bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic Resistance Profile of RT 027/176 Versus Other Clostridioides difficile Isolates in Silesia, Southern Poland
Authors: Aptekorz Małgorzata , Sacha Krzysztof , Gofron Zygmunt , Kabała Monika , Harmanus Celine , Kuijper Ed , Martirosian Gayane
Published: August 2022

Clostridioides difficile is an important health care-associated pathogen. The aim of this study was to analyze the antibiotic susceptibility of C. difficile isolates from feces of patients from 13 hospitals in Silesia, Poland. The incidence of CDI per 100.000 people in Silesia in 2018–2019 was higher than the average in Poland (39.3–38.7 vs. 30.2–29.5, respectively). The incidence doubled from 26.4 in 2020 to 55.1 in 2021. Two hundred and thirty stool samples tested positive for GDH (glutamate dehydrogenase) and toxins were cultured anaerobically for C. difficile. The isolates were characterized, typed, and tested for susceptibility to 11 antibiotics by E-test (EUCAST, 2021). The genes of toxins A/B and binary were detected by mPCR. Of 215 isolates, 166 (77.2%) were classified as RT 027 and 6 (2.8%) as related RT 176. Resistance to ciprofloxacin (96.7%), moxifloxacin (79.1%), imipenem (78.1%), penicillin (67%), and rifampicin (40.5%) was found. The ermB gene was detected in 79 (36.7%) strains. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was confirmed in 50 (23.3%) strains of RT 027 (94%). We concluded that a high prevalence of MDR among hypervirulent RT 027/176 C. difficile was found in the Silesian region of Poland, emphasizing the need to enhance regional infection control on CDI and antibiotic stewardships.
Development of Novel Anti-Leishmanials: The Case for Structure-Based Approaches
Authors: Soni Mohini , Pratap J. Venkatesh
Published: August 2022

The neglected tropical disease (NTD) leishmaniasis is the collective name given to a diverse group of illnesses caused by ~20 species belonging to the genus Leishmania, a majority of which are vector borne and associated with complex life cycles that cause immense health, social, and economic burdens locally, but individually are not a major global health priority. Therapeutic approaches against leishmaniasis have various inadequacies including drug resistance and a lack of effective control and eradication of the disease spread. Therefore, the development of a rationale-driven, target based approaches towards novel therapeutics against leishmaniasis is an emergent need. The utilization of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning methods, which have made significant advances in drug discovery applications, would benefit the discovery process. In this review, following a summary of the disease epidemiology and available therapies, we consider three important leishmanial metabolic pathways that can be attractive targets for a structure-based drug discovery approach towards the development of novel anti-leishmanials. The folate biosynthesis pathway is critical, as Leishmania is auxotrophic for folates that are essential in many metabolic pathways. Leishmania can not synthesize purines de novo, and salvage them from the host, making the purine salvage pathway an attractive target for novel therapeutics. Leishmania also possesses an organelle glycosome, evolutionarily related to peroxisomes of higher eukaryotes, which is essential for the survival of the parasite. Research towards therapeutics is underway against enzymes from the first two pathways, while the third is as yet unexplored.
Treatment Options for Troublesome Itch
Authors: Toyama Sumika , Tominaga Mitsutoshi , Takamori Kenji
Published: August 2022

Itch (or pruritus) is an unpleasant sensation, inducing the desire to scratch. It is also a major and distressing symptom of many skin and systemic diseases. The involvement of histamine, which is a major itch mediator, has been extensively examined. Recent studies suggest that histamine-independent pathways may play roles in chronic itch. Therefore, antihistamines are not always effective in the treatment of patients with chronic itch. The development of biologics and κ-opioid receptor (KOR) agonists has contributed to advances in the treatment of itch; however, since biologics are expensive for patients to purchase, some patients may limit or discontinue their use of these agents. Furthermore, KOR agonists need to be prescribed with caution due to risks of side effects in the central nervous system. Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are sometimes associated with side effects, such as infection. In this review, we summarize antidepressants, antineuralgics, cyclosporine A, antibiotics, crotamiton, phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, botulinum toxin type A, herbal medicines, phototherapy, and acupuncture therapy as itch treatment options other than antihistamines, biologics, opioids, and JAK inhibitors; we also explain their underlying mechanisms of action.
Schinopsis brasiliensis Engler—Phytochemical Properties, Biological Activities, and Ethnomedicinal Use: A Scoping Review
Authors: Barreto Linhares Ladaha Pequeno Menna , Pereira Bruna Vanessa Nunes , Dantas Maria Karoline Gomes , Bezerra Wislayne Mirelly da Silva , Viana-Marques Daniela de Araújo , de Lima Luiza Rayanna Amorim , Sette-de-Souza Pedro Henrique
Published: August 2022

Brazil has the most incredible biodiversity globally and has a vast storehouse of molecules to be discovered. However, there are no pharmacological and phytochemical studies on most native plants. Parts of Schinopsis brasiliensis Engler, a tree from the Anacardiaceae family, are used by several traditional communities to treat injuries and health problems. The objective of this scoping review was to summarize the pharmacological information about S. brasiliensis, from ethnobotanical to phytochemical and biological studies. Data collection concerning the geographical distribution of S. brasiliensis specimens was achieved through the Reflora Virtual Herbarium. The study’s protocol was drafted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The search strategy used the keyword “Schinopsis brasiliensis” in the databases: PUBMED, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Science Direct, Web of Science, SciFinder, and SciELO. Rayyan was used for the selection of eligible studies. In total, 35 studies were included in the paper. The most recurrent therapeutic indications were for general pain, flu and inflammation. The bark was the most studied part of the plant. The most used preparation method was decoction and infusion, followed by syrup. Phytochemical investigations indicate the presence of tannins, flavonoids, phenols, and polyphenols. Most of the substances were found in the plant’s leaf and bark. Important biological activities were reported, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. S. brasiliensis is used mainly by communities in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil to treat several diseases. Pharmacological and phytochemical studies together provide scientific support for the popular knowledge of the medicinal use of S. brasiliensis. In vitro and in vivo analyses reported antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, cytotoxic, photoprotective, preservative, molluscicidal, larvicidal, and pupicidal effects. It is essential to highlight the need for future studies that elucidate the mechanisms of action of these phytocompounds.
High Drug-Loading Nanomedicines for Tumor Chemo–Photo Combination Therapy: Advances and Perspectives
Authors: Wang Ya , Zhang Yujie , Zhang Xiaojiang , Zhang Zhe , She Junjun , Wu Daocheng , Gao Wei
Published: August 2022

The combination of phototherapy and chemotherapy (chemo–photo combination therapy) is an excellent attempt for tumor treatment. The key requirement of this technology is the high drug-loading nanomedicines, which can load either chemotherapy drugs or phototherapy agents at the same nanomedicines and simultaneously deliver them to tumors, and play a multimode therapeutic role for tumor treatment. These nanomedicines have high drug-loading efficiency (>30%) and good tumor combination therapeutic effect with important clinical application potential. Although there are many reports of high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor therapy at present, systematic analyses on those nanomedicines remain lacking and a comprehensive review is urgently needed. In this review, we systematically analyze the current status of developed high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor chemo–photo combination therapy and summarize their types, methods, drug-loading properties, in vitro and in vivo applications. The shortcomings of the existing high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor chemo–photo combination therapy and the possible prospective development direction are also discussed. We hope to attract more attention for researchers in different academic fields, provide new insights into the research of tumor therapy and drug delivery system and develop these nanomedicines as the useful tool for tumor chemo–photo combination therapy in the future.
A Novel Laser-Based Zebrafish Model for Studying Traumatic Brain Injury and Its Molecular Targets
Authors: Tikhonova Maria A. , Maslov Nikolai A. , Bashirzade Alim A. , Nehoroshev Eugenyi V. , Babchenko Vladislav Y. , Chizhova Nadezhda D. , Tsibulskaya Elena O. , Akopyan Anna A. , Markova Evgeniya V. , Yang Yi-Ling , Lu Kwok-Tung , Kalueff Allan V. , Aftanas Lyubomir I. , Amstislavskaya Tamara G.
Published: August 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health problem. Here, we developed a novel model of non-invasive TBI induced by laser irradiation in the telencephalon of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) and assessed their behavior and neuromorphology to validate the model and evaluate potential targets for neuroreparative treatment. Overall, TBI induced hypolocomotion and anxiety-like behavior in the novel tank test, strikingly recapitulating responses in mammalian TBI models, hence supporting the face validity of our model. NeuN-positive cell staining was markedly reduced one day, but not seven days, after TBI, suggesting increased neuronal damage immediately after the injury, and its fast recovery. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) level in the brain dropped immediately after the trauma, but fully recovered seven days later. A marker of microglial activation, Iba1, was elevated in the TBI brain, albeit decreasing from Day 3. The levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (Hif1a) increased 30 min after the injury, and recovered by Day 7, further supporting the construct validity of the model. Collectively, these findings suggest that our model of laser-induced brain injury in zebrafish reproduces mild TBI and can be a useful tool for TBI research and preclinical neuroprotective drug screening.
Botryosphaeria Dieback (Lasiodiplodia viticola): An Imminent Emerging Threat to the Moroccan Vineyards
Authors: Kenfaoui Jihane , Lahlali Rachid , Mennani Mohammed , Radouane Nabil , Goura Khadija , El Hamss Hajar , El Ghadraoui Lahsen , Fontaine Florence , Tahiri Abdessalem , Barka Essaid Ait , Amiri Said
Published: August 2022

A decline of various grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) in the province of Doukkala in Morocco was observed in 2021. The causal pathogen was identified as Lasiodiplodia viticola based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed region (ITS), the β-tubulin gene (TUB) and calmodulin (cmdA). Koch’s postulates were confirmed by successful re-isolation of L. viticola from plants inoculated with the pathogen under controlled conditions. The disease was shown to be prevalent in Bni Hilal (71.43%), Laamria (60%), and Boulaouane (40%) districts, but was quasi-absent in Lmechrek. To understand the dominance of L. viticola as one of the grapevine trunk pathogens, effects of temperature (10–40 °C) and pH (pH 3–pH 12) on growth and sporulation were investigated. The species were able to grow in a range of temperatures ranging from 15 to 40°C and showed a higher growth rate at 35 °C. The fungus were also characterized by a broad optimum pH ranging between 3–12. This study is the first report dealing with L. viticola associated with grapevine trunk diseases in Morocco. Additional studies are therefore required to understand the high occurrence of this disease in vineyards, which is likely due to climate changes. A good understanding of this complex disease might help to develop a reliable and sustainable preventive control strategy.
Climatic Factors Determine the Distribution Patterns of Leaf Nutrient Traits at Large Scales
Authors: Wang Xianxian , Wang Jiangfeng , Zhang Liuyang , Lv Chengyu , Liu Longlong , Zhao Huixin , Gao Jie
Published: August 2022

Leaf nutrient content and its stoichiometric relationships (N/P ratio) are essential for photosynthesis and plant growth and development. Previous studies on leaf nutrient-related functional traits have mainly focused on the species level and regional scale, but fewer studies have investigated the distribution patterns of the leaf N and P contents (LN, LP) and N/P ratios (N/P) in communities and their controlling factors at a large scale; therefore, we used LN, LP, and N/P data at 69 sites from 818 forests in China. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the LN, LP, and N/P at different life forms (tree, shrub, and herb). Neither LN, LP, nor N/P ratios showed significant patterns of latitudinal variation. With the increase in temperature and rainfall, the LN, LP, and leaf nutrient contents increased significantly (p < 0.001). Across life forms, LN at different life forms varied significantly and was positively correlated with soil P content (p < 0.001). The explanatory degree of climatic factors in shaping the spatial variation patterns of LN and N/P was higher than that of the soil nutrient factors, and the spatial variation patterns of the leaf nutrient traits of different life forms were shaped by the synergistic effects of climatic factors and soil nutrient factors.
Genetic Characterization of Spring Wheat Germplasm for Macro-, Microelements and Trace Metals
Authors: Morgounov Alexey , Li Huihui , Shepelev Sergey , Ali Mohsin , Flis Paulina , Koksel Hamit , Savin Timur , Shamanin Vladimir
Published: August 2022

Wheat as a staple food crop is the main source of micro- and macronutrients for most people of the world and is recognized as an attractive crop for biofortification. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of genomic regions governing grain micro- and macroelements concentrations in a panel of 135 diverse wheat accessions through a genome-wide association study. The genetic diversity panel was genotyped using the genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) method and phenotyped in two environments during 2017–2018. Wide ranges of variation in nutrient element concentrations in grain were detected among the accessions. Based on 33,808 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 2997 marker-element associations (MEAs) with −log10(p-value) > 3.5 were identified, representing all three subgenomes of wheat for 15-grain concentration elements. The highest numbers of MEAs were identified for Mg (499), followed by S (399), P (394), Ni (381), Cd (243), Ca (229), Mn (224), Zn (212), Sr (212), Cu (111), Rb (78), Fe (63), Mo (43), K (32) and Co (19). Further, MEAs associated with multiple elements and referred to as pleiotropic SNPs were identified for Mg, P, Cd, Mn, and Zn on chromosomes 1B, 2B, and 6B. Fifty MEAs were subjected to validation using KASIB multilocational trial at six sites in two years using 39 genotypes. Gene annotation of MEAs identified putative candidate genes that potentially encode different types of proteins related to disease, metal transportation, and metabolism. The MEAs identified in the present study could be potential targets for further validation and may be used in marker-assisted breeding to improve nutrient element concentrations in wheat grain.
Multi-Omics Approaches to Study Molecular Mechanisms in Cannabis sativa
Authors: Sirangelo Tiziana M. , Ludlow Richard A. , Spadafora Natasha D.
Published: August 2022

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.), also known as hemp, is one of the oldest cultivated crops, grown for both its use in textile and cordage production, and its unique chemical properties. However, due to the legislation regulating cannabis cultivation, it is not a well characterized crop, especially regarding molecular and genetic pathways. Only recently have regulations begun to ease enough to allow more widespread cannabis research, which, coupled with the availability of cannabis genome sequences, is fuelling the interest of the scientific community. In this review, we provide a summary of cannabis molecular resources focusing on the most recent and relevant genomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches and investigations. Multi-omics methods are discussed, with this combined approach being a powerful tool to identify correlations between biological processes and metabolic pathways across diverse omics layers, and to better elucidate the relationships between cannabis sub-species. The correlations between genotypes and phenotypes, as well as novel metabolites with therapeutic potential are also explored in the context of cannabis breeding programs. However, further studies are needed to fully elucidate the complex metabolomic matrix of this crop. For this reason, some key points for future research activities are discussed, relying on multi-omics approaches.
Synthesis of Metalorganic Copolymers Containing Various Contorted Units and Iron(II) Clathrochelates with Lateral Butyl Chains: Conspicuous Adsorbents of Lithium Ions and Methylene Blue
Authors: Shetty Suchetha , Baig Noorullah , Moustafa Moustafa Sherief , Al-Mousawi Saleh , Alameddine Bassam
Published: August 2022

We report the synthesis of three highly soluble metalorganic copolymers, TCP1–3, that were made from a one-pot complexation of iron(II) clathrochelate units that are interconnected by various thioether-containing contorted groups. TCP1–3 were converted into their poly(vinyl sulfone) derivatives OTCP1–3 quantitatively via the selective oxidation of the thioether moieties into their respective sulfones. All of the copolymers, TCP1–3 and OTCP1–3, underwent structural analysis by various techniques; namely, 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The copolymers were tested as potent lithium ions adsorbents revealing a maximum adsorption (qm) value of 2.31 mg g−1 for OTCP2. Furthermore, this same copolymer was found to be a promising adsorbent of methylene blue (MEB); an isothermal adsorption study divulged that OTCP2’s uptake of MEB from an aqueous solution (following the Langmuir model) was, at maximum adsorption capacity, (qm) of 480.77 mg g−1; whereas the kinetic study divulged that the adsorption follows pseudo second-order kinetics with an equilibrium adsorption capacity (qe,cal) of 45.40 mg g−1.
Phase-Inverted Copolymer Membrane for the Enhancement of Textile Supercapacitors
Authors: Yong Sheng , Hillier Nicholas , Beeby Stephen Paul
Published: August 2022

This paper presents a universal fabrication process for single-layer textile supercapacitors, independent of textile properties such as weave pattern, thickness and material. To achieve this, an engineered copolymer membrane was fabricated within these textiles with an automated screen printing, phase inversion and vacuum curing process. This membrane, together with the textile yarns, acts as a porous, flexible and mechanically durable separator. This process was applied to four textiles, including polyester, two polyester-cottons and silk. Carbon-based electrodes were subsequently deposited onto both sides of the textile to form the textile supercapacitors. These supercapacitors achieved a range of areal capacitances between 3.12 and 38.2 mF·cm−2, with energy densities between 0.279 and 0.681 mWh·cm−3 with average power densities of between 0.334 and 0.32 W·cm−3. This novel membrane facilitates the use of thinner textiles for single-layered textile supercapacitors without significantly sacrificing electrochemical performance and will enable future high energy density textile energy storage, from supercapacitors to batteries.
Dry-Matter Loss and Changes in the Chemical Composition of Spruce Wood after Long-Term Storing in the Form of Roundwood
Authors: Hrčka Richard , Kučerová Viera , Hönig Vladimír
Published: August 2022

Wood stock in a warehouse is a necessary precondition for reliable manufacturing. However, wood can degrade and lose the matter during storage. “Dry-matter loss (DML)” is used to quantify the degradation following the changes in mass of a wood substance. The proposed calculation of DML is based on using parallel figures. The calculated loss of spruce wood substance harvested in winter during a six-month period was 4.5%. The estimated annual loss of wood substance was 5.7%. The loss was caused by a factor with a gradually eliminated effect. The changes in the chemical composition of wood substance were not proportional to the original amount of the isolated chemical substances. Hemicelluloses and lignin suffered from the loss faster than there was a change in the DML of spruce wood. Hemicelluloses were the most unstable isolated compound, with an increased rate of change during the first four months. The number of extractives significantly decreased during two months of storage. However, there was an increase in the number of extractives after six months of storage. The loss of cellulose was similar to the DML of spruce wood during the whole time of storage. The FTIR analysis confirmed a decrease in the total crystalline index (TCI) and lateral order index (LOI) of cellulose due to the storage of roundwood.
Designing New Sustainable Polyurethane Adhesives: Influence of the Nature and Content of Diels–Alder Adducts on Their Thermoreversible Behavior
Authors: Quiles-Díaz Susana , Seyler Helga , Ellis Gary J. , Shuttleworth Peter S. , Flores Araceli , Gómez-Fatou Marián A. , Salavagione Horacio J.
Published: August 2022

With a view to the development of new sustainable and functional adhesives, two Diels–Alder (DA) adducts are incorporated as a third component into the curing process of solvent-based and solvent-free polyurethanes in this study. The influence of the nature and content of the DA molecules on the retro-DA (rDA) reaction and its reversibility and cyclability is investigated. It is demonstrated that the bonding/debonding properties of the adhesives are mainly controlled by the concentration of the DA adducts, with a minimum thermoreversible bond (TB) content required that depends on the system and the total ratio between all the diols in the formulation. For the solvent-based system, rDA/DA reversibility can be repeated up to ~20 times without deterioration, in contrast to the solvent-free system where a gradual loss in the DA network reconstruction efficiency is observed. Despite this limitation, the solvent-free system presents clear advantages from an environmental point of view. The changes observed in the physical properties of these new thermoreversible adhesives are of great relevance for recycling strategies and, in particular, their potential for separating multilayered film packaging materials in order to recycle the individual polymer films involved.
Influences of Process Parameters of Near-Field Direct-Writing Melt Electrospinning on Performances of Polycaprolactone/Nano-Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds
Authors: Chen Zhijun , Liu Yanbo , Huang Juan , Hao Ming , Hu Xiaodong , Qian Xiaoming , Fan Jintu , Yang Hongjun , Yang Bo
Published: August 2022

In this paper, near-field direct-writing melt electrospinning technology was employed to fabricate a polycaprolactone/nano-hydroxyapatite (PCL/nHA) scaffold for future applications in tissue engineering. The influences of different fabrication parameters on the structural characteristics, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the scaffolds were discussed. It was found that the moving speed of the receiving plate had the most significant effect on the scaffold performance, followed by the receiving distance and spinning voltage. The results also showed that these process parameters affected the fiber diameter, corresponding coefficient of variation, porosity of the composite scaffolds, and mechanical properties of the samples, including the tensile strength and fiber peeling strength. Moreover, the process parameters could influence the thermal degradation performance and melting process. Although the mass loss of the composite scaffolds was not obvious after degradation, the mechanical performance degraded severely. It was concluded that the more appropriate process parameters for preparing PCL/nHA scaffolds were a spinning voltage of −4 kV, receiving distance of 4 mm, moving speed of receiving plate of 5 mm/s, and melt temperature of 130 °C. This study proved that near-field direct-writing melt electrospinning technology is a good method to obtain PCL/nHA composite scaffolds with an excellent mechanical properties and desired morphology for future tissue engineering applications.
Engineering, Recyclable, and Biodegradable Plastics in the Automotive Industry: A Review
Authors: Vieyra Horacio , Molina-Romero Joan Manuel , Calderón-Nájera Juan de Dios , Santana-Díaz Alfredo
Published: August 2022

The automotive industry has used plastics almost since the beginning. The lightness, flexibility, and many qualities of plastics make them ideal for the automotive industry, reducing cars’ overall weight and fuel consumption. Engineering plastics in this industry belong to the high-performance segment of non-renewable resources. These plastics exhibit higher properties than commodity plastics. Fortunately, unlike recycled commodity plastics, the super properties and high-performance characteristics make engineering plastics effectively reused after recycling. The substitution of these fossil-fuel-derived plastics adds to the solution of lightweighting, a much-needed solution to waste management, and solves industrial and ecological issues surrounding plastic disposal. All major vehicle manufacturers worldwide use bioplastics and bio-based plastics, including natural-fiber composites and engineering plastics reinforced with natural fibers. Changing the source of plastics to raw materials from renewable resources is the logical approach to sustainability. Thus, high-quality plastics, recycled plastics, bio-based plastics, and biodegradable plastics could be exploited from design, making sustainability an integral concept of mobility development. This review analyzes that switching from fossil-fuel- to renewable-sources-derived plastics is a step toward meeting the current environmental goals for the automotive industry, including electric cars.
Synthesis of Biocompatible Composite Material Based on Cryogels of Polyvinyl Alcohol and Calcium Phosphates
Authors: Sadykov Rustam , Lytkina Daria , Stepanova Ksenia , Kurzina Irina
Published: August 2022

At the moment, the field of biomedical materials science is actively developing, which aims at creating new functional materials. A developing direction in biomedical materials science is that towards the treatment of diseases associated with bone tissue disorders, using biodegradable composite materials based on polymer and calcium phosphate materials. We developed a material based on polyvinyl alcohol cryogel, mineralized with calcium phosphate. A material based on cryogel of polyvinyl alcohol mineralized with calcium phosphate was developed. The composites were obtained by the method of cyclic freezing–thawing, and the synthesis of calcium phosphates was carried out in situ with heating, stirring, and exposure to microwave radiation. The phase composition, as well as the composition of functional groups, was determined by IR spectroscopy and X-ray phase analysis. Monocytes isolated from human blood showed higher viability compared to the controls.
Modeling of Hexavalent Chromium Removal with Hydrophobically Modified Cellulose Nanofibers
Authors: Ojembarrena Francisco de Borja , Sánchez-Salvador Jose Luis , Mateo Sergio , Balea Ana , Blanco Angeles , Merayo Noemí , Negro Carlos
Published: August 2022

Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are sustainable nanomaterials, obtained by the mechanical disintegration of cellulose, whose properties make them an interesting adsorbent material due to their high specific area and active groups. CNF are easily functionalized to optimize the performance for different uses. The hypothesis of this work is that hydrophobization can be used to improve their ability as adsorbents. Therefore, hydrophobic CNF was applied to adsorb hexavalent chromium from wastewater. CNF was synthetized by TEMPO-mediated oxidation, followed by mechanical disintegration. Hydrophobization was performed using methyl trimetoxysilane (MTMS) as a hydrophobic coating agent. The adsorption treatment of hexavalent chromium with hydrophobic CNF was optimized by studying the influence of contact time, MTMS dosage (0–3 mmol·g−1 CNF), initial pH of the wastewater (3–9), initial chromium concentration (0.10–50 mg·L−1), and adsorbent dosage (250–1000 mg CNF·L−1). Furthermore, the corresponding adsorption mechanism was identified. Complete adsorption of hexavalent chromium was achieved with CNF hydrophobized with 1.5 mmol MTMS·g−1 CNF with the faster adsorption kinetic, which proved the initial hypothesis that hydrophobic CNF improves the adsorption capacity of hydrophilic CNF. The optimal adsorption conditions were pH 3 and the adsorbent dosage was over 500 mg·L−1. The maximum removal was found for the initial concentrations of hexavalent chromium below 1 mg·L−1 and a maximum adsorption capacity of 70.38 mg·g−1 was achieved. The kinetic study revealed that pseudo-second order kinetics was the best fitting model at a low concentration while the intraparticle diffusion model fit better for higher concentrations, describing a multi-step mechanism of hexavalent chromium onto the adsorbent surface. The Freundlich isotherm was the best adjustment model.
Synthesis, Chemical and Biomedical Aspects of the Use of Sulfated Chitosan
Authors: Bolshakov I. N. , Gornostaev L. M. , Fominykh O. I. , Svetlakov A. V.
Published: August 2022

This work is devoted to the chemical synthesis of sulfated chitosan and its experimental verification in an animal model of early atherosclerosis. The method of chitosan quaternization with sulfate-containing ingredients resulted in a product with a high content of sulfate groups. Implantation of this product into the fascial-muscular sheath of the main limb artery along the leg and thigh in rabbits led to the extraction of cholesterol from the subintimal region. Simplified methods for the chemical synthesis of quaternized sulfated chitosan and the use of these products in a model of experimental atherosclerosis made it possible to perform a comparative morphological analysis of the vascular walls of the experimental and control limbs under conditions of a long-term high-cholesterol diet. The sulfated chitosan samples after implantation were shown to change the morphological pattern of the intimal and middle membranes of the experimental limb artery. The implantation led to the degradation of soft plaques within 30 days after surgical intervention, which significantly increased collateral blood flow. The implantation of sulfated chitosan into the local area of the atherosclerotic lesions in the artery can regulate the cholesterol content in the vascular wall and destroy soft plaques in the subintimal region.
THC and CO Emissions from Diesel Engines Using Biodiesel Produced from Residual Frying Oil by Non-Thermal Plasma Technology
Authors: Cubas Anelise Leal Vieira , Moecke Elisa Helena Siegel , Ferreira Franciele Mendonça , Osório Fernando da Silva
Published: August 2022

Research aimed at finding alternative fuels to replace petroleum diesel (petrodiesel) used in controlled combustion engines (CCEs) has identified biodiesel as one of the main candidates, due to its sustainability and potential for use in energy matrices. In this study, the gas emissions from a diesel CCE were investigated, with a focus on total hydrocarbons (THC) and carbon monoxide (CO). Biodiesel (B100) samples derived from the transesterification of frying oil, produced applying conventional chemical catalysis (CC) or non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology, were tested as alternative fuels. Three engine rotation speeds were investigated (900, 1500, and 2500 rpm) and biodiesel samples obtained from the residual frying oil were compared with conventional road diesel (S-500) without biodiesel added, acquired from a gas station. Blends were also prepared with S-500 and B100 obtained applying NTP for 15 or 30 min, in mixes containing 2, 12, 20, and 50% of biodiesel. These blends showed reductions in THC and CO emissions of 62% and 80%, respectively, compared with the emissions for 100% S-500. Thus, biodiesel produced from frying oil offers low emissions of CO and THC, highlighting the potential for reductions using biodiesel produced applying the NTP technology.
Introduction: Critical Approaches to ‘Religion’ in Japan: Case Studies and Redescriptions
Authors: Horii Mitsutoshi
Published: August 2022

This Special Issue of the online open access journal Religions is entitled “Critical Approaches to ‘Religion’ in Japan: Case Studies and Redescriptions” [...]
The Change in Net Ecosystem Productivity and its Driving Mechanism in a Mountain Ecosystem of Arid Regions, Northwest China
Authors: Wang Chuan , Zhao Wenzhi , Zhang Yongyong
Published: August 2022

During the past several decades, the carbon budget in the dryland ecosystem has experienced great variation under the joint impact of climate change and anthropogenic interference. How the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) responds to climate change and human interference in the Qilian Mountains (QLM), Northwest China, remains unclear. To fill these gaps, we first estimated the NEP in the QLM and then quantified the independent and interactive influences of natural environment factors, climatic factors, and human activity intensity on the NEP change from 2000 to 2020 by linking the Geodetector and structural equation models. The NEP of the QLM showed a significant increase during the recent 20 years, and 78.93% of the QLM experienced a significant increase in NEP; while only 4.83% of the area in the QLM experienced a decreasing trend, which is dominantly located on the southeast edge, surrounding the Qinghai Lake, and the midland of the QLM. The area percentage of the carbon sink region increased from 47% in 2000 to 62% in 2020. The natural environment factors (e.g., altitude and soil type) and climate factors (e.g., temperature and precipitation) were the dominant factors that determine the spatial distribution of NEP. Compared with a single factor, the interaction of pairs of factors enhanced the influence strength on NEP. The natural environment factors indirectly affected NEP change through influencing human activities intensity and climatic factors. Human activities intensity played a medium indirectly negative effect on NEP, while climatic factors exerted strong direct and indirect positive influences on NEP. The contributions of human activity intensity, climatic factors, and natural environment on NEP change in the QLM were 33.5%, 62.3%, and 38.3%, respectively. Overall, warming and wetting shifts in meteorological conditions offset the negative impact of human activities on NEP in the QLM, and the QLM has acted as a growing carbon sink in the past 20 years.
Late Cenozoic to Present Kinematic of the North to Eastern Iran Orogen: Accommodating Opposite Sense of Fault Blocks Rotation
Authors: Rashidi Ahmad , Shahpasandzadeh Majid , Braitenberg Carla
Published: August 2022

The opposite-sense fault block rotation across the continental strike-slip faulting plays an important role in accommodating crustal deformation in the north of the East Iran orogen. This research constrains the post-Neogene kinematics of the NW-SE to E-W left-lateral transpressional zones at the northern termination of the N-S striking right-lateral Neh fault system in the East Iran orogen. Using two case studies, we analyzed the NW-SE Birjand splay and the E-W Shekarab transpression zone by analysis of satellite images, structural features, fault geometry and kinematics, GPS (Global Positioning System) velocities, fault- and earthquake-slip stress inversion, and paleomagnetic data. Our results show two distinctive regions of opposite-sense fault block rotations and with different rotation rates. As an asymmetric arc, the Birjand splay displays a transition from the prevailing N-S right lateral shear in the east to NW-SE left lateral transpression in the middle and E-W left lateral shear in the west. In the east, with clockwise fault block rotation, the N-S right lateral faults and the NW-SE oblique left-lateral reverse faults constitute push-ups through the restraining fault bends. In the west, with counterclockwise fault block rotation, the Shekarab transpression zone is associated with the duplex, pop-up, and shear folds. Our suggested kinematic model reveals that the N-S right-lateral shear is consumed on the left-lateral transpressional zones through the vertical axis fault block rotation. This led to an E-W shortening and N-S along-strike lengthening in the East Iran orogen. This research improves our understanding of how opposite fault block rotations accommodate India- and Eurasia-Arabia convergence in the north of the East Iran orogen. The suggested model has implications in the kinematic evolution of intra-plate strike-slip faulting through continental collision tectonics.
Impacts of Transportation Networks on the Landscape Patterns—A Case Study of Shanghai
Authors: Chang Xueli , Huang Xiaoyu , Jiang Xuchen , Xiao Rui
Published: August 2022

During 1995–2010, a comparison of the comprehensive effects of four different types of urban roads on landscape diversity in Shanghai was performed. Remote sensing images from 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010 and the transfer matrix mathematical model were used to conduct the research, which focused on studying the rule of land use change in the study area over the past 15 years. Seven different landscape indices (SHDI, SHEI, ED, NP, TE, AWMSI, and MSI) were also selected to analyze the landscape pattern of Shanghai in three different periods and to explore the regularity of its dynamic changes and influential factors. Buffer analysis and statistical analyses were applied to represent the relationship between the distance from different roads quantitatively (e.g., railway, highway, national highway, and provincial highway) and a series of landscape pattern metrics (e.g., SHDI, PD, ED, and IJI) thus exploring the influence of transportation routes on the surrounding ecological environment. The results showed that (1) each type of landscape in the study area changed considerably during the research periods, a great amount of cultivated land was transformed into construction land, and the water area largely decreased. (2) The transportation routes exerted different impacts on the road landscape during different periods, and the effects were more obvious at the early stage of road construction. (3) The national way and the highway influenced the patch density (PD) index and edge density (ED) index more clearly, while the national way and the railway had greater effects on the landscape diversity indices. This study presents an approach that can be applied to quantitatively describe the impacts of transportation routes on landscape patterns and has the potential to facilitate route network planning.
Encoding Contextual Information by Interlacing Transformer and Convolution for Remote Sensing Imagery Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Li Xin , Xu Feng , Xia Runliang , Li Tao , Chen Ziqi , Wang Xinyuan , Xu Zhennan , Lyu Xin
Published: August 2022

Contextual information plays a pivotal role in the semantic segmentation of remote sensing imagery (RSI) due to the imbalanced distributions and ubiquitous intra-class variants. The emergence of the transformer intrigues the revolution of vision tasks with its impressive scalability in establishing long-range dependencies. However, the local patterns, such as inherent structures and spatial details, are broken with the tokenization of the transformer. Therefore, the ICTNet is devised to confront the deficiencies mentioned above. Principally, ICTNet inherits the encoder–decoder architecture. First of all, Swin Transformer blocks (STBs) and convolution blocks (CBs) are deployed and interlaced, accompanied by encoded feature aggregation modules (EFAs) in the encoder stage. This design allows the network to learn the local patterns and distant dependencies and their interactions simultaneously. Moreover, multiple DUpsamplings (DUPs) followed by decoded feature aggregation modules (DFAs) form the decoder of ICTNet. Specifically, the transformation and upsampling loss are shrunken while recovering features. Together with the devised encoder and decoder, the well-rounded context is captured and contributes to the inference most. Extensive experiments are conducted on the ISPRS Vaihingen, Potsdam and DeepGlobe benchmarks. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations exhibit the competitive performance of ICTNet compared to mainstream and state-of-the-art methods. Additionally, the ablation study of DFA and DUP is implemented to validate the effects.
A Multi-Feature Framework for Quantifying Information Content of Optical Remote Sensing Imagery
Authors: Silong Luo , Xiaoguang Zhou , Dongyang Hou , Ali Nawaz , Qiankun Kang , Sijia Wang
Published: August 2022

Quantifying the information content of remote sensing images is considered to be a fundamental task in quantitative remote sensing. Traditionally, the grayscale entropy designed by Shannon’s information theory cannot capture the spatial structure of images, which has prompted successive proposals of a series of neighborhood-based improvement schemes. However, grayscale or neighborhood-based spatial structure is only a basic feature of the image, and the spatial structure should be divided into the overall structure and the local structure and separately characterized. For this purpose, a multi-feature quantification framework for image information content is proposed. Firstly, the information content of optical remote sensing images is measured based on grayscale, contrast, neighborhood-based topology, and spatial distribution features instead of simple grayscale or spatial structure. Secondly, the entropy metrics of the different features are designed to quantify the uncertainty of images in terms of both pixel and spatial structure. Finally, a weighted model is used to calculate the comprehensive information content of the image. The experimental results confirm that the proposed method can effectively measure the multi-feature information content, including the overall and local spatial structure. Compared with state-of-the-art entropy models, our approach is the first study to systematically consider the multiple features of image information content based on Shannon entropy. It is comparable to existing models in terms of thermodynamic consistency. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of information theory methods in measuring the information content of optical remote sensing images.
Warming Trend and Cloud Responses over the Indochina Peninsula during Monsoon Transition
Authors: Kueh Mien-Tze , Lin Chuan-Yao
Published: August 2022

An exacerbated precipitation–temperature relationship can lead to compound extremes. The role of clouds in such a relationship is relatively uncertain. Here, we investigate the cloud–precipitation–temperature relationships over the Indochina Peninsula during the summer monsoon transition. The negative correlation between cloudiness/precipitation and surface maximum temperature is valid on seasonal and interannual timescales. The near-surface temperature exhibits interdecadal variability and a long-term warming trend. The warming trend has accelerated in the past two decades. In the anomalous warm years, the remarkably strong western Pacific subtropical high inhibits the development of clouds, especially the middle and high cloud-top regimes, leading to the suppression of deep convection and precipitation. There are more optically thin (moderate to thick) clouds with smaller (larger) effective radii in the high cloud-top regime for the warm (cold) years. The dominance of shallow cumulus is a distinct feature in the warm years. The daytime heating of enhanced surface insolation due to decreased cloudiness is worsened by the dry condition of the precipitation deficit. The water vapor warming effect can prevent an efficient drop in nighttime temperature, thereby exacerbating the warm condition under the warming trend. The cloud–precipitation–temperature relationships coupling with the monsoon development can be used to diagnose the regional scale cloud–climate interactions in climate models.
Towards NGGM: Laser Tracking Instrument for the Next Generation of Gravity Missions
Authors: Nicklaus Kolja , Voss Kai , Feiri Anne , Kaufer Marina , Dahl Christian , Herding Mark , Curzadd Bailey Allen , Baatzsch Andreas , Flock Johanna , Weller Markus , Müller Vitali , Heinzel Gerhard , Misfeldt Malte , Delgado Juan Jose Esteban
Published: August 2022

The precise tracking of distance variations between two satellites in low Earth orbit can provide key data for the understanding of the Earth’s system, specifically on seasonal and sub-seasonal water cycles and their impact on water levels. Measured distance variations, caused by local variations in gravitational field, serve as inputs to complex gravity models with which the movement of water on the globe can be identified. Satellite missions GOCE (2009–2013) and GRACE (2002–2017) delivered a significant improvement to our understanding of spatial and temporal gravity variations. Since 2018, GRACE Follow-On has been providing data continuity and features for the first time through the use of a laser interferometer as the technology demonstrator, in addition to a microwave ranging system as the main instrument. The laser interferometer provides an orders-of-magnitude lower measurement noise, and thereby could enable a significant improvement in the measurement of geoids if combined with suitable improvements in auxiliary instrumentation and Earth system modelling. In order to exploit the improved ranging performance, the ESA is investigating the design of a ‘Next Generation Gravity Mission’, consisting of two pairs of satellites with laser interferometers, improved accelerometers and improved platform performance. In this paper, we present the current design of the laser interferometer developed by us, the development status of the individual instrument units and the options available.