bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Current Therapies for COVID-19 Treatment
Authors: Sethi Atin , Bach Horacio
Published: July 2020

The virus SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, is responsible for more than 400,000 deaths worldwide as of 10 June 2020. As a result of its recent appearance (December 2019), an efficacious treatment is not yet available. Although considered a lung infection since its emergence, COVID-19 is now causing multiple organ failure, requiring a continuous adjustment in the procedures. In this review, we summarize the current literature surrounding unproven therapies for COVID-19. Analyses of the clinical trials were grouped as chemotherapy, serotherapy, anticoagulant, and the use of human recombinant soluble ACE2 therapies. We conclude that, while no agent has hit the threshold for quality of evidence to demonstrate efficacy and safety, preliminary data show potential benefits. Moreover, there is a possibility for harm with these unproven therapies, and the decision to treat should be based on a comprehensive risk–benefit analysis.
Staphylococcus saccharolyticus: An Overlooked Human Skin Colonizer
Authors: Ahle Charlotte M. , Stødkilde Kristian , Afshar Mastaneh , Poehlein Anja , Ogilvie Lesley A. , Söderquist Bo , Hüpeden Jennifer , Brüggemann Holger
Published: July 2020

Coagulase-negative staphylococcal species constitute an important part of the human skin microbiota. In particular, facultative anaerobic species such as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus capitis can be found on the skin of virtually every human being. Here, we applied a culture-independent amplicon sequencing approach to identify staphylococcal species on the skin of healthy human individuals. While S. epidermidis and S. capitis were found as primary residents of back skin, surprisingly, the third most abundant member was Staphylococcus saccharolyticus, a relatively unstudied species. A search of skin metagenomic datasets detected sequences identical to the genome of S. saccharolyticus in diverse skin sites, including the back, forehead, and elbow pit. Although described as a slow-growing anaerobic species, a re-evaluation of its growth behavior showed that S. saccharolyticus can grow under oxic conditions, and, in particular, in a CO2-rich atmosphere. We argue here that S. saccharolyticus was largely overlooked in previous culture-dependent and -independent studies, due to its requirement for fastidious growth conditions and the lack of reference genome sequences, respectively. Future studies are needed to unravel the microbiology and host-interacting properties of S. saccharolyticus and its role as a prevalent skin colonizer.
Porous V2O5/TiO2 Nanoheterostructure Films with Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance Prepared by the Sparking Method
Authors: Pooseekheaw Porntipa , Thongpan Winai , Panthawan Arisara , Kantarak Ekkapong , Sroila Wattikon , Singjai Pisith
Published: July 2020

Porous V2O5/TiO2 nanoheterostructure films with different atomic ratios of Ti/V (4:1, 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2) were synthesized by a sparking method for the first time. The sparking method, which is a simple and cost-effective process, can synthesize highly porous and composite films in one step. Field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images revealed the porosity morphology of all prepared samples. V2O5/TiO2 nanoheterostructure films were confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The secondary particle size and band gap of the samples were highly correlated to the V2O5 proportion, resulting in enhanced visible-light absorbance. V2O5/TiO2 nanoheterostructure films at an atomic ratio of 1:1 showed the highest photocatalytic performance, which improved the degradation rate up to 24% compared to pure TiO2 film. It is believed that the formed nanoheterostructure and greater portion of V4+ ions are reflected by this ratio.
Phosphorus Dendrimers as Nanotools against Cancers
Authors: Caminade Anne-Marie
Published: July 2020

This review concerns the use of dendrimers, especially of phosphorhydrazone dendrimers, against cancers. After the introduction, the review is organized in three main topics, depending on the role played by the phosphorus dendrimers against cancers: (i) as drugs by themselves; (ii) as carriers of drugs; and (iii) as indirect inducer of cancerous cell death. In the first part, two main types of phosphorus dendrimers are considered: those functionalized on the surface by diverse organic derivatives, including known drugs, and those functionalized by diverse metal complexes. The second part will display the role of dendrimers as carriers of anticancer “drugs”, which can be either small molecules or anticancer siRNAs, or the combination of both. In the third part are gathered a few examples of phosphorhydrazone dendrimers that are not cytotoxic by themselves, but which under certain circumstances induce a cytotoxic effect on cancerous cells. These examples include a positive influence on the human immune system and the combination of bioimaging with photodynamic therapy properties.
Perspectives for New and More Efficient Multifunctional Ligands for Alzheimer′s Disease Therapy
Authors: Zagórska Agnieszka , Jaromin Anna
Published: July 2020

Despite tremendous research efforts at every level, globally, there is still a lack of effective drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer′s disease (AD). The biochemical mechanisms of this devastating neurodegenerative disease are not yet clearly understood. This review analyses the relevance of multiple ligands in drug discovery for AD as a versatile toolbox for a polypharmacological approach to AD. Herein, we highlight major targets associated with AD, ranging from acetylcholine esterase (AChE), beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1), glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β), N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, monoamine oxidases (MAOs), metal ions in the brain, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors, the third subtype of histamine receptor (H3 receptor), to phosphodiesterases (PDEs), along with a summary of their respective relationship to the disease network. In addition, a multitarget strategy for AD is presented, based on reported milestones in this area and the recent progress that has been achieved with multitargeted-directed ligands (MTDLs). Finally, the latest publications referencing the enlarged panel of new biological targets for AD related to the microglia are highlighted. However, the question of how to find meaningful combinations of targets for an MTDLs approach remains unanswered.
Galantamine-Curcumin Hybrids as Dual-Site Binding Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors
Authors: Stavrakov Georgi , Philipova Irena , Lukarski Atanas , Atanasova Mariyana , Zheleva Dimitrina , Zhivkova Zvetanka D. , Ivanov Stefan , Atanasova Teodora , Konstantinov Spiro , Doytchinova Irini
Published: July 2020

Galantamine (GAL) and curcumin (CU) are alkaloids used to improve symptomatically neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease (AD). GAL acts mainly as an inhibitor of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). CU binds to amyloid-beta (Aβ) oligomers and inhibits the formation of Aβ plaques. Here, we combine GAL core with CU fragments and design a combinatorial library of GAL-CU hybrids as dual-site binding AChE inhibitors. The designed hybrids are screened for optimal ADME properties and BBB permeability and docked on AChE. The 14 best performing compounds are synthesized and tested in vitro for neurotoxicity and anti-AChE activity. Five of them are less toxic than GAL and CU and show activities between 41 and 186 times higher than GAL.
Uracil-Containing Heterodimers of a New Type: Synthesis and Study of Their Anti-Viral Properties
Authors: Maslova Anna A. , Matyugina Elena S. , Snoeck Robert , Andrei Graciela , Kochetkov Sergey N. , Khandazhinskaya Anastasia L. , Novikov Mikhail S.
Published: July 2020

Widespread latent herpes viral infections within a population can lead to the development of co-infections in HIV-infected patients. These infections are not particularly dangerous for healthy individuals and often occur with minimal symptoms, but for those who are immunocompromised, these infections can accelerate the acute phase of HIV infection and AIDS. Thus, the idea of designing compounds that could combine activity against HIV and co-infections would seem promising. In that regard, eleven compounds were synthesized that represent conjugates of non-nucleoside HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors and nucleoside inhibitors of the herpes family viruses with the hope that these novel heterodimers will result in dual activity against HIV and concomitant herpes virus infections.
Nanostructured Lead Sulphide Depositions by AACVD Technique Using Bis(Isobutyldithiophosphinato)Lead(II) Complex as Single Source Precursor and Its Impedance Study
Authors: Iram Sadia , Mahmood Azhar , Sitara Effat , Batool Bukhari Syeda Aqsa , Fatima Syeda Arooj , Shaheen Rubina , Azad Malik Mohammad
Published: July 2020

This communication reports the synthesis of bis(diisobutyldithiophosphinato)lead(II) complex and its subsequent application as a single source precursor for the nanostructured deposition of lead sulphide semiconductors and its impedance to explore its scope in the field of electronics. Synthesized complex was characterized by microelemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. This complex was decomposed using the aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition technique at different temperatures to grow PbS nanostructures on glass substrates. These nanostructures were analyzed by XRD, SEM, TEM and EDX methods. Impedance spectroscopic measurements were performed for PbS in the frequency range of 40 to 6 MHz at room temperature. In a complex impedance plane plot, two relaxation processes were exhibited due to grains and grain boundaries contribution. A high value of dielectric constant was observed at low frequencies, which was explained on the basis of Koops phenomenological model and Maxwell–Wagner type polarization. Frequency-dependent AC conductivity results were compliant with Jonscher power law, while capacitance–voltage loop had a butterfly shape. These impedance spectroscopic results have corroborated the ferroelectric nature of the resultant PbS nanodeposition.
Whole Grains and Consumer Understanding: Investigating Consumers’ Identification, Knowledge and Attitudes to Whole Grains
Authors: Foster Shara , Beck Eleanor , Hughes Jaimee , Grafenauer Sara
Published: July 2020

Whole grains may assist in reducing risk of non-communicable disease, but consumption is limited in many countries. In Australia, the reasons for poor consumption are not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate consumers’ knowledge, attitudes and identification of whole grains, incorporating an exploration of factors influencing consumption, promotion and provision. An online semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather responses from 735 participants (61% complete responses). Although 92% of respondents consumed grains, only 8% reported an intake consistent with age and gender recommendations. Refined pasta and rice were the most frequently purchased grain foods followed by wholemeal/whole grain bread. Of whole grain foods, bread and breakfast cereals were consumed more frequently. However, overall, participants did not prioritise consumption of whole grains. Despite this, 93% of participants had seen food packaging information drawing attention to whole grain content, with a high proportion describing whole grain as less processed (72%) or high in dietary fibre (67%). Two-thirds were aware of health benefits but stated that if they had further information, they would be more likely to swap to whole grain. Further education, increasing exposure, accessibility and extensive promotion of whole grain health benefits are required to facilitate whole grain consumption. Furthermore, removing the negative stigma associated with carbohydrate foods, including grains, will be necessary to improve consumption.
Noodles Made from High Amylose Wheat Flour Attenuate Postprandial Glycaemia in Healthy Adults
Authors: Ang Kim , Bourgy Carla , Fenton Haelee , Regina Ahmed , Newberry Marcus , Diepeveen Dean , Lafiandra Domenico , Grafenauer Sara , Hunt Wendy , Solah Vicky
Published: July 2020

Previous research has not considered the effect of high amylose wheat noodles on postprandial glycaemia. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of consumption of high amylose noodles on postprandial glycaemia over 2-h periods by monitoring changes in blood glucose concentration and calculating the total area under the blood glucose concentration curve. Twelve healthy young adults were recruited to a repeated measure randomised, single-blinded crossover trial to compare the effect of consuming noodles (180 g) containing 15%, 20% and 45% amylose on postprandial glycaemia. Fasting blood glucose concentrations were taken via finger-prick blood samples. Postprandial blood glucose concentrations were taken at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min. Subjects consuming high amylose noodles made with flour containing 45% amylose had significantly lower blood glucose concentration at 15, 30 and 45 min (5.5 ± 0.11, 6.1 ± 0.11 and 5.6 ± 0.11 mmol/L; p = 0.01) compared to subjects consuming low amylose noodles with 15% amylose (5.8 ± 0.12, 6.6 ± 0.12 and 5.9 ± 0.12 mmol/L). The total area under the blood glucose concentration curve after consumption of high amylose noodles with 45% amylose was 640.4 ± 9.49 mmol/L/min, 3.4% lower than consumption of low amylose noodles with 15% amylose (662.9 ± 9.49 mmol/L/min), p = 0.021. Noodles made from high amylose wheat flour attenuate postprandial glycaemia in healthy young adults, as characterised by the significantly lower blood glucose concentration and a 3.4% reduction in glycaemic response.
Dietary Oat Bran Reduces Systemic Inflammation in Mice Subjected to Pelvic Irradiation
Authors: Patel Piyush , Malipatlolla Dilip Kumar , Devarakonda Sravani , Bull Cecilia , Rascón Ana , Nyman Margareta , Stringer Andrea , Tremaroli Valentina , Steineck Gunnar , Sjöberg Fei
Published: July 2020

Patients undergoing radiotherapy to treat pelvic-organ cancer are commonly advised to follow a restricted fiber diet. However, reducing dietary fiber may promote gastrointestinal inflammation, eventually leading to deteriorated intestinal health. The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of dietary fiber on radiation-induced inflammation. C57BL/6J male mice were fed a High-oat bran diet (15% fiber) or a No-fiber diet (0% fiber) and were either irradiated (32 Gy delivered in four fractions) to the colorectal region or only sedated (controls). The dietary intervention started at 2 weeks before irradiation and lasted for 1, 6, and 18 weeks after irradiation, at which time points mice were sacrificed and their serum samples were assayed for 23 cytokines and chemokines. Our analyses show that irradiation increased the serum cytokine levels at all the time points analyzed. The No-fiber irradiated mice had significantly higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines than the High-oat irradiated mice at all time points. The results indicate that a fiber-rich oat bran diet reduces the intensity of radiation-induced inflammation, both at an early and late stage. Based on the results, it seems that the advice to follow a low-fiber diet during radiotherapy may increase the risk of decreased intestinal health in cancer survivors.
Streptococcus thermophilus: To Survive, or Not to Survive the Gastrointestinal Tract, That Is the Question!
Authors: Martinović Anđela , Cocuzzi Riccardo , Arioli Stefania , Mora Diego
Published: July 2020

The probiotic market is increasing world-wide as well as the number of products marketed as probiotics. Among the latter, many products contain Streptococcus thermophilus strains at several dosages. However, the scientific evidence that should support the probiotic status of those S. thermophilus strains is often contradictory. This review analyses the scientific literature aimed to assess the ability of S. thermophilus strains to survive the human gastrointestinal tract by discussing the scientific validity of the methods applied for the bacterial recovery and identification from stool samples. This review highlights that in most of the intervention studies reviewed, the identification of S. thermophilus strains from stools was not carried out with the necessary taxonomic accuracy to avoid their misidentification with Streptococcus salivarius, a common human commensal and a species phylogenetically close to S. thermophilus. Moreover, this review highlights how critical the accurate taxonomic identification of S. thermophilus in metagenomics-based studies can be.
Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Body Weight Gain, Lipid Profiles, and Atherogenic Indices in Cafeteria-Diet-Fed Rats: Role of Browning of Inguinal White Adipose Tissue
Authors: Aouichat Samira , Chayah Meriem , Bouguerra-Aouichat Souhila , Agil Ahmad
Published: July 2020

Time-restricted feeding (TRF) showed a potent effect in preventing obesity and improving metabolicoutcomes in several animal models of obesity. However, there is, as of yet, scarce evidence concerning its effectiveness against obesogenic challenges that more accurately mimic human Western diets, such as the cafeteria diet. Moreover, the mechanism for its efficacy is poorly understood. White adipose browning has been linked to body weight loss. Herein, we tested whether TRF has the potential to induce browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) and to attenuate obesity and associated dyslipidemia in a cafeteria-diet-induced obesity model. Male Wistar rats were fed normal laboratory chow (NC) or cafeteria diet (CAF) for 16 weeks and were subdivided into two groups that were subjected to either ad libitum (ad lib, A) or TRF (R) for 8 h per day. Rats under the TRF regimen had a lower body weight gain and adiposity than the diet-matchedad lib rats, despite equivalent levels of food intake and locomotor activity. In addition, TRF improved the deranged lipid profile (total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-c)) and atherogenic indices (atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), atherogenic coefficient (AC), coronary risk index (CRI) in CAF-fed rats. Remarkably, TRF resulted in decreased size of adipocytes and induced emergence of multilocular brown-like adipocytes in iWAT of NC- and CAF-fed rats. Protein expression of browning markers, such as uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α), were also up-regulated in the iWAToftime-restricted NC- or CAF-fed rats. These findings suggest that a TRF regimen is an effective strategy to improve CAF diet-induced obesity, probably via a mechanismthe involving WAT browning process.
Postbiotics—A Step Beyond Pre- and Probiotics
Authors: Żółkiewicz Jakub , Marzec Aleksandra , Ruszczyński Marek , Feleszko Wojciech
Published: July 2020

As an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota can lead to the development of several diseases (e.g., type 1 diabetes, cancer, among others), the use of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to alter the gut microbiome has attracted recent interest. Postbiotics include any substance released by or produced through the metabolic activity of the microorganism, which exerts a beneficial effect on the host, directly or indirectly. As postbiotics do not contain live microorganisms, the risks associated with their intake are minimized. Here, we provided a critical review of postbiotics described in the literature, including their mechanisms of action, clinical characteristics, and potential therapeutic applications. We detailed the pleiotropic effects of postbiotics, including their immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. Although the use of postbiotics is an attractive strategy for altering the microbiome, further study into its efficacy and safety is warranted.
The Role of a Food Literacy Intervention in Promoting Food Security and Food Literacy—OzHarvest’s NEST Program
Authors: West Elisha G. , Lindberg Rebecca , Ball Kylie , McNaughton Sarah A.
Published: July 2020

Food literacy interventions are widely implemented to improve the food security and health of low-socioeconomic adults. The purpose of this study was to conduct an inquiry into the value of OzHarvest’s six-week NEST (Nutrition Education and Skills Training) program in promoting food security and food literacy, and to identify the barriers and enablers that participants experienced in sustaining food security, and in utilising their food literacy skills beyond the program. A descriptive evaluation study with pre-post surveys (n = 21) and post-program interviews (n = 17) was conducted, with a convenience sample of NEST program participants living in Sydney, Newcastle, and Melbourne, Australia. Participants demonstrated improvements in food security status (p = 0.030), cooking confidence (p = 0.001), food preparation behaviours (p = 0.006), nutrition knowledge (p = 0.033), vegetable consumption (p = 0.043), and a reduction in intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (p = 0.017), and salty snack foods (p = 0.011). The interviews revealed that participants learned to stretch their food budgets and make meaningful changes to their food utilisation (a key dimension of food security). Interviews also identified enablers (e.g., social support) and barriers (e.g., health conditions) to achieving food security. Acknowledging the need for a multi-faceted approach that also addresses upstream determinants, interventions like NEST may play a role in promoting food security and food literacy.
Sleep and Microbiome in Psychiatric Diseases
Authors: Wagner-Skacel Jolana , Dalkner Nina , Moerkl Sabrina , Kreuzer Kathrin , Farzi Aitak , Lackner Sonja , Painold Annamaria , Reininghaus Eva Z. , Butler Mary I. , Bengesser Susanne
Published: July 2020

Objectives: Disturbances in the gut–brain barrier play an essential role in the development of mental disorders. There is considerable evidence showing that the gut microbiome not only affects digestive, metabolic and immune functions of the host but also regulates host sleep and mental states through the microbiota–gut–brain axis. The present review summarizes the role of the gut microbiome in the context of circadian rhythms, nutrition and sleep in psychiatric disorders. Methods: A PubMed search (studies published between April 2015–April 2020) was conducted with the keywords: “sleep, microbiome and psychiatry”; “sleep, microbiome and depression”; “sleep, microbiome and bipolar disorder”, “sleep, microbiome and schizophrenia”, “sleep, microbiome and anorexia nervosa”, “sleep, microbiome and substance use disorder”, “sleep, microbiome and anxiety”; “clock gene expression and microbiome”, “clock gene expression and nutrition”. Only studies investigating the relationship between sleep and microbiome in psychiatric patients were included in the review. Results: Search results yielded two cross-sectional studies analyzing sleep and gut microbiome in 154 individuals with bipolar disorder and one interventional study analyzing the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation in 17 individuals with irritable bowel syndrome on sleep. In patients with bipolar disorder, Faecalibacterium was significantly associated with improved sleep quality scores and a significant correlation between Lactobacillus counts and sleep. Conclusion: Translational research on this important field is limited and further investigation of the bidirectional pathways on sleep and the gut microbiome in mood disorders is warranted.
Mathematical Modelling, Simulation and Optimisation of Microneedles for Transdermal Drug Delivery: Trends and Progress
Authors: Yadav Prateek Ranjan , Han Tao , Olatunji Ololade , Pattanayek Sudip K. , Das Diganta Bhusan
Published: July 2020

In the last two decades, microneedles (MNs) have received significant interest due to their potential for painless transdermal drug delivery (TDD) and minimal skin damage. MNs have found applications in a range of research and development areas in drug delivery. They have been prepared using a variety of materials and fabrication techniques resulting in MN arrays with different dimensions, shapes, and geometries for delivery of a variety of drug molecules. These parameters play crucial roles in determining the drug release profiles from the MNs. Developing mathematical modelling, simulation, and optimisation techniques is vital to achieving the desired MN performances. These will then be helpful for pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries as well as professionals working in the field of regulatory affairs focusing on MN based TDD systems. This is because modelling has a great potential to reduce the financial and time cost of both the MNs’ studies and manufacturing. For example, a number of robust mathematical models for predicting the performance of the MNs in vivo have emerged recently which incorporate the roles of the structural and mechanical properties of the skin. In addressing these points, this review paper aims to highlight the current status of the MN modelling research, in particular, the modelling, simulation and optimisation of the systems for drug delivery. The theoretical basis for the simulation of MN enhanced diffusion is discussed within this paper. Thus, this review paper provides a better understanding of the modelling of the MN mediated drug delivery process.
Degradation Behavior of Polypropylene during Reprocessing and Its Biocomposites: Thermal and Oxidative Degradation Kinetics
Authors: Esmizadeh Elnaz , Tzoganakis Costas , Mekonnen Tizazu H.
Published: July 2020

Non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was employed to investigate the degradation of polypropylene (PP) during simulated product manufacturing in a secondary process and wood–plastic composites. Multiple batch mixing cycles were carried out to mimic the actual recycling. Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Ozawa–Flynn–Wall (OFW), Friedman, Kissinger and Augis models were employed to calculate the apparent activation energy (Ea). Experimental investigation using TGA indicated that the thermograms of PP recyclates shifted to lower temperatures, revealing the presence of an accelerated degradation process induced by the formation of radicals during chain scission. Reprocessing for five cycles led to roughly a 35% reduction in ultimate mixing torque, and a more than 400% increase in the melt flow rate of PP. Ea increased with the extent of degradation (α), and the dependency intensified with the reprocessing cycles. In biocomposites, despite the detectable degradation steps of wood and PP in thermal degradation, a partial coincidence of degradation was observed under air. Deconvolution was employed to separate the overlapped cellulose and PP peaks. Under nitrogen, OFW estimations for the deconvoluted PP exposed an upward shift of Ea at the whole range of α due to the high thermal absorbance of the wood chars. Under air, the Ea of deconvoluted PP showed an irregular rise in the initial steps, which could be related to the high volume of evolved volatiles from the wood reducing the oxygen diffusion.
Microstructural and Tribological Properties of a Dopamine Hydrochloride and Graphene Oxide Coating Applied to Multifilament Surgical Sutures
Authors: Zhang Gangqiang , Hu Jiewen , Ren Tianhui , Zhu Ping
Published: July 2020

With the development of fine surgery and desire for low-injury methods, the frictional properties of surgical sutures are one of the crucial factors that can cause damage to tissue, especially for some fragile and sensitive human tissues such as the eyeball. In this study, dopamine hydrochloride and graphene oxide were used as external application agents to prepare a biological coating for the surface of multifilament surgical sutures. The effects of this biocoating on the surface morphology, chemical properties, mechanical properties, and tribological properties of surgical sutures were studied. The friction force and the coefficient of friction of surgical sutures penetrating through a skin substitute were evaluated using a penetration friction apparatus and a linear elastic model. The tribological mechanism of the coating on the multifilament surgical sutures was investigated according to the results of the tribological test. The results showed that there were uniform dopamine and graphene oxide films on the surface of the surgical sutures, and that the fracture strength and yield stress of the coated sutures both increased. The surface wettability of the surgical sutures was improved after the coating treatment. The friction force and the coefficient of friction of the multifilament surgical sutures with the dopamine hydrochloride and graphene oxide coating changed little compared to those of the untreated multifilament surgical sutures.
Surface Thermo-Dynamic Characterization of Poly (Vinylidene Chloride-Co-Acrylonitrile) (P(VDC-co-AN)) Using Inverse-Gas Chromatography and Investigation of Visual Traits Using Computer Vision Image Processing Algorithms
Authors: Kakani Vijay , Kim Hakil , Basivi Praveen Kumar , Pasupuleti Visweswara Rao
Published: July 2020

The Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) technique has been employed for the surface thermo-dynamic characterization of the polymer Poly(vinylidene chloride-co-acrylonitrile) (P(VDC-co-AN)) in its pure form. IGC attributes, such as London dispersive surface energy, Gibbs free energy, and Guttman Lewis acid-base parameters were analyzed for the polymer (P(VDC-co-AN)). The London dispersive surface free energy ( γ S L ) was calculated using the Schultz and Dorris–Gray method. The maximum surface energy value of (P(VDC-co-AN )) is found to be 29.93 mJ·m − 2 and 24.15 mJ·m − 2 in both methods respectively. In our analysis, it is observed that the γ S L values decline linearly with an increase in temperature. The Guttman–Lewis acid-base parameter K a , K b values were estimated to be 0.13 and 0.49. Additionally, the surface character S value and the correlation coefficient were estimated to be 3.77 and 0.98 respectively. After the thermo-dynamic surface characterization, the (P(VDC-co-AN)) polymer overall surface character is found to be basic. The substantial results revealed that the (P(VDC-co-AN)) polymer surface contains more basic sites than acidic sites and, hence, can closely associate in acidic media. Additionally, visual traits of the polymer (P(VDC-co-AN)) were investigated by employing Computer Vision and Image Processing (CVIP) techniques on Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images captured at resolutions ×50, ×200 and ×500. Several visual traits, such as intricate patterns, surface morphology, texture/roughness, particle area distribution ( D A ), directionality ( D P ), mean average particle area ( μ a v g ) and mean average particle standard deviation ( σ a v g ), were investigated on the polymer’s purest form. This collective study facilitates the researches to explore the pure form of the polymer Poly(vinylidene chloride-co-acrylonitrile) (P(VDC-co-AN )) in both chemical and visual perspective.
Nonlinear Conductive Characteristics of ZnO-Coated Graphene Nanoplatelets-Carbon Nanotubes/Epoxy Resin Composites
Authors: Yuan Yang , Qu Zhaoming , Wang Qingguo , Sun Xiaoning
Published: July 2020

With the increasing threats arising from the electromagnetic environment, polymeric composites which could exhibit nonlinear conductive characteristics are highly required in the protection of electronic devices against overvoltage. In this research, ZnO nanoparticles are coated onto graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs)-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hybrid, and then it is embedded in epoxy resin (ER) matrix via solution blending. Based on the characterization results, CNTs are well dispersed across the GNPs which prevent the restacking of GNPs and CNTs. At the same time, ZnO nanoparticles are well-bonded to the surfaces of GNPs-CNTs hybrid. During repeated conductive characteristic measurements, GNPs-CNTs-ZnO/ER composite is able to demonstrate distinctly reversible nonlinear conductive behavior, with high nonlinear coefficients. Especially, the filler content in GNPs-CNTs-ZnO/ER composite is only 12.5% of that in GNPs-ZnO/ER composite reported in our previous work. Moreover, it is shown that the nonlinear coefficients and switching threshold voltage can be modified by controlling the weight ratios of GNPs, CNTs, and ZnO. Finally, the samples with 1:1 weight ratio of GO to MWCNTs (A-6.67 and A-10) exhibit the best reversible nonlinear conductive behavior.
Durability of Accoya Wood in Ground Stake Testing after 10 Years of Exposure in Greece
Authors: Mantanis George I. , Lykidis Charalampos , Papadopoulos Antonios N.
Published: July 2020

In this research, acetylated wood (Accoya) was tested in ground contact in central Greece. After ten years of exposure during a ground stake test, acetylated pine wood (Pinus radiata) stakes, with a 20% acetyl weight gain, were completely intact and showed no visual decay (decay rating: 0). However, the key mechanical properties of Accoya wood, that is, modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) after 10 years of ground contact, were significantly reduced by 32.8% and 29.6%, respectively, despite an excellent visual result since no evidence of fungal attack was identified. This contradiction could possibly indicate that the hallmarks of decay, i.e., brown-rot decay of acetylated wood can be the significant loss of mechanical properties before decay is actually visible.
Bio-Polyethylene (Bio-PE), Bio-Polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET): Recent Developments in Bio-Based Polymers Analogous to Petroleum-Derived Ones for Packaging and Engineering Applications
Authors: Siracusa Valentina , Blanco Ignazio
Published: July 2020

In recent year, there has been increasing concern about the growing amount of plastic waste coming from daily life. Different kinds of synthetic plastics are currently used for an extensive range of needs, but in order to reduce the impact of petroleum-based plastics and material waste, considerable attention has been focused on “green” plastics. In this paper, we present a broad review on the advances in the research and development of bio-based polymers analogous to petroleum-derived ones. The main interest for the development of bio-based materials is the strong public concern about waste, pollution and carbon footprint. The sustainability of those polymers, for general and specific applications, is driven by the great progress in the processing technologies that refine biomass feedstocks in order to obtain bio-based monomers that are used as building blocks. At the same time, thanks to the industrial progress, it is possible to obtain more versatile and specific chemical structures in order to synthetize polymers with ad-hoc tailored properties and functionalities, with engineering applications that include packaging but also durable and electronic goods. In particular, three types of polymers were described in this review: Bio-polyethylene (Bio-PE), bio-polypropylene (Bio-PP) and Bio-poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Bio-PET). The recent advances in their development in terms of processing technologies, product development and applications, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, are reported.
Effects of High-Temperature Exposure on the Mechanical Properties of Kenaf Composites
Authors: Radzuan Nabilah Afiqah Mohd , Tholibon Dulina , Sulong Abu Bakar , Muhamad Norhamidi , Che Haron Che Hassan
Published: July 2020

Automotive parts, including dashboards and trunk covers, are now fabricated through a compression-molding process in order to produce lightweight products and optimize fuel consumption. However, their mechanical strength is not compromised to avoid safety issues. Therefore, this study investigates kenaf-fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites using a simple combing approach to unidirectionally align kenaf fibers at 0°. The kenaf composite was found to withstand a maximal temperature of 120 °C. The tensile and flexural strengths of the aligned kenaf composites (50 and 90 MPa, respectively) were three times higher than those of the commercialized Product T (between 39 and 30.5 MPa, respectively) at a temperature range of 90 to 120 °C. These findings clearly showed that the mechanical properties of aligned kenaf fibers fabricated through the combing technique were able to withstand high operating temperatures (120 °C), and could be used as an alternative to other commercial natural-fiber products.
Tolerance in UAE Islamic Education Textbooks
Authors: Alhashmi Mariam , Bakali Naved , Baroud Rama
Published: July 2020

The concept of “tolerance” has been thoroughly promoted within educational settings in light of the increasing need to foster co-existence and to nurture peaceful climates in societies. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Islamic education curriculum promotes the notion of tolerance as a core tenant across different grade levels. However, there is a gap in the literature investigating the approach and conceptualization of tolerance in UAE Islamic education curricula. This study employed qualitative content analysis of grade 10–12 textbooks to understand how the concept of tolerance is promoted and to identify the opportunities and gaps in teaching tolerance through these texts. The notion of tolerance in these texts was discussed through the themes of civic engagement, critical thinking, acceptance of multiplicity, justice and equity, protection from extremism, and compassion for humans. This study identified gaps in addressing tolerance and suggested other concepts that could further supplement the Islamic education program to more thoroughly address the notion of tolerance. This study argues that teaching tolerance through religious-based instruction may facilitate an exploration of effective tolerance inculcation approaches that provide insights into the field of tolerance education at large.
Introduction: Faith after the Anthropocene
Authors: Wickman Matthew , Sherman Jacob
Published: July 2020

This is the introductory essay to the Special Issue “Faith after the Anthropocene” published in Religions 11:4 and 11:5. How does the Earth’s precarious state reveal our own? How does this vulnerable condition prompt new ways of thinking and being? The essays that are part of this collection consider how the transformative thinking demanded by our vulnerability inspires us to reconceive our place in the cosmos, alongside each other and, potentially, before God. Who are we “after” (the concept of) the Anthropocene? What forms of thought and structures of feeling might attend us in this state? How might we determine our values and to what do we orient our hopes? Faith, a conceptual apparatus for engaging the unseen, helps us weigh the implications of this massive, but in some ways mysterious, force on the lives we lead; faith helps us visualize what it means to exist in this new and still emergent reality.
Sacred Sites Protection and Indigenous Women’s Activism: Empowering Grassroots Social Movements to Influence Public Policy. A Look into the “Women of Standing Rock” and “Idle No More” Indigenous Movements
Authors: Gottardi Francesca
Published: July 2020

Religion and public policy are interconnected across a variety of issues. One aspect where this linkage has been understudied is religion and Indigenous sacred sites protection. This article aims to address this gap by analyzing how Indigenous women’s activism advances this cause. The focus is on how Indigenous Peoples, specifically women, use grassroots activism to provoke change on public policy in the context of the protection of Indigenous sacred sites. Two case studies are used to illustrate this concept: the American “Women of Standing Rock” and the Canadian “Idle No More” grassroots social movements. My analysis draws from interpretative methods. Interpretative research revolves around the concept of individuals as active producers of meaning. The women-led grassroots social movements at issue highlight a fundamental lack of awareness of the historical and current struggles of Indigenous Peoples, both in the US and Canada. Modern technologies and social media provide democratic means for grassroots social movements to be heard and empowered. The growing movement by Indigenous women to assert their rights, and their quest for self-determination in land use and sacred sites protection create a positive discourse that advances Indigenous women’s position in crossing the obstacles onto “institutional places of privilege,” hence influencing public policy.
Examining the Impact of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Pandemic-Related Hardship on Adverse Pregnancy and Infant Outcomes: Design and Launch of the HOPE COVID-19 Study
Authors: Jelliffe-Pawlowski Laura L. , Oltman Scott P. , Rand Larry , Scott Karen A. , Kuppermann Miriam , Baer Rebecca , Bell April , Bandoli Gretchen , Costello Jean , Diamond-Smith Nadia , Epel Elissa , Jackson Rebecca , Jiang Fei , Karasek Deborah A. , Lindan Christina , O’Leary Allison , Olgin Jeffrey , Pantell Matt , Paquette Alison , Parikh Nisha , Peyser Noah , Piao Xianhua , Prather Aric , Rutherford George , Ryckman Kelli K. , Steurer-Muller Martina , Stookey Jodi , Srinivasa Ganapati , Wright Hollis , McCulloch Charles E. , Piening Brian , Rogers Elizabeth E. , Chambers Christina
Published: July 2020

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread and worsen in many parts of the world. As the pandemic grows, it is especially important to understand how the virus and the pandemic are affecting pregnant women and infants. While early data suggested that being infected with the virus did not increase the risk of adverse pregnancy or infant outcomes, as more information has emerged, it has become clear that risks for some adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes are increased (e.g., preterm birth, cesarean section, respiratory distress, and hospitalization). The Healthy Outcomes of Pregnancy for Everyone in the time of novel coronavirus disease-19 (HOPE COVID-19) study is a multi-year, prospective investigation designed to better understand how the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 impact adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes. The study also examines how the pandemic exacerbates existing hardships such as social isolation, economic destabilization, job loss, housing instability, and/or family member sickness or death among minoritized and marginalized communities. Specifically, the study examines how pandemic-related hardships impact clinical outcomes and characterizes the experiences of Black, Latinx and low-income groups compared to those in other race/ethnicity and socioeconomic stratum. The study includes two nested cohorts. The survey only cohort will enroll 7500 women over a two-year period. The survey+testing cohort will enroll 2500 women over this same time period. Participants in both cohorts complete short surveys daily using a mobile phone application about COVID-19-related symptoms (e.g., fever and cough) and complete longer surveys once during each trimester and at 6–8 weeks and 6, 12 and 18 months after delivery that focus on the health and well-being of mothers and, after birth, of infants. Participants in the survey+testing cohort also have testing for SARS-CoV-2 and related antibodies during pregnancy and after birth as well as testing that looks at inflammation and for the presence of other infections like Influenza and Rhinovirus. Study results are expected to be reported on a rolling basis and will include quarterly reporting for participants and public health partners as well as more traditional scientific reporting.
Building Extraction of Aerial Images by a Global and Multi-Scale Encoder-Decoder Network
Authors: Ma Jingjing , Wu Linlin , Tang Xu , Liu Fang , Zhang Xiangrong , Jiao Licheng
Published: July 2020

Semantic segmentation is an important and challenging task in the aerial image community since it can extract the target level information for understanding the aerial image. As a practical application of aerial image semantic segmentation, building extraction always attracts researchers’ attention as the building is the specific land cover in the aerial images. There are two key points for building extraction from aerial images. One is learning the global and local features to fully describe the buildings with diverse shapes. The other one is mining the multi-scale information to discover the buildings with different resolutions. Taking these two key points into account, we propose a new method named global multi-scale encoder-decoder network (GMEDN) in this paper. Based on the encoder-decoder framework, GMEDN is developed with a local and global encoder and a distilling decoder. The local and global encoder aims at learning the representative features from the aerial images for describing the buildings, while the distilling decoder focuses on exploring the multi-scale information for the final segmentation masks. Combining them together, the building extraction is accomplished in an end-to-end manner. The effectiveness of our method is validated by the experiments counted on two public aerial image datasets. Compared with some existing methods, our model can achieve better performance.
Monitoring Water Level Change and Seasonal Vegetation Change in the Coastal Wetlands of Louisiana Using L-Band Time-Series
Authors: Liao Tien-Hao , Simard Marc , Denbina Michael , Lamb Michael P.
Published: July 2020

Coastal wetlands are productive ecosystems driven by highly dynamic hydrological processes such as tides and river discharge, which operate at daily to seasonal timescales, respectively. The scientific community has been calling for landscape-scale measurements of hydrological variables that could help understand the flow of water and transport of sediment across coastal wetlands. While in situ water level gauge data have enabled significant advances, they are limited in coverage and largely unavailable in many parts of the world. In preparation for the NISAR mission, we investigate the use of spaceborne Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) observations of phase and coherence at L-band for landscape-scale monitoring of water level change and vegetation cover in coastal wetlands across seasons. We use L-band SAR images acquired by ALOS/PALSAR from 2007 to 2011 to study the impact of seasonal changes in vegetation cover on InSAR sensitivity to water level change in the wetlands of the Atchafalaya basin located in coastal Louisiana, USA. Seasonal variations are observed in the interferometric coherence ( γ ) time-series over wetlands, with higher coherence during the winter and lower coherence during the summer. We show with InSAR time-series that coherence is inversely correlated with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Our analysis of polarimetric scattering mechanisms demonstrates that double-bounce is the dominant mechanism in swamps while its weakness in marshes hinders estimation of water level changes. In swamps, water level change maps derived from InSAR are highly correlated (r2 = 0.83) with in situ data from the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS). From October to December, we observed that the water level may be below wetland elevation and thus not inundating wetlands significantly. Our analysis shows that water level can only be retrieved when both images used for InSAR are acquired when wetlands are inundated. The L-band derived-maps of water level change show large scale gradients originating from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway rather than the main delta trunk channel, confirming its significant role as a source of hydrologic connectivity across these coastal wetlands. These results indicate that NISAR, with its InSAR observations every 12 days, will provide the measurements necessary to reveal large scale hydrodynamic processes that occur in swamps across seasons.