bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Oral Iron Supplementation on Cognitive Function among Children and Adolescents in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Zekun , Yang Huanhuan , Wang Dongqing , Sudfeld Christopher R. , Zhao Ai , Xin Yiqian , Chen Jiawen Carmen , Fawzi Wafaie W. , Xing Yan , Li Zhihui
Published: December 2022

Background: There is abundant evidence showing that iron deficiency is closely linked with delayed brain development, worse school performance, and behavioral abnormalities. However, evidence on the impact of iron supplementation among children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been inconsistent. This study aims to examine the effect of oral iron supplementation on cognitive function among children and adolescents in LMICs. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the impact of iron supplementation on cognitive function (including intelligence, attention, short-term memory, long-term memory, and school performance) among children and adolescents aged 5 to 19. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and references of related articles published from the inception of the databases to 1 May 2022. Random-effects pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the effect of iron supplementation on cognitive function. We also investigated the heterogeneity of the effects using subgroup and meta-regression analyses. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020179064). Results: Nine studies with 1196 individual participants from five countries were identified and included. Iron had a positive impact on intelligence test scores among children and adolescents (SMD = 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10, 0.83). Meta-regression showed that the intelligence test scores improved with increasing the iron supplement dose (odds ratio [CI] = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.04). There were no significant effects on attention, short-term memory, long-term memory, or school performance. Conclusions: Oral iron intake can improve the intelligence test scores of children and adolescents in LMICs and should be considered for future nutritional interventions.
Gut Microbiota and Enteral Nutrition Tolerance in Non-Abdominal Infection Septic ICU Patients: An Observational Study
Authors: Xu Wen , Zhong Ming , Pan Tingting , Qu Hongping , Chen Erzhen
Published: December 2022

Background: The effect of gut microbiota on enteral nutrition tolerance in critically ill patients is unclear. Methods: Non-abdominal sepsis patients in an ICU, sorted by whether they reached 20 Kcal/kg/day on the 3rd day of EN, were divided into tolerance and intolerance groups. Their feces on day 1 and day 3 of EN initiation were collected for 16s rDNA and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) testing. Results: There were 14 patients included in the tolerance group and 10 in the intolerance group. On EN day 1, the OTUs and microbiota diversity were higher in the tolerance group than in the intolerance group. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes was higher in the intolerance group on EN day 1. The genus Parabacteroides were the most significantly elevated in the tolerance group. On EN day 3, the genus Escherichia-Shigella was the most significantly elevated in the tolerance group. On EN day 3, the levels of SCFA decreased more significantly in the intolerance group. Conclusion: Enteral nutrition tolerance is associated with microbiota features and short-chain fatty acid levels. A higher ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and microbiota diversity on EN day 1 may help in the early prediction of EN tolerance.
Sesquiterpenoids from the Florets of Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) and Their Anti-Atherosclerotic Activity
Authors: Li Lei , Liu Juan , Li Xinrui , Guo Yuqin , Fan Yunqiu , Shu Hongzhen , Wu Guangxu , Peng Cheng , Xiong Liang
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: The florets of Carthamus tinctorius L. are traditionally used as a blood-activating drug and can be used for the treatment of atherosclerosis, but no compounds with anti-atherosclerotic activity have been reported. (2) Methods: This study investigated the chemical compounds from the florets of C. tinctorius. Comprehensive spectroscopic techniques revealed their structures, and ECD calculations established their absolute configurations. Nile Red staining, Oil Red O staining, and cholesterol assessment were performed on these compounds and their aglycones for the inhibitory activity against the formation of foam cells induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in RAW264.7 macrophages. In addition, RAW264.7 macrophages were tested for their anti-inflammatory activity by measuring the inhibition of NO production caused by LPS. (3) Results: Five new sesquiterpenoids (1–5) isolated from the florets of C. tinctorius were identified as (–)-(1R,4S,9S,11R)-caryophyll-8(13)-en-14-ol-5-one (1), (+)-(1R,4R,9S,11R)-caryophyll-8(13)-en-14-ol-5-one (2), (–)-(3Z,1R,5S,8S,9S,11R)-5,8-epoxycaryophyll-3-en-14-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), (+)-(1S,7R,10S)-guai-4-en-3-one-11-O-β-D-fucopyranoside (4), and (–)-(2R,5R,10R)-vetispir-6-en-8-one-11-O-β-D-fucopyranoside (5). All compounds except for compound 3 reduced the lipid content in ox-LDL-treated RAW264.7 cells. Compounds 3 and 4 and their aglycones were found to reduce the level of total cholesterol (TC) and free cholesterol (FC) in ox-LDL-treated RAW264.7 cells. However, no compounds showed anti-inflammatory activity. (4) Conclusion: Sesquiterpenoids from C. tinctorius help to decrease the content of lipids, TC and FC in RAW264.7 cells, but they cannot inhibit NO production, which implies that their anti-atherogenic effects do not involve the inhibition of inflammation.
rCsHscB Derived from Clonorchis sinensis: A Carcinogenic Liver Fluke Ameliorates LPS-Induced Acute Hepatic Injury by Repression of Inflammation
Authors: Zhang Bo , Fan Chunyang , Tan Qi , Zhang Yuzhao , Jiang Qing , Yu Qian , Zhang Beibei , Zheng Kuiyang , Yan Chao
Published: December 2022

Sepsis-associated acute liver injury caused by spillovers of bacteria and endotoxins (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) into the liver remains a public health issue due to the lack of specific therapeutic approaches. Previous studies showed that the recombinant protein HscB (rCsHscB) of Clonorchis sinensis, a carcinogenic liver fluke, had an anti-inflammatory effect and could alleviate inflammatory diseases such as enteritis; however, whether it can prevent sepsis-associated acute liver injury induced by LPS is still unknown. In our current study, the therapeutic effects and the potential mechanisms of rCsHscB on LPS-induced acute liver injury were investigated both in vivo and in vitro. The data showed that rCsHscB prevented LPS-induced liver damage, as demonstrated by histopathological observation and hepatic damage markers (the activities of serum ALT and AST) in a murine model of sepsis-associated acute liver injury. rCsHscB also significantly reversed the high levels of serum IL-6 and MCP-1 induced by LPS. In addition, rCsHscB attenuated the production of LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and TNF-α, in a macrophage cell line-RAW264.7, through possible mediation by the MAPK signaling pathway in vitro. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that rCsHscB derived from a fluke C. sinensis protects against sepsis-associated acute liver injury induced by LPS, which may be attributed to the inhibition of the MAPK signaling pathway. Our present study provides a potential therapeutic strategy for sepsis-associated acute liver injury.
Real-World Comparative Evaluation of Add-On Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist in Type 2 Diabetes Treated with or without Insulin
Authors: Chou Hsuan-Wen , Cheng Kai-Pi , Lin An-Chi , Hung Hao-Chang , Lin Ching-Han , Wang Chih-Chen , Wu Hung-Tsung , Ou Horng-Yih
Published: December 2022

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) is a potent antidiabetic agent with cardiorenal and weight-losing benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The combination of GLP-1 RA with basal insulin has been suggested in several clinical studies as a useful treatment for intensifying insulin therapy in T2D. However, there has been no real-world evidence study comparing the glycemic effects of GLP-1 RAs add-on to background treatment with and without insulin. A retrospective study was performed in 358 patients with T2D who initiated liraglutide or dulaglutide. Among them, 147 patients were prior and concurrent insulin users, and 211 patients were non-insulin users. After 12 months of GLP-1 RA treatment, the changes in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C) and body weight were evaluated. The effectiveness of GLP-1 RAs on HbA1C reduction was greater in insulin users than non-insulin users at 12 months (−1.17% vs. −0.76%; p = 0.018). There was no significant difference in body weight change between insulin users and non-insulin users at 12 months (−1.42 kg vs. −1.87 kg; p = 0.287). The proportion of responders (decrease of HbA1C > 1%) in insulin users was much higher than that in non-insulin users (48% vs. 37 %; p = 0.04). In insulin users, those who had increased insulin dosage at 12 months had significantly less HbA1C reduction than that of non-increased patients (−0.62% vs. −1.57%; p = 0.001). GLP-1 RAs provide superior glucose-lowering effects in insulin-treated patients compared with non-insulin-treated patients with T2D without significant differences in body weight decrease.
MUPS Tableting—Comparison between Crospovidone and Microcrystalline Cellulose Core Pellets
Authors: Thio Daniel Robin , Heng Paul Wan Sia , Chan Lai Wah
Published: December 2022

Multi-unit pellet system (MUPS) tablets were fabricated by compacting drug-loaded pellets of either crospovidone or microcrystalline cellulose core. These pellets were produced by extrusion-spheronization and coated with ethylcellulose (EC) for a sustained drug release function. Coat damage due to the MUPS tableting process could undermine the sustained release function of the EC-coated pellets. Deformability of the pellet core is a factor that can impact the extent of pellet coat damage. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the relative performance of drug-loaded pellets prepared with either microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) or crospovidone (XPVP) as a spheronization aid and were comparatively evaluated for their ability to withstand EC pellet coat damage when compacted. These pellets were tableted at various compaction pressures and pellet volume fractions. The extent of pellet coat damage was assessed by the change in drug release after compaction. The findings from this study demonstrated that pellets spheronized with XPVP had slightly less favorable physical properties and experienced comparatively more pellet coat damage than the pellets with MCC. However, MUPS tablets of reasonable quality could successfully be produced from pellets with XPVP, albeit their performance did not match that of vastly mechanically stronger pellets with MCC at higher compaction pressure.
Preliminary Assessment of Intramuscular Depot of Lipid-Based Decoquinate Formulation for Long-Term Chemoprophylaxis of Malaria
Authors: Fan Yinzhou , Qin Li , Huang Zhenping , Liang Shuanghong , Huang Xiaoyi , Zeng Sumei , Liu Yucheng , Wang Hongxing
Published: December 2022

Sustained-release formulations of decoquinate were evaluated for the long-term prophylaxis of malaria. In the initial experiment, mice were protected from liver-stage Plasmodium infection by intramuscular administration of a lipids-based formulation at a dose of decoquinate 200 mg/kg. The mice that were inoculated with Plasmodium berghei sporozoites 34 days after the administration of a one-time drug dose were continuously monitored for 60 days and shown to be free of Plasmodium parasites. The optimized formulation for the sustained release of decoquinate was prepared by hot melt extrusion, constructed by lipids including cholesterol and mono or diglycerides, and had a drug load of 20 to 40% and particle size of 30 to 50 μm. Decoquinate of the lipids-based formulation was slowly released in vitro at a constant rate for the duration of two months, and was examined and continuously exposed at a therapeutic level in the blood for as long as 4 to 6 months. Further evaluation showed that the lipids-based formulation at doses of decoquinate 100 to 150 mg/kg could protect mice from Plasmodium infection for a period of 120 days. It is the first time that cholesterol has been used for a controlled drug delivery system of decoquinate. The results may provide useful information, not only for preparing a formulation of long-acting decoquinate but also in general for developing a controlled drug release system. The one-time administration of pharmaceutical agents in such a slow-release system may serve patients with no concerns about compliance.
Expandable Drug Delivery Systems Based on Shape Memory Polymers: Impact of Film Coating on Mechanical Properties and Release and Recovery Performance
Authors: Uboldi Marco , Pasini Chiara , Pandini Stefano , Baldi Francesco , Briatico-Vangosa Francesco , Inverardi Nicoletta , Maroni Alessandra , Moutaharrik Saliha , Melocchi Alice , Gazzaniga Andrea , Zema Lucia
Published: December 2022

Retentive drug delivery systems (DDSs) are intended for prolonged residence and release inside hollow muscular organs, to achieve either local or systemic therapeutic goals. Recently, formulations based on shape memory polymers (SMPs) have gained attention in view of their special ability to recover a shape with greater spatial encumbrance at the target organ (e.g., urinary bladder or stomach), triggered by contact with biological fluids at body temperature. In this work, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), a pharmaceutical-grade SMP previously shown to be an interesting 4D printing candidate, was employed to fabricate expandable organ-retentive prototypes by hot melt extrusion. With the aim of improving the mechanical resistance of the expandable DDS and slowing down relevant drug release, the application of insoluble permeable coatings based on either Eudragit® RS/RL or Eudragit® NE was evaluated using simple I-shaped specimens. The impact of the composition and thickness of the coating on the shape memory, swelling, and release behavior as well as on the mechanical properties of these specimens was thoroughly investigated and the effectiveness of the proposed strategy was demonstrated by the results obtained.
Surface Properties of the Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Substrate Modified with the Phospholipid-Polypeptide-Antioxidant Films: Design of Functional Biocoatings
Authors: Szafran Klaudia , Jurak Małgorzata , Mroczka Robert , Wiącek Agnieszka Ewa
Published: December 2022

Surface properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) coated with the ternary monolayers of the phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), the immunosuppressant cyclosporine A (CsA), and the antioxidant lauryl gallate (LG) were examined. The films were deposited, by means of the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique, on activated by air low temperature plasma PET plates (PETair). Their topography and surface chemistry were determined with the help of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), respectively, while wettability was evaluated by the contact angle measurements. Then, the surface free energy and its components were calculated from the Lifshitz–van der Waals/Acid–Base (LWAB) approach. The AFM imaging showed that the Langmuir monolayers were transferred effectively and yielded smoothing of the PETair surface. Mass spectrometry confirmed compatibility of the quantitative and qualitative compositions of the monolayers before and after the transfer onto the substrate. Moreover, the molecular arrangement in the LB films and possible mechanisms of DOPC-CsA-LG interactions were determined. The wettability studies provided information on the type and magnitude of the interactions that can occur between the biocoatings and the liquids imitating different environments. It was found that the changes from open to closed conformation of CsA molecules are driven by the hydrophobic environment ensured by the surrounding DOPC and LG molecules. This process is of significance to drug delivery where the CsA molecules can be released directly from the biomaterial surface by passive diffusion. The obtained results showed that the chosen techniques are complementary for the characterization of the molecular organization of multicomponent LB films at the polymer substrate as well as for designing biocompatible coatings with precisely defined wettability.
Deferasirox Nanosuspension Loaded Dissolving Microneedles for Intradermal Delivery
Authors: Faizi Hafsa Shahid , Vora Lalitkumar K. , Nasiri Muhammad Iqbal , Wu Yu , Mishra Deepakkumar , Anjani Qonita Kurnia , Paredes Alejandro J. , Thakur Raghu Raj Singh , Minhas Muhammad Usman , Donnelly Ryan F.
Published: December 2022

Microneedles are minimally invasive systems that can deliver drugs intradermally without pain and bleeding and can advantageously replace the hypodermal needles and oral routes of delivery. Deferasirox (DFS) is an iron chelator employed in several ailments where iron overload plays an important role in disease manifestation. In this study, DFS was formulated into a nanosuspension (NSs) through wet media milling employing PVA as a stabilizer and successfully loaded in polymeric dissolving microneedles (DMNs). The release studies for DFS-NS clearly showed a threefold increased dissolution rate compared to pure DFS. The mechanical characterization of DFS-NS-DMNs revealed that the system was sufficiently strong for efficacious skin penetration. Optical coherence tomography images confirmed an insertion of up to 378 µm into full-thickness porcine skin layers. The skin deposition studies showed 60% drug deposition from NS-DMN, which was much higher than from the DFS-NS transdermal patch (DFS-NS-TP) (without needles) or pure DFS-DMNs. Moreover, DFS-NS without DMNs did not deposit well inside the skin, indicating that DMNs played an important role in effectively delivering drugs inside the skin. Therefore, it is evident from the findings that loading DFS-NS into novel DMN devices can effectively deliver DFS transdermally.
Development and Pharmacokinetics of a Novel Acetylsalicylic Acid Dry Powder for Pulmonary Administration
Authors: Pacławski Adam , Politis Stavros , Balafas Evangelos , Mina Ekaterini , Papakyriakopoulou Paraskevi , Christodoulou Eirini , Kostomitsopoulos Nikolaos , Rekkas Dimitrios M. , Valsami Georgia , Giovagnoli Stefano
Published: December 2022

Aspirin is an historic blockbuster product, and it has been proposed in a wide range of formulas. Due to exacerbation risks, the pulmonary route has been seldom considered as an alternative to conventional treatments. Only recently, owing to overt advantages, inhalable acetylsalicylic acid dry powders (ASA DPI) began to be considered as an option. In this work, we developed a novel highly performing inhalable ASA DPI using a nano spray-drying technique and leucine as an excipient and evaluated its pharmacokinetics compared with oral administration. The formulation obtained showed remarkable respirability and quality features. Serum and lung ASA DPI profiles showed faster presentation in blood and higher retention compared with oral administration. The dry powder was superior to the DPI suspension. The relative bioavailability in serum and lungs claimed superiority of ASA DPI over oral administration, notwithstanding a fourfold lower pulmonary dose. The obtained ASA DPI formulation shows promising features for the treatment of inflammatory and infectious lung pathologies.
Optical Fiber Biosensors for Protein Detection: A Review
Authors: Lyu Shuhan , Wu Zheyu , Shi Xinghua , Wu Qian
Published: December 2022

Proteins play an important role in organisms. The fast and high-accuracy detection of proteins is demanded in various fields, such as healthcare, food safty, and biosecurity, especially in the background of the globally raging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Optical fiber sensors have great potential for protein detection due to the excellent characteristics of high sensitivity, miniaturization, and capability for remote monitoring. Over the past decades, a large number of structures have been investigated and proposed. This paper begins with an overview of different fiber sensing structures for protein detection according to the fundamental sensing mechanisms. The overview is classified into four sections, including intensity-modulation, phase-modulation, scattering, and fluorescence. In each section, we reviewed the recent advances of fiber protein sensors and compared their performance, such as sensitivity and limit of detection. And then we analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the four kinds of biosensors. Finally, the paper concludes with the challenges faced and possible future development of optical fiber protein biosensors for further study.
Transversal Kerr Effect Enhancement of Permalloy-Based Shallow Lamellar Magnetoplasmonic Crystals
Authors: Murzin Dmitry , Belyaev Victor , Kern Johannes , Kaspar Corinna , Pernice Wolfram H. , Bratschitsch Rudolf , Rodionova Valeria
Published: December 2022

This work demonstrates spectral dependencies of reflectivity and the transversal Kerr effect of a series of permalloy magnetoplasmonic crystals based on shallow lamellar diffraction gratings with a period of 500 nm, stripe’s width of 250 nm, and diffraction stripes’ heights of 28, 43, 67, and 88 nm. The fabricated magnetoplasmonic crystals show a monotonic increase of the transversal Kerr effect and the diffraction figure-of-merit with higher diffraction stripes. The maximum achieved modulation value of the transversal Kerr effect was found to be 0.78%, which can be further tuned by the periodicity and stripes width of the magnetoplasmonic crystals.
On Momentum Operators Given by Killing Vectors Whose Integral Curves Are Geodesics
Authors: Schürmann Thomas
Published: December 2022

The paper considers momentum operators on intrinsically curved manifolds. Given that momentum operators are Killing vector fields whose integral curves are geodesics, the corresponding manifold is flat or of the compact type with positive constant sectional curvature and dimensions equal to 1, 3, or 7. Explicit representations of momentum operators and the associated Casimir element are discussed for the 3-sphere S3. It is verified that the structural constants of the underlying Lie algebra are proportional to 2 ℏ/R, where R is the curvature radius of S3 and ℏ is the reduced Planck’s constant. This results in a countable energy and momentum spectrum of freely moving particles in S3. The maximal resolution of the possible momenta is given by the de Broglie wave length, λR=πR, which is identical to the diameter of the manifold. The corresponding covariant position operators are defined in terms of geodesic normal coordinates, and the associated commutator relations of position and momentum are established.
Plant Cell Wall Integrity Perturbations and Priming for Defense
Authors: Swaminathan Sivakumar , Lionetti Vincenzo , Zabotina Olga A.
Published: December 2022

A plant cell wall is a highly complex structure consisting of networks of polysaccharides, proteins, and polyphenols that dynamically change during growth and development in various tissues. The cell wall not only acts as a physical barrier but also dynamically responds to disturbances caused by biotic and abiotic stresses. Plants have well-established surveillance mechanisms to detect any cell wall perturbations. Specific immune signaling pathways are triggered to contrast biotic or abiotic forces, including cascades dedicated to reinforcing the cell wall structure. This review summarizes the recent developments in molecular mechanisms underlying maintenance of cell wall integrity in plant–pathogen and parasitic interactions. Subjects such as the effect of altered expression of endogenous plant cell-wall-related genes or apoplastic expression of microbial cell-wall-modifying enzymes on cell wall integrity are covered. Targeted genetic modifications as a tool to study the potential of cell wall elicitors, priming of signaling pathways, and the outcome of disease resistance phenotypes are also discussed. The prime importance of understanding the intricate details and complete picture of plant immunity emerges, ultimately to engineer new strategies to improve crop productivity and sustainability.
Evaluation of the Fungicidal Effect of Some Commercial Disinfectant and Sterilizer Agents Formulated as Soluble Liquid against Sclerotium rolfsii Infected Tomato Plant
Authors: Hussien Rania A. A. , Gnedy Mai M. A. , Sayed Ali A. S. , Bondok Ahmed , Alkhalifah Dalal Hussien M. , Elkelish Amr , Tawfik Moataz M.
Published: December 2022

Globally, root rot disease of tomato plants caused by Sclerotium rolfsii is a severe disease leading to the death of infected plants. The effect of some commercial antiseptics and disinfectant agents, such as chloroxylenol (10%), phenic (10%) and formulated phenol (7%) on the control of root rot pathogen and its impact on growth and chemical constituents of tomato seedlings cv. Castle Rock were investigated in vitro and in vivo. The antifungal activity was measured in vitro following the poisoned food technique at different concentrations of 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 µL/L. Disinfectant agents and atrio (80%) were tested in vivo by soaking 20-day-old tomato seedlings in four concentrations of 125, 250, 500 and 1000 µL/100 mL water for 5 min and thereafter planting in soil infested by S. rolfsii. Fresh and dry weight, shoot and root length, and chemical constituents of tomato seedlings infected by S. rolfsii were investigated at 35 days after planting (DAP). Experimental results indicated that chloroxylenol (10%) was the most effective on fungus in vitro, recorded an effective concentration (EC50 = 1347.74 µL/L) followed by phenic (10%) (EC50 = 1370.52 µL/L) and formulated phenol (7%) (EC50 = 1553.59 µL/L). In vivo, atrio (80%) and disinfectant agents at different concentrations significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced disease incidence, increased shoot and root lengths and increased dry and fresh weight. Additionally, it significantly increased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total carotenoids, total carbohydrates, total proteins, and total phenols. The highest reduction of root rot incidence and increase tomato growth parameters, as well as chemical compositions, were recorded on tomato seedlings treated with atrio (80%) as well as formulated phenol (7%) at different concentrations, followed by chloroxylenol (10%) at 125 and 250 µL/100 mL, whereas phenic (10%) was found to be the least effective treatment. Therefore, the application of formulated phenol (7%) could be commercially used to control tomato root rot diseases and increase the quality and quantity of tomato plants since it is promising against the pathogen, safe, and less expensive than fungicides.
Growth and Biochemical Composition of Microgreens Grown in Different Formulated Soilless Media
Authors: Saleh Roksana , Gunupuru Lokanadha R. , Lada Rajasekaran , Nams Vilis , Thomas Raymond H. , Abbey Lord
Published: December 2022

Microgreens are immature young plants grown for their health benefits. A study was performed to evaluate the different mixed growing media on growth, chemical composition, and antioxidant activities of four microgreen species: namely, kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala), Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla), arugula (Eruca vesicaria ssp. sativa), and pak choi (Brassica rapa var. chinensis). The growing media were T1.1 (30% vermicast + 30% sawdust + 10% perlite + 30% PittMoss (PM)); T2.1 (30% vermicast + 20% sawdust + 20% perlite + 30% PM); PM was replaced with mushroom compost in the respective media to form T1.2 and T2.2. Positive control (PC) was Pro-mix BX™ potting medium alone. Root length was the highest in T1.1 while the shoot length, root volume, and yield were highest in T2.2. Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of Swiss chard grown in T1.1 was the highest, followed by T2.2 and T1.1. Pak choi and kale had the highest sugar and protein contents in T2.2, respectively. Consistently, total phenolics and flavonoids of the microgreens were increased by 1.5-fold in T1.1 and T2.2 compared to PC. Antioxidant enzyme activities were increased in all the four microgreens grown in T1.1 and T2.2. Overall, T2.2 was the most effective growing media to increase microgreens plant growth, yield, and biochemical composition.
Influence of Different Activators on the Structure and Properties of Activated Carbon Based on Bamboo Fiber
Authors: Lin Peng , Xia Yao , Liu Zhigao
Published: December 2022

In order to explore the influence of different activators on the structure and properties of the prepared activated carbon, bamboo fiber-based activated carbons (BFACs) were prepared by four activators of phosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, zinc chloride, and diammonium biphosphate (BFAC-H3PO4, BFAC-H4P2O7, BFAC-ZnCl2, and BFAC-(NH4)2HPO4) and BFACs adsorption performance and electrochemical properties were investigated. The main conclusions were: the specific surface area of the four BFACs varies greatly, among which BFAC-ZnCl2 was the highest, at 1908.5074 m2/g, and BFAC-(NH4)2HPO4 was the lowest, at 641.5941 m2/g. In terms of the pore structure, BFAC-H3PO4 and BFAC-H4P2O7 are mainly mesopores and BFAC-ZnCl2 and BFAC-(NH4)2HPO4 are mainly micropores. The BFAC-ZnCl2 sample had the largest specific capacitance, with a specific capacitance of 121.2730 F/g at a current density of 0.2 A/g, with a small internal resistance and good electrochemical reversibility and capacitance performance. The adsorption properties were better for BFAC-ZnCl2 and BFAC-H3PO4 and the adsorption amounts were 648.75 and 548.75 mg/g, respectively.
Cross-Linked Gamma Polyglutamic Acid/Human Hair Keratin Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffolds with Excellent Biocompatibility and Biodegradability
Authors: Hao Ming , Liu Yanbo , Chen Zhijun , Hu Xiaodong , Zhang Tianyi , Zhu Xinyu , He Xingyu , Yang Bo
Published: December 2022

Recently, human hair keratin has been widely studied and applied in clinical fields due to its good histocompatibility, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. However, the regenerated keratin from human hair cannot be electrospun alone because of its low molecular weight. Herein, gamma polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) was first selected to fabricate smooth and uniform γ-PGA/keratin composite scaffolds with excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability by electrospinning technology and a chemical cross-linking method in this study. The effect of electrospinning parameters on the structure and morphology, the mechanism of chemical cross-linking, biocompatibility in vitro cell culture experiments, and biodegradability in phosphate-buffered saline buffer solution and trypsin solution of the γ-PGA/keratin electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds (ENS) was studied. The results show that the cross-linked γ-PGA/keratin ENSs had excellent water stability and biodegradability. The γ-PGA/keratin ENSs showed better biocompatibility in promoting cell adhesion and cell growth compared with the γ-PGA ENSs. It is expected that γ-PGA/keratin ENSs will be easily and significantly used in tissue engineering to repair or regenerate materials.
Selecting EOR Polymers through Combined Approaches—A Case for Flooding in a Heterogenous Reservoir
Authors: Borovina Ante , Hincapie Rafael E. , Clemens Torsten , Hoffmann Eugen , Wegner Jonas
Published: December 2022

This work uses micromodel, core floods and Field-Flow Fractionation (FFF) evaluations to estimate the behaviour and key elements for selecting polymers to address heterogenous reservoirs. One of the approaches was to construct two-layered micromodels differing six times in permeability and based on the physical characteristics of a Bentheimer sandstone. Further, the impacts of injectivity and displacement efficiency of the chosen polymers were then assessed using single- and two-phase core tests. Moreover, FFF was also used to assess the polymers’ conformity, gyration radii, and molecular weight distribution. For the polymer selection for field application, we weighted on the good laboratory performance in terms of sweep efficiency improvement, injectivity, and propagation. Based on the results, polymer B (highest MWD) performed the poorest. Full spectrum MWD measurement using Field-Flow Fractionation is a key in understanding polymer behavior. Heterogenous micromodel evaluations provided consistent data to subsequent core flood evaluations and were in alignment with FFF indications. Single-phase core floods performed higher injection velocities (5 m/d) in combination of FFF showed that narrower MWD distribution polymers (polymers A and C) have less retention and better injectivity. Two-phase core floods performed at low, reservoir representative velocities (1 ft/d) showed that Polymer B could not be injected, with pressure response staying at high values even when chase brine is injected. Adsorption values for all tested polymers at these conditions were high, however highest were observed in the case of polymer B. Overall, for the polymer selection for field application, we weighted on the good laboratory performance in terms of sweep efficiency improvement, injectivity, polymer retention, and propagation; all accounted in this work.
Differences in Physiological Metabolism and Antioxidant System of Different Ecotypes of Miscanthus floridulus under Cu Stress
Authors: Qin Jianqiao , Yan Zhiqiang , Jiang Xueding , Zhao Huarong , Liu Shasha , Dai Min , Xiong Dexin , Chen Xi
Published: December 2022

To reveal the similarities and differences in the resistance mechanisms of different ecotypes to Cu stress, a pot experiment was used to systematically compare the physiological responses of non-mining ecotype Miscanthus floridulus (collected from Boluo County, Huizhou City) and mining ecotype Miscanthus floridulus (collected from Dabaoshan mining area) under different Cu concentrations. The results showed that chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll in the leaves of the two ecotypes of M. floridulus were negatively correlated with Cu stress concentration (p < 0.01), but the extent of decrease for the ecotypes in the mining area was lower than that for the ecotypes in the non-mining area. The values of chlorophyll a/b for both ecotypes increased with increasing Cu treatment concentration, indicating that Cu is more harmful to chlorophyll b than to chlorophyll a for M. floridulus. Cu stress can lead to the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the leaves of M. floridulus with the amount of MDA accumulation observed being greater in the non-mining ecotype than in the mining ecotype (p < 0.05). The content of antioxidant substances (ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione) in the mining ecotype M. floridulus was significantly higher than that in the non-mining ecotype. The activity of SOD in the leaves of non-mining ecotypes was inhibited by Cu stress and the activity of POD was increased by Cu stress. However, the increase in POD in the mining ecotypes was greater than that in the non-mining ecotypes and the activities of the two enzymes in the mining ecotypes were significantly higher than those in the non-mining ecotypes at the highest concentration of Cu. Cu had different effects on PPO activity in the leaves of the two ecotypes of M. floridulus. The plant leaves of the non-mining ecotype at 400 and 800 mg·kg−1 were significantly fewer than those of the control group (p < 0.05), which were 87.1% and 65.2% of the control group, respectively. The PPO activity in the plant leaves of the mining ecotype was higher than that in the leaves of the non-mining ecotype and was significantly higher at 400 and 800 mg·kg−1 than that of the control group (p < 0.05), at 226.5% and 268.1% of the control group, respectively. These results indicate that the mining ecotype M. floridulus is more resistant to copper stress, that resistant ecotypes have been formed, and that small-molecule antioxidant substances play an important role in increasing resistance levels.
Optimal DGs Siting and Sizing Considering Hybrid Static and Dynamic Loads, and Overloading Conditions
Authors: Sameh Mariam A. , Aloukili Abdulsalam A. , El-Sharkawy Metwally A. , Attia Mahmoud A. , Badr Ahmed O.
Published: December 2022

There is no doubt that Distributed Generation (DG) has proved to be an effective solution for satisfying the growing demand within a fleeting period and improving system performance, voltage profile, and power quality, especially on the end user’s side. Thus, in modern distribution systems, DG is preferable to be installed in the vicinity of the end user to enhance the system performance, reduce power losses, and improve grid voltage. In this paper, hybrid static and dynamic load types (100% static, 50% static and 50% dynamic, and 100% dynamic loads) at different overloading conditions, for the standard IEEE 33-bus system, are considered, and power system performance is recorded. Moreover, to improve the power system performance, Distributed Generations (DGs) are optimally sized and allocated in the IEEE 33-bus system using the Harmony Search Algorithm (HSA), and two analytical approaches, respectively, and compared to other reported optimization methods. The results show that, at 100% loading, the minimum bus voltage for the proposed method reached 0.97 pu, compared to 0.94 pu for the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm and 0.9574 pu for the Improved Analytical (IA) method. From the results obtained in this paper, it can be concluded that the proposed technique improved the performance of the studied power system, compared to other reported techniques, by enhancing the voltage profile and minimizing the power losses.
Life Cycle Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions of the Copper Production in China and the Influence of Main Factors on the above Performance
Authors: Liu Lingchen , Xiang Dong , Cao Huiju , Li Peng
Published: December 2022

The copper demand and production in China are the largest in the world. In order to obtain the trends of the energy consumption and GHG emissions of copper production in China over a number of years, this paper uses a life cycle analysis method to calculate the above two indexes, in the years between 2004 and 2017. The life cycle energy consumption ranged between 101.78 and 31.72 GJ/t copper and the GHG emissions varied between 9.96 and 3.09 t CO2 eq/t copper due to the improvements in mining and smelting technologies. This study also analyses the influence of electricity sources, auxiliary materials consumption, and copper ore grade on the life cycle performance. Using wind or nuclear electricity instead of mixed electricity can reduce energy consumption by 63.67–76.27% or 64.23–76.94%, and GHG emissions by 64.42–77.84% or 65.08–78.63%, respectively. The GHG emissions and energy consumption of underground mining are approximately 2.97–7.03 times that of strip mining, while the influence of auxiliary materials on the above two indexes is less than 3.88%.
The Comparison Analysis of Uniform-and Variable-Rate Fertilizations on Winter Wheat Yield Parameters Using Site-Specific Seeding
Authors: Kazlauskas Marius , Šarauskis Egidijus , Lekavičienė Kristina , Naujokienė Vilma , Romaneckas Kęstutis , Bručienė Indrė , Buragienė Sidona , Steponavičius Dainius
Published: December 2022

Wheat is among the world’s most important agricultural crops, with winter wheat accounting for approximately 25.5% of the total agricultural crop in Lithuania. The unchangeable goal of crop production is to achieve good and economically beneficial crop yield, but such efforts are often based on conventional agrotechnological solutions, and excessive fertilization, which is uneconomical and negatively affects the soil, the environment, and human health. In order to produce a rich and high-quality cereal crop, scientists and farmers are increasingly focusing on managing the sowing and fertilization processes. Precision technologies based on spectrometric methods of soil and plant characterization can be used to influence the optimization of sowing and fertilizer application rates without compromising crop yield and quality. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of site-specific seeding and variable-rate precision fertilization technologies on the growth, yield, and quality indicators of winter wheat. Experimental studies were carried out on a 22.4 ha field in two treatments: first (control)—SSS (site-specific seeding) + URF (uniform-rate fertilization); second—SSS + VRF (variable-rate precision fertilization) and 4 repetitions. Before the start of this study, the variability of the soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) was determined and the field was divided into five soil fertility zones (FZ-1, FZ-2, FZ-3, FZ-4, and FZ-5). Digital maps of potassium and phosphorus precision fertilization were created based on the soil samples. Optical nitrogen sensors were used for variable-rate supplementary nitrogen fertilization. The variable-rate precision fertilization method in individual soil fertility zones showed a higher (up to 6.74%) tillering coefficient, (up to 14.55%) grain yield, number of ears per square meter (up to 27.6%), grain number in the ear (up to 6.2%), and grain protein content (up to 12.56%), and a lower (up to 8.61%) 1000-grain weight on average than the conventional flat-rate fertilization. In addition, the use of the SSS + VRF method saved approximately 14 kg N ha−1 of fertilizer compared to the conventional SSS + URF method.
Multi-SUAV Collaboration and Low-Altitude Remote Sensing Technology-Based Image Registration and Change Detection Network of Garbage Scattered Areas in Nature Reserves
Authors: Yan Kai , Dong Yaxin , Yang Yang , Xing Lin
Published: December 2022

Change detection is an important task in remote sensing image processing and analysis. However, due to position errors and wind interference, bi-temporal low-altitude remote sensing images collected by SUAVs often suffer from different viewing angles. The existing methods need to use an independent registration network for registration before change detection, which greatly reduces the integrity and speed of the task. In this work, we propose an end-to-end network architecture RegCD-Net to address change detection problems in the bi-temporal SUAVs’ low-altitude remote sensing images. We utilize global and local correlations to generate an optical flow pyramid and realize image registration through layer-by-layer optical flow fields. Then we use a nested connection to combine the rich semantic information in deep layers of the network and the precise location information in the shallow layers and perform deep supervision through the combined attention module to finally achieve change detection in bi-temporal images. We apply this network to the task of change detection in the garbage-scattered areas of nature reserves and establish a related dataset. Experimental results show that our RegCD-Net outperforms several state-of-the-art CD methods with more precise change edge representation, relatively few parameters, fast speed, and better integration without additional registration networks.
Limiting External Absorptivity of UAV-Based Uncooled Thermal Infrared Sensors Increases Water Temperature Measurement Accuracy
Authors: O’Sullivan Antóin M. , Kurylyk Barret L.
Published: December 2022

Thermal mapping of surface waters and the land surface via UAVs offers exciting opportunities in many scientific disciplines; however, unresolved issues persist related to accuracy and drift of uncooled microbolometric thermal infrared (TIR) sensors. Curiously, most commercially available UAV-based TIR sensors are black, which will theoretically facilitate heating of the uncooled TIR sensor via absorbed solar radiation. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that modifying the surface absorptivity of uncooled TIR sensors can reduce thermal drift by limiting absorptance and associated microbolometer heating. We used two identical uncooled TIR sensors (DJI Zenmuse XT2) but retrofitted one with polished aluminum foil to alter the surface absorptivity and compared the temperature measurements from each sensor to the accurate measurements from instream temperature loggers. In addition, because TIR sensors are passive and measure longwave infrared radiation emitted from the environment, we tested the hypotheses that overcast conditions would reduce solar irradiance, and therefore induce thermal drift, and that increases in air temperature would induce thermal drift. The former is in contrast with the conceptual model of others who have proposed that flying in overcast conditions would increase sensor accuracy. We found the foil-shielded sensor yielded temperatures that were on average 2.2 °C more accurate than those of the matte black sensor (p < 0.0001). Further, we found positive correlations between light intensity (a proxy for incoming irradiance) and increased sensor accuracy for both sensors. Interestingly, light intensity explained 73% of the accuracy variability for the black sensor, but only 40% of the variability in accuracy deviations for the foil-shielded sensor. Unsurprisingly, an increase in air temperature led to a decrease in accuracy for both sensors, where air temperature explained 14% of the variability in accuracy for the black sensor and 31% of the accuracy variability for the foil-shielded sensor. We propose that the discrepancy between the amount of variability explained by light intensity and air temperature is due to changes in the heat energy budget arising from changes in the surface absorptivity. Additionally, we suggest fine-scale changes in river-bed reflectance led to errors in UAV thermal measurements. We conclude with a suite of guidelines for increasing the accuracy of uncooled UAV-based thermal mapping.
Assessment of Land Desertification and Its Drivers on the Mongolian Plateau Using Intensity Analysis and the Geographical Detector Technique
Authors: Wang Yongfang , Guo Enliang , Kang Yao , Ma Haowen
Published: December 2022

Desertification is one of the most harmful ecological disasters on the Mongolian Plateau, placing the grassland ecological environment under great pressure. Remote-sensing monitoring of desertification and exploration of the drivers behind it are important for effectively combating this issue. In this study, four banners/counties on the border of China and Mongolia on the Mongolian Plateau were selected as the target areas. We explored desertification dynamics and their drivers by using remote sensing imagery and a product dataset for the East Ujimqin Banner and three counties in Mongolia during the period 2000–2015. First, remote sensing information on desertification in the fourth phase of the study area was extracted using the visual interpretation method. Second, the dynamic change characteristics of desertification were analyzed using the intensity analysis method. Finally, the drivers of desertification and their explanatory powers were identified using the geographical detector method. The results show that the desertification of the East Ujimqin Banner has undergone a process of reversion, development, and mild development, with the main transition occurring between slight (SL) and non-desertified land (N), very serious desertified land (VS), and water areas. The dynamics of desertification in this region are influenced by a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors. Desertification in the three counties of Mongolia has undergone processes of development, mild development and mild development with SL and vs. as the main types. Desertification in Mongolia is mainly concentrated in Matad County, which is greatly affected by natural conditions and has little impact from anthropogenic activities. In addition, the change intensity of desertification dynamics in the study area showed a decreasing trend, and the interaction between natural and anthropogenic drivers could enhance the explanatory power of desertification dynamics. The research results provide a scientific basis for desertification control, ecological protection, and ecological restoration on the Mongolian Plateau.