bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monolayer AsC5 as the Promising Hydrogen Storage Material for Clean Energy Applications
Authors: Lu Qiang , Zhang Binyuan , Zhang Lianlian , Zhu Yulian , Gong Weijiang
Published: May 2023

One of the critical techniques for developing hydrogen storage applications is the advanced research to build novel two-dimensional materials with significant capacity and effective reversibility. In this work, we perform first-principles unbiased structure search simulations to find a novel AsC5 monolayer with a variety of functionally advantageous characteristics. Based on theoretical simulations, the proposed AsC5 has been found to be energetically, dynamically, and thermally stable, supporting the viability of experiment. Since the coupling between H2 molecules and the AsC5 monolayer is quite weak due to physisorption, it is crucial to be enhanced by thoughtful material design. Hydrogen storage capacity can be greatly enhanced by decorating the AsC5 monolayer with Li atoms. Each Li atom on the AsC5 substrate is shown to be capable of adsorbing up to four H2 molecules with an advantageous average adsorption energy (Ead) of 0.19 eV/H2. The gravimetric density for hydrogen storage adsorption with 16Li and 64 H2 of a Li-decorated AsC5 monolayer is about 9.7 wt%, which is helpful for the possible application in hydrogen storage. It is discovered that the desorption temperature (TD) is much greater than the hydrogen critical point. Therefore, such crucial characteristics make AsC5-Li be a promising candidate for the experimental setup of hydrogen storage.
Experiments on the Electrical Conductivity of PEG 400 Nanocolloids Enhanced with Two Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Chereches Elena Ionela , Minea Alina Adriana
Published: May 2023

This paper aims to provide some insights into the pH and electrical conductivity of two classes of nanocolloids with PEG 400 as the base fluid. Thus, nanoparticles of two oxides—MgO and TiO2—were added to the base fluid in 5 mass concentrations in the range 0.25–2.5 %wt. The stability was evaluated in terms of pH at ambient temperature, while the electrical conductivity was discussed at both ambient temperature and up to 333.15 K. The electrical conductivity of PEG 400 was previously discussed by this group, while the behavior of the new nanocolloids was debated in terms of the state of the art. More precisely, the influence of MgO increases electrical conductivity, and an enhancement of up to 48% for 0.25% MgO was found, while the influence of TiO2 nanoparticles was found to be in similar ranges. In conclusion, electrical conductivity varies with temperature and the addition of nanoparticles to the base fluid, although the mechanisms that are driving the nanoparticle type and concentration influence are not yet entirely assumed in the available literature.
Circadian Clock and Nutrition
Authors: Lewandowski Marian H.
Published: May 2023

Rhythmicity is a fundamental characteristic of every living organism [...]
The Effect of Dietary Pattern on Metabolic Syndrome in a Suburban Population in Shanghai, China
Authors: Wei Lanxin , Fan Jing , Dong Ruihua , Zhang Mei , Jiang Yonggen , Zhao Qi , Zhao Genming , Chen Bo , Li Jing , Liu Shaojie
Published: May 2023

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is recognized as one of the most severe non-communicable chronic diseases. Diet plays an essential role in the development and exacerbation of MetS. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and MetS in a suburban population in Shanghai, China. Data were collected on the Zhongshan community from the Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort and Biobank (SSACB) study between May and September 2017. A total of 5426 participants who completed the questionnaire investigation, physical measurements, and biological sample collection were effectively enrolled in this study. Both posteriori and priori methods were utilized to generate different dietary patterns, including the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) and Mediterranean diet (MD). The prevalence of MetS in this study was 22.47%. Compared to the reference, dietary patterns with a higher intake of “dairy and fruits” and “coarse cereals and soy products” had protective effects on MetS (p < 0.05). However, no significant correlation with MetS was observed for DASH and MD. Our study recommends higher consumption of fruits, coarse cereals, and soy products, which was associated with a lower prevalence of MetS in the suburban population of Shanghai. The correlation of DASH and MD with MetS in the Chinese population requires further exploration.
Switching from Sugar- to Artificially-Sweetened Beverages: A 12-Week Trial
Authors: Kendig Michael D. , Chow Julie Y. L. , Martire Sarah I. , Rooney Kieron B. , Boakes Robert A.
Published: May 2023

Background: Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) forms the primary source of added sugar intake and can increase the risk of metabolic disease. Evidence from studies in humans and rodents also indicates that consumption of SSBs can impair performance on cognitive tests, but that removing SSB access can ameliorate these effects. Methods: The present study used an unblinded 3-group parallel design to assess the effects of a 12-week intervention in which young healthy adults (mean age = 22.85, SD = 3.89; mean BMI: 23.2, SD = 3.6) who regularly consumed SSBs were instructed to replace SSB intake with artificially-sweetened beverages (n = 28) or water (n = 25), or (c) to continue SSB intake (n = 27). Results: No significant group differences were observed in short-term verbal memory on the Logical Memory test or the ratio of waist circumference to height (primary outcomes), nor in secondary measures of effect, impulsivity, adiposity, or glucose tolerance. One notable change was a significant reduction in liking for strong sucrose solutions in participants who switched to water. Switching from SSBs to ‘diet’ drinks or water had no detectable impact on cognitive or metabolic health over the relatively short time frame studied here. This study was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12615001004550; Universal Trial Number: U1111-1170-4543).
Micronutrients in Maternal and Infant Health: Where We Are and Where We Should Go
Authors: Yu Yunxian
Published: May 2023

The first 1000 days of life are defined by the World Health Organization as a “window of opportunity” for a person’s growth and development, and nutrition is particularly important during this time window [...]
Tea Consumption and New-Onset Acute Kidney Injury: The Effects of Milk or Sweeteners Addition and Caffeine/Coffee
Authors: Liu Mengyi , Yang Sisi , Ye Ziliang , Zhang Yanjun , Zhang Yuanyuan , He Panpan , Zhou Chun , Hou Fan Fan , Qin Xianhui
Published: May 2023

Aims: To explore the relationship between tea consumption and the risk of incident acute kidney injury (AKI) and examine the effects of coffee consumption, genetic variation in caffeine metabolism, and the use of tea additives (milk and sweeteners) on this association. Methods: Using data from the UK Biobank, 498,621 participants who were free of AKI and had information on tea intake were included. Black tea is the main type consumed in this population. Dietary information was collected from standardized and validated Food-Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Outcome was incident AKI, determined via primary care data, hospital inpatient data, death register records, or self-reported data at follow-up visits. Results: After a median follow-up period of 12.0 years, 21,202 participants occurred AKI. Overall, there was a reversed J-shaped relation between tea consumption and incident AKI, with an inflection point at 3.5 cup/d (p for nonlinearity < 0.001). The relation was similar among participants with different genetically predicted caffeine metabolism (p-interaction = 0.684), while a more obvious positive association was found between heavy tea consumption and AKI when more coffee was consumed (p-interaction < 0.001). Meanwhile, there was a reversed J-shaped relationship for drinking tea with neither milk nor sweeteners, and a L-shaped association for drinking tea with milk (with or without sweeteners) with incident AKI. However, no significant association was found between drinking tea with sweeteners only and incident AKI. Conclusions: There was a reversed J-shaped relation between tea consumption and incident AKI, suggesting that light to moderate tea consumption, especially adding milk, can be part of a healthy diet.
Egress Regulatory Factors: How Toxoplasma Exits from Infected Cells?
Authors: Diao Yujie , Yao Yong , El-Ashram Saeed , Bian Maohong
Published: May 2023

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligatory intracellular protozoan in the family Apicomplexa. It infects almost one-third of the world’s population and causes toxoplasmosis, a prevalent disease. The parasite’s egress from infected cells is a key step in the pathology caused by T. gondii. Moreover, T. gondii’s continuous infection relies heavily on its capacity to migrate from one cell to another. Many pathways are involved in T. gondii egress. Individual routes may be modified to respond to various environmental stimuli, and many paths can converge. Regardless of the stimuli, the relevance of Ca2+ as a second messenger in transducing these signals, and the convergence of various signaling pathways in the control of motility and, ultimately, egress, is well recognized. This review attempts to outline intra- and extra-parasitic regulators that mediate T. gondii egress, and provides insight into potential clinical interventions and research.
Growing up with Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: An Arduous Journey
Authors: Dutilleux Tanguy , Farhat Nesrine , Heying Ruth , Seghaye Marie-Christine , Beghetti Maurice
Published: May 2023

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is an uncommon and severe disease. We report the case of a 7-year-old boy investigated for cardiac murmur and exercise intolerance. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) was suspected at clinical examination and confirmed by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. This case of pulmonary hypertension was classified as idiopathic given the negative etiological investigation. Vasoreactive testing with oxygen and nitric oxide was negative. Therefore, treatment with sildenafil (1.4 mg/kg/d) and bosentan (3 mg/kg/d) was initiated. This allowed the stabilization of, but not a decrease in, pulmonary artery pressure for the next 5 years, during which the patient’s quality of life was significantly reduced. At a later follow-up, the estimated pulmonary pressure was found to have increased and become supra-systemic, with a consequent deterioration in the child’s condition. This led to the decision to enter him into a clinical trial that is still ongoing. Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension is a severe disease that can present with non-specific symptoms, such as asthenia and exercise limitation, which are important not to trivialize. The disease is associated with significantly decreased quality of life in affected children and carries a high burden in terms of mortality and morbidity. The current knowledge about IPAH in children is reviewed, with a particular focus on the future prospects for its treatment and the related quality of life of patients.
Parental Knowledge and Awareness about Shaken Baby Syndrome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Alzahrani Fatma , Al-Jabri Basma A. , Ramadan Salah Aldeen L. , Alshehri Abdulaziz M. , Alsheikh Abdulaziz S. , Mushaeb Hanan Hassan , Albisher Sara Faisal , AlSwealh Maab Sadek
Published: May 2023

Background: Despite the serious consequences of shaken baby syndrome (SBS), previous studies revealed a low level of knowledge among Saudi parents. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. An electronic questionnaire was distributed through social media platforms to parents of pediatric age group children in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 524 responses were received. Data about participants’ demographics, knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding SBS were collected through convenient random sampling. Results: A total of 524 responses were received; 30.7% of the participants were familiar with SBS. The Internet and the social media platforms were the most common sources of information. There was no statistically significant correlation between knowledge levels and participants’ sociodemographic factors; only 32.3% of individuals had good knowledge. Of them, 84% had a positive attitude towards learning more about SBS, and 40.1% and 34.3% were interested in learning more about SBS before and during pregnancy, respectively. Carrying the baby and shaking were the actions most frequently taken when a baby was crying. Of them, 23.9% forcefully shake their child, while 41.4% of them throw their infant up in the air and catch it. Conclusions: It is important to conduct health education programs on SBS for mothers throughout the prenatal period.
Topical Delivery of Ketorolac Tromethamine via Cataplasm for Inflammatory Pain Therapy
Authors: Hou Zhiyuan , Wen Qiang , Zhou Wenhu , Yan Peng , Zhang Hailong , Ding Jinsong
Published: May 2023

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been widely used in the treatment of inflammatory pain, such as in osteoarthritis. Ketorolac tromethamine is considered to be an NSAID with strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic potency, however, traditional applications, such as oral administration and injections, often induce high systemic exposure, leading to adverse events such as gastric ulceration and bleeding. To address this key limitation, herein we designed and fabricated a topical delivery system for ketorolac tromethamine via cataplasm, which is based on a three-dimensional mesh structure formed by the cross-linking of dihydroxyaluminum aminoacetate (DAAA) and sodium polyacrylate. The viscoelasticity of the cataplasm was characterized by rheological methods and exhibited a “gel-like” elastic property. The release behavior showed a Higuchi model characteristic with a dose dependence. To enhance the skin permeation, permeation enhancers were added and screened utilizing ex vivo pig skin, in which 1,2-propanediol was found to have the optimal permeation-promoting effect. The cataplasm was further applied to a rat carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain model, which showed comparable anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects with oral administration. Finally, the biosafety of the cataplasm was tested in healthy human volunteers, and reduced side effects were achieved as compared to the tablet formulation, which can be ascribed to less systemic drug exposure and lower blood drug concentrations. Therefore, the constructed cataplasm can reduce the risk of adverse events while maintaining efficacy, thus serving as a better alternative for the treatment of inflammatory pain, including osteoarthritis.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Loop Diuretics on Antibiotic Pharmacokinetics
Authors: Kerling David A. , Clarke Sarah C. , DeLuca Jesse P. , Evans Martin O. , Kress Adrian T. , Nadeau Robert J. , Selig Daniel J.
Published: May 2023

Loop diuretics and antibiotics are commonly co-prescribed across many clinical care settings. Loop diuretics may alter antibiotic pharmacokinetics (PK) via several potential drug interactions. A systematic review of the literature was performed to investigate the impact of loop diuretics on antibiotic PK. The primary outcome metric was the ratio of means (ROM) of antibiotic PK parameters such as area under the curve (AUC) and volume of distribution (Vd) on and off loop diuretics. Twelve crossover studies were amenable for metanalysis. Coadministration of diuretics was associated with a mean 17% increase in plasma antibiotic AUC (ROM 1.17, 95% CI 1.09–1.25, I2 = 0%) and a mean decrease in antibiotic Vd by 11% (ROM 0.89, 95% CI 0.81–0.97, I2 = 0%). However, the half-life was not significantly different (ROM 1.06, 95% CI 0.99–1.13, I2 = 26%). The remaining 13 observational and population PK studies were heterogeneous in design and population, as well as prone to bias. No large trends were collectively observed in these studies. There is currently not enough evidence to support antibiotic dosing changes based on the presence or absence of loop diuretics alone. Further studies designed and powered to detect the effect of loop diuretics on antibiotic PK are warranted in applicable patient populations.
Faricimab for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema and Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Ferro Desideri Lorenzo , Traverso Carlo Enrico , Nicolò Massimo , Munk Marion R.
Published: May 2023

Nowadays; intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs are considered the first-line therapeutic strategy for treating macular exudative diseases; including wet age-related macular degeneration (w-AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME). Despite the important clinical achievements obtained by anti-VEGF drugs in the management of w-AMD and DME; some limits still remain; including high treatment burden; the presence of unsatisfactory results in a certain percentage of patients and long-term visual acuity decline due to complications such as macular atrophy and fibrosis. Targeting the angiopoietin/Tie (Ang/Tie) pathway beyond the VEGF pathway may be a possible therapeutic strategy; which may has the potential to solve some of the previous mentioned challenges. Faricimab is a new; bispecific antibody targeting both VEGF-A and the Ang-Tie/pathway. It was approved by FDA and; more recently; by EMA for treating w-AMD and DME. Results from phase III trials TENAYA and LUCERNE (w-AMD) and RHINE and YOSEMITE (DME) have shown the potential of faricimab to maintain clinical efficacy with more prolonged treatment regimens compared to aflibercept (12 or 16 weeks) with a a good safety profile.
Photophysical Properties of Anthracene Derivatives
Authors: Kastrati Agonist , Oswald Franck , Scalabre Antoine , Fromm Katharina M.
Published: May 2023

In this tutorial review, we intend to provide the reader with a comprehensive introduction to the photophysical properties of organic compounds with a specific focus on anthracene and its derivatives. Anthracene-based building blocks have attracted the attention of chemists due to their intrinsic luminescent properties. A deep understanding of their interaction with light, including the mechanisms of emission (luminescence, i.e., fluorescence or phosphorescence) and quenching, is crucial to design and generate compounds with precise properties for further applications. Thus, the photophysical properties of different types of aggregates, both in the ground state (J- and H-type) and in the exited state (e.g., excimer, exciplex) will be discussed, finishing with a few examples of dyads and triads.
Highly Birefringent and Low-Loss Hollow-Core Anti-Resonant Fiber Based on a Hybrid Guidance Mechanism
Authors: Liu Xu’an , Luo Weixuan , Jiang Xiaogang , Zhang Bin
Published: May 2023

A highly birefringent and low-loss hollow-core anti-resonant fiber (HC-ARF) based on a hybrid guidance mechanism is proposed and investigated by using a finite element method. The hybrid guidance mechanism is caused by the anti-resonance effect and the total internal reflection effect. The proposed HC-ARF is obtained by employing twin symmetrical and mutually tangential elliptical arc anti-resonance layers (EA-ARLs) in a conventional 8-tube HC-ARF. Because of the anti-resonance mechanism and the total internal reflection mechanism in the EA-ARL, mode coupling appears between the core mode and the cladding mode. Simulation results indicate that the proposed HC-ARF can achieve birefringence as high as 10−2 in a near-infrared range of 1400 nm to 1600 nm and a low confinement loss (CL) of 7.74 × 10−4 dB/m (9.26 × 10−4 dB/m) for x- and y-polarization components of the fundamental mode (FM) at 1550 nm. In addition, the existence of the 8-tube anti-resonance structure in the cladding significantly suppresses the CL of the x-polarization component of the FM significantly, but the impact on the CL of the y-polarization FM can be ignored, which is determined mainly by the twin EA-ARLs. Furthermore, the performance of the birefringence and CL are also investigated by changing the values of other fiber structure parameters. Our proposed structure successfully shows the ability of the hybrid guidance mechanism in the application of CL manipulation of orthogonal polarization components.
Supercontinuum Shaping via Hollow Core Anti-Resonant Fiber
Authors: Ge Mengying , Chen Liang , Liao Meisong , Yu Fei , Wu Dakun , Wang Tianxing , Gao Weiqing , Hu Lili
Published: May 2023

This study proposes a novel supercontinuum (SC) shaping method using an all-fiber structure with little influence on the time domain and frequency domain of the SC spectrum. An SC is a type of laser source with a broad spectrum. However, its pump wavelength has a much greater intensity than other wavelengths, limiting the application of the SC. Our approach takes advantage of a hollow core anti-resonance fiber to attenuate the power density at the pump wavelength appropriately, thus flattening the SC spectrum. Simulation and experimental results both support the effectiveness of this method in reducing the wavelength at the pump. In our experiment, the use of a hollow core anti-resonant fiber decreased the intensity at the pump wavelength of the SC by 9 dB. By employing this method, the energy threshold can be lowered, allowing the SC to be applied to a larger range of experimental setups or applied scenarios with fewer energy requirements.
Genome-Editing of FtsZ1 for Alteration of Starch Granule Size in Potato Tubers
Authors: Pfotenhauer Alexander C. , Occhialini Alessandro , Harbison Stacee A. , Li Li , Piatek Agnieszka A. , Luckett Curtis R. , Yang Yongil , Stewart C. Neal , Lenaghan Scott C.
Published: May 2023

Genome-editing has enabled rapid improvement for staple food crops, such as potato, a key beneficiary of the technology. In potato, starch contained within tubers represents the primary product for use in food and non-food industries. Starch granules are produced in the plastids of tubers with plastid size correlated with the size of starch grana. The division of plastids is controlled by proteins, including the tubulin-like GTPase FtsZ1. The altered expression of FtsZ1 has been shown to disrupt plastid division, leading to the production of “macro-plastid”-containing plants. These macro-chloroplast plants are characterized by cells containing fewer and enlarged plastids. In this work, we utilize CRISPR/Cas9 to generate FtsZ1 edited potato lines to demonstrate that genome-editing can be used to increase the size of starch granules in tubers. Altered plastid morphology was comparable to the overexpression of FtsZ1 in previous work in potato and other crops. Several lines were generated with up to a 1.98-fold increase in starch granule size that was otherwise phenotypically indistinguishable from wild-type plants. Further, starch paste from one of the most promising lines showed a 2.07-fold increase in final viscosity. The advantages of enlarged starch granules and the potential of CRISPR/Cas9-based technologies for food crop improvement are further discussed.
Monitoring of Volatile Organic Compounds in Strawberry Genotypes over the Harvest Period
Authors: Passa Kondylia , Simal Carmen , Tsormpatsidis Evangelos , Papasotiropoulos Vasileios , Lamari Fotini N.
Published: May 2023

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) over the harvest period have been assessed in twenty-five strawberry genotypes cultivated in western Greece. Using liquid–liquid extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–-MS), twenty-eight volatiles were monitored at early (T1) and mid-harvest (T3) time points to investigate the effect of the genotype and harvest time on strawberry volatilome. A quantitative impact of both harvest date and genotype on VOCs associated with aroma was demonstrated, with the most significant VOCs being terpenes, esters, and acids, followed by lactones and furanones. Harvest date was crucial for terpenoid and phenylpropanoid content, and important for esters, short-chain acids, and lactones. Six out of the twenty-five genotypes (four commercial varieties, including ‘Rociera’, ‘Victory’, ‘Leyre’, and ‘Inspire’, and two advanced selection genotypes (G2 and G8) were evaluated at two additional time points, covering the entire harvest season. The volatile levels were higher in fruits harvested at early stages (T1–T2) for most of the genotypes examined. The G2 genotype turned out to have a less ample but more stable volatile profile throughout harvesting, while ‘Victory’, ‘Leyre’, and ‘Inspire’ exhibited less abrupt changes than ‘Rociera’. This study demonstrates that the determination of VOCs provides significant information regarding the differences in strawberry genotypes related to aroma and enables the selection of genotypes based on specific VOCs content and/or volatile stability over the harvest period. Furthermore, this study pinpoints that growers could opt for optimal harvest dates based on the genotypes and the VOC content.
Optimizing the Process of Spot Welding of Polycarbonate-Matrix-Based Unidirectional (UD) Thermoplastic Composite Tapes
Authors: Birtha Janos , Marschik Christian , Kobler Eva , Straka Klaus , Steinbichler Georg , Schlecht Sven , Zwicklhuber Paul
Published: May 2023

The aim of this work was to optimize spot welding of unidirectional tapes made of polycarbonate and carbon fibers. Three studies were performed to investigate the influences of various welding conditions on the quality of the welded spot. First, we used a full factorial experimental design to analyze the influence of temperature and time on the welds’ tensile stress at break. Second, we repeated the experiment with optimized settings and conditions. Finally, we adopted a central composite design (CCD) to investigate the stability of the process. Our results show that temperature had the greatest influence on weld quality. The maximum tensile stress achieved was 23 MPa. Using a relatively high temperature for a short welding time resulted in self-cleaning of the welding head and in a faster and more stable process, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) confirmed that these conditions caused no additional degradation.
Construction of Water Vapor Stable Ultramicroporous Copper-Based Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient CO2 Capture
Authors: Yang Fengfan , Wang Xiaolu , Tian Jiayue , Wang Xusheng , Liang Linfeng
Published: May 2023

It is quite essential to obtain an excellent CO2 adsorption capacity, CO2 adsorption selectivity and water vapor stability at the same time for practical CO2 capture after combustion. Through the combination of ultramicropore and the high density of CO2-philic sites without OMSs, an ultra-microporous Cu-based metal–organic framework has been designed and synthesized, featuring a high CO2 capacity (99 cm3 g−1 and 56.6 cm3 g−1 at 273 K and 298 K, respectively), high selectivity over N2 (118 at a scale of CO2/N2 15/85, 298 K) and excellent water vapor stability, simultaneously. Theoretical calculations indicate that neighboring ketonic O atoms with suitable distance play vital roles in boosting CO2 selective capture.
Product Yields Dependency on the Carbide Phase Presence in Cobalt and Iron SBA-15 Catalysts Structure in the Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis
Authors: Sharkov Nikita , Gholami Zahra , Hradecká Ivana , Tišler Zdeněk , Šimek Josef
Published: May 2023

The use of carbide catalysts in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is an active area of research, as carbide phases have been shown to improve the stability and performance of catalysts in this reaction. This study compared the catalytic activity and product selectivity of cobalt and iron catalysts supported on SBA-15, with and without a carbide phase and reduction treatment before the reaction. Results showed that the presence of the carbide phase had a noticeable influence on the catalytic behavior of the catalysts, and the reduction of the catalyst with hydrogen also affected the product selectivity. The presence of the carbide phase in non-reduced cobalt catalysts resulted in increased selectivity to liquid phase products, as evidenced by a CO conversion of 37% with 68% selectivity to the products in the liquid phase. The catalytic activity of the iron carbide catalyst for CO dissociation was found to be 38% after reducing the catalyst with hydrogen, leading to the formation of more active sites. The presence of metal carbides and formation of metallic cobalt and iron during the FT reaction and reduction step was found to have a significant effect on the catalytic performance and product selectivity. The findings of this research provide new insights into the role of carbide in the performance of cobalt and iron catalysts in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis.
Effect of Bulking Agents on Dewatered Sludge Biodrying Followed by Thermal Drying
Authors: Hu Zhengjie , Hao Zongdi , Lei Huan , Guo Yibin , Chen Qi , Zhang Wenqi , Rao Pinhua
Published: May 2023

As an exogenous substance, bulking agent plays a considerable role in dewatered sludge (DS) biodrying by affecting the organics degradation and water migration. Meanwhile, biodried product needs to be further dried because its final moisture content (MC) is usually too high for direct incineration. In this study, the influence of adding different bulking agents on organics decomposition and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) release during DS biodrying, and thermal drying characteristics of the biodrying mixtures was investigated. Results showed that spent coffee ground (SCG), corncob (CC) and wheat husk (WH) improved water removal ratios of DS biodrying. SCG contributed various types of organic matter to the biodrying matrix, thus attaining the longest high-temperature period (4.5 days). Meanwhile, SCG contributed lipids, which have high calorific value, to the biodrying pile, leading to the highest biodrying index (3.70) among all treatments. SCG, CC and WH also accelerated EPS delamination, which was beneficial for microbial activity and bound water release. Besides, the biodried product with SCG was endowed with the highest C content and calorific value. Furthermore, bulking agents improved the thermal-drying rates of the feedstocks, and intensified the positive impacts of biodrying on the thermal-drying characteristics of the mixtures. In particular, the biodried product with SCG had a high drying rate even with low residual water content in the mixture.
Assessment of Physical and Sensory Attributes of Date-Based Energy Drink Treated with Ultrasonication: Modelling Changes during Storage and Predicting Shelf Life
Authors: Fikry Mohammad , Yusof Yus Aniza , Al-Awaadh Alhussein M. , Baroyi Syahrul Anis Hazwani Mohd , Ghazali Nashratul Shera Mohamad , Kadota Kazunori , Mustafa Shuhaimi , Abu Saad Hazizi , Shah Nor Nadiah Abdul Karim , Al-Ghamdi Saleh
Published: May 2023

Sonication is a relatively new and eco-friendly method used to extend the shelf life of food products. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasonication and thermal treatments on the physical and sensory properties of an energy drink made from dates during cold storage at 4 °C. The study compared the effects of ultrasonication for 20, 30, and 40 min at 50% amplitude with thermal treatment at 90 °C for 5 min, aiming to model the changes in properties of processed drinks over time and predict their shelf life by integrating quality attributes. The results showed that total soluble solids (TSS) and electrical conductivity (EC) were not affected by cold storage and did not differ significantly between sonicated, thermally processed, and untreated samples. However, significant differences in pH; L*, a*, and b* values; Chroma; and sensory attributes were detected among the sonicated, thermally processed, and untreated samples. The sensory properties of the sonicated samples for 30 and 40 min and the thermally processed samples remained acceptable for up to 21 days. The study also found a positive correlation between the pH and the sweetness of the drink, as well as between the L* value and the appearance of the drink. Based on these findings, the zero-order model was able to accurately describe the real values of pH, colour characteristics, and sensory properties. Furthermore, the predicted shelf life of the drink sonicated for 40 min was longer than that of the control and thermally processed drinks, based on the colour change and pH of the drink. These results could be beneficial for beverage manufacturers seeking to control the quality properties of their products during processing and storage.
Thermogravimetric Analysis on Co-Gasification Characteristics of Sludge and Straw under CO2 Atmosphere
Authors: Zhou Anli , Ma Lun
Published: May 2023

To maximize the potential energy utilization of agricultural and forestry wastes and sludge, experimental studies were conducted on the co-gasification characteristics of two types of sludge (municipal sludge, MS; paper-mill sludge, PS) and a typical biomass straw (ST) under CO2 atmosphere. In this paper, the main two stages of the gasification process, the pyrolysis in the low-temperature region and the CO2-gasification in the high-temperature region, were separately studied and analyzed. The experimental results showed that biomass could effectively promote the pyrolysis of the sludge in the low-temperature region and improve the gasification in the high-temperature region. Due to the complex interactions between components, the characteristic parameters presented obvious nonlinear rules during the co-pyrolysis and co-gasification processes. For the MS-ST mixtures, when increasing the ST content, (i) in the pyrolysis process, the initial reaction temperature gradually decreased, but the final reaction temperature, the peak reaction rate and the corresponding temperature, and the pyrolysis index gradually increased; (ii) in the gasification process, the initial reaction temperature, the reaction final temperature, and the temperature corresponding to the peak gradually increased. Combined with the reaction kinetics analysis of the co-pyrolysis and the co-gasification processes, 25% may be a reasonable mixing ratio for ST for the MS-ST mixtures, which had a relatively lower reaction temperature, relatively high pyrolysis index and low activation energy (26.58 kJ·mol−1 and 178.29 kJ·mol−1 for the co-pyrolysis and co-gasification processes, respectively). For the PS-ST mixtures, when increasing the ST content, (i) in the pyrolysis process, the initial reaction temperature, the peak reaction rate, the temperature corresponding to the peak and the pyrolysis index gradually decreased, but the final reaction temperature gradually increased; (ii) in the gasification process, the initial and final reaction temperatures and the temperature corresponding to the peak gradually decreased, but the peak reaction rate gradually increased. Combined with the reaction kinetics analysis of the pyrolysis and the gasification processes, 25% may be a reasonable mixing ratio for ST for the PS-ST mixtures, which had a relatively lower reaction temperature, relatively high pyrolysis index and low activation energy (64.29 kJ·mol−1 and 301.16 kJ·mol−1 for the co-pyrolysis and co-gasification processes, respectively). These findings can provide useful information for the co-gasification of sludge and straw under CO2 atmosphere.
The Use of Vacuum Residue as a Potential Rejuvenator in Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement: Physical, Rheological, and Mechanical Traits Analysis
Authors: Al-Saffar Zaid Hazim , Eltwati Ahmed , Aziz Ehab Essam , Yaacob Haryati , Dawood Halah Abdulsattar , Jaya Ramadhansyah Putra , Jawahery Mohammed S. Al , Shaffie Ekarizan
Published: May 2023

Asphalt recycling technology with a high content of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is becoming more important as the price of paving materials rises and sustainable development and environmental conservation rules become more rigorous. Nevertheless, road authorities in numerous countries still prohibit the utilisation of RAP in asphalt mixes due to the negative impacts of RAP on the performance of asphalt mixtures. Consequently, different rejuvenators have been introduced to reinstate the original attributes of aged asphalt to resolve this issue. This study incorporated vacuum residue (VR) into mixtures with 40% RAP. The physical, rheological, and mechanical traits of the resultant samples were assessed. The results show that the 7.5% VR rejuvenator minimised the RAP asphalt ageing impact. Furthermore, the rejuvenating agent demonstrated physical and rheological rehabilitative benefits for the aged asphalt. The mechanical attributes of the rejuvenated samples were also enhanced compared to the virgin asphalt (VA) specimens.
Cosmology, Cosmologia, and Reality: How the Cosmological Model Challenges the Intelligibility of Reality
Authors: Benvenuti Piero
Published: May 2023

More than four centuries after the Copernican Revolution and the consequent dismissal of Aristotelian Cosmology, the modern model of the cosmos has reached a similar if not superior level of a satisfactory understanding of physical reality. This extraordinary feat was achieved by using the Galilean scientific method of investigation, which was demonstrated to be extremely powerful in modeling cosmic physical phenomena. Unexpectedly, the main global characteristic of the cosmos was found to be its evolution in time; the universe’s history passes through very different phases, all linked together by a subtle fil rouge. This very fact, by now incontrovertible, is challenging our interpretation of reality by the sole use of the scientific method. The time may have come to reconnect, in a collaborative and constructive way, science, philosophy, and theology, which for too long have proceeded along independent, parallel, or even divergent paths. Only in this way may we hope to reach a more satisfactory understanding of global reality.
How Pesaḥ and Maṣṣot Became Connected with the Exodus: The Development of the Festival Etiologies in Exod. 12:1–13:16
Authors: Berner Christoph
Published: May 2023

The connection between the festival of Pesaḥ-Maṣṣot and the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt is a cornerstone of Jewish identity and religious practice which has its roots in the festival calendars of the Pentateuch (Exod. 12–13; Exod. 23; Lev. 23; Deut. 16). However, a closer investigation shows that the texts in question differ considerably both with respect to the characteristics of the festival and its etiological connection with the exodus. The present paper focuses particularly on the complex, and in parts contradictory, festival ordinances in Exod. 12:1–13:16 and argues that the present form of the passage results from a multi-step process of supplementation and revision. In this process, the once separate festivals of Pesaḥ and Maṣṣot were gradually merged to a single celebration which, in turn, led to various adjustments of their etiological connection to the events of the exodus.
Anticipating the Unforeseen and Expecting the Unexpected: Effectiveness of Macro-Prudential Policies in Curbing the Impact of Stranded Assets in the Banking Sector
Authors: Nkwaira Chekani , Van der Poll Huibrecht Margaretha
Published: May 2023

Banks are exposed to climate risks through stranded assets. This risk can be substantial in the banking sector, as it can spawn systemic risk. After the Great Recession, macro-prudential instruments effectively addressed systemic risk. However, climatic risks raise the research question of how feasible it is to address them by adopting macro-prudential instruments. The researchers, therefore, investigate how banks can respond to the risk posed by stranded assets through the framework of using macro-prudential instruments. A semi-systematic review of the related literature is carried out based on the researchers’ aim to evaluate theory evidence in the effectiveness of macro-prudential instruments in addressing climate-related risks. The adaptability of macro-prudential instruments to address climatic risks and, by implication, systemic risk is demonstrated in the findings. The researchers develop a framework constituting climate transparency disclosures, climate capital requirement ratio, climate capital conservation, carbon countercyclical buffer and macro-prudential climate stress tests to mitigate the effects of climate risks in banking.
Cross-Hole GPR for Soil Moisture Estimation Using Deep Learning
Authors: Pongrac Blaž , Gleich Dušan , Malajner Marko , Sarjaš Andrej
Published: May 2023

This paper presents the design of a high-voltage pulse-based radar and a supervised data processing method for soil moisture estimation. The goal of this research was to design a pulse-based radar to detect changes in soil moisture using a cross-hole approach. The pulse-based radar with three transmitting antennas was placed into a 12 m deep hole, and a receiver with three receive antennas was placed into a different hole separated by 100 m from the transmitter. The pulse generator was based on a Marx generator with an LC filter, and for the receiver, the high-frequency data acquisition card was used, which can acquire signals using 3 Gigabytes per second. Used borehole antennas were designed to operate in the wide frequency band to ensure signal propagation through the soil. A deep regression convolutional network is proposed in this paper to estimate volumetric soil moisture using time-sampled signals. A regression convolutional network is extended to three dimensions to model changes in wave propagation between the transmitted and received signals. The training dataset was acquired during the period of 73 days of acquisition between two boreholes separated by 100 m. The soil moisture measurements were acquired at three points 25 m apart to provide ground truth data. Additionally, water was poured into several specially prepared boreholes between transmitter and receiver antennas to acquire additional dataset for training, validation, and testing of convolutional neural networks. Experimental results showed that the proposed system is able to detect changes in the volumetric soil moisture using Tx and Rx antennas.
Quantitative Evaluation of Soil Water and Wind Erosion Rates in Pakistan
Authors: Yang Xuyan , Yang Qinke , Zhu Haonan , Wang Lei , Wang Chunmei , Pang Guowei , Du Chaozheng , Mubeen Muhammad , Waleed Mirza , Hussain Sajjad
Published: May 2023

Soil erosion triggered by water and wind pose a great threat to the sustainable development of Pakistan. In this study, a combination of geographic information systems (GISs) and machine learning approaches were used to predict soil water erosion rates. The Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) model was used to evaluate soil wind erosion, map erosion factors, and analyze the soil erosion rates for each land use type. Finally, the maps of soil water and wind erosion were spatially integrated to identify erosion risk regions and recommend land use management in Pakistan. According to our estimates, the Potohar Plateau and its surrounding regions were mostly impacted by water erosion and have a soil erosion rate of 2500–5000 t·km−2·a−1; on the other hand, wind erosion predominated the Kharan Desert and the Thar Desert, with a soil erosion rate exceeding 15,000 t·km−2·a−1. The Sulaiman and Kirthar Mountain Ranges were susceptible to wind–water compound erosion, which was more than 8000 t·km−2·a−1. This study offers new perspectives on the geographic pattern of individual and integrated water–wind erosion threats in Pakistan and provides high-precision data and a scientific foundation for designing rational soil and water conservation practices.
The Issue of Land Subsidence in Coastal and Alluvial Plains: A Bibliometric Review
Authors: Buffardi Carla , Ruberti Daniela
Published: May 2023

Land subsidence (LS) is becoming one of the major problems in coastal and delta cities worldwide. Understanding the current LS situation and the research trends is of paramount importance for further studies and addressing future international research networks. We analyzed the LS-related literature available from the Scopus database. The use of a single database avoided the redundancy of articles, while excluding some subject areas was useful to obtain only studies related to LS. By using VOSviewer and CiteSpace tools, we conducted a bibliometric analysis by considering title, keywords, and abstract to identify the temporal development, the geographical origin, and the area of study of the research. The results revealed a considerable heterogeneity of approaches, thematics, study areas, and research output trends. China, the US, and Italy are the major contributors to the scientific production, but the higher number of articles is not always related to the extension of the LS phenomenon in these countries. The monitoring approach differs worldwide, and univocal modeling is still lacking; from the analysis of the keywords, it is clear that the focus of most studies is on the relationship with the hydrological/hydrogeological aspects. Since the 2000s, however, the development of SAR technologies has boosted the study of the phenomenon from a different point of view.
Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 Bare Soil Temporal Mosaics of 6-year Periods for Soil Organic Carbon Content Mapping in Central France
Authors: Urbina-Salazar Diego , Vaudour Emmanuelle , Richer-de-Forges Anne C. , Chen Songchao , Martelet Guillaume , Baghdadi Nicolas , Arrouays Dominique
Published: May 2023

Satellite-based soil organic carbon content (SOC) mapping over wide regions is generally hampered by the low soil sampling density and the diversity of soil sampling periods. Some unfavorable topsoil conditions, such as high moisture, rugosity, the presence of crop residues, the limited amplitude of SOC values and the limited area of bare soil when a single image is used, are also among the influencing factors. To generate a reliable SOC map, this study addresses the use of Sentinel-2 (S2) temporal mosaics of bare soil (S2Bsoil) over 6 years jointly with soil moisture products (SMPs) derived from Sentinel 1 and 2 images, SOC measurement data and other environmental covariates derived from digital elevation models, lithology maps and airborne gamma-ray data. In this study, we explore (i) the dates and periods that are preferable to construct temporal mosaics of bare soils while accounting for soil moisture and soil management; (ii) which set of covariates is more relevant to explain the SOC variability. From four sets of covariates, the best contributing set was selected, and the median SOC content along with uncertainty at 90% prediction intervals were mapped at a 25-m resolution from quantile regression forest models. The accuracy of predictions was assessed by 10-fold cross-validation, repeated five times. The models using all the covariates had the best model performance. Airborne gamma-ray thorium, slope and S2 bands (e.g., bands 6, 7, 8, 8a) and indices (e.g., calcareous sedimentary rocks, “calcl”) from the “late winter–spring” time series were the most important covariates in this model. Our results also indicated the important role of neighboring topographic distances and oblique geographic coordinates between remote sensing data and parent material. These data contributed not only to optimizing SOC mapping performance but also provided information related to long-range gradients of SOC spatial variability, which makes sense from a pedological point of view.