bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metabolome-Based Discrimination Analysis of Shallot Landraces and Bulb Onion Cultivars Associated with Differences in the Amino Acid and Flavonoid Profiles
Authors: Abdelrahman Mostafa , Ariyanti Nur Aeni , Sawada Yuji , Tsuji Fumitada , Hirata Sho , Hang Tran Thi Minh , Okamoto Mami , Yamada Yutaka , Tsugawa Hiroshi , Hirai Masami Yokota , Shigyo Masayoshi
Published: November 2020

Shallot landraces and varieties are considered an important genetic resource for Allium breeding due to their high contents of several functional metabolites. Aiming to provide new genetic materials for the development of a novel bulb onion cultivar derived from intraspecific hybrids with useful agronomic traits from shallots, the metabolic profiles in the bulbs of 8 Indonesian shallot landraces and 7 short-day and 3 long-day bulb onion cultivars were established using LC–Q-TOF-MS/MS. Principal component analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and dendrogram clustering analysis showed two major groups; group I contained all shallot landraces and group II contained all bulb onion cultivars, indicating that shallots exhibited a distinct metabolic profile in comparison with bulb onions. Variable importance in the projection and Spearman’s rank correlation indicated that free and conjugated amino acids, flavonoids (especially metabolites having flavonol aglycone), and anthocyanins, as well as organic acids, were among the top metabolite variables that were highly associated with shallot landraces. The absolute quantification of 21 amino acids using conventional HPLC analysis showed high contents in shallots rather than in bulb onions. The present study indicated that shallots reprogrammed their metabolism toward a high accumulation of amino acids and flavonoids as an adaptive mechanism in extremely hot tropical environments.
N-Nitrosodimethylamine Contamination in the Metformin Finished Products
Authors: Zmysłowski Adam , Książek Iza , Szterk Arkadiusz
Published: November 2020

A GC–MS/MS method with EI ionization was developed and validated to detect and quantify N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and seven other nitrosamines in 105 samples of metformin tablets from 13 different manufactures. Good linearity for each compound was demonstrated over the calibration range of 0.5–9.5 ng/mL. The assay for all substances was accurate and precise. NDMA was not detected in the acquired active pharmaceutical ingredient (API); however, NDMA was detected in 64 (85.3%) and 22 (91.7%) of the finished product and prolonged finished product samples, respectively. European Medicines Agency recommends the maximum allowed limit of 0.032 ppm in the metformin products. Hence, 28 finished products and 7 pronged dosage products were found to exceed the acceptable limit of daily intake of NDMA contamination. The implications of our findings for the testing of pharmaceutical products are discussed.
Nutrient Availability under Lettuce Grown in Rye Mulch in Histosols
Authors: Dessureault-Rompré Jacynthe , Gloutney Alexis , Caron Jean
Published: November 2020

Vegetable crop production, which is expanding worldwide, is managed extremely intensively and is therefore raising concerns about soil degradation. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of using rye mulch as a conservation practice on nutrient availability for lettuce grown in histosols. The rye cover crop was established in the fall of 2018 at two cultivated peatland sites. The following summer, lettuce crops were planted at both sites on the rye mulch cover and on control plots. Lysimeters were used to extract the soil solution once a week during lettuce growth. Various soil properties were analyzed in the soil sampled at the end of the lettuce growing season. The rye yield was higher at site 1 than at site 2 and the lettuce growth was reduced at site 1 under the rye mulch treatment. The rye mulch reduced mineral N and dissolved organic N availability at both sites. The N dynamics in histosols might be fast enough to supply the lettuce needs; however, the implantation difficulties must first be overcome to confirm that hypothesis. At the end of the lettuce growth period, soil total and active C pools and soluble organic soil N in the rye mulch treatment sample were significantly higher at site 1 than at site 2. The presence of rye mulch improved the carbon pool over a single growing season. The use of rye mulch as a soil conservation practice for vegetable crop production appears promising for histosols; however, more work is needed to gain a better understanding on the long-term effects of decomposing rye mulch and roots on soil nutrient availability, soil health and C sequestration, and on the nitrogen uptake pathways and growth of cash crops. Future works which would include consecutive years of study at multiple sites are also needed to be able to confirm and generalize the observations found in the present work.
Dietary Inflammatory Index during Pregnancy and the Risk of Intrapartum Fetal Asphyxia: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Authors: Kyozuka Hyo , Murata Tsuyoshi , Fukuda Toma , Yamaguchi Akiko , Kanno Aya , Yasuda Shun , Sato Akiko , Ogata Yuka , Kuse Masahito , Hosoya Mitsuaki , Yasumura Seiji , Hashimoto Koichi , Nishigori Hidekazu , Fujimori Keiya ,   the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Group
Published: November 2020

We aimed to examine the impact of a daily pro-inflammatory diet during pregnancy on intrapartum fetal acidemia using a large birth cohort study in Japan. We used data on singleton pregnancies in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) involving births from 2011 to 2014 through vaginal delivery to calculate the maternal dietary inflammatory index (DII). Participants were categorized according to DII quintiles. A multiple logistic regression model was used to estimate the risk of a pro-inflammatory diet on fetal umbilical artery pH. In total, 56,490 participants were eligible for this study. Multiple regression analysis showed that nulliparous women who had undergone vaginal delivery and were consuming a pro-inflammatory diet had an increased risk of pH < 7.10 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–2.39). Among these women, the risk of pH < 7.10 was not affected by the duration of labor (aOR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.11–2.42). In conclusion, following a pro-inflammatory diet during pregnancy is a risk factor for fetal acidosis among nulliparous women undergoing vaginal delivery. A high DII diet during pregnancy may modify the intrapartum fetal heart rate pattern via intrauterine inflammation.
Association between Changes in Nutrient Intake and Changes in Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in the SarcoPhAge Cohort
Authors: Lengelé Laetitia , Moehlinger Pauline , Bruyère Olivier , Locquet Médéa , Reginster Jean-Yves , Beaudart Charlotte
Published: November 2020

Muscle weakness and physical performance impairment are common geriatric conditions that raise morbidity and mortality. They are known to be affected by nutrition, but only a few longitudinal studies exist. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the association, over 3 years, between variations of nutrient intakes, as well as, on one side, the variations of handgrip strength, as a surrogate of muscle strength, and on the other side, the physical performance, assessed by gait speed. Participants from the SarcoPhAge study, a Belgian cohort of people aged 65 years and older, were asked to complete a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at the second (T2) and the fifth (T5) year of follow-up. Daily macro- and micronutrient intakes were measured and their changes in consumption over the three years of follow-up were then calculated. The association between changes in nutrients consumption and the variations in muscle parameters were investigated through multiple linear regressions. Out of the 534 participants included in the cohort, 238 had complete data at T2 and T5 (median age of 72.0 years (70.0–78.0 years), 60.9% women). In the cross-sectional analysis, calories, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, and vitamins D, A, and K intakes were positively correlated with muscle strength. In the longitudinal analysis, neither the gait speed nor the muscle strength changes were significantly impacted by the variations. Other longitudinal investigations with longer follow-up are required to improve knowledge about these interrelations.
Food Habits and Screen Time Play a Major Role in the Low Health Related to Quality of Life of Ethnic Ascendant Schoolchildren
Authors: Delgado-Floody Pedro , Caamaño-Navarrete Felipe , Guzmán-Guzmán Iris Paola , Jerez-Mayorga Daniel , Martínez-Salazar Cristian , Álvarez Cristian
Published: November 2020

The objective of the present study was to determine the association between lifestyle parameters (i.e., physical activity (PA) level, screen time (ST), fitness and food habits) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in ethnic ascendant schoolchildren (i.e., Mapuche ascendant). This cross-sectional study included 619 schoolchildren with ethnic (EA; n = 234, 11.6 ± 1.0 years) and non-ethnicity ascendant (NEA; n = 383, 11.7 ± 1.1 years) from Araucanía, Chile. HRQoL and lifestyle were measured using a standard questionnaire and cardiometabolic markers (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WtHR), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP)) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) were additionally included. In the EA schoolchildren, the HRQoL reported association with CRF adjusted by age and sex (β; 0.12, p = 0.018) and non-adjusted with foods habits (β; 0.11, p = 0.034). By contrast, ST adjusted by age and sex presented an inverse association with HRQoL (β; −2.70, p < 0.001). EA schoolchildren showed low HRQoL (p = 0.002), low nutritional level (p = 0.002) and low CRF (p < 0.001) than NEA peers. Moreover, children’s ethnic presence showed an association with low nutritional levels (odd ratio (OR): 3.28, p = 0.002) and ST 5 h/day (OR: 5.34, p = 0.003). In conclusion, in the present study, EA schoolchildren reported lower HRQoL than NEA schoolchildren, which could be explained by the lifestyle patterns such as a low nutritional level and more ST exposure.
Patients Seeking Retreatment after Community Paramedic Assessment and Treatment: Piloting a Community Paramedic Unit Program in Southwest Finland
Authors: Hänninen Joonas , Kouvonen Anne , Sumanen Hilla
Published: November 2020

Community paramedic (CP) units are becoming more popular in enhancing a person’s access to the need for care assessment and treatment in acute but non-life-threatening health issues. Simultaneously CP units can reduce the strain on emergency departments (EDs) by treating patients effectively at home. The efficacy of CP units is proven in previous studies, but the details of conditions patients seek retreatment at the ED after a CP unit visit are largely unknown. This study aimed to categorize CP unit patients (n = 229) seeking retreatment after a CP unit visit and investigate links between CP unit actions and patients seeking retreatment. The study was based on a data set from a six-month CP unit pilot program in Finland. The main results show that 82% of the patients assessed and treated by the CP unit did not seek retreatment. Low back symptoms and nausea were the main problems patients presented to the ED within 96 h after the CP visit. On-call physician consultation (p = 0.335) or CP unit treatment time (p = 0.629) were not associated with the frequency of ED presentation. Further studies are needed in order to investigate which types of emergency medical missions are the most suitable for CP units. The findings of this study support the effectiveness of community paramedicine programs.
Non-Linear Pharmacokinetics of Oral Roscovitine (Seliciclib) in Cystic Fibrosis Patients Chronically Infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A Study on Population Pharmacokinetics with Monte Carlo Simulations
Authors: Leven Cyril , Schutz Sacha , Audrezet Marie-Pierre , Nowak Emmanuel , Meijer Laurent , Montier Tristan
Published: November 2020

Roscovitine (Seliciclib), a new protein kinase inhibitor, was administered orally to adult patients with cystic fibrosis for the first time in the ROSCO-CF trial, a dose-escalation, phase IIa, randomized, controlled trial. Extensive pharmacokinetic sampling was performed up to 12 h after the first oral dose. Roscovitine and its main metabolite M3 were quantified by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The pharmacokinetics analyses were performed by non-linear mixed effects modelling. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to assess the impact of dose on the pharmacokinetics of oral roscovitine. Twenty-three patients received oral doses ranging from 200 to 800 mg of roscovitine and 138 data points were available for both roscovitine and M3 concentrations. The pharmacokinetics was best described by a two-compartment parent-metabolite model, with a complex saturable absorption process modelled as the sum of Gaussian inverse density functions. The Monte Carlo simulations showed a dose-dependent and saturable first-pass effect leading to pre-systemic formation of M3. The treatment with proton-pump inhibitors reduced the rate of absorption of oral roscovitine. The pharmacokinetics of oral roscovitine in adult patients with cystic fibrosis was non-linear and showed significant inter-individual variability. A repeat-dose study will be required to assess the inter-occasional variability of its pharmacokinetics.
Co-Administration of Drugs and Parenteral Nutrition: In Vitro Compatibility Studies of Loop Diuretics for Safer Clinical Practice
Authors: Tomczak Szymon , Stawny Maciej , Jelińska Anna
Published: November 2020

Parenteral nutrition (PN) admixtures are prone to interacting with drugs administered intravenously via a common catheter. This may cause a threat to a patient’s health and life. The literature that has been reported on the compatibility of loop diuretics with PN presents conflicting results. This work aimed to study the compatibility of furosemide and torsemide with PN used in clinical practice. Undiluted solutions of drugs were mixed with PN at various ratios determined by flow rates. In order to assess compatibility, visual control was followed by pH measurement, osmolality, mean emulsion droplet diameter (MDD), and zeta potential upon mixing and at 4 h of storage. No macroscopic changes that indicated lipid emulsion degradation were observed. After the addition of the drugs, the value of pH ranged from 6.37 ± 0.01 to 7.38 ± 0.01. The zeta potential was in reverse proportion to the drug concentration. The addition of the drugs did not affect the MDD. It may be suggested that the co-administration of furosemide or torsemide and PN caused no interaction. The absence of such signs of unwanted interactions allowed for the co-administration of the mentioned loop diuretics and PN at each of the studied ratios.
Immunity in Light of Spinoza and Canguilhem
Authors: Yakura Hidetaka
Published: November 2020

All living organisms are under stress imposed by their surrounding environments. They must adapt to their stressors to live and survive. At the forefront of this adaptation is a defense system called immunity. Immunity, as the most ancient cognitive apparatus with memory function, is present in all living organisms. In previous reports, minimal cognitive function was defined as a “biologized” concept—namely, perception of elements in a milieu, integration of perceived information, reaction according to integrated information, and memory of that experience. In this study, I aim to explore the essential feature of immunity by synthesizing scientific facts and “metaphysicalizing” them with logical reasoning. As a result of my analysis, I have realized the essential element in immunity: the capacity to preserve the existence of organisms by regulating their physiology and pathology. Having further analyzed immunity with special reference to the philosophy of Baruch Spinoza and George Canguilhem, conatus (“appetite”, to be precise) with normative activities is deeply embedded in immunity and may constitute its essential feature. Given that conatus and normativity imply mental elements, including the judgment of good and bad or health and disease, it is possible to conclude that the essential function of immunity includes cognition with normative connotations. This inclusive view encourages us to rethink the fundamental nature and philosophical implications of immunity from the cognitive perspective.
Extreme Drought Affects Visitation and Seed Set in a Plant Species in the Central Chilean Andes Heavily Dependent on Hummingbird Pollination
Authors: Arroyo Mary T. K. , Robles Valeria , Tamburrino Ítalo , Martínez-Harms Jaime , Garreaud René D. , Jara-Arancio Paola , Pliscoff Patricio , Copier Ana , Arenas Jonás , Keymer Joaquín , Castro Kiara
Published: November 2020

Rising temperatures and increasing drought in Mediterranean-type climate areas are expected to affect plant–pollinator interactions, especially in plant species with specialised pollination. Central Chile experienced a mega drought between 2010 and 2020 which reached an extreme in the austral summer of 2019–2020. Based on intensive pollinator sampling and floral studies we show that the subalpine form of Mutisia subulata (Asteraceae) is a specialised hummingbird-pollinated species. In a two-year study which included the severest drought year, we quantified visitation frequency, flower-head density, flower-head visitation rates, two measures of floral longevity, nectar characteristics and seed set and monitored climatic variables to detect direct and indirect climate-related effects on pollinator visitation. Flower-head density, nectar standing crop and seed set were significantly reduced in the severest drought year while nectar concentration increased. The best model to explain visitation frequency included flower-head density, relative humidity, temperature, and nectar standing crop with highly significant effects of the first three variables. Results for flower-head density suggest hummingbirds were able to associate visual signals with reduced resource availability and/or were less abundant. The negative effect of lower relative humidity suggests the birds were able to perceive differences in nectar concentration. Reduced seed set per flower-head together with the availability of far fewer ovules in the 2019–2020 austral summer would have resulted in a major reduction in seed set. Longer and more intense droughts in this century could threaten local population persistence in M. subulata.
Post-Synthetic Reduction of Pectin Methylesterification Causes Morphological Abnormalities and Alterations to Stress Response in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Reem Nathan T. , Chambers Lauran , Zhang Ning , Abdullah Siti Farah , Chen Yintong , Feng Guanhua , Gao Song , Soto-Burgos Junmarie , Pogorelko Gennady , Bassham Diane C. , Anderson Charles T. , Walley Justin W. , Zabotina Olga A.
Published: November 2020

Pectin is a critical component of the plant cell wall, supporting wall biomechanics and contributing to cell wall signaling in response to stress. The plant cell carefully regulates pectin methylesterification with endogenous pectin methylesterases (PMEs) and their inhibitors (PMEIs) to promote growth and protect against pathogens. We expressed Aspergillus nidulans pectin methylesterase (AnPME) in Arabidopsis thaliana plants to determine the impacts of methylesterification status on pectin function. Plants expressing AnPME had a roughly 50% reduction in methylester content compared with control plants. AnPME plants displayed a severe dwarf phenotype, including small, bushy rosettes and shorter roots. This phenotype was caused by a reduction in cell elongation. Cell wall composition was altered in AnPME plants, with significantly more arabinose and significantly less galacturonic acid, suggesting that plants actively monitor and compensate for altered pectin content. Cell walls of AnPME plants were more readily degraded by polygalacturonase (PG) alone but were less susceptible to treatment with a mixture of PG and PME. AnPME plants were insensitive to osmotic stress, and their susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea was comparable to wild type plants despite their compromised cell walls. This is likely due to upregulated expression of defense response genes observed in AnPME plants. These results demonstrate the importance of pectin in both normal growth and development, and in response to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Identification of Vicia ervilia Germplasm Resistant to Orobanche crenata
Authors: González-Verdejo Clara Isabel , Fernández-Aparicio Mónica , Córdoba Eva María , Nadal Salvador
Published: November 2020

Bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.) is an ancient grain legume used as animal feed in the Mediterranean basin. This legume has a large economical potential because of its high yield under low inputs and good protein content, as well as resistance to cold and drought. Nevertheless, its growth and production area are affected in the presence of the broomrape weed species Orobanche crenata. Due to the small bitter vetch size, infection by as few as two or three O. crenata per vetch plant can be devastating. There are no efficient methods of selectively controlling O. crenata in this crop, for which reason the development of varieties resistant and tolerant to O. crenata infection is needed. Phytogenetic resources are valuable reserves for species survival. They represent important genetic variability and allow the possibility of finding characters of interest, such as new resistance sources. A large-scale field screening of a collection of 102 bitter vetch accessions indicated that most bitter vetch accessions were susceptible but allowed us to select 16 accessions with low levels of O. crenata infection. Next, we used a combination of field and rhizotron experiments to investigate the resistant response of selected bitter vetch genotypes in detail by studying the performance and resistance mechanisms. These experiments led to the identification of three different mechanisms that block O. crenata parasitism. A pre-attachment mechanism of low induction of O.crenata germination was identified in two bitter vetch accession Ve.055 and Ve.155. In addition, a post-attachment mechanism of resistance to O. crenata penetration was identified inthe accession Ve.125. In addition, the field-resistant accession Ve.123 showed susceptible response in rhizotron, indicating that a late mechanism acting after vascular connection, most probably related with bitter vetch of escape due to fructification precocity was acting against O. crenata development.
Synthesis, Optical and Electrical Characterization of Amino-alcohol Based Sol-gel Hybrid Materials
Authors: Gomes Bárbara R. , Figueira Rita B. , Costa Susana P. G. , Raposo M. Manuela M. , Silva Carlos J. R.
Published: November 2020

This manuscript describes the synthesis and characterization of five new organic–inorganic hybrid (OIH) sol-gel materials that were obtained from a functionalized siloxane 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) by the reaction with the new Jeffamine®, namely three different diamines, i.e., EDR-148, RFD-270, and THF-170, a secondary diamine, i.e., SD-2001, and a triamine, i.e., T-403. The OIH sol-gel materials were characterized by UV-visible absorption spectrophotometry, steady-state photoluminescence spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The reported OIH sol-gel materials showed that, with the exception of the samples prepared with Jeffamine® SD-2001, the transmittance values ranged between 61% and 79%. Regarding the capacitance data, the values reported changed between 0.008 and 0.013 nF cm−2. Due to their optical and electrical properties these new OIH materials show promising properties for applications as support films in an optical sensor area such as fiber sensor devices. Studies to assess the chemical stability of the OIH materials in contact with cement pastes after 7, 14, and 28 days were also performed. The samples prepared with THF–170 and GPTMS, when compared to the samples prepared with RFD-270 and T-403, exhibited improved behavior in the cement paste (alkaline environment), showing promising properties for application as support film in optical fiber sensors in the civil engineering field.
Preparation of Chitosan/Magnetic Porous Biochar as Support for Cellulase Immobilization by Using Glutaraldehyde
Authors: Mo Haodao , Qiu Jianhui
Published: November 2020

In this work, porous biochar was obtained from sugarcane bagasse by alkali activation and pyrolysis and then magnetized with γ-Fe2O3 by calcination. After functionalization with chitosan and activation with glutaraldehyde, the as-prepared chitosan/magnetic porous biochar served as a support to immobilize cellulase by covalent bonds. The immobilization amount of cellulase was 80.5 mg cellulase/g support at pH 5 and 25 °C for 12 h of immobilization. To determine the enzymatic properties, 1% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC) (dissolved in 0.1 M buffer) was considered as a substrate for hydrolysis at different pH values (3–7) and temperatures (30–70 °C) for 30 min. The results showed that the optimum pH and temperature of the free and immobilized cellulase did not change, which were pH 4 and 60 °C, respectively. The immobilized cellulase had a relatively high activity recovery of 73.0%. However, it also exhibited a higher Michaelis–Menten constant (Km) value and a slower maximum reaction velocity (Vmax) value compared to the free enzyme. In the reusability assay, the immobilized cellulase showed initial glucose productivity of 330.9 mg glucose/g CMC and remained at 86.0% after 10 uses. In conclusion, the chitosan/magnetic porous biochar has great potential applications as a support for enzyme immobilization.
Electrical Properties of Poly(Monomethyl Itaconate)/Few-Layer Functionalized Graphene Oxide/Lithium Ion Nanocomposites
Authors: Cuenca-Bracamonte Quimberly , Yazdani-Pedram Mehrdad , Hernández Santana Marianella , Aguilar-Bolados Héctor
Published: November 2020

Poly(monomethyl itaconate) is outstanding because it is a glassy and dielectric polymer obtained from sustainable feedstock. Consequently, the study of the properties of its nanocomposites has gained importance. Herein, the electrical properties of nanocomposites based on poly(monomethyl itaconate) and functionalized few-layer graphene oxide (FGO) in the presence and absence of lithium ions (Li+) are studied. Not only did the electrical conductivities of the nanocomposites present values as high as 10−5 Scm−1, but also the dielectric permittivity of nanocomposites with (FGO) content lower than the percolation threshold was twice that of the pristine polymer, without presenting a drastic increase of the loss tangent. By contrast, nanocomposites containing Li+ ions presented significant increases of the permittivity with concomitant increases of the loss tangent. Moreover, it was determined that the presence of Li+ ions influenced the charge transport in the composites because of its ionic nature.
A Composite Anion Conducting Membrane Based on Quaternized Cellulose and Poly(Phenylene Oxide) for Alkaline Fuel Cell Applications
Authors: Kang Dong Ho , Das Gautam , Yoon Hyon Hee , Kim Il Tae
Published: November 2020

In this study, composite anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were synthesized by cross-linking poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) with cellulose functionalized by 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]-octane (DABCO) or di-guanidine (DG). The structural and morphological characteristics of the synthesized AEMs were characterized by FTIR, 1H-NMR, SEM, TEM, and AFM, while their performance was evaluated in terms of ionic conductivity, water uptake, ion exchange capacity, and tensile strength with respect to the loading of the quaternized cellulose in the quaternized PPO (qPPO) matrix. The composite AEMs exhibited considerably enhanced mechanical and alkaline stability as well as good anion conductivity. The composite AEM with 7 wt% of cellulose functionalized with DG in the qPPO matrix (qPPO/DG-Cel7) exhibited a maximum hydroxide conductivity of 0.164 S cm−1. Furthermore, a urea/O2 fuel cell prepared using this composite membrane showed a maximum power density of 12.3 mW cm−2. The results indicated that the cellulose-based composite membranes showed a satisfactory performance in alkaline fuel cell applications.
Mechanical Characterization of Nanocomposite Joints Based on Biomedical Grade Polyethylene under Cyclical Loads
Authors: Visco Annamaria , Scolaro Cristina , Quattrocchi Antonino , Montanini Roberto
Published: November 2020

Polymeric joints, made of biomedical polyethylene (UHMWPE) nanocomposite sheets, were welded with a diode laser. Since polyethylene does not absorb laser light, nanocomposites were prepared containing different percentages by weight of titanium dioxide as it is a laser absorbent. The joints were first analyzed with static mechanical tests to establish the best percentage weight content of filler that had the best mechanical response. Then, the nanocomposites containing 1 wt% titanium dioxide were selected (white color) to be subjected to fatigue tests. The experimental results were also compared with those obtained on UMMWPE with a different laser light absorbent nano filler (carbon, with greater laser absorbing power, gray in color), already studied by our research team. The results showed that the two types of joints had an appreciable resistance to fatigue, depending on the various loads imposed. Therefore, they can be chosen in different applications of UHMWPE, depending on the stresses imposed during their use.
3D Printing for Hip Implant Applications: A Review
Authors: Okolie Obinna , Stachurek Iwona , Kandasubramanian Balasubramanian , Njuguna James
Published: November 2020

There is a rising demand for replacement, regeneration of tissues and organ repairs for patients who suffer from diseased/damaged bones or tissues such as hip pains. The hip replacement treatment relies on the implant, which may not always meet the requirements due to mechanical and biocompatibility issues which in turn may aggravate the pain. To surpass these limitations, researchers are investigating the use of scaffolds as another approach for implants. Three-dimensional (3D) printing offers significant potential as an efficient fabrication technique on personalized organs as it is capable of biomimicking the intricate designs found in nature. In this review, the determining factors for hip replacement and the different fabrication techniques such as direct 3D printing, Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and stereolithography (SLA) for hip replacement. The study also covers surface modifications of 3D printed implants and provides an overview on 3D tissue regeneration. To appreciate the current conventional hip replacement practices, the conventional metallic and ceramic materials are covered, highlighting their rationale as the material of choice. Next, the challenges, ethics and trends in the implants’ 3D printing are covered and conclusions drawn. The outlook and challenges are also presented here. The knowledge from this review indicates that 3D printing has enormous potential for providing a pathway for a sustainable hip replacement.
Bacterial Nanocellulose-Enhanced Alginate Double-Network Hydrogels Cross-Linked with Six Metal Cations for Antibacterial Wound Dressing
Authors: Shahriari-Khalaji Mina , Hong Siyi , Hu Gaoquan , Ji Ying , Hong Feng F.
Published: November 2020

Alginate (Alg) and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) have exhibited great potential in biomedical applications, especially wound dressing. Non-toxicity and a moisture-maintaining nature are common features making them favorable for functional dressing fabrication. BNC is a natural biopolymer that promotes major advances to the current and future biomedical materials, especially in a flat or tubular membrane form with excellent mechanical strength at hydrated state. The main drawback limiting wide applications of both BNC and Alg is the lack of antibacterial activity, furthermore, the inherent poor mechanical property of Alg leads to the requirement of a secondary dressing in clinical treatment. To fabricate composite dressings with antibacterial activity and better mechanical properties, sodium alginate was efficiently incorporated into the BNC matrix using a time-saving vacuum suction method followed by cross-linking through immersion in separate solutions of six cations (manganese, cobalt, copper, zinc, silver, and cerium). The results showed the fabricated composites had not only pH-responsive antibacterial activities but also improved mechanical properties, which are capable of acting as smart dressings. All composites showed non-toxicity toward fibroblast cells. Rat model evaluation showed the skin wounds covered by the dressings healed faster than by BNC.
Mechanical Properties of Polymer Coatings Applied to Fabric
Authors: Horiashchenko Serhiy , Musiał Janusz , Horiashchenko Kostyantin , Polasik Robert , Kałaczyński Tomasz
Published: November 2020

The polymer film, formed on fabric, has a diverse resistance to impact (shear) forces during deformation. An original model of the capillary-porous structure of the fabric, partially filled with polymer, was presented and discussed in this paper. Polymer material fixing relations were developed, taking into account the fabric structure and changes of polymer temperature. Experimental studies were performed on three different materials: artificial leather SK-2, GOST 16119-70 (230 g/m2); genuine beef skin, GOST 939-75 (2.2 g/m3); and fabric denim, GOST 29298-2005 (225 g/m2). The value of mathematical model analysis deviation compared with the experimental value was approximately 12%. The obtained mathematical dependences were the basis for predicting the increase of the dimensional stability of garments by applying hot melt polymer to its surface. It is also possible to design new equipment for its implementation.
Effect of Variety on Rehydration Characteristics of Dried Apples
Authors: Górnicki Krzysztof , Choińska Aneta , Kaleta Agnieszka
Published: November 2020

The effect of dried apple varieties on their rehydration characteristics was investigated. Four varieties of apples, Champion, Cortland, Grey Reinette and Ligol, were taken into consideration. Rehydration properties and color of apples were investigated. In order to examine the influence of apple variety on its rehydration properties, the process of rehydration was modeled. The model parameters obtained for investigated apple varieties were compared. Apple cubes were dried in a tunnel dryer (air temperature 60 °C and air velocity 2 m/s) and next rehydrated in distilled water at temperature: 20, 45 and 70 °C. Mass, dry matter mass, volume and color attributes of apples (raw, dried and rehydrated) were measured. The process of rehydration was modeled using empirical (Peleg and Weibull models) and theoretical (the Fick’s second law) models. Results of the analysis showed that the apple variety affects values of mass and volume increase, dry matter decrease and color of the rehydrated apple. Discussed parameters were also affected by rehydration temperature. Fick’s second law model can be considered as the most appropriate. Apple variety and rehydration temperature influenced the values of the model’s constants. Obtained values enabled attempts of the explanation of the rehydration course. It can be stated that apple var. Champion showed a greater rate of water absorption during the entire process of rehydration than other investigated varieties.
The Passion of Christ on Television: Intertextuality as a Mode of Storytelling
Authors: Gärtner Stefan
Published: November 2020

The Passion is a contemporary performance of the passion of Christ live on stage, combined with pop music, city marketing, social media, and entertainment. The result is an encounter between the Christian gospel and traditional elements of devotion like a procession of the cross on the one hand, and the typical mediatization and commercialization of late modern society on the other. In this article, I will first briefly describe the phenomenon, including the different effects that the event has upon the audience and the stakeholders and benefits it has for them. It is one characteristic of The Passion that it allows for a variety of possible approaches, and this is, at the same time, part of its formula for success. Another characteristic is the configured intertextuality between the sacred biblical text and secular pop songs. In the second section, I will interpret this as a central mode of storytelling in The Passion. It can evoke traditional, but also new, interpretations of the Christian gospel. The purpose of the article is to interpret The Passion as an expression of constructive public theology. It is an example of how the gospel is brought into dialogue with secular society.
Perceived Group Deprivation and Intergroup Solidarity: Muslims’ Attitudes towards Other Minorities in the United States
Authors: Abdelhadi Eman , O’Brien John
Published: November 2020

What is the relationship between the sense of perceived discrimination among members of a marginalized racial, ethnic, or religious group and their political attitudes towards other marginalized groups within their society? Research on minority groups in politics has established that the feeling that one’s own group is socially deprived and discriminated against is generally associated with an increase in within-group solidarity, observable in members’ stronger expressions of collective identity—also called “group consciousness” or “linked fate”—as well as their robust support for political parties and policies seen as directly benefitting members of their in group. Yet an underappreciated strand of this same research suggests that a strong sense of in-group deprivation may also lead to greater empathy and political support for other marginalized minorities, a phenomenon we refer to as intergroup solidarity. In this paper, we use the case of Muslim Americans to test the hypothesis that perceptions of group deprivation can lead to increased intergroup solidarity with other socially marginalized racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. We find that Muslims who feel that they have been discriminated against and/or who believe Muslims as a group are a target of discrimination are more likely to embrace the struggles of other groups and recognize the marginalization of other groups. Our findings suggest that in-group political consciousness raising may be a first step toward intergroup coalition building among those who suffer from discrimination and marginalization.
The Effect of the Optimization Selection of Position Analysis Route on the Forward Position Solutions of Parallel Mechanisms
Authors: Shen Huiping , Xu Qing , Li Ju , Yang Ting-li
Published: November 2020

The forward position solution (FPS) of any complex parallel mechanism (PM) can be solved through solving in sequence all of the independent loops contained in the PM. Therefore, when solving the positions of a PM, all independent loops, especially the first loop, must be correctly selected. The optimization selection criterion of the position analysis route (PAR) proposed for the FPS is presented in this paper, which can not only make kinematics modeling and solving efficient but also make it easy to get its symbolic position solutions. Two three-translation PMs are used as the examples to illustrate the optimization selection of their PARs and obtain their symbolic position solutions.
Correction: Fudala, K. and Bialik, R.J. Breeding Colony Dynamics of Southern Elephant Seals at Patelnia Point, King George Island, Antarctica. Remote Sensing 2020, 12, 2964
Authors: Fudala Katarzyna , Bialik Robert Józef
Published: November 2020

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...]
Gap-Free Monitoring of Annual Mangrove Forest Dynamics in Ca Mau Province, Vietnamese Mekong Delta, Using the Landsat-7-8 Archives and Post-Classification Temporal Optimization
Authors: Hauser Leon T. , An Binh Nguyen , Viet Hoa Pham , Hong Quan Nguyen , Timmermans Joris
Published: November 2020

Ecosystem services offered by mangrove forests are facing severe risks, particularly through land use change driven by human development. Remote sensing has become a primary instrument to monitor the land use dynamics surrounding mangrove ecosystems. Where studies formerly relied on bi-temporal assessments of change, the practical limitations concerning data-availability and processing power are slowly disappearing with the onset of high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud-computing services, such as in the Google Earth Engine (GEE). This paper combines the capabilities of GEE, including its entire Landsat-7 and Landsat-8 archives and state-of-the-art classification approaches, with a post-classification temporal analysis to optimize land use classification results into gap-free and consistent information. The results demonstrate its application and value to uncover the spatio-temporal dynamics of mangrove forests and land use changes in Ngoc Hien District, Ca Mau province, Vietnamese Mekong delta. The combination of repeated GEE classification output and post-classification optimization provides valid spatial classification (94–96% accuracy) and temporal interpolation (87–92% accuracy). The findings reveal that the net change of mangroves forests over the 2001–2019 period equals −0.01% annually. The annual gap-free maps enable spatial identification of hotspots of mangrove forest changes, including deforestation and degradation. Post-classification temporal optimization allows for an exploitation of temporal patterns to synthesize and enhance independent classifications towards more robust gap-free spatial maps that are temporally consistent with logical land use transitions. The study contributes to a growing body of work advocating full exploitation of temporal information in optimizing land cover classification and demonstrates its use for mangrove forest monitoring.
Precipitation Enhancement Experiments in Catchment Areas of Dams: Evaluation of Water Resource Augmentation and Economic Benefits
Authors: Kim Bu-Yo , Cha Joo Wan , Jung Woonseon , Ko A-Reum
Published: November 2020

This study calculated the augmentation of water resources that can be achieved through precipitation enhancement and the ensuing economic benefits by conducting precipitation enhancement experiments using atmospheric aircraft in the catchment areas of 21 multipurpose dams in Korea. The maximum number of precipitation enhancement experiments to be carried out was estimated based on the frequency of occurrence of seedable clouds near each dam, using geostationary satellite data. The maximum quantity of water that can be obtained was calculated considering the mean precipitation enhancement and probability of success, as determined from the results of experiments conducted in South Korea during 2018–2019. The effective area of seeding was assumed 300 km2. In addition, the amount of hydroelectric power generation possible was determined from the quantity of water thus calculated. In conclusion, it was established that an approximate increase of 12.89 million m3 (90% confidence interval: 7.83–17.95 million m3) of water, and 4.79 (2.91–6.68) million kWh of electric power generation will be possible through approximately 96 precipitation enhancement operations in a year at the catchment area of Seomjin River (SJ) dam which has a high frequency of occurrence of seedable clouds, a large drainage area, and a high net head. An economic benefit of approximately 1.01 (0.61–1.40) million USD can be anticipated, the benefit/cost ratio being 1.46 (0.89–2.04).
Vehicle Detection in Overhead Satellite Images Using a One-Stage Object Detection Model
Authors: Stuparu Delia-Georgiana , Ciobanu Radu-Ioan , Dobre Ciprian
Published: November 2020

In order to improve the traffic in large cities and to avoid congestion, advanced methods of detecting and predicting vehicle behaviour are needed. Such methods require complex information regarding the number of vehicles on the roads, their positions, directions, etc. One way to obtain this information is by analyzing overhead images collected by satellites or drones, and extracting information from them through intelligent machine learning models. Thus, in this paper we propose and present a one-stage object detection model for finding vehicles in satellite images using the RetinaNet architecture and the Cars Overhead With Context dataset. By analyzing the results obtained by the proposed model, we show that it has a very good vehicle detection accuracy and a very low detection time, which shows that it can be employed to successfully extract data from real-time satellite or drone data.
Analysis of Postural Control in Sitting by Pressure Mapping in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury and Friedreich’s Ataxia: A Case Series Study
Authors: Reguera-García María Mercedes , Leirós-Rodríguez Raquel , Álvarez-Barrio Lorena , Alonso-Cortés Fradejas Beatriz
Published: November 2020

The postural control assessments in patients with neurological diseases lack reliability and sensitivity to small changes in patient functionality. The appearance of pressure mapping has allowed quantitative evaluation of postural control in sitting. This study was carried out to determine the evaluations in pressure mapping and verifying whether they are different between the three sample groups (multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and Friedreich’s ataxia), and to determine whether the variables extracted from the pressure mapping analysis are more sensitive than functional tests to evaluate the postural trunk control. A case series study was carried out in a sample of 10 adult patients with multiple sclerosis (n = 2), spinal cord injury (n = 4) and Friedreich’s ataxia (n = 4). The tests applied were: pressure mapping, seated Lateral Reach Test, seated Functional Reach Test, Berg Balance Scale, Posture and Postural Ability Scale, Function in Sitting Test, and Trunk Control Test. The participants with Friedreich’s ataxia showed a tendency to present a higher mean pressure on the seat of subject’s wheelchair compared to other groups. In parallel, users with spinal cord injury showed a tendency to present the highest values of maximum pressure and area of contact. People with different neurological pathologies and similar results in functional tests have very different results in the pressure mapping. Although it is not possible to establish a strong statistical correlation, the relationships between the pressure mapping variables and the functional tests seem to be numerous, especially in the multiple sclerosis group.
A Novel Method for Sea-Land Clutter Separation Using Regularized Randomized and Kernel Ridge Neural Networks
Authors: Zhang Le , Thiyagalingam Jeyan , Xue Anke , Xu Shuwen
Published: November 2020

Classification of clutter, especially in the context of shore based radars, plays a crucial role in several applications. However, the task of distinguishing and classifying the sea clutter from land clutter has been historically performed using clutter models and/or coastal maps. In this paper, we propose two machine learning, particularly neural network, based approaches for sea-land clutter separation, namely the regularized randomized neural network (RRNN) and the kernel ridge regression neural network (KRR). We use a number of features, such as energy variation, discrete signal amplitude change frequency, autocorrelation performance, and other statistical characteristics of the respective clutter distributions, to improve the performance of the classification. Our evaluation based on a unique mixed dataset, which is comprised of partially synthetic clutter data for land and real clutter data from sea, offers improved classification accuracy. More specifically, the RRNN and KRR methods offer 98.50% and 98.75% accuracy, outperforming the conventional support vector machine and extreme learning based solutions.