bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MAG Welding Process with Micro-Jet Cooling as the Effective Method for Manufacturing Joints for S700MC Steel
Authors: Węgrzyn Tomasz , Szymczak Tadeusz , Szczucka-Lasota Bożena , Łazarz Bogusław
Published: February 2021

Advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) steels are relatively not very well weldable because of the dominant martensitic structure with coarse ferrite and bainite. The utmost difficulty in welding these steels is their tendency to crack both in the heat affected zone (HAZ) and in weld. The significant disadvantage is that the strength of the welded joint is much lower in comparison to base material. Adopting the new technology regarding micro-jet cooling (MJC) after welding with micro-jet cooling could be the way to steer the microstructure of weld metal deposit. Welding with micro-jet cooling might be treated as a very promising welding S700MC steel process. Tensile and fatigue tests were mainly carried out as the main destructive experiments for examining the weld. Also bending probes, metallographic structure analysis, and some non-destructive measurements were performed. The welds were created using innovative technology by MAG welding with micro-jet cooling. The paper aims to verify the fatigue and tensile properties of the thin-walled S700MC steel structure after welding with various parameters of micro-cooling. For the first time, micro-jet cooling was used to weld S700MC steel in order to check the proper mechanical properties of the joint. The main results are processed in the form of the Wöhler’s S–N curves (alternating stress versus number cycles to failure).
Fuzzy Logic-Based Prediction of Drilling-Induced Temperatures at Varying Cutting Conditions along with Analysis of Chips Morphology and Burrs Formation
Authors: Riaz Asim Ahmad , Muhammad Riaz , Ullah Naveed , Hussain Ghulam , Alkahtani Mohammed , Akram Waseem
Published: February 2021

Friction and plastic deformation at the tool–chips interaction during a dry drilling process results in temperature rise and promotes tool wear and surface roughness. In most of the components produced in industries, a drilling process is used to make a hole for final assembly. Therefore, knowledge of temperatures produced during drilling operation at various machining input parameters is required for the best quality product. A fuzzy logic-based algorithm is developed to predict the temperature generated in the drilling process of AISI 1018 mild steel. The algorithm used speed and feed rate of the drill bit as input parameters to the fuzzy domain. A set of rules was used in the fuzzy domain to predict maximum temperature produced in the drilling process. The developed algorithm is simulated for various input speed and feed rate parameters and was verified through the maximum temperature measured during drilling of the studied material at selected speed–feed combinations. Experiments were conducted to validate the results of developed fuzzy logic-based algorithm by using non-contact infrared pyrometer for drilling of AISI 1018 steel. A good agreement between the predicted and experimentally measured maximum temperature was observed with an error less than 6%. It is found that temperature increases with increase in cutting speed and feed rate. Size of roll back burr formation at the hole perimeter significantly increases with increase in drill speed and feed rate. Segmental continuity in spiral or helix chips morphology is more at low feed and high cutting speed. Chip radius increases with increase in feed rate and results in damaging of the machined surface and causes burr formation while the radius decreases with cutting speed along with improved hole surface finish.
Investigation of Stresses Induced Due to the Mismatch of the Coefficients of Thermal Expansion of the Matrix and the Strengthening Particle in Aluminum-Based Composites
Authors: Matvienko Oleg , Daneyko Olga , Kovalevskaya Tatiana , Khrustalyov Anton , Zhukov Ilya , Vorozhtsov Alexander
Published: February 2021

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the strength properties of aluminum alloys strengthened by dispersed nanoparticles, as well as the determination of the significance of various mechanisms responsible for the strengthening of the material, was carried out. Results of experimental investigation demonstrate that the hardening of aluminum alloy A356 by Al2O3 and ScF3 nanoparticles leads to an increase in the yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and plasticity. Despite the similar size of Al2O3 and ScF3 nanoparticles, the physicomechanical properties of nanoparticles significantly affect the possibility of increasing the mechanical properties of the A356 aluminum alloy. A physicomathematical model of the occurrence of thermal stresses was developed caused by the mismatch of the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of the matrix and strengthening particles on the basis of the fundamental principles of mechanics of a deformable solid and taking into account the elastic properties of not only the matrix, but also the particle. The forming of thermal stresses induced due to the mismatch of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the matrix and the strengthening particle in aluminum-based composites was investigated. In the case of thermal deformation of dispersion-hardened alloys, when the CTE of the matrix and particles noticeably differ, an additional stress field is created in the vicinity of the strengthening particle. Thermal stresses increase the effective particle size. This phenomenon can significantly affect the result of the assessment of the yield strength. The strengthening caused by thermal mismatch makes the largest contribution to the yield strength improvement. The yield strength increments due to Nardon×Prewo and Orowan mechanisms are much lower.
Metabolomic Profile of Weaned Pigs Challenged with E. coli and Supplemented with Carbadox or Bacillus subtilis
Authors: He Yijie , Liu Yanhong , Ji Peng
Published: January 2021

This study explored the metabolomic profiles in ileal mucosa and colon digesta in response to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18 (ETEC) infection and dietary use of probiotics and low-dose antibiotics. Weaned pigs (n = 48, 6.17 ± 0.36 kg body weight) were randomly allotted to one of four treatments. Pigs in the negative control (NC) were fed a basal diet without ETEC challenge, whereas pigs in the positive control (PC), antibiotic, and probiotic groups were fed the basal diet, basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg of carbadox, or 500 mg/kg of Bacillus subtilis, respectively, and orally challenged with ETEC F18. All pigs were euthanized at day 21 post-inoculation to collect ileal mucosa and colon digesta for untargeted metabolomic profiling using gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Multivariate analysis highlighted a more distinct metabolomic profile of ileal mucosa metabolites in NC compared to the ETEC-challenged groups. The relative abundance of 19 metabolites from the ileal mucosa including polyamine, nucleotide, monosaccharides, fatty acids, and organic acids was significantly different between the NC and PC groups (q < 0.1). In colon digesta, differential metabolites including 2-monoolein, lactic acid, and maltose were reduced in the carbadox group compared with the probiotics group. In conclusion, several differential metabolites and metabolic pathways were identified in ileal mucosa, which may suggest an ongoing intestinal mucosal repair in the ileum of ETEC-challenged pigs on day 21 post-inoculation.
Metabolic Predictors of Equine Performance in Endurance Racing
Authors: Halama Anna , Oliveira Joao M. , Filho Silvio A. , Qasim Muhammad , Achkar Iman W. , Johnson Sarah , Suhre Karsten , Vinardell Tatiana
Published: January 2021

Equine performance in endurance racing depends on the interplay between physiological and metabolic processes. However, there is currently no parameter for estimating the readiness of animals for competition. Our objectives were to provide an in-depth characterization of metabolic consequences of endurance racing and to establish a metabolic performance profile for those animals. We monitored metabolite composition, using a broad non-targeted metabolomics approach, in blood plasma samples from 47 Arabian horses participating in endurance races. The samples were collected before and after the competition and a total of 792 metabolites were measured. We found significant alterations between before and after the race in 417 molecules involved in lipids and amino acid metabolism. Further, even before the race starts, we found metabolic differences between animals who completed the race and those who did not. We identified a set of six metabolite predictors (imidazole propionate, pipecolate, ethylmalonate, 2R-3R-dihydroxybutyrate, β-hydroxy-isovalerate and X-25455) of animal performance in endurance competition; the resulting model had an area under a receiver operating characteristic (AUC) of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.85–0.98). This study provides an in-depth characterization of metabolic alterations driven by endurance races in equines. Furthermore, we showed the feasibility of identifying potential metabolic signatures as predictors of animal performance in endurance competition.
Lossless Decompression Accelerator for Embedded Processor with GUI
Authors: Hwang Gwan Beom , Cho Kwon Neung , Han Chang Yeop , Oh Hyun Woo , Yoon Young Hyun , Lee Seung Eun
Published: January 2021

The development of the mobile industry brings about the demand for high-performance embedded systems in order to meet the requirement of user-centered application. Because of the limitation of memory resource, employing compressed data is efficient for an embedded system. However, the workload for data decompression causes an extreme bottleneck to the embedded processor. One of the ways to alleviate the bottleneck is to integrate a hardware accelerator along with the processor, constructing a system-on-chip (SoC) for the embedded system. In this paper, we propose a lossless decompression accelerator for an embedded processor, which supports LZ77 decompression and static Huffman decoding for an inflate algorithm. The accelerator is implemented on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to verify the functional suitability and fabricated in a Samsung 65 nm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. The performance of the accelerator is evaluated by the Canterbury corpus benchmark and achieved throughput up to 20.7 MB/s at 50 MHz system clock frequency.
A Murine Skin Infection Model Capable of Differentiating the Dermatopathology of Community-Associated MRSA Strain USA300 from Other MRSA Strains
Authors: Zhang Jack , Conly John , McClure JoAnn , Wu Kaiyu , Petri Bjӧrn , Barber Duane , Elsayed Sameer , Armstrong Glen , Zhang Kunyan
Published: January 2021

USA300 is a predominant and highly virulent community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) strain that is a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections. We established a murine intradermal infection model capable of demonstrating dermatopathological differences between USA300 and other MRSA strains. In this model, USA300 induced dermonecrosis, uniformly presenting as extensive open lesions with a histologically documented profound inflammatory cell infiltrate extending below the subcutis. In contrast, USA400 and a colonizing control strain M92 caused only localized non-ulcerated skin infections associated with a mild focal inflammatory infiltrate. It was also determined that the dermonecrosis induced by USA300 was associated with significantly increased neutrophil recruitment, inhibition of an antibacterial response, and increased production of cytokines/chemokines associated with disease severity. These results suggest that induction of severe skin lesions by USA300 is related to over-activation of neutrophils, inhibition of host antibacterial responses, and selective alteration of host cytokine/chemokine profiles.
Interfacial Structure Change and Selective Dissolution of Columbite–(Fe) Mineral during HF Acid Leaching
Authors: Yang Fanxi , Li Qiuju , Wang Dan , Zhou Cang , Zheng Shaobo
Published: January 2021

The goal of the paper is to study the charge transfer and reactions at the columbite-(Fe) (FeNb2O6) mineral surface during the HF leaching process. In this paper, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), leaching experiments, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to study the surface element adsorption, charge distribution, chemical state, and energy changes of the mineral surface during the process of leaching columbite–(Fe) with different concentrations of hydrofluoric acid. The results showed that as the concentration of F atoms was increased during the acid leaching process, the Nb–O bond was more likely to be broken than the Fe–O bond; the amount of charge transferred from Nb atom to F atom (0.78 e–0.94 e/atom) was greater than that from Fe atom to the F atom (0.25 e–0.28 e/atom), so it was determined that compared to Fe atoms, it was easier for the Nb atoms to bind to F. The results of XPS analysis showed that the electron binding energies of Nb5+–O, Fe3+–O, and Fe2+–O bonds on the mineral surface increased sequentially, and the M–O bond broke during the acid leaching process, forming more stable M–F bonds. Therefore, the Nb5+–F bonds were easier to form a stable structure. Combined with the ICP results, it was found that in the filtrate after 5M HF and 10M HF acid leaching minerals, c(Nb)/c(Fe) were 2.69 and 2.95, respectively, and the concentration ratio of Nb to Fe element in the mineral was 2 which was lower than 2.69 and 2.95, confirming the result of DFT calculation and illustrating that Nb atoms in columbite-(Fe) mineral were more soluble than Fe atoms.
Exploitation of Vitis vinifera, Foeniculum vulgare, Cannabis sativa and Punica granatum By-Product Seeds as Dermo-Cosmetic Agents
Authors: Michailidis Dimitris , Angelis Apostolis , Nikolaou Panagiota Efstathia , Mitakou Sofia , Skaltsounis Alexios Léandros
Published: January 2021

In the current study, by-product seed pastes (VSPs) from Vitis vinifera, Foeniculum vulgare, Cannabis sativa and Punica granatum, generated during the oil production process, were investigated for their potential exploitation as dermo-cosmetic agent. The extraction pipeline of all the raw materials was developed with emphasis on green methodologies and employed on laboratory scale based on industry-adopted techniques. Two different protocols were applied, Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) and Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE); the by-product pastes were defatted with supercritical CO2 and n-Hexane, respectively. Then, two SFE extracts (CO2 with 10% and 20% of ethanol as co-solvent) and two UAE extracts (with ethanol and ethanol/water 1:1 v/v) were obtained from each raw material. The providing yield range was between 2.6 to 76.3 mg/g raw material. The extracts were analyzed with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD) and Liquid Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometer (LC-HRMS), and the major compounds, were identified. All the extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant and inhibition activity against collagenase, elastase and tyrosinase enzymes. Grapevine by-product extracts found rich in proanthocyanidins and presented the higher inhibition activity. A holistic green experimental methodology is proposed for the obtainment of extracts from significant medicinal plants by-products that provides us with promising results concerning dermo-cosmetic properties, especially for grape seeds extracts.
Gender Differences in the Associations of Plasma Pyridoxal 5′-Phosphate with Plasma Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids among US Young and Middle-Aged Adults: NHANES 2003–2004
Authors: Kim Hyojung , Enrione Evelyn B. , Narayanan Vijaya , Li Tan , Campa Adriana
Published: January 2021

Vitamin B6-restricted diets and low plasma pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) status altered plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compositions. Evidence suggests the role of gender in the metabolism of vitamin B6 and PUFA. However, no epidemiologic study examined the impact of gender on the relationship between vitamin B6 and PUFA status in adults. Thus, we investigated whether there were gender differences in the association of vitamin B6 intake and plasma PLP concentration with plasma PUFA concentrations and ratios (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), EPA + DHA, EPA/AA, (EPA + DHA)/AA) in US young/middle-aged adults. In total, 864 participants (20–59 years; 484 men, 380 women) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2004 were used for this cross-sectional study. Nutrient intakes were estimated from two 24 h recalls and supplement questionnaires; plasma PLP and PUFA were measured. Multivariate linear regression was utilized to obtain unstandardized (b) and standardized (β) coefficients. Covariates included demographic, socioeconomic, dietary variables, physical activity level, cigarette smoking status, alcohol consumption, prescription medication use, and BMI. There were significant interactions between gender and PLP on EPA (P-interaction = 0.004), DHA (P-interaction = 0.020), EPA + DHA (P-interaction = 0.010), EPA/AA (P-interaction = 0.002), (EPA + DHA)/AA (P-interaction = 0.004), whereas no interaction between gender and B6 intake existed. In gender-stratified analyses, in men, PLP was positively associated with EPA (β = 0.138, b = 0.104, p = 0.0004), DHA (β = 0.101, b = 0.058, p = 0.036), EPA + DHA (β = 0.125, b = 0.073, p = 0.005), EPA/AA (β = 0.144, b = 0.099, p = 0.0002), (EPA + DHA)/AA (β = 0.123, b = 0.068, p = 0.005). However, no associations between PLP and PUFA existed in women. In conclusion, gender differences were found in the relationships between plasma PLP and plasma EPA, DHA, EPA + DHA, EPA/AA, and (EPA + DHA)/AA, with significant direct associations in men only among US young/middle-aged adults.
Antitrypanosomal and Antileishmanial Activity of Chalcones and Flavanones from Polygonum salicifolium
Authors: Zheoat Ahmed M. , Alenezi Samya , Elmahallawy Ehab Kotb , Ungogo Marzuq A. , Alghamdi Ali H. , Watson David G. , Igoli John O. , Gray Alexander I. , de Koning Harry P. , Ferro Valerie A.
Published: February 2021

Trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis are a group of neglected parasitic diseases caused by several species of parasites belonging to the family Trypansomatida. The present study investigated the antitrypanosomal and antileishmanial activity of chalcones and flavanones from Polygonum salicifolium, which grows in the wetlands of Iraq. The phytochemical evaluation of the plant yielded two chalcones, 2′,4′-dimethoxy-6′-hydroxychalcone and 2′,5′-dimethoxy-4′,6′-dihydroxychalcone, and two flavanones, 5,7-dimethoxyflavanone and 5,8-dimethoxy-7-hydroxyflavanone. The chalcones showed a good antitrypanosomal and antileishmanial activity while the flavanones were inactive. The EC50 values for 2′,4′-dimethoxy-6′-hydroxychalcone against Trypanosoma brucei brucei (0.5 μg/mL), T. congolense (2.5 μg/mL), and Leishmania mexicana (5.2 μg/mL) indicated it was the most active of the compounds. None of the compounds displayed any toxicity against a human cell line, even at 100 µg/mL, or cross-resistance with first line clinical trypanocides, such as diamidines and melaminophenyl arsenicals. Taken together, our study provides significant data in relation to the activity of chalcones and flavanones from P. salicifolium against both parasites in vitro. Further future research is suggested in order to investigate the mode of action of the extracted chalcones against the parasites.
Thermal Stresses in Maize: Effects and Management Strategies
Authors: Waqas Muhammad Ahmed , Wang Xiukang , Zafar Syed Adeel , Noor Mehmood Ali , Hussain Hafiz Athar , Azher Nawaz Muhammad , Farooq Muhammad
Published: February 2021

Climate change can decrease the global maize productivity and grain quality. Maize crop requires an optimal temperature for better harvest productivity. A suboptimal temperature at any critical stage for a prolonged duration can negatively affect the growth and yield formation processes. This review discusses the negative impact of temperature extremes (high and low temperatures) on the morpho-physiological, biochemical, and nutritional traits of the maize crop. High temperature stress limits pollen viability and silks receptivity, leading to a significant reduction in seed setting and grain yield. Likewise, severe alterations in growth rate, photosynthesis, dry matter accumulation, cellular membranes, and antioxidant enzyme activities under low temperature collectively limit maize productivity. We also discussed various strategies with practical examples to cope with temperature stresses, including cultural practices, exogenous protectants, breeding climate-smart crops, and molecular genomics approaches. We reviewed that identified quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genes controlling high- and low temperature stress tolerance in maize could be introgressed into otherwise elite cultivars to develop stress-tolerant cultivars. Genome editing has become a key tool for developing climate-resilient crops. Moreover, challenges to maize crop improvement such as lack of adequate resources for breeding in poor countries, poor communication among the scientists of developing and developed countries, problems in germplasm exchange, and high cost of advanced high-throughput phenotyping systems are discussed. In the end, future perspectives for maize improvement are discussed, which briefly include new breeding technologies such as transgene-free clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas)-mediated genome editing for thermo-stress tolerance in maize.
Quinoa in Ecuador: Recent Advances under Global Expansion
Authors: Hinojosa Leonardo , Leguizamo Alex , Carpio Carlos , Muñoz Diego , Mestanza Camilo , Ochoa José , Castillo Carmen , Murillo Angel , Villacréz Elena , Monar Carlos , Pichazaca Nicolas , Murphy Kevin
Published: February 2021

Quinoa is a highly diverse crop domesticated in the Andean region of South America with broad adaptation to a wide range of marginal environments. Quinoa has garnered interest worldwide due to its nutritional and health benefits. Over the last decade, quinoa production has expanded outside of the Andean region, prompting multiple studies investigating the potential for quinoa cultivation in novel environments. Currently, quinoa is grown in countries spanning five continents, including North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Here, we update the advances of quinoa research in Ecuador across different topics, including (a) current quinoa production situation with a focus on breeding progress, (b) traditional seed production, and (c) the impact of the work of the nongovernment organization “European Committee for Training and Agriculture” with quinoa farmers in Chimborazo province. Additionally, we discuss genetic diversity, primary pests and diseases, actions for adapting quinoa to tropical areas, and recent innovations in quinoa processing in Ecuador. Finally, we report a case study describing a participatory breeding project between Washington State University and the Association of Andean Seed and Nutritional Food Producers Mushuk Yuyay in the province of Cañar.
Leaf Extracts of Anchomanes difformis Ameliorated Kidney and Pancreatic Damage in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Alabi Toyin Dorcas , Brooks Nicole L. , Oguntibeju Oluwafemi O
Published: February 2021

Kidney disease in diabetes is one of the common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus implicated in end-stage renal failure. This study explored the ability of Anchomanes difformis to ameliorate kidney and pancreatic damage in type 2 diabetes mellitus using male Wistar rats. Two weeks of fructose (10%) administration followed by streptozotocin (40 mg/kg) were used to induce type 2 diabetes. Leaf extract (aqueous) of Anchomanes difformis (200 mg and 400 mg/kgBW) was administered orally for six weeks. Body weights were monitored, urea and creatinine were measured. Interleukins (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, and TNFα were measured in the kidney lysate. CAT, SOD, ORAC, FRAP, and MDA levels were also evaluated in the kidney. Transcription factors (Nrf2 and NF-ĸB/p65) and apoptotic markers (Bcl2 and caspase 3) were investigated in the kidney. Histological sections of the pancreas and kidney tissues were examined for any visible pathology. Supplementation with Anchomanesdifformis enhanced antioxidant status, modulated inflammatory response, and reduced apoptosis in the kidney. It also restored the kidney and pancreatic histoarchitecture of the treated diabetic rats. The pathophysiology associated with diabetic nephropathy and pancreatic damage showcase the importance of exploring the use of antidiabetic, nephroprotective agents such as Anchomanes difformis to kidney damage in type 2 diabetes.
Development of Quinoa Value Chain to Improve Food and Nutritional Security in Rural Communities in Rehamna, Morocco: Lessons Learned and Perspectives
Authors: Hirich Abdelaziz , Rafik Sifeddine , Rahmani Mohamed , Fetouab Amira , Azaykou Fatima , Filali Kaoutar , Ahmadzai Hayatullah , Jnaoui Younes , Soulaimani Aziz , Moussafir Mariam , El Gharous Mohamed , Karboune Salwa , Sbai Abdelaziz , Choukr-Allah Redouane
Published: February 2021

Agricultural production in the Rehamna region, Morocco is limited with various challenges including drought and salinity. Introduction of climate resilient and rustic crops such as quinoa was an optimal solution to increase farmer’s income and improve food security. This study summarizes results obtained from a research project aiming to develop quinoa value chain in Morocco. The study tackled several aspects including agronomic traits (yield and growth), transformation, quality (nutritional and antinutritional traits) and economic analysis and, finally, a strength–weaknesses–opportunities–threats analysis, lessons learned and development perspectives were presented. From an agronomic point of view, introduced new quinoa cultivars showed higher performance than locally cultivated seeds and, furthermore, the use of irrigation and organic amendment has tremendously improved seed yield by double and three times, respectively, compared to rainfed conditions. Nutritional analysis revealed that protein and phosphorus content remained stable after seed pearling while most of the micronutrients content decreased after seed pearling. However, saponins content was reduced by 68% using mechanical pearling compared to 57% using both traditional abrasion and washing. The economic analysis showed that production cost of quinoa seeds could be further decreased using mechanized intensive tools along with irrigation and organic amendment supply. This study revealed several lessons learned from the field experience and proposed several development actions for each value chain component that can be implemented within a national quinoa program.
NAC and MYB Families and Lignin Biosynthesis-Related Members Identification and Expression Analysis in Melilotus albus
Authors: Chen Lijun , Wu Fan , Zhang Jiyu
Published: February 2021

Melilotus albus is an annual or biennial legume species that adapts to extreme environments via its high stress tolerance. NAC and MYB transcription factors (TFs) are involved in the regulation of lignin biosynthesis, which has not been studied in M. albus. A total of 101 MaNAC and 299 MaMYB members were identified based on M. albus genome. Chromosome distribution and synteny analysis indicated that some genes underwent tandem duplication. Ka/Ks analysis suggested that MaNACs and MaMYBs underwent strong purifying selection. Stress-, hormone- and development-related cis-elements and MYB-binding sites were identified in the promoter regions of MaNACs and MaMYBs. Five MaNACs, two MaMYBs and ten lignin biosynthesis genes were identified as presenting coexpression relationships according to weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). Eleven and thirteen candidate MaNAC and MaMYB genes related to lignin biosynthesis were identified, respectively, and a network comprising these genes was constructed which further confirmed the MaNAC and MaMYB relationship. These candidate genes had conserved gene structures and motifs and were highly expressed in the stems and roots, and qRT-PCR further verified the expression patterns. Overall, our results provide a reference for determining the precise role of NAC and MYB genes in M. albus and may facilitate efforts to breed low-lignin-content forage cultivars in the future.
Association Mapping of Verticillium Wilt Disease in a Worldwide Collection of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)
Authors: Bardak Adem , Çelik Sadettin , Erdoğan Oktay , Ekinci Remzi , Dumlupinar Ziya
Published: February 2021

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is the best plant fiber source in the world and provides the raw material for industry. Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb. is accepted as a major disease of cotton production. The most practical way to deal with verticillium wilt is to develop resistant/tolerant varieties after cultural practices. One of the effective selections in plant breeding is the use of marker-assisted selection (MAS) via quantitative trait loci (QTL). Therefore, in this study, we aimed to discover the genetic markers associated with the disease. Through the association mapping analysis, common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were obtained using 4730 SNP alleles. As a result, twenty-three markers were associated with defoliating (PYDV6 isolate) pathotype, twenty-one markers with non-defoliating (Vd11 isolate) pathotype, ten QTL with Disease Severity Index (DSI) of the leaves at the 50–60% boll opening period and eight markers were associated with DSI in the stem section. Some of the markers that show significant associations are located on protein coding genes such as protein Mpv17-like, 21 kDa protein-like, transcription factor MYB113-like, protein dehydration-induced 19 homolog 3-like, F-box protein CPR30-like, extracellular ribonuclease LE-like, putative E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase LIN, pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein At3g62890-like, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, tubby-like F-box protein 8, endoglucanase 16-like, glucose-6-phosphate/phosphate translocator 2, metal tolerance protein 11-like, VAN3-binding protein-like, transformation/transcription domain-associated protein-like, pyruvate kinase isozyme A, ethylene-responsive transcription factor CRF2-like, molybdate transporter 2-like, IRK-interacting protein-like, glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor attachment 1 protein, U3 small nucleolar RNA-associated protein 4-like, microtubule-associated protein futsch-like, transport and Golgi organization 2 homolog, splicing factor 3B subunit 3-like, mediator of RNA polymerase II transcription subunit 15a-like, putative ankyrin repeat protein, and protein networked 1D-like. It has been reported in previous studies that most of these genes are associated with biotic and abiotic stress factors. As a result, once validated, it would be possible to use the markers obtained in the study in Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) breeding.
On Catalytic Kinetics of Enzymes
Authors: Dong Jianshu
Published: January 2021

Classical enzyme kinetic theories are summarized and linked with modern discoveries here. The sequential catalytic events along time axis by enzyme are analyzed at the molecular level, and by using master equations, this writing tries to connect the microscopic molecular behavior of enzyme to kinetic data (like velocity and catalytic coefficient k) obtained in experiment: 1/k = t equals to the sum of the times taken by the constituent individual steps. The relationships between catalytic coefficient k, catalytic rate or velocity, the amount of time taken by each step and physical or biochemical conditions of the system are discussed, and the perspective and hypothetic equations proposed here regarding diffusion, conformational change, chemical conversion, product release steps and the whole catalytic cycle provide an interpretation of previous experimental observations and can be testified by future experiments.
Preparation and Tribological Properties of Graphene Lubricant Additives for Low-Sulfur Fuel by Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma-Assisted Ball Milling
Authors: Hou Xianbin , Ma Yanjun , Bhandari Geetanj , Yin Zibin , Dai Leyang , Liao Haifeng , Wei Yukun
Published: January 2021

Poor lubrication performance of low-sulfur fuel leads to increased wear of diesel engine components. In order to improve the lubrication properties of low-sulfur fuel, we successfully prepared graphene lubricant additives by dielectric barrier discharge plasma-assisted ball milling. The tribological properties of graphene lubricant additives in two types of 0# diesel oils with different sulfur content were evaluated by high-frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR). The results indicated that the expanded graphite was exfoliated and refined into graphene sheets with nine layers by the synergistic effect of the heat explosive effect of the discharge plasma, the impact of mechanical milling function, and the cavitation effect of 0# diesel oil. The organic functional groups of 0# diesel oil were successfully grafted on the surface of graphene sheets. The addition of 0.03 wt % graphene resulted in 20% reduction in the friction coefficient (COF) and 28% reduction in wear scar diameter (WSD) compared to pure 0# diesel oil with a sulfur content of 310 mg/kg. The addition of 0.03 wt % graphene resulted in 24% reduction in the friction coefficient (COF) and 30% reduction in wear scar diameter (WSD) compared to pure 0# diesel oil with a sulfur content of 1.1 mg/kg. The formation of graphene tribofilm on rubbing surfaces improved the lubrication properties of low-sulfur fuel.
Extracellular Vesicle Transportation and Uptake by Recipient Cells: A Critical Process to Regulate Human Diseases
Authors: Kwok Zhi Hao , Wang Chenghao , Jin Yang
Published: January 2021

Emerging evidence highlights the relevance of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in modulating human diseases including but not limited to cancer, inflammation, and neurological disorders. EVs can be found in almost all types of human body fluids, suggesting that their trafficking may allow for their targeting to remote recipient cells. While molecular processes underlying EV biogenesis and secretion are increasingly elucidated, mechanisms governing EV transportation, target finding and binding, as well as uptake into recipient cells remain to be characterized. Understanding the specificity of EV transport and uptake is critical to facilitating the development of EVs as valuable diagnostics and therapeutics. In this mini review, we focus on EV uptake mechanisms and specificities, as well as their implications in human diseases.
Rhizopus oligosporus-Assisted Valorization of Coconut Endosperm Waste by Black Soldier Fly Larvae for Simultaneous Protein and Lipid to Biodiesel Production
Authors: Wong Chung Yiin , Kiatkittipong Kunlanan , Kiatkittipong Worapon , Lim Jun Wei , Lam Man Kee , Wu Ta Yeong , Show Pau Loke , Daud Hanita , Goh Pei Sean , Sakuragi Mina , Elfis
Published: February 2021

Coconut endosperm waste (CEW) was treated by Rhizopus oligosporus via in situ and ex situ fermentations together with bioconversion into valuable black soldier fly larval biomass. The ex situ fermentation could overall enrich the nutritional compositions of CEW by hydrolyzing its complex organic polymers and exuding assimilable nutrients to enhance the black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) growth. Nevertheless, the larval gut bacteria were competing with Rhizopus oligosporus in in situ fermentation, derailing the hydrolysis processes and larval growth. Accordingly, the highest growth rates achieved were around 0.095 g/day, as opposed to only 0.065 g/day whilst using 0.5 wt% of Rhizopus oligosporus to perform ex situ and in situ fermentations, respectively. These were also underpinned by the greater amount of total CEW consumed when employing ex situ fermentation, with comparable metabolic costs to feeding on in situ-fermented CEW. The mature BSFL were subsequently harvested and the amounts of protein and lipid produced were assessed in terms of their feasibility for biodiesel production. While the statistical analyses showed that the larval protein yields derived from both fermentation modes were insignificant, the BSFL could attain higher lipid and protein productivities upon feeding with ex situ- rather than in situ-fermented CEW mediums. Better yet, the larval biodiesel quality measured in terms of the fatty acid methyl ester composition were not varied significantly by Rhizopus oligosporus through the fermentation process. Thereby, the presence of 1.0 wt% Rhizopus oligosporus was considered optimum to perform ex situ fermentation, giving rise to the acceptable growth of BSFL loaded with the highest lipid yield and productivity for producing biodiesel and protein simultaneously.
Prisoner Reformation and the Promise of Religion
Authors: Ross Lee
Published: February 2021

Why do so many prisoners seek religious instruction and guidance while incarcerated [...]
Improved Cycle Slip Repair with GPS Triple-Frequency Measurements by Minifying the Influences of Ionospheric Variation and Pseudorange Errors
Authors: Li Dehai , Dang Yamin , Yuan Yunbin , Mi Jinzhong
Published: February 2021

In advance of precise positioning with phase data, cycle slip detection (CSD) is a basic work that should be implemented in phase data possessing. When the cycle slip occurred, cycle slip repair (CSR) can be taken to rebuild the continuity of phase data. Unfortunately, the large pseudorange errors can contaminate the combinations with the pseudoranges and phases such as the Hatch–Melbourne–Wubbena combination (HMW) and cause false CSD or wrong CSR results. On the other hand, the severe ionospheric time variation can deteriorate the epoch-difference geometry-free phase (GF), and tremendously interfere with the performances of CSD and CSR. To handle the aforementioned limitations, a global position system (GPS) triple-frequency CSR method (GTCSR) is proposed with two efficient treatments: (1) the significant ionospheric variations are corrected, and the influences from the residual ionospheric effects are minimized along with the observational noises; and (2) the impacts of large pseudorange errors are refrained by designing a discrimination function with a geometry-free and ionosphere-free phase to identify the correct cycle slip values. Consequently, CSR tests were conducted with three monitoring stations at different regions. First, during a strong geomagnetic storm, without correcting the ionospheric variation of CSR (WICSR) displayed obvious failures, and many epochs of cycle slip values from WICSR deviated from the known values. However, the results of the GTCSR were correct, and GTCSR presented a higher success rate than that of WICSR. Furthermore, for the real triple-frequency data, by adding gross errors of 2.5 m on all epoch-difference pseudoranges epoch by epoch, the conventional triple-frequency CSR with the optimized combinations (CTCSR) and the CSD with HMW (HMWCSD) showed many mistakes, where the results of CTCSR and HMWCSD on numerous epochs were inconsistent with the actual situations, but the success rate of GTCSR was significantly higher than those of CTCSR and HMWCSD. In summary, in the condition of the cutoff elevation being larger than 10 degrees, improved performances and higher success rates were achieved from GTCSR under environments of large pseudorange errors and severe ionospheric variations.
Simultaneous Acquisition of Ultrasound and Gamma Signals with a Single-Channel Readout
Authors: Ullah Muhammad Nasir , Park Yuseung , Kim Gyeong Beom , Kim Chanho , Park Chansun , Choi Hojong , Yeom Jung-Yeol
Published: February 2021

We propose an integrated front-end data acquisition circuit for a hybrid ultrasound (US)-gamma probe. The proposed circuit consists of three main parts: (1) a preamplifier for the gamma probe, (2) a preprocessing analog circuit for the US, and (3) a digitally controlled analog switch. By exploiting the long idle time of the US system, an analog switch can be used to acquire data of both systems using a single output channel simultaneously. On the nuclear medicine (NM) gamma probe side, energy resolutions of 18.4% and 17.5% were acquired with the standalone system and with the proposed switching circuit, respectively, when irradiated with a Co-57 radiation source. Similarly, signal-to-noise ratios of 14.89 and 13.12 dB were achieved when US echo signals were acquired with the standalone system and with the proposed switching circuit, respectively. Lastly, a combined US-gamma probe was used to scan a glass target and a sealed radiation source placed in a water tank. The results confirmed that, by using a hybrid US-gamma probe system, it is possible to distinguish between the two objects and acquire structural information (ultrasound) alongside molecular information (gamma radiation source).
Synergy-Based Sensor Reduction for Recording the Whole Hand Kinematics
Authors: Jarque-Bou Néstor J. , Sancho-Bru Joaquín L. , Vergara Margarita
Published: February 2021

Simultaneous measurement of the kinematics of all hand segments is cumbersome due to sensor placement constraints, occlusions, and environmental disturbances. The aim of this study is to reduce the number of sensors required by using kinematic synergies, which are considered the basic building blocks underlying hand motions. Synergies were identified from the public KIN-MUS UJI database (22 subjects, 26 representative daily activities). Ten synergies per subject were extracted as the principal components explaining at least 95% of the total variance of the angles recorded across all tasks. The 220 resulting synergies were clustered, and candidate angles for estimating the remaining angles were obtained from these groups. Different combinations of candidates were tested and the one providing the lowest error was selected, its goodness being evaluated against kinematic data from another dataset (KINE-ADL BE-UJI). Consequently, the original 16 joint angles were reduced to eight: carpometacarpal flexion and abduction of thumb, metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal flexion of thumb, proximal interphalangeal flexion of index and ring fingers, metacarpophalangeal flexion of ring finger, and palmar arch. Average estimation errors across joints were below 10% of the range of motion of each joint angle for all the activities. Across activities, errors ranged between 3.1% and 16.8%.
State-of-the-Art Mobile Radiation Detection Systems for Different Scenarios
Authors: Marques Luís , Vale Alberto , Vaz Pedro
Published: February 2021

In the last decade, the development of more compact and lightweight radiation detection systems led to their application in handheld and small unmanned systems, particularly air-based platforms. Examples of improvements are: the use of silicon photomultiplier-based scintillators, new scintillating crystals, compact dual-mode detectors (gamma/neutron), data fusion, mobile sensor networks, cooperative detection and search. Gamma cameras and dual-particle cameras are increasingly being used for source location. This study reviews and discusses the research advancements in the field of gamma-ray and neutron measurements using mobile radiation detection systems since the Fukushima nuclear accident. Four scenarios are considered: radiological and nuclear accidents and emergencies; illicit traffic of special nuclear materials and radioactive materials; nuclear, accelerator, targets, and irradiation facilities; and naturally occurring radioactive materials monitoring-related activities. The work presented in this paper aims to: compile and review information on the radiation detection systems, contextual sensors and platforms used for each scenario; assess their advantages and limitations, looking prospectively to new research and challenges in the field; and support the decision making of national radioprotection agencies and response teams in respect to adequate detection system for each scenario. For that, an extensive literature review was conducted.
Marker-Based Method for Recognition of Camera Position for Mobile Robots
Authors: Gwak Dong-Gi , Yang Kyon-Mo , Park Min-Ro , Hahm Jehun , Koo Jaewan , Lee Joonwoo , Seo Kap-Ho
Published: February 2021

Position recognition is one of the core technologies for driving a robot because of differences in environment and rapidly changing situations. This study proposes a strategy for estimating the position of a camera mounted on a mobile robot. The proposed strategy comprises three methods. The first is to directly acquire information (e.g., identification (ID), marker size and marker type) to recognize the position of the camera relative to the marker. The advantage of this marker system is that a combination of markers of different sizes or having different information may be used without having to update the internal parameters of the robot system even if the user frequently changes or adds to the marker’s identification information. In the second, two novel markers are proposed to consider the real environment in which real robots are applied: a nested marker and a hierarchical marker. These markers are proposed to improve the ability of the camera to recognize markers while the camera is moving on the mobile robot. The nested marker is effective for robots like drones, which land and take off vertically with respect to the ground. The hierarchical marker is suitable for robots that move horizontally with respect to the ground such as wheeled mobile robots. The third method is the calculation of the position of an added or moved marker based on a reference marker. This method automatically updates the positions of markers after considering the change in the driving area of the mobile robot. Finally, the proposed methods were validated through experiments.
The UJI Aerial Librarian Robot: A Quadcopter for Visual Library Inventory and Book Localisation
Authors: Martinez-Martin Ester , Ferrer Eric , Vasilev Ilia , del Pobil Angel P.
Published: February 2021

Over time, the field of robotics has provided solutions to automate routine tasks in different scenarios. In particular, libraries are awakening great interest in automated tasks since they are semi-structured environments where machines coexist with humans and several repetitive operations could be automatically performed. In addition, multirotor aerial vehicles have become very popular in many applications over the past decade, however autonomous flight in confined spaces still presents a number of challenges and the use of small drones has not been reported as an automated inventory device within libraries. This paper presents the UJI aerial librarian robot that leverages computer vision techniques to autonomously self-localize and navigate in a library for automated inventory and book localization. A control strategy to navigate along the library bookcases is presented by using visual markers for self-localization during a visual inspection of bookshelves. An image-based book recognition technique is described that combines computer vision techniques to detect the tags on the book spines, followed by an optical character recognizer (OCR) to convert the book code on the tags into text. These data can be used for library inventory. Misplaced books can be automatically detected, and a particular book can be located within the library. Our quadrotor robot was tested in a real library with promising results. The problems encountered and limitation of the system are discussed, along with its relation to similar applications, such as automated inventory in warehouses.