bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postbiotic Supplementation for Children and Newborn’s Health
Authors: Morniroli Daniela , Vizzari Giulia , Consales Alessandra , Mosca Fabio , Giannì Maria Lorella
Published: February 2021

It is now well known how the microbiota can positively or negatively influence humans health, depending on its composition. The microbiota’s countless beneficial effects have allowed it to be defined as a genuine symbiont for our species. In an attempt to positively influence the microbiota, research has focused on probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are viable beneficial bacteria of various strains. Prebiotics are specific substances able to favor the development of advantageous bacteria strains. Postbiotics are a new category of compounds capable of affecting the microbiota. According to the different definitions, postbiotics include both nonviable bacteria and substances deriving from bacterial metabolism. Postbiotics are particularly promising in pediatric settings, as they offer some advantages over probiotics, including the absence of the risk of intestinal translocation or worsening of local inflammation. For these reasons, their use in fragile population categories such as newborns, and even more prematures, seems to be the best solution for improving microbiota’s health in this population. This narrative review aims to collect the research conducted so far on postbiotics’ potential in the first stages of life.
Etiology and Management of Pediatric Intestinal Failure: Focus on the Non-Digestive Causes
Authors: Diamanti Antonella , Calvitti Giacomo , Martinelli Diego , Santariga Emma , Capriati Teresa , Bolasco Giulia , Iughetti Lorenzo , Pujia Arturo , Knafelz Daniela , Maggiore Giuseppe
Published: February 2021

Background: Intestinal failure (IF) is defined as reduction in functioning gut mass below the minimal amount necessary for adequate digestion and absorption. In most cases, IF results from intrinsic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (digestive IF) (DIF); few cases arise from digestive vascular components, gut annexed (liver and pancreas) and extra-digestive organs or from systemic diseases (non-digestive IF) (NDIF). The present review revised etiology and treatments of DIF and NDIF, with special focus on the pathophysiological mechanisms, whereby NDIF develops. Methods: We performed a comprehensive search of published literature from January 2010 to the present by selecting the following search strings: “intestinal failure” OR “home parenteral nutrition” OR “short bowel syndrome” OR “chronic pseudo-obstruction” OR “chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction” OR “autoimmune enteropathy” OR “long-term parenteral nutrition”. Results: We collected overall 1656 patients with well-documented etiology of IF: 1419 with DIF (86%) and 237 with NDIF (14%), 55% males and 45% females. Among DIF cases, 66% had SBS and among NDIF cases 90% had malabsorption/maldigestion. Conclusions: The improved availability of diagnostic and therapeutic tools has increased prevalence and life expectancy of rare and severe diseases responsible for IF. The present review greatly expands the spectrum of knowledge on the pathophysiological mechanisms through which the diseases not strictly affecting the intestine can cause IF. In view of the rarity of the majority of pediatric IF diseases, the development of IF Registries is strongly required; in fact, through information flow within the network, the Registries could improve IF knowledge and management.
Colonic In Vitro Model Assessment of the Prebiotic Potential of Bread Fortified with Polyphenols Rich Olive Fiber
Authors: Nissen Lorenzo , Casciano Flavia , Chiarello Elena , Di Nunzio Mattia , Bordoni Alessandra , Gianotti Andrea
Published: February 2021

The use of olive pomace could represent an innovative and low-cost strategy to formulate healthier and value-added foods, and bakery products are good candidates for enrichment. In this work, we explored the prebiotic potential of bread enriched with Polyphenol Rich Fiber (PRF), a defatted olive pomace byproduct previously studied in the European Project H2020 EcoProlive. To this aim, after in vitro digestion, the PRF-enriched bread, its standard control, and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) underwent distal colonic fermentation using the in vitro colon model MICODE (multi-unit colon gut model). Sampling was done prior, over and after 24 h of fermentation, then metabolomic analysis by Solid Phase Micro Extraction Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (SPME GCMS), 16S-rDNA genomic sequencing of colonic microbiota by MiSeq, and absolute quantification of main bacterial species by qPCR were performed. The results indicated that PRF-enriched bread generated positive effects on the host gut model: (i) surge in eubiosis; (ii) increased abundance of beneficial bacterial groups, such as Bifidobacteriaceae and Lactobacillales; (iii) production of certain bioactive metabolites, such as low organic fatty acids; (iv) reduction in detrimental compounds, such as skatole. Our study not only evidenced the prebiotic role of PRF-enriched bread, thereby paving the road for further use of olive by-products, but also highlighted the potential of the in vitro gut model MICODE in the critical evaluation of functionality of food prototypes as modulators of the gut microbiota.
Molecular Investigation of Klebsiella pneumoniae from Clinical Companion Animals in Beijing, China, 2017–2019
Authors: Zhang Zhenbiao , Lei Lei , Zhang Haixia , Dai Hegen , Song Yu , Li Lei , Wang Yang , Xia Zhaofei
Published: February 2021

This work is aimed to elucidate the prevalence and characteristics of antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and molecular typing in Klebsiella pneumoniae from clinical companion animals in Beijing, China. In total, 105 K. pneumoniae (2.0%) isolates were recovered from 5359 samples (dogs, n = 3356; cats, n = 2003). All tested isolates exhibited high resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanate (74.3%). Moreover, resistance rates in dog isolates (2.1%) were significantly higher than in cat isolates (0.9%); however, the rate of multidrug-resistance (MDR) was 57.1% and the MDR prevalence in cats was significantly higher than dogs. Whole-genome sequencing demonstrated plasmids IncX4 and IncFIA (HI1)/FII(K) carried mcr-1 (n = 1) and mcr-8 (n = 1), but blaOXA-181 (n = 1) and blaNDM-5 (n = 4) were harbored in IncX3-type plasmids, and the above genes were in different isolates. The most prevalent sequence types (STs) in companion animals were ST1 (n = 9) and ST37 (n = 9). Compared to National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) data on human K. pneumoniae, resistance genes blaCTX-M and blaTEM were more prevalent in human isolates; however, aac(6′)-Ib-cr and oqxAB showed a higher prevalence in companion animals. Hypermucoviscosity was reported in 9 (8.6%) isolates, whereas 64 isolates (61.0%) were hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKP) via the Galleria mellonella. These findings validate the high risk of K. pneumonia and necessitate its relevant control in pet clinics.
Aberrant Expression of microRNA Clusters in Head and Neck Cancer Development and Progression: Current and Future Translational Impacts
Authors: Li Li-Jie , Chang Wei-Min , Hsiao Michael
Published: February 2021

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs known to negative regulate endogenous genes. Some microRNAs have high sequence conservation and localize as clusters in the genome. Their coordination is regulated by simple genetic and epigenetic events mechanism. In cells, single microRNAs can regulate multiple genes and microRNA clusters contain multiple microRNAs. MicroRNAs can be differentially expressed and act as oncogenic or tumor suppressor microRNAs, which are based on the roles of microRNA-regulated genes. It is vital to understand their effects, regulation, and various biological functions under both normal and disease conditions. Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas are some of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide and are regulated by many factors, including the dysregulation of microRNAs and their clusters. In disease stages, microRNA clusters can potentially control every field of oncogenic function, including growth, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and intercellular commutation. Furthermore, microRNA clusters are regulated by genetic mutations or translocations, transcription factors, and epigenetic modifications. Additionally, microRNA clusters harbor the potential to act therapeutically against cancer in the future. Here, we review recent advances in microRNA cluster research, especially relative to head and neck cancers, and discuss their regulation and biological functions under pathological conditions as well as translational applications.
Inhibition of Intercellular Cytosolic Traffic via Gap Junctions Reinforces Lomustine-Induced Toxicity in Glioblastoma Independent of MGMT Promoter Methylation Status
Authors: Schneider Matthias , Potthoff Anna-Laura , Evert Bernd O. , Dicks Marius , Ehrentraut Denise , Dolf Andreas , Schmidt Elena N. C. , Schäfer Niklas , Borger Valeri , Pietsch Torsten , Westhoff Mike-Andrew , Güresir Erdem , Waha Andreas , Vatter Hartmut , Heiland Dieter H. , Schuss Patrick , Herrlinger Ulrich
Published: February 2021

Glioblastoma is a malignant brain tumor and one of the most lethal cancers in human. Temozolomide constitutes the standard chemotherapeutic agent, but only shows limited efficacy in glioblastoma patients with unmethylated O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter status. Recently, it has been shown that glioblastoma cells communicate via particular ion-channels—so-called gap junctions. Interestingly, inhibition of these ion channels has been reported to render MGMT promoter-methylated glioblastoma cells more susceptible for a therapy with temozolomide. However, given the percentage of about 65% of glioblastoma patients with an unmethylated MGMT promoter methylation status, this treatment strategy is limited to only a minority of glioblastoma patients. In the present study we show that—in contrast to temozolomide—pharmacological inhibition of intercellular cytosolic traffic via gap junctions reinforces the antitumoral effects of chemotherapeutic agent lomustine, independent of MGMT promoter methylation status. In view of the growing interest of lomustine in glioblastoma first and second line therapy, these findings might provide a clinically-feasible way to profoundly augment chemotherapeutic effects for all glioblastoma patients.
Discovery and Optimization of Selective Inhibitors of Meprin α (Part II)
Authors: Wang Chao , Diez Juan , Park Hajeung , Becker-Pauly Christoph , Fields Gregg B. , Spicer Timothy P. , Scampavia Louis D. , Minond Dmitriy , Bannister Thomas D.
Published: February 2021

Meprin α is a zinc metalloproteinase (metzincin) that has been implicated in multiple diseases, including fibrosis and cancers. It has proven difficult to find small molecules that are capable of selectively inhibiting meprin α, or its close relative meprin β, over numerous other metzincins which, if inhibited, would elicit unwanted effects. We recently identified possible molecular starting points for meprin α-specific inhibition through an HTS effort (see part I, preceding paper). Here, in part II, we report further efforts to optimize potency and selectivity. We hope that a hydroxamic acid meprin α inhibitor probe will help define the therapeutic potential for small molecule meprin α inhibition and spur further drug discovery efforts in the area of zinc metalloproteinase inhibition.
Foes or Friends: ABA and Ethylene Interaction under Abiotic Stress
Authors: Müller Maren
Published: February 2021

Due to their sessile nature, plants constantly adapt to their environment by modulating various internal plant hormone signals and distributions, as plants perceive environmental changes. Plant hormones include abscisic acid (ABA), auxins, brassinosteroids, cytokinins, ethylene, gibberellins, jasmonates, salicylic acid, and strigolactones, which collectively regulate plant growth, development, metabolism, and defense. Moreover, plant hormone crosstalk coordinates a sophisticated plant hormone network to achieve specific physiological functions, on both a spatial and temporal level. Thus, the study of hormone–hormone interactions is a competitive field of research for deciphering the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Among plant hormones, ABA and ethylene present a fascinating case of interaction. They are commonly recognized to act antagonistically in the control of plant growth, and development, as well as under stress conditions. However, several studies on ABA and ethylene suggest that they can operate in parallel or even interact positively. Here, an overview is provided of the current knowledge on ABA and ethylene interaction, focusing on abiotic stress conditions and a simplified hypothetical model describing stomatal closure / opening, regulated by ABA and ethylene.
Plant Recovery after Metal Stress—A Review
Authors: Chmielowska-Bąk Jagna , Deckert Joanna
Published: February 2021

Contamination of the environment with metals, their adverse impact on plant performance and transmission to the human food chain through crops and vegetables are important concerns worldwide. Although the literature on metal contamination, toxicity and plant response to this stress factor is quite abundant, there are very limited reports on the phenomenon of plant recovery after metal stress. The present article reviews available literature on the recovery process examined in various plant species, in response to several metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn), applied at different concentrations and treatment duration. The reviewed studies have been carried out in laboratory conditions. However, it should be highlighted that although metal stress is not as transient as most of other stress factors (e.g., drought, heat, chilling), metal concentration in the soil may still decrease due to, e.g., leaching to lower soil layers or uptake by organisms. Thus, in natural conditions, plants may be subjected to post-metal-stress conditions. The review also discusses the mechanism behind efficient recovery and the impact of post metal stress on future plant performance—possible acquisition of stress memory, adaptation to unfavorable conditions and cross-tolerance towards other stress factors.
UV-Assisted 3D Printing of Polymer Composites from Thermally and Mechanically Recycled Carbon Fibers
Authors: Mantelli Andrea , Romani Alessia , Suriano Raffaella , Diani Marco , Colledani Marcello , Sarlin Essi , Turri Stefano , Levi Marinella
Published: February 2021

Despite the growing global interest in 3D printed carbon fiber reinforced polymers, most of the applications are still limited to high-performance sectors due to the low effectiveness–cost ratio of virgin carbon fibers. However, the use of recycled carbon fibers in 3D printing is almost unexplored, especially for thermoset-based composites. This paper aims to demonstrate the feasibility of recycled carbon fibers 3D printing via UV-assisted direct ink writing. Pyrolyzed recycled carbon fibers with a sizing treatment were firstly shredded to be used as a reinforcement of a thermally and photo-curable acrylic resin. UV-differential scanning calorimetry analyses were then performed to define the material crosslinking of the 3D printable ink. Because of the poor UV reactivity of the resin loaded with carbon fibers, a rheology modifier was added to guarantee shape retention after 3D printing. Thanks to a customized 3D printer based on a commercial apparatus, a batch of specimens was successfully 3D printed. According to the tensile tests and Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis, the material shows good mechanical properties and the absence of layer marks related to the 3D printing. These results will, therefore, pave the way for the use of 3D printed recycled carbon fiber reinforced polymers in new fields of application.
Investigation of Fire Protection Performance and Mechanical Properties of Thin-Ply Bio-Epoxy Composites
Authors: Cong Xiaoye , Khalili Pooria , Zhu Chenkai , Li Saihua , Li Jingjing , Rudd Chris , Liu Xiaoling
Published: February 2021

Hybrid composites composed of bio-based thin-ply carbon fibre prepreg and flame-retardant mats (E20MI) have been produced to investigate the effects of laminate design on their fire protection performance and mechanical properties. These flame-retardant mats rely primarily on expandable graphite, mineral wool and glass fibre to generate a thermal barrier that releases incombustible gasses and protects the underlying material. A flame retardant (FR) mat is incorporated into the carbon fibre bio-based polymeric laminate and the relationship between the fire protection properties and mechanical properties is investigated. Hybrid composite laminates containing FR mats either at the exterior surfaces or embedded 2-plies deep have been tested by the limited oxygen index (LOI), vertical burning test and cone calorimetry. The addition of the surface or embedded E20MI flame retardant mats resulted in an improvement from a base line of 33.1% to 47.5% and 45.8%, respectively. All laminates passed the vertical burning test standard of FAR 25.853. Cone calorimeter data revealed an increase in the time to ignition (TTI) for the hybrid composites containing the FR mat, while the peak of heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (TTR) were greatly reduced. Furthermore, the maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE) values indicated that both composites with flame retardant mats had achieved the requirements of EN 45545-2. However, the tensile strengths of laminates with surface or embedded flame-retardant mats were reduced from 1215.94 MPa to 885.92 MPa and 975.48 MPa, respectively. Similarly, the bending strength was reduced from 836.41 MPa to 767.03 MPa and 811.36 MPa, respectively.
Gluing Techniques on Bond Performance and Mechanical Properties of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Made from Larix kaempferi
Authors: Li Mingyue , Zhang Shuangbao , Gong Yingchun , Tian Zhaopeng , Ren Haiqing
Published: February 2021

Previous studies have proved that Larix kaempferi is a good material for preparing cross-laminated timber (CLT), but under bending shear stress, CLT made by Larix kaempferi is prone to the phenomenon of bonding face cracking, which seriously affects the shear performance of CLT. To solve this problem, this paper took Larix kaempferi as raw material, conducted experiments on the surface sanding conditions, gluing pressure and adhesive types of sawing timber, and explored the influence of these three factors on the bonding quality of CLT. The microscopic characteristics of the bonding layer were further studied. The results showed that for Larix kaempferi with a density of 0.68 g/cm3 used in this experiment, a high bonding pressure is required. Among the three cold curing adhesives selected in the experiment, emulsion polymer isocyanate (EPI) adhesive needs 1.5 MPa bonding pressure to ensure the bonding quality, while for polyurethane (PUR) and phenol resorcinol formaldehyde (PRF), 1.2 MPa can meet the need of adhesive pressure. This is concerned with the permeability of different adhesives under different pressures. The microscopic results of the bonding layer show that EPI adhesives have poor permeability, so it requires high bonding pressure. The influence of sanding surface of different sand-belt on block shear strength (BSS) and wood failure percentage (WFP) is not obvious, while the durability of bonding layer is better when sanding mesh number is 100. Hence, a high pressure should be used for CLT industrial production when the laminate density is higher, especially when the adhesive has poor permeability. Reasonable sanding surface treatment can be used in laminate surface treatment to improve the durability of CLT.
Mechanical Characterization of Core-Shell Rubber/Epoxy Polymers for Automotive Structural Adhesives as a Function of Operating Temperature
Authors: Baek Dooyoung , Sim Kyeng-Bo , Kim Hyun-Joong
Published: February 2021

Automotive structural adhesives must show a steady toughness performance in the temperature range of −40 °C to 80 °C, considering their actual usage environments. Core-shell rubber (CSR) nanoparticles are known to enhance the toughness of epoxy systems. In this study, a CSR, pre-dispersed, diglycidyl epoxy of bisphenol A (DGEBA) mixture at 35 wt % (KDAD-7101, Kukdo Chemical, Seoul, Korea) was used as a toughener for an automotive structural epoxy adhesive system. A simple, single-component, epoxy system of DGEBA/dicyandiamide with a latent accelerator was adopted, where the CSR content of the system was controlled from 0 to 50 phr by the CSR mixture. To determine the curing conditions, we studied the curing behavior of the system by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Modulus variations of the cured bulk epoxies were studied using a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) in the dual cantilever mode. The flexural modulus of the cured epoxies at various temperatures (−40, −10, 20, 50, and 80 °C) showed the same tendency as the DMA results, and as the flexural strength, except at 0 phr. On the other hand, the strain at break exhibited the opposite tendency to the flexural modulus. To study the adhesion behavior, we performed single-lap joint (SLJ) and impact wedge-peel (IWP) tests. As the CSR content increased, the strength of the SLJ and dynamic resistance to the cleavage of the IWP improved. In particular, the SLJ showed excellent strength at low temperatures (32.74 MPa at 50 phr @ −40 °C (i.e., an 190% improvement compared to 17.2 MPa at 0 phr @ −40 °C)), and the IWP showed excellent energy absorption at high temperatures (21.73 J at 50 phr @ 80 °C (i.e., a 976% improvement compared to 2.07 J at 0 phr @ 80 °C)). The results were discussed in relation to the changes in the properties of the bulk epoxy depending on the temperature and CSR content. The morphology of the fracture surface was also provided, which offered useful information for composition studies using the CSR/epoxy system.
Transparent Electromagnetic Shielding Film Utilizing Imprinting-Based Micro Patterning Technology
Authors: Choi Hyun-Seok , Suh Su-Jeong , Kim Sang-Woo , Kim Hyun-Joong , Park Ji-Won
Published: February 2021

Utilization of methods involving component integration has accelerated, owing to the growth of the smart mobile industry. However, this integration leads to interference issues between the components, thereby elucidating the importance of the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding technology to solve such issues. EMI shielding technology has been previously implemented via the reflection or absorption of electromagnetic waves by using conductive materials. Nevertheless, to tackle the recent changes in the industry, a transparent and flexible EMI shielding technology is necessitated. In this study, a transparent and flexible EMI shielding material was fabricated by filling a conductive binder in a film comprising an intaglio pattern; this was achieved by using the ultraviolet (UV) imprinting technology to realize mass production. Subsequently, changes in the aperture ratio and shielding characteristics were analyzed according to the structure of the pattern. Based on this analysis, a square pattern was designed and a film with an intaglio pattern was developed through a UV imprinting process. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the transmittance, conductivity, and EMI shielding rate of the film were altered while changing the coating thickness of the conductive particles in the intaglio pattern. The final film prepared in this study exhibited characteristics that satisfied the required EMI shielding performance for electric and electronic applications, while achieving flexible structural stability and transparency.
Improvement of Interlayer Adhesion and Heat Resistance of Biodegradable Ternary Blend Composite 3D Printing
Authors: Prasong Wattanachai , Ishigami Akira , Thumsorn Supaphorn , Kurose Takashi , Ito Hiroshi
Published: February 2021

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) filaments have been the most used in fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. The filaments, based on PLA, are continuing to be developed to overcome brittleness, low heat resistance, and obtain superior mechanical performance in 3D printing. From our previous study, the binary blend composites from PLA and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) with nano talc (PLA/PBAT/nano talc) at 70/30/10 showed an improvement in toughness and printability in FDM 3D printing. Nevertheless, interlayer adhesion, anisotropic characteristics, and heat resistance have been promoted for further application in FDM 3D printing. In this study, binary and ternary blend composites from PLA/PBAT and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) with nano talc were prepared at a ratio of PLA 70 wt. % and blending with PBAT or PBS at 30 wt. % and nano talc at 10 wt. %. The materials were compounded via a twin-screw extruder and applied to the filament using a capillary rheometer. PLA/PBAT/PBS/nano talc blend composites were printed using FDM 3D printing. Thermal analysis, viscosity, interlayer adhesion, mechanical properties, and dimensional accuracy of binary and ternary blend composite 3D prints were investigated. The incorporation of PBS-enhanced crystallinity of the blend composite 3D prints resulted in an improvement to mechanical properties, heat resistance, and anisotropic characteristics. Flexibility of the blend composites was obtained by presentation of PBAT. It should be noted that the core–shell morphology of the ternary blend influenced the reduction of volume shrinkage, which obtained good surface roughness and dimensional accuracy in the ternary blend composite 3D printing.
A Self-Healing Ionic Liquid-Based Ionically Cross-Linked Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Electrochromic Devices
Authors: Chen Wanyu , Liu Siyuan , Guo Le , Zhang Guixia , Zhang Heng , Cao Meng , Wu Lili , Xiang Tianxing , Peng Yong
Published: February 2021

An ionic liquid-based ionically cross-linked gel polymer electrolyte (GPE-ILs) was successfully synthesized using acrylic acid, 2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, and ionic liquids. Electrochromic devices (ECDs) with an architecture of glass/FTO/WO3/GPE-ILs/FTO/glass were fabricated by a laminating technology. The devices showed performances of large optical modulation of 49.9% at 650 nm, short switching times with the coloration time (tc) of 7 s and the bleaching time (tb) of 4 s, high coloration efficiency of 96.2 cm2 C−1, and cycling stability of 200 cycles. The GPE-ILs exhibits high ionic conductivity, superior thermal stability and good self-healing ability. GPE-ILs demonstrates an ionic conductivity of 3.19 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 25 °C and the same ions migration behaviors with most widely used liquid electrolyte between −10 and 80 °C maintains more than 80% of its tensile strength after self-healing and received only 5% weight loss at 300 °C.
Triborheological Study under Physiological Conditions of PVA Hydrogel/HA Lubricant as Synthetic System for Soft Tissue Replacement
Authors: Duque-Ossa Laura C. , Ruiz-Pulido Gustavo , Medina Dora I.
Published: February 2021

In soft tissue replacement, hydrophilic, flexible, and biocompatible materials are used to reduce wear and coefficient of friction. This study aims to develop and evaluate a solid/liquid triborheological system, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/hyaluronic acid (HA), to mimic conditions in human synovial joints. Hydrogel specimens prepared via the freeze–thawing technique from a 10% (w/v) PVA aqueous solution were cut into disc shapes (5 ± 0.5 mm thickness). Compression tests of PVA hydrogels presented a Young’s modulus of 2.26 ± 0.52 MPa. Friction tests were performed on a Discovery Hybrid Rheometer DHR-3 under physiological conditions using 4 mg/mL HA solution as lubricant at 37 °C. Contact force was applied between 1 and 20 N, highlighting a coefficient of friction change of 0.11 to 0.31 between lubricated and dry states at 3 N load (angular velocity: 40 rad/s). Thermal behavior was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the range of 25–250 °C (5 °C/min rate), showing an endothermic behavior with a melting temperature (Tm) around 231.15 °C. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) tests showed a microporous network that enhanced water content absorption to 82.99 ± 1.5%. Hydrogel achieved solid/liquid lubrication, exhibiting a trapped lubricant pool that supported loads, keeping low coefficient of friction during lubricated tests. In dry tests, interstitial water evaporates continuously without countering sliding movement friction.
The Divine Feminine Presence in Ibn ‘Arabi and Moses de Leon
Authors: Alonso Julia
Published: February 2021

This paper is an investigation of the divine feminine power as depicted in the texts of Hispanic mystics from Sufi, Hebrew, and Christian traditions. This work is intended to investigate the origin and subsequent development of a transcendent reconciliation of polarity, its diverse manifestations, and the attainment of a common goal, the quintessential of the Perfect Human Being. The architect of the encounter that leads to Union is “Sophia”. She is the Secret. Only those who are able to discern Her own immeasurable dimension may contemplate the Lady who dwells in the sacred geometry of the abyss. Sophia is linked to the hermetic Word, She is allusive, clandestine, poetic, and pregnant with symbols, gnostic resonances, and musical murmurs that conduct the “traveler” through dwellings and stations towards an ancient Sophianic knowledge that leads to the “germinal vesicle”, the “inner wine cellar”, to the Initium, to the Motherland. She is the Mater filius sapientae, who through an alchemical transmutation becomes a song to the absent Sophia whose Presence can only be intuited. Present throughout the Creation, Sophia is the axis around which the poetics of the Taryuman al-ashwaq rotates and the kabbalistic Tree of Life is structured.
On the Relationship of Value Priorities with the Centrality of Religiosity and a Variety of Religious Orientations and Emotions
Authors: Gennerich Carsten , Huber Stefan
Published: February 2021

In this study, the relationship between religiosity and value priorities is differentiated, based on a multidimensional model of religiosity (Structure-of-Religiosity-Test). The structure of values is conceptualized using Shalom H. Schwartz’s two orthogonal dimensions of self-transcendence vs. self-enhancement and openness to change vs. conservation. The relationship between these two dimensions and the centrality of religiosity, seven religious orientations, seven emotions toward God, and three political orientations were tested with a correlational analysis in a sample of members of Abrahamic religions, the non-denominational, and organized secularists in Switzerland (n = 1093). The results show, that different values are preferred (self-direction, universalism, benevolence, tradition, security, and power values) depending on the content of the religious orientations and emotions toward God. The results indicate the importance of the content of religious orientations and emotions for predicting value-loaded behaviors.
Qurrat al-ʿAyn, the Maiden of the Kaʿba: On the Themenophany Inspiring Ibn ʿArabī’s Tarjumān
Authors: Beneito Pablo
Published: February 2021

Qurrat al-ʿAyn is the name of the enigmatic Maiden who appeared alongside Ibn ʿArabī when he was inspired to recite the four verses that open The Interpreter of Desires, as he was wandering around the Kaʿba. In this article, through the analysis of the passage in which she is mentioned, the identity of the Maiden is explored from various perspectives typical of the author’s theo-anthropo-cosmovision, characterised by his concept of theophany (tajallī) or divine self-revelation, resorting especially to both the analysis of the lexical inter-reference in the roots of the Arabic terms used by Ibn ʿArabī in his Tarjumān al-ashwāq, as well as the study of the symbolism characteristic of the Arabic alphanumeric system. Furthermore, the article proposes that the kaleidoscopic structure of this collection of odes, studied here for the first time, is the result of a themenophany of the Kaʿba: the Tarjumān has been “inspired” by/on the Kaʿba itself, so that in a sense it is a bibliophany of the so-called House of God, to whose geometry—four corners, six faces, seven ritual turns, eight vertices—its structural conception corresponds. The symbolism of Arabic geomancy in relation to the structure of the Tarjumān is also considered.
Remote Sensing of Ocean Fronts in Marine Ecology and Fisheries
Authors: Belkin Igor M.
Published: February 2021

This paper provides a concise review of the remote sensing of ocean fronts in marine ecology and fisheries, with a particular focus on the most popular front detection algorithms and techniques, including those proposed by Canny, Cayula and Cornillon, Miller, Shimada et al., Belkin and O’Reilly, and Nieto et al.. A case is made for a feature-based approach that emphasizes fronts as major structural and circulation features of the ocean realm that play key roles in various aspects of marine ecology.
SSCNN-S: A Spectral-Spatial Convolution Neural Network with Siamese Architecture for Change Detection
Authors: Zhan Tianming , Song Bo , Xu Yang , Wan Minghua , Wang Xin , Yang Guowei , Wu Zebin
Published: February 2021

In this paper, a spectral-spatial convolution neural network with Siamese architecture (SSCNN-S) for hyperspectral image (HSI) change detection (CD) is proposed. First, tensors are extracted in two HSIs recorded at different time points separately and tensor pairs are constructed. The tensor pairs are then incorporated into the spectral-spatial network to obtain two spectral-spatial vectors. Thereafter, the Euclidean distances of the two spectral-spatial vectors are calculated to represent the similarity of the tensor pairs. We use a Siamese network based on contrastive loss to train and optimize the network so that the Euclidean distance output by the network describes the similarity of tensor pairs as accurately as possible. Finally, the values obtained by inputting all tensor pairs into the trained model are used to judge whether a pixel belongs to the change area. SSCNN-S aims to transform the problem of HSI CD into a problem of similarity measurement for tensor pairs by introducing the Siamese network. The network used to extract tensor features in SSCNN-S combines spectral and spatial information to reduce the impact of noise on CD. Additionally, a useful four-test scoring method is proposed to improve the experimental efficiency instead of taking the mean value from multiple measurements. Experiments on real data sets have demonstrated the validity of the SSCNN-S method.
Meteorological Drivers of Permian Basin Methane Anomalies Derived from TROPOMI
Authors: Crosman Erik
Published: February 2021

The launch of the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on the Sentinel-5 Precursor (S-5P) satellite has revolutionized pollution observations from space. The purpose of this study was to link spatiotemporal variations in TROPOMI methane (CH4) columns to meteorological flow patterns over the Permian Basin, the largest oil and second-largest natural gas producing region in the United States. Over a two-year period (1 December 2018–1 December 2020), the largest average CH4 enhancements were observed near and to the north and west of the primary emission regions. Four case study periods—two with moderate westerly winds associated with passing weather disturbances (8–15 March 2019 and 1 April–10 May 2019) and two other periods dominated by high pressure and low wind speeds (16–23 March 2019 and 24 September–9 October 2020)—were analyzed to better understand meteorological drivers of the variability in CH4. Meteorological observations and analyses combined with TROPOMI observations suggest that weakened transport out of the Basin during low wind speed periods contributes to CH4 enhancements throughout the Basin, while valley and slope flows may explain the observed western expansion of the Permian Basin CH4 anomaly.
Spatiotemporal Downscaling of GRACE Total Water Storage Using Land Surface Model Outputs
Authors: Zhong Detang , Wang Shusen , Li Junhua
Published: February 2021

High spatiotemporal resolution of terrestrial total water storage plays a key role in assessing trends and availability of water resources. This study presents a two-step method for downscaling GRACE-derived total water storage anomaly (GRACE TWSA) from its original coarse spatiotemporal resolution (monthly, 3-degree spherical cap/~300 km) to a high resolution (daily, 5 km) through combining land surface model (LSM) simulated high spatiotemporal resolution terrestrial water storage anomaly (LSM TWSA). In the first step, an iterative adjustment method based on the self-calibration variance-component model (SCVCM) is used to spatially downscale the monthly GRACE TWSA to the high spatial resolution of the LSM TWSA. In the second step, the spatially downscaled monthly GRACE TWSA is further downscaled to the daily temporal resolution. By applying the method to downscale the coarse resolution GRACE TWSA from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) mascon solution with the daily high spatial resolution (5 km) LSM TWSA from the Ecological Assimilation of Land and Climate Observations (EALCO) model, we evaluated the benefit and effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method is capable to downscale GRACE TWSA spatiotemporally with reduced uncertainty. The downscaled GRACE TWSA are also evaluated through in-situ groundwater monitoring well observations and the results show a certain level agreement between the estimated and observed trends.
Simplified Priestley–Taylor Model to Estimate Land-Surface Latent Heat of Evapotranspiration from Incident Shortwave Radiation, Satellite Vegetation Index, and Air Relative Humidity
Authors: Yao Yunjun , Di Zhenhua , Xie Zijing , Xiao Zhiqiang , Jia Kun , Zhang Xiaotong , Shang Ke , Yang Junming , Bei Xiangyi , Guo Xiaozheng , Yu Ruiyang
Published: February 2021

An operational and accurate model for estimating global or regional terrestrial latent heat of evapotranspiration (ET) across different land-cover types from satellite data is crucial. Here, a simplified Priestley–Taylor (SPT) model was developed without surface net radiation (Rn) by combining incident shortwave radiation (Rs), satellite vegetation index, and air relative humidity (RH). Ground-measured ET for 2000–2009 collected by 100 global FLUXNET eddy covariance (EC) sites was used to calibrate and evaluate the SPT model. A series of cross-validations demonstrated the reasonable performance of the SPT model to estimate seasonal and spatial ET variability. The coefficients of determination (R2) of the estimated versus observed daily (monthly) ET ranged from 0.42 (0.58) (p < 0.01) at shrubland (SHR) flux sites to 0.81 (0.86) (p < 0.01) at evergreen broadleaf forest (EBF) flux sites. The SPT model was applied to estimate agricultural ET at high spatial resolution (16 m) from Chinese Gaofen (GF)-1 data and monitor long-term (1982–2018) ET variations in the Three-River Headwaters Region (TRHR) of mainland China using the Global LAnd-Surface Satellite (GLASS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) product. The proposed SPT model without Rn provides an alternative model for estimating regional terrestrial ET across different land-cover types.
Evaluating the Latest IMERG Products in a Subtropical Climate: The Case of Paraná State, Brazil
Authors: G. Nascimento Jéssica , Althoff Daniel , C. Bazame Helizani , M. U. Neale Christopher , N. Duarte Sergio , L. Ruhoff Anderson , Z. Gonçalves Ivo
Published: February 2021

The lack of measurement of precipitation in large areas using fine-resolution data is a limitation in water management, particularly in developing countries. However, Version 6 of the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) has provided a new source of precipitation information with high spatial and temporal resolution. In this study, the performance of the GPM products (Final run) in the state of Paraná, located in the southern region of Brazil, from June 2000 to December 2018 was evaluated. The daily and monthly products of IMERG were compared to the gauge data spatially distributed across the study area. Quantitative and qualitative metrics were used to analyze the performance of IMERG products to detect precipitation events and anomalies. In general, the products performed positively in the estimation of monthly rainfall events, both in volume and spatial distribution, and demonstrated limited performance for daily events and anomalies, mainly in mountainous regions (coast and southwest). This may be related to the orographic rainfall in these regions, associating the intensity of the rain, and the topography. IMERG products can be considered as a source of precipitation data, especially on a monthly scale. Product calibrations are suggested for use on a daily scale and for time-series analysis.
Implementation of a MEIoT Weather Station with Exogenous Disturbance Input
Authors: Guerrero-Osuna Héctor A. , Luque-Vega Luis F. , Carlos-Mancilla Miriam A. , Ornelas-Vargas Gerardo , Castañeda-Miranda Víctor H. , Carrasco-Navarro Rocío
Published: February 2021

Due to the emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID 19), education systems in most countries have adapted and quickly changed their teaching strategy to online teaching. This paper presents the design and implementation of a novel Internet of Things (IoT) device, called MEIoT weather station, which incorporates an exogenous disturbance input, within the National Digital Observatory of Smart Environments (OBNiSE) architecture. The exogenous disturbance input involves a wind blower based on a DC brushless motor. It can be controlled, via Node-RED platform, manually through a sliding bar, or automatically via different predefined profile functions, modifying the wind speed and the wind vane sensor variables. An application to Engineering Education is presented with a case study that includes the instructional design for the least-squares regression topic for linear, quadratic, and cubic approximations within the Educational Mechatronics Conceptual Framework (EMCF) to show the relevance of this proposal. This work’s main contribution to the state-of-the-art is to turn a weather monitoring system into a hybrid hands-on learning approach thanks to the integrated exogenous disturbance input.
A Machine Learning Approach as a Surrogate for a Finite Element Analysis: Status of Research and Application to One Dimensional Systems
Authors: Vurtur Badarinath Poojitha , Chierichetti Maria , Davoudi Kakhki Fatemeh
Published: February 2021

Current maintenance intervals of mechanical systems are scheduled a priori based on the life of the system, resulting in expensive maintenance scheduling, and often undermining the safety of passengers. Going forward, the actual usage of a vehicle will be used to predict stresses in its structure, and therefore, to define a specific maintenance scheduling. Machine learning (ML) algorithms can be used to map a reduced set of data coming from real-time measurements of a structure into a detailed/high-fidelity finite element analysis (FEA) model of the same system. As a result, the FEA-based ML approach will directly estimate the stress distribution over the entire system during operations, thus improving the ability to define ad-hoc, safe, and efficient maintenance procedures. The paper initially presents a review of the current state-of-the-art of ML methods applied to finite elements. A surrogate finite element approach based on ML algorithms is also proposed to estimate the time-varying response of a one-dimensional beam. Several ML regression models, such as decision trees and artificial neural networks, have been developed, and their performance is compared for direct estimation of the stress distribution over a beam structure. The surrogate finite element models based on ML algorithms are able to estimate the response of the beam accurately, with artificial neural networks providing more accurate results.
Three-Dimensional Mapping of Shear Wave Velocity in Human Tendon: A Proof of Concept Study
Authors: Götschi Tobias , Schulz Nicole , Snedeker Jess G. , Hanimann Jonas , Franchi Martino V. , Spörri Jörg
Published: February 2021

Ultrasound-based shear wave elastography (SWE) provides the means to quantify tissue mechanical properties in vivo and has proven valuable in detecting degenerative processes in tendons. Its current mode of use is for two-dimensional rendering measurements, which are highly position-dependent. We therefore propose an approach to create a volumetric reconstruction of the mechano-acoustic properties of a structure of interest based on optically tracking the ultrasound probe during free-hand measurement sweeps. In the current work, we aimed (1) to assess the technical feasibility of the three-dimensional mapping of unidirectional shear wave velocity (SWV), (2) to evaluate the possible artefacts associated with hand-held image acquisition, (3) to investigate the reproducibility of the proposed technique, and (4) to study the potential of this method in detecting local adaptations in a longitudinal study setting. Operative and technical feasibility as well as potential artefacts associated with hand-held image acquisition were studied on a synthetic phantom containing discrete targets of known mechanical properties. Measurement reproducibility was assessed based on inter-day and inter-reader scans of the patellar, Achilles, and supraspinatus tendon of ten healthy volunteers and was compared to traditional two-dimensional image acquisition. The potential of this method in detecting local adaptations was studied by testing the effect of short-term voluntary isometric loading history on SWV along the tendon long axis. The suggested approach was technically feasible and reproducible, with a moderate to very good reliability and a standard error of measurement in the range of 0.300–0.591 m/s for the three assessed tendons at the two test-retest modalities. We found a consistent variation in SWV along the longitudinal axis of each tendon, and isometric loading resulted in regional increases in SWV in the patellar and Achilles tendons. The proposed method outperforms traditional two-dimensional measurement with regards to reproducibility and may prove valuable in the objective assessment of pathological tendon changes.
Could Gamification Be a Protective Factor Regarding Early School Leaving? A Life Story
Authors: Guerrero-Puerta Laura , Guerrero Miguel. A
Published: February 2021

The European Union has recognized the close relationship between mental health, well-being, and education, encouraging studies and whole school interventions that work in the interrelationship between mental health and school, especially in aspects related to Early School Leaving (ESL). Literature shows that there are research gaps in this regard, but there are some inklings to think that innovative teaching methods can improve both adolescent´s mental health and reduce the rates of ESL. The main objective of this article was to find out how the use of game-based teaching techniques affects the well-being of students at risk of ESL. The life story of one young student that has left school early has been studied, focusing on the impact that gamification had in his scholar trajectory and well-being. Data analysis was carried using the constructivist version of the grounded theory. Results showed a certain degree of interrelation between all three aspects. Pointing that a period of gamification can have a positive effect in school engagement as a result of better levels of wellbeing, but also, that if this methodology is not maintained or accompanied it can cause a rebound effect acting as a risk factor to ESL.