bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SARS-CoV-2 Infection Dynamics in the Pittsburgh Zoo Wild Felids with Two Viral Variants (Delta and Alpha) during the 2021–2022 Pandemic in the United States
Authors: Tewari Deepanker , Miller Ryan , Livengood Julia , Wang Leyi , Killian Mary Lea , Bustamante Felipe , Kessler Candy , Thirumalapura Nagaraja , Terio Karen , Torchetti Mia , Lantz Kristina , Rosenberg Justin
Published: October 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been reported in multiple animal species besides humans. The goal of this study was to report clinical signs, infection progression, virus detection and antibody response in a group of wild felids housed in adjacent but neighboring areas at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Initially, five African lions (Panthera leo krugeri) housed together exhibited respiratory clinical signs with viral shedding in their feces in March of 2021 coinciding with infection of an animal keeper. During the second infection wave in December 2021, four Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) and a Canadian lynx (Lynx canadensis) showed clinical signs and tested positive for viral RNA in feces. In infected animals, viral shedding in feces was variable lasting up to 5 weeks and clinical signs were observed for up to 4 weeks. Despite mounting an antibody response to initial exposure, lions exhibited respiratory clinical signs during the second infection wave, but none shed the virus in their feces. The lions were positive for alpha variant (B.1.1.7 lineage) during the first wave and the tiger and lynx were positive for delta variant (AY.25.1. lineage) during the second wave. The viruses recovered from felids were closely related to variants circulating in human populations at the time of the infection. Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in the park did not show either the clinical signs or the antibody response.
A Novel Polysaccharide from Sargassum weizhouense: Extraction Optimization, Structural Characterization, Antiviral and Antioxidant Effects
Authors: Zhao Yi , Chen Jiaji , Ding Yiqu , Luo Mengyuan , Tong Yanmei , Hu Tingjun , Wei Yingyi
Published: October 2023

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is one of the most economically important pathogens in the global swine industry over the past three decades. There is no licensed antiviral medication that can effectively control this infection. In the present study, the structure of SP-1 isolated and purified from Sargassum weizhouense was analyzed, and its antioxidant capacity and antiviral effect in MARC-145 cells against PRRSV were investigated. The results showed that SP-1 is a novel polysaccharide which mainly is composed of →4)-β-D-ManpA-(1→, →4)-α-L-GulpA-(1→ and a small amount of →4)-β-D-GalpA-(1→. PRRSV adsorption, replication, and release were all suppressed by SP-1. SP-1 therapy down-regulated mRNA expression of the CD163 receptor while increasing the antioxidant gene expression of Nrf2, TXNIP, and HO-1; increasing the protein expression of NQO1 and HO-1; and drastically reducing the protein expression of p-p65. The findings indicated that SP-1 reduces PRRSV adsorption, replication, and release through blocking the expression of the crucial CD163 receptor during infection. Meanwhile, SP-1 exerts antioxidant effects in PRRSV-infected cells through the activation of the Nrf2-HO1 signaling pathway.
A Blockchain-Powered Traffic Management System for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Keith Alexander , Sangarapillai Thanigajan , Almehmadi Abdulaziz , El-Khatib Khalil
Published: October 2023

The increasing popularity and usage of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has brought about new challenges in airspace management. With the number of drones expected to grow even further in the coming years, there is an urgent need for an autonomous traffic management system (TMS) that can safely and effectively manage drone traffic in the airspace. It is critical that this TMS be built with principles of the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) triad. In this paper, a traffic management system for UAVs is presented that takes advantage of a Hyperledger Fabric blockchain network. The TMS provides a decentralized and secure method to manage and deconflict drone flight paths, allowing for safe navigation in crowded airspaces. Through a series of simulated experiments, we demonstrated the system’s capabilities in handling path creation, multiple conflict resolutions, and large numbers of drones. Simulated tests showed that the proposed system was able to handle deconfliction of 1000 drones inside of a one square kilometer, and returned calculated paths for drones in 60 to 2000 ms with up to 100 deconflictions. The Hyperledger Fabric powered traffic management system showcased the potential to leverage permissioned blockchain technology in improving drone traffic management.
Emphasizing the Creep Damage Constitutive Model of Hydro-Mechanical Properties of Rocks: A Case Study of Granite Gneiss
Authors: Liu Lin , Wen Bo
Published: October 2023

The constitutive model of rock materials can describe the mechanical behavior of rocks in creep tests. Also, it is one of the important means to study the deformation and strength characteristics of rocks in complex stress environments. This paper is based on the analysis of the porosity variation characteristics of the internal structure under the coupling effect of rock hydro-mechanical properties. The concept of the hydro-mechanical properties variable is proposed, and the relationship between the coupling variable, damage and plastic deformation is established. By introducing the coupling variable, instantaneous damage variable and time-dependent damage variable into the yield surface equation, as well as the plastic potential energy equation and the stiffness matrix of the elastic–plastic creep constitutive equation, a hydro-mechanical properties creep damage coupling model was established to simulate the creep mechanical properties of rock under coupling. Based on the triaxial creep test results of granite gneiss, the model parameters are determined. By comparing the test results with numerical results, it was revealed that the model can better describe the creep mechanical properties of rocks under the coupling effect of hydromechanical properties.
Deep Learning-Based Estimation of Muckpile Fragmentation Using Simulated 3D Point Cloud Data
Authors: Ikeda Hajime , Sato Taiga , Yoshino Kohei , Toriya Hisatoshi , Jang Hyongdoo , Adachi Tsuyoshi , Kitahara Itaru , Kawamura Youhei
Published: October 2023

This research introduces an innovative technique for estimating the particle size distribution of muckpiles, a determinant significantly affecting the efficiency of mining operations. By employing deep learning and simulation methodologies, this study enhances the precision and efficiency of these vital estimations. Utilizing photogrammetry from multi-view images, the 3D point cloud of a muckpile is meticulously reconstructed. Following this, the particle size distribution is estimated through deep learning methods. The point cloud is partitioned into various segments, and each segment’s distinguishing features are carefully extracted. A shared multilayer perceptron processes these features, outputting scores that, when consolidated, provide a comprehensive estimation of the particle size distribution. Addressing the prevalent issue of limited training data, this study utilizes simulation to generate muckpiles and consequently fabricates an expansive dataset. This dataset comprises 3D point clouds and corresponding particle size distributions. The combination of simulation and deep learning not only improves the accuracy of particle size distribution estimation but also significantly enhances the efficiency, thereby contributing substantially to mining operations.
Privacy-Preserving Solution for European Union Digital Vaccine Certificates
Authors: Dzurenda Petr , Ricci Sara , Ilgner Petr , Malina Lukas , Anglès-Tafalla Carles
Published: October 2023

The recent COVID-19 pandemic situation highlights the importance of digital vaccine certificates. In response, the European Union (EU) developed EU Digital Vaccine Certificates to enable proof of non-infectivity and completed vaccinations. However, these solutions suffer from several shortcomings, such as ineffective certificate holder identification and a high violation of user privacy with the disclosure of sensitive information. In this work, we present a novel solution for privacy-preserving EU Digital Vaccine Certificates. Our solution solves the aforementioned privacy and security shortcomings and is in line with current EU legislation, i.e., the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the upcoming revision of the electronic IDentification, Authentication, and trust Services (eIDAS), called regulation eIDAS 2.0, and the new tools that it envisages to be led by European digital identity. This identity is intended to allow citizens to prove their identity to access online services, share digital documents, or simply prove specific personal characteristics such as age without revealing their identity or other personal information. The core of our proposal is built on our novel attribute-based credential scheme, which can be easily implemented on various handheld devices, especially on Android smartphones and smartwatches. However, due to the lightweight nature of our scheme, it can also be implemented on constrained devices such as smart cards. In order to demonstrate the security, privacy, and practicality inherent in our proposal, we provide the security analysis of the cryptographic core along with a set of experimental results conducted on smartphones and smart cards.
Structural, Dielectric, and Mechanical Properties of High-Content Cubic Zirconia Ceramics Obtained via Solid-State Synthesis
Authors: Giniyatova Sholpan G. , Kozlovskiy Artem L. , Shakirzyanov Rafael I. , Volodina Natalia O. , Shlimas Dmitriy I. , Borgekov Daryn B.
Published: October 2023

In this work, the structural, electrical, and mechanical properties and phase composition of high-content cubic zirconium oxide ceramics stabilized with Ca were investigated. The novelty of this work lies in evaluating the potential use of porous ceramics obtained using calcium carbonate as a matrix for dispersed nuclear fuel. Experimental samples were prepared using solid-phase synthesis through sintering in air at 1500 °C. The X-ray diffraction method and Raman spectroscopy showed that the fraction of the cubic zirconium oxide ZrO2-c phase gradually increased as the mass concentration changed from Cw = 0.00 to Cw = 0.15, and the CaZrO3 phase was present at concentrations of Cw = 0.20 and Cw = 0.25. When the phase composition was altered, significant changes occurred in the internal microstructure of the ceramics due to the processes of grain sintering and pore formation. Quantitative XRD analysis demonstrated the incorporation of Ca into the cubic structure of the ZrO2-c polymorph. Dielectric spectroscopy at low frequencies revealed that the synthesized ceramics had a dielectric constant of 16.8–22 with a low dielectric loss of ~ 0.005. The microhardness value at a load of 200 kgf (HV0.2) of the obtained samples varied between 5 and 12 GPa and depended on the internal microstructure and phase composition. The obtained results clearly indicate that the mechanical and electrical properties and phase composition of synthesized ceramics make them suitable as a matrix for dispersed nuclear fuels.
Could You Evaluate Sounds in a Virtual Environment? Evaluation Components of Auditory Experience in a Metaverse Environment
Authors: Park Byoungwoo , Namkung Kiechan , Pan Younghwan
Published: October 2023

The study aims to develop an auditory experience evaluation questionnaire to improve metaverse environments’ presence and derive evaluation components considering the acoustic and auditory user experience (AUX) through a survey. After conducting a survey with a total of 232 participants, five evaluation components were extracted from auditory presence and AUX evaluation factors through principal component analysis (PCA) and reliability analysis (RA): ‘realistic auditory background’, ‘acoustic aesthetics’, ‘consideration of acoustic control and accessibility’, ‘auditory utility and minimalist design’, and ‘auditory consistency’. In particular, although AUX evaluation factors such as ‘ease of access to sound control’ have limitations in improving the sense of presence, negative factors of presence such as ‘distraction due to sound’ can be improved by utilizing AUX evaluation factors, so it is judged that the sense of presence in the metaverse environments can be improved by enhancing the auditory sense of presence and AUX evaluation factors according to the composition of the five evaluation components derived in the study. The study can be used as a basis for developing an auditory experience evaluation questionnaire for the metaverse platform, creating sound design guidelines, and identifying sound development priorities.
Within-Document Arabic Event Coreference: Challenges, Datasets, Approaches and Future Direction
Authors: Aldawsari Mohammed , Kolhar Manjur , Dawood Omer Omer Salih
Published: October 2023

Event coreference resolution is a crucial component in Natural Language Processing (NLP) applications as it directly affects text summarization, machine translation, classification, and textual entailment. However, the research on this task for Arabic language is limited, compared to other languages such as English, Chinese and Spanish. This paper aims to review the state-of-the-art approaches in event coreference (EC) within the context of coreference resolution tasks, emphasizing the significance of EC in NLP. The focus is placed on the latest developments in Arabic language processing related to event coreference. To fill this gap, a comprehensive study of existing work is conducted, and new approaches are suggested. The paper highlights the challenges specific to Arabic event coreference resolution, such as the variability of verb forms, pronoun ambiguity, ellipsis and null arguments, lexical and morphological variation, lack of annotated resources, discourse and pragmatic context, and cultural and contextual sensitivity. Addressing these challenges requires a deep understanding of Arabic linguistics, advanced NLP techniques, and the availability of annotated resources. Furthermore, this paper examines the existing datasets and methods for Arabic event coreference and proposes an annotation scheme. By leveraging existing NLP algorithms and developing event coreference resolution systems tailored for Arabic, the accuracy and performance of NLP tasks can be significantly improved.
Quantification of the Area of the Highest Temperature in Equine Infrared Images
Authors: Maśko Małgorzata , Borowska Marta , Sikorska Urszula , Ciesielska Anna , Zdrojkowski Łukasz , Domino Małgorzata
Published: October 2023

Infrared thermography is a valuable tool adapted for veterinary diagnostics with an increasing number of uses. However, proper image acquisition is hard, not only due to various factors affecting the image but also because informative image processing is a struggle. Thus, this study aims to quantify the area of maximum temperature (Area of Tmax) on the lateral surface of horses and foals to compare the Areas of Tmax between horses and foals and to compare two new approaches to the Area of Tmax quantification in horses. Infrared images were acquired with a thermographic camera from 12 horses and 12 foals in the same ambient condition. The backgrounds of the images were removed, and the images were then processed in Rainbow HC and a grayscale palette. Then, 10 images were created, showing the Areas of Tmax in gradually decreasing ranges. The evaluation of the Area of Tmax with two image processing methods showed higher maximum temperatures in foals, although the high-temperature values covered less of their total body area than in adult horses. The results indicate the struggles of foals with thermal homeostasis. The proposed methods—multi-colored annotated pixels on Rainbow HC and red-annotated pixels on grayscale—provide a common quality in the thermogram evaluation of foals and adult horses. Further research is essential to determine their diagnostic application.
Iatrogenic Incidents in Primary Molar Pulpectomy: A Case Series Report and Literature Review
Authors: Lim Yeo Won , Chae Yong Kwon , Lee Ko Eun , Nam Ok Hyung , Lee Hyo-Seol , Choi Sung Chul , Kim Mi Sun
Published: October 2023

Pulpectomy is a common treatment for severe carious lesions in primary molars. Care should be taken during pulpectomy of the primary teeth for successive permanent teeth. This case series report aimed to describe the cases of three patients who experienced excessive extrusion of canal filling materials and file separation during primary molar pulpectomy. The presence of separated files or excessive overfilling materials observed around successive permanent tooth germs leads to underdevelopment and may trigger cystic changes owing to abscess formation. The most important aspect is to preserve the unerupted successive developing permanent tooth. Therefore, clinicians should consider the anatomy of the primary molars prior to endodontic treatment, be careful when manipulating instruments during pulpectomy, provide appropriate treatment if iatrogenic incidents occur during endodontic treatment, and perform close follow-up to ensure the successful development and eruption of subsequent permanent teeth.
Improved Broad Learning System for Birdsong Recognition
Authors: Lu Jing , Zhang Yan , Lv Danjv , Xie Shanshan , Fu Yixing , Lv Dan , Zhao Youjie , Li Zhun
Published: October 2023

Birds play a vital and indispensable role in biodiversity and environmental conservation. Protecting bird diversity is crucial for maintaining the balance of nature, promoting ecosystem health, and ensuring sustainable development. The Broad Learning System (BLS) exhibits an excellent ability to extract highly discriminative features from raw inputs and construct complex feature representations by combining feature nodes and enhancement nodes, thereby enabling effective recognition and classification of various birdsongs. However, within the BLS, the selection of feature nodes and enhancement nodes assumes critical significance, yet the model lacks the capability to identify high quality network nodes. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel method that introduces residual blocks and Mutual Similarity Criterion (MSC) layers into BLS to form an improved BLS (RMSC-BLS), which makes it easier for BLS to automatically select optimal features related to output. Experimental results demonstrate the accuracy of the RMSC-BLS model for the three construction features of MFCC, dMFCC, and dsquence is 78.85%, 79.29%, and 92.37%, respectively, which is 4.08%, 4.50%, and 2.38% higher than that of original BLS model. In addition, compared with other models, our RMSC-BLS model shows superior recognition performance, has higher stability and better generalization ability, and provides an effective solution for birdsong recognition.
Selective Collection and Management of Biowaste from the Municipal Sector in Poland: A Review
Authors: Czekała Wojciech
Published: October 2023

Municipal waste management is an important aspect in the context of the environmental protection of any country. Biowaste is the dominant stream among all municipal waste in Poland (32.4% in 2020). It can be processed through recycling and recovery processes. It is also possible to dispose of it, although according to the waste hierarchy, such action should be the last option. For biowaste to be recycled, e.g., through anaerobic digestion or composting, it must have suitable properties to be processed through the processes mentioned above. This study aims to discuss the selective collection and management of biowaste from Poland’s municipal sector and identify limiting factors. The paper also indicates selected aspects of possible changes in the waste management sector, considering the role of society and waste management companies. The factors limiting the collection and further use of biowaste from the municipal sector in Poland can be divided into economic, social, technical, and technological. This article refers to the situation in Poland, but some problems occur analogously in other countries. This is because the barriers limiting the selective collection and management of biowaste in many countries are similar and differ mainly in the degree of intensity and the scope they cover. Given the increasingly stringent requirements for waste management, measures must be taken to achieve the legally required levels of recycling of biowaste and to recycle it as well as possible. The development of installations for biological waste management will be crucial.
Acoustic Characteristics Analysis of Double-Layer Liquid-Filled Pipes Based on Acoustic–Solid Coupling Theory
Authors: Yan Jin , Li Jiangfeng , Zou Lvlong , Zhang Dapeng , Wang Cheng , Tang Zhi
Published: October 2023

Based on the theory of acoustic–solid coupling, the phase velocity-thickness product of a double-layer liquid-filled pipeline is analyzed, and the dispersion relationship between angular frequency and wavenumber–thickness product is analyzed, providing a theoretical basis for ultrasonic guided wave detection. The wave number analytical expression of the double-layer liquid-filled pipeline is constructed, and the dispersion relationship of the double-layer liquid-filled pipeline under different frequency–thickness products and wavenumber–thickness products is calculated through parameter scanning. The dispersion curves of the double-layer liquid-filled pipeline are numerically analyzed in the domains of pressure acoustics, solid mechanics, and acoustic–solid coupling. The numerically simulated dispersion curves show high consistency with the analytically calculated dispersion curves. The analysis of the phase velocity frequency–thickness product indicates that the axial mode dispersion curves of the pipe wall decrease with the increase in frequency–thickness product in the coupling domain, and then tend to be flat and intersect with the radial mode dispersion curves in the coupling domain; these intersection points cannot be used for ultrasonic guided wave detection. The T(0,1) mode dispersion curve in the coupling domain of the pressure acoustics domain remains smooth from low frequency to high frequency. It is found that the dispersion curves of the phase velocity frequency–thickness product, angular frequency wavenumber–thickness product, and the acoustic pressure distribution map of the double-layer liquid-filled pipeline based on acoustic–solid coupling can provide theoretical support for ultrasonic guided wave detection of pipelines.
Cultural Influences on Saccadic Patterns in Facial Perception: A Comparative Study of American and Japanese Real and Animated Faces
Authors: Chen Zhi-Lin , Chang Kang-Ming
Published: October 2023

This study investigated the influence of saccadic eye movements and emotions on real and animated faces to enhance a detailed perception of facial information. Considering the cross-cultural differences in facial features, animated faces also influence visual preferences due to their unique visual appeal. Since there are differences in facial features across cultures, animated faces can also impact visual preferences due to their unique visual appeal. This study involved 60 participants and utilized four stimulus conditions, including real and animated faces from America and Japan. A five-point Likert scale was employed to measure participants’ subjective emotional pleasure and arousal levels, while eye-tracking equipment was used to analyze participants’ saccadic eye movements. The results revealed that, in comparison to Japanese real faces (JT), American real faces (AT) exhibited significantly greater average saccadic distances (AT: 113.03 ± 46.26, JT: 110.78 ± 45.55, p < 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the average saccadic distance between Japanese and American animated faces (109.88 ± 45.73 and 110.85 ± 45.31, respectively). Additionally, evaluating the mediating role of pleasure and arousal levels among these facial stimuli did not impact saccadic behavior. Our observations suggest that cultural factors wield a pronounced impact on saccadic behavior within real-life scenarios. However, these cultural nuances appear to attenuate in virtual and abstract animated environments. This study’s findings shed new light on the dynamic relationship between saccadic eye movements, emotions, and cultural dimensions, unraveling complexities in facial perception across diverse cultural landscapes. The implications of our research extend to animation, serving as a catalyst for further exploration in this burgeoning field.
Microglia and Astrocytes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Disease-Associated States, Pathological Roles, and Therapeutic Potential
Authors: You Justin , Youssef Mohieldin , Santos Jhune , Lee Jooyun , Park Jeehye
Published: October 2023

Microglial and astrocytic reactivity is a prominent feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Microglia and astrocytes have been increasingly appreciated to play pivotal roles in disease pathogenesis. These cells can adopt distinct states characterized by a specific molecular profile or function depending on the different contexts of development, health, aging, and disease. Accumulating evidence from ALS rodent and cell models has demonstrated neuroprotective and neurotoxic functions from microglia and astrocytes. In this review, we focused on the recent advancements of knowledge in microglial and astrocytic states and nomenclature, the landmark discoveries demonstrating a clear contribution of microglia and astrocytes to ALS pathogenesis, and novel therapeutic candidates leveraging these cells that are currently undergoing clinical trials.
Exploiting Differences in Heme Biosynthesis between Bacterial Species to Screen for Novel Antimicrobials
Authors: Jackson Laurie K. , Dailey Tammy A. , Anderle Brenden , Warren Martin J. , Bergonia Hector A. , Dailey Harry A. , Phillips John D.
Published: October 2023

The final three steps of heme biogenesis exhibit notable differences between di- and mono-derm bacteria. The former employs the protoporphyrin-dependent (PPD) pathway, while the latter utilizes the more recently uncovered coproporphyrin-dependent (CPD) pathway. In order to devise a rapid screen for potential inhibitors that differentiate the two pathways, the genes associated with the protoporphyrin pathway in an Escherichia coli YFP strain were replaced with those for the CPD pathway from Staphylococcus aureus (SA) through a sliding modular gene replacement recombineering strategy to generate the E. coli strain Sa-CPD-YFP. Potential inhibitors that differentially target the pathways were identified by screening compound libraries against the YFP-producing Sa-CPD-YFP strain in comparison to a CFP-producing E. coli strain. Using a mixed strain assay, inhibitors targeting either the CPD or PPD heme pathways were identified through a decrease in one fluorescent signal but not the other. An initial screen identified both azole and prodigiosin-derived compounds that were shown to specifically target the CPD pathway and which led to the accumulation of coproheme, indicating that the main target of inhibition would appear to be the coproheme decarboxylase (ChdC) enzyme. In silico modeling highlighted that these inhibitors are able to bind within the active site of ChdC.
Hygrothermal Assessment of Insulation Systems for Internal Insulation of Solid Masonry Walls under Various Conditions
Authors: Freimanis Ritvars , Vanaga Ruta , Balodis Viesturs , Zundans Zigmars , Blumberga Andra
Published: October 2023

Energy efficiency renovation of building stock is an essential aspect of the climate change mitigation strategies in many countries. A large proportion of building stock is historical buildings. For this building stock, developing technology for safe internal insulation of external walls is crucial, preventing possible moisture damage to the building structures. Internal insulation is a risky technique as it has a high impact on the hygrothermal behavior of the wall. This study assesses the hygrothermal performance of massive masonry walls with 17 interior insulation systems exposed to different external boundary conditions, including a steady-state cycle, dynamic dry cycle, wind-driven cycle, and drying cycle. During the steady state cycle, the highest increase of moisture was observed under capillary active materials ranging from 39 to 119% increase in absolute moisture, with the exception of cellulose with an increase of only 7%. All the vapor-tight insulation systems showed no increase in absolute moisture during the steady-state cycle, with the exception being mineral wool in combination with a vapor barrier that showed a 30% increase in ablute humidity. In addition, relative moisture changes in masonry were measured. Results show that tested insulation systems exhibit similar thermal performance while having different moisture performance. Vapor-tight and vapor-open insulation systems exhibit different hygrothermal behavior under various test cycles depending on material vapor diffusion resistance. Numerical simulations are sensitive to the hygrothermal properties of materials.
Workability, Mechanical Properties, and Microstructure Analysis of Bottom Ash Mortar Reinforced with Recycled Tire Steel Fiber
Authors: Markpiban Pochpagee , Sahamitmongkol Raktipong
Published: October 2023

Recycled tire steel fiber (RTSF) is added to mortar with pre-wetted bottom ash (BA) to enhance the mechanical properties of the mortar, in addition to providing an internal curing effect. This work investigated the mechanical properties of BA mortar, such as the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength, including the heat of reactions and the total shrinkage, considering different contents of BA (i.e., 10%, 20%, and 30% replacements by volume of fine aggregate) and recycled steel fiber (RSF, i.e., 0.5% and 1.0% by volume). The results showed that BA reduced all mechanical properties; however, it increased the degree of hydration by raising the heat peak of hydration in the first 7 days, increasing the amount of calcium hydroxide at 28 days, and significantly refining the pore structure during the curing period. Regarding the effects of RTSF, the bridging effect positively affected the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength of the mortar with 30% BA when 1% RTSF was added, increasing them by 25%, 46%, and 40%, respectively. Moreover, adding 1% RTSF reduced the total porosity of the mortar with 30% BA from 17.2% to 14.8%.
A Model of Trust in Ethereum Token ‘Ether’ Payments, TRUSTEP
Authors: Zarifis Alex
Published: October 2023

Ethereum is being utilized in various ways, including smart contracts and payments. Research in cryptocurrency payments has either been general, about all cryptocurrencies or focused primarily on Bitcoin. Despite some similarities with Bitcoin, Ethereum is a different technology with different governance and support. This research focuses on payments with the Ethereum token, Ether, and puts forward a model of trust in Ethereum payments. Survey data analyzed using structural equation modeling supports the model. Firstly, the model has three variables from the person’s individual characteristics: The user’s predisposition to using innovations in (a) finance and (b) technology, influence (c) their predisposition to trust in this payment process. There are then five variables from the context: (d) Adoption and reputation, (e) stable value and low transaction fees, (f) effective regulation, (g) trust in the payment intermediaries, and (h) trust in the seller. The personal and contextual factors together influence (i) trust in the Ethereum payment process, and this leads to (j) making a payment with Ethereum.
Au-Deposited Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 Nanostructures for Photocatalytic H2 Production under Visible Light
Authors: Al Thabaiti Shaeel Ahmed , Khan Zaheer , Al-Thubaiti Khloud Saeed , Bawaked Salem Mohamed , Al-Sheheri Soad Zahir , Mokhtar Mohamed , Malik Maqsood Ahmad , Narasimharao Katabathini
Published: October 2023

Pure Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 and Au (0.1–1.0 wt.%)-deposited Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 nanomaterials were synthesized via hydrothermal and non-aqueous precipitation methods using gold acetate as a chloride-free Au precursor. The synthesized nanostructures exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production via aqueous bioethanol photoreforming under visible light. Different characterization tools such as powder XRD, HRTEM, FT-IR, DR UV-vis, XPS and N2 gas adsorption were used to analyze the physicochemical properties of the synthesized photocatalysts. The band gap value was lowered from 3.25 eV to 2.86 eV after Au nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of Ce0.5Zr0.5O2. The 1.0 wt.% Au-deposited Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 sample exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity for H2 production (3210 μmol g−1) due to its low band gap, the presence of more oxygen vacancies and its porous character. The EIS results reveal that the deposition of 1.0 wt.% Au nanoparticles is responsible for the highest charge separation efficiency with an increased lifetime of photogenerated e−/h+ species compared to the other samples. In addition, the presence of plasmonic Au is responsible for the effectiveness of the electron trap in improving the rate of H2 formation.
The Immobilization and Stabilization of Trypsin from the Porcine Pancreas on Chitosan and Its Catalytic Performance in Protein Hydrolysis
Authors: Miguez João Pedro , Fernandez-Lafuente Roberto , Tavano Olga Luisa , Mendes Adriano Aguiar
Published: October 2023

In this study, trypsin from the porcine pancreas was immobilized on a heterofunctional support prepared by activating chitosan (Chit) hydrogel with glutaraldehyde (GA), then functionalizing it with glycine (Chit–GA–Gly). The catalytic performance of the immobilized trypsin in the hydrolysis reactions was compared with the catalytic performance of the immobilized enzyme on glutaraldehyde-activated chitosan (Chit–GA) and chitosan hydrogel (Chit). The maximum concentration of immobilized protein on Chit–GA–Gly was approximately 16 mg·g−1 at pH 9.0 (5 mmol·L−1 buffer sodium carbonate) at 25 °C from an offered protein loading of 20 mg·g−1. This biocatalyst exhibited maximum specific activity (SA) of 33.1 ± 0.2 nmol·min−1·mg−1 for benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) hydrolysis, twice as high as the enzyme immobilized on the classic Chit–GA support (SA values ranging between 6.7 ± 0.1 nmol·min−1·mg−1 and 8.1 ± 0.1 nmol·min−1·mg−1). The Elovich kinetic model was used to describe the adsorption process using low (3 mg·g−1) and high (20 mg·g−1) initial protein loadings. The optimum temperature for BAPNA hydrolysis catalyzed by the immobilized trypsin (60 °C) was 10 °C higher than that of its soluble form. Additionally, the immobilized enzyme was 16 to 20 times more stable than its soluble form at 50–55 °C. Thermodynamic studies were conducted to elucidate the kinetics of the thermal inactivation process of soluble and immobilized forms. Complete hydrolysis of bovine serum albumin (BSA) at 37 °C was achieved after 2 h using a soluble enzyme, while for its immobilized form, the hydrolysis yield was 47%. Reuse tests revealed that this biocatalyst retained 37% of its original activity after 10 successive hydrolysis batches. Based on these results, this support could be used as an interesting alternative for producing heterogeneous biocatalysts with high catalytic activity and thermal stability when producing protein hydrolysates.
Comparative Evaluation of the Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)-Norlaudanosoline in a Two-Step Biocatalytic Reaction with Whole Escherichia coli Cells in Batch and Continuous Flow Catalysis
Authors: Arnold Adson Hagen , Castiglione Kathrin
Published: October 2023

Opioids are important analgesics, and their pharmaceutical application is increasing worldwide. Many opioids are based on benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIA) and are still industrially produced from Papaver somniferum (opium poppy). (S)-norlaudanosoline ((S)-NLS) is a complex BIA and an advanced intermediate for diverse pharmaceuticals. The efficient synthesis of this scaffold could pave the way for a plant-independent synthesis platform. Although a promising biocatalytic route to (S)-NLS using norcoclaurine synthase (NCS) and ω-transaminase (TAm) has already been explored, the cost-effectiveness of this process still needs much improvement. Therefore, we investigated whether the synthesis could also be performed using whole cells to avoid the use of (partially) purified enzymes. With an optimized mixing ratio of TAm- and NCS-containing cells in batch biotransformations, 50 mM substrate was converted within 3 h with more than 90% yield and a high enantiomeric excess of the product (95%). To further increase the space–time yield, the cells were immobilized to enable their retainment in fixed-bed reactors. A comparison of glass beads, Diaion HP-2MG and alginate revealed that the addition of Diaion during bacterial growth led to the most active immobilisates. To facilitate sustained production of (S)-NLS, a fixed-bed setup was constructed based on lithographically printed columns from biocompatible PRO-BLK 10 plastic. The continuous production at two scales (5 mL and 50 mL columns) revealed insufficient system stability originating from biocatalyst leaching and inactivation. Thus, while the use of whole cells in batch biotransformations represents an immediate process improvement, the transfer to flow catalysis needs further optimization.
Measuring Melanoma Nanomechanical Properties in Relation to Metastatic Ability and Anti-Cancer Drug Treatment Using Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy
Authors: Woodcock Emily , Gorelkin Peter V. , Goff Philip S. , Edwards Christopher R. W. , Zhang Yanjun , Korchev Yuri , Sviderskaya Elena V.
Published: October 2023

A cell’s mechanical properties have been linked to cancer development, motility and metastasis and are therefore an attractive target as a universal, reliable cancer marker. For example, it has been widely published that cancer cells show a lower Young’s modulus than their non-cancerous counterparts. Furthermore, the effect of anti-cancer drugs on cellular mechanics may offer a new insight into secondary mechanisms of action and drug efficiency. Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) offers a nanoscale resolution, non-contact method of nanomechanical data acquisition. In this study, we used SICM to measure the nanomechanical properties of melanoma cell lines from different stages with increasing metastatic ability. Young’s modulus changes following treatment with the anti-cancer drugs paclitaxel, cisplatin and dacarbazine were also measured, offering a novel perspective through the use of continuous scan mode SICM. We found that Young’s modulus was inversely correlated to metastatic ability in melanoma cell lines from radial growth, vertical growth and metastatic phases. However, Young’s modulus was found to be highly variable between cells and cell lines. For example, the highly metastatic cell line A375M was found to have a significantly higher Young’s modulus, and this was attributed to a higher level of F-actin. Furthermore, our data following nanomechanical changes after 24 hour anti-cancer drug treatment showed that paclitaxel and cisplatin treatment significantly increased Young’s modulus, attributed to an increase in microtubules. Treatment with dacarbazine saw a decrease in Young’s modulus with a significantly lower F-actin corrected total cell fluorescence. Our data offer a new perspective on nanomechanical changes following drug treatment, which may be an overlooked effect. This work also highlights variations in cell nanomechanical properties between previous studies, cancer cell lines and cancer types and questions the usefulness of using nanomechanics as a diagnostic or prognostic tool.
State-of-the-Art Review of Aliphatic Polyesters and Polyolefins Biodeterioration by Microorganisms: From Mechanism to Characterization
Authors: Khoshtinat Shiva
Published: October 2023

As a result of the exponential growth in the production of plastics and their extended degradation period, strong environmental concerns in association with the disposal of plastic waste have emerged. Pursuing sustainable solutions for managing plastic waste has led to significant interest in plastic biodegradation research, with a specific focus on biodeterioration facilitated by microorganisms. The biodeterioration of plastic by microorganisms is a complex phenomenon that can be influenced by a variety of environmental factors such as humidity, temperature, and pH, as well as polymer properties such as molecular structure, molecular weight, and crystallinity. Toward a better understanding of this phenomenon for resolving the issue of plastic waste, this review article focuses on the biodeterioration of synthetic polymers, in particular aliphatic polyesters and polyolefins, through the enzymatic activities of microorganisms. First, the mechanism of polymer biodegradation via enzymatic activity is discussed, followed by the physical properties of polymers and environmental conditions that influence their biodegradability rates. Then, an overview of experimental approaches and standardized protocols used to assess the biodegradability of polymers by these degrading agents is provided. Finally, current developments in employing biodeterioration for the degradation of aliphatic polyesters and polyolefins are reviewed. The review concludes with a discussion on the complexity of biodegradation by microorganisms, the necessity of proper engineering of polymer properties during production to enhance their biodegradability, and the need for further research to discover sustainable and environmentally acceptable alternatives.
Investigation of the WEDM Parameters’ Influence on the Recast Layer Thickness of Spark Plasma Sintered SiC-TiB2-TiC Ceramic
Authors: Solís Pinargote Nestor Washington , Malakhinsky Alexander , Soe Thet Naing , Pristinskiy Yuri , Smirnov Anton , Meleshkin Yaroslav , Apelfeld Andrey , Peretyagin Nikita , Peretyagin Pavel , Grigoriev Sergey N.
Published: October 2023

The influence of WEDM parameters (Spark gap voltage, Pulse-on time, Spark frequency, and Wire speed) on the recast layer thickness and surface roughness of Spark Plasma Sintered SiC-TiB2-TiC ceramic composite was investigated. For this, an orthogonal L9 Taguchi design was used, and grey relational analysis was carried out for multi-response WEDM parameter optimization in order to determine the minimum RLT and SR. It was noticed that for RLT, the Pulse-on time was observed as the most significant process parameter, followed by Spark gap voltage. On the other hand, Spark frequency and Wire speed had no significance for RLT. Moreover, Spark frequency was observed as the most significant process parameter, followed by Pulse-on time and Spark gap voltage, while Wire speed had a negligible effect on SR. It was found that at optimal process parameters (U = 48V; Ton = 1.0 µs; f = 10 kHz; q = 8 m/min), we obtained an RLT of 3.16 µm and an SR of Ra = 0.847 µm. The confirmation test showed a decrease in RLT and SR by 43.67% and 7.12%, respectively, in comparison to the initial machining conditions.
Appetite or Distaste for Cell-Based Seafood? An Examination of Japanese Consumer Attitudes
Authors: Braun Pauline , Knight Andrew
Published: October 2023

Conventional seafood production contributes to some of the most alarming global problems we face at present, such as the destabilization of aquatic ecosystems, human health risks, and serious concerns for the welfare of trillions of aquatic animals each year. The increasing global appetite for seafood necessitates the development of alternative production methods that meet consumer demand, while circumventing the aforementioned problems. Among such alternatives, cell-based seafood is a promising approach. For its production, cells are taken from live aquatic animals and are cultivated in growth media, thus making the rearing, catching, and slaughtering of a great number of animals redundant. In recent years, this alternative production method has transitioned from aspiration to reality, and several cell-based seafood start-ups are preparing to launch their products. Market success, however, has been reckoned to largely depend on consumer attitudes. So far, there has been little research exploring this within Asia, and none in Japan, which has one of the highest seafood consumption footprints per capita globally. The present study explores cell-based seafood-related knowledge, attitudes and behavioral intentions of Japanese consumers (n = 110) via a questionnaire-based, quantitative analysis. Although findings suggest low awareness of the concept of cell-based seafood, attitudes and intentions were positive overall, with about 70% of participants expressing an interest in tasting, and 60% expressing a general willingness to buy cell-based seafood. Younger age was significantly associated with more positive attitudes, while prior knowledge of cell-based seafood was strongly linked to willingness to pay a premium for cell-based products. While highlighting the need for information campaigns to educate Japanese consumers about cell-based seafood, this study’s findings suggest the Japanese market to be moderately ready for the launch of such products.
A Practical Implementation of Medical Privacy-Preserving Federated Learning Using Multi-Key Homomorphic Encryption and Flower Framework
Authors: Walskaar Ivar , Tran Minh Christian , Catak Ferhat Ozgur
Published: October 2023

The digitization of healthcare data has presented a pressing need to address privacy concerns within the realm of machine learning for healthcare institutions. One promising solution is federated learning, which enables collaborative training of deep machine learning models among medical institutions by sharing model parameters instead of raw data. This study focuses on enhancing an existing privacy-preserving federated learning algorithm for medical data through the utilization of homomorphic encryption, building upon prior research. In contrast to the previous paper, this work is based upon Wibawa, using a single key for HE, our proposed solution is a practical implementation of a preprint with a proposed encryption scheme (xMK-CKKS) for implementing multi-key homomorphic encryption. For this, our work first involves modifying a simple “ring learning with error” RLWE scheme. We then fork a popular federated learning framework for Python where we integrate our own communication process with protocol buffers before we locate and modify the library’s existing training loop in order to further enhance the security of model updates with the multi-key homomorphic encryption scheme. Our experimental evaluations validate that, despite these modifications, our proposed framework maintains a robust model performance, as demonstrated by consistent metrics including validation accuracy, precision, f1-score, and recall.