bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Single-Celled Metasurface for Multipolarization Generation and Wavefront Manipulation
Authors: Ji Ruonan , Guo Xin , Liu Zhichao , Wu Xianfeng , Jin Chuan , Liu Feng , Zheng Xinru , Sun Yang , Wang Shaowei
Published: December 2022

Due to their unprecedented ability to flexibly manipulate the parameters of light, metasurfaces offer a new approach to integrating multiple functions in a single optical element. In this paper, based on a single-celled metasurface composed of chiral umbrella-shaped metal–insulator–metal (MIM) unit cells, a strategy for simultaneous multiple polarization generation and wavefront shaping is proposed. The unit cells can function as broadband and high-performance polarization-preserving mirrors. In addition, by introducing a chiral-assisted Aharonov–Anandan (AA) geometric phase, the phase profile and phase retardation of two spin-flipped orthogonal circular polarized components can be realized simultaneously and independently with a single-celled metasurface via two irrelevant parameters. Benefiting from this flexible phase manipulation ability, a vectorial hologram generator and metalens array with spatially varying polarizations were demonstrated. This work provides an effective approach to avoid the pixel and efficiency losses caused by the intrinsic symmetry of the PB geometric phase, and it may play an important role in the miniaturization and integration of multipolarization-involved displays, real-time imaging, and spectroscopy systems.
Modeling of BN-Doped Carbon Nanotube as High-Performance Thermoelectric Materials
Authors: Marana Naiara L. , Sambrano Julio R. , Casassa Silvia
Published: December 2022

Ternary BNC nanotubes were modeled and characterized through a periodic density functional theory approach with the aim of investigating the influence on the structural, electronic, mechanical, and transport properties of the quantity and pattern of doping. The main energy band gap is easily tunable as a function of the BN percentage, the mechanical stability is generally preserved, and an interesting piezoelectric character emerges in the BNC structures. Moreover, C@(BN)1−xCx double-wall presents promising values of the thermoelectric coefficients due to the combined lowering of the thermal conductivity and increase of charge carriers. Computed results are in qualitative agreement with the little experimental evidence and therefore can provide insights on an atomic scale of the real samples and direct the synthesis towards increasingly performing hybrid nanomaterials.
Theoretical Analysis of the Effects of Exothermic Catalytic Chemical Reaction on Transient Mixed Convection Flow along a Curved Shaped Surface
Authors: Nabwey Hossam A. , Ashraf Muhammad , Ahmad Uzma , Rashad Ahmed. M. , Alshber Sumayyah I. , Abu Hawsah Miad
Published: December 2022

The present problem addressed the transient behavior of convective heat and mass transfer characteristics across a curved surface under the influence of exothermic catalytic chemical reactions. The governing non-linear mathematical model wastransformed into a convenient form with the help of a primitive variable formulation. The final primitive formed model wassolved numerically by applying the finite difference method. The analysis of the above said computed numerical data in terms of oscillatory heat transfer, skin friction, and oscillatory mass transfer for various emerging parameters, such as the mixed convection parameter λT, modified mixed convection parameter λc, index parameter n, activation energy parameter E, exothermicparameter β, temperature relative parameter γ, chemical reaction parameter λ, and Schmidt number Sc is plotted in graphical form. An excellent agreement is depicted for oscillatory heat transfer behavior at the large value of activation energy E. The amplitude of heat transfer and prominent fluctuating response in mass transfer with a certain height is found at each value of the index parameter n with a good alteration. An increase in the activation energy led to an increase in the surface temperature, which yielded more transient heat transfer in the above-said mechanism. The main novelty of the current study is that first, we ensured the numerical results for the steady state heat and fluid flow and then these obtained results wereused in the unsteady part to obtain numerical results for the transient behavior of the heat and mass transfer mechanism.
Hybrid G/BN@2H-MoS2 Nanomaterial Composites: Structural, Electronic and Molecular Adsorption Properties
Authors: Al-Khaldi Amal , Fadlallah Mohamed M. , Alhajri Fawziah , Maarouf Ahmed A.
Published: December 2022

Hybrid structures often possess superior properties to those of their component materials. This arises from changes in the structural or physical properties of the new materials. Here, we investigate the structural, electronic, and gas-adsorption properties of hybrid structures made from graphene/hexagonal boron nitride and 2H-molybdenum disulfide (G/BN@MoS2) monolayers. We consider hybrid systems in which the G/BN patch is at the Mo plane (model I) and the S plane (model II). We find that the implanted hexagon of G or BN in MoS2 alters its electronic properties: G@MoS2 (I,II) are metallic, while BN@MoS2 (I) is an n-type conducting and BN@MoS2 (II) is semiconducting. We study the molecular adsorption of some diatomic gases (H2, OH, N2, NO, CO), triatomic gases (CO2, NO2, H2S, SO2), and polyatomic gases (COOH, CH4, and NH3) on our hybrid structures while considering multiple initial adsorption sites. Our results suggest that the hybrid systems may be suitable materials for some applications: G@MOS2 (I) for oxygen reduction reactions, BN@MoS2 (I,II) for NH3-based hydrogen production, and G@MoS2 (I) and BN@MoS2 (I,II) for filtration of No, Co, SO2, H2S, and NO2.
Cl- and Al-Doped Argyrodite Solid Electrolyte Li6PS5Cl for All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries with Improved Ionic Conductivity
Authors: Choi Yeong Jun , Kim Sun-I , Son Mingyu , Lee Jung Woo , Lee Duck Hyun
Published: December 2022

Argyrodite solid electrolytes such as lithium phosphorus sulfur chloride (Li6PS5Cl) have recently attracted great attention due to their excellent lithium-ion transport properties, which are applicable to all-solid-state lithium batteries. In this study, we report the improved ionic conductivity of an argyrodite solid electrolyte, Li6PS5Cl, in all-solid-state lithium batteries via the co-doping of chlorine (Cl) and aluminum (Al) elements. Electrochemical analysis was conducted on the doped argyrodite structure of Li6PS5Cl, which revealed that the substitution of cations and anions greatly improved the ionic conductivity of solid electrolytes. The ionic conductivity of the Cl- and Al-doped Li6PS5Cl (Li5.4Al0.1PS4.7Cl1.3) electrolyte was 7.29 × 10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature, which is 4.7 times higher than that of Li6PS5Cl. The Arrhenius plot of the Li5.4Al0.1PS4.7Cl1.3 electrolyte further elucidated its low activation energy at 0.09 eV.
Butanediammonium Salt Additives for Increasing Functional and Operando Stability of Light-Harvesting Materials in Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Udalova Natalia N. , Moskalenko Aleksandra K. , Belich Nikolai A. , Ivlev Pavel A. , Tutantsev Andrey S. , Goodilin Eugene A. , Tarasov Alexey B.
Published: December 2022

Organic diammonium cations are a promising component of both layered (2D) and conventional (3D) hybrid halide perovskites in terms of increasing the stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). We investigated the crystallization ability of phase-pure 2D perovskites based on 1,4-butanediammonium iodide (BDAI2) with the layer thicknesses n = 1, 2, 3 and, for the first time, revealed the presence of a persistent barrier to obtain BDA-based layered compounds with n > 1. Secondly, we introduced BDAI2 salt into 3D lead–iodide perovskites with different cation compositions and discovered a threshold-like nonmonotonic dependence of the perovskite microstructure, optoelectronic properties, and device performance on the amount of diammonium additive. The value of the threshold amount of BDAI2 was found to be ≤1%, below which bulk passivation plays the positive effect on charge carrier lifetimes, fraction of radiative recombination, and PSCs power conversion efficiencies (PCE). In contrast, the presence of any amount of diammonium salt leads to the sufficient enhancement of the photothermal stability of perovskite materials and devices, compared to the reference samples. The performance of all the passivated devices remained within the range of 50 to 80% of the initial PCE after 400 h of continuous 1 sun irradiation with a stabilized temperature of 65 °C, while the performance of the control devices deteriorated after 170 h of the experiment.
Nano-Structuration of WO3 Nanoleaves by Localized Hydrolysis of an Organometallic Zn Precursor: Application to Photocatalytic NO2 Abatement
Authors: Castello Lux Kevin , Fajerwerg Katia , Hot Julie , Ringot Erick , Bertron Alexandra , Collière Vincent , Kahn Myrtil L. , Loridant Stéphane , Coppel Yannick , Fau Pierre
Published: December 2022

WO3 is a known photocatalytic metal oxide frequently studied for its depollution properties. However, it suffers from a high recombination rate of the photogenerated electron/holes pair that is detrimental to its performance. In this paper, we present a new chemical method to decorate WO3 nanoleaves (NLs) with a complementary metal oxide (ZnWO4) in order to improve the photocatalytic performance of the composite material for the abatement of 400 ppb NO2 under mild UV exposure. Our strategy was to synthesize WO3·2H2O nanoleaves, then, to expose them, in water-free organic solution, to an organometallic precursor of Zn(Cy)2. A structural water molecule from WO3·2H2O spontaneously decomposes Zn(Cy)2 and induces the formation of the ZnO@WO3·H2O nanocomposite. The material was characterized by electronic microscopy (SEM, TEM), TGA, XRD, Raman and solid NMR spectroscopies. A simple thermal treatment under air at 500 °C affords the ZnWO4@WO3 nanocomposite. The resulting material, additionally decorated with 1% wt. Au, presents a remarkable increase (+166%) in the photocatalytic abatement of NO2 under UV compared to the pristine WO3 NLs. This synthesis method paves the way to the versatile preparation of a wide range of MOx@WO3 nanocomposites (MOx = metal oxide).
Interaction of Vitamin D with Peptide Hormones with Emphasis on Parathyroid Hormone, FGF23, and the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System
Authors: Latic Nejla , Erben Reinhold G.
Published: December 2022

The seminal discoveries that parathyroid hormone (PTH) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) are major endocrine regulators of vitamin D metabolism led to a significant improvement in our understanding of the pivotal roles of peptide hormones and small proteohormones in the crosstalk between different organs, regulating vitamin D metabolism. The interaction of vitamin D, FGF23 and PTH in the kidney is essential for maintaining mineral homeostasis. The proteohormone FGF23 is mainly secreted from osteoblasts and osteoclasts in the bone. FGF23 acts on proximal renal tubules to decrease production of the active form of vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) by downregulating transcription of 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), and by activating transcription of the key enzyme responsible for vitamin D degradation, 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1). Conversely, the peptide hormone PTH stimulates 1,25(OH)2D renal production by upregulating the expression of 1α-hydroxylase and downregulating that of 24-hydroxylase. The circulating concentration of 1,25(OH)2D is a positive regulator of FGF23 secretion in the bone, and a negative regulator of PTH secretion from the parathyroid gland, forming feedback loops between kidney and bone, and between kidney and parathyroid gland, respectively. In recent years, it has become clear that vitamin D signaling has important functions beyond mineral metabolism. Observation of seasonal variations in blood pressure and the subsequent identification of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and 1α-hydroxylase in non-renal tissues such as cardiomyocytes, endothelial and smooth muscle cells, suggested that vitamin D may play a role in maintaining cardiovascular health. Indeed, observational studies in humans have found an association between vitamin D deficiency and hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure, and experimental studies provided strong evidence for a role of vitamin D signaling in the regulation of cardiovascular function. One of the proposed mechanisms of action of vitamin D is that it functions as a negative regulator of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). This finding established a novel link between vitamin D and RAAS that was unexplored until then. During recent years, major progress has been made towards a more complete understanding of the mechanisms by which FGF23, PTH, and RAAS regulate vitamin D metabolism, especially at the genomic level. However, there are still major gaps in our knowledge that need to be filled by future research. The purpose of this review is to highlight our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between vitamin D, FGF23, PTH, and RAAS, and to discuss the role of these mechanisms in physiology and pathophysiology.
The Impact of a Mediterranean-like Diet with Controlled Protein Intake on the Onco-Nephrological Scenario: Time for a New Perspective
Authors: Bettiga Arianna , Fiorio Francesco , Liguori Francesca , Marco Federico Di , Quattrini Giulia , Vago Riccardo , Giannese Domenico , Salonia Andrea , Montorsi Francesco , Trevisani Francesco
Published: December 2022

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a frequent comorbidity in cancer patients, especially for patients affected by urological cancers. Unfortunately, impaired kidney function may limit the choice of adequate oncological treatments for their potential nephrotoxicity or due to contraindications in case of a low glomerular filtration rate. For these patients, tailored nephrological and nutritional management is mandatory. The K-DIGO guidelines do not define whether the nutritional management of CKD could be useful also in CKD patients affected by urological cancer. In fact, in clinical practice, oncological patients often receive high-protein diets to avoid malnutrition. In our study, we investigated the nutritional and nephrological impact of a Mediterranean-like diet with a controlled protein intake (MCPD) on a cohort of 82 stage III-IV CKD patients. We compared two cohorts: one of 31 non-oncological CKD patients and the other of 51 oncological patients with CKD. The use of an MCPD had a favorable impact on both the oncological and non-oncological CKD patients with an amelioration in all the investigated parameters and with a better quality of life, with no cases of malnutrition or AKI.
Horticultural Therapy May Reduce Psychological and Physiological Stress in Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: A Pilot Study
Authors: Curzio Olivia , Billeci Lucia , Belmonti Vittorio , Colantonio Sara , Cotrozzi Lorenzo , De Pasquale Carlotta Francesca , Morales Maria Aurora , Nali Cristina , Pascali Maria Antonietta , Venturi Francesca , Tonacci Alessandro , Zannoni Nicola , Maestro Sandra
Published: December 2022

Studies in psychiatric populations have found a positive effect of Horticultural therapy (HCT) on reductions in stress levels. The main objective of the present pilot study was to evaluate the impact of the addition of HCT to conventional clinical treatment (Treatment as Usual, TaU) in a sample of six female adolescents with anorexia nervosa restricting type (AN-R), as compared to six AN-R patients, matched for sex and age, under TaU only. This is a prospective, non-profit, pilot study on patients with a previous diagnosis of AN-R and BMI < 16, recruited in 2020 in clinical settings. At enrolment (T0) and after treatment completion (TF), psychiatric assessment was performed. At T0, all the patients underwent: baseline electrocardiogram acquisition with a wearable chest strap for recording heart rate and its variability; skin conductance registration and thermal mapping of the individual’s face. An olfactory identification test was administered both to evaluate the olfactory sensoriality and to assess the induced stress. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were performed to analyze modifications in clinical and physiological variables, considering time (T0, TF) as a within-subjects factor and group (experimental vs. control) as between-subjects factors. When the ANOVA was significant, post hoc analysis was performed by Paired Sample T-tests. Only in the HCT group, stress response levels, as measured by the biological parameters, improved over time. The body uneasiness level and the affective problem measures displayed a significant improvement in the HCT subjects. HCT seems to have a positive influence on stress levels in AN-R.
UK Dietary Practices for Tyrosinaemias: Time for Change
Authors: Daly Anne , Adam Sarah , Allen Heather , Ash Jane , Dale Clare , Dixon Marjorie , Dunlop Carolyn , Ellerton Charlotte , Evans Sharon , Firman Sarah , Ford Suzanne , Freedman Francine , Gribben Joanna , Howe Sara , Khan Farzana , McDonald Joy , McStravick Nicola , Nguyen Patty , Oxley Natalia , Skeath Rachel , Simpson Emma , Terry Allyson , Woodall Alison , White Lucy , MacDonald Anita
Published: December 2022

In the UK, different dietary systems are used to calculate protein or tyrosine/phenylalanine intake in the dietary management of hereditary tyrosinaemia, HTI, II and III (HT), with no systematic evidence comparing the merits and inadequacies of each. This study aimed to examine the current UK dietary practices in all HTs and, using Delphi methodology, to reach consensus agreement about the best dietary management system. Over 12 months, five meetings were held with UK paediatric and adult dietitians working in inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) managing HTs. Eleven statements on the dietary system for calculating protein or tyrosine/phenylalanine intake were discussed. Dietitians from 12 of 14 IMD centres caring for HT patients participated, and 7/11 statements were agreed with one Delphi round. Nine centres (three abstentions) supported a 1 g protein exchange system for all foods except fruit and vegetables. The same definitions used in the UK for phenylketonuria (PKU) were adopted to define when to calculate foods as part of a protein exchange system or permit them without measurement. Fruit and vegetables contain a lower amount of tyrosine/phenylalanine per 1 g of protein than animal and cereal foods. The correlation of tyrosine vs. phenylalanine (mg/100 g) for vegetables and fruits was high (r = 0.9). In Delphi round 2, agreement was reached to use the tyrosine/phenylalanine analyses of fruits/vegetables, for their allocation within the HT diet. This allowed larger portion sizes of measured fruits and vegetables and increased the variety of fruit and vegetables that could be eaten without measurement. In HTs, a combined dietary management system will be used: 1 g protein exchanges for cereal and milk protein sources and tyrosine/phenylalanine exchanges for fruit and vegetables. Intensive, systematic communication with IMD dietitians and reappraisal of the evidence has redefined and harmonised HT dietary practice across the UK.
The Impact of a ‘Remotely-Delivered’ Sports Nutrition Education Program on Dietary Intake and Nutrition Knowledge of Junior Elite Triathletes
Authors: Tan Xuedan , Rogers Natalie , Brown Nancy , MacDonald Melanie , Bowler Amy-Lee , Cox Gregory R.
Published: December 2022

Triathlon is a physically demanding sport, requiring athletes to make informed decisions regarding their daily food and fluid intake to align with daily training. With an increase in uptake for online learning, remotely delivered education programs offer an opportunity to improve nutritional knowledge and subsequent dietary intake in athletes. This single-arm observational study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a remotely delivered nutrition education program on sports nutrition knowledge and the dietary intake of junior elite triathletes (n = 21; female n = 9; male n = 12; 18.9 ± 1.6 y). A total of 18 participants completed dietary intake assessments (4-day food diary via Easy Diet DiaryTM) and 14 participants completed an 83-question sports nutrition knowledge assessment (Sports Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (SNKQ)) before and after the 8-week program. Sports nutrition knowledge scores improved by 15% (p < 0.001, ES = 0.9) following the program. Male participants reported higher energy intakes before (3348 kJ, 95% CI: 117–6579; p = 0.043) and after (3644 kJ, 95% CI: 451–6836; p = 0.028) the program compared to females. Carbohydrate intake at breakfast (p = 0.022), daily intakes of fruit (p = 0.033), dairy (p = 0.01) and calcium (p = 0.029) increased following nutrition education. Irrespective of gender, participants had higher intakes of energy (p < 0.001), carbohydrate (p = 0.001), protein (p = 0.007), and fat (p = 0.007) on heavy training days compared to lighter training days before and after the program with total nutrition knowledge scores negatively correlated with discretionary food intake (r = −0.695, p = 0.001). A remotely delivered nutrition education program by an accredited sports nutrition professional improved sports nutrition knowledge and subsequent dietary intake of junior elite triathletes, suggesting remote delivery of nutrition education may prove effective when social distancing requirements prevent face-to-face opportunities.
Soft-Shelled Turtle Peptides Extend Lifespan and Healthspan in Drosophila
Authors: Wang Qianqian , Zhang Junhui , Zhuang Jiachen , Shen Fei , Zhao Minjie , Du Juan , Yu Peng , Zhong Hao , Feng Fengqin
Published: December 2022

In traditional Chinese medicine, soft-shelled turtle protein and peptides serve as a nutraceutical for prolonging the lifespan. However, their effects on anti-aging have not been clarified scientifically in vivo. This study aimed to determine whether soft-shelled turtle peptides (STP) could promote the lifespan and healthspan in Drosophila melanogaster and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Herein, STP supplementation prolonged the mean lifespan by 20.23% and 9.04% in males and females, respectively, delaying the aging accompanied by climbing ability decline, enhanced gut barrier integrity, and improved anti-oxidation, starvation, and heat stress abilities, while it did not change the daily food intake. Mechanistically, STP enhanced autophagy and decreased oxidative stress by downregulating the target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway. In addition, 95.18% of peptides from the identified sequences in STP could exert potential inhibitory effects on TOR through hydrogen bonds, van der Walls, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic interactions. The current study could provide a theoretical basis for the full exploitation of soft-shelled turtle aging prevention.
The Relationships between Parenting Practices and Child Health-Related Behaviors in Children with Intellectual Disability: The Moderating Role of Child Body Weight Status
Authors: Sun Yan , Supriya Rashmi , Gao Yang , Yu Siyue , Wang Aiwei , Ou Xiaoting , Tao Dan , Baker Julien S.
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to examine the associations between parenting practices and child health-related behaviors, and the moderating role of child body weight status in children with intellectual disability (ID). A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of children with ID in Hong Kong; 440 participants were included in this study. All the variables investigated were collected from questionnaires, except body weight status, which was objectively measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between parenting practices and children’s unhealthy behaviors. Interaction items were added to investigate the moderation effect of child body weight status, adjusting for significant background characteristics. Results showed that the parenting practices of “restricting access to unhealthy food and sedentary behaviors (RA)” (OR range: 0.63–0.64) and “using food or sedentary behaviors as rewards (UR)” (OR range: 1.28–1.60) were significantly associated with some eating behaviors, but not with sedentary behaviors. Body weight status significantly moderated these associations. Only RA showed favorable effects on some eating behaviors in children with overweight and obesity (OR range: 0.17–0.28), whereas the effects of UR differed by body weight status. Future research should focus on developing educational interventions which encourage parents to use practices that are tailored towards children’s individual characteristics.
Increased Consumption of Ultra-Processed Food Is Associated with Poor Mental Health in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescent Students in Brazil
Authors: Mesas Arthur Eumann , González Alberto Durán , de Andrade Selma Maffei , Martínez-Vizcaíno Vicente , López-Gil José Francisco , Jiménez-López Estela
Published: December 2022

The objective of this study was to analyze the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and mental health symptoms in a nationally representative sample of the Brazilian adolescent student population. Cross-sectional analyses with data from the National School-Based Health Survey (PeNSE 2019) were performed. Self-reported information was obtained for the frequency of five mental health symptoms in the last month and the consumption of thirteen UPFs in the last 24 h. Generalized linear models adjusting for the main confounders were performed for each sex. Of the 94,767 adolescent students (52.4% girls) included, 8.1% of the boys and 27.2% of the girls reported “almost always” or “always” having at least four of the five mental health symptoms. In the fully adjusted models, compared to the boys who consumed ≤3 UPF, those consuming ≥6 UPF reported more frequent symptoms of poor mental health (ß-coefficient = 0.27 [0.03, 0.51]; p-for-trend = 0.005). A similar association was observed in girls (ß-coefficient = 0.31 [0.13, 0.50]; p-for-trend = 0.001). In conclusion, in this large sample of adolescent students from an entire country, the higher the consumption of UPF was, the higher the frequency of reported symptoms of poor mental health. These findings remained significant regardless of sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, self-perceived body image, and bullying victimization.
Analysis of the Consumption of Sports Supplements in Open Water Swimmers According to the Competitive Level
Authors: Jiménez-Alfageme Rubén , Domínguez Raúl , Sanchez-Oliver Antonio Jesús , Tapia-Castillo Paola , Martínez-Sanz José Miguel , Sospedra Isabel
Published: December 2022

Background: Sports supplements (SS) are widely consumed by many types of athletes to improve their performance. These SS are classified according to their level of scientific evidence, by the ABCD system from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). In open water swimming, their use may be necessary due to the physiological challenges posed by this sport discipline. However, there is currently little literature on the use of SS in open water swimmers. The aim of this work is to analyze the pattern of consumption of SS by open water swimmers, by studying the differences according to the competitive level (regional vs. national). Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study on the consumption and use of SS by federated open water swimmers in Spain in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons. The data were collected through a validated questionnaire. Results: 79.5% of the participants consumed SS, with significant differences according to their level, being higher in athletes at the national level. The most-consumed SS by the swimmers studied were sports drinks, energy bars, caffeine, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Conclusions: It was observed that the consumption of SS in open water swimmers was high, and of the five most-consumed SS, four of them belonged to the category of greatest scientific evidence.
Tablet Disintegratability: Sensitivity of Superdisintegrants to Temperature and Compaction Pressure
Authors: Zheng Audrey Yi , Heng Paul Wan Sia , Chan Lai Wah
Published: December 2022

Tablet disintegration is an important pre-requisite for drug dissolution and absorption. The disintegration test is typically conducted at 37 °C, but the intragastric temperature may vary due to meals or fever. This study investigated the effects of temperature and compaction pressure on tablet disintegratability to gain deeper insights into superdisintegrant sensitivity and function. Tablets with either sodium starch glycolate or crospovidone as disintegrant were prepared at various compaction pressures and subjected to the disintegration test using different medium temperatures. Preheating of tablets was also employed to establish instant temperature equilibrium between the tablet and the disintegration medium. Liquid penetration and disintegration were faster as the medium temperature increased or compaction pressure decreased. Swelling or strain recovery disintegrants exhibited similar sensitivity to variations in the medium temperature. Preheating of the tablets resulted in slower disintegration, but this effect was reversible upon cooling, hence the slower disintegration was unlikely to be attributed to changes in the disintegrant physical state. The temperature difference between the tablet and the disintegration medium likely affected the rate of fluid flow into tablets and influenced disintegration. Understanding disintegrant temperature sensitivity would help to avoid unacceptable fluctuations in disintegration due to temperature variations. The temperature difference effect could also be harnessed to boost disintegrant performance.
New Crosslinked Single-Ion Silica-PEO Hybrid Electrolytes
Authors: Issa Sébastien , Jeanne-Brou Roselyne , Mehan Sumit , Devaux Didier , Cousin Fabrice , Gigmes Didier , Bouchet Renaud , Phan Trang N. T.
Published: December 2022

New single-ion hybrid electrolytes have been synthetized via an original and simple synthetic approach combining Michael addition, epoxidation, and sol–gel polycondensation. We designed an organic PEO network as a matrix for the lithium transport, mechanically reinforced thanks to crosslinking inorganic (SiO1.5) sites, while highly delocalized anions based on lithium vinyl sulfonyl(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (VSTFSILi) were grafted onto the inorganic sites to produce single-ion hybrid electrolytes (HySI). The influence of the electrolyte composition in terms of the inorganic/organic ratio and the grafted VSTFSILi content on the local structural organization, the thermal, mechanical, and ionic transport properties (ionic conductivity, transference number) are studied by a variety of techniques including SAXS, DSC, rheometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. SAXS measurements at 25 °C and 60 °C reveal that HySI electrolyte films display locally a spatial phase separation with domains composed of PEO rich phase and silica/VSTFSILi clusters. The size of these clusters increases with the silica and VSTFSILi content. A maximum ionic conductivity of 2.1 × 10−5 S·cm−1 at 80 °C has been obtained with HySI having an EO/Li ratio of 20. The Li+ ion transfer number of HySI electrolytes is high, as expected for a single-ion electrolyte, and comprises between 0.80 and 0.92.
Breathability and Moisture Permeability of Cellulose Nanocrystals Hollow Microsphere Coatings for PET Fabrics
Authors: Zhang Fan , Song Bingyao , Li Yilin , Zhou Yingying , Wang Yanbing , Xu Qunna , Ma Jianzhong
Published: December 2022

In this study, cellulose nanocrystals hollow microspheres (HMs) were fabricated through Pickering emulsion polymerization, in which hydrophobically modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) acted as Pickering stabilizers. The hollow interior core was prepared by solvent evaporation. This manuscript describes the synthesis of HMs in detail. The hollow structure and nanoscale size of HMs were verified using TEM. The resultant HMs could easily coat self-forming films on the surface of PET fabrics. Additionally, these coatings exhibited superior breathability and moisture permeability properties with a high one-way transport index of 936.33% and a desirable overall moisture management capability of 0.72. Cellulose nanocrystal hollow microsphere coatings could be used as a moisture-wicking functionality agent for finishing fabrics, oil–water separation, and fog harvesting.
Influence of Air-Barrier and Curing Light Distance on Conversion and Micro-Hardness of Dental Polymeric Materials
Authors: Ciocan Lucian Toma , Biru Elena Iuliana , Vasilescu Vlad Gabriel , Ghitman Jana , Stefan Ana-Roxana , Iovu Horia , Ilici Roxana
Published: December 2022

This study aims to assess the conversion degree and hardness behavior of two new commercial dental restorative composites that have been submitted to light curing in different environments (air and glycerin, respectively) at various distances from the light source (1 to 5 mm) and to better understand the influence of the preparation conditions of the restorative materials. Through FT-IR spectrometry, the crosslinking degree of the commercial restorative materials have been investigated and different conversion values were obtained (from ~17% to ~90%) but more importantly, it was shown that the polymerization environment exhibits a significant influence on the crosslinking degree of the resin-based composites especially for obtaining degrees of higher polymerization. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the restorative materials were studied using the nanoindentation technique showing that the nano-hardness behavior is strongly influenced not only by the polymerization lamp position, but also by the chemical structure of the materials and polymerization conditions. Thus, the nanoindentation results showed that the highest nano-hardness values (~0.86 GPa) were obtained in the case of the flowable C3 composite that contains BisEMA and UDMA as a polymerizable organic matrix when crosslinked at 1 mm distance from the curing lamp using glycerin as an oxygen-inhibitor layer.
Investigation of Ferromagnetic and Ferroelectric Properties in Binderless Cellulose/Ni Laminates for Magnetoelectric Applications
Authors: Song Manseong , Yang Su-Chul
Published: December 2022

According to reported polymer-based magnetoelectric (ME) laminates, which generate voltage via an external magnetic field, a binder is indispensable for the adhesion between phases. However, if the binder is excluded, the ME response is expected to improve via efficient strain transfer from the magnetostrictive phase to the piezoelectric phase. Nevertheless, an understanding of the binderless state has not yet been addressed in polymer-based ME laminates. In this study, cellulose/Ni (CN) laminates were designed to obtain binderless polymer-based ME laminates. The surface properties of Ni foil desirable for the anchoring effect and the electrostatic interactions required for binderless states were determined via heat treatment of the Ni substrate. Moreover, to confirm the potential of the binderless laminate in ME applications, the ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties of the CN laminates were recorded. Consequently, the CN laminates exhibited remnant and saturation magnetizations of 29.5 emu/g and 55.2 emu/g, respectively. Furthermore, the significantly increased remnant and saturation polarization of the CN laminates were determined to be 1.86 µC/cm2 and 0.378 µC/cm2, an increase of approximately 35-fold and 5.56-fold, respectively, compared with a neat cellulose film. The results indicate that multiferroic binderless CN laminates are excellent candidates for high-response ME applications.
Epoch-Based Height Reference System for Sea Level Rise Impact Assessment on the Coast of Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Cob Sanusi , Kadir Majid , Forsberg Rene , Simons Wim , Naeije Marc , Din Ami Hassan , Yacob Husaini , Amat Asyran , Mahdzur Daud , Ibrahim Zuhairy , Aziz Kenidi , Yaacob Norehan , Johann Felix , Jensen Tim , Teitsson Hergeir , Ses Shahrum , Yahaya Anim , Nordin Soeb , Majid Fadhil
Published: December 2022

The Peninsular Malaysia Geodetic Vertical Datum 2000 (PMGVD2000) inherited several deficiencies due to offsets between local datums used, levelling error propagations, land subsidence, sea level rise, and sea level slopes along the southern half of the Malacca Strait on the west coast and the South China Sea in the east coast of the Peninsular relative to the Port Klang (PTK) datum point. To cater for a more reliable elevation-based assessment of both sea level rise and coastal flooding exposure, a new epoch-based height reference system PMGVD2022 has been developed. We have undertaken the processing of more than 30 years of sea level data from twelve tide gauge (TG) stations along the Peninsular Malaysia coast for the determination of the relative mean sea level (RMSL) at epoch 2022.0 with their respective trends and incorporates the quantification of the local vertical land motion (VLM) impact. PMGVD2022 is based on a new gravimetric geoid (PMGeoid2022) fitted to the RMSL at PTK. The orthometric height is realised through the GNSS levelling concept H = hGNSS–Nfit_PTK–NRMDT, where NRMDT is a constant offset due to the relative mean dynamic ocean topography (RMDT) between the fitted geoid at PTK and the local MSL datums along the Peninsular Malaysia coast. PMGVD2022 will become a single height reference system with absolute accuracies of better than ±3 cm and ±10 cm across most of the land/coastal area and the continental shelf of Peninsular Malaysia, respectively.
Land-Use Change, Habitat Connectivity, and Conservation Gaps: A Case Study of Shorebird Species in the Yellow River Delta of China Using the InVEST Model and Network Analysis
Authors: Duan Houlang , Yu Xiubo
Published: December 2022

Coastal wetlands form a transition zone between terrestrial and marine environments and provide important ecosystem services. Land-use change in the coastal zone has a substantial effect on habitat connectivity and biodiversity. However, few studies have characterized the effects of land-use change on coastal habitat connectivity. We conducted remote sensing analysis, modeling with the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs model, geospatial analysis, and habitat connectivity analysis to evaluate historical spatiotemporal changes in the habitat quality and habitat connectivity of migratory shorebirds in the Yellow River Delta, which is an important stopover site along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway migratory route. Several high- and medium-quality areas have been converted to industrial mining and mariculture sites because of land reclamation. The probability of connectivity decreased by −66.7% between 1975 and 2020. Approximately 71.0%, 11.6%, and 5.8% of patches with high importance have been converted to non-habitat patches, habitat patches with medium importance, and habitat patches with low importance, respectively; approximately 58.9% and 11.7% of the patches with medium importance have been converted to non-habitat patches and habitat patches with low importance, respectively. The total priority conservation area was 389.4 km2, and 125.0 km2 (32.1%) of this area remains unprotected; these unprotected areas are mainly distributed in the northwestern and eastern parts of the Yellow River Delta. We recommend that the boundary of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve be expanded to incorporate these unprotected areas.
LightFGCNet: A Lightweight and Focusing on Global Context Information Semantic Segmentation Network for Remote Sensing Imagery
Authors: Chen Yan , Jiang Wenxiang , Wang Mengyuan , Kang Menglei , Weise Thomas , Wang Xiaofeng , Tan Ming , Xu Lixiang , Li Xinlu , Zhang Chen
Published: December 2022

Convolutional neural networks have attracted much attention for their use in the semantic segmentation of remote sensing imagery. The effectiveness of semantic segmentation of remote sensing images is significantly influenced by contextual information extraction. The traditional convolutional neural network is constrained by the size of the convolution kernel and mainly concentrates on local contextual information. We suggest a new lightweight global context semantic segmentation network, LightFGCNet, to fully utilize the global context data and to further reduce the model parameters. It uses an encoder–decoder architecture and gradually combines feature information from adjacent encoder blocks during the decoding upsampling stage, allowing the network to better extract global context information. Considering that the frequent merging of feature information produces a significant quantity of redundant noise, we build a unique and lightweight parallel channel spatial attention module (PCSAM) for a few critical contextual features. Additionally, we design a multi-scale fusion module (MSFM) to acquire multi-scale feature target information. We conduct comprehensive experiments on the two well-known datasets ISPRS Vaihingen and WHU Building. The findings demonstrate that our suggested strategy can efficiently decrease the number of parameters. Separately, the number of parameters and FLOPs are 3.12 M and 23.5 G, respectively, and the mIoU and IoU of our model on the two datasets are 70.45% and 89.87%, respectively, which is significantly better than what the conventional convolutional neural networks for semantic segmentation can deliver.
Editorial for the Special Issue “Remote Sensing of the Polar Oceans”
Authors: Aulicino Giuseppe , Wadhams Peter
Published: December 2022

This Special Issue gathers papers reporting research on various aspects of the use of satellites for monitoring polar oceans. It includes contributions presenting improvements in the retrieval of sea ice concentration, extent and area, and concerning error information; the interannual and decadal variability of sea surface temperature and sea ice concentration in the Barents Sea; validation and comparison of Arctic salinity products; melt pond retrieval applying a Linear Polar algorithm to Landsat data; the characterization of surface layer freshening from sea surface salinity and coloured detrital matter in the Kara and Laptev Seas; multi-sensor estimations of chlorophyll-a concentrations in the Western Antarctic Peninsula; and enhanced techniques for detection and monitoring of glacier dynamics and iceberg paths.
Improved CNN-Based Indoor Localization by Using RGB Images and DBSCAN Algorithm
Authors: Cheng Fang , Niu Guofeng , Zhang Zhizhong , Hou Chengjie
Published: December 2022

With the intense deployment of wireless systems and the widespread use of intelligent equipment, the requirement for indoor positioning services is increasing, and Wi-Fi fingerprinting has emerged as the most often used approach to identifying indoor target users. The construction time of the Wi-Fi received signal strength (RSS) fingerprint database is short, but the positioning performance is unstable and susceptible to noise. Meanwhile, to strengthen indoor positioning precision, a fingerprints algorithm based on a convolution neural network (CNN) is often used. However, the number of reference points participating in the location estimation has a great influence on the positioning accuracy. There is no standard for the number of reference points involved in position estimation by traditional methods. For the above problems, the grayscale images corresponding to RSS and angle of arrival are fused into RGB images to improve stability. This paper presents a position estimation method based on the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm, which can select appropriate reference points according to the situation. DBSCAN analyses the CNN output and can choose the number of reference points based on the situation. Finally, the position is approximated using the weighted k-nearest neighbors. The results show that the calculation error of our proposed method is at least 0.1–0.3 m less than that of the traditional method.
Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation Architecture Supported by a Distributed Data Acquisition System
Authors: Chellal Arezki Abderrahim , Lima José , Gonçalves José , Fernandes Florbela P. , Pacheco Fátima , Monteiro Fernando , Brito Thadeu , Soares Salviano
Published: December 2022

Rehabilitation robotics aims to facilitate the rehabilitation procedure for patients and physical therapists. This field has a relatively long history dating back to the 1990s; however, their implementation and the standardisation of their application in the medical field does not follow the same pace, mainly due to their complexity of reproduction and the need for their approval by the authorities. This paper aims to describe architecture that can be applied to industrial robots and promote their application in healthcare ecosystems. The control of the robotic arm is performed using the software called SmartHealth, offering a 2 Degree of Autonomy (DOA). Data are gathered through electromyography (EMG) and force sensors at a frequency of 45 Hz. It also proves the capabilities of such small robots in performing such medical procedures. Four exercises focused on shoulder rehabilitation (passive, restricted active-assisted, free active-assisted and Activities of Daily Living (ADL)) were carried out and confirmed the viability of the proposed architecture and the potential of small robots (i.e., the UR3) in rehabilitation procedure accomplishment. This robot can perform the majority of the default exercises in addition to ADLs but, nevertheless, their limits were also uncovered, mainly due to their limited Range of Motion (ROM) and cost.
Sea Mine Detection Framework Using YOLO, SSD and EfficientDet Deep Learning Models
Authors: Munteanu Dan , Moina Diana , Zamfir Cristina Gabriela , Petrea Ștefan Mihai , Cristea Dragos Sebastian , Munteanu Nicoleta
Published: December 2022

In the context of new geopolitical tensions due to the current armed conflicts, safety in terms of navigation has been threatened due to the large number of sea mines placed, in particular, within the sea conflict areas. Additionally, since a large number of mines have recently been reported to have drifted into the territories of the Black Sea countries such as Romania, Bulgaria Georgia and Turkey, which have intense commercial and tourism activities in their coastal areas, the safety of those economic activities is threatened by possible accidents that may occur due to the above-mentioned situation. The use of deep learning in a military operation is widespread, especially for combating drones and other killer robots. Therefore, the present research addresses the detection of floating and underwater sea mines using images recorded from cameras (taken from drones, submarines, ships and boats). Due to the low number of sea mine images, the current research used both an augmentation technique and synthetic image generation (by overlapping images with different types of mines over water backgrounds), and two datasets were built (for floating mines and for underwater mines). Three deep learning models, respectively, YOLOv5, SSD and EfficientDet (YOLOv5 and SSD for floating mines and YOLOv5 and EfficientDet for underwater mines), were trained and compared. In the context of using three algorithm models, YOLO, SSD and EfficientDet, the new generated system revealed high accuracy in object recognition, namely the detection of floating and anchored mines. Moreover, tests carried out on portable computing equipment, such as Raspberry Pi, illustrated the possibility of including such an application for real-time scenarios, with the time of 2 s per frame being improved if devices use high-performance cameras.