bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diverse Terpenoids and Their Associated Antifungal Properties from Roots of Different Cultivars of Chrysanthemum Morifolium Ramat
Authors: Zhang Kaige , Jiang Yifan , Zhao Hongwei , Köllner Tobias G. , Chen Sumei , Chen Fadi , Chen Feng
Published: April 2020

Roots provide anchorage and enable the absorption of water and micronutrients from the soil for plants. Besides these essential functions, roots are increasingly being recognized as an important organ for the production of diverse secondary metabolites. The goal of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and function of terpenoid secondary metabolites in roots of different cultivars of the popular ornamental plant Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. Although C. morifolium is known for rich production of secondary metabolites in its flower heads and leaves, the diversity of secondary metabolites in roots remains poorly characterized. In this study, 12 cultivars of C. morifolium were selected for comparative analysis. From their roots, a total of 20 terpenoids were detected, including four monoterpenes, 15 sesquiterpenes, and one diterpene. The cultivar ‘She Yang Hong Xin Ju’ exhibited the highest concentration of total terpenoids at approximately 730 µg·g−1 fresh weight. Most cultivars contained sesquiterpenes as the predominant terpenoids. Of them, (E)-β-farnesene was detected in all cultivars. Based on their terpenoid composition, the 12 cultivars were planed into four groups. To gain insights into the function of root secondary metabolites, we performed bioassays to assess their effects on growth of three species of pathogenic fungi: Fusarium oxysporum, Magnaporthe oryzae, and Verticillium dahliae. Significant variability in antifungal activity of the root extracts among different cultivars were observed. The cultivar ‘Xiao Huang Ju’ was the only cultivar that had significant inhibitory effects on all three species of fungi. Our study reveals the diversity of terpenoids in roots of C. morifolium and their function as a chemical defense against fungi.
Nano-Scale Residual Stress Profiling in Thin Multilayer Films with Non-Equibiaxial Stress State
Authors: Sebastiani Marco , Rossi Edoardo , Zeeshan Mughal Muhammad , Benedetto Alessandro , Jacquet Paul , Salvati Enrico , Korsunsky Alexander M.
Published: April 2020

Silver-based low-emissivity (low-E) coatings are applied on architectural glazing to cost-effectively reduce heat losses, as they generally consist of dielectric/Ag/dielectric multilayer stacks, where the thin Ag layer reflects long- wavelength infrared (IR), while the dielectric layers both protect the Ag and act as an anti-reflective barrier. The architecture of the multilayer stack influences its mechanical properties and it is strongly dependent on the residual stress distribution in the stack. Residual stress evaluation by combining focused ion beam (FIB) milling and digital image correlation (DIC), using the micro-ring core configuration (FIB-DIC), offers micron-scale lateral resolution and provides information about the residual stress variation with depth, i.e., it allows depth profiling for both equibiaxial and non-equibiaxial stress distributions and hence can be effectively used to characterize low-E coatings. In this work, we propose an innovative approach to improve the depth resolution and surface sensitivity for residual stress depth profiling in the case of ultra-thin as-deposited and post-deposition annealed Si3N4/Ag/ZnO low-E coatings, by considering different fractions of area for DIC strain analysis and accordingly developing a unique influence function to maintain the sensitivity of the technique at is maximum during the calculation. Residual stress measurements performed using this novel FIB-DIC approach revealed that the individual Si3N4/ZnO layers in the multilayer stack are under different amounts of compressive stresses. The magnitude and orientation of these stresses changes significantly after heat treatment and provides a clear explanation for the observed differences in terms of scratch critical load. The results show that the proposed FIB-DIC combined-areas approach is a unique method for accurately probing non-equibiaxial residual stresses with nano-scale resolution in thin films, including multilayers.
Hybrid Electro-Optical Pumping of Active Plasmonic Nanostructures
Authors: Vyshnevyy Andrey A. , Fedyanin Dmitry Yu.
Published: April 2020

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) offer a unique opportunity to overcome the diffraction limit of light. However, this opportunity comes at the cost of the strong absorption of the SPP field in a metal, which unavoidably limits the SPP propagation length to a few tens of micrometers in nanostructures with deep-subwavelength mode confinement. The only possibility to avoid the propagation losses is to compensate for them by optical gain in the adjacent active medium. Different approaches for surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation have been proposed based on either optical or electrical pumping. However, each has its own disadvantages caused by the selected type of pumping scheme. Here, we study, for the first time, hybrid electro-optical pumping of active plasmonic waveguide structures, and by using comprehensive self-consistent numerical simulations, demonstrate that this hybrid approach can outperform both pure electrical pumping and pure optical pumping. The SPP modal gain is higher than under pure optical pumping, while one can precisely and locally adjust it by tuning the electric current, which allows the reduction of amplification noise and provides additional functionalities. We believe that our findings lay a solid foundation for the development of a new generation of active plasmonic devices and stimulate further research in this area.
Hospital Regimens Including Probiotics Guide the Individual Development of the Gut Microbiome of Very Low Birth Weight Infants in the First Two Weeks of Life
Authors: Kurath-Koller Stefan , Neumann Charlotte , Moissl-Eichinger Christine , Kraschl Raimund , Kanduth Claudia , Hopfer Barbara , Pausan Manuela-Raluca , Urlesberger Berndt , Resch Bernhard
Published: April 2020

Background: It is unknown to what extent the microbiome of preterm infants is influenced by hospital regimens including the use of different probiotics when it comes to the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Methods: Prospective controlled multicenter cohort study including very low birth weight infants from three neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) between October 2015 and March 2017. During this time span, stool was sampled every other day during the first two weeks and samples were subjected to amplicon-based microbiome analyses. Out of these, seventeen negative controls were processed (German Registry of Clinical Trials (No.: DRKS00009290)). Results: The groups (3 × 18 infants) showed no statistically significant difference regarding gestational age, birth weight, APGAR scores and oxygen demand. 2029 different taxa were detected, including Enterococcus and Staphylococcus, as well as the probiotic genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium predominating. The bacterial load was found to increase earlier on when probiotics were used. Without probiotics administration, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium contributed only marginally to the fecal microbiome. Some infants did not respond to probiotic administration. The samples from all centers participating reached a very similar diversity after two weeks while the microbiome samples from all three centers clustered significantly yet varied from each other. Conclusion: Probiotics proved to be safe and initiated an earlier increase of bacterial load (with marked individual divergences), which might play a crucial role in the prevention of neonatal morbidities. Meconium was found not to be free of bacterial DNA, and oral antibiotics did not influence the fecal microbiome development negatively, and hospital regimes led to a center-specific, distinct cluster formation.
Nonalcoholic Beverages as Sources of Nutrients in the Average Polish Diet
Authors: Rejman Krystyna , Górska-Warsewicz Hanna , Czeczotko Maksymilian , Laskowski Wacław
Published: April 2020

The aim of the study was to analyze the sources of energy, carbohydrates, 10 minerals, and 9 vitamins from nonalcoholic beverages in the average Polish diet. For the analysis, we used data from the 2016 Household Budget Survey conducted on the representative sample of the Polish population (36,886 households, n = 99,230). According to the source of data, we included four subgroups in analyzed food category: fruit juices, vegetable juices and mixed, mineral and spring waters, and other nonalcoholic beverages. We used the cluster analysis to assess the impact of sociodemographic and economic characteristics of the households on the structure of supplying energy and nutrients from each subgroup of the nonalcoholic beverages. Our analyses have shown that nonalcoholic beverages are primarily important in providing several nutrients: vitamin C (15.9% of the total vitamin C supply), vitamin B6 (8.9% of vitamin B supply), folates (8.5% of folate supply), carbohydrates (6.8% of carbohydrate supply), calcium (5.9% of calcium supply), and magnesium (5.5% of magnesium supply). The analysis of the consumption structure of this category of food showed that the subgroup of other nonalcoholic beverages brings more than three-fourth of carbohydrates (77%), vitamin B6 and folates (76% each), and 43% of vitamin C supplied by nonalcoholic beverages. More than half (51%) of vitamin C provided by nonalcoholic beverages comes from fruit juices and the remaining 6% comes from other juices (vegetable and mixed). In the case of minerals, mineral and spring waters consumption is important as it accounts for 65% of the calcium supply and 55% of the magnesium in nonalcoholic beverages category. The share of individual subgroups of beverages in the supply of ingredients in the diet is significantly differentiated by four socioeconomic characteristics of households: family life phase, age, socioeconomic type of household, and number of people in the household. This is particularly evident in the case of other nonalcoholic beverages, that the share of this subgroup in the energy and carbohydrates supply in the households of young people, employees (both blue-collar and white-collar workers), and families with children increases to 10%. Our results show that in order to reduce the intake of free sugars and increase the intake of deficient minerals, which is crucial in preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), it is necessary to encourage consumers to replace sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with water and eat fruits instead of drinking juice.
HER2-Specific Pseudomonas Exotoxin A PE25 Based Fusions: Influence of Targeting Domain on Target Binding, Toxicity, and In Vivo Biodistribution
Authors: Ding Haozhong , Altai Mohamed , Yin Wen , Lindbo Sarah , Liu Hao , Garousi Javad , Xu Tianqi , Orlova Anna , Tolmachev Vladimir , Hober Sophia , Gräslund Torbjörn
Published: April 2020

The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a clinically validated target for cancer therapy, and targeted therapies are often used in regimens for patients with a high HER2 expression level. Despite the success of current drugs, a number of patients succumb to their disease, which motivates development of novel drugs with other modes of action. We have previously shown that an albumin binding domain-derived affinity protein with specific affinity for HER2, ADAPT6, can be used to deliver the highly cytotoxic protein domain PE25, a derivative of Pseudomonas exotoxin A, to HER2 overexpressing malignant cells, leading to potent and specific cell killing. In this study we expanded the investigation for an optimal targeting domain and constructed two fusion toxins where a HER2-binding affibody molecule, ZHER2:2891, or the dual-HER2-binding hybrid ZHER2:2891-ADAPT6 were used for cancer cell targeting. We found that both targeting domains conferred strong binding to HER2; both to the purified extracellular domain and to the HER2 overexpressing cell line SKOV3. This resulted in fusion toxins with high cytotoxic potency toward cell lines with high expression levels of HER2, with EC50 values between 10 and 100 pM. For extension of the plasma half-life, an albumin binding domain was also included. Intravenous injection of the fusion toxins into mice showed a profound influence of the targeting domain on biodistribution. Compared to previous results, with ADAPT6 as targeting domain, ZHER2:2891 gave rise to further extension of the plasma half-life and also shifted the clearance route of the fusion toxin from the liver to the kidneys. Collectively, the results show that the targeting domain has a major impact on uptake of PE25-based fusion toxins in different organs. The results also show that PE25-based fusion toxins with high affinity to HER2 do not necessarily increase the cytotoxicity beyond a certain point in affinity. In conclusion, ZHER2:2891 has the most favorable characteristics as targeting domain for PE25.
Is Antimicrobial Treatment Effective During Therapeutic Plasma Exchange? Investigating the Role of Possible Interactions
Authors: Krzych Łukasz J. , Czok Marcelina , Putowski Zbigniew
Published: April 2020

Antimicrobial treatment during therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) remains a complex issue. Recommendations based on a limited number of experimental studies should be implemented in clinical practice with caution. Effective management of infections due to plasma or albumin-related interactions, as well as impaired pharmacokinetics, in critical illness is difficult. Knowing the pharmacokinetics of the drugs concerned and the procedural aspects of plasmapheresis should be helpful in planning personalized treatment. In general, possessing a low distribution volume, a high protein-binding affinity, a low endogenous clearance rate, and long distribution and elimination half-lives make a drug more prone to elimination during TPE. A high frequency and longer duration of the procedure may also contribute to altering a drug’s concentration. The safest choice would be to start and finish TPE before antimicrobial agent infusion. If this not feasible, a reasonable alternative is to avoid administering the drug just before TPE and to delay the procedure for the time of the administered drug’s distributive phase. Ultimately, if plasma exchange must be performed urgently or the drug has a very narrow therapeutic index, monitoring its plasma concentration is advised.
Development of Gel-in-Oil Emulsions for Khellin Topical Delivery
Authors: Pereira Joana , Gonçalves Rita , Barreto Margarida , Dias Clarisse , Carvalho Fátima , Almeida António J. , Ribeiro Helena Margarida , Marto Joana
Published: April 2020

Hypopigmentation is a progressive dermatological condition caused by a reduction in the skin pigment, melanin. Its treatment is considered a challenge due to the lack of a highly efficient single therapy. Currently, the main treatments include photochemotherapy, application of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, and laser. Khellin-based gel-in-oil emulsions appear as a promising alternative since they ensure a concentration of the drug, a natural furanochromone, at the desired location, skin surface. Khellin promotes repigmentation as it forms a dark colored complex after solar irradiation. The aim of this study was the development and characterization (e.g., rheological behaviour, droplet size, tackiness, adhesion and spreadability) of three topical gel-in-oil emulsions prepared with different emollients, formulated through a cold emulsification process, and suitable for the incorporation of khellin. In vitro studies were performed to evaluate the drug release and permeation profiles across artificial membranes and excised human skin, respectively, using Franz-type vertical diffusion cells. The W/O emulsions developed showed macroscopic appearance, shear-thinning behavior with a mean droplet size from 3.28 to 4.28 μm, suitable for topical application. In vitro studies revealed permeation values of about 1% of khellin across the stratum corneum, making these gel-in-oil emulsions promising for preclinical and clinical studies. The cold process, being an easy and low energy production method, represents an innovative strategy to produce khellin-based gel-in-oil emulsions to treat patients with hypopigmentation.
Nanocrystals for Improved Drug Delivery of Dexamethasone in Skin Investigated by EPR Spectroscopy
Authors: Lohan Silke B. , Saeidpour Siavash , Colombo Miriam , Staufenbiel Sven , Unbehauen Michael , Wolde-Kidan Amanuel , Netz Roland R. , Bodmeier Roland , Haag Rainer , Teutloff Christian , Bittl Robert , Meinke Martina C.
Published: April 2020

Nanocrystals represent an improvement over the traditional nanocarriers for dermal application, providing the advantages of 100% drug loading, a large surface area, increased adhesion, and the potential for hair follicle targeting. To investigate their advantage for drug delivery, compared to a base cream formulation, dexamethasone (Dx), a synthetic glucocorticoid frequently used for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases, was covalently linked with the paramagnetic probe 3-(carboxy)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxy (PCA) to DxPCA. To investigate the penetration efficiency between these two vehicles, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used, which allows the quantification of a spin-labeled drug in different skin layers and the monitoring of the drug release. The penetration behavior in excised healthy and barrier-disrupted porcine skin was monitored by EPR, and subsequently analyzed using a numerical diffusion model. As a result, diffusion constants and free energy values in the different layers of the skin were identified for both formulations. Dx-nanocrystals showed a significantly increased drug amount that penetrated into viable epidermis and dermis of intact (factor 3) and barrier-disrupted skin (factor 2.1) compared to the base cream formulation. Furthermore, the observed fast delivery of the spin-labeled drug into the skin (80% DxPCA within 30 min) and a successive release from the aggregate unit into the viable tissue makes these nanocrystals very attractive for clinical applications.
Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Primed with Paclitaxel Inhibit Ovarian Cancer Spheroid Growth and Overcome Paclitaxel Resistance
Authors: Borghese Cinzia , Casagrande Naike , Corona Giuseppe , Aldinucci Donatella
Published: April 2020

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) primed with paclitaxel (PTX) are now hypothesized to represent a potential Trojan horse to vehicle and deliver PTX into tumors. We analyzed the anticancer activity of PTX released by ADSCs primed with PTX (PTX-ADSCs) (~20 ng/mL) in a panel of ovarian cancer (OvCa) cells sensitive or resistant to PTX. We used two (2D) and three dimensional (3D) in vitro models (multicellular tumor spheroids, MCTSs, and heterospheroids) to mimic tumor growth in ascites. The coculture of OvCa cells with PTX-ADSCs inhibited cell viability in 2D models and in 3D heterospheroids (SKOV3-MCTSs plus PTX-ADSCs) and counteracted PTX-resistance in Kuramochi cells. The cytotoxic effects of free PTX and of equivalent amounts of PTX secreted in PTX-ADSC-conditioned medium (CM) were compared. PTX-ADSC-CM decreased OvCa cell proliferation, was more active than free PTX and counteracted PTX-resistance in Kuramochi cells (6.0-fold decrease in the IC50 values). Cells cultivated as 3D aggregated MCTSs were more resistant to PTX than 2D cultivation. PTX-ADSC-CM (equivalent-PTX) was more active than PTX in MCTSs and counteracted PTX-resistance in all cell lines. PTX-ADSC-CM also inhibited OvCa-MCTS dissemination on collagen-coated wells. In conclusion, PTX-ADSCs and PTX-MSCs-CM may represent a new option with which to overcome PTX-resistance in OvCa.
Repurposing Old Drugs into New Epigenetic Inhibitors: Promising Candidates for Cancer Treatment?
Authors: Moreira-Silva Filipa , Camilo Vânia , Gaspar Vítor , Mano João F. , Henrique Rui , Jerónimo Carmen
Published: April 2020

Epigenetic alterations, as a cancer hallmark, are associated with cancer initiation, progression and aggressiveness. Considering, however, that these alterations are reversible, drugs that target epigenetic machinery may have an inhibitory effect upon cancer treatment. The traditional drug discovery pathway is time-consuming and expensive, and thus, new and more effective strategies are required. Drug Repurposing (DR) comprises the discovery of a new medical indication for a drug that is approved for another indication, which has been recalled, that was not accepted or failed to prove efficacy. DR presents several advantages, mainly reduced resources, absence of the initial target discovery process and the reduced time necessary for the drug to be commercially available. There are numerous old drugs that are under study as repurposed epigenetic inhibitors which have demonstrated promising results in in vitro tumor models. Herein, we summarize the DR process and explore several repurposed drugs with different epigenetic targets that constitute promising candidates for cancer treatment, highlighting their mechanisms of action.
Salt Tolerance and Na Allocation in Sorghum bicolor under Variable Soil and Water Salinity
Authors: Calone Roberta , Sanoubar Rabab , Lambertini Carla , Speranza Maria , Vittori Antisari Livia , Vianello Gilmo , Barbanti Lorenzo
Published: April 2020

Salinity is a major constraint for plant growth in world areas exposed to salinization. Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench is a species that has received attention for biomass production in saline areas thanks to drought and salinity tolerance. To improve the knowledge in the mechanisms of salt tolerance and sodium allocation to plant organs, a pot experiment was set up. The experimental design combined three levels of soil salinity (0, 3, and 6 dS m−1) with three levels of water salinity (0, 2–4, and 4–8 dS m−1) and two water regimes: no salt leaching (No SL) and salt leaching (SL). This latter regime was carried out with the same three water salinity levels and resulted in average +81% water supply. High soil salinity associated with high water salinity (HSS-HWS) affected plant growth and final dry weight (DW) to a greater extent in No SL (−87% DW) than SL (−42% DW). Additionally, HSS-HWS determined a stronger decrease in leaf water potential and relative water content under No SL than SL. HSS-HWS with No SL resulted in a higher Na bioaccumulation from soil to plant and in translocation from roots to stem and, finally, leaves, which are the most sensitive organ. Higher water availability (SL), although determining higher salt input when associated with HWS, limited Na bioaccumulation, prevented Na translocation to leaves, and enhanced selective absorption of Ca vs. Na. At plant level, higher Na accumulation was associated with lower Ca and Mg accumulation, especially in No SL. This indicates altered ion homeostasis and cation unbalance.
Comparative Analysis of the Complete Chloroplast Genome of Mainland Aster spathulifolius and Other Aster Species
Authors: Tyagi Swati , Jung Jae-A , Kim Jung Sun , Won So Youn
Published: April 2020

Aster spathulifolius, a common ornamental and medicinal plant, is widely distributed in Korea and Japan, and is genetically classified into mainland and island types. Here, we sequenced the whole chloroplast genome of mainland A. spathulifolius and compared it with those of the island type and other Aster species. The chloroplast genome of mainland A. spathulifolius is 152,732 bp with a conserved quadripartite structure, has 37.28% guanine-cytosine (GC) content, and contains 114 non-redundant genes. Comparison of the chloroplast genomes between the two A. spathulifolius lines and the other Aster species revealed that their sequences, GC contents, gene contents and orders, and exon-intron structure were well conserved; however, differences were observed in their lengths, repeat sequences, and the contraction and expansion of the inverted repeats. The variations were mostly in the single-copy regions and non-coding regions, which, together with the detected simple sequence repeats, could be used for the development of molecular markers to distinguish between these plants. All Aster species clustered into a monophyletic group, but the chloroplast genome of mainland A. spathulifolius was more similar to the other Aster species than to that of the island A. spathulifolius. The accD and ndhF genes were detected to be under positive selection within the Aster lineage compared to other related taxa. The complete chloroplast genome of mainland A. spathulifolius presented in this study will be helpful for species identification and the analysis of the genetic diversity, evolution, and phylogenetic relationships in the Aster genus and the Asteraceae.
Diblock, Triblock and Cyclic Amphiphilic Copolymers with CO2 Switchability: Effects of Topology
Authors: Jiang Yuting , Zhang Tong , Yi Zheng , Han Yixiu , Su Xin , Feng Yujun
Published: April 2020

The combination of topology and CO2 switchability could provide new options for amphiphilic copolymers. Cyclic molecules supply novel topologies, and CO2 switching provides stimulus responsiveness. Cyclic poly(2–(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)–b–poly(ethylene oxide) and their corresponding block copolymers were prepared from poly(ethylene oxide) and 2–(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate via atom transfer radical polymerization and Keck allylation with a Hoveyda–Grubbs catalyst. Changes in conductivity, surface activity, and hydrodynamic size were examined to illustrate the switchability of the produced amphiphilic copolymers upon contact with CO2 in the presence of water. The reversible emulsification and switchable viscosity behaviors of the copolymers were also demonstrated.
Self-Healing and Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Polyurethane/Eugenol-Based Phenoxy Resin Blends via Exchange Reactions
Authors: Liang Jing-Yu , Shin Se-Ra , Lee Soo-Hyoung , Lee Dai-Soo
Published: April 2020

The possibility of exchange reactions and thermal self-healing in blends of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and phenoxy resin was investigated herein. The analyses were based on characterization obtained via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tensile test. A new phenoxy resin was synthesized from eugenol, and blends with different types of TPU were prepared to investigate the exchange reaction, thermal self-healing, and mechanical properties. The influence of phenoxy resin content on the mechanical behavior and healing efficiency was studied. Improvement of storage modulus owing to the increase of phenoxy resin content was observed. Results suggest that the exchange reaction between phenoxy- and ester-type TPU occurred during thermal treatment. However, little exchange occurred between phenoxy resin and ether-type TPU. Specifically, only ester-type TPU exhibited a significant exchange reaction in the phenoxy resin blend. Furthermore, in the presence of a catalyst (e.g., zinc acetate), the exchange reaction readily occurred, and the healing efficiency improved by the addition of the catalyst and increase in the phenoxy content.
Hydrothermal Effect on Mechanical Properties of Nephila pilipes Spidroin
Authors: Wu Hsuan-Chen , Pandey Aditi , Chang Liang-Yu , Hsu Chieh-Yun , Yang Thomas Chung-Kuang , Tso I-Min , Sheu Hwo-Shuenn , Yang Jen-Chang
Published: April 2020

The superlative mechanical properties of spider silk and its conspicuous variations have instigated significant interest over the past few years. However, current attempts to synthetically spin spider silk fibers often yield an inferior physical performance, owing to the improper molecular interactions of silk proteins. Considering this, herein, a post-treatment process to reorganize molecular structures and improve the physical strength of spider silk is reported. The major ampullate dragline silk from Nephila pilipes with a high β-sheet content and an adequate tensile strength was utilized as the study material, while that from Cyrtophora moluccensis was regarded as a reference. Our results indicated that the hydrothermal post-treatment (50–70 °C) of natural spider silk could effectively induce the alternation of secondary structures (random coil to β-sheet) and increase the overall tensile strength of the silk. Such advantageous post-treatment strategy when applied to regenerated spider silk also leads to an increment in the strength by ~2.5–3.0 folds, recapitulating ~90% of the strength of native spider silk. Overall, this study provides a facile and effective post-spinning means for enhancing the molecular structures and mechanical properties of as-spun silk threads, both natural and regenerated.
Effects of Particle Size on Diffusion Kinetics in Chinese Anthracites during CH4 Desorption
Authors: Zang Jie , Wang Kai , Yu Yanbin
Published: April 2020

Diffusion kinetics is widely acknowledged to dominate gas flow in coal matrix blocks. Knowledge of this topic is important for ongoing coalbed methane recovery and CO2-enhanced coalbed methane production. Because laboratory diffusivity measurements are normally conducted on powdered coals, it is unclear how representative the results are for coalbeds. Investigations into the effects of particle size on gas diffusivity can provide insights into the in situ diffusivity of the coal matrix. This paper presents measured CH4 desorption data in two Chinese anthracites (one brittle, one hard) having different particle sizes, to investigate the effects of particle size on diffusion kinetics. The experimental data were fitted by both the unipore (UP) and bidisperse (BD) models. The BD model agreed better with the measured data than the UP model, especially for the brittle coal. This indicated that the brittle coal was more abundant in macropores than the hard coal. Diffusivity in the hard coal decreased with increasing particle size but varied stochastically within a small value range in the brittle coal as the particle size increased. The diffusivity of the brittle coal, with its higher vitrinite content and lower inertinite content, was greater compared with the hard coal. This was inconsistent with reported data in which vitrinite had a smaller diffusivity than inertinite. This anomalous phenomenon may be caused by the generation of comparatively more macropores during grinding in the brittle coal. These results indicate that the effects of particle size on diffusivity may be coal-dependent, and further, the effects of particle size are influenced by other factors, including coal structure.
Religion and Peace—Anatomy of a Love–Hate Relationship
Authors: Schliesser Christine
Published: April 2020

Human history is filled with numerous examples—both past and present—that make religion and violence appear to be best friends. Ever since the events surrounding 9/11, religiously inspired violence has been considered one of the most pressing issues of our times (cf. Juergensmeyer 2017; Kimball 2008). While the conflictive dimensions of religion are still indisputably at the forefront of public and political attention, religion’s significant resources for peace and reconciliation gain increasing attention as well. This contribution will provide an analysis of the love–hate relationship between religion and peace in three consecutive steps. The first part focuses on the role(s) of religion in conflict. Frazer and Owen’s six different ways of thinking about religion provide a model for better understanding religion’s conflictive sides (Frazer and Owen 2018; cf. Frazer and Friedli 2015). In a second step, this article discusses religion’s potent, yet often neglected constructive resources for sustainable peace. While taking into account the vast diversity of religious actors, certain content-based and formal characteristics emerge that help to shed light on the otherwise vague “religious factor” in peacebuilding. Finally, an example taken from post-genocide Rwanda will serve to illustrate the discussions in parts I and II.
A Pragmatic Approach to the Design of Advanced Precision Terrain-Aided Navigation for UAVs and Its Verification
Authors: Lee Jungshin , Sung Chang-Ky , Oh Juhyun , Han Kyungjun , Lee Sangwoo , Yu Myeong-Jong
Published: April 2020

Autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) require highly reliable navigation information. Generally, navigation systems with the inertial navigation system (INS) and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) have been widely used. However, the GNSS is vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. The terrain referenced navigation (TRN) technique can be used to solve this problem. In this study, to obtain reliable navigation information even if a GNSS is not available or the degree of terrain roughness is not determined, we propose a federated filter based INS/GNSS/TRN integrated navigation system. We also introduce a TRN system that combines batch processing and an auxiliary particle filter to ensure stable flight of UAVs even in a long-term GNSS-denied environment. As an altimeter sensor for the TRN system, an interferometric radar altimeter (IRA) is used to obtain reliable navigation accuracy in high altitude flight. In addition, a parallel computing technique with general purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) is applied to process a high resolution terrain database and a nonlinear filter in real-time on board. Finally, the performance of the proposed system is verified through software-in-the-loop (SIL) tests and captive flight tests in a GNSS unavailable environment.
Change Detection in Aerial Images Using Three-Dimensional Feature Maps
Authors: Javadi Saleh , Dahl Mattias , I. Pettersson Mats
Published: April 2020

Interest in aerial image analysis has increased owing to recent developments in and availability of aerial imaging technologies, like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as a growing need for autonomous surveillance systems. Variant illumination, intensity noise, and different viewpoints are among the main challenges to overcome in order to determine changes in aerial images. In this paper, we present a robust method for change detection in aerial images. To accomplish this, the method extracts three-dimensional (3D) features for segmentation of objects above a defined reference surface at each instant. The acquired 3D feature maps, with two measurements, are then used to determine changes in a scene over time. In addition, the important parameters that affect measurement, such as the camera’s sampling rate, image resolution, the height of the drone, and the pixel’s height information, are investigated through a mathematical model. To exhibit its applicability, the proposed method has been evaluated on aerial images of various real-world locations and the results are promising. The performance indicates the robustness of the method in addressing the problems of conventional change detection methods, such as intensity differences and shadows.
The Effectiveness of Large-Scale, High-Resolution Ground-Penetrating Radar Surveys and Trial Trenching for Archaeological Site Evaluations—A Comparative Study from Two Sites in Norway
Authors: Gustavsen Lars , Stamnes Arne Anderson , Fretheim Silje Elisabeth , Gjerpe Lars Erik , Nau Erich
Published: April 2020

The use of large-scale, high-resolution ground-penetrating radar surveys has increasingly become a part of Norwegian cultural heritage management as a complementary method to trial trenching surveys to detect and delineate archaeological sites. The aim of this article is to collect, interpret and compare large-scale, high-resolution ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey data with results from trial trenching and subsequent large-scale excavations, and to extract descriptive and spatial statistics on detection rates and precision for both evaluation methods. This, in turn, is used to assess the advantages and disadvantages of both conventional, intrusive methods and large-scale GPR surveys. Neither method proved to be flawless, and while the trial trenching had a better overall detection rate, organic and charcoal rich features were nearly just as easily detected by both methods. Similarly, the spatial representability was similar, even though the total detection rates were lower with the GPR. This can be used as an argument in advance of integrating full-coverage GPR results into a site evaluation scheme, preferably in combination with other methods. Overall, these analyses have highlighted drawbacks and possibilities in both methods that are important contributions in understanding how to use them and integrate them in future site evaluations.
A Change-Driven Image Foveation Approach for Tracking Plant Phenology
Authors: Silva Ewerton , Torres Ricardo da S. , Alberton Bruna , Morellato Leonor Patricia C. , Silva Thiago S. F.
Published: April 2020

One of the challenges in remote phenology studies lies in how to efficiently manage large volumes of data obtained as long-term sequences of high-resolution images. A promising approach is known as image foveation, which is able to reduce the computational resources used (i.e., memory storage) in several applications. In this paper, we propose an image foveation approach towards plant phenology tracking where relevant changes within an image time series guide the creation of foveal models used to resample unseen images. By doing so, images are taken to a space-variant domain where regions vary in resolution according to their contextual relevance for the application. We performed our validation on a dataset of vegetation image sequences previously used in plant phenology studies.
Hyperspectral Classification of Cyperus esculentus Clones and Morphologically Similar Weeds
Authors: Lauwers Marlies , De Cauwer Benny , Nuyttens David , Cool Simon R. , Pieters Jan G.
Published: April 2020

Cyperus esculentus (yellow nutsedge) is one of the world’s worst weeds as it can cause great damage to crops and crop production. To eradicate C. esculentus, early detection is key—a challenging task as it is often confused with other Cyperaceae and displays wide genetic variability. In this study, the objective was to classify C. esculentus clones and morphologically similar weeds. Hyperspectral reflectance between 500 and 800 nm was tested as a measure to discriminate between (I) C. esculentus and morphologically similar Cyperaceae weeds, and between (II) different clonal populations of C. esculentus using three classification models: random forest (RF), regularized logistic regression (RLR) and partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS–DA). RLR performed better than RF and PLS–DA, and was able to adequately classify the samples. The possibility of creating an affordable multispectral sensing tool, for precise in-field recognition of C. esculentus plants based on fewer spectral bands, was tested. Results of this study were compared against simulated results from a commercially available multispectral camera with four spectral bands. The model created with customized bands performed almost equally well as the original PLS–DA or RLR model, and much better than the model describing multispectral image data from a commercially available camera. These results open up the opportunity to develop a dedicated robust tool for C. esculentus recognition based on four spectral bands and an appropriate classification model.
Variable Thickness in Plates—A Solution for SHM Based on the Topological Derivative
Authors: Martínez Anxo , Güemes Alfredo , Perales Jose M. , Vega Jose M.
Published: April 2020

The topological derivative tool is applied here in structural health monitoring (SHM) problems to locate small defects in a material plate with complex geometry that is subject to permanent multifrequency guided waves excitation. Compared to more standard SHM methods, based in measuring the time-lag between emitted and received propagative pulses plus some postprocessing, the topological derivative somehow compares the measured and computed (solving the full elasto-dynamic equations) response of the damaged plate, instead of relying on only the time of flight of the wave. Thus, the method profits the knowledge behind the physics of the problem and can cope with scenarios in which classical methods give poor results. The authors of this paper have already used the topological derivative in rectangular plates with constant thickness, but with defects consisting simply in both through slits and inclusions of a different material, and actuators/sensors located near the boundary, which makes very difficult to use standard SHM methods. This is an extension of the method, also considering the much more difficult to analyze case of plates with variable thickness and complex (non-rectangular) planform.
The Effectiveness of Varroa destructor Infestation Classification Using an E-Nose Depending on the Time of Day
Authors: Szczurek Andrzej , Maciejewska Monika , Zajiczek Żaneta , Bąk Beata , Wilk Jakub , Wilde Jerzy , Siuda Maciej
Published: April 2020

Honey bees are subject to a number of stressors. In recent years, there has been a worldwide decline in the population of these insects. Losses raise a serious concern, because bees have an indispensable role in the food supply of humankind. This work is focused on the method of assessment of honey bee colony infestation by Varroa destructor. The approach allows to detect several categories of infestation: “Low”, “Medium” and “High”. The method of detection consists of two components: (1) the measurements of beehive air using a gas sensor array and (2) classification, which is based on the measurement data. In this work, we indicate the sensitivity of the bee colony infestation assessment to the timing of measurement data collection. It was observed that the semiconductor gas sensor responses to the atmosphere of a defined beehive, collected during 24 h, displayed temporal variation. We demonstrated that the success rate of the bee colony infestation assessment also altered depending on the time of day when the gas sensor array measurement was done. Moreover, it was found that different times of day were the most favorable to detect the particular infestation category. This result could indicate that the representation of the disease in the beehive air may be confounded during the day, due to some interferences. More studies are needed to explain this fact and determine the best measurement periods. The problem addressed in this work is very important for scheduling the beekeeping practices aimed at Varroa destructor infestation assessment, using the proposed method.
Edge Machine Learning for AI-Enabled IoT Devices: A Review
Authors: Merenda Massimo , Porcaro Carlo , Iero Demetrio
Published: April 2020

In a few years, the world will be populated by billions of connected devices that will be placed in our homes, cities, vehicles, and industries. Devices with limited resources will interact with the surrounding environment and users. Many of these devices will be based on machine learning models to decode meaning and behavior behind sensors’ data, to implement accurate predictions and make decisions. The bottleneck will be the high level of connected things that could congest the network. Hence, the need to incorporate intelligence on end devices using machine learning algorithms. Deploying machine learning on such edge devices improves the network congestion by allowing computations to be performed close to the data sources. The aim of this work is to provide a review of the main techniques that guarantee the execution of machine learning models on hardware with low performances in the Internet of Things paradigm, paving the way to the Internet of Conscious Things. In this work, a detailed review on models, architecture, and requirements on solutions that implement edge machine learning on Internet of Things devices is presented, with the main goal to define the state of the art and envisioning development requirements. Furthermore, an example of edge machine learning implementation on a microcontroller will be provided, commonly regarded as the machine learning “Hello World”.
Improvements in Physical Activity Levels after the Implementation of an Active-Break-Model-Based Program in a Primary School
Authors: Muñoz-Parreño Julián A. , Belando-Pedreño Noelia , Torres-Luque Gema , Valero-Valenzuela Alfonso
Published: April 2020

The aim of this study was to analyze changes in the physical activity levels in students after implementing an active break (AB)-model-based program during the school day. Forty-four fifth-grade primary school children (24 boys, 20 girls, with a mean age = 10.44 ± 0.45) participated in a 17 week program. After intervention, there was an increase in moderate and vigorous total activity during physical education lessons, non-physical education lessons, and recesses. Intervention programs to encourage physical activity and decrease sedentary time are recommended.
Competitive Anxiety in Young Basketball Players from the Real Madrid Foundation
Authors: Ortega Vila Gema , Robles Rodríguez José , Giménez Fuentes-Guerra Francisco Javier , Franco Martín Jorge , Jiménez Sánchez Ana Concepción , Durán González Luis Javier , Abad Robles Manuel Tomás
Published: April 2020

Competition during the sports training process should aid young athletes’ overall development. The aim of this study was to ascertain the levels of competitive anxiety in athletes who practice basketball at the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF)’s Social-Sports Schools, and to analyze whether any differences exist in regard to anxiety in the various subscales that take into account gender, participation in the RMF’s internal competitions, and basketball modalities (mini basketball/basketball). The study sample consisted of 320 players (224 boys and 96 girls) belonging to the following different age groups: 8–9-year-olds, 10–11-year-olds, 12–13-year-olds, and 14–15-year-olds (M = 10.54; SD = 1.92). The Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) was used in the version translated and validated in Spanish. It was found that the athletes displayed low levels of competitive anxiety in all three subscales. No significant differences were observed between the genders, nor between basketball modalities (mini basketball/basketball). Finally, a positive correlation was observed between the various subscales.
The Impact of Retailers’ Low-Carbon Investment on the Supply Chain under Carbon Tax and Carbon Trading Policies
Authors: Zou Fei , Zhou Yanju , Yuan Caihua
Published: April 2020

In the current low-carbon economy, the government has adopted carbon taxes and carbon trading policies to control the carbon emissions of manufacturers. As consumers become increasingly aware of low-carbon, some retailers have also started investing in low-carbon to shape their public image and increase their competitiveness to attract more customers. In this paper, the Stackelberg game method is utilized to solve the model, and the graphs are used to analyze the benefits of retailers' low-carbon investment on the supply chain through numerical analysis. It is found that when the emission reduction cost coefficient of manufacturers is relatively low, manufacturers are willing to reduce carbon emissions. At this time, increasing carbon tax and the carbon emission permits price can effectively promote the emission reduction behavior of manufacturers, because it increases demand for products and the profit of manufacturers and retailers. However, when the emission reduction cost coefficient of the manufacturers is quite high, increasing carbon tax and carbon emission permits price cannot effectively promote the emission reduction behavior, because this situation of the emission reduction reduces the profit of manufacturers. The main contribution of this paper discovers that the green cost coefficient of retailers' low-carbon investment will adjust the impact of the carbon tax and the carbon trading price on the profits of retailers and manufacturers which proves that retailers’ low-carbon investment is beneficial to the supply chain. When the emission reduction cost coefficient is high and the green cost coefficient is low, increasing the carbon tax or carbon emission permits price can increase the profit of manufacturers and retailers. Finally, we design a supply chain coordination of comprehensive sharing contact for retailers and manufacturers. The result shows that this contract has economic and environmental benefits, and that it is beneficial for the environment and economy of sustainable development.