bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Selected Antioxidant and Anti-nutrient Content and Palynological Evaluation of Honey Samples from Southern Guinea Savanna Vegetation of Nigeria
Authors: Njokuocha Reginald C. 
Published: July 2020

Aims: To investigate the presence of selected antioxidant and anti-nutrient and pollen profile of four honey samples from the southern guinea savanna vegetation of Nigeria.
Study Design: Purposive sampling method was used in selecting the study areas for the honey samples
Place and Duration of Study: The study was done in the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, between June to October, 2019.
Methodology: The analyzed antioxidants (flavonoids, total phenols, vitamin C and alkaloids) and anti-nutrient (phytate and oxalate) were subjected to standard chemical treatment in four replicates. The stock samples of the honeys were thoroughly shaken and 10g collected from each sample for pollen analysis. Each sample was dissolved in acidified warm (40°C) water, centrifuged at 2000 rpm and the residues collected. Subsequently, they passed through standard acetolysis treatment. The polliniferous deposits were put in specimen bottles containing glycerol-alcohol. Routine pollen counts and identification were done at x400 magnifications. The pollen counts were presented as percentage values, while results obtained from the chemical analyses were subjected to analysis of variance and mean separation test using Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test at P=.05.
Results: All the selected antioxidants (flavonoids, total phenols, vitamin C and alkaloids) and anti-nutrients (phytate and oxalate) analyzed were detected in variable quantities in the samples. The honeys were acidic having pH range within acceptable internationally standard. Eighty-two pollen types (39 families) were recorded and composed of nectariferous (90.2%) and non-nectariferous (9.8%) plants. All the honey samples were polyfloral and the most common pollen types occurring across the samples were Elaeis guineensis, Asteraceae and Phyllanthus muellerianus.
Conclusion: The honey samples were acidic and contained the selected antioxidants and anti-nutrients parameters in variable quantities. The honey samples were polyfloral with a high number of nectariferous and few non-nectariferous honey plants.
Detection of Multidrug Resistant Gram Negative Bacteria in Healthy Cattle from Maiduguri Metropolitan, Nigeria
Authors: Mustapha Adam , Isa Mustafa Alhaji , Ngoshe Ibrahim Yusuf , Bala Hashidu 
Published: July 2020

Aim: Prevalence of multidrug resistant bacteria on apparently health animals has turned antibiotic resistance to multifaceted process and threatens global food security and public health. The aim of the present study was to investigate the resistance profile of isolates from apparently healthy cattle in Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Methodology: A total of 120 nasal swab samples were collected from cattle. Colony identification was according to the guidelines of Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. The susceptibility pattern of the isolates was conducted on the identified isolates according to the Modified Kirby-Baur disc diffusion method on Muller-Hilton agar and interpreted according to the procedures of Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI, 2018) guidelines. Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Index (MARI) was calculated using the formula, MARI=a/b where “a” is the number of antibiotic resisted and “b” is the total number of antibiotic used in the study.
Results: Of the total samples (120) from cattle 96 (80%) detected the following isolates; E. coli was the most commonly recovered isolates (33, 34.4%), followed by Klebsiella spp (28, 29.2%), Salmonella spp (21, 21.9%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14, 14.5%). In this study, all the recovered isolates were found to be multidrug resistant gram negative bacteria, with highest resistance was shown by Salmonella spp. The high MARI observed in all the isolates in this study ranging from 0.7 to 0.9. MARI value of 0.2 > is suggests multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria and indicate presence of highly resistant bacteria.
Conclusion: The study indicates highly resistant bacteria are carried by healthy food animals. Thus, there is need for continued monitoring of antibiotics use in animal husbandry to prevent further spread of resistance in Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Application of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in the Optimization of Crude Oil Refinery Process: New Port-Harcourt Refinery
Authors: Braimah M. N. 
Published: July 2020

Background: Optimizing the process conditions of the crude distillation unit is a main challenge for each refinery. Optimization increases profit by producing the required range of distillates at maximum yield and at minimum cost. To achieve an acceptable control of product quality an artificial neural network (ANN) can be used. ANNs are used for engineering purposes, such as pattern recognition, forecasting, and data compression. In the petroleum refinery industry, ANN has been used as controller in for the crude distillation unit. The aim of the current study was to use ANN to optimize and achieve control of product quality of crude distillation unit of an oil refinery.
Materials: The research was carried out using the following materials; The design flowchart and the operating data of the crude distillation unit of the New Port Harcourt refinery, Simulation software (HYSYS 2006.5) and Matlab for the ANN.
Results: The ANN predicted the optimum operating conditions at which the atmospheric distillation unit (ADU) can operate with the least irreversibility and without changing the design and compromising the products quality. The corresponding exergy efficiency after optimization with ANN for the input variable combinations was 70.6% which was a great improvement because the exergy efficiency increased as compared to the base case of 51.9%.
Conclusion: Optimization using ANN, improved the efficiency of the ADU with the least irreversibility and without changing the design and compromising the products quality.
Ocular Morbidities Associated with Workers in Brewing Industries
Authors: Bright Ukoh Chiemeka , Princewill Anyatonwu Obinna 
Published: July 2020

Introduction: Globally, ocular morbidities have worsened the rate of visual impairments. It was estimated that about 285 million people are visually impaired, 39 million are blind, and 246 million have low vision. The process of beer production can lead to various eye morbidities or injuries to the workers, and these injuries are preventable. This study investigated the prevalent ocular conditions and their causes among workers in brewery Industries.
Methodology: This study employed a cross-sectional study design and was carried out in three different breweries. A total of 400 participants consisting of 279 males and 121 females were enrolled in this study. Questionnaires and eye examination were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze and summarize the data.
Results: Our findings revealed that pterygium (30%, 24.8% & 24.1% respectively) was the highest prevalent ocular morbidity among workers in the brewing industry. Pinguecula (21.5%, 23.2% & 17.9%) and allergic conjunctivitis (18.5%, 13.6% & 7.6%) were also prevalent. Correspondingly, exposure to foreign body/dust particles (33.1%, 33.5% & 29.2) accounted mostly for the causes of ocular morbidities among these workers. Other possible causes of ocular morbidities were fumes/gases, unfavorable temperature conditions, etc.
Conclusion: Pterygium, pinguecula and allergic conjunctivitis were prevalent among workers in the brewing industry. Similarly, exposure to foreign bodies/dust particles, fumes/gases, carelessness/nonchalance by workers, and unfavorable temperature condition were the major causes of ocular morbidities/problems.
Adaptive model predictive control with extended state observer for multi‐UAV formation flight
Authors: Zhang Boyang , Sun Xiuxia , Liu Shuguang , Deng Xiongfeng 
Published: July 2020

SummaryThis article studies the adaptive model predictive control with extended state observers (ESO) to deal with multiple unmanned aerial vehicles formation flight in presence of external disturbances and system uncertainties. Specifically, to deal with the mismatch of predictive model caused by external disturbances and system uncertainties, ESOs are introduced to estimate the lumped disturbances, where the ultimately bounded property of observer system can be guaranteed by using the Lyapunov stability theorem. With these observations, the distributed adaptive model predictive controller is designed to achieve trajectory tracking and disturbance rejection simultaneously for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as taking the state and input saturation into account. Moreover, the stability of proposed model predictive controller is analyzed. Finally, the simulation examples are provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed control scheme.
Novel fuzzy adaptive finite‐time nonsmooth control for uncertain nonlinear systems
Authors: Huang Yunchang , Wang Jianhui , Ma Kemao , Wu Wenqiang 
Published: July 2020

SummaryIn this article, a novel fuzzy adaptive finite‐time nonsmooth controller is developed to handle the finite‐time tracking problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems. Different from traditional fuzzy adaptive approximation methods, proposed method contains only one adaptive parameter, no matter how many states there are in the system. By constructing a new Lyapunov function with prescribed performance bound, the transient and steady performances of control system can be ensured. Further, based on a criterion of finite‐time semiglobal practical stability and backstepping technology, a novel fuzzy adaptive finite‐time nonsmooth control method is designed. It can be demonstrated that proposed control can effectively ensure tracking error tends to small neighborhood in a finite time. Finally, two examples have been simulated by the proposed control method, and it shows effective tracking performance.
Cellular Structured CNTs@SiO2 Nanofibrous Aerogels with Vertically Aligned Vessels for Salt‐Resistant Solar Desalination
Authors: Dong Xiangyang , Cao Leitao , Si Yang , Ding Bin , Deng Hongbing 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe emerging solar desalination technology is considered as one of the most promising strategies to ensure water security. However, with the proceeding of solar desalination, salt crystallization on the surface of solar evaporators caused by increasing salinity of seawater will result in a decrease in the evaporation rate. Thus, it is still challenging to fabricate solar evaporators with superior salt resistance. In this work, elastic ceramic‐based nanofibrous aerogels with a cellular architecture are fabricated by the combination of electrospinning and fiber freeze‐shaping technologies, which are composed of vertically aligned vessels and porous vessel walls. Under the action of convection and diffusion promoted by this unique cellular architecture, the aerogels exhibit a superior salt‐resistance without any salt crystals on the surface of aerogels even in 20% brine and under 6‐sun irradiation. Moreover, by virtue of the synergistic effect of the promising structure and light absorbance of carbon nanotubes, aerogels possess a high light absorbance of up to 98% and excellent evaporation performance achieving 1.50 kg m−2 h−1 under 1‐sun irradiation. This work may provide a fascinating avenue for the desalination of seawater in a salt‐resistance and efficient manner.
Emerging Nanocellulose Technologies: Recent Developments
Authors: Isogai Akira 
Published: July 2020

AbstractNanocelluloses have unique morphologies, characteristics, and surface nanostructures, and are prepared from abundant and renewable plant biomass resources. Therefore, expansion of the use of CO2‐accumulating nanocelluloses is expected to partly contribute to the establishment of a sustainable society and help overcome current global environmental issues. Nanocelluloses can be categorized into cellulose nanonetworks, cellulose nanofibrils, and cellulose nanocrystals, depending on their morphologies. All of these materials are first obtained as aqueous dispersions. In particular, cellulose nanofibrils have homogeneous ≈3 nm widths and average lengths of >500 nm, and significant amounts of charged groups are present on their surfaces. Such charged groups are formed by carboxymethylation, C6‐carboxylation, phosphorylation, phosphite esterification, xanthation, sulfate esterification, and C2/C3 dicarboxylation during the pretreatment of plant cellulose fibers before their conversion into cellulose nanofibrils via mechanical disintegration in water. These surface‐charged groups in nanocelluloses can be stoichiometrically counterion‐exchanged into diverse metal and alkylammonium ions, resulting in surface‐modified nanocelluloses with various new functions including hydrophobic, water‐resistant, catalytic, superdeodorant, and gas‐separation properties. However, many fundamental and application‐related issues facing nanocelluloses must first be overcome to enable their further expansion.
Flexible Pressure Sensors for Biomedical Applications: From Ex Vivo to In Vivo
Authors: Li Lin , Zheng Jiahong , Chen Jing , Luo Zebang , Su Yi , Tang Wei , Gao Xing , Li Yingtian , Cao Chongjing , Liu Qiuhua , Kang Xiaoyang , Wang Lei , Li Hui 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAs an important branch of flexible electronics, flexible pressure sensors that combine unique advantages including light weight, flexibility, and low‐cost, have drawn extensive attention owing to their great potential for biomedical applications. In this review, the current state‐of‐the‐art flexible pressure sensors concerning common substrate and active materials, sensing mechanism, key parameters, sensitivity optimization strategies, and promising biomedical applications from ex vivo to in vivo and which results in the distinct requirements of materials and structure design is briefly reviewed. Finally, perspectives on the potential challenges of flexible pressure sensors are provided.
Applying CRISPR/Cas13 to Construct Exosomal PD‐L1 Ultrasensitive Biosensors for Dynamic Monitoring of Tumor Progression in Immunotherapy
Authors: He Yi , Wu Yetao , Wang Yu , Wang Xueping , Xing Shan , Li Huilan , Guo Songhe , Yu Xiaohui , Dai Shuqin , Zhang Ge , Zeng Musheng , Liu Wanli 
Published: July 2020

AbstractProgrammed cell death receptor 1 (PD‐L1) protein on exosomes (exosomal PD‐L1) is one of the most promising biomarkers for cancer immunotherapy monitoring. However, current approaches for exosomal PD‐L1 detection are poorly sensitive, laborious, and time‐consuming. Here, a new method, named Aptamer‐RPA‐TMA‐Cas13a Assay (ARTCA) is established, which enables exosomal PD‐L1 to be detected directly in serum with a lower limit of 10 particles mL−1. Mechanistically, using DNA aptamer specifically binding to exosomal PD‐L1, the aptamer is amplified twice by recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) coupled with transcription‐mediated amplification (TMA) and simultaneously the TMA products are detected in real‐time with CRISPR/Cas13a system. Utilizing ARTCA, PD‐L1 levels in circulating exosomes seem to be a reliable marker of PD‐L1 expression in tumor tissue. The level of circulating exosomal PD‐L1 increases significantly in patients with tumor progression. Ultra‐trace detection of serum exosomal PD‐L1 by ARTCA provides a potentially convenient way for dynamic monitoring of tumor progression for patients undergoing immunotherapy. These results demonstrate the use of CRISPR‐Cas13a for protein detection, and circulating exosomal PD‐L1 levels seem to be a reliable marker as well as PD‐L1 expression in tumor tissue, opening up new avenues for monitoring tumor progression.
Efficient Isolation and Enrichment of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Utilizing the Interaction between Integrin α5β1 and Fibronectin
Authors: Cha Byung‐Hyun , Kim Jin‐Su , Bello Alvin , Lee Geun‐Hui , Kim Do‐Hyun , Kim Byoung Ju , Arai Yoshie , Choi Bogyu , Park Hansoo , Lee Soo‐Hong 
Published: July 2020

AbstractHuman pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are a potent source of clinically relevant mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that confer functional and structural benefits in cell therapy and tissue regeneration. Obtaining sufficient numbers of MSCs in a short period of time and enhancing the differentiation potential of MSCs can be offered the potential to improve the regenerative activity of MSCs therapy. In addition, the underlying processes in the isolation and derivation of MSCs from hPSCs are still poorly understood and controlled. To overcome these clinical needs, an efficient and simplified technique on the isolation of MSCs from spontaneously differentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) via integrin α5β1 (fibronectin (FN) receptor)‐to‐FN interactions (hESC‐FN‐MSCs) is successfully developed. It is demonstrated that hESC‐FN‐MSCs exhibit a typical MSC surface phenotype, cellular morphology, with the whole transcriptome similar to conventional adult MSCs; but show higher proliferative capacity, more efficient trilineage differentiation, enhanced cytokine secretion, and attenuated cellular senescence. In addition, the therapeutic potential and regenerative capacity of the isolated hESC‐FN‐MSCs are confirmed by in vitro and in vivo multilineage differentiation. This novel method will be useful in the generation of abundant amounts of clinically relevant MSCs for stem cell therapeutics and regenerative medicine.
Biochar, manure, and super absorbent increased wheat yields and salt redistribution in a saline‐sodic soil
Authors: Fouladidorhani Maliheh , Shayannejad Mohammad , Shariatmadari Hossein , Mosaddeghi Mohammad Reza , Arthur Emmanuel 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSalinity and sodicity problems are ubiquitous in dryland and irrigated systems, and research into possible amendments to remediate soils in these systems is needed. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of organic and inorganic amendments on spring wheat (Triticum aestivum UG99) yield and salts redistribution within the profile of a repacked saline–sodic silt loam soil (ECe = 12.9 dS m−1, exchangeable sodium percent (ESP) = 17.6% for control). The experimental design for greenhouse study was completely random with two factors (amendment and leaching fraction, LF). The amendments included biochar (2%) [B], biochar + manure (2%) [BM], zeolite modified with CaCl2 (2%) [ZC], super absorbent (1%) [SA], and a control (no amendment) considering two levels of LF (15 and 30%). All amendments, except ZC, decreased soil bulk density and electrical conductivity, and increased soil pH and water content at field capacity after 2 pore volumes leaching. There was positive effect (p < .001) of B, BM and SA on wheat ground cover and grain yield; ZC amendment had no effect on wheat growth or yield. The LF levels did not affect wheat growth or yield. The amendments (B, BM and SA) decreased Na+ and Mg2+ concentration in straw, while K+ concentration increased; resulting in reductions in the Na+/K+ ratio. In general, the study showed that B, BM and SA are suitable amendments for increasing yield by improving soil conditions and reducing salts and Na+ accumulation in plants.
Validating the Japanese version of the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) questionnaire
Authors: Watadani Yusuke , Ohge Hiroki , Hashimoto Yasushi , Kondo Naru , Sakashita Yoshihiro , Uemura Kenichiro , Miyamoto Katsunari , Murakami Yoshiaki , Hida Eisuke , Sueda Taijiro 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAimTo validate a Japanese version of the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) in patients with symptomatic gallstone disease.MethodsWe investigated responsiveness, reliability, and convergent validity of the translated GIQLI in patients who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Questionnaire scores were compared with the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) to verify convergent validity.ResultsThere were 120 patients originally enrolled in the study; three were excluded after their surgery as they no longer met the inclusion criteria. Questionnaires were collected from the remaining 117 patients (100% response rate). At 2 weeks post‐surgery, total GIQLI score increased significantly from pre‐surgery levels, suggesting high responsiveness. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.901 to 0.934 for the total score, while a comparison of scores at 2 vs 6 weeks post‐surgery yielded an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.843; thus, the Japanese version of the questionnaire was reliable. Correlations with GSRS ranged between −0.459 and −0.679, indicating fair to good convergent validity.ConclusionThe Japanese GIQLI had high responsiveness and reliability to assess how surgery for symptomatic gallstone disease influenced patient quality of life.
A universal cohesive energy estimation equation based on COSMO
Authors: Zhao Yueqiang , Liu Weiwei , Zhu Jing , Pei Xiaoqin 
Published: July 2020

AbstractA universal cohesive energy estimation equation for neutral molecules based on COSMO (COSMO‐UCE) was developed in this work; which comprises contributions from dispersive (nonpolar), polar (electrostatic) and hydrogen‐bonding interactions, and takes into account the influence of local segment surface charge density profile and entire molecule stereo charge distribution (dipole and quadrupole moment) on coulombic and hydrogen‐bonding interaction energy calculations. We have examined this model for the molar cohesive energy of pure liquids, gases, and ionic liquids (ILs) with successful results, which indicates that this model is reliable for calculating the molar cohesive energy of conventional fluids (nonpolar, polar, and hydrogen‐bonding liquids and gases) and ILs. This model can be used for solubility parameter calculations and solvent selections for chemical separation process (gas absorption and liquid–liquid extraction).