bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trypanosoma brucei Acyl-Protein Thioesterase-like (TbAPT-L) Is a Lipase with Esterase Activity for Short and Medium-Chain Fatty Acids but Has No Depalmitoylation Activity
Authors: Brown Robert W. B. , Sharma Aabha I. , Villanueva Miguel Rey , Li Xiaomo , Onguka Ouma , Zilbermintz Leeor , Nguyen Helen , Falk Ben A. , Olson Cheryl L. , Taylor Joann M. , Epting Conrad L. , Kathayat Rahul S. , Amara Neri , Dickinson Bryan C. , Bogyo Matthew , Engman David M.
Published: October 2022

Dynamic post-translational modifications allow the rapid, specific, and tunable regulation of protein functions in eukaryotic cells. S-acylation is the only reversible lipid modification of proteins, in which a fatty acid, usually palmitate, is covalently attached to a cysteine residue of a protein by a zDHHC palmitoyl acyltransferase enzyme. Depalmitoylation is required for acylation homeostasis and is catalyzed by an enzyme from the alpha/beta hydrolase family of proteins usually acyl-protein thioesterase (APT1). The enzyme responsible for depalmitoylation in Trypanosoma brucei parasites is currently unknown. We demonstrate depalmitoylation activity in live bloodstream and procyclic form trypanosomes sensitive to dose-dependent inhibition with the depalmitoylation inhibitor, palmostatin B. We identified a homologue of human APT1 in Trypanosoma brucei which we named TbAPT-like (TbAPT-L). Epitope-tagging of TbAPT-L at N- and C- termini indicated a cytoplasmic localization. Knockdown or over-expression of TbAPT-L in bloodstream forms led to robust changes in TbAPT-L mRNA and protein expression but had no effect on parasite growth in vitro, or cellular depalmitoylation activity. Esterase activity in cell lysates was also unchanged when TbAPT-L was modulated. Unexpectedly, recombinant TbAPT-L possesses esterase activity with specificity for short- and medium-chain fatty acid substrates, leading to the conclusion, TbAPT-L is a lipase, not a depalmitoylase.
Helicobacter trogontum Bacteremia and Lower Limb Skin Lesion in a Patient with X-Linked Agammaglobulinemia—A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Fjordside Lasse , Herløv Caroline , Drabe Camilla Heldbjerg , Andersen Leif Percival , Katzenstein Terese L.
Published: October 2022

We describe the first case of infection with Helicobacter trogontum in a patient with X-linked agammaglobulinemia. A 22-year-old male with X-linked agammaglobulinemia presented with fever, malaise and a painful skin lesion on the lower left extremity. Spiral shaped Gram-negative rods were isolated from blood cultures and later identified as Helicobacter trogontum. The patient was treated with various intravenous and oral antibiotic regimens over a period of 10 months, each causing seemingly full clinical and paraclinical remission, yet several episodes of relapse occurred after cessation of antibiotic treatment. The review of the literature showed that only a few cases of infections with enterohepatic helicobacters belonging to the Flexispira rappini taxons have previously been reported. The majority of cases included patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia and the symptomatology and course of disease were similar to the case described here. Infections with enterohepatic helicobacters, including Helicobacter trogontum, should be considered in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia presenting with fever, malaise and skin lesions. Careful cultivation and microbiological investigation are essential to determine the diagnosis and a long treatment period of over 6 months must be expected for successful eradication.
Engineered-Skin of Single Dermal Layer Containing Printed Hybrid Gelatin-Polyvinyl Alcohol Bioink via 3D-Bioprinting: In Vitro Assessment under Submerged vs. Air-Lifting Models
Authors: Masri Syafira , Fauzi Faraheda Amilia Mohd , Hasnizam Sarah Batrisyia , Azhari Aizzaty Sulha , Lim Juliana Edora Amin , Hao Looi Qi , Maarof Manira , Motta Antonella , Fauzi Mh Busra
Published: October 2022

Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro skin models are frequently employed in cosmetic and pharmaceutical research to minimize the demand for animal testing. Hence, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting was introduced to fabricate layer-by-layer bioink made up of cells and improve the ability to develop a rapid manufacturing process, while maintaining bio-mechanical scaffolds and microstructural properties. Briefly, gelatin-polyvinyl alcohol (GPVA) was mixed with 1.5 × 106 and 3.0 × 106 human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cell density, together with 0.1% genipin (GNP), as a crosslinking agent, using 3D-bioprinting. Then, it was cultured under submerged and air-lifting conditions. The gross appearance of the hydrogel’s surface and cross-section were captured and evaluated. The biocompatibility testing of HDFs and cell–bioink interaction towards the GPVA was analyzed by using live/dead assay, cell migration activity, cell proliferation assay, cell morphology (SEM) and protein expression via immunocytochemistry. The crosslinked hydrogels significantly demonstrated optimum average pore size (100–199 μm). The GPVA crosslinked with GNP (GPVA_GNP) hydrogels with 3.0 × 106 HDFs was proven to be outstanding, compared to the other hydrogels, in biocompatibility testing to promote cellular interaction. Moreover, GPVA–GNP hydrogels, encapsulated with 3.0 × 106 HDFs under submerged cultivation, had a better outcome than air-lifting with an excellent surface cell viability rate of 96 ± 0.02%, demonstrated by 91.3 ± 4.1% positively expressed Ki67 marker at day 14 that represented active proliferative cells, an average of 503.3 ± 15.2 μm for migration distance, and maintained the HDFs’ phenotypic profiles with the presence of collagen type I expression. It also presented with an absence of alpha-smooth muscle actin positive staining. In conclusion, 3.0 × 106 of hybrid GPVA hydrogel crosslinked with GNP, produced by submerged cultivation, was proven to have the excellent biocompatibility properties required to be a potential bioinks for the rapid manufacturing of 3D in vitro of a single dermal layer for future use in cosmetic, pharmaceutic and toxicologic applications.
Composing On-Program Triggers and On-Demand Stimuli into Biosensor Drug Carriers in Drug Delivery Systems for Programmable Arthritis Therapy
Authors: Lim Yan Yik , Zaidi Ahmad Mujahid Ahmad , Miskon Azizi
Published: October 2022

Medication in arthritis therapies is complex because the inflammatory progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) is intertwined and influenced by one another. To address this problem, drug delivery systems (DDS) are composed of four independent exogenous triggers and four dependent endogenous stimuli that are controlled on program and induced on demand, respectively. However, the relationships between the mechanisms of endogenous stimuli and exogenous triggers with pathological alterations remain unclear, which results in a major obstacle in terms of clinical translation. Thus, the rationale for designing a guidance system for these mechanisms via their key irritant biosensors is in high demand. Many approaches have been applied, although successful clinical translations are still rare. Through this review, the status quo in historical development is highlighted in order to discuss the unsolved clinical difficulties such as infiltration, efficacy, drug clearance, and target localisation. Herein, we summarise and discuss the rational compositions of exogenous triggers and endogenous stimuli for programmable therapy. This advanced active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) implanted dose allows for several releases by remote controls for endogenous stimuli during lesion infections. This solves the multiple implantation and local toxic accumulation problems by using these flexible desired releases at the specified sites for arthritis therapies.
Virtual Cocrystal Screening of Adefovir Dipivoxyl: Identification of New Solid Forms with Improved Dissolution and Permeation Profiles
Authors: Barbas Rafael , Fael Hanan , Lee Samuel , Ruiz Rebeca , Hunter Christopher A. , Fuguet Elisabet , Ràfols Clara , Prohens Rafel
Published: October 2022

The application of a computational screening methodology based on the calculation of intermolecular interaction energies has guided the discovery of new multicomponent solid forms of the oral antiviral Adefovir Dipivoxyl. Three new cocrystals with resorcinol, orcinol and hydroquinone have been synthesized and thoroughly characterized. They show improved dissolution profiles with respect to the single solid form, particularly the cocrystals of orcinol and resorcinol, which have 3.2- and 2-fold faster dissolution rates at stomach conditions (pH 1.5). Moreover, dynamic dissolution experiments that simultaneously mimic both the pH variation along the gastrointestinal tract and the partition into biological membranes show that, in addition to the faster initial dissolution, Adefovir Dipivoxyl also penetrates faster into the organic membranes in the form of resorcinol and orcinol cocrystals.
Effects of Temoporfin-Based Photodynamic Therapy on the In Vitro Antibacterial Activity and Biocompatibility of Gelatin-Hyaluronic Acid Cross-Linked Hydrogel Membranes
Authors: Chang Kai-Chi , Chiu Kuo-Chou , Chen Wen-Cheng , Lan Wan-Chen , Chen Chi-Yuan , Hsia Shih-Min , Wang Tong-Hong , Tu Hsi-Feng , Shih Yin-Hwa , Shieh Tzong-Ming
Published: October 2022

This study was performed to design a hydrogel membrane that exhibits antibacterial properties and guides different tissues. Gelatin and hyaluronic acid were used as the main structures, 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) was used as a cross-linker, and temoporfin was used as an antibacterial agent. The results revealed that the hydrogel membrane impregnated with temoporfin (HM-T) had a fixation index of >89%. Temoporfin was used in conjunction with a diode laser and did not significantly affect EDC-induced cross-linking. The inhibitory activity of temoporfin showed that HM-T15 and HM-T30 (light exposure for 15 and 30 min, respectively) had remarkable antibacterial properties. The cell survival rate of HM-T15 was 73% of that of the control group, indicating that temoporfin exposure for 15 min did not exert cytotoxic effects on L-929 cells. HM and HM-T15 hydrogel membranes showed good cell adhesion and proliferation after 14 days of dark incubation. However, the hydrogel membrane containing temoporfin significantly reduced pro-inflammatory gene expression. In summary, the HM-T15 group showed potential as a biodegradable material for biocompatible tissue-guarded regeneration membranes with antibacterial properties. This study demonstrated the potential of temoporfin for innovative biomaterials and delivery systems applied to new regenerative periodontal therapies.
Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization for Automatic Design of Common Aperture Optical System
Authors: Yue Wei , Jin Guang , Yang Xiubin
Published: October 2022

This paper presents an optimal design method to solve the initial optical parameters, which is used for the common-aperture design including transmission and reflection system. On the basis of the particle swarm optimization algorithm, the self-adaptive weight and multi-level screening principle are introduced, which effectively improves the local and global searching ability in the non-linear space. Utilizing the third-order aberration and achromatic theories, the optimal initial structural parameters satisfying the objective function can be quickly calculated. We propose a common-aperture architecture and an illustrative optical design to demonstrate the concept. The system has the ability of field of view segmentation and optical path segmentation, and realizes the three-dimensional compact optical system layout. Simulations of ray tracing acquisition and imaging performances demonstrate the potential of adaptive particle swarm optimization algorithms for flexibility and simplicity in common-aperture imaging design.
Maximal Fat Metabolism Explained by Lactate-Carbohydrate Model
Authors: Alkhatib Ahmad
Published: October 2022

(1) Background: Maximal fat oxidation (MFO), its associated exercise intensity (Fatmax) and the cross-over point (COP) are known indirect calorimetry-based diagnostics for whole-body metabolic health and exercise. However, large inter- and intra-individual variability in determining their corresponding intensity makes their use inconsistent, whether the intensity is based on power output or oxygen uptake. Blood lactate concentration (BLC) has often reflected a range in MFO and COP, which may offer another non-indirect calorimetry dimension based on the near equilibrium between lactate and pyruvate at the molecular level, which biochemically determines an interchange between lactate and relative rate of carbohydrate (relCHO) and relative rate of fat utilization (relFAO). This paper proposes a new testing approach describing relCHO as a function of BLC, with an individualized half-maximal activation constant of relCHO (kel), to explain and predict the variability in MFO, Fatmax and COP. (2) Methods: Following ethical approval, twenty-one healthy males participated in the incremental cardiorespiratory maximal test, and capillary BLC was measured. Indirect calorimetry relCHO and relFAO were calculated, and a constant kel that reflected 50% of CHO saturation level was estimated as a sigmoid function of BLC (mmol·L−1): relCHO = 100/(1 + kel/BLC2). (3) Results: 86% of relCHO variability was explained by BLC levels. The individualized kel estimations, which were 1.82 ± 0.95 (min/max 0.54/4.4) (mmol·L−1)2 independently explained 55% MFO and 44% of COP variabilities. Multiple regression analysis resulted in kel as the highest independent predictor of Fatmax (adjusted r-square = 22.3%, p < 0.05), whilst classic intensity-based predictors (peak power, maximal oxygen uptake, fixed BLC at 4 mmol·L−1) were not significant predictors. (4) Conclusions: The BLC-relCHO model, with its predictor kel explains the inter- and intra-individual variability in MFO, its exercise intensity Fatmax and power outs at COP through dynamic changes in BLC, fat and carbohydrates regardless of the intensity at which exercise takes place. kel capability as a predictor of MFO, Fatmax and COP independently of their associated intensities provides a new diagnostic tool in physiological exercise testing for health and exercise performance.
Photosynthetic, Molecular and Ultrastructural Characterization of Toxic Effects of Zinc in Caulerpa racemosa Indicate Promising Bioremediation Potentiality
Authors: Landi Simone , Santini Giorgia , Vitale Ermenegilda , Di Natale Gabriella , Maisto Giulia , Arena Carmen , Esposito Sergio
Published: October 2022

Caulerpaceae are unconventional green algae composed of multinucleated, single siphonous cells. The species of Caulerpa are acquiring major scientific interest for both their invasion in the Mediterranean ecological niche and for the production of valuable natural metabolites. Furthermore, the abilities of Caulerpa spp. in the biorecovery of polluted waters were recently investigated. Among heavy metal contaminants in marine systems, zinc (Zn) is considered a critical pollutant, progressively accumulating from plastic leachates. In this study, the responses of Caulerpa racemosa to different levels (5–10 mg L−1) of Zn were studied for 14 days under laboratory-controlled conditions. Effects of Zn were monitored by measuring the growth rate, photosynthetic efficiency and gene expression. Moreover, the ability of Caulerpa to remove Zn from seawater was monitored. Zn induced detrimental effects by decreasing the relative growth rate (RGR) and maximal PSII photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm). Moreover, C. racemosa, grown in contaminated seawater, reduced the levels of Zn to a final concentration of 1.026 and 1.932 mg L−1 after 14 days, thus demonstrating efficient uptake. Therefore, our results characterized the effects of zinc on C. racemosa and the possible role of this alga as being effective in the bioremediation of marine seawater.
A Mini Review of Citrus Rootstocks and Their Role in High-Density Orchards
Authors: Hayat Faisal , Li Juan , Iqbal Shahid , Peng Yang , Hong Leming , Balal Rashad Mukhtar , Khan Muhammad Nawaz , Nawaz Muhammad Azher , Khan Ummara , Farhan Muhammad Asad , Li Caiqing , Song Wenpei , Tu Panfeng , Chen Jiezhong
Published: October 2022

Dwarfing is an important agricultural trait for intensive cultivation and effective orchard management in modern fruit orchards. Commercial citrus production relies on grafting with rootstocks that reduce tree vigor to control plant height. Citrus growers all over the world have been attracted to dwarfing trees because of their potential for higher planting density, increased productivity, easy harvest, pruning, and efficient spraying. Dwarfing rootstocks can be used to achieve high density. As a result, the use and development of dwarfing rootstocks are important. Breeding programs in several countries have led to the production of citrus dwarf rootstocks. For example, the dwarfing rootstocks ‘Flying Dragon’, ‘FA 517’, ‘HTR-051’, ‘US-897’, and ‘Red tangerine’ cultivated in various regions allow the design of dense orchards. Additionally, dwarf or short-stature trees were obtained using interstocks, citrus dwarfing viroid (CDVd) and various chemical applications. This review summarizes what is known about dwarf citrus rootstocks and the mechanisms underlying rootstock–scion interactions. Despite advances in recent decades, many questions regarding rootstock-induced scion development remain unanswered. Citrus rootstocks with dwarfing potential have been investigated regarding physiological aspects, hormonal communication, mineral uptake capacity, and horticultural performance. This study lays the foundation for future research into the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying citrus dwarfing.
Rolled Dielectric Elastomer Antagonistic Actuators for Biomimetic Underwater Robots
Authors: Nagai Toshiaki , Shintake Jun
Published: October 2022

In this study, an antagonistic actuator using dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) is developed to investigate the use of rolled DEAs in underwater robots. The actuator consists of a backbone, an elastic hinge, and two rolled DEAs placed in an antagonistic fashion, allowing for the generation of bidirectional movements of the actuator tip. To prove this concept, an analytical model of the actuator is built. The experimental samples are fabricated based on the specification determined by the model. In the fabricated actuator, each rolled DEA has a diameter of 6 mm and a length of 21 mm. The whole device weighs 1.7 g. In the tested voltage range of 0–1200 V, the actuator exhibits a voltage-controllable angle and torque of up to 2.2° and 11.3 mN∙mm, respectively. The actuator is then implemented into a swimming robot, which shows forward speed of 0.9 mm/s at the applied voltage of 1000 V and the driving frequency of 10 Hz. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using rolled DEAs in underwater robots.
Control of Crystallization of PBT-PC Blends by Anisotropic SiO2 and GeO2 Glass Flakes
Authors: Düsenberg Björn , Esper Julian D. , Maußner Felix , Mayerhofer Magdalena , Schmidt Jochen , Peukert Wolfgang , Bück Andreas
Published: October 2022

Polymer composites and blend systems are of increasing importance, due to the combination of unique and different material properties. Blending polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) with polycarbonate (PC) has been the focus of attention for some time in order to combine thermo-chemical with mechanical resistance. The right compounding of the two polymers is a particular challenge, since phase boundaries between PBT and PC lead to coalescence during melting, and thus to unwanted segregation within the composite material. Amorphization of the semi-crystalline PBT would significantly improve the blending of the two polymers, which is why specific miscibility aids are needed for this purpose. Recent research has focused on the functionalization of polymers with shape-anisotropic glass particles. The advantage of those results from their two-dimensional shape, which not only improves the mechanical properties but are also suspected to act as miscibility aids, as they could catalyze transesterification or act as crystallization modifier. This work presents a process route for the production of PBT-PC blends via co-comminution and an in-situ additivation of the polymer blend particles with anisotropic glass flakes to adjust the crystallinity and therefore enhance the miscibility of the polymers.
Morphology and Properties of Polyolefin Elastomer/Polyamide 6/Poly(lactic Acid) In Situ Special-Shaped Microfibrillar Composites: Influence of Viscosity Ratio
Authors: Shi Min , Wang Lijun , Sun Jing , Yang Wensheng , Zhang Hui
Published: October 2022

In Situ microfibrillation is an easy and economical processing method, which has drawn wide concern in recent years. In Situ special-shaped microfibrillar composites, which with poly(lactic acid)/polyamide 6 (PA6/PLA) together formed special-shaped microfibrils in polyolefin elastomer (POE) matrix, were successfully prepared by using multistage stretching extrusion technology. Four types of PA6 with different viscosity were utilized to investigate the effect of viscosity ratio of PA6 to PLA on the structure evolution of special-shaped microfibrils and the mechanical properties of POE/(PA6/PLA) composites. The morphological observation showed that the viscosity ratio was closely associated to the size and shape of PA6 and greatly affected the microfibrillar morphology of PLA/PA6. When the viscosity ratio of PA6 to PLA was less than 2.2, the “gourd-skewers-like” structure microfibrils were obtained. When the viscosity ratio of PA6/PLA to 14.2 was further increased, the “trepang” structure microfibrils were dominant. The “gourd skewers” structure microfibrils were favorable to improvement the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and viscoelastic properties of POE/(PA6/PLA) blends compared to the “trepang” structure microfibrils. In addition, the morphology of microfibrils exhibited a negligible effect on the melting and crystallization temperature and crystallization degree of PLA and POE matrix. This work provides a new strategy for designing the in situ special-shaped microfibrillar composites with improved mechanical properties.
Mode I Fatigue of Fibre Reinforced Polymeric Composites: A Review
Authors: Gao Xingzhong , Umair Muhammad , Nawab Yasir , Latif Zeeshan , Ahmad Sheraz , Siddique Amna , Yang Hongyue
Published: October 2022

Composites are macroscopic combinations of chemically dissimilar materials preferred for new high-tech applications where mechanical performance is an area of interest. Mechanical apprehensions chiefly include tensile, creep, and fatigue loadings; each loading comprises different modes. Fatigue is cyclic loading correlated with stress amplitude and the number of cycles while defining the performance of a material. Composite materials are subject to various modes of fatigue loading during service life. Such loadings cause micro invisible to severe visible damage affecting the material’s performance. Mode I fatigue crack propagates via opening lamina governing a visible tear. Recently, there has been an increasing concern about finding new ways to reduce delamination failure, a life-reducing aspect of composites. This review focuses on mode I fatigue behaviours of various preforms and factors determining failures considering different reinforcements with respect to fibres and matrix failures. Numerical modelling methods for life prediction of composites while subjected to fatigue loading are reviewed. Testing techniques used to verify the fatigue performance of composite under mode I load are also given. Approaches for composites’ life enhancement against mode I fatigue loading have also been summarized, which could aid in developing a well-rounded understanding of mode I fatigue behaviours of composites and thus help engineers to design composites with higher interlaminar strength.
Multifunctionality of Thermal Protective Layer Interchanging Double Cloth Conditioned by Influential Parameters
Authors: Badrov Tea , Schwarz Ivana , Kovačević Stana
Published: October 2022

The proportion of woven fabrics in the broad field of protective textiles is extremely high. By various procedures (surface treatments, fabric lamination, composite production), fabric properties that meet the requirements defined by standards are achieved. However, simultaneously, these procedures cause negative effects in the form of fabric thickness, stiffness, impermeability, non-breathability, and thus, discomfort. Therefore, there are valid and justified reasons to approach the design process of making such woven fabrics using more complex construction solutions—layer interchanging double cloth. In addition, by applying fibres with integrated desired properties and other structural fabric parameters, it is possible to influence the achievement of the properties of multi-purpose multilayer fabrics for protection, which is the aim of this research. The application and combination of aramid and modacrylic/cotton fibres and use of different yarn fineness resulted in different intensities of protection. The correlative values of mentioned parameters and thermal and thermo-physiological properties indicate their strong connection, and thus the effectiveness of the developed woven fabric samples.
Facile Synthesis and Electrochemical Characterization of Polyaniline@TiO2-CuO Ternary Composite as Electrodes for Supercapacitor Applications
Authors: Boutaleb Nadia , Dahou Fatima Zohra , Djelad Halima , Sabantina Lilia , Moulefera Imane , Benyoucef Abdelghani
Published: October 2022

This research reports the facile, controlled, low-cost fabrication, and evaluation of properties of polyaniline matrix deposited on titanium dioxide and copper(II) oxide ternary-composite (PANI@TiO2–CuO)-based electrode material for supercapacitor application. The process involves the preparation of CuO in the presence of TiO2 to form TiO2–CuO by a facile method, followed by in-situ oxidative polymerization of aniline monomer. The structural and physical properties were evaluated based on the results of FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron (TEM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and BET surface areas analysis. The results indicated that TiO2–CuO was dispersed uniformly in the PANI matrix. Owing to such dispersion of TiO2–CuO, the PANI@TiO2–CuO material exhibits dramatic improvements on thermal stability in comparison with the pure PANI. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) confirms the reversibility of PANI redox transitions for this optimized electrode material. Moreover, the results reveal that the specific capacitance of PANI@TiO2–CuO reaches 87.5% retention after 1500 cycles under 1.0 A g−1, with a better charge storage performance as compared to pure PANI and PANI@TiO2 electrodes. The preparation of PANI@TiO2–CuO with enhanced electrochemical properties provides a feasible route for promoting its applications in supercapacitors.
Carboxylated Carbon Nanotube/Polyimide Films with Low Thermal Expansion Coefficient and Excellent Mechanical Properties
Authors: Lu Cheng , Lin Fangbing , Shao Huiqi , Bi Siyi , Chen Nanliang , Shao Guangwei , Jiang Jinhua
Published: October 2022

Polyimide (PI) films with excellent heat resistance and outstanding mechanical properties have been widely researched in microelectronics and aerospace fields. However, most PI films can only be used under ordinary conditions due to their instability of dimension. The fabrication of multifunctional PI films for harsh conditions is still a challenge. Herein, flexible, low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and improved mechanical properties films modified by carboxylated carbon nanotube (C-CNT) were fabricated. Acid treatment was adapted to adjust the surface characteristics by using a mixture of concentrated H2SO4/HNO3 solution to introduce carboxyl groups on the surface and improve the interfacial performance between the CNT and matrix. Moreover, different C-CNT concentrations of 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 wt.% were synthesized to use for the PI film fabrication. The results demonstrated that the 9 wt.% and 5 wt.% C-CNT/PI films possessed the lowest CTE value and the highest mechanical properties. In addition, the thermal stability of the C-CNT/PI films was improved, making them promising applications in precise and harsh environments.
Recent Advances in the Application of Natural and Synthetic Polymer-Based Scaffolds in Musculoskeletal Regeneration
Authors: Ye Bing , Wu Bin , Su Yanlin , Sun Tingfang , Guo Xiaodong
Published: October 2022

The musculoskeletal system plays a critical role in providing the physical scaffold and movement to the mammalian body. Musculoskeletal disorders severely affect mobility and quality of life and pose a heavy burden to society. This new field of musculoskeletal tissue engineering has great potential as an alternative approach to treating large musculoskeletal defects. Natural and synthetic polymers are widely used in musculoskeletal tissue engineering owing to their good biocompatibility and biodegradability. Even more promising is the use of natural and synthetic polymer composites, as well as the combination of polymers and inorganic materials, to repair musculoskeletal tissue. Therefore, this review summarizes the progress of polymer-based scaffolds for applications of musculoskeletal tissue engineering and briefly discusses the challenges and future perspectives.
Development of a ZrO2-Coating Technique by a Sol–Gel Process Assisted with Pre-Silica-Coating
Authors: Miwano Akira , Yonezawa Takehiro , Yamauchi Noriko , Nakashima Kouichi , Kobayashi Yoshio
Published: October 2022

The development of techniques for coating thermistors with materials possessing excellent chemical resistance and electrical insulation characteristics is necessary to ensure their protection. The present work proposes a coating technique using zirconia (ZrO2), which has excellent chemical resistance and electrical insulation properties, based on initiating a sol–gel reaction of zirconium alkoxide in the presence of a ceramic substrate consisting of the common components of thermistors. The ZrO2 films on substrates were not damaged, even after annealing at 600 °C in air. Several ZrO2 particles were also deposited on the substrate. Pre-silica (SiO2)-coating the substrate, which was performed through a tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) sol–gel reaction, decreased the amount of ZrO2 particles and promoted the formation of thick ZrO2 films, as the reaction between the Zr butoxide and the alkoxyl groups of incompletely hydrolyzed TEOS on the substrate increased the affinity between the ZrO2 layer and the substrate.
Connections between Attitudes towards Muslims, Meta-Prejudices and Religion-Related Factors among Finnish Christian Background Youth
Authors: Lattu Kanerva
Published: October 2022

Finland, traditionally characterised as a Christian country, is becoming increasingly more culturally, religiously, and ethnically diverse, which invites investigation on intergroup relations. This study examines the connections between attitudes towards Muslims, meta-prejudice—the ingroup’s expectations of the outgroup’s negative evaluations of the ingroup—and religion-related factors among Finnish Christian-background youth (N = 140). I analysed the survey data, gathered in 2019 and 2020, by scrutinising the distributions, descriptive statistics, and statistical inferences (Spearman’s RHO, p-value). Most participants (73%) hold a positive attitude towards Muslims. There were no statistical differences between groups of different religiosities. Prejudiced Christian background youths were more likely to expect Muslims to evaluate Christians negatively. However, fairly over a half of the participants thought that Muslims evaluate Christians negatively. Cross-faith friendships and knowing religiously others through one’s parents are connected to a pro-Muslim attitude. The findings are discussed from a Finnish societal standpoint and from the social psychology perspective of reducing prejudice.
A Robust and Effective Identification Method for Point-Distributed Coded Targets in Digital Close-Range Photogrammetry
Authors: Wang Qiang , Liu Yang , Guo Yuhan , Wang Shun , Zhang Zhenxin , Cui Ximin , Zhang Hu
Published: October 2022

In close-range or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry, Schneider concentric circular coded targets (SCTs), which are public, are widely used for image matching and as ground control points. GSI point-distributed coded targets (GCTs), which are only mainly applied in a video-simultaneous triangulation and resection system (V-STARS), are non-public and rarely applied in UAV photogrammetry. In this paper, we present our innovative detailed solution to identify GCTs. First, we analyze the structure of a GCT. Then, a special 2D P2-invariant of five coplanar points derived from cross ratios is adopted in template point registration and identification. Finally, the affine transformation is used for decoding. Experiments indoors—including different viewing angles ranging from 0° to 80° based on 6 mm-diameter GCTs, smaller 3 mm-diameter GCTs, and different sizes mixed—and outdoors with challenging scenes were carried out. Compared with V-STARS, the results show that the proposed method can preserve the robustness and achieves a high accuracy rate in identification when the viewing angle is not larger than 65° through indoor experiments, and the proposed method can achieve approximate or slightly weaker effectiveness than V-STARS on the whole. Finally, we attempted to extend and apply the designed GCTs in UAV photogrammetry for a preliminary experiment. This paper demonstrates that GCTs can be designed, printed, and identified easily through our method. It is expected that the proposed method may be helpful when applied to image matching, camera calibration, camera orientation, or 3D measurements or serving as control points in UAV photogrammetry for scenarios with complex structures in the future.
MFATNet: Multi-Scale Feature Aggregation via Transformer for Remote Sensing Image Change Detection
Authors: Mao Zan , Tong Xinyu , Luo Ze , Zhang Honghai
Published: October 2022

In recent years, with the extensive application of deep learning in images, the task of remote sensing image change detection has witnessed a significant improvement. Several excellent methods based on Convolutional Neural Networks and emerging transformer-based methods have achieved impressive accuracy. However, Convolutional Neural Network-based approaches have difficulties in capturing long-range dependencies because of their natural limitations in effective receptive field acquisition unless deeper networks are employed, introducing other drawbacks such as an increased number of parameters and loss of shallow information. The transformer-based methods can effectively learn the relationship between different regions, but the computation is inefficient. Thus, in this paper, a multi-scale feature aggregation via transformer (MFATNet) is proposed for remote sensing image change detection. To obtain a more accurate change map after learning the intra-relationships of feature maps at different scales through the transformer, MFATNet aggregates the multi-scale features. Moreover, the Spatial Semantic Tokenizer (SST) is introduced to obtain refined semantic tokens before feeding into the transformer structure to make it focused on learning more crucial pixel relationships. To fuse low-level features (more fine-grained localization information) and high-level features (more accurate semantic information), and to alleviate the localization and semantic gap between high and low features, the Intra- and Inter-class Channel Attention Module (IICAM) are integrated to further determine more convincing change maps. Extensive experiments are conducted on LEVIR-CD, WHU-CD, and DSIFN-CD datasets. Intersection over union (IoU) of 82.42 and F1 score of 90.36, intersection over union (IoU) of 79.08 and F1 score of 88.31, intersection over union (IoU) of 77.98 and F1 score of 87.62, respectively, are achieved. The experimental results achieved promising performance compared to certain previous state-of-the-art change detection methods.
Efficacious GPR Implementations of Z-Transform-Based Hybrid LOD-FDTD with Subgridding Scheme: Theoretical Formalism and Numerical Study
Authors: Xie Guoda , Song Ziheng , Hou Guilin , Fang Ming , Feng Naixing , Huang Zhixiang
Published: October 2022

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) forward modeling is one of the core geophysical research topics and also the primary task of simulating ground penetrating radar system. It is a process of simulating the propagation laws and characteristics of electromagnetic waves in simulated space when the distribution of internal parameters in the exploration region is known. And the finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) method has the characteristics of simulating the space-time transient evolution of electromagnetic wave, whose numerical method is simple and easy to program, so it has become one of the most extensively utilized methods in GPR forward modeling. It is generally known that the conventional FDTD approach requires finer uniform Yee cell all the time to produce satisfactory accuracies from numerical simulations of the GPR. However, the smaller temporal incremental has to be adopted due to the lower spatial incremental, which would dramatically weaken the advantage of the FDTD method. To solve this issue, the subgridding-technique-based hybrid local-one-dimensional FDTD (LOD-FDTD) is applied in this work to modeling the classical GPR scenarios. In this method, the unconditional-stable LOD-FDTD is employed in the fine-grid domain, while the traditional FDTD is used in the coarse-grid domain, which could avoid the oversampling problem in the local domain if the uniform fine-grid scheme is adopted. Meanwhile due to the unconditional stability of the LOD-FDTD, the larger time step, derived from the coarse grid which satisfies the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) stability condition, could be utilized in the whole domain so that the long-time interpolation process could be circumvented. Additionally, the proposed approach could be arbitrarily adjusted by means of different ratio of both coarse- and fine-grid, and hence it holds much higher generality. As compared with the auxiliary differential equation (ADE) technique, the Z-transform method is integrated into FDTD methods for modeling multi-pole Debye-based dispersive media in this method, resulting in more direct numerical implementations and fewer computing steps. Finally, three different classical GPR problems are carried out to validate accuracies and efficiencies of the proposed method.
MiPo: How to Detect Trajectory Outliers with Tabular Outlier Detectors
Authors: Yang Jiawei , Tan Xu , Rahardja Sylwan
Published: October 2022

Trajectory outlier detection is one of the fundamental data mining techniques used to analyze the trajectory data of the Global Positioning System. A comprehensive literature review of trajectory outlier detectors published between 2000 and 2022 led to a conclusion that conventional trajectory outlier detectors suffered from drawbacks, either due to the detectors themselves or the pre-processing methods for the variable-length trajectory inputs utilized by detectors. To address these issues, we proposed a feature extraction method called middle polar coordinates (MiPo). MiPo extracted tabular features from trajectory data prior to the application of conventional outlier detectors to detect trajectory outliers. By representing variable-length trajectory data as fixed-length tabular data, MiPo granted tabular outlier detectors the ability to detect trajectory outliers, which was previously impossible. Experiments with real-world datasets showed that MiPo outperformed all baseline methods with 0.99 AUC on average; however, it only required approximately 10% of the computing time of the existing industrial best. MiPo exhibited linear time and space complexity. The features extracted by MiPo may aid other trajectory data mining tasks. We believe that MiPo has the potential to revolutionize the field of trajectory outlier detection.
Spiral Search Grasshopper Features Selection with VGG19-ResNet50 for Remote Sensing Object Detection
Authors: Stateczny Andrzej , Uday Kiran Goru , Bindu Garikapati , Ravi Chythanya Kanegonda , Ayyappa Swamy Kondru
Published: October 2022

Remote sensing object detection plays a major role in satellite imaging and is required in various scenarios such as transportation, forestry, and the ocean. Deep learning techniques provide efficient performance in remote sensing object detection. The existing techniques have the limitations of data imbalance, overfitting, and lower efficiency in detecting small objects. This research proposes the spiral search grasshopper (SSG) optimization technique to increase the exploitation in feature selection. Augmentation is applied in input images to generate more images, and this helps to train the model and reduces data imbalance problems. The VGG-19 and ResNet50 model is applied for feature extraction, and this helps to extract deep features to represent objects. The SSG feature selection technique increases the exploitation and select unique features for object detection that helps to overcome the data imbalance and overfitting problem. The SSG feature selection model helps to balance the exploration and exploitation that escape from the local optima trap. The SSG model has 82.45% mAP, the SSD model has 52.6% mAP, and the MPFP-Net model has 80.43% mAP.
DSANet: A Deep Supervision-Based Simple Attention Network for Efficient Semantic Segmentation in Remote Sensing Imagery
Authors: Shi Wenxu , Meng Qingyan , Zhang Linlin , Zhao Maofan , Su Chen , Jancsó Tamás
Published: October 2022

Semantic segmentation for remote sensing images (RSIs) plays an important role in many applications, such as urban planning, environmental protection, agricultural valuation, and military reconnaissance. With the boom in remote sensing technology, numerous RSIs are generated; this is difficult for current complex networks to handle. Efficient networks are the key to solving this challenge. Many previous works aimed at designing lightweight networks or utilizing pruning and knowledge distillation methods to obtain efficient networks, but these methods inevitably reduce the ability of the resulting models to characterize spatial and semantic features. We propose an effective deep supervision-based simple attention network (DSANet) with spatial and semantic enhancement losses to handle these problems. In the network, (1) a lightweight architecture is used as the backbone; (2) deep supervision modules with improved multiscale spatial detail (MSD) and hierarchical semantic enhancement (HSE) losses synergistically strengthen the obtained feature representations; and (3) a simple embedding attention module (EAM) with linear complexity performs long-range relationship modeling. Experiments conducted on two public RSI datasets (the ISPRS Potsdam dataset and Vaihingen dataset) exhibit the substantial advantages of the proposed approach. Our method achieves 79.19% mean intersection over union (mIoU) on the ISPRS Potsdam test set and 72.26% mIoU on the Vaihingen test set with speeds of 470.07 FPS on 512 × 512 images and 5.46 FPS on 6000 × 6000 images using an RTX 3090 GPU.
Factors Affecting Stakeholder Acceptance of a Malaysian Smart City
Authors: Hamamurad Qasim Hamakhurshid , Jusoh Normal Mat , Ujang Uznir
Published: October 2022

Smart city technology is only considered in some cities depending on the resident requirements, whereas smart initiatives are adopted easily in others. One of the first critical steps toward understanding these aspects of Malaysian smart cities is to empirically study the citizens’ and government agencies’ aspirations to use smart city services. A Malaysia Smart Cities Stakeholders Adoption Model (MSCSA) as a case study based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) is being developed and evaluated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. An in-depth interview with expert staff from the Plan Malaysia smart city department and Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM one) was conducted using a mixed-methods approach. To determine the influence of seven parameters on behavioural intentions, specifically the choice to build a smart city, quantitative data were collected as questionnaires. These parameters were self-efficacy, expected effort, perceived security, perceived privacy, price value, trust in government, and trust in technology. Citizens’ intentions to use smart city services were significantly influenced by each of these characteristics. There is a definite association between perceived privacy and perceived security as a core aspect of trust in technology, as well as price value, a core aspect of trust in government. When the trust in both these is strong, stakeholders are more willing to adopt and pursue smart city services. These studies provide city officials with a technique for measuring citizen desire for smart city services, as well as outlining the components necessary for establishing a good smart city strategy that is successful.
Equilibrium Analysis of Food Safety Liability Insurance and Government Supervision in China
Authors: Zhang Gongliang , Zhu Ying
Published: October 2022

Food safety liability has required consideration around the world. It is realistic to establish a system of food safety liability insurance. However, the existing difficulties include members’ behavior decisions, influential factors, and the responsibility as well as obligations between the players. We build an evolutionary game model to discuss the behavior of food firms and the government in the context of food safety liability and identify evolutionary stability strategy of the participants in the game. Then, we simulate the stable evolution trend of the interaction between food firms and the government using MATLAB software. The results indicate that the initial probabilities of two-party game strategies affect the time length and convergence speed of system evolution but not the overall trend and final result of the evolution. Furthermore, decisions on purchasing food safety liability insurance be affected by the returns of food firms and government supervision. The more severe the punishment for food safety issues, the stronger the sense of crisis among food firms, and the higher probability they will purchase food safety liability insurance. The governance cost of food safety risks plays a role in affecting the strategic decision of the government. The ideal stable equilibrium state of the government and food firms cannot be achieved through spontaneous circulation. Suggestions are given from the perspective of government supervision and punishment to motivate food firms to insure actively.