bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly Charged Cellulose Nanocrystals Applied as A Water Treatment Flocculant
Authors: Morantes Dana , Muñoz Efrén , Kam Doron , Shoseyov Oded
Published: February 2019

Various cellulosic materials have replaced petroleum-derived polymers, offering natural and sustainable alternatives. Among them, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) feature an easily modifiable surface, enabling the exploration of a wide spectrum of applications. In this work, the quaternary agent 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (CHPTAC) was used as a cationic graft on CNCs, to form a novel water treatment flocculant. The resulting material was chemically and structurally characterized by the determination of Zeta potential; degree of substitution by elemental analysis; hydrodynamic size by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and infrared spectroscopy with Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR); and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The flocculation capacity of cationic cellulose nanocrystals (CNC-EPTMAC) was evaluated in a jar test filled with an 0.25 wt.% silica (SiO2) suspension. CNC-EPTMAC proved to be an effective water treatment flocculant, reducing turbidity by up to 99.7% at a concentration of only 2 ppm. This work demonstrates a natural and environmentally sustainable alternative to homologous commercial flocculants.
Coordination Complex Transformation-Assisted Fabrication for Hollow Chestnut-Like Hierarchical ZnS with Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Xu Leilei , Ao Yuwei , Guan Bin , Xiang Yun , Guan Jianguo
Published: February 2019

Hierarchical nanostructures (HNs) are possibly endowed with novel properties due to their complex three-dimensional (3D) structures. Here, we provide a novel stepwise growth strategy of Coordination Complex Transformation-Assisted Growth for fabricating HNs. By using this, we prepare a new wurtzite ZnS HNs-hollow chestnut-like hierarchical microspheres (HCHMs), which are mesoporous hollow microspheres with single crystalline nanorods arrayed densely and radially from the centre. The HCHMs formation depends on the stepwise decomposition of the two Zn2+ complexes ([Zn(en)m(H2O)2(3−m)]2+ and [Zn(en)m(NH3)2(3−m)]2+, natural number m < 3). As the reaction proceeds, [Zn2+] has been distinctly reduced due to the transformation from [Zn(en)m(H2O)2(3−m)]2+ to [Zn(en)m(NH3)2(3−m)]2+ with a high stability constant, leading to a low crystal growth rate to obtain single crystalline nanorods. Additionally, the generated bubbles (CO2, NH3) acting as a template can induce the generation of hollow structure. The as-prepared ZnS HCHMs show an enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity due to the single crystalline wurtzite phase and the high surface area contributed by the hollow hierarchical structures, as well as the mesoporosity. The versatility of the coordination complex transformation-assisted growth strategy will open up new possibilities for fabricating HNs, especially for those transition metal ions with excellent complex capabilities.
Chitosan-Based Carbon Quantum Dots for Biomedical Applications: Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Janus Łukasz , Piątkowski Marek , Radwan-Pragłowska Julia , Bogdał Dariusz , Matysek Dalibor
Published: February 2019

Rapid development in medicine and pharmacy has created a need for novel biomaterials with advanced properties such as photoluminescence, biocompability and long-term stability. The following research deals with the preparation of novel types of N-doped chitosan-based carbon quantum dots. Nanomaterials were obtained with simultaneous nitrogen-doping using biocompatible amino acids according to Green Chemistry principles. For the carbon quantum dots synthesis chitosan was used as a raw material known for its biocompability. The nanomaterials obtained in the form of lyophilic colloids were characterized by spectroscopic and spectrofluorimetric methods. Their quantum yields were determined. Additionally the cytotoxicity of the prepared bionanomaterials was evaluated by XTT (2,3-Bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide salt) method. Our results confirmed the formation of biocompatible quantum dots with carbon cores exhibiting luminescence in visible range. Performed studies showed that modification with lysine (11.5%) and glutamic acid (7.4%) had a high impact on quantum yield, whereas functionalization with amino acids rich in S and N atoms did not significantly increase in fluorescence properties. XTT assays as well as morphological studies on human dermal fibroblasts confirmed the lack of cytotoxicity of the prepared bionanomaterials. The study shows chitosan-based quantum dots to be promising for biomedical applications such as cell labelling, diagnostics or controlled drug delivery and release systems.
Removing Metal Ions from Water with Graphene–Bovine Serum Albumin Hybrid Membrane
Authors: Yu Xiaoqing , Sun Shuwei , Zhou Lin , Miao Zhicong , Zhang Xiaoyuan , Su Zhiqiang , Wei Gang
Published: February 2019

Here we report the fabrication of graphene oxide (GO)-based membranes covalently combined with bovine serum albumin (BSA) for metal ions detection. In this system, BSA acts as a transporter protein in the membrane and endows the membrane with selective recognition of Co2+, Cu2+, AuCl4−, and Fe2+. Combining the metal-binding ability of BSA and the large surface area of GO, the hybrid membrane can be used as a water purification strategy to selectively absorb a large amount of AuCl4− from HAuCl4 solution. Moreover, BSA could reduce the membrane-immobilized AuCl4− by adding sodium borohydride (NaBH4). Interestingly, adsorption experiments on three kinds of metal ions showed that the GO–BSA membrane had good selective adsorption of Co2+ compared with Cu2+ and Fe2+. The morphology and composition changes of the membrane were observed with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. It is expected that this facile strategy for fabricating large-scale graphene-biomolecule membranes will spark inspirations in the development of functional nanomaterials and wastewater purification.
Preparation of Lignin Nanoparticles from Wood Waste for Wood Surface Treatment
Authors: Zikeli Florian , Vinciguerra Vittorio , D’Annibale Alessandro , Capitani Donatella , Romagnoli Manuela , Scarascia Mugnozza Giuseppe
Published: February 2019

Lignin was isolated from wood wastes comprising Iroko sawdust (IR) and mixed sawdust from Iroko and Norway spruce (IRNS), furnished by a local wood houses producer. The respective acidolysis lignin fractions were structurally characterized using pyrolysis (Py)-GCMS, two-dimensional heteronuclear single quantum correlation nuclear magnetic resonance (2D HSQC NMR), Fourier-transform infrared FTIR and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopies, size exclusion chromatography, and standard wet-chemistry methods for Klason lignin and polysaccharides determination. The isolated lignin fractions were subsequently used for the preparation of lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) using a non-solvent method. LNPs were then used for wood surface treatment using a dip-coating technique. The coated wood samples were analyzed by colorimetry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after artificial weathering experiments in a UV chamber to investigate the UV protection potential of the LNPs coatings. Wood samples dip-coated with LNPs showed promising surface modifications resembling a sort of film of fused LNPs. Coatings made from IR-LNPs and IRNS-LNPs performed significantly better in artificial weathering experiments than uncoated reference samples.
Long Non-Coding RNAs in the Regulation of Gene Expression: Physiology and Disease
Authors: Fernandes Juliane C. R. , Acuña Stephanie M. , Aoki Juliana I. , Floeter-Winter Lucile M. , Muxel Sandra M.
Published: February 2019

The identification of RNAs that are not translated into proteins was an important breakthrough, defining the diversity of molecules involved in eukaryotic regulation of gene expression. These non-coding RNAs can be divided into two main classes according to their length: short non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The lncRNAs in association with other molecules can coordinate several physiological processes and their dysfunction may impact in several pathologies, including cancer and infectious diseases. They can control the flux of genetic information, such as chromosome structure modulation, transcription, splicing, messenger RNA (mRNA) stability, mRNA availability, and post-translational modifications. Long non-coding RNAs present interaction domains for DNA, mRNAs, miRNAs, and proteins, depending on both sequence and secondary structure. The advent of new generation sequencing has provided evidences of putative lncRNAs existence; however, the analysis of transcriptomes for their functional characterization remains a challenge. Here, we review some important aspects of lncRNA biology, focusing on their role as regulatory elements in gene expression modulation during physiological and disease processes, with implications in host and pathogens physiology, and their role in immune response modulation.
Next-Generation Sequencing Identifies Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Responsive Genes in the Juvenile Rat Cerebellum
Authors: Mehus Aaron A. , Dickey Aaron M. , Smith Timothy P.L. , Yeater Kathleen M. , Picklo Matthew J.
Published: February 2019

Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) influence postnatal brain growth and development. However, little data exist regarding the impacts of dietary n-3 PUFA in juvenile animals post weaning, which is a time of rapid growth. We tested the hypothesis that depleting dietary n-3 PUFA would result in modifications to the cerebellar transcriptome of juvenile rats. To test this hypothesis, three week old male rats (an age that roughly corresponds to an 11 month old child in brain development) were fed diets containing either soybean oil (SO) providing 1.1% energy from α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n-3; ALA-sufficient) or corn oil (CO) providing 0.13% energy from ALA (ALA-deficient) for four weeks. Fatty acids (FAs) in the cerebellum were analyzed and revealed a 4-fold increase in n-6 docosapentaenoic acid (DPA; 22:5n-6), increases in arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4n-6) and docosatetraenoic acid (DTA; 22:4n-6), but no decrease in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3), in animals fed CO versus SO. Transcript abundance was then characterized to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two diets. Upper quartile (UQ) scaling and transcripts per million (TPM) data normalization identified 100 and 107 DEGs, respectively. Comparison of DEGs from the two normalization methods identified 70 genes that overlapped, with 90% having abundance differences less than 2-fold. Nr4a3, a transcriptional activator that plays roles in neuroprotection and learning, was elevated over 2-fold from the CO diet. These data indicate that expression of Nr4a3 in the juvenile rat cerebellum is responsive to dietary n-3 PUFA, but additional studies are needed clarify the neurodevelopmental relationships between n-3 PUFA and Nr4a3 and the resulting impacts.
Targeting the Zinc Transporter ZIP7 in the Treatment of Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Adulcikas John , Sonda Sabrina , Norouzi Shaghayegh , Sohal Sukhwinder Singh , Myers Stephen
Published: February 2019

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease associated with dysfunctional metabolic processes that lead to abnormally high levels of blood glucose. Preceding the development of T2DM is insulin resistance (IR), a disorder associated with suppressed or delayed responses to insulin. The effects of this response are predominately mediated through aberrant cell signalling processes and compromised glucose uptake into peripheral tissue including adipose, liver and skeletal muscle. Moreover, a major factor considered to be the cause of IR is endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. This subcellular organelle plays a pivotal role in protein folding and processes that increase ER stress, leads to maladaptive responses that result in cell death. Recently, zinc and the proteins that transport this metal ion have been implicated in the ER stress response. Specifically, the ER-specific zinc transporter ZIP7, coined the “gate-keeper” of zinc release from the ER into the cytosol, was shown to be essential for maintaining ER homeostasis in intestinal epithelium and myeloid leukaemia cells. Moreover, ZIP7 controls essential cell signalling pathways similar to insulin and activates glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. Accordingly, ZIP7 may be essential for the control of ER localized zinc and mechanisms that disrupt this process may lead to ER-stress and contribute to IR. Accordingly, understanding the mechanisms of ZIP7 action in the context of IR may provide opportunities to develop novel therapeutic options to target this transporter in the treatment of IR and subsequent T2DM.
(−)-Oleocanthal Combined with Lapatinib Treatment Synergized against HER-2 Positive Breast Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Siddique Abu Bakar , Ebrahim Hassan Y. , Akl Mohamed R. , Ayoub Nehad M. , Goda Amira A. , Mohyeldin Mohamed M. , Nagumalli Suresh K. , Hananeh Wael M. , Liu Yong-Yu , Meyer Sharon A. , El Sayed Khalid A.
Published: February 2019

Dysregulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/human epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2) family is a hallmark of aggressive breast cancer. Small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors are among the most effective cancer targeted treatments. (−)-Oleocanthal (OC) is a naturally occurring phenolic secoiridoid lead from extra-virgin olive oil with documented anti-cancer activities via targeting mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (c-Met). Dysregulation of c-Met promotes aggressiveness to breast cancer-targeted therapies. Lapatinib (LP) is an FDA-approved dual EGFR/HER2 inhibitor for HER2-amplified breast cancer. HER2-Positive tumor cells can escape targeted therapies like LP effects by overexpressing c-Met. Combined OC-LP treatment is hypothesized to be mechanistically synergistic against HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. Combined sub-effective treatments of OC-LP resulted in synergistic anti-proliferative effects against the HER2-positive BT-474 and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cell lines, compared to OC or LP monotherapy. Antibody array and Western blot analysis showed that combined OC-LP treatment significantly inhibited EGFR, HER2, and c-Met receptor activation, as well as multiple downstream signaling proteins, compared to individual OC or LP treatment. OC-LP Combination significantly inhibited invasion and migration of breast cancer cells through reduced activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin. Combined treatment of OC-10 mg/kg with LP-12.5 mg/kg suppressed more than 90% of BT-474 tumor cells growth in a nude mouse xenograft model, compared to individual OC or LP treatment. Activated c-Met, EGFR, HER2, and protein kinase B (AKT) were significantly suppressed in combination-treated mice tumors, compared to OC or LP monotherapy. This study reveals the OC future potential as combination therapy to sensitize HER2-overexpressing breast cancers and significantly reduce required doses of targeted HER family therapeutics.
Poor Iodine Knowledge, Coastal Region, and Non-Iodized Salt Consumption Linked to Low Urinary Iodine Excretion in Zhejiang Pregnant Women
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Lou Xiaoming , Mo Zhe , Xing Mingluan , Mao Guangming , Zhu Wenming , Wang Yuanyang , Chen Yuan , Wang Zhifang
Published: February 2019

Background: Iodine deficiency in pregnant women, defined as a median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) of less than 150 μg/L, is an important public health issue. To improve their iodine intake, it is important to understand the knowledge and practices regarding iodine. Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was conducted on 2642 pregnant women during 2016–2017 in Zhejiang province, China. A 3-point Likert scale questionnaire was used to record knowledge. The UIC and iodine content in household salt were determined. Results: Coastal participants were iodine deficient (median UIC 127.6 μg/L) while inland participants were iodine sufficient (median UIC 151.0 μg/L). The average knowledge scores were significantly lower for the coastal participants (24.2 points vs. 25 points for the inland participants; p < 0.001). The percentage for iodized salt consumption was significantly lower for the coastal participants (88.9% vs. 96.0% for those inland; p < 0.001). A generalized linear model analysis showed that non-iodized salt consumption, coastal region, and low knowledge scores were independently associated with a low UIC. Conclusions: Comprehensive interventional strategies are needed to develop to achieve an optimal iodine status. We recommend that coastal pregnant women should take iodine supplements based on the consumption of iodized salt, and improvement of iodine-related knowledge.
Health Star Rating in Grain Foods—Does It Adequately Differentiate Refined and Whole Grain Foods?
Authors: Curtain Felicity , Grafenauer Sara
Published: February 2019

The Australian front-of-pack labelling system, Health Star Rating (HSR), does not include whole grain (WG) in its algorithm, but uses dietary fibre (DF), despite Dietary Guidelines recommending WG over refined grain (RG) foods. This study aimed to determine how effectively HSR differentiates WG and RG foods. Product label data were collected 2017–18 from bread, rice, pasta, noodles, flour and breakfast cereals (n = 1127). Products not displaying HSR, DF per 100 g, and %WG ingredients were excluded, leaving a sample of 441 products; 68% were WG (≥8 g/manufacturer serving). There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in HSR between WG bread and breakfast cereal over RG varieties, yet the mean difference in stars depicted on the pack was only 0.4 for bread and 0.7 for breakfast cereal. There was no difference for rice (p = 0.131) or flour (p = 0.376). Median HSR also poorly differentiated WG. More WG foods scored 4–5 stars compared to RG, yet there was notable overlap between 3.5–5 stars. DF content between RG and WG subcategories was significantly different, however wide variation and overlap in DF highlights that this may not be a sufficient proxy measure, raising concerns that the HSR algorithm may not adequately communicate the benefits for consumers of swapping to WG foods.
Gut Mucosal Proteins and Bacteriome Are Shaped by the Saturation Index of Dietary Lipids
Authors: Abulizi Nijiati , Quin Candice , Brown Kirsty , Chan Yee Kwan , Gill Sandeep K. , Gibson Deanna L.
Published: February 2019

The dynamics of the tripartite relationship between the host, gut bacteria and diet in the gut is relatively unknown. An imbalance between harmful and protective gut bacteria, termed dysbiosis, has been linked to many diseases and has most often been attributed to high-fat dietary intake. However, we recently clarified that the type of fat, not calories, were important in the development of murine colitis. To further understand the host-microbe dynamic in response to dietary lipids, we fed mice isocaloric high-fat diets containing either milk fat, corn oil or olive oil and performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the colon microbiome and mass spectrometry-based relative quantification of the colonic metaproteome. The corn oil diet, rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, increased the potential for pathobiont survival and invasion in an inflamed, oxidized and damaged gut while saturated fatty acids promoted compensatory inflammatory responses involved in tissue healing. We conclude that various lipids uniquely alter the host-microbe interaction in the gut. While high-fat consumption has a distinct impact on the gut microbiota, the type of fatty acids alters the relative microbial abundances and predicted functions. These results support that the type of fat are key to understanding the biological effects of high-fat diets on gut health.
Sprouted Grains: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Benincasa Paolo , Falcinelli Beatrice , Lutts Stanley , Stagnari Fabio , Galieni Angelica
Published: February 2019

In the last decade, there has been an increase in the use of sprouted grains in human diet and a parallel increase in the scientific literature dealing with their nutritional traits and phytochemical contents. This review examines the physiological and biochemical changes during the germination process, and the effects on final sprout composition in terms of macro- and micro-nutrients and bioactive compounds. The main factors affecting sprout composition are taken into consideration: genotype, environmental conditions experimented by the mother plant, germination conditions. In particular, the review deepens the recent knowledge on the possible elicitation factors useful for increasing the phytochemical contents. Microbiological risks and post-harvest technologies are also evaluated, and a brief summary is given of some important in vivo studies matching with the use of grain sprouts in the diet. All the species belonging to Poaceae (Gramineae) family as well as pseudocereals species are included.
2-Nitroimidazole-Furanoside Derivatives for Hypoxia Imaging—Investigation of Nucleoside Transporter Interaction, 18F-Labeling and Preclinical PET Imaging
Authors: Maier Florian C. , Schweifer Anna , Damaraju Vijaya L. , Cass Carol E. , Bowden Gregory D. , Ehrlichmann Walter , Kneilling Manfred , Pichler Bernd J. , Hammerschmidt Friedrich , Reischl Gerald
Published: February 2019

The benefits of PET imaging of tumor hypoxia in patient management has been demonstrated in many examples and with various tracers over the last years. Although, the optimal hypoxia imaging agent has yet to be found, 2-nitroimidazole (azomycin) sugar derivatives—mimicking nucleosides—have proven their potential with [18F]FAZA ([18F]fluoro-azomycin-α-arabinoside) as a prominent representative in clinical use. Still, for all of these tracers, cellular uptake by passive diffusion is postulated with the disadvantage of slow kinetics and low tumor-to-background ratios. We recently evaluated [18F]fluoro-azomycin-β-deoxyriboside (β-[18F]FAZDR), with a structure more similar to nucleosides than [18F]FAZA and possible interaction with nucleoside transporters. For a deeper insight, we comparatively studied the interaction of FAZA, β-FAZA, α-FAZDR and β-FAZDR with nucleoside transporters (SLC29A1/2 and SLC28A1/2/3) in vitro, showing variable interactions of the compounds. The highest interactions being for β-FAZDR (IC50 124 ± 33 µM for SLC28A3), but also for FAZA with the non-nucleosidic α-configuration, the interactions were remarkable (290 ± 44 µM {SLC28A1}; 640 ± 10 µM {SLC28A2}). An improved synthesis was developed for β-FAZA. For a PET study in tumor-bearing mice, α-[18F]FAZDR was synthesized (radiochemical yield: 15.9 ± 9.0% (n = 3), max. 10.3 GBq, molar activity > 50 GBq/µmol) and compared to β-[18F]FAZDR and [18F]FMISO, the hypoxia imaging gold standard. We observed highest tumor-to-muscle ratios (TMR) for β-[18F]FAZDR already at 1 h p.i. (2.52 ± 0.94, n = 4) in comparison to [18F]FMISO (1.37 ± 0.11, n = 5) and α-[18F]FAZDR (1.93 ± 0.39, n = 4), with possible mediation by the involvement of nucleoside transporters. After 3 h p.i., TMR were not significantly different for all 3 tracers (2.5–3.0). Highest clearance from tumor tissue was observed for β-[18F]FAZDR (56.6 ± 6.8%, 2 h p.i.), followed by α-[18F]FAZDR (34.2 ± 7.5%) and [18F]FMISO (11.8 ± 6.5%). In conclusion, both isomers of [18F]FAZDR showed their potential as PET hypoxia tracers. Differences in uptake behavior may be attributed to a potential variable involvement of transport mechanisms.
Potential Use of the Maillard Reaction for Pharmaceutical Applications: Gastric and Intestinal Controlled Release Alginate-Albumin Beads
Authors: Khoder Mouhamad , Gbormoi Henry K. , Ryan Ali , Karam Ayman , Alany Raid G.
Published: February 2019

In this study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and alginate (ALG) conjugates were synthesized by the Maillard reaction in order to evaluate their potential to develop controlled release drug delivery systems. The progress of the Maillard reaction was evidenced using ultraviolet (UV) absorbance, determination of BSA remaining free amino groups, and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). BSA-ALG conjugates possessed enhanced and tunable viscosity, foamability and foam stability. Foam generated from BSA-ALG conjugate solution was used to prepare floating gastroretentive calcium ALG beads. Unlike traditional ALG beads, BSA-ALG foam beads were able to float and sustain the ciprofloxacin (CIP) release in gastric medium. Interestingly, intestinal beads made of ALG, BSA-ALG physical mixture and BSA-ALG conjugate resulted in different release rates and orders of indomethacin (IND) in simulated intestinal fluids; while beads based on a physical mixture of BSA-ALG resulted in a first order sustained release profile, both systems based on ALG and BSA-ALG conjugate displayed zero order sustained release profiles with IND being released at a slower rate from the conjugate beads.
Exceptional Experiences of Stable and Unstable Mental States, Understood from a Dual-Aspect Point of View
Authors: Atmanspacher Harald , Fach Wolfgang
Published: February 2019

Within a state-space approach endowed with a generalized potential function, mental states can be systematically characterized by their stability against perturbations. This approach yields three major classes of states: (1) asymptotically stable categorial states, (2) marginally stable non-categorial states and (3) unstable acategorial states. The particularly interesting case of states giving rise to exceptional experiences will be elucidated in detail. Their proper classification will be related to Metzinger’s account of self-model and world-model, and empirical support for this classification will be surveyed. Eventually, it will be outlined how Metzinger’s discussion of intentionality achieves pronounced significance within a dual-aspect framework of thinking.
Preparation of Glass Fabric/Poly(l-lactide) Composites by Thermoplastic Resin Transfer Molding
Authors: Louisy Elodie , Samyn Fabienne , Bourbigot Serge , Fontaine Gaëlle , Bonnet Fanny
Published: February 2019

This study reports the first example of the production of polylactide composites prepared by Thermoplastic Resin Transfer Molding (T-RTM) via in situ bulk polymerization of l-lactide (l-LA) after injection in a closed mold containing glass fabrics. Tin octoate Sn(Oct)2 was used as the catalyst and first evaluated at the lab-scale in the experimental conditions required in the tank and in the mold of the RTM device. The reactions were then upscaled in the RTM in the absence of reinforcement to ensure the feasibility of the process (transfer and polymerization). Finally, poly-l-lactide (PLLA)-based composites with glass fabrics as the reinforcement were obtained. The resulting PLLA matrices exhibited conversions up to 99% along with high molar masses of up to 78,000 g·mol−1 when the polymerization was carried out under dynamic vacuum (vacuum-assisted RTM, VARTM). Moreover, a good impregnation of the glass fabrics by the matrix was observed by optical microscopy.
Aligned Scaffolds with Biomolecular Gradients for Regenerative Medicine
Authors: Li Xiaoran , Chen Zhenni , Zhang Haimin , Zhuang Yan , Shen He , Chen Yanyan , Zhao Yannan , Chen Bing , Xiao Zhifeng , Dai Jianwu
Published: February 2019

Aligned topography and biomolecular gradients exist in various native tissues and play pivotal roles in a set of biological processes. Scaffolds that recapitulate the complex structure and microenvironment show great potential in promoting tissue regeneration and repair. We begin with a discussion on the fabrication of aligned scaffolds, followed by how biomolecular gradients can be immobilized on aligned scaffolds. In particular, we emphasize how electrospinning, freeze drying, and 3D printing technology can accomplish aligned topography and biomolecular gradients flexibly and robustly. We then highlight several applications of aligned scaffolds and biomolecular gradients in regenerative medicine including nerve, tendon/ligament, and tendon/ligament-to-bone insertion regeneration. Finally, we finish with conclusions and future perspectives on the use of aligned scaffolds with biomolecular gradients in regenerative medicine.
Water Softening Using a Light-Responsive, Spiropyran-Modified Nanofiltration Membrane
Authors: Das Rasel , Kuehnert Mathias , Sadat Kazemi Asieh , Abdi Yaser , Schulze Agnes
Published: February 2019

A novel technique for the covalent attachment of a light-responsive spiropyran onto polyamide thin film composite nanofiltration (NF) membranes in a one-step reaction using low-energy electron beam technology is described. The effect of illumination of the immobilized spiropyran was studied, as well as the resulting membrane properties with respect to MgSO4 retention, water permeability rate, and chlorine resistance. Electron beam irradiation showed a direct effect on the transformation of the rough PA NF membrane surface into a ridge-and-valley structure. Upon UV light irradiation, the spiropyran transformed into zwitterionic merocyanine, which had shown MgSO4 removal of >95% with water permeation rates of 6.5 L/(m2·h·bar). Alternatively, visible light was used to convert merocyanine to spiropyran, which achieved >95% of MgSO4 retention with a water flux of around 5.25 L/(m2·h·bar). The modified NF membranes showed higher chlorine resistance as well as a higher normalized water flux as compared to the reference membrane, without a loss of ion retention. All the NF membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This study demonstrates a simple and inexpensive method for the immobilization of molecules onto polymeric membranes, which may be applied in water softening.
Charge-Discharge Characteristics of Textile Energy Storage Devices Having Different PEDOT:PSS Ratios and Conductive Yarns Configuration
Authors: Nuramdhani Ida , Jose Manoj , Samyn Pieter , Adriaensens Peter , Malengier Benny , Deferme Wim , De Mey Gilbert , Van Langenhove Lieva
Published: February 2019

Conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS, sandwiched between two conductive yarns, has been proven to have capacitive behavior in our textile energy storage devices. Full understanding of its underlying mechanism is still intriguing. The effect of the PEDOT to PSS ratio and the configuration of the electrode yarns are the focus of this study. Three commercial PEDOT:PSS yarns, Clevios P-VP-AI-4083, Ossila AI 4083, and Orgacon ICP 1050, as well as stainless steel and silver-coated polybenzoxazole (Ag/PBO) yarns, in various combinations, were used as solid electrolytes and electrodes, respectively. Analyses with NMR, ICP-OES, TGA, and resistivity measurement were employed to characterize the PEDOT:PSS. The device charge-discharge performance was measured by the Arduino microcontroller. Clevios and Ossila were found to have identical characteristics with a similar ratio, that is, 1:5.26, hence a higher resistivity of 1000 Ω.cm, while Orgacon had a lower PEDOT to PSS ratio, that is, 1:4.65, with a lower resistivity of 0.25–1 Ω.cm. The thermal stability of PEDOT:PSS up to 250 °C was proven. Devices with PEDOT:PSS having lower conductivity, such as Clevios P-VP-AI-4083 or Ossila AI 4083, showed capacitive behavior. For a better charge-discharge profile, it is also suggested that the PEDOT to electrode resistance should be low. These results led to a conclusion that a larger ratio of PEDOT to PSS, having higher resistivity, is more desirable, but further research is needed.
Synthesis of Polyazobenzenes Exhibiting Photoisomerization and Liquid Crystallinity
Authors: Otaki Masashi , Kumai Reiji , Sagayama Hajime , Goto Hiromasa
Published: February 2019

While only a few studies have investigated the synthesis of main chain-type polyazobenzenes, they continue to draw an increasing amount of attention owing to their industrial applications in holography, dyes, and functional adhesives. In this study, dibromoazobenzene was prepared as a monomer for constructing azo-based π-conjugated polymers. Miyaura–Suzuki cross-coupling polymerization was conducted to develop copolymers containing an azobenzene unit as a photoisomerization block and a pyrimidine-based liquid crystal generator block. The prepared polymers exhibited thermotropic liquid crystallinity and underwent cis and trans photoisomerization upon irradiation with ultraviolet and visible light. Furthermore, the photoisomerization behavior was examined using optical absorption spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction spectrometry.
Mechanical Strength Enhancement of Polylactic Acid Hybrid Composites
Authors: Park Ji-Won , Shin Jae-Ho , Shim Gyu-Seong , Sim Kyeng-Bo , Jang Seong-Wook , Kim Hyun-Joong
Published: February 2019

In recent years, there has been an increasing need for materials that are environmentally friendly and have functional properties. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biomass-based polymer, which has attracted research attention as an eco-friendly material. Various studies have been conducted on functionality imparting and performance improvement to extend the field of application of PLA. Particularly, research on natural fiber-reinforced composites have been conducted to simultaneously improve their environmental friendliness and mechanical strength. Research interest in hybrid composites using two or more fillers to realize multiple functions are also increasing. Phase change materials (PCMs) absorb and emit energy through phase transition and can be used as a micro encapsulated structure. In this study, we fabricated hybrid composites using microcapsulated PCM (MPCM) and the natural fibrous filler, kenaf. We aimed to fabricate a composite material with improved endothermic characteristics, mechanical performance, and environmental friendliness. We analyzed the endothermic properties of MPCM and the structural characteristics of two fillers and finally produced an eco-friendly composite material. The PCM and kenaf contents were varied to observe changes in the performance of the hybrid composites. The endothermic properties were determined through differential scanning calorimetry, whereas changes in the physical properties of the hybrid composite were determined by measuring the mechanical properties.
How to Deal with Dangerous and Annoying Animals: A Vinaya Perspective
Authors: Heirman Ann
Published: February 2019

Against the background of guidelines on non-killing and developing ideas on the release of captured or domesticated animals, this study focuses on how vinaya (disciplinary) texts deal with dangerous and/or annoying animals, such as snakes, mosquitoes, and flies. Are there any circumstances in which they may be killed, captured, or repelled? Or should they be endured and ignored, or even protected and cherished, at all times? This paper discusses the many guidelines relating to avoiding—and, if necessary, chasing away—dangerous and annoying animals. All of these proposals call for meticulous care to reduce the risk of harming the creature. In this sense, animals, such as snakes and mosquitoes, seem to be assured a better life in comparison with domesticated or hunted animals. This distinction reflects the somewhat uncomfortable balance that Buddhist monastics must achieve between respecting the life of individual sentient beings, including all animals, and adhering to social conventions in order to safeguard their position in society.
Family Religiosity, Parental Monitoring, and Emerging Adults’ Sexual Behavior
Authors: Quinn Deirdre A. , Lewin Amy
Published: February 2019

The processes through which families play a role in the religious and sexual socialization of children are varied and complex. Few studies have considered the impact of parental or family religiosity on young people’s sexual behaviors, either directly or through influence on adolescents’ own religiosity. This study of college students at a large, public university in the mid-Atlantic uses multidimensional measures to examine the relationships among family religiosity, parental monitoring during adolescence, students’ religiosity, and students’ specific sexual behaviors. Results suggest that greater family religiosity is associated with a decreased likelihood of engaging in certain sex acts, but for students who do engage, family religiosity is not associated with any differences in the timing of sexual onset or in the numbers of partners with whom students engaged. Results also suggest that parental monitoring may mediate the relationship between family religiosity and some sexual risk behavior. Greater individual religiosity is associated with a lower likelihood of having engaged in any sexual activity, and a higher likelihood of condom use for students who have had vaginal sex. This study offers valuable insights into the role that religiosity, at both the family and the individual level, plays in college students’ sexual behavior.
Muslims’ Representation in Donald Trump’s Anti-Muslim-Islam Statement: A Critical Discourse Analysis
Authors: Khan Mohsin Hassan , Adnan Hamedi Mohd , Kaur Surinderpal , Khuhro Rashid Ali , Asghar Rohail , Jabeen Sahira
Published: February 2019

The Muslim community in America has been facing turmoil, particularly after the events of 9/11. Muslims are facing a number of anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim discriminatory practices, biases, and sentiments from many Americans. These religious prejudices are apparent at the public and political leadership levels, as well as other facets of the country. The current study has concentrated on Trump’s emerging ideology that positions him within anti-Islamic and anti- Muslim discourses since he announced his candidature for the presidency. The study aims to examine and pin point the self-other representations that are evident in the Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiments in Trump’s statements during the American Presidential Elections of 2016. In order to examine Trump’s prejudicial discourse, the research engaged with Critical Discourse Studies as its framework, with a specific focus upon Van Dijk’s Ideological Square Model as well as NVIVO 12 Pro for linguistic inquiry. The results showed that the self-other binary is strongly evidenced in Trump’s statements and that he employed various discursive techniques to represent Islam and Muslims in a negative manner, while representing himself as very patriotic to the country. To legitimatize his arguments, he deployed several rhetoric strategies, including victimization, presupposition, authority, number game, evidentiality, polarization, and populism. Keeping the religious and economic context in view, the research reveals that Donald Trump has represented Islam and Muslims as a negative phenomenon and presented himself as an Islamophobe by negatively targeting Islamic components, like Shariah and Jihad. In his prejudicial representation of Islam, most of the Islamic beliefs are represented as anti-women and anti-American, threatening the security of America and its very way of life.
Spatiotemporal Variability of Remote Sensing Ocean Net Primary Production and Major Forcing Factors in the Tropical Eastern Indian and Western Pacific Ocean
Authors: Kong Fanping , Dong Qing , Xiang Kunsheng , Yin Zi , Li Yanyan , Liu Jingyi
Published: February 2019

Based on widely used remote sensing ocean net primary production (NPP) datasets, the spatiotemporal variability of NPP is first analyzed over the tropical eastern Indian and western Pacific Ocean for the period 1998–2016 using the conventional empirical orthogonal function (EOF), the lead–lag correlation and the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) technique. Barnett and Preisendorfer’s improved Canonical Correlation Analysis (BPCCA) is also applied to derive covariability patterns of NPP with major forcing factors of the chlorophyll a concentration (Chla), sea surface temperature (SST), sea level anomaly (SLA), ocean rainfall (Rain), sea surface wind (Wind), and current (CUR) under climate changes of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). We find that: (1) The first two seasonal EOF modes capture significant temporal and meridional NPP variability differences, as NPP reaches peaks approximately three months later in the western Pacific Ocean than that of in the eastern Indian Ocean. (2) The second and third interannual EOF modes are closely related with ENSO with a two-month lag and synchronous with IOD, respectively, characterized by southwesterly positive anomaly centers during positive IOD years. (3) NPP presents different varying tendencies and similar multiscale oscillation patterns with interannual and interdecadal cycles of 2~3 years, 5~8 years, and 9~19 years in subregions of the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, the southeastern Indian Ocean, and the northwestern Pacific Ocean. (4) The NPP variability is strongly coupled with negative SST, SLA, and Rain anomalies, as well as positive Chla, Wind and CUR anomalies in general during El Niño/positive IOD years. The results reveal the diversity and complexity of large-scale biophysical interactions in the key Indo-Pacific Warm Pool region, which improves our understanding of ocean productivity, ecosystems, and carbon budgets.
An Adaptive Denoising and Detection Approach for Underwater Sonar Image
Authors: Wang Xingmei , Li Qiming , Yin Jingwei , Han Xiao , Hao Wenqian
Published: February 2019

An adaptive approach is proposed to denoise and detect the underwater sonar image in this paper. Firstly, to improve the denoising performance of non-local spatial information in the underwater sonar image, an adaptive non-local spatial information denoising method based on the golden ratio is proposed. Then, a new adaptive cultural algorithm (NACA) is proposed to accurately and quickly complete the underwater sonar image detection in this paper. Concretely, NACA has two improvements. In the first place, to obtain better initial clustering centres, an adaptive initialization algorithm based on data field (AIA-DF) is proposed in this paper. Secondly, in the belief space of NACA, a new update strategy is adopted to update cultural individuals in terms of the quantum-inspired shuffled frog leaping algorithm (QSFLA). The experimental results show that the proposed denoising method in this paper can effectively remove relatively large and small filtering degree parameters and improve the denoising performance to some extent. Compared with other comparison algorithms, the proposed NACA can converge to the global optimal solution within small epochs and accurately complete the object detection, having better effectiveness and adaptability.
A Novel Analysis Dictionary Learning Model Based Hyperspectral Image Classification Method
Authors: Wei Wei , Ma Mengting , Wang Cong , Zhang Lei , Zhang Peng , Zhang Yanning
Published: February 2019

Supervised hyperspectral image (HSI) classification has been acknowledged as one of the fundamental tasks of hyperspectral data analysis. Witnessing the success of analysis dictionary learning (ADL)-based method in recent years, we propose an ADL-based supervised HSI classification method in this paper. In the proposed method, the dictionary is modeled considering both the characteristics within the spectrum and among the spectra. Specifically, to reduce the influence of strong nonlinearity within each spectrum on classification, we divide the spectrum into some segments, and based on this we propose HSI classification strategy. To preserve the relationships among spectra, similarities among pixels are introduced as constraints. Experimental results on several benchmark hyperspectral datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for HSI classification.
Sensitivity of Landsat-8 OLI and TIRS Data to Foliar Properties of Early Stage Bark Beetle (Ips typographus, L.) Infestation
Authors: Abdullah Haidi , Darvishzadeh Roshanak , Skidmore Andrew K. , Heurich Marco
Published: February 2019

In this study, the early stage of European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus, L.) infestation (so-called green attack) is investigated using Landsat-8 optical and thermal data. We conducted an extensive field survey in June and the beginning of July 2016, to collect field data measurements from several infested and healthy trees in the Bavarian Forest National Park (BFNP), Germany. In total, 157 trees were selected, and leaf traits (i.e. stomatal conductance, chlorophyll fluorescence, and water content) were measured. Three Landsat-8 images from May, July, and August 2016 were studied, representing an early stage, advanced stage, and post-infestation, respectively. Spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) sensitive to the measured traits were calculated from the optical domain (VIS, NIR, and SWIR), and canopy surface temperature (CST) was calculated from the thermal infrared band using the mono-window algorithm. The leaf traits were used to examine the impact of bark beetle infestation on the infested trees and to explore the link between these traits and remote sensing data (CST and SVIs). The differences between healthy and infested samples regarding measured leaf traits were assessed using Student’s t test. The relative importance of the CST and SVIs for estimating measured leaf traits was evaluated based on the variable importance in projection (VIP) obtained from the partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis. A temporal comparison was then made for SVIs with a VIP > 1, including CST, using statistical significance tests. The clustering method using a principal components analysis (PCA) was used to examine visually how well the two groups of sample plots (healthy and infested) are separated in 2-D space based on principal component scores. Finally, linear regression (LR) was used to generate the leaf traits maps using the SVI that have highest VIP score and then used to produce a stress map for the study area. The results revealed that all measured leaf traits were significantly different (p < 0.05) between healthy versus infested samples. Moreover, the study showed that CST was superior to the SVIs in detecting subtle canopy changes due to bark beetle infestation for the three months considered in this study. The results showed that CST is an essential variable for estimating measured leaf traits with VIP > 1, improving the results of clustering when used with other SVIs. Likewise, the stress map produced by CST and leaf traits well presented the infestation areas at the green attacked stage. The new insight offered by this study is that the stress induced by the early stage of bark beetle infestation is more pronounced by Landsat-8 thermal bands than the SVIs calculated from its optical bands. The potential of CST in detecting the green attack stage would have positive implications for forest practice.