bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Apocynin, a NADPH Oxidase Inhibitor, in the Protection of the Heart from Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Mohammad Ali , Babiker Fawzi , Al-Bader Maie
Published: March 2023

Ischemia and perfusion (I/R) induce inflammation and oxidative stress, which play a notable role in tissue damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of an NADPH oxidase inhibitor (apocynin) in the protection of the heart from I/R injury. Hearts isolated from Wistar rats (n = 8 per group) were perfused with a modified Langendorff preparation. Left ventricular (LV) contractility and cardiovascular hemodynamics were evaluated by a data acquisition program, and infarct size was evaluated by 2,3,5-Triphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Furthermore, the effect of apocynin on the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) was evaluated using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hearts were subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia, produced by ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, followed by 30 min of reperfusion. Hearts were infused with apocynin before ischemia, during ischemia or at reperfusion. To understand the potential pathways of apocynin protection of the heart, a nitric oxide donor (S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, SNAP), nitric oxide blocker (N (gamma)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, L-Name), nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) inhibiter (Ned-K), cyclic adenosine diphosphate ribose (cADPR) agonist, or CD38 blocker (Thiazoloquin (az)olin (on)e compound, 78c) was infused with apocynin. Antioxidants were evaluated by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity. Apocynin infusion before ischemia or at reperfusion protected the heart by normalizing cardiac hemodynamics and decreasing the infarct size. Apocynin treatment resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and a significant increase (p < 0.05) in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant levels. Apocynin infusion protected the heart by improving LV hemodynamics and coronary vascular dynamics. This treatment decreased the infarct size and inflammatory cytokine levels and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine and antioxidant levels. This protection follows a pathway involving CD38, nitric oxide and acidic stores.
Physiological and Psychological Response to Acute Mental Stress in Female Patients Affected by Chronic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: An Explorative Controlled Pilot Trial
Authors: Gorini Alessandra , De Maria Beatrice , Krasinska Patrycja , Bussotti Maurizio , Perego Francesca , Dalla Vecchia Laura Adelaide
Published: March 2023

Little is known about physiological and psychological responses to mental stress in stable patients affected by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The current explorative controlled pilot study was conducted to investigate whether heart rate (HR) and perceived stress would differ during standardized mental stress testing in PAH patients compared to healthy subjects. Correlation analysis between HR, perceived stress, participants’ psychological status and performance on the mental stress task was also performed. The study included 13 female PAH patients (average age: 44.38 ± 10.88 years; average education: 14 ± 3.07 years; mean duration of illness: 9.15 ± 5.37 years) and 13 female controls similar in age (mean age: 47.85 ± 6.36 years) and education (15.92 ± 1.55 years). Participants performed a standardized 9 min mental stress test (computer based, adaptive math task). HR and perceived stress during the task were compared to resting baseline and correlated with psychological state and task performance. Both HR and perceived stress significantly increased during mental stress in a similar way in both groups. A significant correlation was found between HR and perceived stress. Our data show that moderate mental stress has a comparable effect on HR and perceived stress increase in stable PAH patients and control subjects.
A Method for Evaluating Robustness of Limited Sampling Strategies—Exemplified by Serum Iohexol Clearance for Determination of Measured Glomerular Filtration Rate
Authors: Hovd Markus , Robertsen Ida , Woillard Jean-Baptiste , Åsberg Anders
Published: March 2023

In combination with Bayesian estimates based on a population pharmacokinetic model, limited sampling strategies (LSS) may reduce the number of samples required for individual pharmacokinetic parameter estimations. Such strategies reduce the burden when assessing the area under the concentration versus time curves (AUC) in therapeutic drug monitoring. However, it is not uncommon for the actual sample time to deviate from the optimal one. In this work, we evaluate the robustness of parameter estimations to such deviations in an LSS. A previously developed 4-point LSS for estimation of serum iohexol clearance (i.e., dose/AUC) was used to exemplify the effect of sample time deviations. Two parallel strategies were used: (a) shifting the exact sampling time by an empirical amount of time for each of the four individual sample points, and (b) introducing a random error across all sample points. The investigated iohexol LSS appeared robust to deviations from optimal sample times, both across individual and multiple sample points. The proportion of individuals with a relative error greater than 15% (P15) was 5.3% in the reference run with optimally timed sampling, which increased to a maximum of 8.3% following the introduction of random error in sample time across all four time points. We propose to apply the present method for the validation of LSS developed for clinical use.
Optical Temperature Sensors Based on Down-Conversion Nd3+,Yb3+:LiYF4 Microparticles
Authors: Ginkel Anna , Pudovkin Maksim , Oleynikova Ekaterina , Korableva Slella , Morozov Oleg
Published: March 2023

Nd3+ (0.3 mol.%), Yb3+ (0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 mol.%): LiYF4 phosphors were grown by the Bridgman–Stockbarger technique. The luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) of Nd3+ (4F3/2–4I9/2, ~866 nm) and Yb3+ emission (2F5/2–2F7/2, ~980 nm) was taken as a parameter. The energy exchange between 4F3/2 (Nd3+) and 2F5/2 (Yb3+) occurs via phonons, which elucidates the LIR temperature dependence. The influence of the cross-relaxation process on the temperature sensitivity was estimated as negligible. The LIR function depends on the Yb3+ concentration at a fixed 0.3 mol.% Nd3+. The maximum Sa and Sr value were reached for Nd3+ (0.3%), Yb3+ (1.0%): LiYF4 (Sa = 0.007 K−1 at 320 K) and Nd3+ (0.3%), Yb3+ (5.0%): LiYF4 (Sr = 1, 1.03%*K−1 at 260 K), respectively.
Assessment of Shoot Priming Efficiency to Counteract Complex Metal Stress in Halotolerant Lobularia maritima
Authors: Wiszniewska Alina , Makowski Wojciech
Published: March 2023

The study investigated whether short-term priming supports plant defense against complex metal stress and multiple stress (metals and salinity) in halophyte Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. Plants were pre-treated with ectoine (Ect), nitric oxide donor—sodium nitroprusside (SNP), or hydrogen sulfide donor—GYY4137 for 7 days, and were transferred onto medium containing a mixture of metal ions: Zn, Pb, and Cd. To test the effect of priming agents in multiple stress conditions, shoots were also subjected to low salinity (20 mM NaCl), applied alone, or combined with metals. Hydropriming was a control priming treatment. Stress impact was evaluated on a basis of growth parameters, whereas defense responses were on a basis of the detoxification activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST), radical scavenging activity, and accumulation of thiols and phenolic compounds. Exposure to metals reduced shoot biomass and height but had no impact on the formation of new shoots. Priming with nitric oxide annihilated the toxic effects of metals. It was related to a sharp increase in GST activity, glutathione accumulation, and boosted radical scavenging activity. In NO-treated shoots level of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and flavonoids remained unaffected, in contrast to other metal-treated shoots. Under combined metal stress and salinity, NO and H2S were capable of restoring or improving growth parameters, as they stimulated radical scavenging activity. Ect and H2S did not exert any effect on metal-treated shoots in comparison to hydropriming. The results revealed the stimulatory role of nitric oxide and low doses of NaCl in combating the toxic effects of complex metal stress in L. maritima. Both NO and NaCl interfered with thiol metabolism and antioxidant activity, whereas NaCl also contributed to the accumulation of phenolic compounds.
Microscale and Macroscale Deformation Behavior of Electrospun Polymeric Nanofiber Membranes Using In Situ SEM during Mechanical Testing
Authors: Verschatse Olivier , Loccufier Eva , Swanckaert Bianca , De Clerck Karen , Daelemans Lode
Published: March 2023

Electrospun nanofiber membranes show high potential in various application fields (e.g., filtration, catalysis, and sensing). Nevertheless, knowledge of the mechanical behavior, and more specifically, the deformation of nanofiber membranes is still limited today which can complicate the appliance of nanofiber membranes in applications where they are mechanically loaded. In this paper, we, therefore, analyzed the mechanical behavior of polymeric nanofiber membranes with different fiber orientations (random and aligned) extensively. Polyamide 6 was used as a representative reference polymer for proof-of-concept. Mechanical tests show that all membranes have a coherent deformation behavior at the macroscale up to the point of fracture. Large variations in stiffness, ultimate strength, and ultimate strain were observed between membranes with different fiber orientations (Random: E-mod: 370 ± 34 MP; UTS: 38.5 ± 6.0 MPa; εmax: 30.0 ± 2.8%; Parallel aligned: E-mod: 753 ± 11 MPa; UTS: 55.4 ± 0.8 MPa; εmax: 12.0 ± 0.1%; Perpendicular aligned: E-mod: 24.1 ± 3.7 MPa; UTS:/; εmax: >40%). This shows the versatility and tunability of the mechanical behavior of these nanofiber membranes. At the microscale, the fibrous structure results in deformation mechanisms that resist failure formation and progression when the membrane is mechanically loaded. This results in a high fracture resistance, even for pre-damaged membranes. Realignment of the fibers along the loading direction causes crack tip blunting, locally reinforcing the membrane.
Simulation of Dielectric Properties of Nanocomposites with Non-Uniform Filler Distribution
Authors: Ciobanu Romeo C. , Damian Radu F. , Schreiner Cristina M. , Aradoaei Mihaela , Sover Alexandru , Raichur Ashok M.
Published: March 2023

Dielectric properties for nanocomposites with metallic fillers inside a polymer matrix were determined using CST STUDIO SUITE—Electromagnetic field simulation software followed by the free-space Nicolson–Ross–Weir procedure. The structure is randomly generated to simulate the intrinsic non-uniformity of real nanomaterials. Cubic insertions were equated to corresponding spherical particles in order to provide either the same volume index or the same exterior surface index. The energy concentration around the inserts and within the entire material was determined as useful information in practice in order to design materials tailored to avoid exceeding the field/temperature limit values. The paper successfully associated the dialectic measurements with the results from the computer simulations, which are mainly based on energetic effects in electromagnetic applications. The experimental results are comparable with the software simulation in terms of precision. The conclusions outline the practical applications of the method for both electromagnetic shielding and microwave domain/telecommunications applications.
Teeth Restored with Bulk–Fill Composites and Conventional Resin Composites; Investigation of Stress Distribution and Fracture Lifespan on Enamel, Dentin, and Restorative Materials via Three-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Gönder Hakan Yasin , Mohammadi Reza , Harmankaya Abdulkadir , Yüksel İbrahim Burak , Fidancıoğlu Yasemin Derya , Karabekiroğlu Said
Published: March 2023

Objectives: the aim of this study was to examine the stress distribution of enamel, dentin, and restorative materials in sound first molar teeth with restored cavities with conventional resin composites and bulk–fill composites, as well as to determine their fracture lifetimes by using the three-dimensional finite element stress analysis method. Materials and Methods: an extracted sound number 26 tooth was scanned with a dental tomography device and recorded. Images were obtained as dicom files, and these files were transferred to the Mimics 12.00 program. In this program, different masks were created for each tooth tissue, and the density thresholds were adjusted manually to create a three-dimensional image of the tooth, and these were converted to a STL file. The obtained STL files were transferred to the Geomagic Design X program, and some necessary adjustments, such as smoothing, were made, and STP files were created. Cavity preparation and adhesive material layers were created by transferring STP files to the Solidworks program. Finally, a FE model was created in the ABAQUS program, and stress distributions were analyzed. Results: when the bulk–fill composite and conventional resin composite materials were used in the restoration of the cavity, the structures that were exposed to the most stress as a result of occlusal forces on the tooth were enamel, dentin, restorative material, and adhesive material. When the bulk–fill composite material was used in restoration, while the restorative material had the longest fracture life as a result of stresses, the enamel tissue had the shortest fracture life. When the conventional resin composite material was used as the restorative material, it had the longest fracture life, followed by dentin and enamel. Conclusion: when the bulk–fill composite material was used instead of the conventional resin composite material in the cavity, the stress values on enamel, dentin, and adhesive material increased as a result of occlusal forces, while the amount of stress on the restorative material decreased. In the fracture analysis, when the bulk–fill composite material was used instead of the conventional resin composite material, a decrease in the number of cycles required for the fracture of enamel, dentin, and restorative materials was observed as a result of the forces generated in the oral cavity.
Modeling and Verification of Rolling Resistance Torque of High-Speed Rubber Track Assembly Considering Hysteresis Loss
Authors: Liang Kang , Tu Qunzhang , Shen Xinmin , Dai Juying , Yin Qin , Xue Jinhong , Ding Xuan
Published: March 2023

Due to the viscoelasticity of rubber materials, hysteresis loss due to deformation is the main reason for the rolling resistance of high-speed rubber tracks. Since the structure and material of high-speed rubber track assemblies are different from traditional tires and metal tracks, the rolling resistance theory of traditional wheeled and tracked vehicles is not applicable. Therefore, in order to determine the rolling resistance scientifically and accurately, the mechanism research of the rolling resistance of high-speed rubber track assembly is the key to the design of high-speed rubber crawler vehicles. In this paper, the stress–strain characteristics of rubber track under the action of compression, tension, bending, and driving were studied. The strain load spectrum of rubber tracks was established, and the strain cyclic load was extracted by the rainflow method. The temperature model of the rubber track was developed based on its dynamic characteristics. On the basis of energy conservation, the hysteresis loss of rubber is equivalent to the energy consumption of rolling resistance, and the theoretical model of rolling resistance of high-speed rubber track assembly is established. In accordance with the model above, the key influencing factors and changing trends of rolling resistance are analyzed, which provides a theoretical basis for the performance optimization of high-speed rubber track assembly.
2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate/Gelatin/Alginate Scaffolds Reinforced with Nano TiO2 as a Promising Curcumin Release Platform
Authors: Babić Radić Marija M. , Filipović Vuk V. , Vuković Jovana S. , Vukomanović Marija , Ilic-Tomic Tatjana , Nikodinovic-Runic Jasmina , Tomić Simonida Lj.
Published: March 2023

The idea of this study was to create a new scaffolding system based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, gelatin, and alginate that contains titanium(IV) oxide nanoparticles as a platform for the controlled release of the bioactive agent curcumin. The innovative strategy to develop hybrid scaffolds was the modified porogenation method. The effect of the scaffold composition on the chemical, morphology, porosity, mechanical, hydrophilicity, swelling, degradation, biocompatibility, loading, and release features of hybrid scaffolds was evaluated. A porous structure with interconnected pores in the range of 52.33–65.76%, favorable swelling capacity, fully hydrophilic surfaces, degradability to 45% for 6 months, curcumin loading efficiency above 96%, and favorable controlled release profiles were obtained. By applying four kinetic models of release, valuable parameters were obtained for the curcumin/PHEMA/gelatin/alginate/TiO2 release platform. Cytotoxicity test results depend on the composition of the scaffolds and showed satisfactory cell growth with visible cell accumulation on the hybrid surfaces. The constructed hybrid scaffolds have suitable high-performance properties, suggesting potential for further in vivo and clinical studies.
Controllable Production of Natural Silk Nanofibrils for Reinforcing Silk-Based Orthopedic Screws
Authors: Yan Shuqin , He Li , Hai Abdul Moqeet , Hu Zhanao , You Renchuan , Zhang Qiang , Kaplan David L.
Published: March 2023

As a natural high-performance material with a unique hierarchical structure, silk is endowed with superior mechanical properties. However, the current approaches towards producing regenerated silk fibroin (SF) for the preparation of biomedical devices fail to fully exploit the mechanical potential of native silk materials. In this study, using a top-down approach, we exfoliated natural silk fibers into silk nanofibrils (SNFs), through the disintegration of interfibrillar binding forces. The as-prepared SNFs were employed to reinforce the regenerated SF solution to fabricate orthopedic screws with outstanding mechanical properties (compression modulus > 1.1 GPa in a hydrated state). Remarkably, these screws exhibited tunable biodegradation and high cytocompatibility. After 28 days of degradation in protease XIV solution, the weight loss of the screw was ~20% of the original weight. The screws offered a favorable microenvironment to human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell growth and spread as determined by live/dead staining, F-action staining, and Alamar blue staining. The synergy between native structural components (SNFs) and regenerated SF solutions to form bionanocomposites provides a promising design strategy for the fabrication of biomedical devices with improved performance.
Effects on the Thermo-Mechanical and Interfacial Performance of Newly Developed PI-Sized Carbon Fiber–Polyether Ether Ketone Composites: Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Jung Hana , Bae Kwak Jin , Oh Yuna , Jin Jeong-Un , You Nam-Ho , Yu Jaesang
Published: March 2023

In this study, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) composites reinforced with newly developed water-dispersible polyimide (PI)-sized carbon fibers (CFs) were developed to enhance the effects of the interfacial interaction between PI-sized CFs and a PEEK polymer on their thermo-mechanical properties. The PI sizing layers on these CFs may be induced to interact vigorously with the p-phenylene groups of PEEK polymer chains because of increased electron affinity. Therefore, these PI-sized CFs are effective for improving the interfacial adhesion of PEEK composites. PEEK composites were reinforced with C-CFs, de-CFs, and PI-sized CFs. The PI-sized CFs were prepared by spin-coating a water-dispersible PAS suspension onto the de-CFs, followed by heat treatment for imidization. The composites were cured using a compression molding machine at a constant temperature and pressure. Atomic force and scanning electron microscopy observations of the structures and morphologies of the carbon fiber surfaces verified the improvement of their thermo-mechanical properties. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the effects of PI sizing agents on the stronger interfacial interaction energy between the PI-sized CFs and the PEEK polymer. These results suggest that optimal amounts of PI sizing agents increased the interfacial properties between the CFs and the PEEK polymer.
Formulation and Characterization of Polymeric Cross-Linked Hydrogel Patches for Topical Delivery of Antibiotic for Healing Wound Infections
Authors: Afzal Sana , Barkat Kashif , Ashraf Muhammad Umer , Khalid Ikrima , Mehmood Yasir , Shah Nisar Hussain , Badshah Syed Faisal , Naeem Saba , Khan Saeed Ahmad , Kazi Mohsin
Published: March 2023

Wound healing faces significant challenges in clinical settings. It often contains a series of dynamic and complex physiological healing processes. Instead of creams, ointments and solutions, alternative treatment approaches are needed. The main objective of the study was to formulate bacitracin zinc-loaded topical patches as a new therapeutic agent for potential wound healing. A free radical polymerization technique was optimized for synthesis. Polyethylene glycol-8000 (PEG-8000) was chemically cross-linked with acrylic acid in aqueous medium, using Carbopol 934 as a permeation enhancer and tween 80 as surfactant. Ammonium persulfate and N,N’-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) were utilized as initiator and cross-linker. FTIR, DSC, TGA, and SEM were performed, and patches were evaluated for swelling dynamics, sol-gel analysis, in vitro drug release in various media. A Franz diffusion cell was used for the permeation study. Irritation and wound healing with the drug-loaded patches were also studied. The characterization studies confirmed the formation of a cross-linked hydrogel network. The highest swelling and drug release were observed in formulations containing highest Polyethylene glycol-8000 and lowest N,N’-Methylenebisacrylamide concentrations. The pH-sensitive behavior of patches was also confirmed as more swelling, drug release and drug permeation across skin were observed at pH 7.4. Fabricated patches showed no sign of irritation or erythema as evaluated by the Draize scale. Faster wound healing was also observed with fabricated patches compared to marketed formulations. Therefore, such a polymeric network can be a promising technology for speeding up wound healing and minor skin injuries through enhanced drug deposition.
Preparation of Anionic Surfactant-Based One-Dimensional Nanostructured Polyaniline Fibers for Hydrogen Storage Applications
Authors: Al-Aoh Hatem A. , Badi Nacer , Roy Aashis S. , Alsharari Abdulrhman M. , Abd El Wanees Salah , Albaqami Abdulrahman , Ignatiev Alex
Published: March 2023

Polyaniline fibers were prepared in the presence of anionic surfactant in an ice medium to nucleate in one dimension and were compared to bulk polyaniline prepared at an optimum temperature. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the structural analysis of the prepared samples. A conductivity study reveals that polyaniline fibers have high conductivity compared to bulk polyaniline. Hydrogen storage measurements confirm that the polyaniline fibers adsorbed approximately 86% of the total actual capacity of 8–8.5 wt% in less than 9 min, and desorption occurs at a lower temperature, releasing approximately 1.5 wt% of the hydrogen gases when the pressure is reduced further to 1 bar.
Capability of Copper Hydroxy Nitrate (Cu2(OH)3NO3) as an Additive to Develop Antibacterial Polymer Contact Surfaces: Potential for Food Packaging Applications
Authors: Santos Xiomara , Rodríguez Juana , Guillén Francisco , Pozuelo Javier , Molina-Guijarro J. M. , Videira-Quintela Diogo , Martín Olga
Published: March 2023

The globalization of the market, as well as the increasing world population, which require a higher demand for food products, pose a great challenge to ensure food safety and prevent food loss and waste. In this sense, active materials with antibacterial properties are an important alternative in the prolongation of shelf life and ensuring food safety. In this work, the ability of copper(II) hydroxy nitrate (CuHS) to obtain antibacterial films based on low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polylactic acid (PLA), was evaluated. The thermal properties of the composites, evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), showed that the concentrations of added CuHS do not particularly change these characteristics with respect to the neat polymer matrix films. The mechanical properties, determined using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA), indicate a small increase in the brittleness of the material in PLA-based composites. The antibacterial properties against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica were evaluated using a surface contact test, and a bacterial reduction of at least 8 to 9 logarithmic units for the composites with 0.3% CuHS, both in LDPE and PLA and against both bacteria, were achieved. The reusability of the composite films after their first use demonstrated a higher stability against Listeria monocytogenes. The migration and cytotoxicity of the composites loaded with 0.3% CuHS was evaluated, demonstrating the safety of these materials, which reinforces their potential use in food packaging applications.
Effect of the Addition of Polyacrylic Acid of Different Molecular Weights to Coagulation Bath on the Structure and Performance of Polysulfone Ultrafiltration Membranes
Authors: Plisko Tatiana , Burts Katsiaryna , Penkova Anastasia , Dmitrenko Mariia , Kuzminova Anna , Ermakov Sergey , Bildyukevich Alexandr
Published: March 2023

Membrane fouling is a serious issue in membrane technology which cannot be completely avoided but can be diminished. The perspective technique of membrane modification is the introduction of hydrophilic polymers or polyelectrolytes into the coagulation bath during membrane preparation via non-solvent-induced phase separation. The influence of polyacrylic acid (PAA) molecular weight (100,000, 250,000 and 450,000 g·mol−1) added to the aqueous coagulation bath (0.4–2.0 wt.%) on the polysulfone membrane structure, surface roughness, water contact angle and zeta potential of the selective layer, as well as the separation and antifouling performance, was systematically studied. It was found that membranes obtained via the addition of PAA with higher molecular weight feature smaller pore size and porosity, extremely high hydrophilicity and higher values of negative charge of membrane surface. It was shown that the increase in PAA concentration from 0.4 wt.% to 2.0 wt.% for all studied PAA molecular weights yielded a substantial decrease in water contact angle compared with the reference membrane (65 ± 2°) (from 27 ± 2° to 17 ± 2° for PAA with Mn = 100,000 g·mol−1; from 25 ± 2° to 16 ± 2° for PAA with Mn = 250,000 g·mol−1; and from 19 ± 2° to 10 ± 2° for PAA with Mn = 450,000 g·mol−1). An increase in PAA molecular weight from 100,000 to 450,000 g·mol−1 led to a decrease in membrane permeability, an increase in rejection and tailoring excellent antifouling performance in the ultrafiltration of humic acid solutions. The fouling recovery ratio increased from 73% for the reference membrane up to 91%, 100% and 136% for membranes modified with the addition to the coagulation bath of 1.5 wt.% of PAA with molecular weights of 100,000 g·mol−1, 250,000 g·mol−1 and 450,000 g·mol−1, respectively. Overall, the addition of PAA of different molecular weights to the coagulation bath is an efficient tool to adjust membrane separation and antifouling properties for different separation tasks.
Enhancing Physiochemical Substrate Properties of Thin-Film Composite Membranes for Water and Wastewater Treatment via Engineered Osmosis Process
Authors: Abdullah Wan Nur Ain Shuhada , Mohd Nawi Nadiene Salleha , Lau Woei Jye , Ho Yeek Chia , Aziz Farhana , Ismail Ahmad Fauzi
Published: March 2023

The commercial thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration (NF) membrane is unsuitable for engineered osmosis processes because of its thick non-woven fabric and semi-hydrophilic substrate that could lead to severe internal concentration polarization (ICP). Hence, we fabricated a new type of NF-like TFC membrane using a hydrophilic coated polyacrylonitrile/polyphenylsulfone (PAN/PPSU) substrate in the absence of non-woven fabric, aiming to improve membrane performance for water and wastewater treatment via the engineered osmosis process. Our results showed that the substrate made of a PAN/PPSU weight ratio of 1:5 could produce the TFC membrane with the highest water flux and divalent salt rejection compared to the membranes made of different PAN/PPSU substrates owing to the relatively good compatibility between PAN and PPSU at this ratio. The water flux of the TFC membrane was further improved without compromising salt rejection upon the introduction of a hydrophilic polydopamine (PDA) coating layer containing 0.5 g/L of graphene oxide (PDA/GO0.5) onto the bottom surface of the substrate. When tested using aerobically treated palm oil mill effluent (AT-POME) as a feed solution and 4 M MgCl2 as a draw solution, the best performing TFC membrane with the hydrophilic coating layer achieved a 67% and 41% higher forward osmosis (FO) and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) water flux, respectively, compared to the TFC membrane without the coating layer. More importantly, the coated TFC membrane attained a very high color rejection (>97%) during AT-POME treatment, while its water flux and reverse solute flux were even better compared to the commercial NF90 and NF270 membranes. The promising outcomes were attributed to the excellent properties of the PAN/PPSU substrate that was coated with a hydrophilic PDA/GO coating and the elimination of the thick non-woven fabric during TFC membrane fabrication.
Neodymium Recovery from the Aqueous Phase Using a Residual Material from Saccharified Banana-Rachis/Polyethylene-Glycol
Authors: Lapo Byron , Pavón Sandra , Bertau Martin , Demey Hary , Meneses Miguel , Sastre Ana María
Published: March 2023

Neodymium (Nd) is a key rare earth element (REE) needed for the future of incoming technologies including road transport and power generation. Hereby, a sustainable adsorbent material for recovering Nd from the aqueous phase using a residue from the saccharification process is presented. Banana rachis (BR) was treated with cellulases and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to produce fermentable sugars prior to applying the final residue (BR–PEG) as an adsorbent material. BR–PEG was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), compositional analysis, pH of zero charge (pHpzc), Fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). A surface response experimental design was used for obtaining the optimized adsorption conditions in terms of the pH of the aqueous phase and the particle size. With the optimal conditions, equilibrium isotherms, kinetics and adsorption–desorption cycles were performed. The optimal pH and particle size were 4.5 and 209.19 μm, respectively. BR–PEG presented equilibrium kinetics after 20 min and maximum adsorption capacities of 44.11 mg/g. In terms of reusage, BR–PEG can be efficiently reused for five adsorption–desorption cycles. BR–PEG was demonstrated to be a low-cost bioresourced alternative for recovering Nd by adsorption.
Supramolecular Linear-Dendritic Nanoreactors: Synthesis and Catalytic Activity in “Green” Suzuki-Miyaura Reactions
Authors: Liu Xin , Yavitt F. Max , Gitsov Ivan
Published: March 2023

This study describes the synthesis of novel amphiphilic linear-dendritic block copolymers and their self-assembly in water to form supramolecular nanoreactors capable of catalyzing Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions under “green” conditions. The block copolymers were formed through copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition between azide functionalized poly(benzyl ether) dendrons as the perfectly branched blocks, as well as bis-alkyne modified poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, as the linear block. A first-generation poly(benzyl ether) dendron (G1) was coupled to a bis-alkyne modified PEG with molecular mass of 5 kDa, forming an ABA copolymer (G1)2-PEG5k-(G1)2 (yield 62%), while a second-generation dendron (G2) was coupled to a 11 kDa bis-alkyne modified PEG to produce (G2)2-PEG11k-(G2)2 (yield 49%). The structural purity and low dispersity of the linear-dendritic copolymers were verified by size-exclusion chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Their self-assembly was studied by dynamic light scattering, showing that (G1)2-PEG5k-(G1)2 and (G2)2-PEG11k-(G2)2 formed single populations of micelles (17 nm and 37 nm in diameter, respectively). The triazole rings located at the boundaries between the core and the corona are efficient chelating groups for transition metals. The ability of the micelles to complex Pd was confirmed by 1H NMR, transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma. The catalytic activity of the supramolecular linear-dendritic/Pd complexes was tested in water by model Suzuki-Miyaura reactions in which quantitative yields were achieved within 3 h at 40 °C, while, at 17 °C, a yield of more than 70% was attained after 17 h.
Of Cosmological Visions and Creativity: Shaping Animism, Indigenous Science, and Forestry in Southwest China
Authors: Swancutt Katherine
Published: March 2023

How do cosmological visions unsettle animistic and scientific ways of approaching the world? Whereas ‘cosmovisions’ have the narrow meaning of ‘worldviews’, people unleash new ‘cosmological visions’ through the creative act of relating to—and simultaneously dismantling—their constructs of the world at large. Drawing on my ethnography of the Nuosu, a Tibeto-Burman group of Southwest China, I show how an ethnohistorian and a priest set out, at the request of a local official, to address deforestation with a cosmological vision built upon animistic, indigenous scientific, social scientific, and natural scientific sensibilities. Holding sacrifices to land spirits across the Liangshan mountains of Yunnan province in the mid-2000s, they urged Nuosu to refrain from cutting down trees. Many Nuosu in the lumber trade responded with a counter vision that showed respect for land spirits but an unprecedented detachment from the world in animistic-cum-scientific terms. Cosmological visions like these proliferate among Nuosu, encouraging them to experiment with everything from testing the patience of land spirits to undercutting the science behind China’s forest protection policies. Here, creativity opens up new ways of envisioning indigenous autonomy and what it means to be alive to the world as an animist, a scientist, or both.
Congregational Care: Philosophical Reflection on a Case Study
Authors: Bellous Joyce E.
Published: March 2023

Congregational care strengthens relationships and supports spiritual growth. This article establishes groundwork for developing congregational care at First Baptist in Edmonton (FBC) by introducing a spiritual needs approach to engage people in conversation and by using a Spiritual Styles Assessment that has 36 questions to foster communication among congregational members. The article has four parts. The first introduces the congregation and a list of spiritual needs. The second part includes information about the Spiritual Styles Assessment and spirituality research. Parts three and four describe attitudes, skills and practices that enhance communicative action by helping people talk together and practice radical welcome as a foundation for congregational care. The purpose for establishing a foundation for congregational care is to suggest a way forward for a congregation that faces significant differences in values, beliefs, expectations, personal experience, and faith assumptions, even among people who have known each other for years. FBC is trying to find ways to reach understanding and offer care to all who enter the Sanctuary. The purpose of the article is to reflect philosophically on what congregants need from each other as signs of respect, inclusion and caring. The article outlines attitudes, skills, and practices that create communicative communities that are capable of nurturing congregational care by developing human understanding based on faith experience and communicative action.
InSAR-Based Early Warning Monitoring Framework to Assess Aquifer Deterioration
Authors: Orellana Felipe , Rivera Daniela , Montalva Gonzalo , Arumi José Luis
Published: March 2023

Aquifer surveillance is key to understanding the dynamics of groundwater reservoirs. Attention should be focused on developing strategies to monitor and mitigate the adverse consequences of overexploitation. In this context, ground surface deformation monitoring allows us to estimate the spatial and temporal distribution of groundwater levels, determine the recharge times of the aquifers, and calibrate the hydrological models. This study proposes a methodology for implementing advanced multitemporal differential interferometry (InSAR) techniques for water withdrawal surveillance and early warning assessment. For this, large open-access images were used, a total of 145 SAR images from the Sentinel 1 C-band satellite provided by the Copernicus mission of the European Space Agency. InSAR processing was carried out with an algorithm based on parallel computing technology implemented in cloud infrastructure, optimizing complex workflows and processing times. The surveillance period records 6-years of satellite observation from September 2016 to December 2021 over the city of Chillan (Chile), an area exposed to urban development and intensive agriculture, where ~80 wells are located. The groundwater flow path spans from the Andes Mountain range to the Pacific Ocean, crossing the Itata river basin in the Chilean central valley. InSAR validation measurements were carried out by comparing the results with the values of continuous GNSS stations available in the area of interest. The performance analysis is based on spatial analysis, time series, meteorological stations data, and static level measurements, as well as hydrogeological structure. The results indicate seasonal variations in winter and summer, which corresponds to the recovery and drawdown periods with velocities > −10 mm/year, and an aquifer deterioration trend of up to 60 mm registered in the satellite SAR observation period. Our results show an efficient tool to monitor aquifer conditions, including irreversible consolidation and storage capacity loss, allowing timely decision making to avoid harmful exploitation.
A Comprehensive Review and Application of Metaheuristics in Solving the Optimal Parameter Identification Problems
Authors: Rezk Hegazy , Olabi A. G. , Wilberforce Tabbi , Sayed Enas Taha
Published: March 2023

For many electrical systems, such as renewable energy sources, their internal parameters are exposed to degradation due to the operating conditions. Since the model’s accuracy is required for establishing proper control and management plans, identifying their parameters is a critical and prominent task. Various techniques have been developed to identify these parameters. However, metaheuristic algorithms have received much attention for their use in tackling a wide range of optimization issues relating to parameter extraction. This work provides an exhaustive literature review on solving parameter extraction utilizing recently developed metaheuristic algorithms. This paper includes newly published articles in each studied context and its discussion. It aims to approve the applicability of these algorithms and make understanding their deployment easier. However, there are not any exact optimization algorithms that can offer a satisfactory performance to all optimization issues, especially for problems that have large search space dimensions. As a result, metaheuristic algorithms capable of searching very large spaces of possible solutions have been thoroughly investigated in the literature review. Furthermore, depending on their behavior, metaheuristic algorithms have been divided into four types. These types and their details are included in this paper. Then, the basics of the identification process are presented and discussed. Fuel cells, electrochemical batteries, and photovoltaic panel parameters identification are investigated and analyzed.
Study on the Progress in Climate-Change-Oriented Human Settlement Research
Authors: Yao Qiang , An Na , Yang Ende , Song Zhengjiang
Published: March 2023

Since the 20th century, the escalating impact of climate risks has led to a heightened global focus on climate-change-oriented human settlement research (hereafter referred to as CCHSR). This paper presents an econometric analysis of 6830 research papers published from 1975 to 2023 (first two months) to investigate the characteristics, key issues, and research trends in CCHSR, to provide valuable insights and recommendations for future research. We used CiteSpace, bibliometric software that constructs a knowledge-mapping analysis of annual publication volume, source publications, and country distribution; this study examines the characteristics of the literature sources in CCHSR. It also explores the literature distribution through an analysis of co-citation and collaboration. The study identifies the key topics of current research through a keyword clustering analysis, including extreme climate risk response, environmental safety and sustainability enhancement, and machine learning technology application. The study identifies three research trends for future investigations by analysing keyword emergence, including climate risk governance implementation, artificial intelligence technology application, and settlement security and resilience enhancement. Finally, the study presents recommendations for priority CCHSR in three areas: theoretical system development, mechanism strategy design, and technology implementation.
Empirical Evaluation of the Impact of Informal Communication Space Quality on Innovation in Innovation Districts
Authors: Tan Youwei , Qian Qinglan , Chen Xiaolan
Published: March 2023

Innovation and creativity have become the driving force of a new round of urban development. Innovation districts have increasingly attracted the attention of domestic and foreign governments and scholars. An informal communication space is the main place for knowledge spillover, innovation communication, and transmission in innovation districts, and its spatial quality plays a vital role in the cultivation and development of innovation districts. The existing quality evaluation of informal communication spaces is less innovative. Based on the perspective of innovation, this paper selects the spatial characteristics of parks, squares, and pedestrian streets from three dimensions of morphology, function, and image, and establishes a preliminary evaluation index system. On the other hand, this paper combs the influence theory of knowledge spillover on innovation and summarizes the communication atmosphere, communication frequency, communication object and communication quality as the dependent variables of innovation. Through correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis, innovative informal communication space features are screened out, and the spatial quality evaluation index systems of parks, squares, and pedestrian streets are constructed, respectively. In the empirical study, 24 samples of Gaoxin South District (GXSD) are selected for spatial quality evaluation. Subjective evaluation and objective evaluation are used to obtain the advantages and disadvantages of different spaces to stimulate innovation. This study is helpful for urban designers and planners to better carry out space design to promote innovation through evaluating space status.
Addressing Sustainability in the High School Biology Classroom through Socioscientific Issues
Authors: Jackson Wendy M. , Binding Maia K. , Grindstaff Kelly , Hariani Manisha , Koo Bon W.
Published: March 2023

The Science Education Program for Public Understanding System (SEPUP) at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, recently redesigned its high school biology program, Science and Global Issues, which is centered around sustainability-related socioscientific issues. The goal of this work was to fill a gap in standards-based, sustainability-themed high school biology curricula. Curriculum developers began the redesign process by asking the question: What does it look like for students to think about sustainability/sustainable development in the context of operationalized goals for sustainability (such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals) while also allowing them to be successful in meeting rigorous science standards (in this case, the US Next Generation Science Standards)? The process used by the developers is described, from conceptualizing the program and units to enacting the program in student-facing materials. The framework for presenting sustainability to students is described, as are the specific contexts that allow students to develop a deep understanding of scientific concepts while addressing current and important socioscientific issues. A selection of feedback from teachers and students gathered during the field test of the curriculum is shared, as is feedback from teachers who used the published program. The developers concluded that sustainability provides a powerful framework for allowing students to learn biological concepts and apply them to real-world issues.
A Study on the Deployment of Mesoscale Chemical Hazard Area Monitoring Points by Combining Weighting and Fireworks Algorithms
Authors: Shi Yimeng , Zhang Hongyuan , Chen Zheng , Sun Yueyue , Liu Xuecheng , Gu Jin
Published: March 2023

In order to address the problems of redundancy and waste of resources in the deployment of monitoring points in mesoscale chemical hazard areas, we propose a method for the deployment of monitoring points in mesoscale chemical hazard areas by combining weight and fireworks algorithms. Taking the mesoscale chemical hazard monitoring area as the research background, we take the probabilistic sensing model of telemetry sensor nodes as the research object, make a reasonable grid division of the mesoscale monitoring area, calculate the importance of each grid and perform clustering, utilize the diversity of the fireworks algorithm and the rapidity of the solution to solve the monitoring point deployment model and discuss the relevant factors affecting the deployment scheme. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve the optimal coverage monitoring for monitoring areas with different importance and reduce the number of monitoring nodes and redundancy; meanwhile, the relevant factors such as the grid edge length, the number of clusters, and the average importance of monitoring areas have different degrees of influence on the complexity of the algorithm and the deployment scheme.