bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel 3D-Printed and Miniaturized Periodic Counter Current Chromatography System for Continuous Purification of Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: Kortmann Carlotta , Habib Taieb , Heuer Christopher , Solle Dörte , Bahnemann Janina
Published: March 2024

Continuous chromatography has emerged as one of the most attractive methods for protein purification. Establishing such systems involves installing several chromatographic units in series to enable continuous separation processes and reduce the cost of the production of expensive proteins and biopharmaceuticals (such as monoclonal antibodies). However, most of the established systems are bulky and plagued by high dead volume, which requires further optimization for improved separation procedures. In this article, we present a miniaturized periodic counter-current chromatography (PCCC) system, which is characterized by substantially reduced dead volume when compared to traditional chromatography setups. The PCCC device was fabricated by 3D printing, allowing for flexible design adjustments and rapid prototyping, and has great potential to be used for the screening of optimized chromatography conditions and protocols. The functionality of the 3D-printed device was demonstrated with respect to the capture and polishing steps during a monoclonal antibody purification process. Furthermore, this novel miniaturized system was successfully used for two different chromatography techniques (affinity and ion-exchange chromatography) and two different types of chromatographic units (columns and membrane adsorbers). This demonstrated versability underscores the flexibility of this kind of system and its potential for utilization in various chromatography applications, such as direct product capture from perfusion cell cultures.
A Broadband Transmitarray Antenna Using a Metasurface-Based Element for Millimeter-Wave Applications
Authors: Cao Yue , Zhang Miaojuan , Fan Chong , Chen Jian-Xin
Published: March 2024

In this manuscript, a broadband transmitarray antenna (TA) using a metasurface-based element is presented for millimeter-wave communication applications. The metasurface-based TA element adopts a receiver–transmitter configuration: metasurfaces are applied as the receiver and transmitter, and slot-coupled differentially fed striplines are used as the phase compensation. The designed TA element achieves good transmission performance with a more than 360° transmission phase shift range and less than 1-dB transmission insertion loss within a wide frequency range. To verify the proposed TA, a prototype is fabricated based on the conventional printed circuit board (PCB) process, and a pyramid horn is designed as the source. The measured results show that the proposed TA with the differential feed network presents a 1-dB gain bandwidth of 26.2% from 23.5 to 30.5 GHz and a peak gain of 24.5 dBi. The designed TA is a promising alternative for millimeter-wave communications applications because of its high gain, broad bandwidth, low costs, and convenient integration with other circuits.
A Phase Model of the Bio-Inspired NbOx Local Active Memristor under Weak Coupling Conditions
Authors: Ma Xuetiao , Shen Yiran
Published: March 2024

For some so-called computationally difficult problems, using the method of Boolean logic is fundamentally inefficient. For example, the vertex coloring problem looks very simple, but the number of possible solutions increases sharply with the increase of graph vertices. This is the difficulty of the problem. This complexity has been widely studied because of its wide applications in the fields of data science, life science, social science, and engineering technology. Consequently, it has inspired the use of alternative and more effective non-Boolean methods for obtaining solutions to similar problems. In this paper, we explore the research on a new generation of computers that use local active memristors coupling. First, we study the dynamics of the memristor coupling network. Then, the simplified system phase model is obtained. This research not only clarifies a physics-based calculation method but also provides a foundation for the construction of customized analog computers to effectively solve NP-hard problems.
All-Optical XOR, AND, OR, NOT, NOR, NAND, and XNOR Logic Operations Based on M-Shaped Silicon Waveguides at 1.55 μm
Authors: Kotb Amer , Zoiros Kyriakos E. , Chen Wei
Published: March 2024

Silicon waveguides are essential to integrated photonics, which is where optical and electronic components are coupled together on a single silicon chip. These waveguides allow for the integration of signal processing and optical transmission, which advances data centers, telecommunications, and other optical applications. Thus, our study involves the simulation of essential all-optical logic operations, namely XOR, AND, OR, NOT, NOR, NAND, and XNOR, and utilizes M-shaped silicon optical waveguides at a wavelength of 1.55 μm. This simulation is conducted through Lumerical FDTD solutions. The suggested waveguide comprises four identical slots, configured in the shape of the letter ‘M’, and all of which are formed of core silicon and silica cladding. These logic operations work based on constructive and destructive interferences that are caused by phase changes in the input optical beams. The contrast ratio (CR) is employed to quantitatively and comparatively assess the degree to which the target logic operations are efficiently executed. The simulation results indicate that, compared to other reported designs, the considered logic functions constructed using the proposed waveguide can be implemented with higher CRs. The outcomes of this paper can be utilized regarding the implementation of optoelectronic combinational logic circuits of enhanced functionality.
Efficient Aqueous Copper Removal by Burnt Tire-Derived Carbon-Based Nanostructures and Their Utilization as Catalysts
Authors: Arunachellan Iviwe Cwaita , Bhaumik Madhumita , Brink Hendrik Gideon , Pillay Kriveshini , Maity Arjun
Published: March 2024

This research focuses on valorising waste burnt tires (BTs) through a two-phase oxidation process, leading to the production of onion-like carbon-based nanostructures. The initial carbonization of BTs yielded activated carbon (AC), denoted as “BTSA”, followed by further oxidation using the modified Hummer’s method to produce onion-like carbon designated as “BTHM”. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurements showed 5.49 m2/g, 19.88 m2/g, and 71.08 m2/g for raw BT, BTSA, and BTHM, respectively. Additional surface functionalization oxidations were observed through Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analyses. Raman spectroscopy indicated an increased graphitic nature during each oxidation stage. BTHM was assessed in batch adsorption studies for cupric wastewater remediation, revealing a two-phase pseudo-first-order behaviour dominated by mass transfer to BTHM. The maximum adsorption capacity for Cu2+ on BTHM was determined as 136.1 mg/g at 25 °C. Langmuir adsorption isotherm best described BTHM at a solution pH of 6, while kinetics studies suggested pseudo-second-order kinetics. Furthermore, BTHM, laden with Cu2+, served as a catalyst in a model coupling reaction of para-idoanisole and phenol, successfully yielding the desired product. This study highlights the promising potential of BTHM for both environmental remediation and catalytic reuse applications to avoid the generation of secondary environmental waste by the spent adsorbent.
Design and Analysis of the Dual-Band Far-Field Super-Resolution Metalens with Large Aperture
Authors: Guo Cheng , Zheng Zhishuai , Liu Ziang , Yan Zilong , Wang Yucheng , Chen Ruotong , Liu Zhuonan , Yu Peiquan , Wan Weihao , Zhao Qing , Huang Xiaoping
Published: March 2024

The resolving power of metalens telescopes rely on their aperture size. Flat telescopes are advancing with the research on super-resolution confocal metalenses with large aperture. However, the aperture sizes of metalenses are usually bound within hundreds of micrometers due to computational and fabrication challenges, limiting their usage on practical optical devices like telescopes. In this work, we demonstrated a two-step designing method for the design of dual-band far-field super-resolution metalens with aperture sizes from the micro-scale to macro-scale. By utilizing two types of inserted unit cells, the phase profile of a dual-wavelength metalens with a small aperture of 100 μm was constructed. Through numerical simulation, the measured FWHM values of the focal spots of 5.81 μm and 6.81 μm at working wavelengths of 632.8 nm and 1265.6 nm were found to all be slightly smaller than the values of 0.61 λ/NA, demonstrating the super-resolution imaging of the designed metalens. By measuring the optical power ratio of the focal plane and the incident plane, the focusing efficiencies were 76% at 632.8 nm and 64% at 1265.6 nm. Based on the design method for small-aperture metalens, far-field imaging properties through the macro metalens with an aperture of 40 mm were simulated by using the Huygens–Fresnel principle. The simulation results demonstrate confocal far-field imaging behavior at the target wavelengths of 632.8 nm and 1265.6 nm, with a focal length of 200 mm. The design method for dual-band far-field super-resolution metalens with a large aperture opens a door towards the practical applications in the dual-band space telescope system.
Functionalization of Ordered Mesoporous Silica (MCM-48) with Task-Specific Ionic Liquid for Enhanced Carbon Capture
Authors: Philip Firuz A. , Henni Amr
Published: March 2024

This work presents new composites of AAILs@MCM-48 obtained by functionalizing ordered mesoporous silica MCM-48 with two amino acid-based ionic liquids (AAILs) ([Emim][Gly] and [Emim][Ala]) to improve carbon capture and the selectivity of CO2 over nitrogen. Thermogravimetric and XRD analyses of the composites showed that the MCM-48 support’s thermal and structural integrity was preserved after the AAILs were encapsulated. An N2 adsorption–desorption study at 77 K confirmed AAIL encapsulation in the porous support. Under post-combustion flue gas conditions, both [Emim][Gly]@MCM-48 and [Emim][Ala]@MCM-48 demonstrated improved CO2 adsorption in comparison to the unmodified MCM-48, with a CO2 partial pressure of around 0.15 bar. Regarding the maximal CO2 uptake, the 40 wt.%-[Emim][Gly] composite outperformed the others at 303 K, with values of 0.74 and 0.82 mmol g−1, respectively, at 0.1 and 0.2 bar. These numbers show a 10× and 5× increase, respectively, compared to the pure MCM-48 under identical conditions. In addition, the selectivity of the composites was improved significantly at 0.1 bar: the selectivity of composites containing 40 wt.% [Emim][Ala] increased to 17, compared to 2 for pristine MCM-48. These composites outperform other silica-based studies reported in the literature, even those using amines as solvents. The presented composites offer therefore promising prospects for advancing carbon capture technology.
Efficacy and Safety of Ketogenic Diet Treatment in Pediatric Patients with Mitochondrial Disease
Authors: Wesół-Kucharska Dorota , Greczan Milena , Kaczor Magdalena , Ehmke vel Emczyńska-Seliga Ewa , Hajdacka Małgorzata , Czekuć-Kryśkiewicz Edyta , Piekutowska-Abramczuk Dorota , Halat-Wolska Paulina , Ciara Elżbieta , Jaworski Maciej , Jezela-Stanek Aleksandra , Rokicki Dariusz
Published: March 2024

Mitochondrial diseases (MDs) are a heterogeneous group of disorders resulting from abnormal mitochondrial function. Currently, there is no causal treatment for MDs. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of the ketogenic diet (KD) in patients with MD and to analyse selected biochemical and clinical parameters evaluating the effectiveness of KD treatment in patients with MDs. A total of 42 paediatric patients were assigned to four groups: group 1—patients with MD in whom KD treatment was started (n = 11); group 2—patients with MD remaining on an ordinary diet (n = 10); group 3—patients without MD in whom KD treatment was initiated (n = 10), group 4—patients without MD on a regular diet (n = 11). Clinical improvement was observed in 9/11 patients with MD treated with KD. Among patients with MD without KD, the clinical condition deteriorated in 7/10 patients, improved in 2/10 patients, and remained unchanged in one patient. Adverse events of KD occurred with a comparable frequency in groups 1 and 3. There was no significant difference in changes in biomarker concentrations over the course of the study among patients treated and untreated with KD.
In Vivo Predictive Dissolution and Biopharmaceutic-Based In Silico Model to Explain Bioequivalence Results of Valsartan, a Biopharmaceutics Classification System Class IV Drug
Authors: Gonzalez-Alvarez Isabel , Ruiz-Picazo Alejandro , Selles-Talavera Ruben , Figueroa-Campos Andres , Merino Virginia , Bermejo Marival , Gonzalez-Alvarez Marta
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this study was to predict the in vivo bioequivalence (BE) outcome of valsartan (VALS, BCS class IV) from three oral-fixed combination products with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, BCS class III) (Co-Diovan® Forte as reference and two generic formulations in development) by conducting in vivo predictive dissolution with a gastrointestinal simulator (GIS) and a physiologically based biopharmaceutic model (PBBM). In the first BE study, the HCTZ failed, but the VALS 90% CI of Cmax and the AUC were within the acceptance limits, while, in the second BE study, the HCTZ 90% CI of Cmax and the AUC were within the acceptance limits, but the VALS failed. As both drugs belong to different BCS classes, their limiting factors for absorption are different. On the other hand, the gastrointestinal variables affected by the formulation excipients have a distinct impact on their in vivo exposures. Dissolution tests of the three products were performed in a GIS, and a PBBM was constructed for VALS by incorporating in the mathematical model of the in vitro–in vivo correlation (IVIVC) the gastrointestinal variables affected by the excipients, namely, VALS permeability and GI transit time. VALS permeability in presence of the formulation excipients was characterized using the in situ perfusion method in rats, and the impact of the excipients on the GI transit times was estimated from the HCTZ’s in vivo results. The model was able to fit the in vivo BE results with a good prediction error. This study contributes to the field by showing the usefulness of PBBM in establishing in vitro–in vivo relationships incorporating not only dissolution data but also other gastrointestinal critical variables that affect drug exposure in BCS class IV compounds.
The Effect of Formulation Variables on the Manufacturability of Clopidogrel Tablets via Fluidized Hot-Melt Granulation—From the Lab Scale to the Pilot Scale
Authors: Kovács Béla , Tőkés Erzsébet-Orsolya , Kelemen Éva Katalin , Zöldi Katalin , Boda Francisc , Suba Edit , Kovács-Deák Boglárka , Casian Tibor
Published: March 2024

Solid pharmaceutical formulations with class II active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) face dissolution challenges due to limited solubility, affecting in vivo behavior. Robust computational tools, via data mining, offer valuable insights into product performance, complementing traditional methods and aiding in scale-up decisions. This study utilizes the design of experiments (DoE) to understand fluidized hot-melt granulation manufacturing technology. Exploratory data analysis (MVDA) highlights similarities and differences in tablet manufacturability and dissolution profiles at both the lab and pilot scales. The study sought to gain insights into the application of multivariate data analysis by identifying variations among batches produced at different manufacturing scales for this technology. DoE and MVDA findings show that the granulation temperature, time, and Macrogol type significantly impact product performance. These factors, by influencing particle size distribution, become key predictors of product quality attributes such as resistance to crushing, disintegration time, and early-stage API dissolution in the profile. Software-aided data mining, with its multivariate and versatile nature, complements the empirical approach, which is reliant on trial and error during product scale-up.
Amide-to-Triazole Switch in Somatostatin-14-Based Radioligands: Impact on Receptor Affinity and In Vivo Stability
Authors: Guarrochena Xabier , Kanellopoulos Panagiotis , Stingeder Anna , Rečnik Lisa-Maria , Feiner Irene V. J. , Brandt Marie , Kandioller Wolfgang , Maina Theodosia , Nock Berthold A. , Mindt Thomas L.
Published: March 2024

The use of metabolically stabilized, radiolabeled somatostatin (SST) analogs ([68Ga]Ga/[177Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE/TOC/NOC) is well established in nuclear medicine. Despite the pivotal role of these radioligands in the diagnosis and therapy of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), their inability to interact with all five somatostatin receptors (SST1–5R) limits their clinical potential. [111In]In-AT2S is a radiolabeled DOTA-conjugate derived from the parent peptide SST-14 that exhibits high binding affinity to all SSTR subtypes, but its poor metabolic stability represents a serious disadvantage for clinical use. In order to address this issue, we have replaced strategic trans-amide bonds of [111In]In-AT2S with metabolically stable 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole bioisosteres. From the five cyclic triazolo-peptidomimetics investigated, only [111In]In-XG1 combined a preserved nanomolar affinity for the SST1,2,3,5R subtypes in vitro and an improved stability in vivo (up to 17% of intact peptide 5 min postinjection (pi) versus 6% for [111In]In-AT2S). The involvement of neprilysin (NEP) in the metabolism of [111In]In-XG1 was confirmed by coadministration of Entresto®, a registered antihypertensive drug, in vivo releasing the selective and potent NEP-inhibitor sacubitrilat. A pilot SPECT/CT imaging study conducted in mice bearing hSST2R-positive xenografts failed to visualize the xenografts due to the pronounced kidney uptake (>200% injected activity (IA)/g at 4 h pi), likely the result of the formation of cationic metabolites. To corroborate the imaging data, the tumors and the kidneys were excised and analyzed with a γ-counter. Even if receptor-specific tumor uptake for [111In]In-XG1 could be confirmed (1.61% IA/g), further optimization is required to improve its pharmacokinetic properties for radiotracer development.
AMPK Activation by Cimicifuga racemosa Extract Ze 450 Is Associated with Metabolic Effects and Cellular Resilience against Age-Related Pathologies in Different Tissue Cell Types
Authors: Günther Madeline , Schnierle Peter , Rose Thorsten , Schlegel Jonathan , Boonen Georg , Drewe Jürgen , Muñoz Eduardo , Fiebich Bernd L. , Culmsee Carsten
Published: March 2024

Cimicifuga racemosa extracts (CREs) have gained well-established use for the treatment of menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and excessive sweating, and weight gain. While the clinical effects of CREs have been well documented, the mechanisms underlying these effects are largely unknown. More recently, the metabolic effects of the CRE Ze 450 were demonstrated in cultured cells in vitro and in mouse models of obesity in vivo. At the molecular level, metabolic regulation, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and increased glucose uptake were linked to the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Therefore, we tested the effects of Ze 450 on AMPK phosphorylation and thus activation in cells from different tissues, i.e., murine C2C12 myoblast cells, human HEPG2 liver cells, mouse HT22 neuronal cells, and in murine 3T3L1 adipocytes. Using a FRET-based HTRF-assay, we found that Ze 450 induced AMPK phosphorylation and the activation of this key enzyme of metabolic regulation in cells from various different tissues including C2C12 (muscle), HEPG2 (liver), HT22 (hippocampal), and 3T3-L1 (adipocyte) cells. In C2C12 muscle cells, enhanced AMPK activation was accompanied by reduced mitochondrial respiration and enhanced glucose uptake. Further, Ze 450 enhanced the resilience of the cells against oxidative death induced by ferroptosis inducers erastin or RSL3. Our findings suggest a general effect of Cimicifuga racemosa on AMPK activation in different tissues and across species. This may have a significant impact on expanded therapeutic applications of Ze 450, since AMPK activation and the related metabolic effects have been previously associated with anti-aging effects and the prevention of the metabolic syndrome.
Comparison of Oil-Seed Shell Biomass-Based Biochar for the Removal of Anionic Dyes—Characterization and Adsorption Efficiency Studies
Authors: Sutradhar Shrikanta , Mondal Arijit , Kuehne Felix , Krueger Oliver , Rakshit Sudip K. , Kang Kang
Published: March 2024

This research investigated the synthesis of biochar through the direct pyrolysis of pre-roasted sunflower seed shells (SFS) and peanut shells (PNS) and compared their application for the effective removal of textile dyes from wastewater. Biochar prepared at 900 °C (SFS900 and PNS900) showed the highest adsorption capacity, which can be attributed to the presence of higher nitrogen content and graphite-like structures. CHNS analysis revealed that PNS900 exhibited an 11.4% higher carbon content than SFS900, which enhanced the environmental stability of PNS biochar. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of the produced biochar indicated the degradation of cellulosic and lignin moieties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed a 13.8% and 22.6% increase in C-C/C=C mass concentrations in the SFS900 and PNS900, respectively, and could be attributed to the condensation of polyaromatic structures. Batch experiments for dye removal demonstrated that irrespective of dye species, PNS900 exhibited superior dye removal efficiency compared to SFS900 at similar dosages. In addition to H-bonding and electrostatic interactions, the presence of pyridinic-N and graphitic-N can play a vital role in enhancing Lewis acid-base and π-π EDA interactions. The results can provide valuable insights into the biochar–dye interaction mechanisms.
Synergistic Influence of Melatonin-Hydrocolloid Coating on Decay and Senescence of Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) during Supermarket Storage Conditions
Authors: Jayarajan Smruthi , Sethi Shruti , Awasthi Om Prakash , Sharma Abhishek , Bukvički Danka
Published: March 2024

Nectarines have remarkable nutritional value, low caloric content, and are rich in antioxidants. However, despite substantial local and global demand, their susceptibility to rapid spoilage during peak summer harvest is limited. To address this issue, the current study investigated the potential benefits of using melatonin (MLT), an antioxidant biomolecule, in combination with edible hydrocolloid coatings like carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and gum Arabic (G.A.) on ‘Snow Queen’ nectarine fruits. The nectarines were treated with various combinations of coatings, including 1% and 1.5% CMC, 8% and 10% G.A., and 0.1 mM melatonin. These coated and non-coated samples were stored under standard supermarket conditions (18 ± 1 °C, 85–90% R.H.) for 16 days. The outcomes demonstrated that the most effective treatment was the combination of 1% CMC with 0.1 mM melatonin. This treatment significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced the rate of respiration, curbed fruit decay by approximately 95%, minimized weight loss by around 42%, and maintained approximately 39% higher levels of total phenol content and roughly 30% greater antioxidant (AOX) activity. These positive effects were accompanied by preserved firmness and overall quality attributes. Moreover, the treatment extended the shelf life to 16 days through retarding senescence and suppressing the activities of lipoxygenase (LOX) and pectin methylesterase (PME), all without compromising the functional qualities of the nectarine.
Self-Powered Humidity Sensor Driven by Triboelectric Nanogenerator Composed of Bio-Wasted Peanut Skin Powder
Authors: Saqib Muhammad , Khan Shenawar Ali , Khan Maryam , Iqbal Shahzad , Rehman Muhammad Muqeet , Kim Woo Young
Published: March 2024

The increasing number of IoT devices has led to more electronic waste production, which harms the environment and human health. Self-powered sensor systems are a solution, but they often use toxic materials. We propose using biocompatible peanut skin as the active material for a self-powered humidity sensor (PSP-SPHS) through integration with a peanut-skin-based triboelectric nanogenerator (PSP-TENG). The PSP-TENG was characterized electrically and showed promising results, including an open circuit voltage (162 V), short circuit current (0.2 µA), and instantaneous power (2.2 mW) at a loading resistance of 20 MΩ. Peanut skin is a great choice for the sensor due to its porous surface, large surface area, eco-friendliness, and affordability. PSP-TENG was further used as a power source for the PSP-humidity sensor. PSP-SPHS worked as a humidity-dependent resistor, whose resistance decreased with increasing relative humidity (%RH), which further resulted in decreasing voltage across the humidity sensor. This proposed PSP-SPHS exhibited a good sensitivity (0.8 V/RH%), fast response/recovery time (4/10 s), along with excellent stability and repeatability, making it a potential candidate for self-powered humidity sensor technology.
The Application of Textile Materials in Interfacial Solar Steam Generation for Water Purification and Desalination
Authors: Saeed Haroon A. M. , Kazimoto Veronica Valerian , Xu Weilin , Yang Hongjun
Published: March 2024

The global increase in population, the phenomenon of climate change, the issue of water pollution and contamination, and the inadequate management of water resources all exert heightened strain on freshwater reserves. The potential utilization of the interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) system, which utilizes photothermal conversion to generate heat on material surfaces for wastewater purification and desalination purposes, has been successfully demonstrated. Textile-material-based ISSG devices, including (woven, nonwoven, and knitted) fabrics and electrospinning membranes, exhibit distinct properties such as a rough surface texture, high porosity, significant surface area, exceptional flexibility, and robust mechanical strength. These characteristics, combined with their affordability, accessibility, and economic viability for widespread implementation, make them extremely attractive for applications in SSG. In this review, a comprehensive analysis of the emerging concepts, advancements, and applications of textile materials, such as woven, nonwoven, and knitted fabrics and electrospun membranes, in ISSG for wastewater purification and desalination is presented. We also emphasize significant obstacles and potential prospects in both theoretical investigations and real-world implementations, aiming to contribute to future advancements in the domain of textile-material-based interfacial evaporation in wastewater purification and desalination. Furthermore, the drawbacks and the challenges of ISSG systems are also highlighted.
Delivery of Probiotics with Cellulose-Based Films and Their Food Applications
Authors: Yang Ying , Zhang Junze , Li Chengcheng
Published: March 2024

Probiotics have attracted great interest from many researchers due to their beneficial effects. Encapsulation of probiotics into biopolymer matrices has led to the development of active food packaging materials as an alternative to traditional ones for controlling food-borne microorganisms, extending food shelf life, improving food safety, and achieving health-promoting effects. The challenges of low survival rates during processing, storage, and delivery to the gut and low intestinal colonization, storage stability, and controllability have greatly limited the use of probiotics in practical food-preservation applications. The encapsulation of probiotics with a protective matrix can increase their resistance to a harsh environment and improve their survival rates, making probiotics appropriate in the food packaging field. Cellulose has attracted extensive attention in food packaging due to its excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, environmental friendliness, renewability, and excellent mechanical strength. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the main types of cellulose used for probiotic encapsulation, as well as the current advances in different probiotic encapsulating strategies with cellulose, grafted cellulose, and cellulose-derived materials, including electrospinning, cross-linking, in-situ growth, casting strategies, and their combinations. The effect of cellulose encapsulation on the survival rate of probiotics and the patented encapsulated probiotics are also introduced. In addition, applications of cellulose-encapsulated probiotics in the food industry are also briefly discussed. Finally, the future trends toward developing encapsulated probiotics with improved health benefits and advanced features with cellulose-based materials are discussed.
Foaming of 3D-Printed PLA/CaCO3 Composites by Supercritical CO2 Process for Sustainable Food Contact Materials
Authors: Faba Simón , Agüero Ángel , Arrieta Marina P. , Martínez Sara , Romero Julio , Torres Alejandra , Galotto María José
Published: March 2024

In the last decade, among the emerging technologies in the area of bioplastics, additive manufacturing (AM), commonly referred to as 3D printing, stands out. This technology has gained great interest in the development of new products, mainly due to its capability to easily produce customized and low-cost plastic products. This work aims to evaluate the effect of supercritical foaming of 3D-printed parts based on a commercial PLA matrix loaded with calcium carbonate, for single-use sustainable food contact materials. 3D-printed PLA/CaCO3 parts were obtained by 3D printing with a 20% and 80% infill, and two infill patterns, rectilinear and triangular, were set for each of the infill percentages selected. Supercritical fluid foaming of PLA/CaCO3 composite printed parts was performed using a pressure of 25 MPa, a temperature of 130 °C for 23 min, with a fast depressurization rate (1 s). Closed-cell foams were achieved and the presence of CaCO3 did not influence the surface of the foams or the cell walls, and no agglomerations were observed. Foam samples with 80% infill showed subtle temperature fluctuations, and thermogravimetric analysis showed that samples were thermally stable up to ~300 °C, while the maximum degradation temperature was around 365 °C. Finally, tensile test analysis showed that for lower infill contents, the foams showed lower mechanical performance, while the 80% infill and triangular pattern produced foams with good mechanical performance. These results emphasize the interest in using the supercritical CO2 process to easily produce foams from 3D-printed parts. These materials represent a sustainable alternative for replacing non-biodegradable materials such as Expanded Polystyrene, and they are a promising option for use in many industrial applications, such as contact materials.
Collective Despair and a Time for Emergence: Proposing a Contemplacostal Spirituality
Authors: Yong Aizaiah G.
Published: March 2024

In many ways, the cascading effects of the age of the Anthropocene have accelerated life as we know it towards a certain kind of reckoning, which has only been exacerbated amidst the global inequities present within the COVID-19 pandemic. Trauma studies, as an interdisciplinary field, has recently been linked to the experience of despair at both personal and collective levels. Yet, trauma scholars are increasingly amenable to diverse forms of spirituality and its perspectives as core to the work of addressing suffering in the world, especially for marginalized communities as ways to access the wisdom of bodies, thoughts, emotions, and cultural/spiritual longings. Moving further in this direction, a practical theology which bridges trauma studies with Christian spirituality (and the emphases on spiritually rooted social action and the centrality of the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete: helper, counsellor, advocate, and comforter) is timely. This paper imagines how contemporary trauma care approaches might be supported by emergent forms of Christian spirituality enabling greater posttraumatic growth and resiliency and subsequently how this can renew the practice and study of Christian spirituality.
Visits to the Palace of the Sea God in Ancient and Medieval Japan
Authors: Felt Matthieu
Published: March 2024

Visits to the palace of the sea god are a recurring theme in premodern Japanese narratives, and comparing these stories across time periods reveals shifting perceptions of the supernatural world. The earliest sources for narratives of travel to the palace of the sea god in Japan date from the eighth century, most notably in the stories of Luck of the Mountain and Urashima Tarō. In these stories, the descriptions of the sea god’s palace, the relationship of the sea god to the natural world, and even the location of the palace were tied to eighth-century understandings of kingship, weather, and geography. Later adaptations of these stories incorporate features of Buddhist geography, Chinese architecture, Buddhist narrative motifs, and even an alternative vision of supernatural time. These alterations occurred because the eighth-century narratives required adaptation to fit a new political, social, and religious reality. This comparison demonstrates that our vision of the supernatural world is inextricably tied to our understanding of the natural. When our fundamental grasp of the nature of reality changes, our imagination of the supernatural transforms in turn.
3D-PCGR: Colored Point Cloud Generation and Reconstruction with Surface and Scale Constraints
Authors: Yuan Chaofeng , Pan Jinghui , Zhang Zhaoxiang , Qi Min , Xu Yuelei
Published: March 2024

In the field of 3D point cloud data, the 3D representation of objects is often affected by factors such as lighting, occlusion, and noise, leading to issues of information loss and incompleteness in the collected point cloud data. Point cloud completion algorithms aim to generate complete object point cloud data using partial or local point cloud data as input. Despite promising results achieved by existing methods, current point cloud completion approaches often lack smooth and structural consistency, resulting in a messy overall structure. To address these shortcomings in point cloud completion, we propose a point cloud generative method based on surface consistency and scale rendering. In addition, to solve the limitation of existing methods that mainly focus on geometric features in 3D point cloud completion and do not make full use of color information, we introduce an object reconstruction method based on texture and geometric features. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our proposed methods exhibit superior performance in terms of local details and overall object structure.
Impacts of Crop Type and Climate Changes on Agricultural Water Dynamics in Northeast China from 2000 to 2020
Authors: Xiao Xingyuan , Zhang Jing , Liu Yaqun
Published: March 2024

Northeast China (NEC) is one of the most important national agricultural production bases, and its agricultural water dynamics are essential for food security and sustainable agricultural development. However, the dynamics of long-term annual crop-specific agricultural water and its crop type and climate impacts remain largely unknown, compromising water-saving practices and water-efficiency agricultural management in this vital area. Thus, this study used multi-source data of the crop type, climate factors, and the digital elevation model (DEM), and multiple digital agriculture technologies of remote sensing (RS), the geographic information system (GIS), the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-SCS) model, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Penman–Monteith (FAO P-M) model, and the water supply–demand index (M) to map the annual spatiotemporal distribution of effective precipitation (Pe), crop water requirement (ETc), irrigation water requirement (IWR), and the supply–demand situation in the NEC from 2000 to 2020. The study further analyzed the impacts of the crop type and climate changes on agricultural water dynamics and revealed the reasons and policy implications for their spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The results indicated that the annual average Pe, ETc, IWR, and M increased by 1.56%/a, 0.74%/a, 0.42%/a, and 0.83%/a in the NEC, respectively. Crop-specifically, the annual average Pe increased by 1.15%/a, 2.04%/a, and 2.09%/a, ETc decreased by 0.46%/a, 0.79%/a, and 0.89%/a, IWR decreased by 1.03%/a, 1.32%/a, and 3.42%/a, and M increased by 1.48%/a, 2.67%/a, and 2.87%/a for maize, rice, and soybean, respectively. Although the ETc and IWR for all crops decreased, regional averages still increased due to the expansion of water-intensive maize and rice. The crop type and climate changes jointly influenced agricultural water dynamics. Crop type transfer contributed 39.28% and 41.25% of the total IWR increase, and the remaining 60.72% and 58.75% were caused by cropland expansion in the NEC from 2000 to 2010 and 2010 to 2020, respectively. ETc and IWR increased with increasing temperature and solar radiation, and increasing precipitation led to decreasing IWR in the NEC. The adjustment of crop planting structure and the implementation of water-saving practices need to comprehensively consider the spatiotemporally heterogeneous impacts of crop and climate changes on agricultural water dynamics. The findings of this study can aid RS-GIS-based agricultural water simulations and applications and support the scientific basis for agricultural water management and sustainable agricultural development.
GNSS/5G Joint Position Based on Weighted Robust Iterative Kalman Filter
Authors: Jiao Hongjian , Tao Xiaoxuan , Chen Liang , Zhou Xin , Ju Zhanghai
Published: March 2024

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is widely used for its high accuracy, wide coverage, and strong real-time performance. However, limited by the navigation signal mechanism, satellite signals in urban canyons, bridges, tunnels, and other environments are seriously affected by non-line-of-sight and multipath effects, which greatly reduce positioning accuracy and positioning continuity. In order to meet the positioning requirements of human and vehicle navigation in complex environments, it was necessary to carry out this research on the integration of multiple signal sources. The Fifth Generation (5G) signal possesses key attributes, such as low latency, high bandwidth, and substantial capacity. Simultaneously, 5G Base Stations (BSs), serving as a fundamental mobile communication infrastructure, extend their coverage into areas traditionally challenging for GNSS technology, including indoor environments, tunnels, and urban canyons. Based on the actual needs, this paper proposes a system algorithm based on 5G and GNSS joint positioning, aiming at the situation that the User Equipment (UE) only establishes the connection with the 5G base station with the strongest signal. Considering the inherent nonlinear problem of user position and angle measurements in 5G observation, an angle cosine solution is proposed. Furthermore, enhancements to the Sage–Husa Adaptive Kalman Filter (SHAKF) algorithm are introduced to tackle issues related to observation weight distribution and adaptive updates of observation noise in multi-system joint positioning, particularly when there is a lack of prior information. This paper also introduces dual gross error detection adaptive correction of the forgetting factor based on innovation in the iterative Kalman filter to enhance accuracy and robustness. Finally, a series of simulation experiments and semi-physical experiments were conducted. The numerical results show that compared with the traditional method, the angle cosine method reduces the average number of iterations from 9.17 to 3 with higher accuracy, which greatly improves the efficiency of the algorithm. Meanwhile, compared with the standard Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), the proposed algorithm improved 48.66%, 35.17%, and 38.23% at 1σ/2σ/3σ, respectively.
Environmental Influences on the Detection of Buried Objects with a Ground-Penetrating Radar
Authors: Arendt Bernd , Schneider Michael , Mayer Winfried , Walter Thomas
Published: March 2024

A tremendous number of landmines has been buried during the last decade. In recent years, various autonomous platforms equipped with ground-penetrating radars (GPRs) have been proposed for the detection of landmines. These systems have already demonstrated their performance in controlled environments with known ground truth. However, it has been observed that the influence of surface conditions in the form of vegetation and roughness as well as soil moisture content significantly reduce the detection probability. The influence of these individual factors on a ground-offset GPR is presented and discussed in this work. Each of these factors significantly degrades the backscattered signal. With increasing soil moisture, the signal gets attenuated more strongly; however, the signature is maintained in the phase of the C-Scans. An increase in surface roughness deteriorates the target pattern making it difficult to detect buried objects unambiguously. Vegetation, especially with irregular leaf structures, can appear as a ghost target and scatter the electromagnetic waves. In most cases, the target is easier to detect in the phase of the B- or C-Scan.
Synthetic Aperture Radar Radio Frequency Interference Suppression Method Based on Fusing Segmentation and Inpainting Networks
Authors: Fang Fuping , Tian Yuanrong , Dai Dahai , Xing Shiqi
Published: March 2024

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a high-resolution imaging sensor commonly mounted on platforms such as airplanes and satellites for widespread use. In complex electromagnetic environments, radio frequency interference (RFI) severely degrades the quality of SAR images due to its widely varying bandwidth and numerous unknown emission sources. Although traditional deep learning-based methods have achieved remarkable results by directly processing SAR images as visual ones, there is still considerable room for improvement in their performance due to the wide coverage and high intensity of RFI. To address these issues, this paper proposes the fusion of segmentation and inpainting networks (FuSINet) to suppress SAR RFI in the time-frequency domain. Firstly, to weaken the dominance of RFI in SAR images caused by high-intensity interference, a simple CCN-based network is employed to learn and segment the RFI. This results in the removal of most of the original interference, leaving blanks that allow the targets to regain dominance in the overall image. Secondly, considering the wide coverage characteristic of RFI, a U-former network with global information capture capabilities is utilized to learn the content covered by the interference and fill in the blanks created by the segmentation network. Compared to the traditional Transformer, this paper enhances its global information capture capabilities through shift-windows and down-sampling layers. Finally, the segmentation and inpainting networks are fused together through a weighted parameter for joint training. This not only accelerates the learning speed but also enables better coordination between the two networks, leading to improved RFI suppression performance. Extensive experimental results demonstrate the substantial performance enhancement of the proposed FuSINet. Compared to the PISNet+, the proposed attention mechanism achieves a 2.49 dB improvement in peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR). Furthermore, compared to Uformer, the FuSINet achieves an additional 4.16 dB improvement in PSNR.
Precipitation and Soil Moisture Variation over the Tibetan Plateau to the Anomaly of Indian Summer Monsoon from 1979 to 2019
Authors: Liu Tianyu , Chen Jinghua , Zhang Yuanjie , Gao Zhiqiu
Published: March 2024

The Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) can profoundly influence the summer precipitation patterns of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and indirectly affect the TP’s soil humidity. This study investigates the responses of TP’s precipitation and soil moisture to the ISM in the monsoon season (June to September, JJAS) from 1979 to 2019. Precipitation in the TP and the ISM intensity generally exhibit a positive correlation in the west and a negative correlation in the east. The response of TP soil moisture to the ISM generally aligns with precipitation patterns, albeit with noted inconsistencies in certain TP regions. A region exhibiting these inconsistencies (30°–32°N, 80°–90°E) is selected as the study area, hereafter referred to as IRR. In periods of strong ISM, precipitation in IRR increases, yet soil moisture decreases. Conversely, in years with a weak ISM, the pattern is reversed. During strong ISM years, the rainfall increase in IRR is modest, and the soil remains drier compared to other TP regions. Under the combined effects of a marginal increase in precipitation and relatively rapid evaporation, soil moisture in the IRR decreased during years of strong ISM. During weak ISM years, the surface temperature in the IRR is higher compared to strong ISM years, potentially accelerating the melting of surface permafrost and snow in this region. Additionally, glacier meltwater, resulting from warmer temperatures in the northwest edge of the TP, may also result in the humidification of the soil in the IRR.
Multi-Aperture Joint-Encoding Fourier Ptychography for a Distributed System
Authors: Wang Tianyu , Xiang Meng , Liu Fei , Liu Jinpeng , Dong Xue , Wang Sen , Li Gang , Shao Xiaopeng
Published: March 2024

High-resolution infrared remote sensing imaging is critical in planetary exploration, especially under demanding engineering conditions. However, due to diffraction, the spatial resolution of conventional methods is relatively low, and the spatial bandwidth product limits imaging systems’ design. Extensive research has been conducted with the aim of enhancing spatial resolution in remote sensing using a multi-aperture structure, but obtaining high-precision co-phase results using a sub-aperture remains challenging. A new high-resolution imaging method utilizing multi-aperture joint-encoding Fourier ptychography (JEFP) is proposed as a practical means to achieve super-resolution infrared imaging using distributed platforms. We demonstrated that the JEFP approach achieves pixel super-resolution with high efficiency, without requiring subsystems to perform mechanical scanning in space or to have high position accuracy. Our JEFP approach extends the application scope of Fourier ptychographic imaging, especially in distributed platforms for planetary exploration applications.