bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Institutional Settings and Effects on Agricultural Land Conversion: A Global and Spatial Analysis of European Regions
Authors: Ustaoglu Eda , Williams Brendan
Published: December 2022

Spatial planning systems and institutions have a significant role in managing non-agricultural land growth in Europe and the assessment of how their implementation impacts on agricultural land consumption is of great significance for policy and institutional improvement. Reducing the area of agricultural land taken for urban development, or eliminating such conversion, is an international policy priority aiming to maintain the amount and quality of land resources currently available for food production and sustainable development. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of land use planning systems and institutional settings on urban conversion of agricultural land in the 265 NUTS2 level EU27 and UK regions. Taking these regions as the unit of our analysis, the research developed and used global and local econometrics models to estimate the effect based on socio-economic, institutional and land use data for the 2000–2018 period. There is limited research focusing on the impacts of institutional settings and planning types of the European countries on the conversion of agricultural land. Furthermore, existing research has not considered the spatial relationships with the determinants of agricultural land conversion and the response variable, therefore, our research aimed to contribute to the literature on the subject. The results showed that the types of spatial planning systems and institution variables significantly impact the conversion of agricultural land to urban uses. Socio-economic indicators and areas of agricultural and urban land have significant impact on agricultural land conversion for any type of spatial planning system. A further result was that decentralization and political fragmentation were positively associated with agricultural land conversion while quality of regional government and governance was negatively associated. A local regression model was assessed to explore the different spatial patterns of the relationships driving agricultural land conversion. The main empirical finding from this model was that there was spatial variation of driving factors of agricultural land conversion in Europe.
Climate-Smart Agriculture Amidst Climate Change to Enhance Agricultural Production: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Okolie Collins C. , Danso-Abbeam Gideon , Groupson-Paul Okechukwu , Ogundeji Abiodun A.
Published: December 2022

Climate change significantly impacts global agricultural productivity. Therefore, a more dynamic farming system is needed to enable farmers to better adapt to climate change while contributing to efforts to produce enough food to feed the growing world population. In the context of climate change, this study analyzed the empirical scientific literature on the link between climate-smart agriculture and farm productivity. To evaluate the relevant articles, the authors used the search term “climate-smart agriculture amidst climate change to enhance agricultural production (CSA-CCAP)” to find studies published between 2009 and March 2022 using innovative bibliometric techniques. One hundred and sixteen published papers in BibTeX format were downloaded for further analysis. The most successful selected CSA approaches in Africa, such as in the Congo Basin forest, including sustainable land management practices, water-efficient maize hybrids, and others, aim to counteract climate change with signs of 200 percent output gains. The findings showed an annual growth rate of about 19%, demonstrating that research on CSA-CCAP expanded over time during the study period. Nonetheless, the research output on CSA-CCAP varied, with 2021 accounting for 30%, followed by 2020 with 16% as of March 2022. The study concluded that boosting agricultural productivity in the face of climate change may be accomplished through CSA to end hunger, eradicate poverty, and improve people’s well-being.
Spatial Impact of Government Venture Capital on Urbanization and Its Path—Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration in China
Authors: Cao Qilin , Hou Anhong , Li Xiang , Jiang Chunxue
Published: December 2022

Despite being the world’s largest developing country and experiencing rapid economic growth, China’s urbanization process lags behind the global standard. The comprehensive promotion of urbanization development is a critical issue for the Chinese government, with government venture capital playing a significant role in promoting regional economic development. Using urbanization dimension levels extracted through factor analysis, this study analyzes the impact of government venture capital on the urbanization development of the Yangtze River Delta region of China and explores its path to determine its spatial spillover effect on surrounding areas. The results show that government venture capital funds can significantly promote urbanization development in this region, primarily by influencing the residents’ standard of living and urban construction levels. In addition, the spatial spillover effect of urbanization can be realized through the promotion of the urban construction level and the ecological health level of surrounding areas. While previous literature has examined government venture capital from multiple perspectives and dimensions, few scholars have investigated the impact of government venture capital on the critical issue of urbanization development. This study fills that research gap and serves as a reference for the Chinese government to promote high−quality urbanization development.
How Does Urban Farming Benefit Participants? Two Case Studies of the Garden City Initiative in Taipei
Authors: Zhou Yan , Wei Chunjui , Zhou Yong
Published: December 2022

In discussions on urban food security and healthy aging, urban agriculture is described in the context of changing approaches to sustainable urban development under crises. Space planning-related urban agriculture practices, such as edible landscaping combing design and small-scale crop production, are the primary active strategies and environmental policy tools. This paper addresses urban food security and health aging by practicing campus agriculture and community gardens around National Taiwan University. In particular, this study adopts participatory action research, participatory observation, and semi-structured, in-depth interviews as the research method. We examined the challenges and benefits of implementing urban agriculture in Taipei. Further, we proposed that urban agricultural space building and planning based on a social support network of urban agriculture can effectively address food supply and healthy aging for an aging urban society to some extent.
Spatial Pattern and Spillover Effects of the Urban Land Green Use Efficiency for the Lanzhou-Xining Urban Agglomeration of the Yellow River Basin
Authors: Sun Yufan , Jia Zhuo , Chen Qi , Na Heya
Published: December 2022

Green development is necessary for building high-quality modern economic systems. Due to limited land resources, ensuring the ecological benefits will not be damaged while developing the economy is necessary, as is improving urban land green use efficiency (ULGUE). Lanzhou-Xining Urban Agglomeration is a crucial urban agglomeration in the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin. The improvement of ULGUE can promote the integrated management of the region’s land and achieve harmonious development with the social economy. This study adopts a super-efficiency SBM model to quantify the ULGUE of the Lanzhou-Xining urban agglomeration between 2015 and 2020, analysing its spatial and temporal patterns by combining exploratory spatial data analysis. The spatial spillover effect was discussed using the spatial Durbin model. The results showed that the average value of ULGUE in the study period was on the rise and showed positive spatial autocorrelation. The ULGUE of provincial capital cities was higher than non, along with the efficiency of city proper, compared to other counties. Many factors were found to positively influence the ULGUE of the whole study region. Among these were the optimisation of industrial structure, economic development, urbanisation level, and government intervention. Population concentration and environmental regulation had a negative spatial spillover effect.
Governance and Articulation from the Externado de Colombia University with Its Environment: A Look from the Multifunctional and Territorialized Agri-Food Systems
Authors: Rojas-Jiménez Hector Heraldo , Herrera-Chiquillo Fernando , Guzmán-Aguilera Patricia , Rodríguez-Muñoz Flavio , Triana-Vega Angélica , Pinzón-Camargo Mario , Beltrán-Vargas Diana
Published: December 2022

Bogota, the capital of Colombia, has recently presented an important expansion of its territory. This has triggered the displacement of rural and peasant areas. However, some neighboring municipalities have managed to stay out of the city’s growth process thanks to their geographical conditions and have also generated important links from their agri-food systems. In these articulation processes, the governance schemes and its actors are key. This analysis seeks to answer what have been the main strategies and coordination mechanisms implemented by the Universidad Externado de Colombia (UEC) to achieve multiple interactions between the actors involved in the multifunctional and territorialized agri-food systems (MTLAFS MTLAFS). For the above, the municipality of Choachi and its relationship with Externado University as an articulator of actions that contribute to the construction of territorial and regional dynamics are taken as an illustrative case. Within the framework of the qualitative methodology, case studies were used, with the concept of governance as the axis of analysis. As part of the results, some recommendations are presented for the work of universities in multifunctional and territorialized short circuits, as well as for the understanding of the actors, mainly the university, in the governance schemes of agri-food systems.
Conservation Planning for Action: End-User Engagement in the Development and Dual-Centric Weighting of a Spatial Decision Support System
Authors: Gallo John A. , Lombard Amanda T. , Cowling Richard M.
Published: December 2022

The implementation of systematic conservation plans often involves collaboration among several organizations, so attaining consensus on the plan is an important driver of implementation success. We utilized participatory action research to explore an approach for developing consensus among organizations and facilitating implementation. A real-world challenge was addressed in the Little Karoo, South Africa by creating a spatial decision support system (SDSS) based primarily on weighted multi-criteria GIS overlays, but with an “incremental allocation algorithm” to allow efficient solution sets (i.e., systematic conservation planning). The end-users of the SDSS participated in the choice of criteria, in the selection of model parameter values, and in co-defining their group process. We co-designed a dual-centric weighting process in which the participants developed a set of weights and parameter values for attaining consensus among the organizations, and also a set for yielding the result that is best for biodiversity. The process yielded a consensus on the spatial priorities and, thus, a way forward. The estimated spatial priorities for each organization differed dramatically from each other and from the consensus priorities, indicating that a large discrepancy had been resolved. Our study indicates that the consensus-building and decision-support benefits of participatory multi-criteria overlay approaches merit closer attention in systematic conservation planning. The use of weighted overlays and an incremental allocation algorithm appear to be useful approaches for streamlining the participatory process while maintaining rigor and spatial complementarity. Finally, we uncovered theoretical psychological ramifications of the dual-centric weighting process that are promising and merit testing.
Growing Community: Factors of Inclusion for Refugee and Immigrant Urban Gardeners
Authors: Goralnik Lissy , Radonic Lucero , Garcia Polanco Vanessa , Hammon Angel
Published: December 2022

Urban agriculture is an important neighborhood revitalization strategy in the U.S. Rust Belt, where deindustrialization has left blighted and vacant land in the urban core. Immigrants and refugees represent a growing and important stakeholder group in urban agriculture, including in community gardens across the Rust Belt Midwest. Community gardens provide a host of social and economic benefits to urban landscapes, including increased access to culturally appropriate food and medicinal plants for refugee and immigrant growers. Our work in Lansing, Michigan was part of a collaboration with the Greater Lansing Food Bank’s Garden Project (GLFGP) to describe the refugee and immigrant community gardening experience in three urban gardens with high refugee and immigrant enrollment. Our research describes the ways garden management facilitates inclusion for refugee and immigrant gardeners and how particular factors of inclusion in turn contribute to social capital, an important outcome that plays a critical role in refugee and immigrant subjective wellbeing.
Spatiotemporal Evolution Trends of Urban Total Factor Carbon Efficiency under the Dual-Carbon Background
Authors: Luo Haiyan , Qu Xiaoe
Published: December 2022

In order to grasp the development laws of carbon efficiency and help China to achieve the dual-carbon goal as soon as possible, we used the super-efficiency EBM model to calculate the total factor carbon efficiency of cities, based on panel data for 283 prefecture-level cities in China from 2004 to 2019. The spatiotemporal variations in carbon efficiency were analyzed using the Dagum Gini coefficient, LISA aggregation and standard deviational ellipse. The dynamic evolution trends were analyzed using kernel density estimation and the spatial Markov chain. The results showed that the overall difference in total factor carbon efficiency between the 283 cities decreased, and the difference within the three regions was greater than that between regions. The total factor carbon efficiency of the cities had a significant spatial correlation, and the spatial distribution patterns showed a centripetal aggregation from northeast to southwest. The dynamic evolution characteristics of the carbon emission intensity in different regions were quite different and the polarization of eastern and central cities was more obvious. There was a significant path dependence effect on the transition probability of total factor carbon efficiency between cities, and the carbon efficiency level of neighboring cities could affect the transition probability of the carbon efficiency of the cities. Based on the above conclusions, we also put forward relevant policy recommendations for technological changes on the energy supply side, innovative development patterns and the governance of regional policies.
Urban Green Innovation Efficiency in China: Spatiotemporal Evolution and Influencing Factors
Authors: Dong Shumin , Xue Yuting , Ren Guixiu , Liu Kai
Published: December 2022

Investigating urban green innovation efficiency (UGIE) is imperative because it is correlated with the development of an ecological civilization and an innovative country. Spatiotemporal evolution and influencing factors of UGIE are two important scientific problems that are worth exploring. This study presents an indicator system for UGIE that includes input, expected output, and unexpected output, and employs a super-efficiency slacks-based measure (super-SBM) to calculate UGIE in 284 cities at or above the prefecture level in China from 2005 to 2020. Then, we adopted spatial auto-correlation to identify its spatial differences among these cities and Geodetector to evaluate its influencing factors. The results are as follows: (1) The overall UGIE tended to rise, except in northeastern China, megacities, and super large-sized cities. (2) The UGIE of Chinese cities exhibited remarkable spatial differences and auto-correlation, and the “low-low” type enjoyed the most local spatial auto-correlations. (3) Sociocultural factors represented by the number of collections in public libraries became the most important factors affecting the UGIE in China.
Spatial-Temporal Evolution and Its Influencing Factors on Urban Land Use Efficiency in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Zhang Liguo , Huang Luchen , Xia Jinglin , Duan Kaifeng
Published: December 2022

Improving urban land use efficiency is a feasible way to realize sustainable development and alleviate urban land pressure on the city. The main purpose of this article is to measure the urban land use efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and explore its evolutionary trends and influencing factors, so as to provide references for policy formulation to promote efficient land use and sustainable development. Therefore, we calculated the value of urban land use efficiency in the Yangtze River economic belt from 2004 to 2019, based on the super efficiency SBM model, including unexpected output. Further, we analyzed the spatial-temporal evolution, and spatial correlation and its influencing factors. The main results are as follows: Firstly, urban land use efficiency in the Yangtze River economic belt continues to improve as a whole, but it is higher in the east and lower in the west. In the kernel density evolution map, the development trend is steep at first and then slows, and the gap tends to decrease. Secondly, the spatial correlation of urban land use efficiency in the Yangtze River economic belt increases year by year, showing a positive correlation overall. The high-high agglomeration shifts to the east, low-low agglomeration shifts to the west, and low-high and high-low agglomeration show scattered distribution. The hot and cold spots are distributed regionally and have a diffusion trend. Thirdly, the results of the spatial Dubbin model show that the urbanization level, government expenditure and industrial instruction transformation can promote the improvement of urban land use efficiency, and people density and land use scale can inhibit its improvement. Additionally, there is remarkable heterogeneity in the effect of these influencing factors. On the whole, the effect of non-resource-based cities is better, and it is more so in the cities of the eastern region.
Depth of Edge Influence in a Madagascar Lowland Rainforest and Its Effects on Lemurs’ Abundance
Authors: Campera Marco , Balestri Michela , Phelps Megan , Besnard Fiona , Mauguiere Julie , Rakotoarimanana Faniry , Nijman Vincent , Nekaris K. A. I. , Donati Giuseppe
Published: December 2022

Edge effects result from interactions between adjacent habitats, which can modify abiotic and biotic conditions and produce various negative effects on biodiversity. Given the high degree of forest fragmentation in Madagascar, understanding lemur responses to edges is a conservation priority. We aim to determine the depth of edge influence in a continuous low-land rainforest of south-eastern Madagascar and identify the response of six lemur species. We surveyed lemur abundance along nine 1 km transects from May 2015 to July 2016 totaling 112.2 km of survey effort during the day and 88.5 km at night. We characterized the habitat structure via 33 plots centered along the line transects. We used Generalized Additive Models and Generalized Linear Models to test the effect of distance from the forest edge on vegetation parameters and animal encounter rates. Edge effect on the vegetation structure can be detected up to around 100 m in terms of tree diversity and density. We found a negative edge response for Madame Fleurette’s sportive lemurs (Lepilemur fleuretae) and collared brown lemurs (Eulemur collaris), and a positive edge response for Anosy mouse lemurs (Microcebus tanosi), Southern bamboo lemurs (Hapalemur meridionalis) and Southern woolly lemurs (Avahi meridionalis). Since around half of the forested areas in Madagascar are within 100 m of forest edge, taking into account edge effect is vital when producing estimates of population sizes and informing conservation management.
EU Institutions: Revisiting Gender Balance and Women’s Empowerment
Authors: Belova Gabriela , Ivanova Albena
Published: December 2022

Equality Gender balance between men and women is one of the most current controversial issues in recent years that provokes a number of debates, questioning whether it really exists or is instead a myth. This article examines how the issue is regulated by European Union (EU) law and to what extent the legal framework is implemented into the current composition and work of European institutions. The trend of women’s empowerment is examined on the example of some of the EU institutions, mainly the European Commission and the European Parliament. The authors point out that, at the moment, three of the institutions included in the single institutional framework of the EU are headed by women—Ursula von der Leyen, Roberta Metsola, and Christine Lagarde—and the European Ombudsman is a woman. This represents an undisputed achievement in the field of gender balance at a higher political level within the EU as well as the appointment of the first-ever commissioner for equality. The newest secondary legislation framework is observed: Directive 2019/1158/EU on work–life balance and the latest development with regard to the female representation on corporate boards (Women on Boards Directive). The article also concludes that while some of the institutions have managed to make steps towards a real gender balance during recent years, not all of the Member States have experienced such progress, and this is evident in the organization and work of the Council of the EU. Although the introduction of quotas for women on company boards has been assessed ambiguously, it represents a necessary action ‘to break the glass ceiling’ and would give a new impetus to women’s empowerment within the EU.
The Impact of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease on Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia Outcomes
Authors: Gjurašin Branimir , Jeličić Mia , Kutleša Marko , Papić Neven
Published: December 2022

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, while nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease. NAFLD is associated with systemic changes in immune response, possibly linked to CAP severity. However, the impact of NAFLD on CAP outcomes has not been determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical course, complications and outcomes of severe CAP requiring ICU treatment in patients with NAFLD in the pre-COVID-19 era. A retrospective cohort study included 138 consecutively hospitalized adult patients with severe CAP admitted to the ICU during a 4-year period: 80 patients with NAFLD and 58 controls. Patients with NAFLD more frequently presented with ARDS (68.7% vs. 43.1%), and required invasive mechanical ventilation (86.2% vs. 63.8%), respiratory ECMO (50% vs. 24.1%), and continuous renal replacement therapy (62.5% vs. 29.3%). Mortality was significantly higher in the NAFLD group (50% vs. 20.7%), and the time from hospital admission to death was significantly shorter. In survival analysis, NAFLD (HR 2.21, 95%CI 1.03–5.06) was associated with mortality independently of other components of metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, our study identified NAFLD as an independent predictor of mortality in patients with severe CAP.
Preparation of Seaweed Nanopowder Particles Using Planetary Ball Milling and Their Effects on Some Secondary Metabolites in Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Seedlings
Authors: Mohamed Amal A. , Sameeh Manal Y. , El-Beltagi Hossam S.
Published: December 2022

Due to their distinctive physicochemical characteristics, nanoparticles have recently emerged as pioneering materials in agricultural research. In this work, nanopowders (NP) of seaweed (Turbinaria triquetra) were prepared using the planetary ball milling procedure. The prepared nanopowders from marine seaweed were characterized by particle size, zeta potential, UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). When the seaweed nanopowder of Turbinaria triquetra was subjected to FT-IR analysis, it revealed the presence of different functional groups, including alkane, carboxylic acids, alcohol, alkenes and aromatics. Moreover, the methanol extract was used to identify the polyphenolic components in seaweed (NP) using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the extract revealed the presence of a number of important compounds such as daidzein and quercetin. Moreover, the pot experiment was carried out in order to evaluate the effects of prepared seaweed (NP) as an enhancer for the growth of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). The date palm seedlings received four NP doses, bi-distilled water was applied as the control and doses of 25, 50 or 100 mg L−1 of seaweed liquid NP were used (referred to as T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively). Foliar application of liquid NP was applied two times per week within a period of 30 days. Leaf area, number of branches, dry weight, chlorophylls, total soluble sugars and some other secondary metabolites were determined. Our results indicated that the foliar application of liquid NP at T3 enhanced the growth parameters of the date palm seedlings. Additionally, liquid NP at T3 and T4 significantly increased the photosynthetic pigments. The total phenolic, flavonoid and antioxidant activities were stimulated by NP foliar application. Moreover, the data showed that the T3 and T4 doses enhanced the activity of the antioxidant enzymes (CAT, POX or PPO) compared to other treatments. Therefore, the preparation of seaweed NP using the planetary ball milling method could produce an eco-friendly and cost- effective material for sustainable agriculture and could be an interesting way to create a nanofertilizer that mitigates plant growth.
The Effects of Feeding Milled Rapeseed Seeds with Different Forage:Concentrate Ratios in Jersey Dairy Cows on Milk Production, Milk Fatty Acid Composition, and Milk Antioxidant Capacity
Authors: Mierlita Daniel , Santa Anita , Mierlita Stefania , Daraban Stelian Vasile , Suteu Mihai , Pop Ioan Mircea , Mintas Olimpia Smaranda , Macri Adrian Maximilian
Published: December 2022

We aimed to evaluate the effects of milled rapeseed (MR) supplementation of low- or high-concentrate diets on milk production and composition, fatty acids (FAs) profile, and antioxidant capacity. Sixteen Jersey dairy cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design, for four periods of 4 weeks, and assigned to four treatments as a 2 × 2 factorial design. Dietary treatments consisted of iso-nitrogenated total mixed rations with high (65:35; LC—low concentrate) or low (50:50; HC—high concentrate) forage:concentrate (FC) ratios, supplemented with MR to provide 30 g oil/kg dry matter (DM) (LR and HR), or without MR supplement (L and H). Increasing the proportion of concentrates led to an increase in DM intake (DMI), net energy (NEL) intake, and milk production, but milk fat and protein content decreased. Supplementing diets with MR led to an increase in NEL intake and milk production, but did not affect DMI and milk composition. Diets supplemented with MR caused a decrease in the concentration of FAs with atherogenic effect and the increase in the level of FAs beneficial for human health (C18:1 cis-9, C18:1 trans-11, and C18:3 n-3), while the decrease in the FC ratio had a negative effect on omega-3 FAs. An improvement in the antioxidant capacity of milk was observed with diets with the high FC ratio but also by supplementing the feed with MR. These results could contribute to the development of effective strategies to improve the nutritional quality of milk without affecting the productive performance of cows.
Improved Detection of Cavernous Sinus Invasion of Pituitary Macroadenomas with Ultra-High-Field 7 T MRI
Authors: Eisenhut Felix , Schmidt Manuel Alexander , Buchfelder Michael , Doerfler Arnd , Schlaffer Sven-Martin
Published: December 2022

To compare 7 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of pituitary macroadenomas (PMA) with standard MRI and intraoperative findings regarding tumor detection, localization, size, and extension. Patients with suspected pituitary adenoma underwent pre-operative 1.5 T or 3 T and 7 T MRI; 14 patients with a PMA were included. A qualitative (lesion detection, location, cavernous sinus infiltration) and quantitative (lesion size, depth of cavernous sinus infiltration) analysis of 1.5 T, 3 T and 7 T MRI was performed and compared with intraoperative findings. Both 1.5/3 T and 7 T MRI enabled the detection of all PMAs; lesion size determination was equal. 7 T MRI enables more precise assessments of cavernous sinus infiltration of PMA (ncorrect 7T = 78.6%, ncorrect 1.5/3T = 64.3%). Ultra-high-field MRI is a reliable imaging modality for evaluation of PMAs providing exact information on lesion location and size. 7 T MRI yielded more accurate information on cavernous sinus infiltration with better agreement with intraoperative findings than standard MRI.
Influence of Mineral Treatment, Plant Growth Regulators and Artificial Light on the Growth of Jewel Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam. cv. Jewel) In Vitro
Authors: Kirakosyan Rima N. , Kalashnikova Elena A. , Abubakarov Halid G. , Sleptsov Nikolay N. , Dudina Yuliya A. , Temirbekova Sulukhan K. , Khuat Quyet V. , Trukhachev Vladimir I. , Sumin Anton V.
Published: December 2022

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam), a member of the bindweed family (Convolvulaceae Juss.), is well known for its food, medicinal, and industrial values. It is estimated that more than 7000 sweet potato cultivars have been bred to date. Jewel sweet potato (I. batatas Lam cv. Jewel) is one of the most popular cultivars of sweet potato grown today because of its high nutritional value, delicious taste, and is suitable for all processing methods. However, little is known about the micropropagation of jewel sweet potato. The purpose of this paper was to study the effect of three important factors, including culture medium, plant growth regulators (PGRs), and artificial light sources, on the induction, proliferation, and growth of in vitro I. batatas ‘Jewel’ shoots obtained from the axillary bud and shoot tip explants. The different Murashige and Skoog (MS) salt levels (33%, 50%, 100%, and 150%) were used to study the influence of mineral treatment. To assess the influence of PGRs, we used 0.5 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) combined with various cytokinins, including 0.5–2.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 0.5–2.0 mg/L kinetin (Kn), and 0.1–1.0 mg/L thidiazuron (TDZ). On the other hand, the in vitro shoots were cultivated in a light room with different lighting conditions. Three lighting treatments (differences in the ratio between the red (R) and blue (B) spectra) were used. Research results have shown that the medium containing 50% MS salt concentration supplemented with 0.5 mg/L BAP or 0.5 mg/L Kn combined with 0.5 mg/L IAA was the most suitable for induction, proliferation, and growth of in vitro jewel sweet potato shoots. On the other hand, stem pieces bearing the axillary buds’ explants were determined to be suitable for the shoot induction. Using artificial light with different blue/red ratios also had a significant effect on the growth of explants and stimulates shoot or root formation.
Mealworm Ethanol Extract Enhances Myogenic Differentiation and Alleviates Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Atrophy in C2C12 Cells
Authors: Choi Ra-Yeong , Kim Bong Sun , Ban Eu-Jin , Seo Minchul , Lee Joon Ha , Kim In-Woo
Published: December 2022

Aging, and other disease-related muscle disorders are serious health problems. Dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, can trigger skeletal muscle atrophy. This study examined the effects of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larva) ethanol extract (TME) on C2C12 myoblast differentiation and DEX-induced myotube atrophy. TME induced myotube formation compared to the differentiation medium (DM) group. TME also significantly increased the mRNA expression of muscle creatine kinase (CKm) and myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), such as myogenin (MyoG), myogenic factor (Myf)5, and MRF4 (Myf6). TME dramatically increased the muscle-specific protein, MyoG, compared to the control, whereas the expression of myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD) remained unchanged. It also activated the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. In the DEX-induced muscle atrophy C2C12 model, TME reduced the gene expression of atrogin-1, muscle RING finger protein-1 (MuRF-1), and myostatin, which are involved in protein degradation in skeletal muscles. Furthermore, TME elevated the phosphorylation of forkhead box O3 (FoxO3α) and protein kinase B (Akt). These findings suggest that TME can enhance myotube hypertrophy by regulating the mTOR signaling pathway, and can rescue DEX-induced muscle atrophy by alleviating atrophic muscle markers mediated by Akt activation. Thus, TME can be a potential therapeutic agent for treating muscle weakness and atrophy.
Influence of Deposition Temperature on the Structure and Current-Carrying Friction Performance of Cu Films by DC Magnetron Sputtering Technology
Authors: Zhang Hao , Le Kai , Wang Chen , Sun Jianbo , Xu Shusheng , Liu Weimin
Published: December 2022

The structure and morphology of Cu films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering on silicon and stainless-steel substrates at different deposition temperatures of −140 °C, −95 °C, −55 °C, 25 °C (RT), 50 °C, and 200 °C were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that all Cu films presented strong orientation of the (111) and (200) peaks. The Cu films deposited at low temperatures (lower than −55 °C) showed the bilayer structures, in which the upper layer appeared to be a loose and porous structure and the lower layer near the substrate had a fine and dense structure that consisted of small grains. In addition, the Cu films deposited at low temperatures could be observed a large roughness. The roughness tended to decline and then increase with the rising of deposition temperature. The ball-on-disc reciprocating sliding tribometer was employed to evaluate the tribological behaviors of the Cu films at current-carrying levels of 0 A, 0.5 A, and 1.0 A. The results revealed that the Cu films deposited at low temperatures exhibited outstanding current-carrying friction performance and low electrical contact resistance (ECR), peeling only at 0.5 A and 1.0 A. Nevertheless, the Cu films deposited at the relatively high temperature exhibited oxidative wear caused by electric arc ablation at 0.5 A and 1.0 A. Additionally, the wear mechanism was discussed in terms of the structure and morphology of the wear track and formation of the tribo-film.
Experimental Investigation of Milling Performance of Silicon Nitride Ceramic Subject to Different Assisted Systems
Authors: Raza Muhammad Naveed , Lin Shen-Yung
Published: December 2022

In this study, silicon nitride milling experiments are carried out using Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) end mill rods under unassisted, hybrid-assisted (combination of laser assisted and three axis ultrasound), and laser-assisted systems to examine the cutting performance and machined surface quality of different cutting tools. The best combination of process parameters for silicon nitride composites milling are obtained using the Taguchi method. The effects of spindle speed, radial depth of cut, and feed rate on surface roughness, cutting force, edge topography, and tool wear of silicon nitride surfaces are investigated. The results reveal that hybrid-assisted produces superior surface roughness, longer tool life, fewer machining defects, and lower cutting force than unassisted. Best results of triaxial ultrasonic-assisted combined with laser on cutting performance are achieved as the ultrasonic waves help to vibrate the cutting tool and workpiece simultaneously, which helps to effectively remove chips and lowers the cutting force. When compared to unassisted milling, laser-assisted and hybrid-assisted milling improve total average surface roughness by 42% and 66%, and total cutting forces by 26% and 46%, respectively. The best processing parameters obtained in this study are high spindle speed (12,000 rpm), low feed rate (500 mm/min), and low cutting depth (0.02 mm).
A Novel Measurement Approach to Experimentally Determine the Thermomechanical Properties of a Gas Foil Bearing Using a Specialized Sensing Foil Made of Inconel Alloy
Authors: Martowicz Adam , Roemer Jakub , Zdziebko Paweł , Żywica Grzegorz , Bagiński Paweł , Andrearczyk Artur
Published: December 2022

Modern approaches dedicated to controlling the operation of gas foil bearings require advanced measurement techniques to comprehensively investigate the bearings’ thermal and thermomechanical properties. Their successful long-term maintenance with constant operational characteristics may be feasible only when the allowed thermal and mechanical regimes are rigorously kept. Hence, an adequate acquisition of experimental readings for the critical physical quantities should be conducted to track the actual condition of the bearing. The above-stated demand has motivated the authors of this present work to perform the thermomechanical characterization of the prototype installation of a gas foil bearing, applying a specialized sensing foil. This so-called top foil is a component of the structural part of the bearing’s supporting layer and composed of a superalloy, Inconel 625. The strain and temperature distributions were identified based on the readings from the strain gauges and integrated thermocouples mounted on the top foil. The measurements’ results were obtained for the experiments that represent the arbitrarily selected operational conditions of the tested bearing. Specifically, the considered measurement scenario relates to the operation at a nominal rotational speed, i.e., during the stable process, as well as to the run-up and run-out stages. The main objectives of the work are: (a) experimental proof for the described functionalities of the designed and manufactured specialized sensing foil that allow for the application of a novel approach to the bearing’s characterization, and (b) qualitative investigation of the relation between the mechanical and thermal properties of the tested bearing, using the measurements conducted with the newly proposed technical solution.
Luminescence Properties and Energy Transfer of Eu3+, Bi3+ Co-Doped LuVO4 Films Modified with Pluronic F-127 Obtained by Sol–Gel
Authors: González-Penguelly Brenely , Pérez-Sánchez Grethell Georgina , Medina-Velázquez Dulce Yolotzin , Martínez-Falcón Paulina , Morales-Ramírez Angel de Jesús
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, orthovanadates are studied because of their unique properties for optoelectronic applications. In this work, the LuVO4:Eu3+, Bi3+ films were prepared by the sol–gel method, using a new simple route, and deposited by the dip-coating technique. The obtained films are transparent, fracture-free, and homogenous. The sol–gel process was monitored by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, the crystal structure was tetragonal, and films that were highly oriented along the (200) low-energy direction were obtained. The morphological studies by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed uniformly distributed circular agglomerations of rice-like particles with nanometric sizes. The luminescence properties of the films were analyzed using a fixed concentration of 2.5 at. % Eu3+ and different concentrations of Bi3+ (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 at. %); all the samples emit in red, and it has been observed that the light yield of Eu3+ is enhanced as the Bi3+ content increases when the films are excited at 350 nm, which corresponds to the 1S0→3P1 transition of Bi3+. Therefore, a highly efficient energy transfer mechanism between Bi3+ and Eu3+ has been observed, reaching up to 71%. Finally, it was established that this energy transfer process occurs via a quadrupole–quadrupole interaction.
Analysis of Carbon Formation on Machined Leather Specimen Using FTIR Technique in Laser Diode Assisted Cutting Process
Authors: Swaminathan Vasanth , Thangaraj Muthuramalingam , George Joseph Edwin , Sulfikar Khadar Suhaib , Philip Saji Joel , Karmiris-Obratański Panagiotis
Published: December 2022

The leather materials are used in a multitude of sectors, including footwear, apparel, handicrafts, and the automotive industry. Due to the radiant heat generated by a laser beam, the laser cutting of leather results in a carbonized cut edge. There is currently no technology available for measuring the carbonization along the contour edges of leather. The purpose of this experimental investigation was to determine the impact of power diode-based laser cutting on the carbonization of machined buffalo leather with the help of a digital microscope to improve the machining process. The ATR-FTIR spectrum was used to analyze the carbon-related functional group in the mid-IR spectrum of carbonized leather samples. It was found that the proposed method can measure the amount of carbon deposition in the cutting zone. The lower amplitude duty cycle with higher feed rate can reduce carbon formation owing to the lower thermal energy distribution. The amplitude (4.5 V), duty cycle (70%) and feed rate (90 mm/s) can produce optimal performance measures.
Performance of Reinforced Foam and Geopolymer Concretes against Prolonged Exposures to Chloride in a Normal Environment
Authors: Wasim Muhammad , Roychand Rajeev , Barnes Rhys , Talevski Jason , Law David , Li Jie , Saberian Mohammad
Published: December 2022

The utilization of sustainable cement replacement materials in concrete can control the emission of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases in the construction industry, thus contributing significantly to the environment, society, and the global economy. Various types of sustainable concrete including geopolymer concrete are tested for their efficacy for construction in laboratories. However, the performance and longevity of sustainable concrete for civil engineering applications in corrosive environments are still debatable. This paper aims to investigate the performance of the reinforced geopolymer (GPC) and foam concretes (FC) against corrosive chloride exposure. Two long term key parameters, i.e., corrosion rate and mechanical performance of reinforcing steel in geopolymer and foam concrete were assessed to evaluate their performance against chloride attack. For experiments, reinforced GPC and FC specimens, each admixed with 3 and 5% chlorides, were kept at varying temperatures and humidity levels in the environmental chambers. The corrosion rates of the reinforced geopolymer and foam concrete specimens were also compared with control specimens after 803 days and the tensile strength of the corroded reinforcing steel was also determined. Moreover, the long term efficacy of repaired patches (810 days), in a chloride-rich surrounding environment utilizing FC and GPC, was investigated. The results suggested greater performance of FC compared to GPC under standard environmental conditions. However, the simulated patch repair with GPC showed better resistance against chloride attack compared to FC. The research also undertook the fractographical examination of the surfaces of the reinforcement exposed to 5% admixed chloride and develops models for the corrosion rates of foam concrete as a function of the corrosion rates of geopolymer concrete and chloride content. A correlation model for the corrosion rates of FC and GPC was also developed. The findings of the current research and the model developed are novel and contribute to the knowledge of long term degradation science of geopolymers and form concrete materials. Furthermore, the findings and methodology of the current research have practical significance in the construction and repair industry for determining the remaining service life for any reinforced and steel infrastructure.
Electrical and Structural Properties of Semi-Polar-ZnO/a-Al2O3 and Polar-ZnO/c-Al2O3 Films: A Comparative Study
Authors: Mishra Sushma , Paszkowicz Wojciech , Sulich Adrian , Jakiela Rafal , Ożga Monika , Guziewicz Elżbieta
Published: December 2022

In this work, the properties of ZnO films of 100 nm thickness, grown using atomic layer deposition (ALD) on a–(100) and c–(001) oriented Al2O3 substrate are reported. The films were grown in the same growth conditions and parameters at six different growth temperatures (Tg) ranging from 100 °C to 300 °C. All as-grown and annealed films were found to be polycrystalline, highly (001) oriented for the c–Al2O3 and highly (101) oriented for the a–Al2O3 substrate. The manifestation of semi-polar-(101) and polar (001)–oriented ZnO films on the same substrate provided the opportunity for a comparative study in terms of the influence of polarization on the electrical and structural properties of ZnO films. It was found that the concentration of hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen impurities in polar (001)–oriented films was considerably higher than in semi-polar (101)–oriented ZnO films. The study showed that when transparent conductive oxide applications were considered, the ZnO layers could be deposited at a temperature of about 160 °C, because, at this growth temperature, the high electrical conductivity was accompanied by surface smoothness in the nanometer scale. On the contrary, semi-polar (101)–oriented films might offer a perspective for obtaining p-type ZnO films, because the concentration of carbon and hydrogen impurities is considerably lower than in polar films.
Effect of Vacancy Behavior on Precipitate Formation in a Reduced-Activation V−Cr−Mn Medium-Entropy Alloy
Authors: Wang Tianjiao , Zhu Te , Wang Dandan , Zhang Peng , Song Yamin , Ye Fengjiao , Wang Qianqian , Jin Shuoxue , Yu Runsheng , Liu Fuyan , Kuang Peng , Wang Baoyi , Li Liben , Cao Xingzhong
Published: December 2022

In this work, we studied the evolution of vacancy-like defects and the formation of brittle precipitates in a reduced-activation V−Cr−Mn medium-entropy alloy. The evolution of local electronic circumstances around Cr and Mn enrichments, the vacancy defects, and the CrMn3 precipitates were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and positron annihilation spectroscopy. The microstructure measurements showed that the Mn and Cr enrichments in the as-cast sample significantly evolved with temperature, i.e., from 400 °C, the Cr/Mn-segregated regions gradually dissolved into the matrix and then disappeared, and from 900 °C to 1000 °C, they existed as CrMn3 precipitates. The crystallite size of the phase corresponding to CrMn3 precipitates was about 29.4 nm at 900 °C and 43.7 nm at 1000 °C. The positron annihilation lifetime results demonstrated that the vacancies mediated the migration of Cr and Mn, and Cr and Mn segregation finally led to the formation of CrMn3 precipitates. The coincidence Doppler broadening results showed that the characteristic peak moved to the low-momentum direction, due to an increase in the size of the vacancy defects at the interface and the formation of CrMn3 precipitates.