bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Failure Mechanisms of GFRP Scarf Joints under Tensile Load
Authors: Ghafafian Carineh , Popiela Bartosz , Trappe Volker
Published: April 2021

A potential repair alternative to restoring the mechanical properties of lightweight fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) structures is to locally patch these areas with scarf joints. The effects of such repair methods on the structural integrity, however, are still largely unknown. In this paper, the mechanical property restoration, failure mechanism, and influence of fiber orientation mismatch between parent and repair materials of 1:50 scarf joints are studied on monolithic glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) specimens under tensile load. Two different parent orientations of [−45/+45]2S and [0/90]2S are exemplarily examined, and control specimens are taken as a baseline for the tensile strength and stiffness property recovery assessment. Using a layer-wise stress analysis with finite element simulations conducted with ANSYS Composite PrepPost to support the experimental investigation, the fiber orientation with respect to load direction is shown to affect the critical regions and thereby failure mechanism of the scarf joint specimens.
Isomalabaricane Triterpenes from the Marine Sponge Rhabdastrella sp.
Authors: Lai Kuei-Hung , Huang Zheng-Hao , El-Shazly Mohamed , Peng Bo-Rong , Wei Wen-Chi , Su Jui-Hsin
Published: April 2021

The marine sponge of the genus Geodia, Jaspis, Rhabdastrella, and Stelletta are characterized chemically by a variety of isomalabaricane triterpenes. This class of compounds drew spotlights in marine lead discovery due to their profound anti-proliferative properties. Further research on exploring its chemical diversity led to the identifications of two new isomalabaricane-type triterpenes rhabdastin H (1) and rhabdastin I (2). Their structures were unraveled using a series of spectroscopic approaches. These isolates were found to exhibit unique structural features with the only reported tetrahydrofuran functionality among all marine-derived isomalabaricanes. Both compounds 1 and 2 showed activities against K562 (IC50 11.7 and 9.8 μM) and Molt4 (IC50 16.5 and 11.0 μM) leukemic cells in MTT cell proliferative assay.
Properties of Passive Films Formed on Ferrite-Martensite and Ferrite-Pearlite Steel Microstructures
Authors: Yilmaz Aytac , Ozkan Can , Sietsma Jilt , Gonzalez-Garcia Yaiza
Published: April 2021

The effect of ferrite-pearlite and ferrite-martensite phase combinations on the passive layer properties of low carbon steel is investigated in a 0.1 M NaOH solution. Heat treatments were designed to obtain ferrite-pearlite and ferrite-martensite microstructures with similar ferrite volume fractions. Potentiostatic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results demonstrated the lower barrier properties of passive films on ferrite-martensite microstructure compared to the ones formed on ferrite-pearlite microstructure. This was attributed to the higher donor density of the passive layer on ferrite-martensite samples, measured with Mott–Schottky analysis. This behaviour was explained by the complex microstructure morphology of the martensite phase that led to the formation of a more defective passive film.
Effects of Pressure on Microstructure and Residual Stresses during Hot Isostatic Pressing Post Treatment of AISI M50 Produced by Laser Powder-Bed Fusion
Authors: Qin Siyuan , Herzog Simone , Kaletsch Anke , Broeckmann Christoph
Published: April 2021

Laser powder-bed fusion (LPBF) enables the production of difficult-to-machine materials with near-net shape and complex geometries. Components made of tool steels produced by LPBF, even using high preheating temperature, tend to show residual porosity, cracks, and high residual stresses. Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is able to densify components and modify their microstructure. Moreover, compared to conventional heat treatment at ambient pressure, rapid cooling within the HIP vessel can alleviate thermal stresses, warping or cracking during quenching. In this study, the effects of isostatic pressure on microstructure evolution and residual stresses are investigated. Samples were produced by LPBF. Partly, they were conventionally heat treated by austenitizing, quenching, and tempering, partly using a HIP-device with an integrated quenching facility. The microstructure was characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy employing energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The results showed that besides the densification of the material to the porosity of 0.001%, HIP influenced the microstructure evolution by retarding recrystallization during austenitization due to the pressure and led to slight compressive residual stresses around 11 MPa on the surface of components.
Transwell Insert-Embedded Microfluidic Devices for Time-Lapse Monitoring of Alveolar Epithelium Barrier Function under Various Stimulations
Authors: Chang Shu-Han , Ko Ping-Liang , Liao Wei-Hao , Peng Chien-Chung , Tung Yi-Chung
Published: April 2021

This paper reports a transwell insert-embedded microfluidic device capable of culturing cells at an air-liquid interface (ALI), mimicking the in vivo alveolar epithelium microenvironment. Integration of a commercially available transwell insert makes the device fabrication straightforward and eliminates the tedious device assembly processes. The transwell insert can later be detached from the device for high-resolution imaging of the cells. In the experiments, the cells showing type-I pneumocyte markers are exploited to construct an in vitro alveolar epithelium model, and four culture conditions including conventional liquid/liquid culture (LLC) and air–liquid interface (ALI) cell culture in normal growth medium, and ALI cell culture with inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) stimulation and ethanol vapor exposure are applied to investigate their effects on the alveolar epithelium barrier function. The barrier permeability is time-lapse monitored using trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurement and immunofluorescence staining of the tight junction protein (ZO-1). The results demonstrate the functionalities of the device, and further show the applications and advantages of the constructed in vitro cell models for the lung studies.
Investigations of Graphene and Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Enhanced Polycaprolactone 3D Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Wang Weiguang , Chen Jun-Xiang , Hou Yanhao , Bartolo Paulo , Chiang Wei-Hung
Published: April 2021

Scaffolds play a key role in tissue engineering applications. In the case of bone tissue engineering, scaffolds are expected to provide both sufficient mechanical properties to withstand the physiological loads, and appropriate bioactivity to stimulate cell growth. In order to further enhance cell–cell signaling and cell–material interaction, electro-active scaffolds have been developed based on the use of electrically conductive biomaterials or blending electrically conductive fillers to non-conductive biomaterials. Graphene has been widely used as functioning filler for the fabrication of electro-active bone tissue engineering scaffolds, due to its high electrical conductivity and potential to enhance both mechanical and biological properties. Nitrogen-doped graphene, a unique form of graphene-derived nanomaterials, presents significantly higher electrical conductivity than pristine graphene, and better surface hydrophilicity while maintaining a similar mechanical property. This paper investigates the synthesis and use of high-performance nitrogen-doped graphene as a functional filler of poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds enabling to develop the next generation of electro-active scaffolds. Compared to PCL scaffolds and PCL/graphene scaffolds, these novel scaffolds present improved in vitro biological performance.
Primary and Memory Response of Human Monocytes to Vaccines: Role of Nanoparticulate Antigens in Inducing Innate Memory
Authors: Barbosa Mayra M. Ferrari , Kanno Alex Issamu , Farias Leonardo Paiva , Madej Mariusz , Sipos Gergö , Sbrana Silverio , Romani Luigina , Boraschi Diana , Leite Luciana C. C. , Italiani Paola
Published: April 2021

Innate immune cells such as monocytes and macrophages are activated in response to microbial and other challenges and mount an inflammatory defensive response. Exposed cells develop the so-called innate memory, which allows them to react differently to a subsequent challenge, aiming at better protection. In this study, using human primary monocytes in vitro, we have assessed the memory-inducing capacity of two antigenic molecules of Schistosoma mansoni in soluble form compared to the same molecules coupled to outer membrane vesicles of Neisseria lactamica. The results show that particulate challenges are much more efficient than soluble molecules in inducing innate memory, which is measured as the production of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, IL-10). Controls run with LPS from Klebsiella pneumoniae compared to the whole bacteria show that while LPS alone has strong memory-inducing capacity, the entire bacteria are more efficient. These data suggest that microbial antigens that are unable to induce innate immune activation can nevertheless participate in innate activation and memory when in a particulate form, which is a notion that supports the use of nanoparticulate antigens in vaccination strategies for achieving adjuvant-like effects of innate activation as well as priming for improved reactivity to future challenges.
Recent Advances in Nanomaterial-Based Aptasensors in Medical Diagnosis and Therapy
Authors: Ayodele Olubunmi O. , Adesina Adeyinka O. , Pourianejad Sajedeh , Averitt Jared , Ignatova Tetyana
Published: April 2021

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of various biomarkers associated with medical conditions including early detection of viruses and bacteria with highly sensitive biosensors is currently a research priority. Aptamer is a chemically derived recognition molecule capable of detecting and binding small molecules with high specificity and its fast preparation time, cost effectiveness, ease of modification, stability at high temperature and pH are some of the advantages it has over traditional detection methods such as High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Higher sensitivity and selectivity can further be achieved via coupling of aptamers with nanomaterials and these conjugates called “aptasensors” are receiving greater attention in early diagnosis and therapy. This review will highlight the selection protocol of aptamers based on Traditional Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX) and the various types of modified SELEX. We further identify both the advantages and drawbacks associated with the modified version of SELEX. Furthermore, we describe the current advances in aptasensor development and the quality of signal types, which are dependent on surface area and other specific properties of the selected nanomaterials, are also reviewed.
Obesity Prevents S-Adenosylmethionine-Mediated Improvements in Age-Related Peripheral and Hippocampal Outcomes
Authors: Vander Velden Jacob W. , Osborne Danielle M.
Published: April 2021

Background: Age predisposes individuals to a myriad of disorders involving inflammation; this includes stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases. Obesity can further exacerbate these effects in the brain. We investigated whether an inexpensive dietary supplement, s-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), could improve age- and/or obesity-related inflammatory and affective measures in the hippocampus. Methods: Mice were placed on their diets at six weeks of age and then aged to 14 months, receiving SAMe (0.1 g/kg of food) for the final six weeks of the experiment. Prior to tissue collection, mice were tested for anxiety-like behaviors in the open field test and for metabolic outcomes related to type 2 diabetes. Results: SAMe treatment significantly improved outcomes in aged control mice, where fasting glucose decreased, liver glutathione levels increased, and hippocampal microglia morphology improved. SAMe increased transforming growth factor β-1 mRNA in both control mice, potentially accounting for improved microglial outcomes. Obese mice demonstrated increased anxiety-like behavior, where SAMe improved some, but not all, open field measures. Conclusions: In summary, SAMe boosted antioxidant levels, improved diabetic measures, and hippocampal inflammatory and behavioral outcomes in aged mice. The effects of SAMe in obese mice were more subdued, but it could still provide some positive outcomes for obese individuals dealing with anxiety and having difficulty changing their behaviors to improve health outcomes.
Breastfeeding Education and Support to Improve Early Initiation and Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices and Infant Growth: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial from a Rural Ethiopian Setting
Authors: Abdulahi Misra , Fretheim Atle , Argaw Alemayehu , Magnus Jeanette H.
Published: April 2021

Although peer-led education and support may improve breastfeeding practices, there is a paucity of evidence on the effectiveness of such interventions in the Ethiopian context. We designed a cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of a breastfeeding education and support intervention (BFESI) on infant growth, early initiation (EI), and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practices. We randomly assigned 36 clusters into either an intervention group (n = 249) receiving BFESI by trained Women’s Development Army (WDA) leaders or a control group (n = 219) receiving routine care. The intervention was provided from the third trimester of pregnancy until five months postpartum. Primary study outcomes were EI, EBF, and infant growth; secondary outcomes included maternal breastfeeding knowledge and attitude, and child morbidity. The intervention effect was analysed using linear regression models for the continuous outcomes, and linear probability or logistic regression models for the categorical outcomes. Compared to the control, BFESI significantly increased EI by 25.9% (95% CI: 14.5, 37.3%; p = 0.001) and EBF by 14.6% (95% CI: 3.77, 25.5%; p = 0.010). Similarly, the intervention gave higher breastfeeding attitude scores (Effect size (ES): 0.85SD; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.99SD; p < 0.001), but not higher knowledge scores (ES: 0.15SD; 95% CI: −0.10, 0.41SD; p = 0.173). From the several growth and morbidity outcomes evaluated, the only outcomes with significant intervention effect were a higher mid-upper arm circumference (ES: 0.25cm; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.49cm; p = 0.041) and a lower prevalence of respiratory infection (ES: −6.90%; 95% CI: −13.3, −0.61%; p = 0.033). Training WDA leaders to provide BFESI substantially improves EI and EBF practices and attitude towards breastfeeding.
Edible Insects versus Meat—Nutritional Comparison: Knowledge of Their Composition Is the Key to Good Health
Authors: Orkusz Agnieszka
Published: April 2021

Recently, attention has been drawn to the fact that increasing the consumption of edible insects may positively impact the state of the natural environment and reduce the problem of malnutrition in large parts of society. Indeed, insects are seen as an alternative to traditional meat products, primarily meat. This article aimed to compare the nutritional value of edible insects and meat. Based on tables of composition and nutritional value and on the licensed computer program Diet 6D, data on the nutritional value of 10 commonly consumed meat types were compiled. Based on a literature review, data on the nutritional value of seven commercially available edible insect species were collected and collated. There was a comparison of 100 g of edible insects with 100 g of meat (fresh weight). In addition, the atherogenic index thrombogenic index, the hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, and the nutritional quality index were calculated. It was found that both meat and insects are rich in nutrients, including those considered essential for the proper development and functioning of the human body. At the same time, it has been shown that the content of individual nutrients in both insects and meat varies significantly.
Role of the β-Catenin/REG Iα Axis in the Proliferation of Sessile Serrated Adenoma/Polyps Associated with Fusobacterium nucleatum
Authors: Nishimura Heihachiro , Fukui Hirokazu , Wang Xuan , Ebisutani Nobuhiko , Nakanishi Takashi , Tomita Toshihiko , Oshima Tadayuki , Hirota Seiichi , Miwa Hiroto
Published: April 2021

Although sessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSA/Ps) may arise through a pathway different from the traditional adenoma–carcinoma sequence, details of SSA/P tumorigenesis still remain unclear. Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) is frequently detected in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and may play a pivotal role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Here, we investigated the relationship between Fn and the β-catenin/REG Iα axis in SSA/Ps and their involvement in the proliferation of these lesions. Fn was detected in SSA/Ps by fluorescence in situ hybridization using a Fn-targeted probe, and expression of β-catenin, REG Iα and Ki67 was examined using immunohistochemistry. Sixteen of 30 SSA/P lesions (53.3%) were positive for Fn. Eighteen SSA/P lesions (60%) showed β-catenin immunoreactivity in the tumor cell nuclei. A significant majority of Fn-positive lesions showed nuclear expression of β-catenin (87.5%) and higher REG Iα scores and Ki67 labeling indices relative to Fn-negative lesions. The SSA/P lesions expressing β-catenin in nuclei had significantly higher REG Iα scores and Ki67 labeling indices than those expressing β-catenin on cytomembranes. The REG Iα score was positively correlated with the Ki67 labeling index in SSA/P lesions. The treatment with Wnt agonist SKL2001 promoted nuclear β-catenin translocation and enhanced REG Ia expression in Caco2 cells. Fn may play a role in the proliferation of SSA/P lesions through promotion of β-catenin nuclear translocation and REG Iα expression.
How Much Protoporphyrin IX Must Be Activated to Obtain Full Efficacy of Methyl Aminolevulinate Photodynamic Therapy? Implication for Treatment Modifications
Authors: Wulf Hans Christian , Heerfordt Ida M. , Philipsen Peter Alshede
Published: April 2021

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with methyl aminolevulinate (MAL) is a popular treatment for actinic keratoses (AK), and several PDT treatment modalities with similar cure rates are in use. The effect relies on the activation of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in premalignant cells. This study aimed to measure PpIX during each treatment modality to determine the minimal PpIX activation and shortest exposure time for optimal cure rate. In four different treatment modalities, we established the PpIX formation up to three hours after MAL application without illumination and measured the speed of PpIX photoactivation during 9 min of red light (37 J/cm2). The level of PpIX three hours after MAL application was set to 100 PpIX units. In comparison, 85 PpIX units were formed during daylight PDT, 57 PpIX units during pulse PDT, and 52 PpIX units without any curettage prior to MAL. The activation of 50 PpIX units should, therefore, be enough to obtain a full effect on AK. Further, red light illumination may be shortened from 9 min to 1–2 min. The results indicate that PDT can be performed successfully with half the illumination time used in daylight PDT today and with one fourth of the illumination time used in classical PDT.
UVA-Degradable Collagenase Nanocapsules as a Potential Treatment for Fibrotic Diseases
Authors: Moreno Víctor M. , Meroño Carolina , Baeza Alejandro , Usategui Alicia , Ortiz-Romero Pablo L. , Pablos José L. , Vallet-Regí María
Published: April 2021

Peyronie and Dupuytren are pathologies characterized by the appearance of localized fibrotic lesions in an organ. These disorders originate from an excessive production of collagen in the tissue provoking dysfunction and functional limitations to the patients. Local administration of collagenase is the most used treatment for these fibrotic-type diseases, but a high lability of the enzyme limits its therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we present a novel methodology for the preparation of collagenase nanocapsules without affecting its enzymatic activity and capable of releasing the enzyme in response to an ultraviolet A (UVA) light stimulus. Polymeric coating around collagenase was formed by free-radical polymerization of acrylamide-type monomers. Their degradation capacity under UVA irradiation was provided by incorporating a novel photocleavable acrylamide-type crosslinker within the polymeric framework. This property allowed collagenase release to be triggered in a controlled manner by employing an easily focused stimulus. Additionally, UVA irradiation presents considerable benefits by itself due to its capacity to induce collagenase production in situ. An expected synergistic effect of collagenase nanocapsules in conjunction with UVA effect may present a promising treatment for these fibrotic diseases.
PLGA Nanoparticle-Based Formulations to Cross the Blood–Brain Barrier for Drug Delivery: From R&D to cGMP
Authors: Zhi Kaining , Raji Babatunde , Nookala Anantha R. , Khan Mohammad Moshahid , Nguyen Xuyen H. , Sakshi Swarna , Pourmotabbed Tayebeh , Yallapu Murali M. , Kochat Harry , Tadrous Erene , Pernell Shelby , Kumar Santosh
Published: April 2021

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a natural obstacle for drug delivery into the human brain, hindering treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as acute ischemic stroke, brain tumors, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-associated neurocognitive disorders. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a biocompatible polymer that is used in Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmaceutical products and medical devices. PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) have been reported to improve drug penetration across the BBB both in vitro and in vivo. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and poloxamer (Pluronic) are widely used as excipients to further improve the stability and effectiveness of PLGA formulations. Peptides and other linkers can be attached on the surface of PLGA to provide targeting delivery. With the newly published guidance from the FDA and the progress of current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) technologies, manufacturing PLGA NP-based drug products can be achieved with higher efficiency, larger quantity, and better quality. The translation from bench to bed is feasible with proper research, concurrent development, quality control, and regulatory assurance.
Latex-Based Polystyrene Nanocomposites with Non-Covalently Modified Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Song Jae Phil , Choi Sung Ho , Chung Dae-Won , Lee Seong Jae
Published: April 2021

We prepared electrically conductive polystyrene (PS) nanocomposites by incorporating non-covalently surface-modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with hydrophilic polymers such as polydopamine (PDA) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). Further, ethylene glycol (EG) was introduced as a second dopant to improve the electrical properties of the nanocomposites prepared with PEDOT:PSS-wrapped CNTs. All conductive PS nanocomposites were prepared through latex-based process, and the morphology and properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. The electrical properties of the nanocomposites with PEDOT:PSS-wrapped CNTs were better than those of the nanocomposites with PDA-coated CNTs owing to the conducting nature of PEDOT:PSS, although the dispersions of both types of modified CNTs in the PS matrix were excellent, as evidenced by morphology and rheology. In the case of PEDOT:PSS modification, the electrical properties of the nanocomposites with EG-doped PEDOT:PSS-wrapped CNTs were superior to those of the nanocomposites without EG treatment.
Comparison of Corn Stover Pretreatments with Lewis Acid Catalyzed Choline Chloride, Glycerol and Choline Chloride-Glycerol Deep Eutectic Solvent
Authors: Zhu Yuan , Qi Benkun , Liang Xinquan , Luo Jianquan , Wan Yinhua
Published: April 2021

Herein, corn stover (CS) was pretreated by less corrosive lewis acid FeCl3 acidified solutions of neat and aqueous deep eutectic solvent (DES), aqueous ChCl and glycerol at 120 °C for 4 h with single FeCl3 pretreatment as control. It was unexpected that acidified solutions of both ChCl and glycerol were found to be more efficient at removing lignin and xylan, leading to higher enzymatic digestibility of pretreated CS than acidified DES. Comparatively, acidified ChCl solution exhibited better pretreatment performance than acidified glycerol solution. In addition, 20 wt% water in DES dramatically reduced the capability of DES for delignification and xylan removal and subsequent enzymatic cellulose saccharification of pretreated CS. Correlation analysis showed that enzymatic saccharification of pretreated CS was highly correlated to delignification and cellulose crystallinity, but lowly correlated to xylan removal. Recyclability experiments of different acidified pretreatment solutions showed progressive decrease in the pretreatment performance with increasing recycling runs. After four cycles, the smallest decrease in enzymatic cellulose conversion (22.07%) was observed from acidified neat DES pretreatment, while the largest decrease (43.80%) was from acidified ChCl pretreatment. Those findings would provide useful information for biomass processing with ChCl, glycerol and ChCl-glycerol DES.
Alveolar Bone Ridge Augmentation Using Polymeric Membranes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Toledano-Osorio Manuel , Toledano Manuel , Manzano-Moreno Francisco Javier , Vallecillo Cristina , Vallecillo-Rivas Marta , Rodriguez-Archilla Alberto , Osorio Raquel
Published: April 2021

Alveolar bone ridge resorption occurred after natural teeth loss and it can restrict the possibility of dental implants placement. The use of bone regenerative procedures is frequently required. The existing evidence regarding the efficacy of horizontal bone ridge augmentation trough guided bone regeneration (GBR) using polymeric membranes was stated. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. Electronic and manual literature searches were conducted. Screening process was done using the National Library of Medicine (MEDLINE by PubMed), Embase, and the Cochrane Oral Health. Included articles were randomized controlled trials and observational studies. Weighted means were calculated. Heterogeneity was determined using Higgins (I2). If I2 > 50% a random-effects model was applied. It was found that the mean of horizontal bone gain was 3.95 mm, ranging from 3.19 to 4.70 mm (confidence interval 95%). Heterogeneity is I2 = 99% (confidence interval 95%) and significance of the random-effects model was p < 0.001. The complications rate was 8.4% and membrane exposure was the most frequent. Through this study, we were able to conclude that the existing scientific evidence suggests that GBR using polymeric membranes is a predictable technique for achieving horizontal bone augmentation, thus, permitting a proper further implant placement.
Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Carboxymethyl Starch as Surface Modifiers and Greying Inhibitors in Washing of Cotton Fabrics
Authors: Višić Ksenija , Pušić Tanja , Čurlin Mirjana
Published: April 2021

This research is focused on cellulose and starch derivatives, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and carboxymethyl starch (CMS), added to the detergent in washing reference cotton fabric in soft and hard water at 40, 60 and 90 °C. The applied polymers were analyzed through the potential of surface cellulose modification and inhibition of stain transfer from standard stain donors to modified and initial cotton fabrics. The surface modification of the cotton fabrics, characterized by the zeta potential and amounts of deposits, was coupled with the cluster analysis as well as a whiteness assessment. The obtained results of the zeta potential and degree of whiteness of the reference cotton fabrics before and after washing showed differences between CMC and CMS. The appropriateness of the cluster analysis was confirmed in assessing the potential of applied polymers for surface modification of cotton fabrics and greying inhibition.
Nations under God: How Church–State Relations Shape Christian Responses to Right-Wing Populism in Germany and the United States
Authors: Cremer Tobias
Published: April 2021

Right-wing populists across many western countries have markedly intensified their references to Christianity in recent years. However, Christian communities’ reactions to such developments often vary significantly, ranging from disproportionate support in some countries to outspoken opposition in others. This paper explores the role of structural factors, and in particular of Church–State relations, in accounting for some of these differences. Specifically, this article explores how Church–State relations in Germany and the United States have produced different incentives and opportunity structures for faith leaders when facing right-wing populism. Based on quantitative studies, survey data, and 31 in-depth elite interviews, this research suggests that whereas Germany’s system of “benevolent neutrality” encourages highly centralised churches whose leaders perceive themselves as integral part and defenders of the current system, and are therefore both willing and able to create social taboos against right-wing populism, America’s “Wall of separation” favours a de-centralised religious marketplace, in which church leaders are more prone to agree with populists’ anti-elitist rhetoric, and face higher costs and barriers against publicly condemning right-wing populism. Taking such structural factors into greater account when analysing Christian responses to right-wing populism is central to understanding current and future dynamics between politics and religion in western democracies.
The Potential Role of News Media to Construct a Machine Learning Based Damage Mapping Framework
Authors: Okada Genki , Moya Luis , Mas Erick , Koshimura Shunichi
Published: April 2021

When flooding occurs, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery is often used to identify flood extent and the affected buildings for two reasons: (i) for early disaster response, such as rescue operations, and (ii) for flood risk analysis. Furthermore, the application of machine learning has been valuable for the identification of damaged buildings. However, the performance of machine learning depends on the number and quality of training data, which is scarce in the aftermath of a large scale disaster. To address this issue, we propose the use of fragmentary but reliable news media photographs at the time of a disaster and use them to detect the whole extent of the flooded buildings. As an experimental test, the flood occurred in the town of Mabi, Japan, in 2018 is used. Five hand-engineered features were extracted from SAR images acquired before and after the disaster. The training data were collected based on news photos. The date release of the photographs were considered to assess the potential role of news information as a source of training data. Then, a discriminant function was calibrated using the training data and the support vector machine method. We found that news information taken within 24 h of a disaster can classify flooded and nonflooded buildings with about 80% accuracy. The results were also compared with a standard unsupervised learning method and confirmed that training data generated from news media photographs improves the accuracy obtained from unsupervised classification methods. We also provide a discussion on the potential role of news media as a source of reliable information to be used as training data and other activities associated to early disaster response.
Graph Convolutional Networks by Architecture Search for PolSAR Image Classification
Authors: Liu Hongying , Xu Derong , Zhu Tianwen , Shang Fanhua , Liu Yuanyuan , Lu Jianhua , Yang Ri
Published: April 2021

Classification of polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) images has achieved good results due to the excellent fitting ability of neural networks with a large number of training samples. However, the performance of most convolutional neural networks (CNNs) degrades dramatically when only a few labeled training samples are available. As one well-known class of semi-supervised learning methods, graph convolutional networks (GCNs) have gained much attention recently to address the classification problem with only a few labeled samples. As the number of layers grows in the network, the parameters dramatically increase. It is challenging to determine an optimal architecture manually. In this paper, we propose a neural architecture search method based GCN (ASGCN) for the classification of PolSAR images. We construct a novel graph whose nodes combines both the physical features and spatial relations between pixels or samples to represent the image. Then we build a new searching space whose components are empirically selected from some graph neural networks for architecture search and develop the differentiable architecture search method to construction our ASGCN. Moreover, to address the training of large-scale images, we present a new weighted mini-batch algorithm to reduce the computing memory consumption and ensure the balance of sample distribution, and also analyze and compare with other similar training strategies. Experiments on several real-world PolSAR datasets show that our method has improved the overall accuracy as much as 3.76% than state-of-the-art methods.
Multi-Sensor Fault Detection, Identification, Isolation and Health Forecasting for Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Safavi Saeid , Safavi Mohammad Amin , Hamid Hossein , Fallah Saber
Published: April 2021

The primary focus of autonomous driving research is to improve driving accuracy and reliability. While great progress has been made, state-of-the-art algorithms still fail at times and some of these failures are due to the faults in sensors. Such failures may have fatal consequences. It therefore is important that automated cars foresee problems ahead as early as possible. By using real-world data and artificial injection of different types of sensor faults to the healthy signals, data models can be trained using machine learning techniques. This paper proposes a novel fault detection, isolation, identification and prediction (based on detection) architecture for multi-fault in multi-sensor systems, such as autonomous vehicles.Our detection, identification and isolation platform uses two distinct and efficient deep neural network architectures and obtained very impressive performance. Utilizing the sensor fault detection system’s output, we then introduce our health index measure and use it to train the health index forecasting network.
Qualitative Assessment of Effective Gamification Design Processes Using Motivators to Identify Game Mechanics
Authors: Villegas Eva , Fonseca David , Peña Enric , Bonet Paula , Fernández-Guinea Sara
Published: April 2021

This research focuses on the study and qualitative assessment of the relationships between motivators and game mechanics per the ratings of expert gamification consultants. By taking this approach, it is intended that during the design phase of a gamified system, decisions can be made about the design of the system based on the motivators of each of the profiles. These motivators can be determined from the information provided by the potential players themselves. The research presented starts from a previous analysis in which, based on the three most used gamification frameworks and through a card sorting technique that allows the user to organize and classify the content, a set of mechanics are determined. In the present study, each of the mechanics is analyzed, and a more precise motive is decided. As a result, a higher level of personalization is achieved and, consequently, approximates a higher level of gamification effectiveness. The main conclusions are implemented in the development of the Game4City 3.0 project, which addresses gamified and interactive strategies to visualize urban environments in 3D at an educational and social level.
Oxygen Sensing of Pt/PEO-TiO2 in Humid Atmospheres at Moderate Temperatures
Authors: Engelkamp Bernd , Schierbaum Klaus
Published: April 2021

Here, we show that the presence of adsorbed water improves the oxygen-sensing properties of Pt/TiO2 at moderate temperatures. The studied interface is based on porous plasma electrolytic oxidized titanium (PEO-TiO2) covered with platinum clusters. The electrical resistance across Pt/PEO-TiO2 is explained by an electronic depletion layer. Oxygen adsorbates further increase the depletion by inducing extrinsic interface states, which are occupied by TiO2 conduction band electrons. The high oxygen partial pressure in ambient air substantially limits the electron transport across the interface. Our DC measurements at defined levels of humidity at 30 ∘C show that adsorbed water counteracts this shortcoming, allowing oxygen sensing at room conditions. In addition, response and recovery times from temporal oxygen exposure decrease with humidity. We attribute the effects to competing adsorption processes and reactions of water with adsorbed oxygen species and/or lattice oxygen, which involve electron re-injection to the TiO2 conduction band. Elevated temperatures up to 170 ∘C attenuate the effects, presumably due to the lower binding strength to the surface of molecular water compared with oxygen adsorbates.
Common-Mode Voltage Reduction in Capacitive Sensing of Biosignal Using Capacitive Grounding and DRL Electrode
Authors: Bednar Tadeas , Babusiak Branko , Labuda Michal , Smetana Milan , Borik Stefan
Published: April 2021

A capacitive measurement of the biosignals is a very comfortable and unobtrusive way suitable for long-term and wearable monitoring of health conditions. This type of sensing is very susceptible to noise from the surroundings. One of the main noise sources is power-line noise, which acts as a common-mode voltage at the input terminals of the acquisition unit. The origin and methods of noise reduction are described on electric models. Two methods of noise removal are modeled and experimentally verified in the paper. The first method uses a passive capacitive grounding electrode, and the second uses an active capacitive Driven Right Leg (DRL) electrode. The effect of grounding electrode size on noise suppression is experimentally investigated. The increasing electrode area reduces power-line noise: the power of power-line frequency within the measured signal is 70.96 dB, 59.13 dB, and 43.44 dB for a grounding electrode area of 1650 cm2, 3300 cm2, and 4950 cm2, respectively. The capacitive DRL electrode shows better efficiency in common-mode noise rejection than the grounding electrode. When using an electrode area of 1650 cm2, the DRL achieved 46.3 dB better attenuation than the grounding electrode at power-line frequency. In contrast to the grounding electrode, the DRL electrode reduces a capacitive measurement system’s financial costs due to the smaller electrode area made of the costly conductive textile.
Eco-Friendly Direct GC–MS Method for Estimation of Niacin and Related Impurities Involving Pyridine in Food Supplements
Authors: Almalki Atiah H. , Naguib Ibrahim A. , Abdallah Fatma F.
Published: April 2021

Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin whose deficiency causes many disorders and diseases, including pellagra and high blood cholesterol. Herein, niacin and four common impurities, isonicotinic acid (ISO), 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine (MP), pyridine-2, 5-dicarboxylic acid (PDC) and pyridine PYR, are simultaneously analyzed, where PYR is known as potentially nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic. The separation of a mixture using gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) without any derivatization steps was the main target. Many studies have been published to study Niacin and its impurities using colorimetry and HPLC. GC–MS was selected to study the analyzed mixture owing to its known sensitivity and selectivity. In this study, a single quadrupole mass spectrometer operated in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode at an electron ionization energy of 70 eV was applied for the quantitative analysis of Niacin. Helium was used as the carrier gas and adjusted to run through an HP-5ms (5%-phenyl)-methylpolysiloxane column. Statistical analysis proved that this method is equally effective as the previously reported method. Importantly, this study was eco-friendly as compared to the reported high performance thin layer chromatographic method (HPTLC). Finally, this study provides a new and valid eco-friendly method analysis to determine the concentration of niacin and its common impurities at very low concentration. Conclusion: A simple, rapid accurate and green GC–MS analytical method was developed and validated to determine niacin and its related official impurities.
Evaluation of Low- and Intermediate-Temperature Performance of Bio Oil-Modified Asphalt Binders
Authors: Alattieh Sara A. , Al-Khateeb Ghazi G. , Zeiada Waleed
Published: April 2021

Fatigue cracking and low-temperature cracking are two major distresses that occur in asphalt pavements. Fatigue cracking is a load-associated distress caused by the tensile stresses at the bottom/top of the asphalt concrete (AC) layer due to repeated traffic loading. On the other hand, low-temperature cracking occurs when tensile stresses built up with in the AC layer at low temperatures exceed the tensile strength of that layer. In this study, the performance of date seeds oil bio-modified asphalt binders (DSO-BMB) is evaluated against fatigue and low-temperature cracking. The DSO-BMBs are prepared using volume ratios of 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5% date seeds oil-to-asphalt binder. The base asphalt binder used in the study is a 60/70-penetration grade with a Superpave performance grade (PG) of PG 64–16. The dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) standard test was used to assess the fatigue performance of the bio-modified binders (BMBs), while the bending beam rheometer (BBR) test was used to test the BMBs for low-temperature performance. In addition, the DSR linear amplitude sweep (LAS) test was used to evaluate the fatigue tolerance behavior of the DSO-BMBs. The analysis and results of the study showed that the bio-oil enhanced the low-temperature performance. The low PG grade improved from −16 °C for the control asphalt binder to −28 °C for the BMB. Additionally, the fatigue resistance of the BMBs was improved as illustrated by the damage–characteristic curves of the modified asphalt binders from the visco-elastic continuum damage (VECD) analysis and the increase in the number of cycles to fatigue failure (Nf).
Improving Water Use Efficiency through Reduced Irrigation for Sustainable Cotton Production
Authors: Ahmad Hafiz Shahzad , Imran Muhammad , Ahmad Fiaz , Rukh Shah , Ikram Rao Muhammad , Rafique Hafiz Muhammad , Iqbal Zafar , Alsahli Abdulaziz Abdullah , Alyemeni Mohammed Nasser , Ali Shafaqat , Tanveer-ul-Haq
Published: April 2021

The socio-economic development of a country is highly dependent on water availability. Nowadays, increasing water scarcity is a major global challenge. Continuing improvements in water-use efficiency are essential for cotton production sustainability. Reduced irrigation in cotton could be a solution to water shortage in the arid climate without compromising the cotton yield. Therefore, a two-year field study was conducted to assess the effect of two levels of irrigation i.e., 50% and 100% of available water content (AWC) on the yield of four cotton genotypes (CIM-678, CIM-343, CRIS-613, and CYTO-510). The maximum seed cotton yield was observed in CIM-678, which was 2.31 and 2.46 Mg ha−1 under 100% AWC during 2018 and 2019, respectively, and was non-significantly reduced by 7.7 and 8.94%, owing to deficit irrigation. The maximum water use efficiency (WUE) of 0.55 and 0.64 Kg ha−1 mm−1 was observed under 50% AWC in CIM-678, which was significantly higher than WUE at 100% AWC during both years. Leaf area index and physiological parameters such as photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance were not significantly affected by deficit irrigation. So, it was concluded that the reduced irrigation technique performed well without significant yield loss, improve WUE, and saved 37 cm of water that could be used for other crops or to increase the area of the cotton crop.
Motivation and Evaluation in Education from the Sustainability Perspective: A Review of the Scientific Literature
Authors: Sánchez-Santamaría José , Boroel-Cervantes Brenda Imelda , López-Garrido Fátima-María , Hortigüela-Alcalá David
Published: April 2021

(1) Background: This paper outlines the results of a literature review of meta-analyses published on motivation and evaluation in the last five years. (2) Methods: A systematic review of three educational databases (WoS, SCOPUS and ERIC) was conducted following the PRISMA and PICO approaches. A total of 54 peer-reviewed meta-analysis papers were selected, analysed and compared. (3) Results: A significant number and variety of meta-analyses have been conducted: motivation meta-analyses focus primarily on contextual variables, self-regulation and students’ academic performance, and evaluation meta-analyses examine the effectiveness of the teaching intervention, the use of teaching methodologies and technological resources for learning. (4) Conclusions: There are two important absences: on the one hand, it is necessary to develop meta-analyses that combine motivation and evaluation, also measuring their interaction, from the perspective of sustainability, and not only of educational improvement, and on the other hand, it is necessary to perform meta-analyses on the effectiveness of the formative and shared evaluation of the sustainability of learning processes.
Measuring Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Eco-Innovation: A Methodological Proposal for the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM)
Authors: Roomi Muhammad Azam , Saiz-Alvarez José Manuel , Coduras Alicia
Published: April 2021

After the UN’s adoption of 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, it became clear that the relationship between sustainability and entrepreneurship was an area for re-examination. Traditional measures of entrepreneurial success rested largely on economic indicators; observatories like the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) extended them, including cultural and social indicators. There is now a real need to measure and analyze the relationship between sustainable entrepreneurship and eco-innovation and drive positive economic activity outcomes, sustainable development, and social welfare. For GEM’s consideration, this paper proposes a reimagined tool by which to measure sustainable entrepreneurship and eco-innovation in businesses and assess their level of alignment with UN SDGs. Specifically, it presents a new measurement method, incorporating, but simplifying, a complex range of variables, which can be crystallized into a set of items (questions) to determine businesses’ commitment to entrepreneurship sustainability—social, economic, and environmental. The results can be cross-referenced with other relevant variables, and indicators proposed by the UN, to determine what causal or explanatory relationships might or might not exist. The proposal represents a valuable extension to existing data gathering tools, and will be of use to researchers and practitioners in the field of entrepreneurship—especially as its sustainability credentials and environmental impact are in the spotlight.