bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene-Based Materials, Their Composites, and Potential Applications
Authors: Ramirez Maria Cristina , Osendi Maria Isabel
Published: October 2022

Since its isolation in 2004, monolayer graphene has attracted enormous attention within the scientific community, the industry, and the general public owing to its exceptional properties (electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical) and prospects [...]
Characterization of Rutting Damage by the Change of Air-Void Characteristics in the Asphalt Mixture Based on Two-Dimensional Image Analysis
Authors: Zhao Kang , Yang Hailu , Wang Wentao , Wang Linbing
Published: October 2022

In the process of the rutting test, the air-void characteristics in asphalt mixture specimens are a dynamic change process. It is of great significance to systematically study the correlation between the change of air-void characteristics and the depth of the rutting slab and establish a relationship with damage. In this paper, the air-void information of rutting specimen sections with different loading cycles (500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 times) is obtained by two-dimensional image technology. The dynamic change process of the micro characteristics of internal air voids of two graded asphalt mixtures (AC-13 and AC-16) under cyclic wheel load is analyzed, and it is used as an index to characterize the microstructure damage of the asphalt mixture. The results show that the variation of air-void distribution, air-void shape characteristics, and air-void fractal dimension with the loading process can well characterize the permanent deformation law of the rutting slab. The fractal dimension of the air void increases with the increase in load. It is a dynamic process in which the air-void content changes with crack initiation and propagation. After rutting deformation, the total air-void area and average air-void size of the sample increase, and the total air-void number decreases. Because microcracks are formed in the specimen after rutting damage, the aspect ratio of the air void increases, and the roundness value decreases.
Simulation of Melting Efficiency in Laser Cutting of Hardox 400 Steel
Authors: Girdu Constantin Cristinel , Gheorghe Catalin
Published: October 2022

Laser cutting has experienced a sharp development in recent years due to the advantages it implies in industrial production, the most important being: great diversity of processed materials, reduced cutting time, low processing cost, small percentage of removed material, and low impact on the natural environment. The problem of energy has become acute in the last year, so a new direction of research has taken shape, consisting of the optimization of the high energy consumptions involved in laser cutting. The objective of this research is to develop a computational and experimental model to estimate the melting efficiency. Additionally, the research seeks to establish some mathematical relationships that describe the law of variation of the melting efficiency depending on the input parameters in the CO2 laser cutting. The experimental determinations were carried out on Hardox 400 steel plates of 8 mm thickness. The input parameters were laser power, assist gas pressure, and cutting speed. The experimental data were statistically processed, and the results were verified with the Lagrange interpolation method. It was found that the maximum melting efficiency is influenced mainly by laser power (F = 3.06; p = 0.049), followed by speed and pressure. The results obtained show that the melting efficiency varies in the range (13.6–20.68) mm3/KJ. The maximum value of the melting efficiency (20 J/mm3) was obtained when the laser power was 5100 W, the cutting speed 1900 mm/min, and the gas pressure 0.5 bar, and the minimum efficiency under conditions of speed setting at 1700 mm/min and laser power of 5000 W. Linear and quadratic regression models were established to estimate the global mean efficiency according to two independent variables that act at the same time. The established calculation relationships contribute to the improvement of the literature and constitute a tool for practical applications. The results obtained allow the modeling of cutting parameters and the optimization of production costs in industrial processes that use laser cutting.
Effect of Varying Plasma Powers on High-Temperature Applications of Plasma-Sprayed Al0.5CoCrFeNi2Ti0.5 Coatings
Authors: Rotich Sammy Kiplangat , Kipkirui Ngetich Gilbert , Lin Tzu-Tang , Chen Shih-Hsun
Published: October 2022

In this work, the microstructure and mechanical properties of atmospheric plasma-sprayed coatings of Al0.5CoCrFeNi2Ti0.5, prepared using gas-atomized powders at varying spray powers, are studied in as-sprayed and heat-treated conditions. Gas-atomized powders had spherical shapes and uniform element distributions, with major FCC phases and metastable BCC phases. The metastable BCC phase transformed to ordered and disordered BCC phases when sufficient energy was applied during the plasma-spraying process. During the heat treatment process for 2 hrs, disordered BCCs transformed into ordered BCCs, while the intensity of the FCC peaks increased. Spraying power plays a significant role in the microstructure and mechanical properties of plasma sprayed because at a high power, coatings exhibit better mechanical properties due to their dense microstructures resulting in less defects. As the plasma current was increased from 500 A to 700 A, the coatings’ hardness increased by approximately 21%, which is directly proportional to the decreased wear rate of the coatings at high spraying powers. As the coatings experienced heat treatments, the coatings sprayed with a higher spraying power showed higher hardness and wear resistances. Precipitation strengthening played a significant role in the hardness and wear resistances of the coatings due to the addition of the titanium element.
Analysis of Temperature Influence on Strain–Speed Parameters of Radial-Shear Rolling of Al-Zn-Mg-Ni-Fe Alloy
Authors: Galkin Sergei P. , Gamin Yury V. , Kin Tatiana Yu.
Published: October 2022

The comprehensive analysis of temperature influence on the strain–speed parameters of radial-shear rolling of Al-Zn-Mg-Ni-Fe alloy including the investigation of rheological properties, FEM simulation, and in-depth analytical interpretation of results was carried out. The rolling temperature has significant effect on the kinematic of metal forming, speed parameters, configuration, and length of trajectories. With the decrease in temperature, the speed of metal movement reduces, and this is the same for different components. The greatest decrease is noted for the axial speed component. In general, according to the nature of effect on the strain kinematic state, a temperature reduction of 100 °C (from 500 to 400 °C) acts similarly to a decrease in feed angle of about 4° and, in particular, increases the rolling time, nonuniformity of deformation, tightening, and temperature effect of deformation heating.
Effect of High-Pressure Torsion on the Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of Nanocrystalline CoCrFeNiGax (x = 0.5, 1.0) High Entropy Alloys
Authors: Shkodich Natalia , Staab Franziska , Spasova Marina , Kuskov Kirill V. , Durst Karsten , Farle Michael
Published: October 2022

In our search for an optimum soft magnet with excellent mechanical properties which can be used in applications centered around “electro mobility”, nanocrystalline CoCrFeNiGax (x = 0.5, 1.0) bulk high entropy alloys (HEA) were successfully produced by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1073 K of HEA powders produced by high energy ball milling (HEBM). SPS of non-equiatomic CoCrFeNiGa0.5 particles results in the formation of a single-phase fcc bulk HEA, while for the equiatomic CoCrFeNiGa composition a mixture of bcc and fcc phases was found. For both compositions SEM/EDX analysis showed a predominant uniform distribution of the elements with only a small number of Cr-rich precipitates. High pressure torsion (HPT) of the bulk samples led to an increased homogeneity and a grain refinement: i.e., the crystallite size of the single fcc phase of CoCrFeNiGa0.5 decreased by a factor of 3; the crystallite size of the bcc and fcc phases of CoCrFeNiGa—by a factor of 4 and 10, respectively. The lattice strains substantially increased by nearly the same extent. After HPT the saturation magnetization (Ms) of the fcc phase of CoCrFeNiGa0.5 and its Curie temperature increased by 17% (up to 35 Am2/kg) and 31.5% (from 95 K to 125 K), respectively, whereas the coercivity decreased by a factor of 6. The overall Ms of the equiatomic CoCrFeNiGa decreased by 34% and 55% at 10 K and 300 K, respectively. At the same time the coercivity of CoCrFeNiGa increased by 50%. The HPT treatment of SPS-consolidated HEAs increased the Vickers hardness (Hv) by a factor of two (up to 5.632 ± 0.188) only for the non-equiatomic CoCrFeNiGa0.5, while for the equiatomic composition, the Hv remained unchanged (6.343–6.425 GPa).
Correction: Gębczak et al. Evaluation of PC12 Cells’ Proliferation, Adhesion and Migration with the Use of an Extracellular Matrix (CorMatrix) for Application in Neural Tissue Engineering. Materials 2021, 14, 3858
Authors: Gębczak Katarzyna , Wiatrak Benita , Fortuna Wojciech
Published: October 2022

In the original publication [...]
Innovative Passive and Environmentally Friendly System for Improving the Energy Performance of Buildings
Authors: Burlacu Andrei , Sosoi Gavril , Abid Chérifa , Barbuta Marinela , Verdes Marina , Vizitiu Robert Stefan , Branoaea Marius
Published: October 2022

The aim of the study is to develop a system for converting, accumulating, and delivering solar energy that is based on the development of an innovative solar panel with heat pipes and a heat storage wall, for the construction of passive structures. The novel aspect of this experiment is the utilization of concrete walls that have different recyclable materials added to their structure in various proportions. The solar energy from the sunny façades is transformed by this system into thermal energy, which is then transferred by integrated heat pipes in a massive element with high thermal inertia. Using insulated shutters, thermal energy can be stored during the day and released at night to keep the room at a comfortable temperature. In order to integrate the modules into the solar recovery system, four concrete samples were cast with a blend of standard and waste aggregates. Four heat fluxes of 100 W/m2, 150 W/m2, 200 W/m2, and 250 W/m2 were applied to each global system. Thermal imaging data and numerical simulations both supported the findings of temperature sensors. The most effective mixture, fly ash and chopped PET, delivered temperatures that were, on average, 3.3% higher at the end of the charging cycle than those measured for the control sample. The discharging cycle of the concrete block with fly ash and sawdust was the most effective, with an average temperature loss of 5.0 °C as compared to 5.5 °C for the control sample, on average.
SmMYB4 Is a R2R3-MYB Transcriptional Repressor Regulating the Biosynthesis of Phenolic Acids and Tanshinones in Salvia miltiorrhiza
Authors: Tian Qian , Han Limin , Zhu Xiaoya , Zhang Caijuan , Li Yunyun , Xue Xiaoshan , Wang Yueyue , Wang Donghao , Niu Junfeng , Hua Wenping , Li Bin , Wang Zhezhi
Published: October 2022

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is one of the most famous traditional Chinese medicinal plants. The two most important classes of pharmaceutically relevant compounds in S. miltiorrhiza are phenolic acids and tanshinones. The MYB family of transcription factors may efficiently regulate the secondary metabolism in plants. In this study, a subgroup 4 R2R3MYB transcription factor gene, SmMYB4, was isolated from S. miltiorrhiza and functionally characterized using overexpression and a RNAi-mediated silencing. We achieved a total of six overexpressions and eight RNAi transgenic lines from the Agrobacterium leaf disc method. The content of the total phenolics, rosmarinic acid, and salvianolic acid B markedly decreased in the SmMYB4-overexpressing lines but increased in the SmMYB4-RNAi lines. The content of the total tanshinones, cryptotanshinone, and tanshinone IIA decreased in the SmMYB4-overexpressing transgenic lines but increased in the SmMYB4-RNAi lines. A gene expression analysis demonstrated that SmMYB4 negatively regulated the transcription of the critical enzyme genes involved in the phenolic acid and tanshinone biosynthesis. The genetic control of this transcriptional repressor may be used to improve the content of these bioactive compounds in the cultivated S. miltiorrhiza.
Fabrication and Experimental Validation of a Sensitive and Robust Tactile Sensing Array with a Micro-Structured Porous Dielectric Layer
Authors: Yao Shengjie , Yu Jianping , Jiang Xiaoliang , Xu Junfei , Lan Kun , Yao Zhehe
Published: October 2022

The development of pressure sensors of high sensitivity and stable robustness over a broad range is indispensable for the future progress of electronic skin applicable to the detection of normal and shear pressures of various dynamic human motions. Herein, we present a flexible capacitive tactile sensing array that incorporates a porous dielectric layer with micro-patterned structures on the surface to enable the sensitive detection of normal and shear pressures. The proposed sensing array showed great pressure-sensing performance in the experiments, with a broad sensing range from several kPa to 150 kPa of normal pressure and 20 kPa of shear pressure. Sensitivities of 0.54%/kPa at 10 kPa and below, 0.45%/kPa between 10 kPa and 80 kPa, and 0.12%/kPa at 80 kPa and above were achieved for normal pressures. Meanwhile, for shear pressures, sensitivities up to 1.14%/kPa and 1.08%/kPa in x and y directions, respectively, and below 10 kPa, 0.73%/kPa, and 0.75%/kPa under shear pressure over 10 kPa were also validated. The performance of the finger-attached sensing array was also demonstrated, demonstrating which was a potential electronic skin to use in all kinds of wearable devices, including prosthetic hands, surgical robots, and other pressure monitoring systems.
Supplementation of SDF1 during Pig Oocyte In Vitro Maturation Improves Subsequent Embryo Development
Authors: Zhao Huaxing , Dong Yazheng , Zhang Yuxing , Wu Xiao , Zhang Xianjun , Liang Yalin , Li Yanan , Zeng Fang , Shi Junsong , Zhou Rong , Hong Linjun , Cai Gengyuan , Wu Zhenfang , Li Zicong
Published: October 2022

The quality of in vitro matured oocytes is inferior to that of in vivo matured oocytes, which translates to low developmental capacity of embryos derived from in vitro matured oocytes. The developmental potential of in vitro matured oocytes is usually impaired due to oxidative stress. Stromal cell-derived factor-l (SDF1) can reduce oxidative stress and inhibit apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of SDF1 supplementation during pig oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) on subsequent embryo development, and to explore the acting mechanisms of SDF1 in pig oocytes. We found that the IVM medium containing 20 ng/mL SDF1 improved the maturation rate of pig oocytes, as well as the cleavage rate and blastocyst rate of embryos generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer, in vitro fertilization, and parthenogenesis. Supplementation of 20 ng/mL SDF1 during IVM decreased the ROS level, increased the mitochondrial membrane potential, and altered the expression of apoptosis-related genes in the pig oocytes. The porcine oocyte transcriptomic data showed that SDF1 addition during IVM altered the expression of genes enriched in the purine metabolism and TNF signaling pathways. SDF1 supplementation during pig oocyte IVM also upregulated the mRNA and protein levels of YY1 and TET1, two critical factors for oocyte development. In conclusion, supplementation of SDF1 during pig oocyte IVM reduces oxidative stress, changes expression of genes involved in regulating apoptosis and oocyte growth, and enhances the ability of in vitro matured pig oocytes to support subsequent embryo development. Our findings provide a theoretical basis and a new method for improving the developmental potential of pig in vitro matured oocytes.
Chemical Composition, Antifungal and Anti-Biofilm Activities of Volatile Fractions of Convolvulus althaeoides L. Roots from Tunisia
Authors: Hrichi Soukaina , Chaâbane-Banaoues Raja , Alibrando Filippo , Altemimi Ammar B. , Babba Oussama , Majdoub Yassine Oulad El , Nasri Habib , Mondello Luigi , Babba Hamouda , Mighri Zine , Cacciola Francesco
Published: October 2022

The antifungal drugs currently available and mostly used for the treatment of candidiasis exhibit the phenomena of toxicity and increasing resistance. In this context, plant materials might represent promising sources of antifungal agents. The aim of this study is to evaluate for the first time the chemical content of the volatile fractions (VFs) along with the antifungal and anti-biofilm of Convolvulus althaeoides L. roots. The chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography coupled to a flame ionization detector and mass spectrometry. In total, 73 and 86 chemical compounds were detected in the n-hexane (VF1) and chloroform (VF2) fractions, respectively. Analysis revealed the presence of four main compounds: n-hexadecenoic acid (29.77%), 4-vinyl guaiacol (12.2%), bis(2-ethylhexyl)-adipate (9.69%) and eicosane (3.98%) in the VF extracted by hexane (VF1). n-hexadecenoic acid (34.04%), benzyl alcohol (7.86%) and linoleic acid (7.30%) were the main compounds found in the VF extracted with chloroform (VF2). The antifungal minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the obtained fractions against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis were determined by the micro-dilution technique and values against Candida spp. ranged from 0.87 to 3.5 mg/mL. The biofilm inhibitory concentrations (IBF) and sustained inhibition (BSI) assays on C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. tropicalis were also investigated. The VFs inhibited biofilm formation up to 0.87 mg/mL for C. albicans, up to 1.75 mg/mL against C. glabrata and up to 0.87 mg/mL against C. tropicalis. The obtained results highlighted the synergistic mechanism of the detected molecules in the prevention of candidosic biofilm formation.
The Expected Values for the Gutman Index and Schultz Index in the Random Regular Polygonal Chains
Authors: Liu Xinmei , Zhan Qian
Published: October 2022

Two famous topological indices, the Gutman index and Schultz index, are studied in this article. We mainly calculate the exact analytical formulae for the expected values of the Gutman index and Schultz index of a random regular polygonal chain with n regular polygons. Moreover, we determine the average values and the extremal values of the indices in regard to the set of all these regular polygonal chains.
Chemical Bonding Effects and Physical Properties of Noncentrosymmetric Hexagonal Fluorocarbonates ABCO3F (A: K, Rb, Cs; B: Mg, Ca, Sr, Zn, Cd)
Authors: Zhuravlev Yuri , Atuchin Victor
Published: October 2022

The present work applied the methods of density functional theory and the van der Waals interaction PBE + D3(BJ) on the basis of localized orbitals of the CRYSTAL17 package. It featured the effect of interactions between structural elements of fluorocarbonates ABCO3F (A: K, Rb, Cs; B: Mg, Ca, Sr, Zn, Cd) on their elastic and vibrational properties. The hexagonal structures proved to consist of alternating ···B-CO3··· and ···A-F··· layers in planes ab, interconnected along axis c by infinite chains ···F-B-F···, where cations formed polyhedra AOnF3 and BOmF2. The calculations included the band energy structure, the total and partial density of electron states, the energy and band widths of the upper ns- and np-states of alkali and alkaline-earth metals, as well as nd-zinc and nd-cadmium. For hydrostatic compression, we calculated the parameters of the Birch–Murnaghan equation of state and the linear compressibility moduli along the crystal axes and bond lines. We also defined the elastic constants of single crystals to obtain the Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximations for the elastic moduli of polycrystalline materials. The study also revealed the relationship between the elastic properties and the nature of the chemical bond. Hybrid functional B3LYP made it possible to calculate the modes of normal long-wavelength oscillations, which provided the spectra of infrared absorption and Raman scattering. Intramolecular modes ν1 and ν4 with one or two maxima were found to be intense, and their relative positions depended on the lengths of nonequivalent C–O bonds.
Essential Oils from Colombian Plants: Antiviral Potential against Dengue Virus Based on Chemical Composition, In Vitro and In Silico Analyses
Authors: Silva-Trujillo Lina , Quintero-Rueda Elizabeth , Stashenko Elena E. , Conde-Ocazionez Sergio , Rondón-Villarreal Paola , Ocazionez Raquel E.
Published: October 2022

Currently, there are no therapies to prevent severe dengue disease. Essential oils (EOs) can serve as primary sources for research and the discovery of phytomedicines for alternative therapy. Fourteen EOs samples were obtained by distillation from six plants used in Colombian folk medicine. GC/MS analysis identified 125 terpenes. Cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction assays revealed differences in antiviral activity. EOs of Lippia alba, citral chemotype and carvone-rich fraction; Lippia origanoides, phellandrene chemotype; and Turnera diffusa, exhibited strong antiviral activity (IC50: 29 to 82 µg/mL; SI: 5.5 to 14.3). EOs of Piper aduncum, Ocimum basilicum, and L. origanoides, carvacrol, and thymol chemotypes, exhibited weak antiviral activity (32 to 53% DENV-CPE reduction at 100 µg/mL; SI > 5.0). Cluster and one-way ANOVA analyses suggest that the strong antiviral activity of EOs could be attributed to increased amounts of non-phenolic oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Docking analyses (AutoDock Vina) predicted binding affinity between the DENV-2 E protein and terpenes: twenty sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (−8.73 to −6.91 kcal/mol), eight oxygenated monoterpenes (−7.52 to −6.98 kcal/mol), and seven monoterpene hydrocarbons (−7.60 to −6.99 kcal/mol). This study reports for the first time differences in the antiviral activity of EOs against DENV, corresponding to their composition of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes.
Smart and Multi-Functional Magnetic Nanoparticles for Cancer Treatment Applications: Clinical Challenges and Future Prospects
Authors: Aram Elham , Moeni Masome , Abedizadeh Roya , Sabour Davood , Sadeghi-Abandansari Hamid , Gardy Jabbar , Hassanpour Ali
Published: October 2022

Iron oxide nanoparticle (IONPs) have become a subject of interest in various biomedical fields due to their magnetism and biocompatibility. They can be utilized as heat mediators in magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) or as contrast media in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound (US). In addition, their high drug-loading capacity enabled them to be therapeutic agent transporters for malignancy treatment. Hence, smartening them allows for an intelligent controlled drug release (CDR) and targeted drug delivery (TDD). Smart magnetic nanoparticles (SMNPs) can overcome the impediments faced by classical chemo-treatment strategies, since they can be navigated and release drug via external or internal stimuli. Recently, they have been synchronized with other modalities, e.g., MRI, MHT, US, and for dual/multimodal theranostic applications in a single platform. Herein, we provide an overview of the attributes of MNPs for cancer theranostic application, fabrication procedures, surface coatings, targeting approaches, and recent advancement of SMNPs. Even though MNPs feature numerous privileges over chemotherapy agents, obstacles remain in clinical usage. This review in particular covers the clinical predicaments faced by SMNPs and future research scopes in the field of SMNPs for cancer theranostics.
Theoretical Investigation of Fast Neutron and Gamma Radiation Properties of Polycarbonate-Bismuth Oxide Composites Using Geant4
Authors: Akhdar Hanan
Published: October 2022

The gamma mass (µm) and linear (µ) attenuation coefficients of polycarbonate-bismuth oxide composites (PC-Bi2O3) with different bismuth oxide weight factors were investigated theoretically using EpiXS and a Monte Carlo simulation-based toolkit and Geant4 within an energy range between 0.1 and 2 MeV. The wide energy ranges of gamma rays and neutrons were chosen to cover as many applications as possible. The attenuation coefficients were then used to compute the half-value layers. The effective atomic numbers and effective electron densities of the studied samples obtained by EpiXS were compared as well. In order to further evaluate the shielding effectiveness of the studied samples, the thicknesses of all the investigated samples equivalent to 0.5 mm lead at a gamma energy of 511 keV were compared using a Geant4 code simulating a female numerical phantom with a gamma source placed facing the chest and a cylinder-shaped shield wrapped around the trunk area. The fast neutron removal cross sections of the investigated samples were studied to evaluate the effect of the weight factor of nanocomposites on the neutron shielding capabilities of the polymer as well.
Addressing Anxiety and Stress for Healthier Eating in Teens (ASSET): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol for Reducing Anxiety, Disinhibited Eating, Excess Weight Gain, and Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescent Girls
Authors: Repke Hannah E. , Gulley Lauren D. , Rice Alexander J. , Gallagher-Teske Julia H. , Markos Bethelhem , Sanchez Natalia , Bristol Madison , Haynes Hannah , Lavender Jason M. , Higgins Neyland Mary K. , Shank Lisa M. , Emerick Jill E. , Gutierrez-Colina Ana M. , Arnold Thomas , Thomas Victoria , Haigney Mark C. , Shomaker Lauren B. , Tanofsky-Kraff Marian
Published: October 2022

(1) Background: Standard-of-care lifestyle interventions show insufficient effectiveness for the prevention and treatment of excess weight and its associated cardiometabolic health concerns in adolescents, necessitating more targeted preventative approaches. Anxiety symptoms are common among adolescents, especially girls at risk for excess weight gain, and have been implicated in the onset and maintenance of disinhibited eating. Thus, decreasing elevated anxiety in this subset of adolescent girls may offer a targeted approach to mitigating disinhibited eating and excess weight gain to prevent future cardiometabolic health problems. (2) Methods: The current paper describes the protocol for a multisite pilot and feasibility randomized controlled trial of group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) in N = 40 adolescent girls (age 12–17 years) with elevated anxiety symptoms and body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) ≥ 75th percentile for age/sex. (3) Results: Primary outcomes are multisite feasibility of recruitment, protocol procedures, and data collection, intervention fidelity, retention at follow-ups, and acceptability of interventions and study participation. (4) Conclusions: Findings will inform the protocol for a future fully-powered multisite randomized controlled trial to compare CBT and IPT efficacy for reducing excess weight gain and preventing adverse cardiometabolic trajectories, as well as to evaluate theoretically-informed treatment moderators and mediators.
Effect of Dietary Salt Intake on Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies
Authors: Wu Xiaomin , Chen Liling , Cheng Junxia , Qian Jing , Fang Zhongze , Wu Jing
Published: October 2022

Aim: The effect of dietary salt intake on the risk of gastric cancer is not clear. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate the association between dietary salt intake and the risk of gastric cancer. Methods: Three major databases were searched to retrieve case-control studies published in English before 1 July 2022. Random effects model analysis was used to obtain the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the association between dietary salt intake and risk of gastric cancer. Subgroup analyses were used to identify possible sources of heterogeneity. Results: Thirty-eight case-control studies were included in this meta-analysis (total population: n = 37,225). The pooled ORs showed a significantly positive association between high salt intake and gastric cancer compared with low salt intake (OR = 1.55, 95% CI (1.45, 1.64); p < 0.001). In subgroup meta-analysis for geographic region, estimation method for dietary salt intake and the source of controls, this association was not changed. Conclusion: Higher dietary salt intake increased the risk of gastric cancer. This study has implications for the prevention of gastric cancer.
Private Interests and the Start of Fluoride-Supplemented High-Carbohydrate Nutritional Guidelines
Authors: Hujoel Philippe P.
Published: October 2022

Fluoride has no tangible health benefits other than preventing dental caries and there is a small difference between its minimum effective dose and its minimum toxic dose. Leading global organizations currently recommend fluoride supplementation because they recommend high-carbohydrate diets which can cause dental caries. Low-carbohydrate diets prevent dental caries making such fluoride recommendations largely unnecessary. A dental organization was among the first to initiate the public health recommendations which started fluoride-supplemented high-carbohydrate nutritional guidelines. This start required expert panels at this dental organization to reverse on three key scientific points between 1942 and 1949: (1) that topical fluoride had potential harms, (2) that dental caries was a marker for micronutrient deficiencies, and (3) that low-carbohydrate diets are to be recommended for dental caries prevention. Internal documents show that private interests motivated the events which led these expert panels to engage in pivotal scientific reversals. These private interests biased scientific processes and these reversals occurred largely in an absence of supporting evidence. It is concluded that private interests played a significant role in the start of public health endorsements of fluoride-supplemented high-carbohydrate nutritional guidelines.
Novel pH-Responsive Cubosome and Hexosome Lipid Nanocarriers of SN-38 Are Prospective for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Rajesh Sarigama , Zhai Jiali , Drummond Calum , Tran Nhiem
Published: October 2022

pH-responsive nanoparticles enable the selective delivery of a chemotherapeutic agent to tumours while reducing adverse effects. Herein we synthesised four novel aminolipids and developed pH-responsive nanostructured lipid nanoparticles (LNP), which exhibited a slow-releasing hexagonal structure (H2) at physiological pH and quick release bicontinuous cubic phase (Q2) at the acidic tumour pH. The nanoparticles were used to encapsulate and control the release of the chemotherapeutic agent SN-38. High-throughput formulation techniques were employed to fabricate LNP by mixing various amounts of aminolipid with monoolein (MO). The effect of aminolipids on MO self-assembled structures was studied using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) at various pH values. Out of the four studied aminolipid-MO LNP systems, the nanoparticles containing N-(Pyridin-4-ylmethyl) oleamide (OAPy-4) or N-(2(piperidin-1yl)ethyl) oleamide (OAPi-1) exhibited a pH-induced H2 to Q2 phase transition in a tumour-relevant pH range (pH 5.5–7.0). SN-38 is 1000 times more efficacious than the commercially available prodrug irinotecan. However, low solubility in water and instability at physiological pH makes it unsuitable for clinical use. SN-38 was loaded into LNP containing MO and aminolipid OAPy-4. The drug loading and entrapment efficiency were determined, and the results indicated that the aqueous solubility of SN-38 loaded in LNP dispersions was ~100 times higher compared to the solubility of the pure drug in aqueous solution. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the in vitro SN-38 release rate from LNPs was faster at lower pH (pH 5) than at neutral pH. Therefore, pH-responsive LNPs developed in this study can potentially be employed in delivering and controlling the release of the potent drug SN-38 to tumour sites.
Effects of Chitosan on Loading and Releasing for Doxorubicin Loaded Porous Hydroxyapatite–Gelatin Composite Microspheres
Authors: Wu Meng-Ying , Liang Yu-Hsin , Yen Shiow-Kang
Published: October 2022

Porous hydroxyapatite–gelatin (Hap–Gel) composite microspheres derived by wet chemical methods were used as carriers of doxorubicin (DOX) coupled with chitosan (Chi) for treating cancers. Through X-ray diffraction, specific surface area porosimetry, chemisorption analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, the crystalline phase, composition, morphology, and pore distribution of HAp–Gel microspheres were all characterized. HAp nanosized crystals and Gel polymers form porous microspheres after blending and exhibit a specific surface area of 158.64 m2/g, pore sizes from 3 to 150 nm, and pore volumes of 0.4915 cm3/g. These characteristics are suitable for carriers of DOX. Furthermore, by the addition of chitosan during drug loading, its drug-entrapment efficiency increases from 70% to 99% and the release duration increases from a 100% burst within a day to only 45% over half a year since the pores in the composite microspheres provide a shielding effect throughout the degradation period of the chitosan. According to the MTT tests, cell viability of DOX–Chi/HAp–Gel is 57.64% on day 5, similar to the result treated with DOX only. It is concluded that under the protection of pores in the microspheres, the chitosan abundant of hydroxyls combining HAp–Gel and DOX by forming hydrogen bonds indeed enhances the entrapment efficiency, prolongs the releasing period and maintains DOX’s ability to perform medicine functions unaffected after loading.
Non-Linearity of Thermosetting Polymers’ and GRPs’ Thermal Expanding: Experimental Study and Modeling
Authors: Korolev Alexander , Mishnev Maxim , Ulrikh Dmitrii Vladimirovich
Published: October 2022

Thermal expanding is the important property that defines the stress–strain condition of GRP structures exploited under heating and having limited thermal resistance. So, the GRPs’ thermal expanding prediction is the actual requirement of such structures design. The experimental accurate dilatometric study resulted in the non-linearity of thermosetting polymers and plastics thermal expanding under heating. The polymers and plastics thermal expanding coefficient (CTE) is non-linearly increasing under heating before glassing temperature (Tg). Using the previous polymers and GRPs modelling experience and experimental dilatometric results, the non-linear adequate prediction models of their CTE were proposed and proved. The new compensative wave model of polymers’ CTE and multi-layer model of GRPs’ CTE were proposed and successfully tested. A prediction of the temperature dependences of the thermal expansion coefficients of various thermoset polymer binders and data on the reinforcement structure was performed based on the experimentally obtained temperature dependences of the CTEs of GRPs. The prediction was performed using the finite-element homogenization method in the Material Designer module of the academic version of the Ansys package. A satisfactory concurrence of the numerical results of the prognosis and the experiment for all considered cases is observed in the temperature range from 50 to 100 °C, after glass transition temperature best coincidence of numerical values of CTE is obtained for glass-reinforced plastics on epoxy resin, which were not subjected to thermal aging.
Stability of Biomimetically Functionalised Alginate Microspheres as 3D Support in Cell Cultures
Authors: García-Briega María Inmaculada , Ródenas-Rochina Joaquín , Martins Luis Amaro , Lanceros-Méndez Senentxu , Gallego Ferrer Gloria , Sempere Amparo , Gómez Ribelles José Luís
Published: October 2022

Alginate hydrogels can be used to develop a three-dimensional environment in which various cell types can be grown. Cross-linking the alginate chains using reversible ionic bonds opens up great possibilities for the encapsulation and subsequent release of cells or drugs. However, alginate also has a drawback in that its structure is not very stable in a culture medium with cellular activity. This work explored the stability of alginate microspheres functionalised by grafting specific biomolecules onto their surface to form microgels in which biomimetic microspheres surrounded the cells in the culture, reproducing the natural microenvironment. A study was made of the stability of the microgel in different typical culture media and the formation of polyelectrolyte multilayers containing polylysine and heparin. Multiple myeloma cell proliferation in the culture was tested in a bioreactor under gentle agitation.
Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Chinese Inland Water Clarity at Multiple Spatial Scales between 1984 and 2018
Authors: Tao Hui , Song Kaishan , Liu Ge , Wang Qiang , Wen Zhidan , Hou Junbin , Shang Yingxin , Li Sijia
Published: October 2022

Water clarity (Secchi disk depth, SDD) provides a sensitive tool to examine the spatial pattern and historical trend in lakes’ trophic status. However, this metric has been insufficiently explored despite the availability of remotely-sensed data. Based on the published SDD datasets derived from Landsat images, we analyzed the spatial and inter-annual variations in water clarity and examined the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors on these trends at multiple scales, i.e., five lake regions, provinces, and watersheds. Lake clarity was lowest in Northeast (0.60 ± 0.09 m) and East China (1.23 ± 0.17 m) and highest in the Tibet Plateau (3.32 ± 0.38 m). Over the past 35 years, we found a significant trend of increased SDD in 18 (out of 32) provinces (only Yunnan province exhibited a significant decreasing trend) and in 77 (out of 155) watersheds (only 5 watersheds showed a significant decreasing trend). Lakes in eastern-northeastern China exhibited a higher probability of decreasing trend, while the trend was inverse for lakes in the Tibet-Qinghai region. The results of water clarity interannual change trends showed they were closely related to the spatial scale of analysis. At the watershed level, these trends were mainly driven by anthropogenic factors, with night-time brightness (13.84%), agricultural fertilizer use (11.17%), and wastewater (9.64%) being the most important. Natural factors (temperature, wind, and NDVI) explained about 18.2% of the SDD variance. Our findings for the SDD spatio-temporal trend provide valuable information for guiding water protection management policy-making and reinforcement in China.
A Remote-Sensing Scene-Image Classification Method Based on Deep Multiple-Instance Learning with a Residual Dense Attention ConvNet
Authors: Wang Xinyu , Xu Haixia , Yuan Liming , Dai Wei , Wen Xianbin
Published: October 2022

The spatial distribution of remote-sensing scene images is highly complex in character, so how to extract local key semantic information and discriminative features is the key to making it possible to classify accurately. However, most of the existing convolutional neural network (CNN) models tend to have global feature representations and lose the shallow features. In addition, when the network is too deep, gradient disappearance and overfitting tend to occur. To solve these problems, a lightweight, multi-instance CNN model for remote sensing scene classification is proposed in this paper: MILRDA. In the instance extraction and classifier part, more discriminative features are extracted by the constructed residual dense attention block (RDAB) while retaining shallow features. Then, the extracted features are transformed into instance-level vectors and the local information associated with bag-level labels is highlighted by the proposed channel-attention-based multi-instance pooling, while suppressing the weights of useless objects or backgrounds. Finally, the network is constrained by the cross-entropy loss function to output the final prediction results. The experimental results on four public datasets show that our proposed method can achieve comparable results to other state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, the visualization of feature maps shows that MILRDA can find more effective features.
Using Tracking Data to Identify Gaps in Knowledge and Conservation of the Critically Endangered Siberian Crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus)
Authors: Yi Kunpeng , Zhang Junjian , Batbayar Nyambayar , Higuchi Hiroyoshi , Natsagdorj Tseveenmyadag , Bysykatova Inga P.
Published: October 2022

The critically endangered Siberian crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus) is the world’s third most endangered species of crane. Despite the enhanced conservation actions in recent years, there are pieces of evidence that suggest that its population is continuously decreasing. To gain insights into the possible causes of the population decline, we tracked nine Siberian cranes in Russia and Mongolia using GPS transmitters. We obtained migration episodes based on over 0.31 million subsequent locations from 3283 bird days between June 1995 and December 2021. Siberian cranes migrated an average of 5604 ± 362 km in spring from wintering to breeding areas and a mean of 5265 ± 454 km from breeding to wintering areas. We identified 35 staging sites along the migration corridor, including 17 critical staging sites at which birds staged for >14 days and 18 stopover sites that supported individuals for more than two days within a ca. 200 km-wide migratory corridor. Of the areas used by the tagged cranes, 77% of the breeding areas in Russia, 55% of the staging areas, 99% of the non-breeding summering area in Mongolia, and 50% of the wintering areas in Poyang Lake in China lay outside the current protected area network. Although we should be prudent about interpreting the conservation gaps of the entire population from only a few tracked birds, these results strongly suggest that the current protection network for this numerically rare species is inadequate, requiring urgent review.
Research on the Necessity of Lie Group Strapdown Inertial Integrated Navigation Error Model Based on Euler Angle
Authors: Qian Leiyuan , Qin Fangjun , Li Kailong , Zhu Tiangao
Published: October 2022

In response to the lack of specific demonstration and analysis of the research on the necessity of the Lie group strapdown inertial integrated navigation error model based on the Euler angle, two common integrated navigation systems, strapdown inertial navigation system/global navigation satellite system (SINS/GNSS) and strapdown inertial navigation system/doppler velocity log (SINS/DVL), are used as subjects, and the piecewise constant system (PWCS) matrix, based on the Lie group error model, is established. From three aspects of variance estimation, the observability and performance of the system with large misalignment angles for low, medium, and high accuracy levels, traditional error model, Lie group left error model, and right error model are compared. The necessity of research on Lie group error model is analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The experimental results show that Lie group error model has better stability of variance estimation, estimation accuracy, and observability than traditional error model, as well as higher practical value.
A High-Resolution, Wide-Swath SAR Imaging System Based on Tandem SAR Satellites
Authors: Sun Liwei , Li Chunsheng
Published: October 2022

For the spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR), it is difficult to obtain high resolution and wide width at the same time. This paper proposes a novel imaging system based on tandem SAR satellites, where one obtains coarse resolution and wide swath by the scanning mode, and the other obtains the undersampled echo from the same swath. The high resolution is achieved by associating the tandem SARs’ echo and using the minimum-energy-based algorithm. Finally, a high-resolution wide-swath SAR system is designed, and its imaging performance is verified by simulated data and real airborne SAR data.
The mr-MDA: An Invariant to Shifting, Scaling, and Rotating Variance for 3D Object Recognition Using Diffractive Deep Neural Network
Authors: Zhou Liang , Shi Jiashuo , Zhang Xinyu
Published: October 2022

The diffractive deep neural network (D2NN) can efficiently accomplish 2D object recognition based on rapid optical manipulation. Moreover, the multiple-view D2NN array (MDA) possesses the obvious advantage of being able to effectively achieve 3D object classification. At present, 3D target recognition should be performed in a high-speed and dynamic way. It should be invariant to the typical shifting, scaling, and rotating variance of targets in relatively complicated circumstances, which remains a shortcoming of optical neural network architectures. In order to efficiently recognize 3D targets based on the developed D2NN, a more robust MDA (mr-MDA) is proposed in this paper. Through utilizing a new training strategy to tackle several random disturbances introduced into the optical neural network system, a trained mr-MDA model constructed by us was numerically verified, demonstrating that the training strategy is able to dynamically recognize 3D objects in a relatively stable way.
The Navigation System of a Logistics Inspection Robot Based on Multi-Sensor Fusion in a Complex Storage Environment
Authors: Zhang Yang , Zhou Yanjun , Li Hehua , Hao Hao , Chen Weijiong , Zhan Weiwei
Published: October 2022

To reliably realize the functions of autonomous navigation and cruise of logistics robots in a complex logistics storage environment, this paper proposes a new robot navigation system based on vision and multiline lidar information fusion, which can not only ensure rich information and accurate map edges, but also meet the real-time and accurate positioning and navigation in complex logistics storage scenarios. Simulation and practical verification showed that the robot navigation system is feasible and robust, and overcomes the problems of low precision, poor robustness, weak portability, and difficult expansion of the mobile robot system in a complex environment. It provides a new idea for inspection in an actual logistics storage scenario and has a good prospective application.