bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Watermelon Intake Is Associated with Increased Nutrient Intake and Higher Diet Quality in Adults and Children, NHANES 2003–2018
Authors: Fulgoni Kristin , Fulgoni Victor L.
Published: November 2022

Watermelon is a nutrient-dense, low energy food that provides vital nutrients and contributes to overall fruit intake. Previous studies have found positive associations between watermelon and nutrient intake but few focused on raw watermelon intake or had small sample sizes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to utilize a large, nationally representative sample to determine associations between watermelon intake and nutrient intake and diet quality. Data from children (2–18 y) and adults (19+ y) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles 2003–2018 were utilized in the current study. Watermelon intake was 7.51 and 7.29 g/d per capita in children and adults, respectively. In watermelon consumers, usual intake was 125 and 161 g/d in children and adults, respectively. Total diet quality was higher in watermelon consumers as compared to non-consumers as well as several subcomponent scores. Children and adult watermelon consumers had greater than 5% higher intake of dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin A as well as more than 5% lower intake of added sugars and total saturated fatty acids as well as higher intake of lycopene and other carotenoids. This study suggests watermelon can increase nutrient intake as well as diet quality in both children and adult Americans.
Implementing DASH-Aligned Meals and Self-Measured Blood Pressure to Reduce Hypertension at Senior Centers: A RE-AIM Analysis
Authors: Hashemi-Arend Anuradha , Vasquez Kimberly S. , Guishard Dozene , Naji Moufdi , Ronning Andrea , George-Alexander Glenis , Vasquez Dacia , Sylvester Clewert , Pagano William , Khalida Chamanara , Coffran Cameron , Ezeonu Teeto , Fofana Kadija , Bielopolski Dana , Vaughan Roger , Qureshi Adam , Tobin Jonathan N. , Kost Rhonda G.
Published: November 2022

Low-income, minority seniors face high rates of hypertension that increase cardiovascular risk. Senior centers offer services, including congregate meals, that can be a valuable platform to reach older adults in underserved communities. We implemented two evidence-based interventions not previously tested in this setting: DASH-aligned congregate meals and Self-Measured Blood Pressure (SMBP), to lower blood pressure (BP) at two senior centers serving low-income, racially diverse communities. The study enrolled congregate meal program participants, provided training and support for SMPB, and nutrition and BP education. DASH-aligned meals delivered 40% (lunch) or 70% (breakfast and lunch) of DASH requirements/day. Primary outcomes were change in BP, and BP control, at Month 1. Implementation data collected included client characteristics, menu fidelity, meal attendance, SMBP adherence, meal satisfaction, input from partner organizations and stakeholders, effort, and food costs. We used the RE-AIM framework to analyze implementation. Study Reach included 94 older, racially diverse participants reflecting neighborhood characteristics. Effectiveness: change in systolic BP at Month 1 trended towards significance (−4 mmHg, p = 0.07); change in SMBP reached significance at Month 6 (−6.9 mmHg, p = 0.004). We leveraged existing community-academic partnerships, leading to Adoption at both target sites. The COVID pandemic interrupted Implementation and Maintenance and may have attenuated BP effectiveness. DASH meals served were largely aligned with planned menus. Meal attendance remained consistent; meal satisfaction was high. Food costs increased by 10%. This RE-AIM analysis highlights the acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity of this DASH/SMBP health intervention to lower BP at senior centers. It encourages future research and offers important lessons for organizations delivering services to older adults and addressing cardiovascular risk among vulnerable populations.
Inflammatory Response in Oral Biofilm during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lieske Berit , Makarova Nataliya , Jagemann Bettina , Walther Carolin , Ebinghaus Merle , Zyriax Birgit-Christiane , Aarabi Ghazal
Published: November 2022

Understanding the inflammatory response in oral biofilm during pregnancy and its association with oral and maternal health is essential for identifying biomarker patterns that may serve as markers of pregnancy-related complications. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of the available literature to assess: (1) inflammatory responses in oral biofilm during pregnancy, (2) the association between inflammatory responses in oral biofilm during pregnancy and maternal, oral or systemic conditions, (3) changes in the response of inflammatory biomarkers found in the oral biofilm during different pregnancy stages, and (4) the value of other risk factors such as nutrition and lifestyle. PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were systematically searched from inception until April 2022. From 5441 records, 39 studies were included for qualitative assessment. The oral biofilm in pregnant women was associated with increased inflammatory biomarkers when compared to non-pregnant women. Levels of inflammatory biomarkers in the oral biofilm were found to be highest in pregnant women with systemic conditions. Increased inflammatory biomarkers in the oral biofilm were also associated with worse oral health outcomes. Given the importance of nutrition and lifestyle for pregnancy and oral health outcomes and the fact that these factors were largely excluded in the included studies, future research should consider a holistic view of the mother during pregnancy to capture physiological, hormonal, immunologic, and metabolic changes in the context of inflammatory responses.
A Snapshot of the Experience of Dietitians during the COVID-19 Crisis in Five Arab Countries: Findings from a Regional Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Bookari Khlood , Arrish Jamila , Zaher Sara , Alkhalaf Majid , Alharbi Mudi , Alkhattaf Najla , Harb Ziad , Al Hinai Eiman , Alanqodi Nahla , Almajed Sana , Aldwarji Maryam , Alqaoud Nawal , Elati Jalila , Hoteit Maha
Published: November 2022

COVID-19’s intimidating spread has challenged the resilience of the global health systems, causing shifts in the practices of healthcare workers, including dietitians. The current study aimed to assess the change in dietitians’ practices and duties in hospitals/clinics after the commencement of COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted in five Arab countries between November 2020 and January 2021. A convenient sample of 903 dietitians filled an online self-administered questionnaire to meet the study aims. Nearly 40.0% of the dietitians experienced a change in their workload and caseload during the pandemic. Besides, 18.7% of the dietitians had been assigned additional tasks in their facilities. Nearly half the dietitians (46.9%) had started giving remote nutrition consultations, associated with a 21% drop in the number of dietitians offering in-person consultations (p = 0.001). Approximately 58.9% of the dietitians provided nutrition care to COVID-19 patients, with 48.4% having access to personal protective equipment. Moreover, 17.0% of dietitians supported COVID-19 patients with enteral and parenteral nutrition. In addition, 45.0% of dietitians reported that managing COVID-19 was challenging given that it was a newly discovered condition.
Association of Dietary Live Microbe Intake with Cardiovascular Disease in US Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study of NHANES 2007–2018
Authors: Han Lu , Wang Qi
Published: November 2022

Objective: To detect the potential association between dietary live microbe and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Methods: Data of 10,875 participants aged 18 years or older in this study were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants in this study were divided into three groups according to the Sanders dietary live microbe classification system: low, medium, and high dietary live microbe groups. CVD was defined by a combination of self-reported physician diagnoses and standardized medical status questionnaires. The analyses utilized weighted logistic regression models. Results: After the full adjustment for confounders, patients in the medium dietary live microbe group had a low prevalence of CVD in contrast to those in the low dietary live microbe group (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.52–0.99, and p < 0.05), but no significant association with CVD was detected between the high and low dietary live microbe groups. Higher dietary live microbe groups were negatively associated with the prevalence of stroke (p for trend = 0.01) and heart attack (p for trend = 0.01). People who were male were more likely to suffer stroke due to low dietary live microbe (p for interaction = 0.03). Conclusion: A high dietary live microbe intake was associated with a low prevalence of CVD, and the significant association was detected when the analysis was limited to stroke and heart attack.
Exposure to (Poly)phenol Metabolites after a Fruit and Vegetable Supplement Intake: A Double-Blind, Cross-Over, Randomized Trial
Authors: Romain Cindy , Bresciani Letizia , Muralidharan Jananee , Mena Pedro , Chung Linda H. , Alcaraz Pedro E. , Del Rio Daniele , Cases Julien
Published: November 2022

Dietary (poly)phenol intake derived from the daily consumption of five portions of fruits and vegetables could protect against the development of non-communicable diseases. However, the general population does not meet the recommended intake. Supplementation with (poly)phenol-rich ingredients, within a varied and balanced diet, could help in filling this nutritional gap. This study aimed to validate the proof-of-concept of a (poly)phenolic supplementation developed to enhance the daily consumption of potentially bioactive compounds. Oxxynea® is a (poly)phenol-rich ingredient developed to provide the quantity and the variety corresponding to five-a-day fruit and vegetable consumption. In this double-blind, randomized cross-over study, 10 participants were supplemented with 450 mg of a (poly)phenol-based supplement or a placebo. Pharmacokinetics and urinary excretion profiles were measured for 24 and 48 h, respectively, using UPHLC-MS/MS analysis. The pharmacokinetic profile displayed a triphasic absorption, indicating peaks of circulating metabolites at 1.75 ± 0.25 h, 4.50 ± 0.34 h, 9.50 ± 0.33 h and an average Tmax (time of maximal plasma concentration) of 6.90 ± 0.96 h. Similarly, the urinary profile showed maximum metabolite excretion at 3–6 h, 6–10 h and 14–24 h after supplement consumption. Compared to individual metabolites belonging to different (poly)phenolic subfamilies, the total circulating and excreted metabolites showed a reduced coefficient of variation (CV 38%). The overall bioavailability estimated was 27.4 ± 3.4%. Oxxynea® supplementation may provide a sustained exposure to several (poly)phenolic metabolites and catabolites and reduces the inter-individual variation that could arise from supplementing only one class of (poly)phenol.
Modulation of Human Motor Cortical Excitability and Plasticity by Opuntia Ficus Indica Fruit Consumption: Evidence from a Preliminary Study through Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation
Authors: Gambino Giuditta , Brighina Filippo , Allegra Mario , Marrale Maurizio , Collura Giorgio , Gagliardo Cesare , Attanzio Alessandro , Tesoriere Luisa , Di Majo Danila , Ferraro Giuseppe , Sardo Pierangelo , Giglia Giuseppe
Published: November 2022

Indicaxanthin (IX) from Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI) has been shown to exert numerous biological effects both in vitro and in vivo, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuro-modulatory activity in rodent models. Our goal was to investigate the eventual neuro-active role of orally assumed fruits containing high levels of IX at nutritionally-relevant amounts in healthy subjects, exploring cortical excitability and plasticity in the human motor cortex (M1). To this purpose, we applied paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) in basal conditions and followed the consumption of yellow cactus pear fruits containing IX or white cactus pear fruits devoid of IX (placebo). Furthermore, resting state-functional MRI (rs-fMRI) preliminary acquisitions were performed before and after consumption of the same number of yellow fruits. Our data revealed that the consumption of IX-containing fruits could specifically activate intracortical excitatory circuits, differently from the placebo-controlled group. Furthermore, we found that following the ingestion of IX-containing fruits, elevated network activity of glutamatergic intracortical circuits can homeostatically be restored to baseline levels following a-tDCS stimulation. No significant differences were observed through rs-fMRI acquisitions. These outcomes suggest that IX from OFI increases intracortical excitability of M1 and leads to homeostatic cortical plasticity responses.
Association between Quality of Maternal Prenatal Food Source and Preparation and Breastfeeding Duration in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Program
Authors: Zimmerman Emily , Gachigi Kennedy K. , Rodgers Rachel F. , Watkins Deborah J. , Woodbury Megan , Cordero José F. , Alshawabkeh Akram , Meeker John D. , Huerta-Montañez Gredia , Pabon Zaira Rosario , Hines Morgan , Velez-Vega Carmen M. , Camargo Carlos A. , Zhu Yeyi , Nozadi Sara S. , Comstock Sarah S. , Hockett Christine , Tarwater Patrick M. ,   on behalf of program collaborators for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes
Published: November 2022

This study examined the relationship between maternal food source and preparation during pregnancy and the duration of breastfeeding among 751 mother–child dyads in the United States. The data collected from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program included twelve cohorts of mothers (age ≥ 18) who delivered infant(s). Three categories of maternal food source and preparation including, High, Moderate, or Low Food Source Quality were derived from the mother report. The mean duration of breastfeeding differed strongly across the three categories. The High Food Source Quality group breastfed an average of 41 weeks, while shorter durations were observed for the Moderate (26 weeks) and Low (16 weeks) Food Source Quality groups. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the relative hazard of time to breastfeeding cessation for each participant characteristic. The full model adjusted for clustering/cohort effect for all participant characteristics, while the final model adjusted for the subset of characteristics identified from variable reduction modeling. The hazard of breastfeeding cessation for those in the High Food Source Quality group was 24% less than the Moderate group (RH = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63–0.92). Pregnant women in the High Food Source Quality group breastfed longer than the Moderate and Low groups. We encourage more detailed studies in the future to examine this relationship longitudinally.
Identification of Novel Arachidonic Acid 15-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors Based on the Bayesian Classifier Model and Computer-Aided High-Throughput Virtual Screening
Authors: Liao Yinglin , Cao Peng , Luo Lianxiang
Published: November 2022

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent lipid peroxidative form of cell death that is distinct from apoptosis and necrosis. ALOX15, also known as arachidonic acid 15-lipoxygenase, promotes ferroptosis by converting intracellular unsaturated lipids into oxidized lipid intermediates and is an important ferroptosis target. In this study, a naive Bayesian machine learning classifier with a structure-based, high-throughput screening approach and a molecular docking program were combined to screen for three compounds with excellent target-binding potential. In the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity characterization, three candidate molecules were predicted to exhibit drug-like properties. The subsequent molecular dynamics simulations confirmed their stable binding to the targets. The findings indicated that the compounds exhibited excellent potential ALOX15 inhibitor capacity, thereby providing novel candidates for the treatment of inflammatory ischemia-related diseases caused by ferroptosis.
Prospects for the Development of Pink1 and Parkin Activators for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Blagov Alexander V. , Goncharov Andrey G. , Babich Olga O. , Larina Viktoriya V. , Orekhov Alexander N. , Melnichenko Alexandra A.
Published: November 2022

Impaired mitophagy is one of the hallmarks of the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, which highlights the importance of the proper functioning of mitochondria, as well as the processes of mitochondrial dynamics for the functioning of dopaminergic neurons. At the same time, the main factors leading to disruption of mitophagy in Parkinson’s disease are mutations in the Pink1 and Parkin enzymes. Based on the characterized mutant forms, the marked cellular localization, and the level of expression in neurons, these proteins can be considered promising targets for the development of drugs for Parkinson’s therapy. This review will consider such class of drug compounds as mitophagy activators and these drugs in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Acceptability of Multiparticulate Dosing Using Sympfiny® Delivery System with Children (Age 1–12)
Authors: Abeln Kate , Cox Kate , Haggerty Laura , Privitera Mary Beth
Published: November 2022

This study investigated multiparticulate formulation administered over a two-week period of time via the Sympfiny® system with children of ages 1–12 years. The study was conducted with parent–child pairs (N = 120 total participants) following a specific dose strategy to mimic PURIXAN’s dosing guidelines based upon the child’s age. PURIXAN® (mercaptopurine) and Methotrexate have been identified as potential chemotherapy drugs that could benefit from reformulation into multiparticulate. Multiparticulate drugs have advantages as they can be flavorless, and do not require liquid reconstitution and do not require refrigeration. The study included three parts: initial in-person session, 14 days of at-home use, and a final in-person session. The in-person sessions were conducted at HS Design’s (HSD) (Morristown, NJ, USA) offices located in Morristown, New Jersey, where a study moderator captured and recorded all subjective comments by participants and observed device use to identify use errors. The participants were instructed to administer a dose (placebo) for the next 14 days and at each dose delivery to fill out a daily survey regarding their experience. Overall, the cumulative survey responses and feedback collected during the in-person sessions suggest that child participants ages 5–12 years old found multiparticulate to be an acceptable formulation and would be willing to take this medication if they were sick. Over time, more children ages 1–4 did not open their mouths; consistently around 15–20% of 1–4 years olds spat the placebo. However, approximately 95% of parents found the Sympfiny® system acceptable and indicated that they would use it to deliver medication to their child.
Piper aduncum Essential Oil Rich in Dillapiole: Development of Hydrogel-Thickened Nanoemulsion and Nanostructured Lipid Carrier Intended for Skin Delivery
Authors: Carneiro Simone , Kreutz Tainá , Limberger Renata , Teixeira Helder , da Veiga Júnior Valdir , Koester Letícia
Published: November 2022

The essential oil extracted from the leaves of Piper aduncum, an aromatic plant from the Amazon region, is rich in dillapiole and presents anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, nanoemulsions (NE) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), which are biocompatible nanostructured systems of a lipid nature, were prepared by high-pressure homogenization for the yet unexplored skin delivery of dillapiole. The addition of hydroxyethylcellulose produced hydrogel-thickened NE or NLC in view to improving the viscosity and skin adherence of the nanoformulations. Formulations were characterized with respect to dillapiole content, droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, morphology, rheological behavior, bioadhesion, skin permeation profile, and in vitro irritancy (HET-CAM). The formulations developed presented spherical, homogeneous nanometric particle size (around 130 nm), narrow polydispersity index (<0.3), and negative zeta potential (around −40 mV). Dillapiole content was slightly lower in NLC compared to NE since the production process involves heating. The hydrogels containing nanocarriers showed pseudoplastic behavior with bioadhesive characteristics. The developed formulations exhibited a controlled release profile, dillapiole delivery up to the dermis, the layer of interest for anti-inflammatory potential, and low irritant potential in the chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM). Both hydrogels-thickened NE and NLC seemed to be promising formulations for skin delivery of Piper aduncum essential oil.
Cyclodextrin-Based Delivery Systems and Hydroxycinnamic Acids: Interactions and Effects on Crucial Parameters Influencing Oral Bioavailability—A Review
Authors: Veras Kleyton Santos , Fachel Flávia Nathiely Silveira , Bassani Valquiria Linck , Teixeira Helder Ferreira , Koester Letícia Scherer
Published: November 2022

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) are a subclass of phenolic acids presenting caffeic acid (CA), chlorogenic acid (CGA), coumaric acid (COA) isomers, ferulic acid (FA), and rosmarinic acid (RA) as the major representants, being broadly distributed into vegetal species and showing a range of biological potentials. Due to the low oral bioavailability of the HCAs, the development of delivery systems to promote better administration by the oral route is demanding. Among the systems, cyclodextrin (CD)-based delivery systems emerge as an important technology to solve this issue. Regarding these aspects, in this review, CD-based delivery systems containing HCAs are displayed, described, and discussed concerning the degree of interaction and their effects on crucial parameters that affect the oral bioavailability of HCAs.
Pathway to Sustainability through Pragmatic Wisdom
Authors: Tan Wai Kian
Published: November 2022

In this era of rapid modernization, technology has changed people’s everyday lives globally but at a heavy price, as evidenced, for example, by the earth’s deteriorating environments. Environmental contamination has induced the adverse impacts of climate change, manifested as natural disasters. According to scientific predictions, if climate change continues at the current rate, irreversible damage to the planet’s ability to sustain life could occur by 2100. This disturbing scenario has prompted a wake-up call for promoting sustainability and initiatives, such as the Sustainable Development Goals formulated by the United Nations, which are aimed at influencing and penetrating every aspect of life. This article discusses the importance of pragmatic wisdom for our earth’s restoration through the achievement of sustainability, which requires a revolution in education. A new educational model, particular within higher education, which extends beyond most of the current educational models for acquiring knowledge, is required to promote pragmatic wisdom. Apart from the acquisition of scientific knowledge, philosophical thinking and critical thinking skills are essential for promoting pragmatic wisdom. In this context, an education that couples liberal arts with natural sciences could be one of the solutions for facilitating the transformation of knowledge into pragmatic wisdom, which can potentially foster sustainability.
Bound States in the Continuum versus Fano Resonances: Topological Argument
Authors: Novitsky Denis V. , Novitsky Andrey V.
Published: November 2022

There is a recent surge of interest to the bound states in the continuum (BICs) due to their ability to provide high-quality resonances in open photonic systems. They are usually observed in perturbed systems possessing Fano resonances in their spectra. We argue that, generally speaking, the Fano resonances should not be considered as a proxy for BICs (as it is often done) due to their fundamentally different topological properties. This difference is illustrated with the non-Hermitian layered structure supporting both topologically nontrivial quasi-BIC and topologically trivial Fano resonances. Non-Hermiticity can also be a source of additional topological features of these resonant responses. Moreover, the lasing mode associated with BIC in this structure also possesses nonzero topological charge that can be useful for producing unconventional states of light. This paper contributes to the discussion of BIC physics and raises new questions concerning topological properties of non-Hermitian systems.
Phytochemical Screening and Isolation of New Ent-Clerodane Diterpenoids from Croton guatemalensis Lotsy
Authors: Escandón-Rivera Sonia Marlen , Andrade-Cetto Adolfo , Rosas-Ramírez Daniel Genaro , Arreguín-Espinosa Roberto
Published: November 2022

Phytochemical screening of an ethanol–water extract (EWE) from the bark of Croton guatemalensis led to the isolation and identification of eight compounds, among them: five ent-clerodane diterpenoids [junceic acid (1), 6(s)-acetoxy-15,16-diepoxy-ent-cleroda-3,13(16),14-trien-20-oic acid (crotoguatenoic acid A) (2), 6(s)-hydroxyoxy-15,16-diepoxy-ent-cleroda-3,13(16),14-trien-20-oic acid (crotoguatenoic acid B) (3), formosin F (4), bartsiifolic acid (5)], and three flavonoids [rutin (6), epicatechin (7), and quercetin (8)]. Of these, 2 and 3 are reported here for the first time. Structures were established through conventional spectroscopy methods and their absolute configurations were determined by optical rotation and comparison of experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and theoretical calculated ECD spectra. A suitable high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for quantifying rutin (6) was developed and validated according to standard protocols. Affinity-directed fractionation was used to identify possible in vitro active compounds on α-glucosidases from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. HPLC-ESI-MS was used to identify the inhibitors as free ligands after being released from the enzymatic complex by denaturing acidic conditions. The affinity studies led to the identification of ent-clerodane diterpenoids as active compounds. In silico analysis allowed us to determine the best conformational rearrangement for the α-glucosidase inhibitors.
Full Exploitation of Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth): State of the Art and Perspectives
Authors: de Cássia Spacki Kamila , Corrêa Rúbia Carvalho Gomes , Uber Thaís Marques , Barros Lillian , Ferreira Isabel C. F. R. , Peralta Rosely Aparecida , de Fátima Peralta Muniz Moreira Regina , Helm Cristiane Vieira , de Lima Edson Alves , Bracht Adelar , Peralta Rosane Marina
Published: November 2022

The peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) is a palm tree native to the Amazon region, with plantations expanding to the Brazilian Southwest and South regions. This work is a critical review of historical, botanical, social, environmental, and nutritional aspects of edible and nonedible parts of the plant. In Brazil, the importance of the cultivation of B. gasipaes to produce palm heart has grown considerably, due to its advantages in relation to other palm species, such as precocity, rusticity and tillering. The last one is especially important, as it makes the exploitation of peach palm hearts, contrary to what happens with other palm tree species, a non-predatory practice. Of special interest are the recent efforts aiming at the valorization of the fruit as a source of carotenoids and starch. Further developments indicate that the B. gasipaes lignocellulosic wastes hold great potential for being upcycled into valuable biotechnological products such as prebiotics, enzymes, cellulose nanofibrils and high fiber flours. Clean technologies are protagonists of the recovery processes, ensuring the closure of the product’s life cycle in a “green” way. Future research should focus on expanding and making the recovery processes economically viable, which would be of great importance for stimulating the peach palm production chain.
Effect of Sowing Date on the Development of Lacy Phacelia (Phacelia Tanacetifolia Benth.)
Authors: Kubíková Zuzana , Smejkalová Hana , Hutyrová Helena , Kintl Antonín , Elbl Jakub
Published: November 2022

Experiments with lacy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.) were carried out in the period 2017–2021, during which the effect of sowing date on the stand development was assessed (height, coverage, accomplishment of individual growth stages, and weed infestation). It was demonstrated that the sowing date affects the stand growth and development. In earlier sowing dates, plants developed slower than in later sowing dates but reached a greater average height (926 mm). The lowest height (802 mm) was exhibited by plants from May (sowing 3). The third sowing date also showed the worst stand canopy closure and at BBCH 31, the stand canopy closure in Sowing 1, 2, and 3 was 82.3%, 77.8%, and 67%, respectively. The third sowing date was also the highest weed infestation. The effect of sowing date on yield and yield parameters was also monitored (weight of a thousand of grains and germinative capacity). Based on the measured data, it can be concluded that the influence on the weight of thousands of grains was minimal and in germinative capacity. Significant differences were recorded only in first year in which the germinative capacity of plants from the later sowing dates was reduced.
The Influence of Different Sustainable Silk-Based Fillers on the Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Polylactic Acid Composites
Authors: Ferri José Miguel , Aldas Miguel , Rayon Emilio , Samper Maria Dolores , Lozano-Pérez Antonio Abel
Published: November 2022

In this work, different silk fillers combined with maleinized corn oil (MCO), as environmentally friendly plasticizers, were used to modify the mechanical and thermal properties of polylactic acid (PLA) composites. Melt extrusion and injection were used to obtain samples with a content of 10 wt.% of MCO and 0.5 phr of different silk fillers: crushed silk (CS), silk fibroin microparticles (SFM), and silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFN). PLA formulation with 10 wt.% of MCO and 0.5 g of CS per hundred grams of composite (phr) showed the highest increase in mechanical ductile properties with an increase in elongation at break of approximately 1400%, compared with PLA. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed a decrease of 2 °C in their glass transition temperature with the addition of different silk fillers. In addition, SFM and SFN increase the degree of crystallinity of PLA. This increment was also confirmed by infrared spectroscopy analysis. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images revealed a good dispersion of the different silk fillers. Among them, PLA formulation with 10 wt.% MCO and 0.5 phr of SFN, showed an optimal balance between maximum resistance and elongation at break, with 52.0 MPa and 10.8%, respectively, improving elongation at break by 635%. Furthermore, all samples were satisfactorily disintegrated under composting conditions.
Sustainable PHBH–Alumina Nanowire Nanocomposites: Properties and Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Ibarretxe Julen , Alonso Laura , Aranburu Nora , Guerrica-Echevarría Gonzalo , Orbea Amaia , Iturrondobeitia Maider
Published: November 2022

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH) is a bio-based polyester with the potential to replace some common polymers of fossil origin. However, PHBH presents serious limitations, such as low stiffness, tendency to undergo crystallization over long time periods and low resistance to thermal degradation during processing. In this work, we studied the use of alumina nanowires to generate PHBH–alumina nanocomposites, modifying the properties of PHBH to improve its usability. Solvent casting and melt blending were used to produce the nanocomposites. Then, their physicochemical properties and aquatic toxicity were measured. Finally, LCA was used to evaluate and compare the environmental impacts of several scenarios relevant to the processing and end of life (EoL) conditions of PHBHs. It was observed that, at low concentrations (3 wt.%), the alumina nanowires have a small positive impact on the stiffness and thermal degradation for the samples. However, for higher concentrations, the observed effects differed for each of the applied processing techniques (solvent casting or melt blending). The toxicity measurements showed that PHBH alone and in combination with alumina nanowires (10 wt.%) did not produce any impact on the survival of brine shrimp larvae after 24 and 48 h of exposure. The 18 impact categories evaluated by LCA allowed defining the most environmentally friendly conditions for the processing and EoL of PHBHs, and comparing the PHBH-related impacts to those of some of the most common fossil-based plastics. It was concluded that the preferable processing technique for PHBH is melt blending and that PHBH is unquestionably more environmentally friendly than every other analyzed plastic.
Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Form a Network on a Hyaluronic Acid/Gelatin Composite Hydrogel Moderately Crosslinked and Degraded by Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Elvitigala Kelum Chamara Manoj Lakmal , Mubarok Wildan , Sakai Shinji
Published: November 2022

The study of the capillary-like network formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro is important for understanding the factors that promote or inhibit angiogenesis. Here, we report the behavior of HUVECs on the composite hydrogels containing hyaluronic acid (HA) and gelatin with different degrees of degradation, inducing the different physicochemical properties of the hydrogels. The hydrogels were obtained through horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-catalyzed hydrogelation consuming hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 16 ppm) supplied from the air, and the degradation degree was tuned by altering the exposure time to the air. The HUVECs on the composite hydrogel with intermediate stiffness (1.2 kPa) obtained through 120 min of the exposure were more elongated than those on the soft (0.4 kPa) and the stiff (2.4 kPa) composite hydrogels obtained through 15 min and 60 min of the exposure, respectively. In addition, HUVECs formed a capillary-like network only on the stiff composite hydrogel although those on the hydrogels with comparable stiffness but containing gelatin alone or alginate instead of HA did not form the network. These results show that the HA/gelatin composite hydrogels obtained through the H2O2-mediated crosslinking and degradation could be a tool for studies using HUVECs to understand the promotion and inhibition of angiogenesis.
APTES-Modified Nanocellulose as the Formaldehyde Scavenger for UF Adhesive-Bonded Particleboard and Strawboard
Authors: Kawalerczyk Jakub , Walkiewicz Joanna , Dziurka Dorota , Mirski Radosław , Brózdowski Jakub
Published: November 2022

This work examines the possibility of applying non-modified nanocellulose and nanocellulose functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as a formaldehyde scavenger for commonly used urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive. The effect of silanization was determined with the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), and elemental analysis. Moreover, the ability of cellulosic nanoparticles to absorb the formaldehyde from an aqueous solution was investigated. After homogenization, cured UF adhesives were examined with the use of FTIR, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and the perforator method to determine the content of formaldehyde. Manufactured boards made of rape straw particles and wood particles were tested in terms of their physico-mechanical properties and formaldehyde emission. Studies have shown that the applied method of silanization was effective. Furthermore, in the case of non-modified nanocellulose, no sign of formaldehyde scavenging ability was found. However, the functionalization of cellulosic nanoparticles with APTES containing an amino group led to the significant reduction of formaldehyde content in both the aqueous solution and the UF adhesive. The mechanical properties of both strawboards and particleboards were improved due to the nanocellulose reinforcement; however, no effect of silanization was found. Nevertheless, functionalization with APTES contributed to a decrease in formaldehyde emission from boards, which was not found in the case of the introduction of non-modified cellulosic nanoparticles.
Ascorbic Acid-Modified Silicones: Crosslinking and Antioxidant Delivery
Authors: Lu Guanhua , Yepremyen Akop , Tamim Khaled , Chen Yang , Brook Michael A.
Published: November 2022

Vitamin C is widely used as an antioxidant in biological systems. The very high density of functional groups makes it challenging to selectively tether this molecule to other moieties. We report that, following protection of the enediol as benzyl ethers, the introduction of an acrylate ester at C1 is straightforward. Ascorbic acid-modified silicones were synthesized via aza-Michael reactions of aminoalkylsilicones with ascorbic acrylate. Viscous oils formed when the amine/acrylate ratios were <1. However, at higher amine/acrylate ratios with pendent silicones, a double reaction occurred to give robust elastomers whose modulus is readily tuned simply by controlling the ascorbic acid amine ratio that leads to crosslinks. Reduction with H2/Pd removed the benzyl ethers and led to increased crosslinking, and either liberated the antioxidant small molecule or produced antioxidant elastomers. These pro-antioxidant elastomers show the power of exploiting natural materials as co-constituents of silicone polymers.
Defending the Free Will Defense: A Reply to Sterba
Authors: Oliveira Luis R. G.
Published: November 2022

James Sterba has recently argued that the free will defense fails to explain the compossibility of a perfect God and the amount and degree of moral evil that we see. I think he is mistaken about this. I thus find myself in the awkward and unexpected position, as a non-theist myself, of defending the free will defense. In this paper, I will try to show that once we take care to focus on what the free will defense is trying to accomplish, and by what means it tries to do so, we will see that Sterba’s criticism of it misses the mark.
Learning Color Distributions from Bitemporal Remote Sensing Images to Update Existing Building Footprints
Authors: Wang Zehui , Meng Yu , Chen Jingbo , Ma Junxian , Yue Anzhi , Chen Jiansheng
Published: November 2022

For most cities, municipal governments have constructed basic building footprint datasets that need to be updated regularly for the management and monitoring of urban development and ecology. Cities are capable of changing in a short period of time, and the area of change is variable; hence, automated methods for generating up-to-date building footprints are urgently needed. However, the labels of current buildings or changed areas are usually lacking, and the conditions for acquiring images from different periods are not perfectly consistent, which can severely limit deep learning methods when attempting to learn deep information about buildings. In addition, common update methods can ignore the strictly accurate historical labels of unchanged areas. To solve the above problem, we propose a new update algorithm to update the existing building database to the current state without manual relabeling. First, the difference between the data distributions of different time-phase images is reduced using the image color translation method. Then, a semantic segmentation model predicts the segmentation results of the images from the latest period, and, finally, a post-processing update strategy is applied to strictly retain the existing labels of unchanged regions to attain the updated results. We apply the proposed algorithm on the Wuhan University change detection dataset and the Beijing Huairou district land survey dataset to evaluate the effectiveness of the method in building surface and complex labeling scenarios in urban and suburban areas. The F1 scores of the updated results obtained for both datasets reach more than 96%, which proves the applicability of our proposed algorithm and its ability to efficiently and accurately extract building footprints in real-world scenarios.
Quantifying Irrigated Winter Wheat LAI in Argentina Using Multiple Sentinel-1 Incidence Angles
Authors: Caballero Gabriel , Pezzola Alejandro , Winschel Cristina , Casella Alejandra , Sanchez Angonova Paolo , Orden Luciano , Berger Katja , Verrelst Jochem , Delegido Jesús
Published: November 2022

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data provides an appealing opportunity for all-weather day or night Earth surface monitoring. The European constellation Sentinel-1 (S1) consisting of S1-A and S1-B satellites offers a suitable revisit time and spatial resolution for the observation of croplands from space. The C-band radar backscatter is sensitive to vegetation structure changes and phenology as well as soil moisture and roughness. It also varies depending on the local incidence angle (LIA) of the SAR acquisition’s geometry. The LIA backscatter dependency could therefore be exploited to improve the retrieval of the crop biophysical variables. The availability of S1 radar time-series data at distinct observation angles holds the feasibility to retrieve leaf area index (LAI) evolution considering spatiotemporal coverage of intensively cultivated areas. Accordingly, this research presents a workflow merging multi-date S1 smoothed data acquired at distinct LIA with a Gaussian processes regression (GPR) and a cross-validation (CV) strategy to estimate cropland LAI of irrigated winter wheat. The GPR-S1-LAI model was tested against in situ data of the 2020 winter wheat campaign in the irrigated valley of Colorador river, South of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. We achieved adequate validation results for LAI with RCV2 = 0.67 and RMSECV = 0.88 m2 m−2. The trained model was further applied to a series of S1 stacked images, generating temporal LAI maps that well reflect the crop growth cycle. The robustness of the retrieval workflow is supported by the associated uncertainties along with the obtained maps. We found that processing S1 smoothed imagery with distinct acquisition geometries permits accurate radar-based LAI modeling throughout large irrigated areas and in consequence can support agricultural management practices in cloud-prone agri-environments.
A Multi-Channel Descriptor for LiDAR-Based Loop Closure Detection and Its Application
Authors: Wang Gang , Wei Xiaomeng , Chen Yu , Zhang Tongzhou , Hou Minghui , Liu Zhaohan
Published: November 2022

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm is a prerequisite for unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) localization, path planning, and navigation, which includes two essential components: frontend odometry and backend optimization. Frontend odometry tends to amplify the cumulative error continuously, leading to ghosting and drifting on the mapping results. However, loop closure detection (LCD) can be used to address this technical issue by significantly eliminating the cumulative error. The existing LCD methods decide whether a loop exists by constructing local or global descriptors and calculating the similarity between descriptors, which attaches great importance to the design of discriminative descriptors and effective similarity measurement mechanisms. In this paper, we first propose novel multi-channel descriptors (CMCD) to alleviate the lack of point cloud single information in the discriminative power of scene description. The distance, height, and intensity information of the point cloud is encoded into three independent channels of the shadow-casting region (bin) and then compressed it into a two-dimensional global descriptor. Next, an ORB-based dynamic threshold feature extraction algorithm (DTORB) is designed using objective 2D descriptors to describe the distributions of global and local point clouds. Then, a DTORB-based similarity measurement method is designed using the rotation-invariance and visualization characteristic of descriptor features to overcome the subjective tendency of the constant threshold ORB algorithm in descriptor feature extraction. Finally, verification is performed over KITTI odometry sequences and the campus datasets of Jilin University collected by us. The experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of our method to the state-of-the-art approaches.
A Sequential Student’s t-Based Robust Kalman Filter for Multi-GNSS PPP/INS Tightly Coupled Model in the Urban Environment
Authors: Cheng Sixiang , Cheng Jianhua , Zang Nan , Zhang Zhetao , Chen Sicheng
Published: November 2022

The proper stochastic model of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) makes a significant difference on the precise point positioning (PPP)/inertial navigation system (INS) tightly coupled solutions. The empirical Gaussian stochastic model is easily biased by massive gross errors, deteriorating the positioning precisions, especially in the severe GNSS blockage urban environment. In this paper, the distributional characteristics of the gross-error-contaminated observation noise are analyzed by the epoch-differenced (ED) geometry-free (GF) model. The Student’s t distribution is used to express the heavy tails of the gross-error-contaminated observation noise. Consequently, a novel sequential Student’s t-based robust Kalman filter (SSTRKF) is put forward to adjust the GNSS stochastic model in the urban environment. The proposed method pre-weights all the observations with the a priori residual-derived robust factors. The chi-square test is adopted to distinguish the unreasonable variances. The proposed sequential Student’s t-based Kalman filter is conducted for the PPP/INS solutions instead of the standard Kalman filter (KF) when the null hypothesis of the chi-square test is rejected. The results of the road experiments with urban environment simulations reveal that the SSTRKF improves the horizontal and vertical positioning precisions by 57.5% and 62.0% on average compared with the robust Kalman filter (RKF).
Microcontroller Unit-Based Wireless Sensor Network Nodes: A Review
Authors: Khalifeh Ala’ , Mazunga Felix , Nechibvute Action , Nyambo Benny Munyaradzi
Published: November 2022

In this paper, a detailed review of microcontroller unit (MCU)-based wireless sensor node platforms from recently published research articles is presented. Despite numerous research efforts in the fast-growing field of wireless sensor devices, energy consumption remains a challenge that limits the lifetime of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology utilizes WSNs for providing an efficient sensing and communication infrastructure. Thus, a comparison of the existing wireless sensor nodes is crucial. Of particular interest are the advances in the recent MCU-based wireless sensor node platforms, which have become diverse and fairly advanced in relation to the currently available commercial WSN platforms. The recent wireless sensor nodes are compared with commercially available motes. The commercially available motes are selected based on a number of criteria including popularity, published results, interesting characteristics and features. Of particular interest is to understand the trajectory of development of these devices and the technologies so as to inform the research and application directions. The comparison is mainly based on processing and memory specifications, communication capabilities, power supply and consumption, sensor support, potential applications, node programming and hardware security. This paper attempts to provide a clear picture of the progress being made towards the design of autonomous wireless sensor nodes to avoid redundancy in research by industry and academia. This paper is expected to assist developers of wireless sensor nodes to produce improved designs that outperform the existing motes. Besides, this paper will guide researchers and potential users to easily make the best choice of a mote that best suits their specific application scenarios. A discussion on the wireless sensor node platforms is provided, and challenges and future research directions are also outlined.