bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceived Facilitators and Barriers to Engaging with a Digital Intervention among Those with Food Insecurity, Binge Eating, and Obesity
Authors: Venkatesh Anu , Chang Angela , Green Emilie A. , Randall Tianna , Gallagher Raquel , Wildes Jennifer E. , Graham Andrea K.
Published: July 2021

Interventions that address binge eating and food insecurity are needed. Engaging people with lived experience to understand their needs and preferences could yield important design considerations for such interventions. In this study, people with food insecurity, recurrent binge eating, and obesity completed an interview-based needs assessment to learn facilitators and barriers that they perceive would impact their engagement with a digital intervention for managing binge eating and weight. Twenty adults completed semi-structured interviews. Responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged. Participants shared considerations that impact their ability to access the intervention (e.g., cost of intervention, cost of technology, accessibility across devices), ability to complete intervention recommendations (e.g., affordable healthy meals, education to help stretch groceries, food vouchers, rides to grocery stores, personalized to budget), and preferred intervention features for education, self-monitoring, personalization, support, and motivation/rewards. Engaging people with lived experiences via user-centered design methods revealed important design considerations for a digital intervention to meet this population’s needs. Future research is needed to test whether a digital intervention that incorporates these recommendations is engaging and effective for people with binge eating and food insecurity. Findings may have relevance to designing digital interventions for other health problems as well.
Cyclophilins and Their Roles in Hepatitis C Virus and Flavivirus Infections: Perspectives for Novel Antiviral Approaches
Authors: Gallardo-Flores Carla E. , Colpitts Che C.
Published: July 2021

Cyclophilins are cellular peptidyl-prolyl isomerases that play an important role in viral infections, with demonstrated roles in the replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and other viruses in the Flaviviridae family, such as dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV). Here, we discuss the roles of cyclophilins in HCV infection and provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms underlying the requirement for cyclophilins during HCV replication. Notably, cyclophilin inhibitor therapy has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing HCV replication in chronically infected patients. While the roles of cyclophilins are relatively well-understood for HCV infection, cyclophilins are more recently emerging as host factors for flavivirus infection as well, providing potential new therapeutic avenues for these viral infections which currently lack antiviral therapies. However, further studies are required to elucidate the roles of cyclophilins in flavivirus replication. Here, we review the current knowledge of the role of cyclophilins in HCV infection to provide a conceptual framework to understand how cyclophilins may contribute to other viral infections, such as DENV and YFV. Improved understanding of the roles of cyclophilins in viral infection may open perspectives for the development of cyclophilin inhibitors as effective antiviral therapeutics for HCV and related viruses.
Licensing Natural Killers for Antiviral Immunity
Authors: Cronk John M. , Fafoutis Eleni , Brown Michael G.
Published: July 2021

Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM)-bearing receptors (IRs) enable discrimination between self- and non-self molecules on the surface of host target cells. In this regard, they have a vital role in self-tolerance through binding and activating intracellular tyrosine phosphatases which can inhibit cellular activation. Yet, self-MHC class I (MHC I)-specific IRs are versatile in that they can also positively impact lymphocyte functionality, as exemplified by their role in natural killer (NK) cell education, often referred to as ’licensing‘. Recent discoveries using defined mouse models of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection have revealed that select self-MHC I IRs can increase NK cell antiviral defenses as well, whereas other licensing IRs cannot, or instead impede virus-specific NK responses for reasons that remain poorly understood. This review highlights a role for self-MHC I ‘licensing’ IRs in antiviral immunity, especially in the context of CMV infection, their impact on virus-specific NK cells during acute infection, and their potential to affect viral pathogenesis and disease.
Natural Transformation as a Mechanism of Horizontal Gene Transfer in Aliarcobacter butzleri
Authors: Bonifácio Marina , Mateus Cristiana , Alves Ana R. , Maldonado Emanuel , Duarte Ana P. , Domingues Fernanda , Oleastro Mónica , Ferreira Susana
Published: July 2021

Aliarcobacter butzleri is an emergent enteropathogen, showing high genetic diversity, which likely contributes to its adaptive capacity to different environments. Whether natural transformation can be a mechanism that generates genetic diversity in A. butzleri is still unknown. In the present study, we aimed to establish if A. butzleri is naturally competent for transformation and to investigate the factors influencing this process. Two different transformation procedures were tested using exogenous and isogenic DNA containing antibiotic resistance markers, and different external conditions influencing the process were evaluated. The highest number of transformable A. butzleri strains were obtained with the agar transformation method when compared to the biphasic system (65% versus 47%). A. butzleri was able to uptake isogenic chromosomal DNA at different growth phases, and the competence state was maintained from the exponential to the stationary phases. Overall, the optimal conditions for transformation with the biphasic system were the use of 1 μg of isogenic DNA and incubation at 30 °C under a microaerobic atmosphere, resulting in a transformation frequency ~8 × 10−6 transformants/CFU. We also observed that A. butzleri favored the transformation with the genetic material of its own strain/species, with the DNA incorporation process occurring promptly after the addition of genomic material. In addition, we observed that A. butzleri strains could exchange genetic material in co-culture assays. The presence of homologs of well-known genes involved in the competence in the A. butzleri genome corroborates the natural competence of this species. In conclusion, our results show that A. butzleri is a naturally transformable species, suggesting that horizontal gene transfer mediated by natural transformation is one of the processes contributing to its genetic diversity. In addition, natural transformation can be used as a tool for genetic studies of this species.
Conjugation of Diclofenac with Novel Oleanolic Acid Derivatives Modulate Nrf2 and NF-κB Activity in Hepatic Cancer Cells and Normal Hepatocytes Leading to Enhancement of Its Therapeutic and Chemopreventive Potential
Authors: Narożna Maria , Krajka-Kuźniak Violetta , Bednarczyk-Cwynar Barbara , Kucińska Małgorzata , Kleszcz Robert , Kujawski Jacek , Piotrowska-Kempisty Hanna , Plewiński Adam , Murias Marek , Baer-Dubowska Wanda
Published: July 2021

Combining NSAIDs with conventional therapeutics was recently explored as a new strategy in cancer therapy. Our earlier studies showed that novel oleanolic acid oximes (OAO) conjugated with aspirin or indomethacin may enhance their anti-cancer potential through modulation of the Nrf2 and NF-κB signaling pathways. This study focused on the synthesis and biological evaluation of four diclofenac (DCL)–OAO derivative conjugates in the context of these pathways’ modification and hepatic cells survival. Treatment with the conjugates 4d, 3-diclofenacoxyiminoolean-12-en-28-oic acid morpholide, and 4c, 3-diclofenacoxyiminoolean-12-en-28-oic acid benzyl ester significantly reduced cell viability in comparison to the DCL alone. In THLE-2, immortalized normal hepatocytes treated with these conjugates resulted in the activation of Nrf2 and increased expression in SOD-1 and NQO1, while the opposite effect was observed in the HepG2 hepatoma cells. In both cell lines, reduced activation of the NF-κB and COX-2 expression was observed. In HepG2 cells, conjugates increased ROS production resulting from a reduced antioxidant defense, induced apoptosis, and inhibited cell proliferation. In addition, the OAO morpholide derivative and its DCL hybrid reduced the tumor volume in mice bearing xenografts. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that conjugating diclofenac with the OAO morpholide and a benzyl ester might enhance its anti-cancer activity in HCC.
Dietary Effects of Anthocyanins in Human Health: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Gonçalves Ana C. , Nunes Ana R. , Falcão Amílcar , Alves Gilberto , Silva Luís R.
Published: July 2021

In recent years, the consumption of natural-based foods, including beans, fruits, legumes, nuts, oils, vegetables, spices, and whole grains, has been encouraged. This fact is essentially due to their content in bioactive phytochemicals, with the phenolic compounds standing out. Among them, anthocyanins have been a target of many studies due to the presence of catechol, pyrogallol, and methoxy groups in their chemical structure, which confer notable scavenging, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities, being already recommended as supplementation to mitigate or even attenuate certain disorders, such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular and neurological pathologies. The most well-known anthocyanins are cyanidin 3-O-glucoside and cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside. They are widespread in nature, being present in considerable amounts in red fruits and red vegetables. Overall, the present review intends to discuss the most recent findings on the potential health benefits from the daily intake of anthocyanin-rich foods, as well as their possible pharmacological mechanisms of action. However, before that, some emphasis regarding their chemical structure, dietary sources, and bioavailability was done.
Update on Functional Inhibitors of Acid Sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs) in SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Loas Gwenolé , Le Corre Pascal
Published: July 2021

The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak is characterized by the need of the search for curative drugs for treatment. In this paper, we present an update of knowledge about the interest of the functional inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs) in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Forty-nine FIASMAs have been suggested in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection using in silico, in vitro or in vivo studies. Further studies using large-sized, randomized and double-blinded controlled clinical trials are needed to evaluate FIASMAs in SARS-CoV-2 infection as off-label therapy.
Screening of Surfactants for Improved Delivery of Antimicrobials and Poly-Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid Particles in Wound Tissue
Authors: Rancan Fiorenza , Jurisch Jana , Günday Cemre , Türeli Emre , Blume-Peytavi Ulrike , Vogt Annika , Schaudinn Christoph , Günday-Türeli Nazende
Published: July 2021

Topical wound management is often a challenge due to the poor penetration of antimicrobials in wound tissue and across the biofilm matrix where bacteria are embedded. Surfactants have been used for decades to improve the stability of formulations, increase drug solubility, and enhance penetration. In this study, we screened different detergents with respect to their cytotoxicity and their ability to improve the penetration of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) particles in wound tissue. Among the tested surfactants, Kolliphor SLS and Tween 80 increased the penetration of PLGA particles and had a limited cytotoxicity. Then, these surfactants were used to formulate PLGA particles loaded with the poorly water-soluble antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The antimicrobial efficacy of the formulations was tested in a wound infection model based on human ex vivo skin. We found that even though PLGA particles had the same antimicrobial efficiency than the particle-free drug formulation, thanks to their solubilizing and anti-biofilm properties, the surfactants remarkably improved the antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin with respect to the drug formulation in water. We conclude that the use of Tween 80 in antimicrobial formulations might be a safe and efficient option to improve the topical antimicrobial management of chronic wound infections.
Phosphatidylserine-Gold Nanoparticles (PS-AuNP) Induce Prostate and Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis
Authors: Radaic Allan , Joo Nam E. , Jeong Soo-Hwan , Yoo Seong-II , Kotov Nicholas , Kapila Yvonne L.
Published: July 2021

Prostate and breast cancer are the current leading causes of new cancer cases in males and females, respectively. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an essential lipid that mediates macrophage efferocytosis and is dysregulated in tumors. Therefore, developing therapies that selectively restore PS may be a potential therapeutic approach for carcinogenesis. Among the nanomedicine strategies for delivering PS, biocompatible gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have an extensive track record in biomedical applications. In this study, we synthesized biomimetic phosphatidylserine-caped gold nanoparticles (PS-AuNPs) and tested their anticancer potential in breast and prostate cancer cells in vitro. We found that both cell lines exhibited changes in cell morphology indicative of apoptosis. After evaluating for histone-associated DNA fragments, a hallmark of apoptosis, we found significant increases in DNA fragmentation upon PS-AuNP treatment compared to the control treatment. These findings demonstrate the use of phosphatidylserine coupled with gold nanoparticles as a potential treatment for prostate and breast cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a phosphatidylserine-capped AuNP has been examined for its therapeutic potential in cancer therapy.
Isolation and Characterization of Pseudomonas chlororaphis Strain ST9; Rhizomicrobiota and in Planta Studies
Authors: Bertani Iris , Zampieri Elisa , Bez Cristina , Volante Andrea , Venturi Vittorio , Monaco Stefano
Published: July 2021

The development of biotechnologies based on beneficial microorganisms for improving soil fertility and crop yields could help to address many current agriculture challenges, such as food security, climate change, pest control, soil depletion while decreasing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Plant growth-promoting (PGP) microbes can be used as probiotics in order to increase plant tolerance/resistance to abiotic/biotic stresses and in this context strains belonging to the Pseudomonas chlororaphis group have shown to have potential as PGP candidates. In this study a new P. chlororaphis isolate is reported and tested for (i) in vitro PGP features, (ii) whole-genome sequence analysis, and (iii) its effects on the rhizosphere microbiota composition, plant growth, and different plant genes expression levels in greenhouse experiments. Results showed that P. chlororaphis ST9 is an efficient rice root colonizer which integrates into the plant resident-microbiota and affects the expression of several plant genes. The potential use of this P. chlororaphis strain as a plant probiotic is discussed.
A Non-Invasive Approach in the Assessment of Stress Phenomena and Impairment Values in Pea Seeds Caused by Pea Weevil
Authors: Keszthelyi Sándor , Fajtai Dániel , Pónya Zsolt , Somfalvi-Tóth Katalin , Donkó Tamás
Published: July 2021

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an important leguminous plant worldwide, in which pests trigger significant damage every year. One of the most important pest is pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum, L) which causes covert damage in crops. In the present study, our aim was to obtain precise information pertaining to the extent and the nature of damage in pea caused by B. pisorum by means of non-invasive imaging methods. The infested pea samples were analysed by an infrared thermometer and a bioluminescence plant imaging system as well as a computer tomograph under laboratory conditions. The calculated weight of organic matter destroyed by the developing larvae was 36.46%. The changing of RGB (red, blue, green) codes obtained through thermal imaging and the CPS (counts per second) values originating from bioluminescence imaging in infested samples were statistically verifiable. According to our CT assay, the damage caused by B. pisorum changed the tissue density, volume and shape of the pea seeds by the end of the development of the pest. The results of thermal and bioluminescence imaging contribute to a better understanding of the internal chemical processes and the CT analysis helps to understand the alteration trends of the inner structure of seeds caused by this pest.
An Overview of Abiotic Stress in Cereal Crops: Negative Impacts, Regulation, Biotechnology and Integrated Omics
Authors: Jeyasri Rajendran , Muthuramalingam Pandiyan , Satish Lakkakula , Pandian Shunmugiah Karutha , Chen Jen-Tsung , Ahmar Sunny , Wang Xiukang , Mora-Poblete Freddy , Ramesh Manikandan
Published: July 2021

Abiotic stresses (AbS), such as drought, salinity, and thermal stresses, could highly affect the growth and development of plants. For decades, researchers have attempted to unravel the mechanisms of AbS for enhancing the corresponding tolerance of plants, especially for crop production in agriculture. In the present communication, we summarized the significant factors (atmosphere, soil and water) of AbS, their regulations, and integrated omics in the most important cereal crops in the world, especially rice, wheat, sorghum, and maize. It has been suggested that using systems biology and advanced sequencing approaches in genomics could help solve the AbS response in cereals. An emphasis was given to holistic approaches such as, bioinformatics and functional omics, gene mining and agronomic traits, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and transcription factors (TFs) family with respect to AbS. In addition, the development of omics studies has improved to address the identification of AbS responsive genes and it enables the interaction between signaling pathways, molecular insights, novel traits and their significance in cereal crops. This review compares AbS mechanisms to omics and bioinformatics resources to provide a comprehensive view of the mechanisms. Moreover, further studies are needed to obtain the information from the integrated omics databases to understand the AbS mechanisms for the development of large spectrum AbS-tolerant crop production.
Novel Chemical Architectures Based on Beta-Cyclodextrin Derivatives Covalently Attached on Polymer Spheres
Authors: Bucur Stefan , Mangalagiu Ionel , Diacon Aurel , Mocanu Alexandra , Rizea Florica , Somoghi Raluca , Ghebaur Adi , Boscornea Aurelian , Rusen Edina
Published: July 2021

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of polymer derivatives of beta-cyclodextrin (BCD), obtained by chemical grafting onto spherical polymer particles (200 nm) presenting oxirane functional groups at their surface. The polymer spheres were synthesized by emulsion polymerization of styrene (ST) and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), followed by the grafting on the surface of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) by seeded emulsion polymerization. The BCD-polymer derivatives were obtained using two BCD derivatives with hydroxylic (BCD-OH) and amino groups (BCD-NH2). The degree of polymer covalent functionalization using the BCD-OH and BCD-NH2 derivatives were determined to be 4.27 and 19.19 weight %, respectively. The adsorption properties of the materials were evaluated using bisphenol A as a target molecule. The best fit for the adsorption kinetics was Lagergren’s model (both for Qe value and for R2) together with Weber’s intraparticle diffusion model in the case of ST-HEMA-GMA-BCD-NH2. The isothermal adsorption evaluation indicated that both systems follow a Langmuir type behavior and afforded a Qmax value of 148.37 mg g−1 and 37.09 mg g−1 for ST-HEMA-GMA-BCD-NH2 and ST-HEMA-GMA-BCD-OH, respectively. The BCD-modified polymers display a degradation temperature of over 400 °C which can be attributed to the existence of hydrogen bonds and BCD thermal degradation pathway in the presence of the polymers.
Curing of Cellulose Hydrogels by UV Radiation for Mechanical Reinforcement
Authors: Cruz-Medina Rodybeth , Ayala-Hernández Daniel Alejandro , Vega-Rios Alejandro , López-Martínez Erika Ivonne , Mendoza-Duarte Mónica Elvira , Estrada-Monje Anayansi , Zaragoza-Contreras Erasto Armando
Published: July 2021

The use of biomaterials as a replacement for thermoplastic polymers is an environmentally sound strategy. In this work, hydrogels of cellulose isolated from wheat husk were modified by UV irradiation (353 nm) to improve mechanical performance. The cellulose was dissolved with a solvent system N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride (DMAc/LiCl). Infrared spectroscopy showed that the peak height at 1016 cm−1, associated with the C–O bonds of the glycosidic ring, increases with irradiation time. It was determined that the increase in this signal is related to photodegradation, the product of a progressive increase in exposure to UV radiation. The viscoelastic behavior, determined by dynamic mechanical analysis and rotational rheometry, was taken as the most important parameter of this research, showing that the best results are recorded with 15 min of UV treatment. Therefore, at this time or less, the chemical crosslinking is predominant over the photodegradation, producing an increase in the modules, while with 20 min the photodegradation is such that the modules suffer a significant reduction.
Physical Hybrid of Nanographene/Carbon Nanotubes as Reinforcing Agents of NR-Based Rubber Foam
Authors: Shojaie Sahar , Vahidifar Ali , Naderi Ghasem , Shokri Elham , Mekonnen Tizazu H. , Esmizadeh Elnaz
Published: July 2021

Natural rubber (NR) foams reinforced by a physical hybrid of nanographene/carbon nanotubes were fabricated using a two-roll mill and compression molding process. The effects of nanographene (GNS) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were investigated on the curing behavior, foam morphology, and mechanical and thermal properties of the NR nanocomposite foams. Microscope investigations showed that the GNS/CNT hybrid fillers acted as nucleation agents and increased the cell density and decreased the cell size and wall thickness. Simultaneously, the cell size distribution became narrower, containing more uniform multiple closed-cell pores. The rheometric results showed that the GNS/CNT hybrids accelerated the curing process and decreased the scorch time from 6.81 to 5.08 min and the curing time from 14.3 to 11.12 min. Other results showed that the GNS/CNT hybrid improved the foam’s curing behavior. The degradation temperature of the nanocomposites at 5 wt.% and 50 wt.% weight loss increased from 407 °C to 414 °C and from 339 °C to 346 °C, respectively, and the residual ash increased from 5.7 wt.% to 12.23 wt.% with increasing hybrid nanofiller content. As the amount of the GNS/CNT hybrids increased in the rubber matrix, the modulus also increased, and the Tg increased slightly from −45.77 °C to −38.69 °C. The mechanical properties of the NR nanocomposite foams, including the hardness, resilience, and compression, were also improved by incorporating GNS/CNT hybrid fillers. Overall, the incorporation of the nano hybrid fillers elevated the desirable properties of the rubber foam.
Thermal, Physical and Mechanical Properties of Poly(Butylene Succinate)/Kenaf Core Fibers Composites Reinforced with Esterified Lignin
Authors: Saffian Harmaen Ahmad , Yamaguchi Masayuki , Ariffin Hidayah , Abdan Khalina , Kassim Nur Kartinee , Lee Seng Hua , Lee Ching Hao , Shafi Ayu Rafiqah , Humairah Alias Aisyah
Published: July 2021

In this study, Kraft lignin was esterified with phthalic anhydride and was served as reinforcing filler for poly(butylene succinate) (PBS). Composites with different ratios of PBS, lignin (L), modified lignin (ML) and kenaf core fibers (KCF) were fabricated using a compounding method. The fabricated PBS composites and its counterparts were tested for thermal, physical and mechanical properties. Weight percent gain of 4.5% after lignin modification and the FTIR spectra has confirmed the occurrence of an esterification reaction. Better thermo-mechanical properties were observed in the PBS composites reinforced with modified lignin and KCF, as higher storage modulus and loss modulus were recorded using dynamic mechanical analysis. The density of the composites fabricated ranged from 1.26 to 1.43 g/cm3. Water absorption of the composites with the addition of modified lignin is higher than that of composites with unmodified lignin. Pure PBS exhibited the highest tensile strength of 18.62 MPa. Incorporation of lignin and KCF into PBS resulted in different extents of reduction in tensile strength (15.78 to 18.60 MPa). However, PBS composite reinforced with modified lignin exhibited better tensile and flexural strength compared to its unmodified lignin counterpart. PBS composite reinforced with 30 wt% ML and 20 wt% KCF had the highest Izod impact, as fibers could diverge the cracking propagation of the matrix. The thermal conductivity value of the composites ranged from 0.0903 to 0.0983 W/mK, showing great potential as a heat insulator.
Effects of Printing Parameters on the Fatigue Behaviour of 3D-Printed ABS under Dynamic Thermo-Mechanical Loads
Authors: He Feiyang , Khan Muhammad
Published: July 2021

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is the most widely used additive manufacturing process in customised and low-volume production industries due to its safe, fast, effective operation, freedom of customisation, and cost-effectiveness. Many different thermoplastic polymer materials are used in FDM. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is one of the most commonly used plastics owing to its low cost, high strength and temperature resistance. The fabricated FDM ABS parts commonly work under thermo-mechanical loads in actual practice. For producing FDM ABS components that show high fatigue performance, the 3D printing parameters must be effectively optimized. Hence, this study evaluated the bending fatigue performance for FDM ABS beams under different thermo-mechanical loading conditions with varying printing parameters, including building orientations, nozzle size, and layer thickness. The combination of three building orientations (0°, ±45°, and 90°), three nozzle sizes (0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 mm) and three-layer thicknesses (0.05, 0.1, and 0.15 mm) were tested at different environmental temperatures ranging from 50 to 70 °C. The study attempted to find the optimal combination of the printing parameters to achieve the best fatigue behaviour of the FDM ABS specimen. The experiential results showed that the specimen with 0° building orientation, 0.8 mm filament width, and 0.15 mm layer thickness vibrated for the longest time before the fracture at each temperature. Both a larger nozzle size and thicker layer height can increase the fatigue life. It was concluded that printing defects significantly decreased the fatigue life of the 3D-printed ABS beam.
Novel Poly(ionic liquid) Augmented Membranes for Unconventional Aqueous Phase Applications in Fractionation of Dyes and Sugar
Authors: DePaz Sandrina , Sengupta Arijit , Chiao Yu-Hsuan , Wickramasinghe Sumith Ranil
Published: July 2021

Poly(ionic) liquid (PIL) augmented membranes were fabricated through self-polymerization of 2-vinyl pyridine and 4-vinyl pyridine followed by dopamine triggered polymerization and bridging with inert polyamide support. The resulting membranes acquired a positive surface charge with a high degree of hydrophilicity. Fourier transformed Infra-red (FTIR) and Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopic investigation revealed the successful augmentation of PIL surface layer, whereas surface morphology was investigated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. This manuscript demonstrates pi electron-induced separation of dyes with the trend in permeability: Coomassie Brilliant Blue G (CBBHG) > Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) > Eichrome Black T (EBT) > Congo Red (CR). CBBG exhibited extended conjugation over large aromatic domain. RBBR and EBT were associated withtheelectron-donating -NH2 group and electron-withdrawing -NO2 group, respectively, hence pi electron density on aromatic ring varied. The steric repulsion between two pairs of ortho hydrogens (Hs) in biphenyl moieties of CR resulted in deviation of planarity and hence aromaticity leading to the lowest permeability. The sugar fractionation followed the trend: Galactose > Mannose > Fructose > Glucose > Xylose. More hydroxyl (-OH) groups in sugars and their conformational alignment in the same direction, exhibited more lone pair of electrons leading to more interaction with PIL and hence better permeability. Pentose showed poorer permeation than hexose, whereas aldose showed better permeation than ketose.
‘Scrupulous and Timid Conformism’: Ireland and the Reception of the Liturgical Changes of Vatican II
Authors: Carville Gary
Published: July 2021

The Second Vatican Council and, in particular, its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, changed much in the daily life of the Church. In Ireland, a country steeped in the Catholic tradition but largely peripheral to the theological debates that shaped Vatican II, the changes to liturgy and devotional practice were implemented dutifully over a relatively short time span and without significant upset. But did the hierarchical manner of their reception, like that of the Council itself, mean that Irish Catholics did not receive the changes in a way that deepened their spirituality? And was the popular religious memory of the people lost through a neglect of liturgical piety and its place in the interior life, alongside what the Council sought to achieve? In this essay, Dr Gary Carville will examine the background to the liturgical changes at Vatican II, the contribution to their formulation and implementation by leaders of the Church in Ireland, the experiences of Irish Catholic communities in the reception process, and the ongoing need for a liturgical formation that brings theology, memory, and practice into greater dialogue.
Research on a Buddha Mountain in Colonial-Period Korea: A Preliminary Discussion
Authors: Kim Sunkyung
Published: July 2021

Buddhist art became the focus of discussion when Japanese scholars began to construct Korean art history as an academic discipline. This paper presents a case study of how a particular Buddhist site, Mount Nam in Kyŏngju, was recognized, researched, and represented during the colonial period (1910–1945). By analyzing representative Japanese publications on the subject, I argue that there existed disconnection between the colonial government and the site-researchers. I re-evaluate the conventional narrative that the colonizers regarded Buddhist statues as “art” removed from their original religious setting. This paper reveals a more layered picture of the early years of historical discourse on the so-called Buddha Mountain and Buddhist sculptures of Korea.
Multi-Frequency GPR Data Fusion with Genetic Algorithms for Archaeological Prospection
Authors: Zhao Wenke , Yuan Lin , Forte Emanuele , Lu Guoze , Tian Gang , Pipan Michele
Published: July 2021

Archaeological GPR data from antennas of different frequencies allow the identification of buried cultural heritage at different scales. Therefore, multi-frequency GPR systems are recommended for complicated subsurface archaeological conditions. GPR data fusion approaches, automatically or semi-automatically, can integrate data measurements from different frequency antennas, combine them into a single representation, and partially overcome the unavoidable trade-off between penetration and resolution. We propose an adaptively weighted fusion method for multi-frequency GPR data based on genetic algorithms (GAs). In order to evaluate the feasibility and the effectiveness of the strategy for archaeological prospection, we tested the procedure on GPR datasets acquired in two totally different archaeological conditions: rammed layers of an ancient wall, in Henan Province, China, and complex and elusive prehistoric archaeological features within a natural stratigraphic sequence on the volcanic Stromboli Island, Italy. The results demonstrate that the proposed strategy can maximize the information content of GPR profiles, enhancing the GPR interpretation possibilities in an automatic and objective way for different targets and in different subsurface conditions.
An Efficient Decision Support System for Flood Inundation Management Using Intermittent Remote-Sensing Data
Authors: Sun Hai , Dai Xiaoyi , Shou Wenchi , Wang Jun , Ruan Xuejing
Published: July 2021

Timely acquisition of spatial flood distribution is an essential basis for flood-disaster monitoring and management. Remote-sensing data have been widely used in water-body surveys. However, due to the cloudy weather and complex geomorphic environment, the inability to receive remote-sensing images throughout the day has resulted in some data being missing and unable to provide dynamic and continuous flood inundation process data. To fully and effectively use remote-sensing data, we developed a new decision support system for integrated flood inundation management based on limited and intermittent remote-sensing data. Firstly, we established a new multi-scale water-extraction convolutional neural network named DEU-Net to extract water from remote-sensing images automatically. A specific datasets training method was created for typical region types to separate the water body from the confusing surface features more accurately. Secondly, we built a waterfront contour active tracking model to implicitly describe the flood movement interface. In this way, the flooding process was converted into the numerical solution of the partial differential equation of the boundary function. Space upwind difference format and the time Euler difference format were used to perform the numerical solution. Finally, we established seven indicators that considered regional characteristics and flood-inundation attributes to evaluate flood-disaster losses. The cloud model using the entropy weight method was introduced to account for uncertainties in various parameters. In the end, a decision support system realizing the flood losses risk visualization was developed by using the ArcGIS application programming interface (API). To verify the effectiveness of the model constructed in this paper, we conducted numerical experiments on the model’s performance through comparative experiments based on a laboratory scale and actual scale, respectively. The results were as follows: (1) The DEU-Net method had a better capability to accurately extract various water bodies, such as urban water bodies, open-air ponds, plateau lakes etc., than the other comparison methods. (2) The simulation results of the active tracking model had good temporal and spatial consistency with the image extraction results and actual statistical data compared with the synthetic observation data. (3) The application results showed that the system has high computational efficiency and noticeable visualization effects. The research results may provide a scientific basis for the emergency-response decision-making of flood disasters, especially in data-sparse regions.
Rigidity Strengthening of Landslide Materials Measured by Seismic Interferometry
Authors: Kang Keng-Hao , Chao Wei-An , Yang Che-Ming , Chung Ming-Chien , Kuo Yu-Ting , Yeh Chih-Hsiang , Liu Hsin-Chang , Lin Chun-Hung , Lin Chih-Pin , Liao Jyh-Jong , Chang Jui-Ming , Ngui Yin-Jeh , Chen Chien-Hsin , Tai Tung-Lin
Published: July 2021

Landslides have caused extensive infrastructure damage and caused human fatalities for centuries. Intense precipitation and large earthquakes are considered to be two major landslide triggers, particularly in the case of catastrophic landslides. The most widely accepted mechanistic explanation for landslides is the effective-stress dependent shear strength reduction due to increases in pore water pressure. The Chashan landslide site, selected for the present study, has been intensively studied from geological, geophysical, geodetic, geotechnical, hydrological, and seismological perspectives. Our seismic monitoring of daily relative velocity changes (dv/v) indicated that landslide material decreases coincided with the first half of the rainy period and increased during the latter half of the rainy period. The geodetic surveys before and after the rainy period identified vertical subsidence without horizontal movement. The results from the multidisciplinary investigation enabled us to draw a conceptual model of the landslide recovery process induced by water loading. Where all sliding materials were stable (safety factor > 1.0), unconsolidated landslide colluvium and impermeable sliding surfaces trapped the seepage water to form a water tank, provided that compact forces were acting on the materials below the sliding boundary. The vertical force of compaction facilitates an increase in the cohesion and strength of landslide materials, thereby increasing the landslide materials’ stability. We demonstrated that the recovery process periodically occurs only under the combined conditions of prolonged and intense precipitation and the related stability conditions.
Deep Learning in Forestry Using UAV-Acquired RGB Data: A Practical Review
Authors: Diez Yago , Kentsch Sarah , Fukuda Motohisa , Caceres Maximo Larry Lopez , Moritake Koma , Cabezas Mariano
Published: July 2021

Forests are the planet’s main CO2 filtering agent as well as important economical, environmental and social assets. Climate change is exerting an increased stress, resulting in a need for improved research methodologies to study their health, composition or evolution. Traditionally, information about forests has been collected using expensive and work-intensive field inventories, but in recent years unoccupied autonomous vehicles (UAVs) have become very popular as they represent a simple and inexpensive way to gather high resolution data of large forested areas. In addition to this trend, deep learning (DL) has also been gaining much attention in the field of forestry as a way to include the knowledge of forestry experts into automatic software pipelines tackling problems such as tree detection or tree health/species classification. Among the many sensors that UAVs can carry, RGB cameras are fast, cost-effective and allow for straightforward data interpretation. This has resulted in a large increase in the amount of UAV-acquired RGB data available for forest studies. In this review, we focus on studies that use DL and RGB images gathered by UAVs to solve practical forestry research problems. We summarize the existing studies, provide a detailed analysis of their strengths paired with a critical assessment on common methodological problems and include other information, such as available public data and code resources that we believe can be useful for researchers that want to start working in this area. We structure our discussion using three main families of forestry problems: (1) individual Tree Detection, (2) tree Species Classification, and (3) forest Anomaly Detection (forest fires and insect Infestation).
Toward a Comprehensive Model of Fake News: A New Approach to Examine the Creation and Sharing of False Information
Authors: Weiss Andrew P. , Alwan Ahmed , Garcia Eric P. , Kirakosian Antranik T.
Published: July 2021

The authors discuss a new conceptual model to examine the phenomenon of fake news. Their model focuses on the relationship between the creator and the consumer of fake news and proposes a mechanism by which to determine how likely users may be to share fake news with others. In particular, it is hypothesized that information users would likely be influenced by seven factors in choosing to share fake news or to verify information, including the user’s: (1) level of online trust; (2) level of self-disclosure online; (3) amount of social comparison; (4) level of FoMO anxiety; (5) level of social media fatigue; (6) concept of self and role identity; and (7) level of education attainment. The implications reach into many well-established avenues of inquiry in education, Library and Information Science (LIS), sociology, and other disciplines, including communities of practice, information acquiring and sharing, social positioning, social capital theory, self-determination, rational choice (e.g., satisficing and information overload), critical thinking, and information literacy. Understanding the multiple root causes of creating and sharing fake news will help to alleviate its spread. Relying too heavily on but one factor to combat fake news—education level, for example—may have limited impact on mitigating its effects. Establishing thresholds for a certain combination of factors may better predict the tendency of users to share fake news. The authors also speculate on the role information literacy education programs can play in light of a more complex understanding of how fake news operates.
Relationships of Resource Strategies, Family Composition, and Child Growth in Two Rural Timor-Leste Communities
Authors: Spencer Phoebe R. , Judge Debra S.
Published: July 2021

Subsistence and economic activities undertaken by households in the context of transition from subsistence farming to cash economies are sometimes seen as substitutable with only minimal reference to the households themselves. We use data from in-depth interviews of 190 householders in Ossu (mountains) and Natarbora (coastal plains), Timor-Leste, to query relationships of family composition, resource strategies, and their relationships to children’s growth. Principal component analyses of six household composition variables reveal “grandparent and fostered-in children”, “two generational households with numerous adults and children”, and “smaller households with few adults and fostered-out children”, explaining 72% of the variance. A similar procedure with 11 resource variables produced four components explaining 56% of resource variance. Households with grandparents have a pension income and engage in large animal husbandry, and are associated with better standardized BMI for resident children. Households with numerous members (but not grandparents) are more invested in subsistence gardening and are negatively associated with child stature. Salaried income is not associated with household composition, but children in these households are taller than their peers. Consistent differences between the two communities are partially a result of differences in socioecology, but there remain unexplained differences that may relate to cultural practices.
A Crash Injury Model Involving Autonomous Vehicle: Investigating of Crash and Disengagement Reports
Authors: Sinha Amolika , Vu Vincent , Chand Sai , Wijayaratna Kasun , Dixit Vinayak
Published: July 2021

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are being extensively tested on public roads in several states in the USA, such as California, Florida, Nevada, and Texas. AV utilization is expected to increase into the future, given rapid advancement and development in sensing and navigation technologies. This will eventually lead to a decline in human driving. AVs are generally believed to mitigate crash frequency, although the repercussion of AVs on crash severity is ambiguous. For the data-driven and transparent deployment of AVs in California, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA DMV) commissioned AV manufacturers to draft and publish reports on disengagements and crashes. This study performed a comprehensive assessment of CA DMV data from 2014 to 2019 from a safety standpoint, and some trends were discerned. The results show that decrement in automated disengagements does not necessarily imply an improvement in AV technology. Contributing factors to the crash severity of an AV are not clearly defined. To further understand crash severity in AVs, the features and issues with data are identified and discussed using different machine learning techniques. The CA DMV accident report data were utilized to develop a variety of crash AV severity models focusing on the injury for all crash typologies. Performance metrics were discussed, and the bagging classifier model exhibited the best performance among different candidate models. Additionally, the study identified potential issues with the CA DMV data reporting protocol, which is imperative to share with the research community. Recommendations are provided to enhance the existing reports and append new domains.
Introduction: The Role of Universities in Regional Transitions towards Sustainability
Authors: Schiller Daniel , Radinger-Peer Verena
Published: July 2021

The transition of sociotechnical systems towards sustainability has been studied comprehensively based on the multilevel perspective [...]
Current Knowledge of Medicinal Mushrooms Related to Anti-Oxidant Properties
Authors: Shaffique Shifa , Kang Sang-Mo , Kim Ah-Yeong , Imran Muhammad , Aaqil Khan Muhammad , Lee In-Jung
Published: July 2021

Background: A renewed focus on medicinal mushrooms has brought forth a sustainable health dimension. Conventional health strategies are insufficiently integrated with sustainable health promotion. The health-promoting outcome of mushrooms has fascinated many groups during the past few years because of various primary and secondary metabolites in different cellular components. They contain many bioactive metabolites, including proteins (cytokines, ergothioneine), fibers, moisture, carbohydrates (uronic acid), folate, thiamine, ascorbic acid, vitamin D, calcium, potassium, polysaccharides (G. lucidum polysaccharides, alpha and beta glucans, and lentinan) polyketides, polyphenols (Protocatechuic acid, inonoblins A–vanillic acid, phelligridins D, E, and G, hydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, tannic acid, hispidine, gentisic acid, and tocopherol), nucleotides (adenosine, cordycepin), lovastatin, steroids, alkaloids, and sesquiterpenes. Objective: This study was conducted to gather information on the current knowledge of medicinal mushrooms, with respect to their antioxidant properties. Conclusions: The results indicated that mushrooms are a promising source of natural antioxidants. Of all mushrooms, the Ganoderma tsugae Murill exhibited an excellent antioxidant potential of 93.7–100% at 20 mg/mL.
Monitoring the Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Green Dam in Djelfa Province, Algeria
Authors: Benhizia Ramzi , Kouba Yacine , Szabó György , Négyesi Gábor , Ata Behnam
Published: July 2021

Green walls and green dams are increasingly being considered as part of many national and international desertification initiatives. This paper studies the spatiotemporal evolution of the green dam in the Moudjbara region (Djelfa Province, Algeria), from 1972 to 2019, by using Landsat imagery, Land Change Modeler, and OpenLand package. The future evolution of pine plantations, for the year 2029, was also forecasted, based on an anthropogenic scenario (i.e., anthropogenic pressure is the main driver of the green dam destruction). Our findings revealed that the green dam project was successful for a few years, but, after that, pine plantations deteriorated significantly, due to forest harvesting, livestock overgrazing, and the proliferation of the pine caterpillar processionary, which destroyed most of the reforestation. Land change modeler predicted a huge degradation of pine plantations for the year 2029, and if the deforestation continues at the same rate, the green dam in the Moudjbara region will disappear during the next few decades. Being aware of this threat, the Algerian authorities are now planning to reforest more than 1.2 million ha under the latest rural renewal policy, by introducing new principles related to sustainable development, fighting desertification, and climate change adaptation. We strongly recommend moving away from the singular tree planting focus, to diversifying desertification control methods.