). Circulating EVs, purified from platelet-free plasma were analyzed using flow cytometry, western blot, and electron microscopy. Total RNA isolated from EVs was subjected to Microarray analysis using GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Array and bioinformatics tools. Overexpression and inhibition of miRs were conducted in human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (hPAECs) that had been incubated previously with either PAH- or HC-derived EVs. Cell proliferation (MTT assay) and angiogenesis (tube formation assay) were tested in hPAECs to determine miR functionality. MiR profiling revealed 370 heats while comparing PAH and HC groups, 22 of which were found to be down-regulated and 6 were up-regulated in the PAH EVs. Among the altered miRs, miR-486-5p was overexpressed, while miR-26a-5p was downregulated in PAH EVs compared to HC EVs. Inhibition of mir-486-5p or overexpression of miR-26a-5p in hPAECs post-exposure of PAH EVs abrogated proangiogenic and proliferative effects posed by PAH EVs contrary to HC EVs. The angiogenic and proliferative effects of the miRs from PAH EVs were observed to be mediated through nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation. PAH EVs carry and present an altered miR profile that can be targeted to restrict angiogenesis and reduce pulmonary endothelium activation. Further studies concerning miRs from circulating heterogeneous EVs in PAH patients are warranted to understand their potential as targets for treatment in PAH.
Effective Modulation by Lacosamide on Cumulative Inhibition of INa during High-Frequency Stimulation and Recovery of INa Block during Conditioning Pulse Train
Authors: Wu Po-Ming , Lin Yu-Ching , Chiang Chi-Wu , Cho Hsin-Yen , Chuang Tzu-Hsien , Yu Meng-Cheng , Wu Sheng-Nan , Tu Yi-Fang
Published: October 2022

The effects of lacosamide (LCS, Vimpat®), an anti-convulsant and analgesic, on voltage-gated Na+ current (INa) were investigated. LCS suppressed both the peak (transient, INa(T)) and sustained (late, INa(L)) components of INa with the IC50 values of 78 and 34 μM found in GH3 cells and of 112 and 26 μM in Neuro-2a cells, respectively. In GH3 cells, the voltage-dependent hysteresis of persistent INa (INa(P)) during the triangular ramp pulse was strikingly attenuated, and the decaying time constant (τ) of INa(T) or INa(L) during a train of depolarizing pulses was further shortened by LCS. The recovery time course from the INa block elicited by the preceding conditioning train can be fitted by two exponential processes, while the single exponential increase in current recovery without a conditioning train was adequately fitted. The fast and slow τ’s of recovery from the INa block by the same conditioning protocol arose in the presence of LCS. In Neuro-2a cells, the strength of the instantaneous window INa (INa(W)) during the rapid ramp pulse was reduced by LCS. This reduction could be reversed by tefluthrin. Moreover, LCS accelerated the inactivation time course of INa activated by pulse train stimulation, and veratridine reversed its decrease in the decaying τ value in current inactivation. The docking results predicted the capability of LCS binding to some amino-acid residues in sodium channels owing to the occurrence of hydrophobic contact. Overall, our findings unveiled that LCS can interact with the sodium channels to alter the magnitude, gating, voltage-dependent hysteresis behavior, and use dependence of INa in excitable cells.
Genome-Wide Prediction and Analysis of Oryza Species NRP Genes in Rice Blast Resistance
Authors: Liang Dong , Yu Junjie , Song Tianqiao , Zhang Rongsheng , Du Yan , Yu Mina , Cao Huijuan , Pan Xiayan , Qiao Junqing , Liu Youzhou , Qi Zhongqiang , Liu Yongfeng
Published: October 2022

Members of the N-rich proteins (NRPs) gene family play important roles in the plant endoplasmic reticulum stress in response, which can be triggered by plant pathogens’ infection. Previous studies of the NRP gene family have been limited to only a few plants, such as soybean and Arabidopsis thaliana. Thus, their evolutionary characteristics in the Oryza species and biological functions in rice defense against the pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe oryzae have remained unexplored. In the present study, we demonstrated that the NRP genes family may have originated in the early stages of plant evolution, and that they have been strongly conserved during the evolution of the Oryza species. Domain organization of NRPs was found to be highly conserved within but not between subgroups. OsNRP1, an NRP gene in the Oryza sativa japonica group, was specifically up-regulated during the early stages of rice-M. oryzae interactions-inhibited M. oryzae infection. Predicted protein-protein interaction networks and transcription-factor binding sites revealed a candidate interactor, bZIP50, which may be involved in OsNRP1-mediated rice resistance against M. oryzae infection. Taken together, our results established a basis for future studies of the NRP gene family and provided molecular insights into rice immune responses to M. oryzae.
Facilitation of Insulin Effects by Ranolazine in Astrocytes in Primary Culture
Authors: Jordá Adrián , Aldasoro Martin , Campo-Palacio Ignacio , Vila Jose , Aldasoro Constanza , Campos-Campos Juan , Colmena Carlos , Singh Sandeep , Obrador Elena , Valles Soraya
Published: October 2022

Ranolazine (Rn) is a drug used to treat persistent chronic coronary ischemia. It has also been shown to have therapeutic benefits on the central nervous system and an anti-diabetic effect by lowering blood glucose levels; however, no effects of Rn on cellular sensitivity to insulin (Ins) have been demonstrated yet. The present study aimed to investigate the permissive effects of Rn on the actions of Ins in astrocytes in primary culture. Ins (10−8 M), Rn (10−6 M), and Ins + Rn (10−8 M and 10−6 M, respectively) were added to astrocytes for 24 h. In comparison to control cells, Rn and/or Ins caused modifications in cell viability and proliferation. Rn increased protein expression of Cu/Zn-SOD and the pro-inflammatory protein COX-2 was upregulated by Ins. On the contrary, no significant changes were found in the protein expression of NF-κB and IκB. The presence of Rn produced an increase in p-ERK protein and a significant decrease in COX-2 protein expression. Furthermore, Rn significantly increased the effects of Ins on the expression of p-AKT, p-eNOS, p-ERK, Mn-SOD, and PPAR-γ. In addition, Rn + Ins produced a significant decrease in COX-2 expression. In conclusion, Rn facilitated the effects of insulin on the p-AKT, p-eNOS, p-ERK, Mn-SOD, and PPAR-γ signaling pathways, as well as on the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of the hormone.
Antifungal Activity of Angelica gigas with Enhanced Water Solubility of Decursin and Decursinol Angelate by Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology against Candida albicans
Authors: Ryu Suji , Lee Ha Yeon , Nam Seoul-Hee , Baek Jong-Suep
Published: October 2022

Hot-melt extrusion (HME) has been an alternative technique to improve the solubility and bioavailability of active molecules with low water solubility. In this study, HME-Angelica gigas Nakai (AGN) was prepared to increase the aqueous solubility of decursin (D) and decursinol angelate (DA), the active ingredients of AGN. Compared with unprocessed AGN, HME-AGN showed enhanced water solubility of D and DA. The HME-AGN exhibited improved antioxidant activity by the DPPH radical scavenging method. The antifungal activity was confirmed against Candida albicans (C. albicans). There was a decrease in CFU in the plate treated with the HME-AGN extract compared with the plate treated with the AGN extract, and F2 showed the highest antifungal activity.
Simulation-Based Optimization: Implications of Complex Adaptive Systems and Deep Uncertainty
Authors: Tolk Andreas
Published: October 2022

Within the modeling and simulation community, simulation-based optimization has often been successfully used to improve productivity and business processes. However, the increased importance of using simulation to better understand complex adaptive systems and address operations research questions characterized by deep uncertainty, such as the need for policy support within socio-technical systems, leads to the necessity to revisit the way simulation can be applied in this new area. Similar observations can be made for complex adaptive systems that constantly change their behavior, which is reflected in a continually changing solution space. Deep uncertainty describes problems with inadequate or incomplete information about the system and the outcomes of interest. Complex adaptive systems under deep uncertainty must integrate the search for robust solutions by conducting exploratory modeling and analysis. This article visits both domains, shows what the new challenges are, and provides a framework to apply methods from operational research and complexity science to address them. With such extensions, simulation-based approaches will be able to support these new areas as well, although optimal solutions may no longer be obtainable. Instead, robust and sufficient solutions will become the objective of optimization processes.
Multi-Organ Segmentation Using a Low-Resource Architecture
Authors: Ogrean Valentin , Brad Remus
Published: October 2022

Since their inception, deep-learning architectures have shown promising results for automatic segmentation. However, despite the technical advances introduced by fully convolutional networks, generative adversarial networks or recurrent neural networks, and their usage in hybrid architectures, automatic segmentation in the medical field is still not used at scale. One main reason is related to data scarcity and quality, which in turn generates a lack of annotated data that hinder the generalization of the models. The second main issue refers to challenges in training deep models. This process uses large amounts of GPU memory (that might exceed current hardware limitations) and requires high training times. In this article, we want to prove that despite these issues, good results can be obtained even when using a lower resource architecture, thus opening the way for more researchers to employ and use deep neural networks. In achieving the multi-organ segmentation, we are employing modern pre-processing techniques, a smart model design and fusion between several models trained on the same dataset. Our architecture is compared against state-of-the-art methods employed in a publicly available challenge and the notable results prove the effectiveness of our method.
A Heart Disease Prediction Model Based on Feature Optimization and Smote-Xgboost Algorithm
Authors: Yang Jian , Guan Jinhan
Published: October 2022

In today’s world, heart disease is the leading cause of death globally. Researchers have proposed various methods aimed at improving the accuracy and efficiency of the clinical diagnosis of heart disease. Auxiliary diagnostic systems based on machine learning are designed to learn and predict the disease status of patients from a large amount of pathological data. Practice has proved that such a system has the potential to save more lives. Therefore, this paper proposes a new framework for predicting heart disease using the smote-xgboost algorithm. First, we propose a feature selection method based on information gain, which aims to extract key features from the dataset and prevent model overfitting. Second, we use the Smote-Enn algorithm to process unbalanced data, and obtain sample data with roughly the same positive and negative categories. Finally, we test the prediction effect of Xgboost algorithm and five other baseline algorithms on sample data. The results show that our proposed method achieves the best performance in the five indicators of accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score and AUC, and the framework proposed in this paper has significant advantages in heart disease prediction.
Extensions of the Maximum Bichromatic Separating Rectangle Problem
Authors: Armaselu Bogdan
Published: October 2022

An important topic in the field of geometric optimization is finding the largest rectangle separating two different points sets, which has significant applications in circuit design and data science. We consider some extensions of the maximum bichromatic separating rectangle (MBSR) problem. In one of the extensions, the optimal rectangle may include up to k outliers, where k is given as part of the input. This extension and is called MBSR with outliers or MBSR-O. In this paper, we improve the current known time bounds for MBSR-O from O(k7m logm+n) to O(k3m+km logm+n) using a clever staircase sweep approach. We also propose another extension, which is named MBSR among circles or MBSR-C and asks for the largest rectangle separating red points from blue unit circles. Our solution to MBSR-C is an O(m2+n)-time algorithm that involves an optimized scanning of all candidate circle arcs for locations of potential optimal solutions.
Why Does the Automation Say One Thing but Does Something Else? Effect of the Feedback Consistency and the Timing of Error on Trust in Automated Driving
Authors: Manchon J. B. , Beaufort Romane , Bueno Mercedes , Navarro Jordan
Published: October 2022

Driving automation deeply modifies the role of the human operator behind the steering wheel. Trust is required for drivers to engage in such automation, and this trust also seems to be a determinant of drivers’ behaviors during automated drives. On the one hand, first experiences with automation, either positive or not, are essential for drivers to calibrate their level of trust. On the other hand, an automation that provides feedback about its own level of capability to handle a specific driving situation may also help drivers to calibrate their level of trust. The reported experiment was undertaken to examine how the combination of these two effects will impact the driver trust calibration process. Four groups of drivers were randomly created. Each experienced either an early (i.e., directly after the beginning of the drive) or a late (i.e., directly before the end of it) critical situation that was poorly handled by the automation. In addition, they experienced either a consistent continuous feedback (i.e., that always correctly informed them about the situation), or an inconsistent one (i.e., that sometimes indicated dangers when there were none) during an automated drive in a driving simulator. Results showed the early- and poorly-handled critical situation had an enduring negative effect on drivers’ trust development compared to drivers who did not experience it. While being correctly understood, inconsistent feedback did not have an effect on trust during properly managed situations. These results suggest that the performance of the automation has the most severe influence on trust, and the automation’s feedback does not necessarily have the ability to influence drivers’ trust calibration during automated driving.
A Blockchain-Based Secure Multi-Party Computation Scheme with Multi-Key Fully Homomorphic Proxy Re-Encryption
Authors: Jiang Yongbo , Zhou Yuan , Feng Tao
Published: October 2022

At present, secure multi-party computing is an effective solution for organizations and institutions that want to derive greater value and benefit from the collaborative computing of their data. Most current secure multi-party computing solutions use encryption schemes that are not resistant to quantum attacks, which is a security risk in today’s quickly growing quantum computing, and, when obtaining results, the result querier needs to collect the private keys of multiple data owners to jointly decrypt them, or there needs to be an interaction between the data owner and the querier during the decryption process. Based on the NTRU cryptosystem, which is resistant to quantum computing attacks and has a simple and easy-to-implement structure, and combined with multi-key fully homomorphic encryption (MKFHE) and proxy re-encryption, this paper proposes a secure multi-party computing scheme based on NTRU-type multi-key fully homomorphic proxy re-encryption in the blockchain environment, using the blockchain as trusted storage and a trusted execution environment to provide data security for multi-party computing. The scheme meets the requirements of being verifiable, conspiracy-proof, individually decryptable by the querier, and resistant to quantum attacks.
Representation of Women in Slovak Science and Research: An Analysis Based on the CRIS System Data
Authors: Zendulková Danica , Gavurníková Gabriela , Krivjanska Anna , Staňáková Zuzana , Putalová Andrea , Janková Mária
Published: October 2022

The article presents an intention to examine the possibilities of processing data on the representation of women in science and research from data collected in Slovakia as part of the Gender Equality Plan. The methodology follows the declared intention and consists of three steps. The first step is the identification of sources of sex-disaggregated data from the field of science and research in the Slovak Republic. Then follows the examination of the state of the art of tracking data in the identified data sources. The analysis of available data and the processing of the results is the next step. The share of women in Slovak science and research is demonstrated by the composition of project teams and by the statistical data of the supplementary statistical survey of research and development potential, which are collected through the national information system for research, development, and innovation, named SK CRIS. The result is a detailed analysis of the position of women in Slovak science and research, classified by research area and academic career stage. Based on the research conducted and the results achieved, we underline the importance of building national information systems in science and research. Data from these systems can significantly contribute to the creation and parameterization of science policy, including the principles of gender equality.
Meteorological Data Warehousing and Analysis for Supporting Air Navigation
Authors: Garani Georgia , Papadatos Dionysios , Kotsiantis Sotiris , Verykios Vassilios S.
Published: October 2022

Data analysis of weather phenomena to either predict or control human imprint on the environment requires the collection of various forms of observational data ranging from historical and longitudinal to forecast. The objective of this research paper is the development of a data warehouse (DW) based on a new hybrid logical schema, concerning the assimilation and maintenance of historical meteorological data from all operating airports in Greece, along with data in the Greek Flight Information Region related to flight delays and cancellations. SQL is used for querying these data and makes them easily accessible and manageable. The data from the DW are collected and used as training data for the induction of predictive models. In this study, the prediction problem is cast as a classification task, and different decision tree induction techniques are applied to build accurate models that allow flexible scheduling and planning for the minimization of waiting time and inconvenience of passengers.
Assessing Usability of Smartwatch Digital Health Devices for Home Blood Pressure Monitoring among Glaucoma Patients
Authors: Bhanvadia Sonali B. , Brar Manreet S. , Delavar Arash , Tavakoli Kiana , Radha Saseendrakumar Bharanidharan , Weinreb Robert N. , Zangwill Linda M. , Baxter Sally L.
Published: October 2022

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Blood pressure (BP) dysregulation is a known risk factor, and home-based BP monitoring is increasingly used, but the usability of digital health devices to measure BP among glaucoma patients is not well studied. There may be particular usability challenges among this group, given that glaucoma disproportionately affects the elderly and can cause visual impairment. Therefore, the goal of this mixed-methods study was to assess the usability of a smart watch digital health device for home BP monitoring among glaucoma patients. Adult participants were recruited and given a smartwatch blood pressure monitor for at-home use. The eHEALS questionnaire was used to determine baseline digital health literacy. After a week of use, participants assessed the usability of the BP monitor and related mobile app using the Post-study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) and the System Usability Scale (SUS), standardized instruments to measure usability in health information technology interventions. Variations in scores were evaluated using ANOVA and open-ended responses about participants’ experience were analyzed thematically. Overall, usability scores corresponded to the 80th–84th percentile, although older patients endorsed significantly worse usability based on quantitative scores and additionally provided qualitative feedback describing some difficulty using the device. Usability for older patients should be considered in the design of digital health devices for glaucoma given their disproportionate burden of disease and challenges in navigating digital health technologies, although the overall high usability scores for the device demonstrates promise for future clinical applications in glaucoma risk stratification.
Environmental Influences on Bridge Deterioration Based on Periodic Inspection Data from Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Authors: Fujiu Makoto , Minami Takahiro , Takayama Jyunichi
Published: October 2022

In the United States, many people have suffered losses caused by the collapse of deteriorated road bridges and subsequent road closures, and in Japan, bridges built during rapid economic growth are now reaching the end of their planned service period. Under these circumstances, instead of corrective maintenance, regular visual inspections of the bridges are performed once every five years to implement preventative maintenance. In this study, to identify those bridges prone to rapid deterioration, deterioration rates were calculated based on data from two cycles of inspection results, and the environmental factors that impacted these rates were statistically analyzed based on Hayashi’s quantification theory type I. The results clearly show that the bridge deterioration rate is significantly impacted by its specifications (superstructure materials, bridge length, year of construction), but that environmental factors also exert an equivalent impact. Therefore, considering environmental factors that can influence deterioration is expected to aid the development of more efficient and effective bridge maintenance plans.
Bridge Network Seismic Risk Assessment Using ShakeMap/HAZUS with Dynamic Traffic Modeling
Authors: Malekloo Arman , Ozer Ekin , Ramadan Wasim
Published: October 2022

Bridge infrastructures are critical nodes in a transportation network. In earthquake-prone areas, seismic performance assessment of infrastructure is essential to identify, retrofit, reconstruct, or, if necessary, demolish the infrastructure systems based on optimal decision-making processes. As one of the crucial components of the transportation network, any bridge failure would impede the post-earthquake rescue operation. Not only the failure of such high-risk critical components during an extreme event can lead to significant direct damages, but it also affects the transportation road network. The consequences of these secondary effects can easily lead to congestion and long queues if the performance of the transportation system before or after an event was not analyzed. These indirect losses can be more prominent compared to the actual damage to bridges. This paper brings about seismic performance assessment for the Cyprus transportation network from which the decision-making platform can be modeled and implemented. This study employs a seismic hazard analysis based on generated USGS ShakeMap scenarios for the risk assessment of the transportation network. Furthermore, identification of the resiliency and vulnerability of the transportation road network is carried out by utilizing the graph theory concept at the network level. Moreover, link performance measures, i.e., traffic modeling of the study region is simulated in a dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) simulation environment. Finally, for earthquake loss analysis of the bridges, the HAZUS loss estimation tool is used. The results of our investigations for three different earthquake scenarios have shown that seismic retrofitting of bridges is a cost-effective measure to reduce the structural and operational losses in the region.
Automatic Recognition and Geolocation of Vertical Traffic Signs Based on Artificial Intelligence Using a Low-Cost Mapping Mobile System
Authors: Domínguez Hugo , Morcillo Alberto , Soilán Mario , González-Aguilera Diego
Published: October 2022

Road maintenance is a key aspect of road safety and resilience. Traffic signs are an important asset of the road network, providing information that enhances safety and driver awareness. This paper presents a method for the recognition and geolocation of vertical traffic signs based on artificial intelligence and the use of a low-cost mobile mapping system. The approach developed includes three steps: First, traffic signals are detected and recognized from imagery using a deep learning architecture with YOLOV3 and ResNet-152. Next, LiDAR point clouds are used to provide metric capabilities and cartographic coordinates. Finally, a WebGIS viewer was developed based on Potree architecture to visualize the results. The experimental results were validated on a regional road in Avila (Spain) demonstrating that the proposed method obtains promising, accurate and reliable results.
Advances of Biowaste-Derived Porous Carbon and Carbon–Manganese Dioxide Composite in Supercapacitors: A Review
Authors: Zekenova Akzhibek , Nazhipkyzy Meruyert , Li Wanlu , Kalybayeva Akmaral , Zhumanova Guldarikha , Zubova Olga
Published: October 2022

One of the global problems is environmental pollution by different biowaste. To solve the problem, biowaste must be recycled. Waste-free technology is also a way of saving exhaustible raw materials. Research on electrochemical energy sources is currently the most dynamically developing area of off-grid energy. Electrochemical capacitors can operate for a long time without changing performance, they have smaller dimensions, high mechanical strength, and a wide operating temperature range. These properties are effective energy-saving devices. Therefore, supercapacitors are widely used in various industries. This review discussed the methods of obtaining and the characteristics of biowaste-derived activated carbon and carbon–manganese oxide (AC-MnO2)-based supercapacitor electrodes.
Oxygen Ion and Proton Transport in Alkali-Earth Doped Layered Perovskites Based on BaLa2In2O7
Authors: Tarasova Nataliia , Bedarkova Anzhelika , Animitsa Irina , Belova Ksenia , Abakumova Ekaterina , Cheremisina Polina , Medvedev Dmitry
Published: October 2022

Inorganic materials with layered perovskite structures have a wide range of physical and chemical properties. Layered perovskites based on BaLanInnO3n+1 (n = 1, 2) were recently investigated as protonic conductors. This work focused on the oxygen ion and proton transport (ionic conductivity and mobility) in alkali-earth (Sr2+, Ba2+)-doped layered perovskites based on BaLa2In2O7. It is shown that in the dry air conditions, the nature of conductivity is mixed oxygen–hole, despite the dopant nature. Doping leads to the increase in the conductivity values by up to ~1.5 orders of magnitude. The most proton-conductive BaLa1.7Ba0.3In2O6.85 and BaLa1.7Sr0.15In2O6.925 samples are characterized by the conductivity values 1.2·10−4 S/cm and 0.7·10−4 S/cm at 500 °C under wet air, respectively. The layered perovskites with Ruddlesden-Popper structure, containing two layers of perovskite blocks, are the prospective proton-conducting materials and further material science searches among this class of materials is relevant.
Aliphatic-Bridged Early Lanthanide Metal–Organic Frameworks: Topological Polymorphism and Excitation-Dependent Luminescence
Authors: Demakov Pavel A. , Ryadun Alexey A. , Fedin Vladimir P.
Published: October 2022

Six new three-dimensional metal–organic frameworks based on early lanthanide(III) cations and trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (H2chdc) were obtained. Their crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structure of [La2(H2O)4(chdc)3]·2DMF·H2O (1; DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide) contains one-dimensional infinite La(III)-carboxylate chains interconnected by cyclohexane moieties to form a highly porous polymeric lattice with 30% solvent accessible volume. Compounds [Ln2(phen)2(chdc)3]·0.75DMF (2Ln; Ln3+ = Ce3+, Pr3+, Nd3+ and Sm3+; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) are based on binuclear carboxylate building blocks, which are decorated by chelate phenanthroline ligands and interconnected by cyclohexane moieties to form more dense isostructural coordination frameworks with primitive cubic pcu topology. Compound [Nd2(phen)2(chdc)3]·2DMF·0.67H2O (3) is based on secondary building units similar to 2Ln and contains a coordination lattice isomeric to 2Ln with a rare hexagonal helical snz topology. Thermal stability and luminescent properties were investigated. For 2Sm, a strong and nonmonotonous dependence of the luminescence color on the variation of excitation wavelength was revealed, changing its emission from pinkish red at λex = 340 nm to white at λex = 400 nm, and then to yellow at lower excitation energies. Such nonlinear behavior was rationalized in terms of the contribution of several different luminescence mechanisms. Thus, 2Sm is a rather rare example of a highly tunable monometallic lanthanide-based luminophore with possible applications in light-emitting devices and optical data processing.
New Genus and Species of Limnichines from the Cretaceous Amber of Myanmar and Taxonomic Notes on the Family Limnichidae (Coleoptera, Polyphaga)
Authors: Kirejtshuk Alexander G. , Prokin Alexander A.
Published: October 2022

Burmochares groehnigen. et sp. nov., the oldest known representative of the subfamily Limnichinae and tribe Limnichini, is described from the Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar. The new genus Hernandocharesgen. nov. is proposed for Platypelochares electricus Hernando, Szawaryn et Ribera, 2018 (type species of this new genus) from the Eocene Baltic amber. The structurally similar genera Platypelochares,Burmocharesgen.nov., Hernandocharesgen. nov., some other limnichines (Polyphaga) and some torridincollids (Myxophaga) are thought to be connected by their preference for similar habitats and lifestyle.
Detecting Key Factors of Grasshopper Occurrence in Typical Steppe and Meadow Steppe by Integrating Machine Learning Model and Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Lu Longhui , Kong Weiping , Eerdengqimuge  , Ye Huichun , Sun Zhongxiang , Wang Ning , Du Bobo , Zhou Yantao , Weijun  , Huang Wenjiang
Published: October 2022

Grasshoppers mainly threaten natural grassland vegetation and crops. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand the relationship between environmental factors and grasshopper occurrence. This paper studies the spatial distribution and key factors of grasshopper occurrence in two grass types by integrating a machine learning model (Maxent) and remote sensing data within the major grasshopper occurrence areas of Inner Mongolia, China. The modelling results demonstrate that the typical steppe has larger suitable area and more proportion for grasshopper living than meadow steppe. The soil type, above biomass, altitude and temperature mainly determine the grasshopper occurrence in typical steppe and meadow steppe. However, the contribution of these factors in the two grass types is significantly different. In addition, related vegetation and meteorological factors affect the different growing stages of grasshoppers between the two grass types. This study clearly defines the different effects of key environmental factors (meteorology, vegetation, soil and topography) for grasshopper occurrence in typical steppe and meadow steppe. It also provides a methodology to guide early warning and precautions for grasshopper pest prevention. The findings of this study will be helpful for future management measures, to ensure grass ecological environment security and the sustainable development of grassland.
Effects of a Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Extract on Metabolic Syndrome-Related Pathologies: In Vitro Insulin Sensitivity, Inflammatory Response, Hypolipidemic Activity and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Navarro del Hierro Joaquín , Cantero-Bahillo Emma , Fernández-Felipe M. Teresa , García-Risco Mónica R. , Fornari Tiziana , Rada Patricia , Doblado Laura , Ferreira Vitor , Hitos Ana B. , Valverde Ángela M. , Monsalve María , Martin Diana
Published: October 2022

The mealworm (Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus 1758) is gaining importance as one of the most popular edible insects. Studies focusing on its bioactivities are increasing, although alternative forms of consumption other than the whole insect or flour, such as bioactive non-protein extracts, remain underexplored. Furthermore, the incidence of metabolic syndrome-related pathologies keeps increasing, hence the importance of seeking novel natural sources for reducing the impact of certain risk factors. The aim was to study the potential of a non-protein mealworm extract on metabolic syndrome-related pathologies, obtained with ethanol:water (1:1, v/v) by ultrasound-assisted extraction. We characterized the extract by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry and assessed its hypolipidemic potential, its ability to scavenger free radicals, to attenuate the inflammatory response in microglial cells, to affect mitochondrial respiration and to enhance insulin sensitivity in mouse hepatocytes. The extract contained fatty acids, monoglycerides, amino acids, certain acids and sugars. The mealworm extract caused a 30% pancreatic lipase inhibition, 80% DPPH· scavenging activity and 55.9% reduction in the bioaccessibility of cholesterol (p = 0.009). The extract was effective in decreasing iNOS levels, increasing basal, maximal and ATP coupled respiration as well as enhancing insulin-mediated AKT phosphorylation at low insulin concentrations (p < 0.05). The potential of a non-protein bioactive mealworm extract against metabolic syndrome-related pathologies is shown, although further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms and relationship with compounds.
Floral Volatile Organic Compounds and a List of Pollinators of Fallopia baldschuanica (Polygonaceae)
Authors: Jakubska-Busse Anna , Dziadas Mariusz , Gruss Iwona , Kobyłka Michał J.
Published: October 2022

Fallopia baldschuanica (Polygonaceae) is an Asian plant growing wild in parts of Europe and North and Central America as an introduced taxon, in many countries it is considered a potentially invasive species. This article presents the list of 18 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by the flowers of F. baldchuanica and identified by headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-GC/MS) analyzes, and a list of flower-visiting and pollinating insects that have been observed in the city center of Wrocław (SW Poland). β-ocimene, heptanal, nonanal, α-pinene, 3-thujene, and limonene, were detected as the floral scent’s most important aroma compounds. F. baldschuanica also produces the aphid alarm pheromones, i.e., β-farnesene and limonene, that repels aphids. Additionally, the pollinators of F. baldschuanica were indicated, based on two years of observations in five sites in the urban area. It was found, that the pollinators of this plant with the highest species stability are: Diptera from families Syrphidae (Chrysotoxum bicinctum, Eristalis pertinax, Eupeodes corollae, Episyrphus balteatus, Eristalis tenax, Syrphus ribesii, Eristalis intricaria), Muscidae (Musca domestica), Sarcophagidae (Sarcophaga spp.), Calliphoridae (Lucilia sericata, Lucilia caesar), Hymenoptera from families Vespidae (Vespula vulgaris), and Apidae (Apis sp., Bombus sp.). The key role of VOCs in adaptation to plant expansion is discussed.
Efficiency of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus against Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
Authors: Elsharkawy Mohsen Mohamed , Almasoud Mustafa , Alsulaiman Yasser Mohamed , Baeshen Rowida S. , Elshazly Hayam , Kadi Roqayah H. , Hassan Mohamed M. , Shawer Rady
Published: October 2022

The Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliv.) (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae) is a well-known palm tree pest that has caused enormous economic damage all over the globe. Insecticides are still the primary method of controlling this pest at this period. However, field populations of RPW have been shown to be resistant to pesticides. Using Bacillus spp. might be one of the options for controlling R. ferruginous. In this study, 23 species of Bacillus spp. were isolated from the rhizosphere of date palm trees in Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia. The isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. R. ferrugineus larvae and adults were tested on sugarcane pieces that were treated with the B. thuringiensis strain PDC-AHSAA1 and B. cereus strains (PDC-AHSAA2, PDC-AHSA3 and PDC-AHSA4). The LC50 values for larvae and adults were quite low when they were compared with those of the other isolated strains. The B. thuringiensis strain PDC-AHSAA1 was more effective against both the larvae and adults. The determined LC50 values for B. thuringiensis ranged from 4.19 × 107–3.78 × 109. After 21 days, the data on larval mortality and body weight were evaluated. The surviving larvae that were treated with the bacterial isolates did not acquire a substantial weight. For the RPW larvae and adults, the mortality and corrected mortality death rates were increased by increasing the concentration of B. thuringiensis. In conclusion, Bacillus-treated diets negatively influenced the growth and development of the RPW. This research reported on the interaction between the RPW and the rhizosphere Bacillus spp. and highlighted the tremendous potential for the development of microbial resource-based control strategies for this pest.
New Cell Lines Derived from Laboratory Colony Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus, Vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, Do Not Harbour Triatoma Virus
Authors: Penrice-Randal Rebekah , Hartley Catherine , Beliavskaia Alexandra , Dong Xiaofeng , Brandner-Garrod Luke , Whitten Miranda , Bell-Sakyi Lesley
Published: October 2022

Triatomine bugs of the genera Triatoma and Rhodnius are vectors of Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease of humans in South America caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Triatoma virus (TrV), a natural pathogen of Triatoma infestans, has been proposed as a possible tool for the bio-control of triatomine bugs, but research into this virus has been hampered by a lack of suitable host cells for in vitro propagation. Here we report establishment and partial characterisation of continuous cell lines from embryos of T. infestans (TIE/LULS54) and Rhodnius prolixus (RPE/LULS53 and RPE/LULS57). RNAseq screening by a sequence-independent, single primer amplification approach confirmed the absence of TrV and other RNA viruses known to infect R. prolixus, indicating that these new cell lines could be used for propagation of TrV.
Functional Morphology of the Antennae and Sensilla of Coeloides qinlingensis Dang et Yang (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Authors: Yang Cui-Hong , Xie Hua , Liu Zhi-Xiang , Yang Pei , Zhao Ning , Yang Bin , Li Zong-Bo
Published: October 2022

Coeloides qinlingensis Dang et Yang, 1989 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a biocontrol agent of several scolytid pine pests in Southwest China. We examined the fine morphology of the antennae of adult C. qinlingensis, as well as the type, shape, and distribution of antennal sensilla, via scanning electron microscopy. The antennae of female and male C. qinlingensis are filiform and comprise a scape, pedicel, and 31–36 flagellomeres. We detected sexual dimorphism in antennal flagellar length but not in the length of other subsegments. A total of nine morphological types of antennal sensilla varying in cuticular pore structure are present in both sexes, including nonporous types (sensilla trichodea, sensilla chaetica (2 subtypes), and sensilla coeloconica); apical pore types (sensilla basiconica and sensilla auricillica); and multiporous types (dome-shaped sensilla and sensilla placodea (2 subtypes)). Dome-shaped sensilla and sensilla auricillica are reported for the first time for C. qinlingensis, and their shape differs from that of sensilla in other parasitic wasps. The functional morphology of the sensilla of C. qinlingensis was compared with that of the sensilla of other parasitic wasps, including those that parasitize concealed insects. This information provides a foundation for further research on the chemical communication and behavior of C. qinlingensis.