bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Machine-Learning Algorithms for Better Understanding the Properties of Liquisolid Systems Prepared with Three Mesoporous Silica Based Carriers
Authors: Glišić Teodora , Djuriš Jelena , Vasiljević Ivana , Parojčić Jelena , Aleksić Ivana
Published: February 2023

The processing of liquisolid systems (LSS), which are considered a promising approach to improving the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs, has proven challenging due to the relatively high amount of liquid phase incorporated within them. The objective of this study was to apply machine-learning tools to better understand the effects of formulation factors and/or tableting process parameters on the flowability and compaction properties of LSS with silica-based mesoporous excipients as carriers. In addition, the results of the flowability testing and dynamic compaction analysis of liquisolid admixtures were used to build data sets and develop predictive multivariate models. In the regression analysis, six different algorithms were used to model the relationship between tensile strength (TS), the target variable, and eight other input variables. The AdaBoost algorithm provided the best-fit model for predicting TS (coefficient of determination = 0.94), with ejection stress (ES), compaction pressure, and carrier type being the parameters that influenced its performance the most. The same algorithm was best for classification (precision = 0.90), depending on the type of carrier used, with detachment stress, ES, and TS as variables affecting the performance of the model. Furthermore, the formulations with Neusilin® US2 were able to maintain good flowability and satisfactory values of TS despite having a higher liquid load compared to the other two carriers.
Exploring RAB11A Pathway to Hinder Chronic Myeloid Leukemia-Induced Angiogenesis In Vivo
Authors: Roma-Rodrigues Catarina , Fernandes Alexandra R. , Baptista Pedro V.
Published: February 2023

Neoangiogenesis is generally correlated with poor prognosis, due to the promotion of cancer cell growth, invasion and metastasis. The progression of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is frequently associated with an increased vascular density in bone marrow. From a molecular point of view, the small GTP-binding protein Rab11a, involved in the endosomal slow recycling pathway, has been shown to play a crucial role for the neoangiogenic process at the bone marrow of CML patients, by controlling the secretion of exosomes by CML cells, and by regulating the recycling of vascular endothelial factor receptors. The angiogenic potential of exosomes secreted by the CML cell line K562 has been previously observed using the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. Herein, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were functionalized with an anti-RAB11A oligonucleotide (AuNP@RAB11A) to downregulate RAB11A mRNA in K562 cell line which showed a 40% silencing of the mRNA after 6 h and 14% silencing of the protein after 12 h. Then, using the in vivo CAM model, these exosomes secreted by AuNP@RAB11A incubated K562 did not present the angiogenic potential of those secreted from untreated K562 cells. These results demonstrate the relevance of Rab11 for the neoangiogenesis mediated by tumor exosomes, whose deleterious effect may be counteracted via targeted silencing of these crucial genes; thus, decreasing the number of pro-tumoral exosomes at the tumor microenvironment.
The Pharmaceutical Formulation Plays a Pivotal Role in Hydroxytyrosol Pharmacokinetics
Authors: Di Renzo Laura , Smeriglio Antonella , Ingegneri Mariarosaria , Gualtieri Paola , Trombetta Domenico
Published: February 2023

Current evidence supports the use of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and its minor components such as hydroxytyrosol or 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl ethanol (DOPET), to improve cardiovascular and metabolic health. Nevertheless, more intervention studies in humans are needed because some gaps remain in its bioavailability and metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the DOPET pharmacokinetics on 20 healthy volunteers by administering a hard enteric-coated capsule containing 7.5 mg of bioactive compound conveyed in EVOO. The treatment was preceded by a washout period with a polyphenol and an alcohol-free diet. Blood and urine samples were collected at baseline and different time points, and free DOPET and metabolites, as well as sulfo- and glucuro-conjugates, were quantified by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS analysis. The plasma concentration versus time profiles of free DOPET was analyzed by a non-compartmental approach, and several pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, Tmax, T1/2, AUC0–440 min, AUC0–∞, AUCt–∞, AUCextrap_pred, Clast and Kel) were calculated. Results showed that DOPET Cmax (5.5 ng/mL) was reached after 123 min (Tmax), with a T1/2 of 150.53 min. Comparing the data obtained with the literature, the bioavailability of this bioactive compound is about 2.5 times higher, confirming the hypothesis that the pharmaceutical formulation plays a pivotal role in the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of hydroxytyrosol.
Biochar with Inorganic Nitrogen Fertilizer Reduces Direct Greenhouse Gas Emission Flux from Soil
Authors: Ayaz Muhammad , Feizienė Dalia , Tilvikienė Vita , Feiza Virginijus , Baltrėnaitė-Gedienė Edita , Ullah Sana
Published: February 2023

Agricultural waste can have a catastrophic impact on climate change, as it contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if not managed sustainably. Swine-digestate-manure-derived biochar may be one sustainable way to manage waste and tackle GHG emissions in temperate climatic conditions. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how such biochar could be used to reduce soil GHG emissions. Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and pea crops in 2020 and 2021, respectively, were treated with 25 t ha−1 of swine-digestate-manure-derived biochar (B1) and 120 kg ha−1 (N1) and 160 kg ha−1 (N2) of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer (ammonium nitrate). Biochar with or without nitrogen fertilizer substantially lowered GHG emissions compared to the control treatment (without any treatment) or treatments without biochar application. Carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) emissions were directly measured using static chamber technology. Cumulative emissions and global warming potential (GWP) followed the same trend and were significantly lowered in biochar-treated soils. The influences of soil and environmental parameters on GHG emissions were, therefore, investigated. A positive correlation was found between both moisture and temperature and GHG emissions. Thus, biochar made from swine digestate manure may be an effective organic amendment to reduce GHG emissions and address climate change challenges.
Genetic Diversity Analysis of Brassica Yellows Virus Causing Aberrant Color Symptoms in Oilseed Rape
Authors: Peng Qi , Li Wei , Zhou Xiaoying , Sun Chengming , Hou Yan , Hu Maolong , Fu Sanxiong , Zhang Jiefu , Kundu Jiban Kumar , Lei Lei
Published: February 2023

The emergence of brassica yellow virus (BrYV) has increasingly damaged crucifer crops in China in recent years. In 2020, a large number of oilseed rape in Jiangsu showed aberrant leaf color. A combined RNA-seq and RT-PCR analysis identified BrYV as the major viral pathogen. A subsequent field survey showed that the average incidence of BrYV was 32.04%. In addition to BrYV, turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) was also frequently detected. As a result, two near full-length BrYV isolates, BrYV-814NJLH and BrYV-NJ13, were cloned. Based on the newly obtained sequences and the reported BrYV and turnip yellow virus (TuYV) isolates, a phylogenetic analysis was performed, and it was found that all BrYV isolates share a common root with TuYV. Pairwise amino acid identity analysis revealed that both P2 and P3 were conserved in BrYV. Additionally, recombination analysis revealed seven recombinant events in BrYV as TuYV. We also attempted to determine BrYV infection by quantitative leaf color index, but no significant correlation was found between the two. Systemic observations indicated that BrYV-infected plants had different symptoms, such as no symptom, purple stem base and red old leaves. Overall, our work proves that BrYV is closely related to TuYV and could be considered as an epidemic strain for oilseed rape in Jiangsu.
Spring Wheat’s Ability to Utilize Nitrogen More Effectively Is Influenced by Root Phene Variation
Authors: Ranjan Rumesh , Yadav Rajbir , Gaikwad Kiran B. , Bainsla Naresh Kumar , Kumar Manjeet , Babu Prashanth , Dharmateja Palaparthi
Published: February 2023

Genetic improvement for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) can play a very crucial role in sustainable agriculture. Root traits have hardly been explored in major wheat breeding programs, more so in spring germplasm, largely because of the difficulty in their scoring. A total of 175 advanced/improved Indian spring wheat genotypes were screened for root traits and nitrogen uptake and nitrogen utilization at varying nitrogen levels in hydroponic conditions to dissect the complex NUE trait into its component traits and to study the extent of variability that exists for those traits in Indian germplasm. Analysis of genetic variance showed a considerable amount of genetic variability for nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE), nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE), and most of the root and shoot traits. Improved spring wheat breeding lines were found to have very large variability for maximum root length (MRL) and root dry weights (RDW) with strong genetic advance. In contrast to high nitrogen (HN), a low nitrogen (LN) environment was more effective in differentiating wheat genotypes for NUE and its component traits. Shoot dry weight (SDW), RDW, MRL, and NUpE were found to have a strong association with NUE. Further study revealed the role of root surface area (RSA) and total root length (TRL) in RDW formation as well as in nitrogen uptake and therefore can be targeted for selection to further the genetic gain for grain yield under high input or sustainable agriculture under limited inputs.
Genome-Wide Analysis of MYB Transcription Factor Gene Superfamily Reveals BjPHL2a Involved in Modulating the Expression of BjCHI1 in Brassica juncea
Authors: Xie Chang Gen , Jin Ping , Xu Jiamin , Li Shangze , Shi Tiantian , Wang Rui , Jia Shuangwei , Zhang Zixuan , Guo Weike , Hao Wenfang , Zhou Xiaona , Liu Jun , Gao Ying
Published: February 2023

Brassica juncea is an economically important vegetable and oilseed crop. The MYB transcription factor superfamily is one of the largest transcription factor families in plants, and plays crucial roles in regulating the expression of key genes involved in a variety of physiological processes. However, a systematic analysis of the MYB transcription factor genes in Brassica juncea (BjMYB) has not been performed. In this study, a total of 502 BjMYB superfamily transcription factor genes were identified, including 23 1R-MYBs, 388 R2R3-MYBs, 16 3R-MYBs, 4 4R-MYBs, 7 atypical MYBs, and 64 MYB-CCs, which is approximately 2.4-fold larger than that of AtMYBs. Phylogenetic relationship analysis revealed that the MYB-CC subfamily consists of 64 BjMYB-CC genes. The expression pattern of members of PHL2 subclade homologous genes in Brassica juncea (BjPHL2) after Botrytis cinerea infection were determined, and BjPHL2a was isolated from a yeast one-hybrid screen with the promoter of BjCHI1 as bait. BjPHL2a was found to localize mainly in the nucleus of plant cells. An EMSA assay confirmed that BjPHL2a binds to the Wbl-4 element of BjCHI1. Transiently expressed BjPHL2a activates expression of the GUS reporter system driven by a BjCHI1 mini-promoter in tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) leaves. Taken together, our data provide a comprehensive evaluation of BjMYBs and show that BjPHL2a, one of the members of BjMYB-CCs, functions as a transcription activator by interacting with the Wbl-4 element in the promoter of BjCHI1 for targeted gene-inducible expression.
Conjugated Microporous Polymers Based on Ferrocene Units as Highly Efficient Electrodes for Energy Storage
Authors: Samy Maha Mohamed , Mohamed Mohamed Gamal , Kuo Shiao-Wei
Published: February 2023

This work describes the facile designing of three conjugated microporous polymers incorporated based on the ferrocene (FC) unit with 1,4-bis(4,6-diamino-s-triazin-2-yl)benzene (PDAT), tris(4-aminophenyl)amine (TPA-NH2), and tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)ethane (TPE-NH2) to form PDAT-FC, TPA-FC, and TPE-FC CMPs from Schiff base reaction of 1,1′-diacetylferrocene monomer with these three aryl amines, respectively, for efficient supercapacitor electrodes. PDAT-FC and TPA-FC CMPs samples featured higher surface area values of approximately 502 and 701 m2 g−1, in addition to their possession of both micropores and mesopores. In particular, the TPA-FC CMP electrode achieved more extended discharge time compared with the other two FC CMPs, demonstrating good capacitive performance with a specific capacitance of 129 F g−1 and capacitance retention value of 96% next 5000 cycles. This feature of TPA-FC CMP is attributed to the presence of redox-active triphenylamine and ferrocene units in its backbone, in addition to a high surface area and good porosity that facilitates the redox process and provides rapid kinetics.
Physicochemical Properties of UV-Irradiated, Biaxially Oriented PLA Tubular Scaffolds
Authors: Bhati Pooja , Srivastava Alok , Ahuja Ramya , Chauhan Pankaj , Vashisth Priya , Bhatnagar Naresh
Published: February 2023

PLA and its blends are the most extensively used materials for various biomedical applications such as scaffolds, implants, and other medical devices. The most extensively used method for tubular scaffold fabrication is by using the extrusion process. However, PLA scaffolds show limitations such as low mechanical strength as compared to metallic scaffolds and inferior bioactivities, limiting their clinical application. Thus, in order to improve the mechanical properties of tubular scaffolds, they were biaxially expanded, wherein the bioactivity can be improved by surface modifications using UV treatment. However, detailed studies are needed to study the effect of UV irradiation on the surface properties of biaxially expanded scaffolds. In this work, tubular scaffolds were fabricated using a novel single-step biaxial expansion process, and the surface properties of the tubular scaffolds after different durations of UV irradiation were evaluated. The results show that changes in the surface wettability of scaffolds were observed after 2 min of UV exposure, and wettability increased with the increased duration of UV exposure. FTIR and XPS results were in conjunction and showed the formation of oxygen-rich functional groups with the increased UV irradiation of the surface. AFM showed increased surface roughness with the increase in UV duration. However, it was observed that scaffold crystallinity first increased and then decreased with the UV exposure. This study provides a new and detailed insight into the surface modification of the PLA scaffolds using UV exposure.
Protective Properties of Copper-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles against Soybean Pathogens Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. glycinea and Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens
Authors: Tarakanov Rashit , Shagdarova Balzhima , Lyalina Tatiana , Zhuikova Yuliya , Il’ina Alla , Dzhalilov Fevzi , Varlamov Valery
Published: February 2023

Soybeans are a valuable food product, containing 40% protein and a large percentage of unsaturated fatty acids ranging from 17 to 23%. Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. glycinea (Psg) and Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens (Cff) are harmful bacterial pathogens of soybean. The bacterial resistance of soybean pathogens to existing pesticides and environmental concerns requires new approaches to control bacterial diseases. Chitosan is a biodegradable, biocompatible and low-toxicity biopolymer with antimicrobial activity that is promising for use in agriculture. In this work, a chitosan hydrolysate and its nanoparticles with copper were obtained and characterized. The antimicrobial activity of the samples against Psg and Cff was studied using the agar diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined. The samples of chitosan and copper-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Cu2+ChiNPs) significantly inhibited bacterial growth and were not phytotoxic at the concentrations of the MIC and MBC values. The protective properties of chitosan hydrolysate and copper-loaded chitosan nanoparticles against soybean bacterial diseases were tested on plants in an artificial infection. It was demonstrated that the Cu2+ChiNPs were the most effective against Psg and Cff. Treatment of pre-infected leaves and seeds demonstrated that the biological efficiencies of (Cu2+ChiNPs) were 71% and 51% for Psg and Cff, respectively. Copper-loaded chitosan nanoparticles are promising as an alternative treatment for bacterial blight and bacterial tan spot and wilt in soybean.
Preparation of a Polyaniline-Modified Hybrid Graphene Aerogel-Like Nanocomposite for Efficient Adsorption of Heavy Metal Ions from Aquatic Media
Authors: Kuznetsova Tatiana S. , Burakov Alexander E. , Burakova Irina V. , Pasko Tatiana V. , Dyachkova Tatiana P. , Mkrtchyan Elina S. , Memetova Anastasia E. , Ananyeva Oksana A. , Shigabaeva Gulnara N. , Galunin Evgeny V.
Published: February 2023

This paper considers the synthesis of a novel nanocomposite based on reduced graphene oxide and oxidized carbon nanotubes modified with polyaniline and phenol-formaldehyde resin and developed through the carbonization of a pristine aerogel. It was tested as an efficient adsorbent to purify aquatic media from toxic Pb(II). Diagnostic assessment of the samples was carried out through X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The carbonized aerogel was found to preserve the carbon framework structure. The sample porosity was estimated through nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. It was found that the carbonized aerogel predominantly represented a mesoporous material having a specific surface area of 315 m2/g. After carbonization, an increase in smaller micropores occurred. According to the electron images, the highly porous structure of the carbonized composite was preserved. The adsorption capacity of the carbonized material was studied for liquid-phase Pb(II) extraction in static mode. The experiment results showed that the maximum Pb(II) adsorption capacity of the carbonized aerogel was 185 mg/g (at pH 6.0). The results of the desorption studies showed a very low desorption rate (0.3%) at pH 6.5 and a rate of about 40% in a strongly acidic medium.
Damping Properties of Large-Scale Overlap Joints Bonded with Epoxy Hybrid Resin or Polyurethanes: Experimental Characterisation and Analytical Description
Authors: Damm Jannis , Albiez Matthias
Published: February 2023

Structures in various industries are exposed to dynamic loads. The dissipative properties of adhesively bonded joints can contribute to the damping of dynamically stressed structures. Dynamic hysteresis tests are carried out to determine the damping properties of adhesively bonded overlap joints by varying the geometry and test boundary conditions. The dimensions of the overlap joints are full-scale and thus relevant for steel construction. Based on the results of experimental investigations, a methodology is developed for the analytic determination of the damping properties of adhesively bonded overlap joints for various specimen geometries and stress boundary conditions. For this purpose, dimensional analysis is carried out using the Buckingham Pi Theorem. In summary, it can be stated that the loss factor of adhesively bonded overlap joints investigated within this study is in the range between 0.16 and 0.41. The damping properties can particularly be increased by increasing the adhesive layer thickness and reducing the overlap length. The functional relationships of all the test results shown can be determined by dimensional analysis. An analytical determination of the loss factor considering all identified influencing factors is enabled by derived regression functions with a high coefficient of determination.
Cytoprotection of Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus with Artificial Nanoshells of Nature-Derived Eggshell Membrane Hydrolysates and Coffee Melanoidins in Single-Cell Nanoencapsulation
Authors: Han Sang Yeong , Nguyen Duc Tai , Kim Beom Jin , Kim Nayoung , Kang Eunhye K. , Park Ji Hun , Choi Insung S.
Published: February 2023

One-step fabrication method for thin films and shells is developed with nature-derived eggshell membrane hydrolysates (ESMHs) and coffee melanoidins (CMs) that have been discarded as food waste. The nature-derived polymeric materials, ESMHs and CMs, prove highly biocompatible with living cells, and the one-step method enables cytocompatible construction of cell-in-shell nanobiohybrid structures. Nanometric ESMH-CM shells are formed on individual probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus, without any noticeable decrease in viability, and the ESMH-CM shells effectively protected L. acidophilus in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF). The cytoprotection power is further enhanced by Fe3+-mediated shell augmentation. For example, after 2 h of incubation in SGF, the viability of native L. acidophilus is 30%, whereas nanoencapsulated L. acidophilus, armed with the Fe3+-fortified ESMH-CM shells, show 79% in viability. The simple, time-efficient, and easy-to-process method developed in this work would contribute to many technological developments, including microbial biotherapeutics, as well as waste upcycling.
The Polymers of Diethynylarenes—Is Selective Polymerization at One Acetylene Bond Possible? A Review
Authors: Misin Vyacheslav M. , Maltseva Irina E. , Kazakov Mark E. , Volkov Vladimir A.
Published: February 2023

In this review, all available publications on the polymerization of all isomers of bifunctional diethynylarenes due to the opening of C≡C bonds were considered and analyzed. It has been shown that with the use of polymers of diethynylbenzene, heat-resistant and ablative materials, catalysts, sorbents, humidity sensors, and other materials can be obtained. Various catalytic systems and conditions of polymer synthesis are considered. For the convenience of comparison, the publications considered are grouped according to common features, including the types of initiating systems. Critical consideration is given to the features of the intramolecular structure of the synthesized polymers since it determines the entire complex of properties of this material and subsequent materials. Branched and/or insoluble polymers are formed as a result of solid-phase and liquid-phase homopolymerization. It is shown that the synthesis of a completely linear polymer was carried out for the first time by anionic polymerization. The review considers in sufficient detail publications from hard-to-reach sources, as well as publications that required a more thorough critical examination. The review does not consider the polymerization of diethynylarenes with substituted aromatic rings because of their steric restrictions; the diethynylarenes copolymers with complex intramolecular structure; and diethynylarenes polymers obtained by oxidative polycondensation.
Multiphase Flow Production Enhancement Using Drag Reducing Polymers
Authors: Alsarkhi Abdelsalam , Salah Mustafa
Published: February 2023

This paper presents a comprehensive experimental investigation concerning the effect of drag reducing polymers (DRP) on enhancing the throughput and reducing the pressure drop for a horizontal pipe carrying two-phase flow of air and water mixture. Moreover, the ability of these polymer entanglements to damp turbulence waves and changing the flow regime has been tested at various conditions, and a clear observation showed that the maximum drag reduction always occurs when the highly fluctuated waves were reduced effectively by DRP (and that, accordingly, phase transition (flow regime changed) appeared. This may also help in improving the separation process and enhancing the separator performance. The present experimental set-up has been constructed using a test section of 1.016-cm ID; an acrylic tube section was used to enable visual observations of the flow patterns. A new injection technique has been utilized and, with the use of different injection rates of DRP, the results have shown that the reduction in pressure drop occurred in all flow configurations. Furthermore, different empirical correlations have been developed which improve the ability to predict the pressure drop after the addition of DRP. The correlations showed low discrepancy for a wide range of water and air flow rates.
Numerical Investigation into GFRP Composite Pipes under Hydrostatic Internal Pressure
Authors: Sebeay Tamer Ali , Ahmed Azzam
Published: February 2023

Glass-fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) composite pipes are used extensively in high-performance applications, due to their high stiffness and strength, corrosion resistance, and thermal and chemical stability. In piping, composites showed high performance due to their long service life. In this study, glass-fiber-reinforced plastic composite pipes with [±40]3, [±45]3, [±50]3, [±55]3, [±60]3, [±65]3, and [±70]3 fiber angles and varied pipe wall thicknesses (3.78–5.1 mm) and lengths (110–660 mm) were subjected to constant hydrostatic internal pressure to obtain the pressure resistance capacity of the glass-fiber-reinforced plastic composite pipe, hoop and axial stress, longitudinal and transverse stress, total deformation, and failure modes. For model validation, the simulation of internal pressure on a composite pipe installed on the seabed was investigated and compared with previously published data. Damage analysis based on progressive damage in the finite element model was built based on Hashin damage for the composite. Shell elements were used for internal hydrostatic pressure, due to their convenience for pressure type and property predictions. The finite element results observed that the winding angles from [±40]3 to [±55]3 and pipe thickness play a vital role in improving the pressure capacity of the composite pipe. The average total deformation of all designed composite pipes was 0.37 mm. The highest pressure capacity was observed at [±55°]3 due to the diameter-to-thickness ratio effect.
Polymeric Solar Cell with 19.69% Efficiency Based on Poly(o-phenylene diamine)/TiO2 Composites
Authors: Zoromba M. , Abdel-Aziz M. , Ghazy A. , Salah N. , Al-Hossainy A.
Published: February 2023

Conducting poly orthophenylene diamine polymer (PoPDA) was synthesized via the oxidative polymerization route. A poly(o-phenylene diamine) (PoPDA)/titanium dioxide nanoparticle mono nanocomposite [PoPDA/TiO2]MNC was synthesized using the sol–gel method. The physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique was successfully used to deposit the mono nanocomposite thin film with good adhesion and film thickness ≅ 100 ± 3 nm. The structural and morphological properties of the [PoPDA/TiO2]MNC thin films were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The measured optical properties of the [PoPDA/TiO2]MNC thin films such as reflectance (R) in the UV–Vis-NIR spectrum, absorbance (Abs), and transmittance (T) were employed to probe the optical characteristics at room temperatures. As well as the calculations of TD-DFT (time-dependent density functional theory), optimization through the TD-DFTD/Mol3 and Cambridge Serial Total Energy Bundle (TD-DFT/CASTEP) was employed to study the geometrical characteristics. The dispersion of the refractive index was examined by the single oscillator Wemple–DiDomenico (WD) model. Moreover, the single oscillator energy (Eo), and the dispersion energy (Ed) were estimated. The obtained results show that thin films based on [PoPDA/TiO2]MNC can be utilized as a decent candidate material for solar cells and optoelectronic devices. The efficiency of the considered composites reached 19.69%.
The Influence of Printing Layer Thickness and Orientation on the Mechanical Properties of DLP 3D-Printed Dental Resin
Authors: Farkas Andrei Zoltan , Galatanu Sergiu-Valentin , Nagib Riham
Published: February 2023

Technological advances are closely related to the development of new materials and their processing and manufacturing technologies. In the dental field, the high complexity of the geometrical designs of crowns, bridges and other applications of digital light processing 3D-printable biocompatible resins is the reason for the need for a deep understanding of the mechanical proprieties and behavior of these materials. The aim of the present study is to assess the influence of printing layer direction and thickness on the tensile and compression proprieties of a DLP 3D-printable dental resin. Using the NextDent C&B Micro-Filled Hybrid (MFH), 36 specimens (24 for tensile strength testing, 12 for compression testing) were printed at different layer angulations (0°, 45° and 90°) and layer thicknesses (0.1 mm and 0.05 mm). Brittle behavior was observed in all specimens regardless of the direction of printing and layer thickness for the tensile specimens. The highest tensile values were obtained for specimens printed with a layer thickness of 0.05 mm. In conclusion, both printing layer direction and thickness influence mechanical proprieties and can be used to alter the materials’ characteristics and make the final printed product more suitable for its intended purposes.
Poly(methyl methacrylate) as Healing Agent for Carbon Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Composites
Authors: Peñas-Caballero Mónica , Chemello Enrico , Grande Antonio Mattia , Hernández Santana Marianella , Verdejo Raquel , Lopez-Manchado Miguel A.
Published: February 2023

Self-healing materials offer a potential solution to the problem of damage to fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs) by allowing for the in-service repair of composite materials at a lower cost, in less time, and with improved mechanical properties compared to traditional repair methods. This study investigates for the first time the use of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a self-healing agent in FRPs and evaluates its effectiveness both when blended with the matrix and when applied as a coating to carbon fibres. The self-healing properties of the material are evaluated using double cantilever beam (DCB) tests for up to three healing cycles. The blending strategy does not impart a healing capacity to the FRP due to its discrete and confined morphology; meanwhile, coating the fibres with the PMMA results in healing efficiencies of up to 53% in terms of fracture toughness recovery. This efficiency remains constant, with a slight decrease over three subsequent healing cycles. It has been demonstrated that spray coating is a simple and scalable method of incorporating a thermoplastic agent into an FRP. This study also compares the healing efficiency of specimens with and without a transesterification catalyst and finds that the catalyst does not increase the healing efficiency, but it does improve the interlaminar properties of the material.
Sulfation of Birch Wood Microcrystalline Cellulose with Sulfamic Acid Using Ion-Exchange Resins as Catalysts
Authors: Kazachenko Aleksandr S. , Vasilieva Natalia Yu. , Berezhnaya Yaroslava D. , Fetisova Olga Yu. , Borovkova Valentina S. , Malyar Yuriy N. , Sudakova Irina G. , Sychev Valentin V. , Issaoui Noureddine , Lutoshkin Maxim A. , Karacharov Anton A.
Published: February 2023

Cellulose sulfates are important biologically active substances with a wide range of useful properties. The development of new methods for the production of cellulose sulfates is an urgent task. In this work, we investigated ion-exchange resins as catalysts for the sulfation of cellulose with sulfamic acid. It has been shown that water-insoluble sulfated reaction products are formed in high yield in the presence of anion exchangers, while water-soluble products are formed in the presence of cation exchangers. The most effective catalyst is Amberlite IR 120. According to gel permeation chromatography, it was shown that the samples sulfated in the presence of the catalysts KU-2-8, Purolit s390 plus, and AN-31 SO42− underwent the greatest degradation. The molecular weight destribution profiles of these samples are noticeably shifted to the left towards low-molecular-weight compounds with an increase in fractions in the regions Mw ~2.100 g/mol and ~3.500 g/mol, indicating the growth of microcrystalline cellulose depolymerization products. The introduction of a sulfate group into the cellulose molecule is confirmed using FTIR spectroscopy by the appearance of absorption bands at 1245–1252 cm−1 and 800–809 cm−1, which correspond to the vibrations of the sulfate group. According to X-ray diffraction data, amorphization of the crystalline structure of cellulose is observed during sulfation. Thermal analysis has shown that with an increase in the content of sulfate groups in cellulose derivatives, thermal stability decreases.
Extensional Rheology of Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/N,N-dimethylformamide Solutions
Authors: Xu Lei , Ju Mingxiang , Guo Wentai , Yu Shengrui
Published: February 2023

Typical extension flow occurs in electrospinning process of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solutions such that researchers focus on extensional rheological behaviors of PVDF solutions. The extensional viscosity of PVDF solutions is measured to know the fluidic deformation in extension flows. The solutions are prepared by dissolving PVDF powder into N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent. A homemade extensional viscometric device is used to produce uniaxial extension flows and the feasibility of the viscometric device is verified by applying the glycerol as a test fluid. Experimental results show that PVDF/DMF solutions are extension shinning as well as shear shinning. The Trouton ratio of thinning PVDF/DMF solution is close to three at very low strain rate and then reaches a peak value until it drops to a small value at high strain rate. Furthermore, an exponential model may be used to fit the measured values of uniaxial extensional viscosity at various extension rates, while traditional power-law model is applicable to steady shear viscosity. For 10~14% PVDF/DMF solution, the zero-extension viscosity by fitting reaches 31.88~157.53 Pa·s and the peak Trouton ratio is 4.17~5.16 at applied extension rate of less than 34 s−1. Characteristic relaxation time is λ~100 ms and corresponding critical extension rate is ε˙c~5 s−1. The extensional viscosity of very dilute PVDF/DMF solution at very high extension rate is beyond the limit of our homemade extensional viscometric device. This case needs a higher sensitive tensile gauge and a higher-accelerated motion mechanism for test.
Combined Use of Polyurethane Prepolymer and Aromatic Oil in Physicochemical Rejuvenation of Aged SBS Modified Bitumen for Performance Recovery
Authors: Shu Suxun , Chen Guofu , Yan Jiaming , Li Ziqing , Shen Weili , Gong Kai , Luo Yi
Published: February 2023

The high-quality reutilization of waste styrene–butadiene–styrene copolymer (SBS) modified asphalt mixtures is a difficult issue in the field of highways today, and the main reason is that conventional rejuvenation technology fails to achieve the effective rejuvenation of aged SBS in binder, causing significant deterioration in the high-temperature performance of the rejuvenated mixture. In view of this, this study proposed a physicochemical rejuvenation process using a reactive single-component polyurethane (PU) prepolymer as the repairing substance for structural reconstruction and aromatic oil (AO) as a common rejuvenator used to supplement the lost light fractions of asphalt molecules in aged SBSmB, according to the characteristics of oxidative degradation products of SBS. The joint rejuvenation of aged SBS modified bitumen (aSBSmB) by PU and AO was investigated based on Fourier transform infrared Spectroscopy, Brookfield rotational viscosity, linear amplitude sweep, and dynamic shear rheometer tests. The results show that 3 wt% PU can completely react with the oxidation degradation products of SBS and rebuild its structure, while AO mainly acted as an inert component to increase the content of aromatic components, thereby reasonably adjusting the compatibility of chemical components of aSBSmB. Compared with the PU reaction-rejuvenated binder, the 3 wt% PU/10 wt% AO rejuvenated binder had a lower high-temperature viscosity for better workability. The chemical reaction between PU and SBS degradation products dominated in the high-temperature stability of rejuvenated SBSmB and had a negative impact on its fatigue resistance, while the joint rejuvenation of 3 wt% PU and 10 wt% AO not only gave a better high-temperature property to aged SBSmB but could also have the capacity to improve its fatigue resistance. Compared to virgin SBSmB, PU/AO rejuvenated SBSmB has comparative low-temperature viscoelastic behavior characteristics and a much better resistance to medium-high-temperature elastic deformation.
Optimization of Compression and Flexural Properties of Masonry Veneers with Recycled PET-1
Authors: Paredes Juan , Castillo Willan , Salinas Gabriela , Erazo Henry , Guerrero Víctor H.
Published: February 2023

The study of new materials formulated using recycled polymers offers an ecological and sustainable alternative for the construction industry. In this work, we optimized the mechanical behavior of manufactured masonry veneers made from concrete reinforced with recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from discarded plastic bottles. For this purpose, we used the response surface methodology to evaluate the compression and flexural properties. PET percentage, PET size and aggregate size were used as input factors in a Box–Behnken experimental design resulting in a total of 90 tests. The fraction of the commonly used aggregates replaced by PET particles was 15%, 20% and 25%. The nominal size of the PET particles used was 6, 8 and 14 mm, while the size of the aggregates was 3, 8 and 11 mm. The function of desirability was used to optimize response factorials. The globally optimized formulation contained 15% of 14 mm PET particles in the mixture, and 7.36 mm aggregates, obtaining important mechanical properties of this characterization of masonry veneers. The flexural strength (four-point) was 1.48 MPa, and the compression strength was 3.96 MPa; these values show property improvements of 110% and 94%, respectively, compared to commercial masonry veneers. Overall, this offers the construction industry a robust and environmentally friendly alternative.
Influence of Eugenol and Its Novel Methacrylated Derivative on the Polymerization Degree of Resin-Based Composites
Authors: Alrahlah Ali , Al-Odayni Abdel-Basit , Saeed Waseem Sharaf , Abduh Naaser A. Y. , Khan Rawaiz , Alshabib Abdulrahman , Almajhdi Faisal Fahad N. , Alodeni Riad M. , De Vera Merry Angelyn Tan
Published: February 2023

The aim of this work was to assess the limiting rate of eugenol (Eg) and eugenyl-glycidyl methacrylate (EgGMA) at which the ideal degree of conversion (DC) of resin composites is achieved. For this, two series of experimental composites, containing, besides reinforcing silica and a photo-initiator system, either EgGMA or Eg molecules at 0–6.8 wt% per resin matrix, principally consisting of urethane dimethacrylate (50 wt% per composite), were prepared and denoted as UGx and UEx, where x refers to the EgGMA or Eg wt% in the composite, respectively. Disc-shaped specimens (5 × 1 mm) were fabricated, photocured for 60 s, and analyzed for their Fourier transform infrared spectra before and after curing. The results revealed concentration-dependent DC, increased from 56.70% (control; UG0 = UE0) to 63.87% and 65.06% for UG3.4 and UE0.4, respectively, then dramatically decreased with the concentration increase. The insufficiency in DC due to EgGMA and Eg incorporation, i.e., DC below the suggested clinical limit (>55%), was observed beyond UG3.4 and UE0.8. The mechanism behind such inhibition is still not fully determined; however, radicals generated by Eg may drive its free radical polymerization inhibitory activity, while the steric hindrance and reactivity of EgGMA express its traced effect at high percentages. Therefore, while Eg is a severe inhibitor for radical polymerization, EgGMA is safer and can be used to benefit resin-based composites when used at a low percentage per resin.
Application of PLC-Based Spectrophotometric System Nitrogen Protection Device to Automated Direct Measurement of Target Substances in Zinc Hydrometallurgy
Authors: Zhang Xuefei , Duan Ning , Jiang Linhua , Xu Fuyuan , Yu Zhaosheng , Cheng Wen , Lv Wenbao , Qiu Yibing
Published: February 2023

Due to the fast material reaction in zinc hydrometallurgy, the traditional national standard photometric method cannot capture the characteristic information of target substances in real time. Herein, a nitrogen protection device is built based on ultraviolet spectrophotometry, supplemented by a programmable logic controller (PLC), to form an automatic control system for the direct detection of target substances (SO42−, Pb2+ and S2−) in zinc hydrometallurgy. The baseline straightness comparison results show that the nitrogen atmosphere can effectively improve the stability of the instrument. Furthermore, the detection sensitivity of SO42−, Pb2+ and S2− under the nitrogen atmosphere is higher than that of the air atmosphere, manifesting in sensitivity increases of 16.23%, 18.05% and 17.91%, respectively. Additionally, devices based on PLC systems show advantages over manual control both in states feedback and information backtrack. Moreover, the regulation time and nitrogen consumption during the regulation process are reduced by 80% and 75%, respectively, which effectively reduces the test cost and improves the equipment utilization rate (from four cycles per day to six cycles per day). The device can meet the requirements of different target substances and different process conditions by changing the electronic control parts and air source, so it has great application potential in the automatic direct measurement of target substances in zinc hydrometallurgy.
“This Is a Progression, Not Conversion”: Narratives of First-Generation Bahá’ís
Authors: Makhani-Belkin Tova
Published: February 2023

This paper discusses the concept of religious conversion in the Bahá’í Faith through conversion narratives of first-generation Bahá’ís. Through life story interviews, the converts narrate their process of becoming Bahá’í as “not converting”, which aligns with a principle of the Bahá’í Faith called “progressive revelation”. Religious conversion has frequently been described in the literature as a radical, sudden, dramatic transformation–often following a personal crisis and seemingly entails a definite break with one’s former identity. Consequently, religious conversion studies have focused on the subjective experiences of the rapid changes in the lives and identities of individuals. However, such perspectives have, until now, focused mainly on Christianity and Christian models and have not adequately addressed religious conversion models in other Abrahamic religions, such as the Bahá’í Faith. The paradigm of conversion focuses our attention on the ways particular theologies shape life stories of conversion and what kind of narratives social scientists will include in the corpus of conversion. Therefore, this research asks to broaden the social scientific paradigms of religious conversion through the case study of the Bahá’í Faith.
Secularization Vindicated
Authors: Bruce Steve , Voas David
Published: February 2023

In the 1960s, it was taken for granted that modernization eroded religion. In the 1980s, this consensus was challenged by the rational choice, supply-side, or market model proposed by Rodney Stark and associates. In particular, they argued that the UK was hardly less religious then than it had been in 1880. Clive Field’s compendium of statistical data allows us to test Stark’s approach to the religiosity of the UK. We follow this with data on Europe and the USA. While we may still argue over some of the precise levers, there is now so much evidence in favor of the secularization approach that we regard it as vindicated.
Temporal Variations in Ice Thickness of the Shirase Glacier Derived from Cryosat-2/SIRAL Data
Authors: Satake Yurina , Nakamura Kazuki
Published: February 2023

This study presents the feasibility of estimating the ice thickness of the Shirase Glacier using the synthetic aperture interferometric radar altimeter (SIRAL) on board the CryoSat-2 and the interannual variation of the ice thickness of the Shirase Glacier in 2011–2020. The SIRAL data were converted to ice thickness by assuming hydrostatic equilibrium, and the results showed that the ice thickness decreased from the grounding line to the terminus of the glacier. Furthermore, the ice thickness decreased 30 km downstream from the grounding line of the glacier in 2012 and 2017, and decreased 55 km and 60 km downstream from the grounding line of the glacier at other times, which was attributed to the discharge of landfast ice and the retreat of the glacier terminus. When the flow of glacial ice can be reasonably approximated as an incompressible fluid, and the law of conservation of mass can be applied to the ice stream, the multiple of the velocity and the underlying ice thickness under a constant ice density can be shown to correspond to the equation of continuity. Consequently, this study revealed that the ice thickness decreases with accelerating flow velocity, which is coincident with past outflow events.
Unsupervised Cross-Scene Aerial Image Segmentation via Spectral Space Transferring and Pseudo-Label Revising
Authors: Liu Wenjie , Zhang Wenkai , Sun Xian , Guo Zhi
Published: February 2023

Unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) is essential since manually labeling pixel-level annotations is consuming and expensive. Since the domain discrepancies have not been well solved, existing UDA approaches yield poor performance compared with supervised learning approaches. In this paper, we propose a novel sequential learning network (SLNet) for unsupervised cross-scene aerial image segmentation. The whole system is decoupled into two sequential parts—the image translation model and segmentation adaptation model. Specifically, we introduce the spectral space transferring (SST) approach to narrow the visual discrepancy. The high-frequency components between the source images and the translated images can be transferred in the Fourier spectral space for better preserving the important identity and fine-grained details. To further alleviate the distribution discrepancy, an efficient pseudo-label revising (PLR) approach was developed to guide pseudo-label learning via entropy minimization. Without additional parameters, the entropy map works as the adaptive threshold, constantly revising the pseudo labels for the target domain. Furthermore, numerous experiments for single-category and multi-category UDA segmentation demonstrate that our SLNet is the state-of-the-art.