bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Probiotics in Modulating Human Gut Microbiota Populations and Activities in Patients with Colorectal Cancer—A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials
Authors: Wierzbicka Adrianna , Mańkowska-Wierzbicka Dorota , Mardas Marcin , Stelmach-Mardas Marta
Published: April 2021

Background: Growing attention has been given to the role of nutrition and alterations of microbial diversity of the gut microbiota in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis. It has been suggested that probiotics and synbiotics modulate enteric microbiota and therefore may be used as an intervention to reduce the risk of CRC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of probiotics/synbiotics administration on gut microbiota in patients with CRC. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched between December 2020 and January 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) recruiting adults with CRC, who have taken probiotics/synbiotics for at least 6 days were included. Changes in gut microbiota and selected biochemical and inflammatory parameters (i.e., hsCRP, IL-2, hemoglobin) were retrieved. Results: The search resulted in 198 original research articles and a final 6 were selected as being eligible, including 457 subjects. The median age of patients was 65.4 years old and they were characterized by the median BMI value: 23.8 kg/m2. The literature search revealed that probiotic/synbiotic administration improved enteric microbiota by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Eubacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Bacillus and Bifidobacterium, and decreased the abundance of potentially harmful bacteria such as Fusobacterium, Porhyromonas, Pseudomonas and Enterococcus. Additionally, probiotic/synbiotic intervention improved release of antimicrobials, intestinal permeability, tight junction function in CRC patients. Conclusions: The use of probiotics/synbiotics positively modulates enteric microbiota, improves postoperative outcomes, gut barrier function and reduces inflammatory parameters in patients suffering from CRC.
The Dietary Inflammatory Index Is Associated with Low Muscle Mass and Low Muscle Function in Older Australians
Authors: Gojanovic Marlene , Holloway-Kew Kara L. , Hyde Natalie K. , Mohebbi Mohammadreza , Shivappa Nitin , Hebert James R. , O’Neil Adrienne , Pasco Julie A.
Published: April 2021

Age-associated chronic, low grade systemic inflammation has been recognised as an important contributing factor in the development of sarcopenia; importantly, diet may regulate this process. This cross-sectional study examined the association of diet-related inflammation with components of sarcopenia. Participants (n = 809) aged 60–95 years from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study were studied. Body composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. In this study, low appendicular lean mass (ALM/height2, kg/m2) was defined as T-score < −1 and low muscle function as Timed-Up-and-Go >10 s over 3 m (TUG > 10). Dietary inflammatory index (DII®) scores, based on specific foods and nutrients, were computed using dietary data collected from a food frequency questionnaire. Associations between DII scores and low muscle mass and low muscle function, alone and combined, were determined using linear and logistic regression. After adjusting for covariates, higher DII score was associated with lower ALM/height2 (β −0.05, standard error (SE) 0.02, p = 0.028), and higher natural log-transformed (ln) (TUG) (β 0.02, standard error 0.01, p = 0.035) and higher likelihood for these components combined (odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.69, p = 0.015). A pro-inflammatory diet, as indicated by higher DII score, is associated with lower muscle mass, poorer muscle function and increased likelihood for the combination of low muscle mass and low muscle function. Further studies investigating whether anti-inflammatory dietary interventions could reduce the risk of sarcopenia are needed.
Nutrition Screening, Reported Dietary Intake, Hospital Foods, and Malnutrition in Critical Care Patients in Malawi
Authors: Barcus Grace C. , Papathakis Peggy C. , Schaffner Andrew , Chimera Bernadette
Published: April 2021

In low-income countries there are few data on hospital malnutrition. Reduced food intake combined with nutrient-poor foods served in hospitals contribute to nutritional risk. This study investigated whether reported dietary intake and disease state of hospitalized adults in critical care units was related to malnutrition determined by mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Adult in-patients (n = 126) in tuberculosis, burn, oncology, and intensive care units in two public tertiary hospitals in Malawi were screened for nutritional status using MUAC and a question on current dietary intake. The hospital menu was reviewed; portion sizes were weighed. The prevalence of moderate and severe malnutrition was 62%. Patients with organ-related diseases and infectious diseases had the highest rates of reduced reported dietary intake, 71.4% and 57.9%, respectively; however, there was no association between reported dietary intake and MUAC. In those unable to eat, however, the rate of severe malnutrition was 50%. The menu consisted of porridge and thickened corn-based starch with fried cabbage; protein foods were provided twice weekly. There was a nutrient gap of 250 calories and 13 gm protein daily. The findings support the need for increasing dietetic/nutrition services to prevent and treat malnutrition in hospitals using simple screening tools.
Enteric Fever Diagnosis: Current Challenges and Future Directions
Authors: Neupane Durga P. , Dulal Hari P. , Song Jeongmin
Published: April 2021

Enteric fever is a life-threatening systemic febrile disease caused by Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi (S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi). Unfortunately, the burden of the disease remains high primarily due to the global spread of various drug-resistant Salmonella strains despite continuous advancement in the field. An accurate diagnosis is critical for effective control of the disease. However, enteric fever diagnosis based on clinical presentations is challenging due to overlapping symptoms with other febrile illnesses that are also prevalent in endemic areas. Current laboratory tests display suboptimal sensitivity and specificity, and no diagnostic methods are available for identifying asymptomatic carriers. Several research programs have employed systemic approaches to identify more specific biomarkers for early detection and asymptomatic carrier detection. This review discusses the pros and cons of currently available diagnostic tests for enteric fever, the advancement of research toward improved diagnostic tests, and the challenges of discovering new ideal biomarkers and tests.
Pyrethroid Resistance Aggravation in Ugandan Malaria Vectors Is Reducing Bednet Efficacy
Authors: Tchouakui Magellan , Mugenzi Leon M. J. , D. Menze Benjamin , Khaukha Jude N. T. , Tchapga Williams , Tchoupo Micareme , Wondji Murielle J. , Wondji Charles S.
Published: April 2021

Monitoring cases of insecticide resistance aggravation and the effect on the efficacy of control tools is crucial for successful malaria control. In this study, the resistance intensity of major malaria vectors from Uganda was characterised and its impact on the performance of various insecticide-treated nets elucidated. High intensity of resistance to the discriminating concentration (DC), 5× DC, and 10× DC of pyrethroids was observed in both Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae in Mayuge and Busia leading to significant reduced performance of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) including the piperonyl butoxide (PBO)-based nets (Olyset Plus). Molecular analysis revealed significant over-expression of cytochrome P450 genes (CYP9K1 and CYP6P9a/b). However, the expression of these genes was not associated with resistance escalation as no difference was observed in the level of expression in mosquitoes resistant to 5× DC and 10× DC compared to 1× DC suggesting that other resistance mechanisms are involved. Such high intensity of pyrethroid resistance in Uganda could have terrible consequences on the effectiveness of insecticide-based interventions and urgent action should be taken to prevent the spread of super-resistance in malaria vectors.
Antibodies Related to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, and Francisella tularensis Detected in Serum and Heart Rinses of Wild Small Mammals in the Czech Republic
Authors: Žákovská Alena , Bártová Eva , Pittermannová Pavlína , Budíková Marie
Published: April 2021

Wild small mammals are the most common reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms that can cause zoonotic diseases. The aim of the study was to detect antibodies related to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, and Francisella tularensis in wild small mammals from the Czech Republic. In total, sera or heart rinses of 211 wild small mammals (168 Apodemus flavicollis, 28 Myodes glareolus, 9 A. sylvaticus, and 6 Sorex araneus) were examined by modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibodies related to B.burgdorferi s.l., C. burnetii, and F. tularensis were detected in 15%, 19%, and 20% of animals, respectively. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi and F. tularensis statistically differed in localities and F. tularensis also differed in sex. Antibodies against 2–3 pathogens were found in 17% of animals with a higher prevalence in M. glareolus. This study brings new data about the prevalence of the above-mentioned pathogens.
Analysis of the Regulatory Science Applied to a Single Portfolio of Eight Biosimilar Product Approvals by Four Key Regulatory Authorities
Authors: Ingram Beverly , Lumsden Rebecca S. , Radosavljevic Adriana , Kobryn Christine
Published: April 2021

Slow uptake of biosimilars in some regions is often attributed to a lack of knowledge combined with concerns about safety and efficacy. To alleviate physician and patient apprehensions, regulatory reviews from four major regulatory authorities (RAs) (European Medicines Agency, US Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, and Japan Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Authority) across a portfolio of eight biosimilars were analyzed to provide insight into RA review focus and approach. RA queries were evaluated in an unbiased and systematic manner by major classification (Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls [CMC], nonclinical, clinical or regulatory) and then via detailed sub-classification. There was a consistent, predominant focus on CMC from all RAs. The review focus based on sub-classification of clinical and regulatory queries was influenced by molecular complexity, with significant differences between categories (monoclonal antibody or protein) in the distribution of query topics; specifically, bioanalytical (p = 0.023), comparative safety and efficacy (p = 0.023), and statutory (including the justification of extrapolation) (p = 0.00033). Each biosimilar had a distinct distribution of clinical query topics, tailored to product-specific data. This analysis elucidated areas of heightened RA interest, and validated their application of regulatory science in the evaluation of biosimilar safety and efficacy.
Modification of Bacteriophages to Increase Their Association with Lung Epithelium Cells In Vitro
Authors: Grigonyte Aurelija M. , Hapeshi Alexia , Constantinidou Chrystala , Millard Andrew
Published: April 2021

There is currently a renaissance in research on bacteriophages as alternatives to antibiotics. Phage specificity to their bacterial host, in addition to a plethora of other advantages, makes them ideal candidates for a broad range of applications, including bacterial detection, drug delivery, and phage therapy in particular. One issue obstructing phage efficiency in phage therapy settings is their poor localization to the site of infection in the human body. Here, we engineered phage T7 with lung tissue targeting homing peptides. We then used in vitro studies to demonstrate that the engineered T7 phages had a more significant association with the lung epithelium cells than wild-type T7. In addition, we showed that, in general, there was a trend of increased association of engineered phages with the lung epithelium cells but not mouse fibroblast cells, allowing for targeted tissue specificity. These results indicate that appending phages with homing peptides would potentially allow for greater phage concentrations and greater efficacy at the infection site.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Post-Stroke Metformin Treatment Using Permanent Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Rats
Authors: Zemgulyte Gintare , Tanaka Shigeru , Hide Izumi , Sakai Norio , Pampuscenko Katryna , Borutaite Vilmante , Rastenyte Daiva
Published: April 2021

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Treatment options for ischemic stroke are limited, and the development of new therapeutic agents or combined therapies is imperative. Growing evidence suggests that metformin treatment, due to its anti-inflammatory action, exerts a neuroprotective effect against ischemia/reperfusion-induced brain damage. Experimental assessment has typically been performed in models of cerebral transient ischemia followed by long-term reperfusion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of metformin treatment after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) without reperfusion in rats. Neurological deficits were assessed using the Longa scale, which offers a graded scale on body movement following pMCAO. Both infarct size and brain oedema area were measured by staining with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride. The number of neurons and total and activated microglia, as well as interleukin 10 (IL-10) production, in brain sections were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. Our results show that metformin treatment improves the neurological state and reduces infarct size after 120 h of pMCAO. Metformin also prevents neuronal loss in the ischemic cortex but not in the striatum after 48 h of pMCAO. Moreover, post-stroke treatment with metformin significantly decreases the number of total and activated microglia at 48 h. The anti-inflammatory effect of metformin is associated with increased IL-10 production at 48 h after pMCAO. The results of the present study suggest that post-stroke treatment with metformin exerts anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in a pMCAO model.
Implementation of an Enzyme Membrane Reactor to Intensify the α-O-Glycosylation of Resveratrol Using Cyclodextrins
Authors: Ioannou Irina , Barboza Eduardo , Willig Gaëlle , Marié Thomas , Texeira Andreïa , Darme Pierre , Renault Jean-Hugues , Allais Florent
Published: April 2021

The O-glycosylation of resveratrol increases both its solubility in water and its bioavailability while preventing its oxidation, allowing a more efficient use of this molecule as a bioactive ingredient in pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Resveratrol O-glycosides can be obtained by enzymatic reactions. Recent developments have made it possible to selectively obtain resveratrol α-glycosides from the β-cyclodextrin–resveratrol complex in water with a yield of 35%. However, this yield is limited by the partial hydrolysis of the resveratrol glycosides produced during the reaction. In this study, we propose to intensify this enzymatic reaction by coupling the enzymatic reactor to a membrane process. Firstly, membrane screening was carried out at the laboratory scale and led to the choice of a GE polymeric membrane with a cut-off of 1 kDa. This membrane allowed the retention of 65% of the β-cyclodextrin–resveratrol complex in the reaction medium and the transfer of 70% of the resveratrol α-O-glycosides in the permeate. In a second step, this membrane was used in an enzymatic membrane reactor and improved the yield of the enzymatic glycosylation up to 50%.
Phosphatidylinositol Stabilizes Fluid-Phase Liposomes Loaded with a Melphalan Lipophilic Prodrug
Authors: Tretiakova Daria , Le-Deigen Irina , Onishchenko Natalia , Kuntsche Judith , Kudryashova Elena , Vodovozova Elena
Published: April 2021

Previously, a liposomal formulation of a chemotherapeutic agent melphalan (Mlph) incorporated in a fluid lipid bilayer of natural phospholipids in the form of dioleoylglyceride ester (MlphDG) was developed and the antitumor effect was confirmed in mouse models. The formulation composed of egg phosphatidylcholine (ePC), soybean phosphatidylinositol (PI), and MlphDG (8:1:1, by mol) showed stability in human serum for at least 4–5 h. On the contrary, replacing PI with pegylation of the liposomes, promoted fast dissociation of the components from the bilayer. In this work, interactions of MlphDG-liposomes with the most abundant plasma protein—albumin—in function of the presence of PI in the formulation were explored using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The release of MlphDG from the liposomes was studied by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) using micelles formed by a polyethylene glycol conjugate with phosphatidylethanolamine to mimic the physiological lipid sink like lipoproteins. Our results show that PI actually protects the membrane of MlphDG-liposomes from the protein penetration, presumably due to pairing between the positively charged MlphDG and negatively charged PI, which compensates for the heterogeneity of the lipid bilayer. The AF4 technique also evidences high stability of the formulation as a drug carrier.
Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Pollen Extracts from Micromeria fruticosa, Achillea fragrantissima, and Phoenix dactylifera
Authors: Sadeq Omar , Mechchate Hamza , Es-safi Imane , Bouhrim Mohamed , Jawhari Fatima zahra , Ouassou Hayat , Kharchoufa Loubna , N. AlZain Mashail , M. Alzamel Nurah , Mohamed Al kamaly Omkulthom , Bouyahya Abdelhakim , Benoutman Amina , Imtara Hamada
Published: April 2021

Pollen is a male flower gametophyte located in the anthers of stamens in angiosperms and a considerable source of compounds with health protective potential. In the present work, phytochemical screening was carried out as well as analysis of the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of pollen extracts from Micromeria fruticosa, Achillea fragrantissima, and Phoenix dactylifera growing wild in Palestine. Phytochemical screening examined the total flavonol, flavone and phenolic content. The DPPH (1,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) methods were used to assess antioxidant propriety, and disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration tests were used to test the pollen extract’s antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) clinical isolates. The highest level of total phenolic was found in the extract of Micromeria fruticosa (56.78 ± 0.49 mg GAE (Gallic Acid Equivalent)/g). The flavone and flavonol content of samples ranged from 2.48 ± 0.05 to 8.03 ± 0.01 mg QE (Quercetin Equivalent)/g. Micromeria fruticosa pollen with IC50 values of 0.047 and 0.039 mg/mL in the DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively, showed the greatest radical scavenging action. In addition, this pollen showed a mild antibacterial action against the microorganisms studied, with MICs varying from 0.625 to 10 mg/mL and inhibition diameters ranging from 13.66 ± 1.5 to 16.33 ± 1.5 mm.
MYC2 Transcription Factors TwMYC2a and TwMYC2b Negatively Regulate Triptolide Biosynthesis in Tripterygium wilfordii Hairy Roots
Authors: Huo Yanbo , Zhang Jing , Zhang Bin , Chen Ling , Zhang Xing , Zhu Chuanshu
Published: April 2021

Triptolide, an important bioactive diterpenoid extracted from the plant Tripterygium wilfordii, exhibits many pharmacological activities. MYC2 transcription factor (TF) plays an important role in the regulation of various secondary metabolites in plants. However, whether MYC2 TF could regulate the biosynthesis of triptolide in T. wilfordii is still unknown. In this study, two homologous MYC2 TF genes, TwMYC2a and TwMYC2b, were isolated from T. wilfordii hairy roots and functionally characterized. The analyses of the phylogenetic tree and subcellular localization showed that they were grouped into the IIIe clade of the bHLH superfamily with other functional MYC2 proteins and localized in the nucleus. Furthermore, yeast one-hybrid and GUS transactivation assays suggested that TwMYC2a and TwMYC2b inhibited the promoter activity of the miltiradiene synthase genes, TwTPS27a and TwTPS27b, by binding to the E-box (CACATG) and T/G-box (CACGTT) motifs in their promoters. Transgenic results revealed that RNA interference of TwMYC2a/b significantly enhanced the triptolide accumulation in hairy roots and liquid medium by upregulating the expression of several key biosynthetic genes, including TwMS (TwTPS27a/b), TwCPS (TwTPS7/9), TwDXR, and TwHMGR1. In summary, our findings show that TwMYC2a and TwMYC2b act as two negative regulators of triptolide biosynthesis in T. wilfordii hairy roots and also provide new insights on metabolic engineering of triptolide in the future.
Mikto-Arm Stars as Soft-Patchy Particles: From Building Blocks to Mesoscopic Structures
Authors: Bačová Petra , Mintis Dimitris G. , Gkolfi Eirini , Harmandaris Vagelis
Published: April 2021

We present an atomistic molecular dynamics study of self-assembled mikto-arm stars, which resemble patchy-like particles. By increasing the number of stars in the system, we propose a systematic way of examining the mutual orientation of these fully penetrable patchy-like objects. The individual stars maintain their patchy-like morphology when creating a mesoscopic (macromolecular) self-assembled object of more than three stars. The self-assembly of mikto-arm stars does not lead to a deformation of the stars, and their shape remains spherical. We identified characteristic sub-units in the self-assembled structure, differing by the mutual orientation of the nearest neighbor stars. The current work aims to elucidate the possible arrangements of the realistic, fully penetrable patchy particles in polymer matrix and to serve as a model system for further studies of nanostructured materials or all-polymer nanocomposites using the mikto-arm stars as building blocks.
Depressurization-Induced Nucleation in the “Polylactide-Carbon Dioxide” System: Self-Similarity of the Bubble Embryos Expansion
Authors: Zimnyakov Dmitry , Alonova Marina , Ushakova Ekaterina
Published: April 2021

Self-similar expansion of bubble embryos in a plasticized polymer under quasi-isothermal depressurization is examined using the experimental data on expansion rates of embryos in the CO2-plasticized d,l-polylactide and modeling the results. The CO2 initial pressure varied from 5 to 14 MPa, and the depressurization rate was 5 × 10−3 MPa/s. The constant temperature in experiments was in a range from 310 to 338 K. The initial rate of embryos expansion varied from ≈0.1 to ≈10 µm/s, with a decrease in the current external pressure. While modeling, a non-linear behavior of CO2 isotherms near the critical point was taken into account. The modeled data agree satisfactorily with the experimental results. The effect of a remarkable increase in the expansion rate at a decreasing external pressure is interpreted in terms of competing effects, including a decrease in the internal pressure, an increase in the polymer viscosity, and an increase in the embryo radius at the time of embryo formation. The vanishing probability of finding the steadily expanding embryos for external pressures around the CO2 critical pressure is interpreted in terms of a joint influence of the quasi-adiabatic cooling and high compressibility of CO2 in the embryos.
Thermomechanical Devulcanisation of Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) Rubber and Its Subsequent Reintegration into Virgin Rubber
Authors: Pirityi Dávid Zoltán , Pölöskei Kornél
Published: April 2021

Rubber waste remains a challenge for material science because its covalently cross-linked structure hinders the establishment of the circular economy of rubber. Devulcanisation may provide a solution, as it converts rubber vulcanisates back into their original, uncured state. Devulcanised rubber may be revulcanised or incorporated into virgin rubber, thus waste is utilized and the use of primary resources is reduced at the same time. In this paper, we treated sulphur-cured EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber on a two-roll mill at various temperatures and frictions. We determined the effectiveness of devulcanisation via Horikx’s analysis, which suggested that low devulcanisation temperatures would result in a 50% decrease in cross-link density with minimal polymer degradation. The devulcanisate was recycled via two methods: (a) revulcanisation with extra curing agents, and (b) mixing it with various amounts of the original rubber mixture, preparing rubber samples with 25, 50, 75, and 100 wt% recycled content. Tensile tests revealed that the samples’ elastic properties were severely compromised at 75 and 100 wt% devulcanisate contents. However, tensile strength decreased only by 15% and 20% for revulcanisates containing 25% and 50% recycled rubber, respectively.
Rapid Benzylation of Wood Powder without Heating
Authors: Abe Mitsuru , Seki Masako , Miki Tsunehisa , Nishida Masakazu
Published: April 2021

Converting wood waste into thermoplastic materials is an attractive means of increasing its utilization. A promising method for imparting thermoplasticity to wood is chemical modification, in which the hydroxyl groups in wood are substituted with benzyl groups. In the common method, wood powder is first treated with a highly concentrated aqueous NaOH solution, and then reacted with a benzylation reagent by heating for a long time under stirring. In this study, a 50% aqueous tetra-n-butylphosphonium hydroxide solution was used for the pretreatment of wood powder. This modified alkaline treatment enhanced the efficiency of the subsequent benzylation reaction, which could be conducted without heating over a shorter time. The effects of various conditions on the efficiency of the benzylation reaction were evaluated. Both the alkali pretreatment and the subsequent benzylation required only ~5–10 min of stirring without heating to obtain benzylated wood with a similar degree of benzylation as that achieved by the common method. The chemical structure of the benzylated wood powder was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared and solid-state NMR spectroscopies, and its thermal softening characteristics were evaluated by thermomechanical analysis. Finally, a translucent film could be obtained by hot-pressing the benzylated wood powder.
Review on Spinning of Biopolymer Fibers from Starch
Authors: Temesgen Selamu , Rennert Mirko , Tesfaye Tamrat , Nase Michael
Published: April 2021

Increasing interest in bio-based polymers and fibers has led to the development of several alternatives to conventional plastics and fibers made of these materials. Biopolymer fibers can be made from renewable, environmentally friendly resources and can be fully biodegradable. Biogenic resources with a high content of carbohydrates such as starch-containing plants have huge potentials to substitute conventional synthetic plastics in a number of applications. Much literature is available on the production and modification of starch-based fibers and blends of starch with other polymers. Chemistry and structure–property relationships of starch show that it can be used as an attractive source of raw material which can be exploited for conversion into a number of high-value bio-based products. In this review, possible spinning techniques for the development of virgin starch or starch/polymer blend fibers and their products are discussed. Beneficiation of starch for the development of bio-based fibers can result in the sustainable replacement of oil-based high-value materials with cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and abundant products.
Influence of Acids and Alkali as Additives on Hydrothermally Treating Sewage Sludge: Effect on Phosphorus Recovery, Yield, and Energy Value of Hydrochar
Authors: Shettigondahalli Ekanthalu Vicky , Narra Satyanarayana , Sprafke Jan , Nelles Michael
Published: April 2021

The high moisture content present in sewage sludge hinders the use of sewage sludge in incineration or energy application. This limitation of moisture present in sewage sludge can be obviated by using the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process. In sewage sludge management, the HTC process requires less energy compared to other conventional thermo–chemical management processes. The HTC process produces energy-rich hydrochar products and simultaneously enables phosphorus recovery. This study investigates the influence of organic acids, inorganic acid, and alkali as additives on phosphorus transformation, yield, proximate analysis and the heating value of subsequently produced hydrochar. The analysis includes various process temperatures (200 °C, 220 °C, and 240 °C) in the presence of deionized water, acids (0.1 M and 0.25 M; H2SO4, HCOOH, CH3COOH), and alkali (0.1 M and 0.25 M; NaOH) solutions as feed water. The results show that phosphorus leaching into the process-water, hydrochar yield, proximate analysis, and the heating value of produced hydrochar is pH- and temperature-dependent, and particularly significant in the presence of H2SO4. In contrast, utilization of H2SO4 and NaOH as an additive has a negative influence on the heating value of produced hydrochar.
Adsorption Characteristics of Stone-Bentonite Mixtures towards Zn: Equilibrium and Kinetic Tests
Authors: Xu Sifa , Fu Yajun , Wei Weiwei , Li Cuifeng , Bian Mengdan , Wang Zhe
Published: April 2021

In the treatment of industrial polluted sites and the construction of landfill sites, anti-pollution barriers are usually used to prevent the diffusion of pollutants. In this paper, the adsorption characteristics of Zn ions by the rock-bentonite anti-pollution barrier were observed by means of static equilibrium and dynamic adsorption tests. The experimental results showed that the adsorption of Zn by stone chips—bentonite was close to the nonlinear Freundlich and Langmuir models. When the concentration of Zn ion is constant, the adsorption capacity increases with the increase in temperature. At a certain temperature, the adsorption removal rate decreases with the increase in concentration. Further study found that the adsorption of Zn from mixed soil was mainly an ion exchange process, and the adsorption mode of Zn from mixed soil was controlled by both intra-particle diffusion and membrane diffusion. Zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and The Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that with the increase in concentration, the mixed soil adsorbed more metal ions, and the thickness of the double electric layer decreased. Moreover, the adsorption of Zn2+ by bentonite was mainly interlayer adsorption and ion exchange. As an anti-pollution barrier material, the mixed soil of stone chips -bentonite can prevent the diffusion of pollutants, which has certain reference significance for engineering construction.
The Importance of Self-Compassion in Terms of Self Psychology
Authors: Wong Ming-Yu Claudia
Published: April 2021

Self-compassion has fostered a new way to build connectedness with oneself and affirmed the importance of offering compassion to oneself. However, there have been numerous arguments about the similarity with other self-related concepts, yet they have neglected its importance in self-psychology. For instance, self-compassion could be seen as an important element in Kohut’s concept of self in illustrating the self-object and self-experience theory, thus leading to a healthy self. Additionally, the self-schemas (self-esteem and self-efficacy) have been sufficiently shown to be associating with and predicting positive psychological outcomes and have further demonstrated the positive relations with self-compassion. Self-compassion thus demonstrated that similar features have been shared among the self-schemas. Moreover, with the claim that self-compassion was more precise than self-esteem, self-compassion should be emphasized by self-psychology then to develop a new era of “true self-esteem”.
The Role of Information in Assessing the Risk of Conducting Bankruptcy Proceedings
Authors: Baran Michał , Bauer Kinga
Published: April 2021

Modern management means making managerial decisions in many situations—including the administrative ordering of matters of a bankrupt enterprise. The situation in which the court approves the opening of bankruptcy proceedings is strictly regulated by law. This does not mean, however, that such a decision is made under conditions of certainty as to its consequences. The risk of making a wrong decision has significant consequences for everyone who is interested in it (the bankrupt company, its partners, employees, banks, the tax office). The purpose of this article is to explain the importance and significance of the various types of information that are used to reliably assess the value of a failing enterprise’s assets. The information of individual types is analyzed in the decision-making process which leads to the right decision on whether to start bankruptcy proceedings. Therefore, in the theoretical part, the authors prepare a list of types of information used in the mentioned process. Then the authors present the results of a survey (103 specialists in the field of bankruptcy), which allows to assess the real meaning of information of individual types. The main contribution for which the present paper is responsible is the description of the verified tool which functioned in the form of the survey that was applied in the study and the result arising from conducting it. This survey was used to achieve the main objective that was focused on constructing the hierarchy of significance of different types of information relating to the risk of conducting bankruptcy proceedings. The main findings show that in general insolvency specialists prioritize the information (financial and also not financial) not originating from financial reporting.
Detection of the Minute Variations of Total Suspended Matter in Strong Tidal Waters Based on GaoFen-4 Satellite Data
Authors: Chen Qiong , Zhou Bin , Yu Zhifeng , Wu Jie , Tang Shilin
Published: April 2021

Hangzhou Bay (HZB) is the largest macro-tidal bay in China, where suspended sediment concentrations are significantly modulated by tidal oscillations. This makes it an ideal area for the study of the impact of tide on temporal–spatial variation in suspended sediment. The GaoFen-4 (GF-4) satellite is the first high-resolution geosynchronous orbiting satellite of China. It exhibits the unique advantages of capturing minute variations and finer details of total suspended matter (TSM) due to the enhancement in spatial resolution (50 m) and observation time interval (20 s). In this study, TSM concentration of the HZB was retrieved based on the GF-4 satellite. The spatial distribution and minute variations of TSM concentration under the ebb tide from 7:30 to 7:40 a.m. on 28 August 2017, were analyzed. The results showed that the average TSM concentration inside HZB was (371.8 ± 1.8) mg/L. There was a linearly increasing trend of TSM concentration at ebb tide, with an increment of (3.96 ± 0.31) (mg/L)/min, and a more significant increase was observed in the high TSM areas. This increase in TSM concentration was associated with both the bottom topography and tide processes. The tidal potential energy generated by the tidal range and the strong shear stress generated by the high current velocity both led to the re-suspension of the sedimentary particles, which affected the variation of TSM concentration. In addition, the influence of bottom topography changed the intensity of re-suspension and also affected the distribution of TSM concentration in HZB.
Detection of Leek Rust Disease under Field Conditions Using Hyperspectral Proximal Sensing and Machine Learning
Authors: Appeltans Simon , Pieters Jan G. , Mouazen Abdul M.
Published: April 2021

Rust disease is an important problem for leek cultivation worldwide. It reduces market value and in extreme cases destroys the entire harvest. Farmers have to resort to periodical full-field fungicide applications to prevent the spread of disease, once every 1 to 5 weeks, depending on the cultivar and weather conditions. This implies an economic cost for the farmer and an environmental cost for society. Hyperspectral sensors have been extensively used to address this issue in research, but their application in the field has been limited to a relatively low number of crops, excluding leek, due to the high investment costs and complex data gathering and analysis associated with these sensors. To fill this gap, a methodology was developed for detecting leek rust disease using hyperspectral proximal sensing data combined with supervised machine learning. First, a hyperspectral library was constructed containing 43,416 spectra with a waveband range of 400–1000 nm, measured under field conditions. Then, an extensive evaluation of 11 common classifiers was performed using the scikit-learn machine learning library in Python, combined with a variety of wavelength selection techniques and preprocessing strategies. The best performing model was a (linear) logistic regression model that was able to correctly classify rust disease with an accuracy of 98.14%, using reflectance values at 556 and 661 nm, combined with the value of the first derivative at 511 nm. This model was used to classify unlabelled hyperspectral images, confirming that the model was able to accurately classify leek rust disease symptoms. It can be concluded that the results in this work are an important step towards the mapping of leek rust disease, and that future research is needed to overcome certain challenges before variable rate fungicide applications can be adopted against leek rust disease.
A Tool for Pre-Operational Daily Mapping of Floods and Permanent Water Using Sentinel-1 Data
Authors: Pulvirenti Luca , Squicciarino Giuseppe , Fiori Elisabetta , Ferraris Luca , Puca Silvia
Published: April 2021

An automated tool for pre-operational mapping of floods and inland waters using Sentinel-1 data is presented. The acronym AUTOWADE (AUTOmatic Water Areas DEtector) is used to denote it. The tool provides the end user (Italian Department of Civil Protection) with a continuous, near real-time (NRT) monitoring of the extent of inland water surfaces (floodwater and permanent water). It implements the following operations: downloading of Sentinel-1 products; preprocessing of the products and storage of the resulting geocoded and calibrated data; generation of the intermediate products, such as the exclusion mask; application of a floodwater/permanent water mapping algorithm; generation of the output layer, i.e., a map of floodwater/permanent water; delivery of the output layer to the end user. The open floodwater/permanent water mapping algorithm implemented in AUTOWADE is based on a new approach, denoted as buffer-from-edge (BFE), which combines different techniques, such as clustering, edge filtering, automatic thresholding and region growing. AUTOWADE copes also with the typical presence of gaps in the flood maps caused by undetected flooded vegetation. An attempt to partially fill these gaps by analyzing vegetated areas adjacent to open water is performed by another algorithm implemented in the tool, based on the fuzzy logic. The BFE approach has been validated offline using maps produced by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. Validation has given good results with a F1-score larger than 0.87 and a kappa coefficient larger than 0.80. The algorithm to detect flooded vegetation has been visually compared with optical data and aerial photos; its capability to fill some of the gaps present in flood maps has been confirmed.
The Value of L-Band Soil Moisture and Vegetation Optical Depth Estimates in the Prediction of Vegetation Phenology
Authors: Li Bonan , Good Stephen P. , URycki Dawn R.
Published: April 2021

Vegetation phenology is a key ecosystem characteristic that is sensitive to environmental conditions. Here, we examined the utility of soil moisture (SM) and vegetation optical depth (VOD) observations from NASA’s L-band Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission for the prediction of leaf area index (LAI), a common metric of canopy phenology. We leveraged mutual information theory to determine whether SM and VOD contain information about the temporal dynamics of LAI that is not contained in traditional LAI predictors (i.e., precipitation, temperature, and radiation) and known LAI climatology. We found that adding SMAP SM and VOD to multivariate non-linear empirical models to predict daily LAI anomalies improved model fit and reduced error by 5.2% compared with models including only traditional LAI predictors and LAI climatology (average R2 = 0.22 vs. 0.15 and unbiased root mean square error [ubRMSE] = 0.130 vs. 0.137 for cross-validated models with and without SM and VOD, respectively). SMAP SM and VOD made the more improvement in model fit in grasslands (R2 = 0.24 vs. 0.16 and ubRMSE = 0.118 vs. 0.126 [5.7% reduction] for models with and without SM and VOD, respectively); model predictions were least improved in shrublands. Analysis of feature importance indicates that LAI climatology and temperature were overall the two most informative variables for LAI anomaly prediction. SM was more important in drier regions, whereas VOD was consistently the second least important factor. Variations in total LAI were mostly explained by local daily LAI climatology. On average, the R2s and ubRMSE of total LAI predictions by the traditional drivers and its climatology are 0.81 and 0.137, respectively. Adding SMAP SM and VOD to these existing predictors improved the R2s to 0.83 (0.02 improvement in R2s) and reduced the ubRMSE to 0.13 (5.2% reduction). Though these improvements were modest on average, in locations where LAI climatology is not reflective of LAI dynamics and anomalies are larger, we find SM and VOD to be considerably more useful for LAI prediction. Overall, we find that L-band SM and VOD observations can be useful for prediction of LAI, though the informational contribution varies with land cover and environmental conditions.
Estimation of Evapotranspiration in Sparse Vegetation Areas by Applying an Optimized Two-Source Model
Authors: Li Changlong , Li Zengyuan , Gao Zhihai , Sun Bin
Published: April 2021

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important part of the water, carbon, and energy cycles in ecosystems, especially in the drylands. However, due to the particularity of sparse vegetation, the estimation accuracy of ET has been relatively low in the drylands. Therefore, based on the dry climate and sparse vegetation distribution characteristics of the drylands, this study optimized the core algorithms (canopy boundary resistance, aerodynamic resistance, and sparse vegetation coverage) and explored an ET estimation method in the Shuttleworth–Wallace two-layer model (SW model). Then, the Beijing–Tianjin sandstorm source region (BTSSR) was used as the study area to evaluate the applicability of the improved model in the drylands. Results show that: (1) The R2 value of the improved model results was increased by 1.4 and the RMSE was reduced by 1.9 mm, especially in extreme value regions of ET (maximum or minimum). (2) Regardless of the spatial distribution and seasonal changes of the ET (63–790 mm), the improved ET estimation model could accurately capture the differences. Furtherly, the different vegetation regions could stand for the different climate regions to a certain extent. The accuracy of the optimized model was higher in the semi-arid region (R2 = 0.92 and 0.93), while the improved model had the best improvement effect in the arid region, with R2 increasing by 0.12. (3) Precipitation was the decisive factor affecting vegetation transpiration and ET, with R2 value for both exceeding 0.9. The effect of vegetation coverage (VC) was less. This method is expected to provide a more accurate and adaptable model for the estimation of ET in the drylands.
Performance Evaluation of Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 OLI Data for Land Cover/Use Classification Using a Comparison between Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Ghayour Laleh , Neshat Aminreza , Paryani Sina , Shahabi Himan , Shirzadi Ataollah , Chen Wei , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Geertsema Marten , Pourmehdi Amiri Mehdi , Gholamnia Mehdi , Dou Jie , Ahmad Anuar
Published: April 2021

With the development of remote sensing algorithms and increased access to satellite data, generating up-to-date, accurate land use/land cover (LULC) maps has become increasingly feasible for evaluating and managing changes in land cover as created by changes to ecosystem and land use. The main objective of our study is to evaluate the performance of Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC), Minimum Distance (MD), and Mahalanobis (MH) algorithms and compare them in order to generate a LULC map using data from Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 satellites. Further, we also investigate the effect of a penalty parameter on SVM results. Our study uses different kernel functions and hidden layers for SVM and ANN algorithms, respectively. We generated the training and validation datasets from Google Earth images and GPS data prior to pre-processing satellite data. In the next phase, we classified the images using training data and algorithms. Ultimately, to evaluate outcomes, we used the validation data to generate a confusion matrix of the classified images. Our results showed that with optimal tuning parameters, the SVM classifier yielded the highest overall accuracy (OA) of 94%, performing better for both satellite data compared to other methods. In addition, for our scenes, Sentinel 2 date was slightly more accurate compared to Landsat 8. The parametric algorithms MD and MLC provided the lowest accuracy of 80.85% and 74.68% for the data from Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8. In contrast, our evaluation using the SVM tuning parameters showed that the linear kernel with the penalty parameter 150 for Sentinel 2 and the penalty parameter 200 for Landsat 8 yielded the highest accuracies. Further, ANN classification showed that increasing the hidden layers drastically reduces classification accuracy for both datasets, reducing zero for three hidden layers.
Automatic Cotton Mapping Using Time Series of Sentinel-2 Images
Authors: Wang Nan , Zhai Yongguang , Zhang Lifu
Published: April 2021

Large-scale crop mapping is essential for agricultural management. Phenological variation often exists in the same crop due to different climatic regions or practice management, resulting in current classification models requiring sufficient training samples from different regions. However, the cost of sample collection is more time-consuming, costly, and labor-intensive, so it is necessary to develop automatic crop mapping models that require only a few samples and can be extended to a large area. In this study, a new white bolls index (WBI) based on the unique canopy of cotton at the bolls opening stage was proposed, which can characterize the intensity of bolls opening. The value of WBI will increase as the opening of the bolls increases. As a result, the white bolls index can be used to detect cotton automatically from other crops. Four study areas in different regions were used to evaluate the WBI performance. The overall accuracy (OA) for the four study sites was more than 82%. Additionally, the dates when the opening stage of bolls begins can be determined based on the time series of WBI. The results of this research demonstrated the potential of the proposed approach for cotton mapping using sentinel-2 time series of remotely sensed data.