bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes with Antibiotics and Antibacterial Agents as Drug-Delivery Systems—A Pharmaceutical Perspective
Authors: Boczar Dariusz , Michalska Katarzyna
Published: July 2022

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are a family of cyclic oligosaccharides, consisting of a macrocyclic ring of glucose subunits linked by α-1,4 glycosidic bonds. The shape of CD molecules is similar to a truncated cone with a hydrophobic inner cavity and a hydrophilic surface, which allows the formation of inclusion complexes with various molecules. This review article summarises over 200 reports published by the end of 2021 that discuss the complexation of CDs with antibiotics and antibacterial agents, including beta-lactams, tetracyclines, quinolones, macrolides, aminoglycosides, glycopeptides, polypeptides, nitroimidazoles, and oxazolidinones. The review focuses on drug-delivery applications such as improving solubility, modifying the drug-release profile, slowing down the degradation of the drug, improving biological membrane permeability, and enhancing antimicrobial activity. In addition to simple drug/CD combinations, ternary systems with additional auxiliary substances have been described, as well as more sophisticated drug-delivery systems including nanosponges, nanofibres, nanoparticles, microparticles, liposomes, hydrogels, and macromolecules. Depending on the desired properties of the drug product, an accelerated or prolonged dissolution profile can be achieved when combining CD with antibiotics or antimicrobial agents.
Effects of the Interleukin-6 Receptor Blocker Sarilumab on Metabolic Activity and Differentiation Capacity of Primary Human Osteoblasts
Authors: Klinder Annett , Waletzko-Hellwig Janine , Sellin Marie-Luise , Seyfarth-Sehlke Anika , Wolfien Markus , Prehn Franziska , Bader Rainer , Jonitz-Heincke Anika
Published: July 2022

Interleukin (IL-) 6 is a key factor in the inflammatory processes of rheumatoid arthritis. Several biologic agents target the IL-6 signaling pathway, including sarilumab, a monoclonal antibody that blocks the IL-6 receptor and inhibits IL-6-mediated cis- and trans-signaling. A careful analysis of the IL-6 signaling blockade should consider not only inflammatory processes but also the regenerative functions of IL-6. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether inhibition of the IL-6 receptors affects differentiation of human primary osteoblasts (hOB). The effects of sarilumab on viability and the differentiation capacity in unstimulated osteoblasts as well as after stimulation with various IL-6 and sIL6-R concentrations were determined. Sarilumab treatment alone did not affect the differentiation or induction of inflammatory processes in hOB. However, the significant induction of alkaline phosphatase activity which was observed after exogenous IL-6/sIL-6R costimulation at the highest concentrations was reduced back to baseline levels by the addition of sarilumab. The IL-6 receptor blockade also decreased gene expression of mediators required for osteogenesis and bone matrix maintenance. Our results demonstrate that concomitant administration of the IL-6 receptor blocker sarilumab can inhibit IL-6/sIL-6R-induced osteogenic differentiation.
Celecoxib Microparticles for Inhalation in COVID-19-Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Villa-Hermosilla Monica-Carolina , Negro Sofia , Barcia Emilia , Hurtado Carolina , Montejo Consuelo , Alonso Mario , Fernandez-Carballido Ana
Published: July 2022

Inhalation therapy is gaining increasing attention for the delivery of drugs destined to treat respiratory disorders associated with cytokine storms, such as COVID-19. The pathogenesis of COVID-19 includes an inflammatory storm with the release of cytokines from macrophages, which may be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs as celecoxib (CXB). For this, CXB-loaded PLGA microparticles (MPs) for inhaled therapy and that are able to be internalized by alveolar macrophages, were developed. MPs were prepared with 5% and 10% initial percentages of CXB (MP-C1 and MP-C2). For both systems, the mean particle size was around 5 µm, which was adequate for macrophage uptake, and the mean encapsulation efficiency was >89%. The in vitro release of CXB was prolonged for more than 40 and 70 days, respectively. The uptake of fluorescein-loaded PLGA MPs by the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line was evidenced by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and confocal microscopy. CXB-loaded PLGA MPs did not produce cytotoxicity at the concentrations assayed. The anti-inflammatory activity of CXB (encapsulated and in solution) was evaluated by determining the IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α levels at 24 h and 72 h in RAW 264.7 macrophages, resulting in a higher degree of reduction in the expression of inflammatory mediators for CXB in solution. A potent degree of gene expression reduction was obtained with the developed CXB-loaded MPs.
Information and Communication Technologies in Lung Transplantation: Perception of Patients and Medical Teams
Authors: Chanoine Sébastien , Roch Christelle , Liaigre Léa , Roustit Matthieu , Genty Céline , Vitale Elisa , Bosson Jean-Luc , Pison Christophe , Allenet Benoît , Bedouch Pierrick
Published: July 2022

Optimal therapeutic management is a major determinant of patient prognosis and healthcare costs. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) represent an opportunity to enhance therapeutic management in complex chronic diseases, such as lung transplantation (LT). The objective of this study was to assess the preferences of LT patients and healthcare professionals regarding ICTs in LT therapeutic management. A cross-sectional opinion survey was conducted among lung transplant patients and healthcare professionals from the French lung transplantation centers. Five ICTs were defined (SMS, email, phone, internet, and smartphone application) in addition to face-to-face communication. An unsupervised approach by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified lung transplant patient profiles according to their preferences for ICTs. Fifty-three lung transplant patients and 15 healthcare professionals of the French LT centers were included. Both expected ICTs for treatment management and communication. Phone call, face-to-face, and emails were the most preferred communication tools for treatment changes and initiation. PCA identified four ICTs-related profiles (“no ICT”, “email”, “SMS”, and “oral communication”). “Email” and “oral communication” profiles are mainly concerned with treatment changes and transmission of new prescriptions. The “SMS” profile expected reminders for healthcare appointments and optimizing therapeutic management. This study provides practical guidance to enhance LT therapeutic management by ICT intervention. The type of ICT used should take into account patient profiles to improve adherence and thereby the prognosis. A combination of strategies including information, education by a multidisciplinary team, and reminders is a promising approach to ensure an optimal management of our patients.
Toroidal Dipole Excitation in Metamaterial Perfect Absorber Consisting of Dielectric Nanodisks Quadrumer Clusters and Spacer on Metal Substrate
Authors: Cai Yuepei , Huang Yong , Zhu Keyong
Published: July 2022

We proposed an infrared narrowband metamaterial perfect absorber (MPA) which is induced by toroidal dipole resonance in a dielectric-metal hybrid system. The MPA is composed of amorphous-silicon (a-Si) nanodisk quadrumer clusters, dielectric spacer, and Au substrate, where the dielectric spacer is inserted between Si disk quadrumer and Au substrate. Near field distribution and multipole decomposition of far-field, scattering powers show that toroidal dipole mode is formed by opposite phase magnetic dipoles in neighboring Si nanodisks. The effects of geometric and material parameters on absorption characteristics were explored. The sensing performance of the MPA was also evaluated. The proposed MPA has potential applications in air sensing applications. Since the nanodisks quadrumer of the MPA retains C4v symmetry, perfect absorption band is polarization independent. Furthermore, the absorption quality factor of the hybrid dielectric-metal hybrid absorber is higher than that of all-metal perfect absorbers, thanks to the low loss feature of the dielectric resonator.
The Content of Certain Groups of Phenolic Compounds and the Biological Activity of Extracts of Various Halophyte Parts of Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. and Glaux maritima L. at Different Levels of Soil Salinization
Authors: Pungin Artem , Lartseva Lidia , Loskutnikova Violetta , Shakhov Vladislav , Krol Olesya , Popova Elena , Kolomiets Andrey , Nikolaeva Nadezhda , Volodina Aleksandra
Published: July 2022

Halophyte plants are known for their resistance to harsh environmental conditions associated with excess salts in their habitats. Their resistance to salinization is due, among other things, to their high ability to detoxify free radicals, owing to the relatively high content of antioxidants. On the coast of the Baltic Sea and in the lagoons, there are several rare halophyte species included in the Red Book of the Kaliningrad Region (Russia) and the Baltic region, such as Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. and Glaux maritima L. The aim of the research was to study the accumulation of certain groups of phenolic compounds in different parts of S. marina and G. maritima plants under conditions of weak and strong soil salinity, as well as to analyze the antioxidant, antibacterial, and fungicidal activity of extracts of the studied plant species. The present study showed an increase in total phenolic content in the roots and shoots of S. marina, and the shoots of G. maritima, in response to increased soil salinity. At the same time, the total content of flavonoids in all the studied parts of the two plant species remained unchanged. However, the content of individual flavonoids (hesperetin, epicatechin, apigenin derivative, luteolin derivative) in S. marina increased, for G. maritima there was a tendency to reduce the content of flavonoids in roots and shoots with an increase in soil salinity. There was an increase in the total content of hydroxycinnamic acids in the roots of Glaux maritima, as well as an increase in the content of protocatechuic acid in the roots and shoots of Spergularia marina. A positive relationship was established between the antioxidant activity of S. marina root extracts and the total content of phenolic compounds, as well as G. maritima shoots extracts and the total content of phenolic compounds. Extracts of S. marina showed no antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and weak fungicidal activity of stem extracts and inflorescences grown on soils, with high levels of salinities, was detected against Candida albicans. The extracts of roots and shoots from G. maritima showed weak antimicrobial and fungicidal activity.
Species-Level Differences in Osmoprotectants and Antioxidants Contribute to Stress Tolerance of Quercus robur L., and Q. cerris L. Seedlings under Water Deficit and High Temperatures
Authors: Kebert Marko , Vuksanović Vanja , Stefels Jacqueline , Bojović Mirjana , Horák Rita , Kostić Saša , Kovačević Branislav , Orlović Saša , Neri Luisa , Magli Massimiliano , Rapparini Francesca
Published: July 2022

The general aim of this work was to compare the leaf-level responses of different protective components to water deficit and high temperatures in Quercus cerris L. and Quercus robur L. Several biochemical components of the osmotic adjustment and antioxidant system were investigated together with changes in hormones. Q. cerris and Q. robur seedlings responded to water deficit and high temperatures by: (1) activating a different pattern of osmoregulation and antioxidant mechanisms depending on the species and on the nature of the stress; (2) upregulating the synthesis of a newly-explored osmoprotectant, dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP); (3) trading-off between metabolites; and (4) modulating hormone levels. Under water deficit, Q. cerris had a higher antioxidant capacity compared to Q. robur, which showed a lower investment in the antioxidant system. In both species, exposure to high temperatures induced a strong osmoregulation capacity that appeared largely conferred by DMSP in Q. cerris and by glycine betaine in Q. robur. Collectively, the more stress-responsive compounds in each species were those present at a significant basal level in non-stress conditions. Our results were discussed in terms of pre-adaptation and stress-induced metabolic patterns as related to species-specific stress tolerance features.
Optimizing Nitrogen and Seed Rate Combination for Improving Grain Yield and Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency in Winter Wheat
Authors: Mahmood Hemat , Cai Jian , Zhou Qin , Wang Xiao , Samo Allan , Huang Mei , Dai Tingbo , Jahan Mohammad Shah , Jiang Dong
Published: July 2022

Nitrogen (N) supply and seed rate (SR) are two essential factors that affect the accumulation and partitioning of N and dry matter (DM) and, therefore, grain yield (GY) and N use efficiency (NUE). The objective of this experiment was to optimize N application and SR to regulate wheat growth and increase both GY and NUE. The results revealed that net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), chlorophyll content, and activities of metabolic enzymes (NR and GS) significantly increased with increasing of N levels while decreasing SR. Plant tillers, GY, DM before anthesis, and N translocation, N agronomic efficiency (NAE), N recovery efficiency (NRE), and N uptake efficiency (NUPE) were highest in a combined treatment of N235 and SR180. However, N levels beyond 235 kg ha−1 significantly decreased NAE, NRE, and NUPE. By increasing SR from 135 to 180 kg ha−1 an increase of 12.9 % and 9.1% GY and NUPE, respectively, was observed. Based on this result, we estimate that 1 kg N ha−1 might be replaced by an increase of approximately 0.6 kg ha−1 SR. Our study suggested that using a combination of N and SR (N235 + SR180) could attain maximum GY and improve NUE parameters.
Recovering Ancient Grapevine Cultivars in the Balearic Islands: Sanitary Status Evaluation and Virus Elimination
Authors: El Aou-ouad Hanan , Montero Rafael , Baraza Elena , Bota Josefina
Published: July 2022

Recuperation and genetic diversity preservation of local cultivars have acquired a huge interest in viticulture areas worldwide. In the Balearic Islands, most of the old cultivars are only preserved in grapevine germplasm banks, and so far, the sanitary status of these local cultivars has remained unexplored. The aim of this study was to survey and detect the virus incidence of all conserved cultivars in the government Grapevine Germplasm Bank of the Balearic Islands and to promote the sanitary recovery of two important minor cultivars, Argamussa and Gorgollassa. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) screenings were performed on 315 vines of 33 local cultivars. It was shown that the local cultivars were highly infected with simple (39.7%) and mixed infections (52.1%) and only 8.25% of them were free from the viruses tested. Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) infection was the most common (82%). Moreover, Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) and Grapevine fleck virus (GFkV) were also present with considerable incidence (25.4% and 43.5%, respectively). In addition, two sanitation protocols were used: shoot tip culture (ST) and thermotherapy in combination with shoot tip culture (CT). Virus elimination using only ST was effective to obtain “healthy” vines of cvs. Argamussa and Gorgollassa. It is important to emphasize that the methods described in the current study were rapid and effective in eliminating both GLRaV-3 and GFLV, also in combination.
Insights from a Multi-Omics Integration (MOI) Study in Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) Response to Abiotic Stresses: Part One—Salinity
Authors: Bittencourt Cleiton Barroso , Carvalho da Silva Thalliton Luiz , Rodrigues Neto Jorge Cândido , Vieira Letícia Rios , Leão André Pereira , de Aquino Ribeiro José Antônio , Abdelnur Patrícia Verardi , de Sousa Carlos Antônio Ferreira , Souza Manoel Teixeira
Published: July 2022

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is the number one source of consumed vegetable oil nowadays. It is cultivated in areas of tropical rainforest, where it meets its natural condition of high rainfall throughout the year. The palm oil industry faces criticism due to a series of practices that was considered not environmentally sustainable, and it finds itself under pressure to adopt new and innovative procedures to reverse this negative public perception. Cultivating this oilseed crop outside the rainforest zone is only possible using artificial irrigation. Close to 30% of the world’s irrigated agricultural lands also face problems due to salinity stress. Consequently, the research community must consider drought and salinity together when studying to empower breeding programs in order to develop superior genotypes adapted to those potential new areas for oil palm cultivation. Multi-Omics Integration (MOI) offers a new window of opportunity for the non-trivial challenge of unraveling the mechanisms behind multigenic traits, such as drought and salinity tolerance. The current study carried out a comprehensive, large-scale, single-omics analysis (SOA), and MOI study on the leaves of young oil palm plants submitted to very high salinity stress. Taken together, a total of 1239 proteins were positively regulated, and 1660 were negatively regulated in transcriptomics and proteomics analyses. Meanwhile, the metabolomics analysis revealed 37 metabolites that were upregulated and 92 that were downregulated. After performing SOA, 436 differentially expressed (DE) full-length transcripts, 74 DE proteins, and 19 DE metabolites underwent MOI analysis, revealing several pathways affected by this stress, with at least one DE molecule in all three omics platforms used. The Cysteine and methionine metabolism (map00270) and Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis (map00010) pathways were the most affected ones, each one with 20 DE molecules.
Conformational Properties of Flaxseed Rhamnogalacturonan-I and Correlation between Primary Structure and Conformation
Authors: Guo Qingbin , Shan Zhengxin , Shao Yanhui , Wang Nifei , Qian Keying , Goff H. Douglas , Wang Qi , Cui Steve W. , Ding Huihuang H.
Published: July 2022

The pectic polysaccharides extracted from flaxseed (Linum usitatissiumum L.) mucilage and kernel were characterized as rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I). In this study, the conformational characteristics of RG-I fractions from flaxseed mucilage and kernel were investigated, using a Brookhaven multi-angle light scattering instrument (batch mode) and a high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) system coupled with Viscotek tetra-detectors (flow mode). The Mw of flaxseed mucilage RG-I (FM-R) was 285 kDa, and the structure-sensitive parameter (ρ) value of FM-R was calculated as 1.3, suggesting that the FM-R molecule had a star-like conformation. The Mw of flaxseed kernel RG-I (FK-R) was 550 kDa, and the structure-sensitive parameter (ρ) values ranged from 0.90 to 1.21, suggesting a sphere to star-like conformation with relatively higher segment density. The correlation between the primary structure and conformation of RG-I was further discussed to better understand the structure–function relationship, which helps the scale-up applications of pectins in food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic industries.
Green Synthesis of CS-TiO2 NPs for Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye
Authors: BinSabt Mohammad , Sagar Varsha , Singh Jagpreet , Rawat Mohit , Shaban Mohamed
Published: July 2022

The development of a non-malignant and sustainable treatment approach for eradicating mephitic organic dyes from freshwater resources is a daunting task. In a similar vein, the current work investigates the mitigation of methylene blue (MB) dye utilizing titanium dioxide nanoparticles (CS-TiO2 NPs) synthesized using cannabis sativa (bhang) leaf extract via a greener approach. The CS-TiO2 NPs are well characterized through XRD, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and EDS spectroscopy. Microscopic studies confirm that the average particle size distribution of the individual particles was found to be in the range of 12.5 ± 1.5 nm, whereas the average size of the CS-TiO2 NPs aggregates is 24.5 ± 11.5 nm. Additionally, the synthesized CS-TiO2 NPs manifested remarkable photocatalytic degradation potential against methylene blue dye with a degradation efficiency of 98.2% and an apparent rate constant of 0.0398 min−1. As a result, this research offers a green/sustainable alternative for water purification.
Optically Transparent Polydimethylsiloxane-Ethylene Oxide-Propylene Oxide Multiblock Copolymers Crosslinked with Isocyanurates as Organic Compound Sorbents
Authors: Davletbaeva Ilsiya , Sazonov Oleg , Dzhabbarov Ilgiz , Zaripov Ilnaz , Davletbaev Ruslan , Mikhailova Alla
Published: July 2022

New crosslinked (polydimethylsiloxane-ethylene-propylene oxide)-polyisocyanurate multiblock copolymers (MBCs) were synthesized, and their supramolecular structure and sorption characteristics were studied. It was found that the interaction of PPEG and D4 leads to polyaddition of D4 initiated by potassium-alcoholate groups. The use of the amphiphilic silica derivatives associated in an oligomeric medium (ASiPs) leads to structuring of the MBC due to the transetherification reaction of the terminal silanol groups of the MBC with ASiPs. It was established that the supramolecular structure of an MBC is built according to the “core-shell” structure. The obtained polymers were tested as sorbents for the development of new methods for the concentration and determination of inorganic compounds. The efficiency of sorption of reagents increased with an increase in the “thickness” of the polydimethylsiloxane component of the “shell” and with a decrease in the size of the polyisocyanurate “core”. The use of the obtained polymers as adsorbents of organic reagents is promising for increasing the efficiency of field methods of chemical testing and inorganic analysis, including the determination of the elemental composition and the detection of traces of contamination.
Fabrication of a Double Core–Shell Particle-Based Magnetic Nanocomposite for Effective Adsorption-Controlled Release of Drugs
Authors: Hussain Manzoor , Rehan Touseef , Goh Khang Wen , Shah Sayyed Ibrahim , Khan Abbas , Ming Long Chiau , Shah Nasrullah
Published: July 2022

There has been very limited work on the control loading and release of the drugs aprepitant and sofosbuvir. These drugs need a significant material for the control of their loading and release phenomenon that can supply the drug at its target site. Magnetic nanoparticles have characteristics that enable them to be applied in biomedical fields and, more specifically, as a drug delivery system when they are incorporated with a biocompatible polymer. The coating with magnetic nanoparticles is performed to increase efficiency and reduce side effects. In this regard, attempts are made to search for suitable materials retaining biocompatibility and magnetic behavior. In the present study, silica-coated iron oxide nanoparticles were incorporated with core–shell particles made of poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid)@butyl methacrylate to produce a magnetic composite material (MCM-PA@B) through the free radical polymerization method. The as-prepared composite materials were characterized through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR)spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), energy-dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and were further investigated for the loading and release of the drugs aprepitant and sofosbuvir. The maximum loading capacity of 305.76 mg/g for aprepitant and 307 mg/g for sofosbuvir was obtained at pH 4. Various adsorption kinetic models and isotherms were applied on the loading of both drugs. From all of the results obtained, it was found that MCM-PA@B can retain the drug for more than 24 h and release it slowly, due to which it can be applied for the controlled loading and targeted release of the drugs.
Precise Fabrication of Porous Microspheres by Iso-Density Emulsion Combined with Microfluidics
Authors: Shi Yuxiao , Zhang Xin , Mu Ketao , Wang Yifan , Jiang Ting , Jiang Shangtong , Zhang Shengmin , Du Yingying
Published: July 2022

Polymer porous microspheres with large specific surface areas and good fluidity have promising important applications in the biomedical field. However, controllable fabrication of porous microspheres with precise size, morphology, and pore structure is still a challenge, and phase separation caused by the instability of the emulsion is the main factor affecting the precise preparation of porous microspheres. Herein, a method combining the iso-density emulsion (IDE) template and microfluidics was proposed to realize the controllable preparation of polymer porous microspheres. The IDE exhibited excellent stability with minimal phase separation within 4 h, thus showing potential advantages in the large-scale preparation of porous microspheres. With the IDE template combined microfluidics technique and the use of a customized amphoteric copolymer, PEG-b-polycaprolactone, polycaprolactone (PCL) porous microspheres with porosity higher than 90% were successfully prepared. Afterwards, the main factors, including polymer concentration, water–oil ratio and homogenization time were investigated to regulate the pore structure of microspheres, and microspheres with different pore sizes (1–30 μm) were obtained. PCL porous microspheres exhibited comparable cell viability relative to the control group and good potential as cell microcarriers after surface modification with polydopamine. The modified PCL porous microspheres implanted subcutaneously in rats underwent rapid in vivo degradation and tissue ingrowth. Overall, this study demonstrated an efficient strategy for the precise preparation of porous microspheres and investigated the potential of the as-prepared PCL porous microspheres as cell microcarriers and micro-scaffolds.
Construction, Physical Properties and Foaming Behavior of High-Content Lignin Reinforced Low-Density Polyethylene Biocomposites
Authors: Hong Seo-Hwa , Hwang Seok-Ho
Published: July 2022

Lignin was chemically modified with oligomeric polyethylene (oPE) to form oPE-grafted lignin (oPE-g-lignin) via lignin surface acylation and a radical coupling reaction with oPE. Then, pristine lignin and oPE-g-lignin were successfully compounded with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) through a typical compounding technique. Due to the oligomeric polyethylene chains grafted to the lignin’s surface, the interfacial adhesion between the lignin particles and the LDPE matrix was considerably better in the oPE-g-lignin/LDPE biocomposite than in the pristine-lignin/LDPE one. This demonstrated that oPE-g-lignin can serve as both a biodegradable reinforcing filler, which can be loaded with a higher lignin content at 50 wt-%, and a nucleating agent to increase the crystallization temperature and improve the tensile characteristics of its LDPE biocomposites. Moreover, the foamability of the lignin-reinforced LDPE biocomposites was studied in the presence of a chemical blowing agent (azodicarbonamide) with dicumyl peroxide; for an oPE-g-lignin content up to 20 wt-%, the cell size distribution was quite uniform, and the foam expansion ratios (17.69 ± 0.92) were similar to those of the neat LDPE foam (17.04 ± 0.44).
Biophysical Characterization and Cytocompatibility of Cellulose Cryogels Reinforced with Chitin Nanowhiskers
Authors: Tyshkunova Irina V. , Gofman Iosif V. , Chukhchin Dmitry G. , Malkov Alexey V. , Mishanin Alexander I. , Golovkin Alexey S. , Pavlova Ekaterina N. , Poshina Daria N. , Skorik Yury A.
Published: July 2022

Polysaccharide-based cryogels are promising materials for producing scaffolds in tissue engineering. In this work, we obtained ultralight (0.046–0.162 g/cm3) and highly porous (88.2–96.7%) cryogels with a complex hierarchical morphology by dissolving cellulose in phosphoric acid, with subsequent regeneration and freeze-drying. The effect of the cellulose dissolution temperature on phosphoric acid and the effect of the freezing time of cellulose hydrogels on the structure and properties of the obtained cryogels were studied. It has been shown that prolonged freezing leads to the formation of denser and stronger cryogels with a network structure. The incorporation of chitin nanowhiskers led to a threefold increase in the strength of the cellulose cryogels. The X-ray diffraction method showed that the regenerated cellulose was mostly amorphous, with a crystallinity of 26.8–28.4% in the structure of cellulose II. Cellulose cryogels with chitin nanowhiskers demonstrated better biocompatibility with mesenchymal stem cells compared to the normal cellulose cryogels.
Green Tea Extract Enrichment: Mechanical and Physicochemical Properties Improvement of Rice Starch-Pectin Composite Film
Authors: Homthawornchoo Wantida , Han Jaejoon , Kaewprachu Pimonpan , Romruen Orapan , Rawdkuen Saroat
Published: July 2022

The effects of green tea extract (GTE) at varying concentrations (0.000, 0.125, 0.250, 0.500, and 1.000%, w/v) on the properties of rice-starch-pectin (RS-P) blend films were investigated. The results showed that GTE addition enhanced (p < 0.05) the antioxidation properties (i.e., total phenolic content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power) and thickness of the RS-P composite film. The darker appearance of the RS-T-GTE blend films was obtained in correspondence to the lower L* values. However, the a* and b* values were higher toward red and yellow as GTE increased. Though GTE did not significantly alter the film solubility, the moisture content and the water vapor permeability (WVP) of the resulting films were reduced. In addition, the GTE enrichment diminished the light transmission in the UV-Visible region (200–800 nm) and the transparency of the developed films. The inclusion of GTE also significantly (p < 0.05) lowered the tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (EAB) of the developed film. The FT-IR spectra revealed the interactions between RS-P films and GTE with no changes in functional groups. The antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (TISTR 764) was observed in the RS-P biocomposite film with 1% (w/v) GTE. These results suggested that the RS-P-GTE composite film has considerable potential for application as active food packaging.
Gas-Transport and the Dielectric Properties of Metathesis Polymer from the Ester of exo-5-Norbornenecarboxylic Acid and 1,1′-Bi-2-naphthol
Authors: Nazarov Ivan , Bakhtin Danila , Gorlov Ilya , Potapov Konstantin , Borisov Ilya , Lounev Ivan , Makarov Igor , Volkov Alexey , Finkelshtein Eugene , Bermeshev Maxim
Published: July 2022

Polymers from norbornenes are of interest for applications in opto- and microelectronic (low dielectric materials, photoresists, OLEDs). Norbornenes with ester motifs are among the most readily available norbornene derivatives. However, little is known about dielectric properties and the gas-transport of polynorbornenes from such monomers. Herein, we synthesized a new metathesis polymer from exo-5-norbornenecarboxylic acid and 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol. The designed monomer was obtained via a two-step procedure in a good yield. This norbornene derivative with a rigid and a bulky binaphthyl group was successfully polymerized over the 1st generation Grubbs catalyst, affording high-molecular-weight products (Mw ≤ 1.5·106) in yields of 94–98%. The polymer is amorphous and glassy (Tg = 161 °C), and it shows good thermal stability. Unlike most, polyNBi is a classic low-permeable glassy polymer. The selectivity of polyNBi was higher than that of polyNB. Being less permeable than polyNB, polyNBi unexpectedly showed a lower value of dielectric permittivity (2.7 for polyNBi vs. 5.0 for polyNB). Therefore, the molecular design of polynorbornenes has great potential to obtain polymers with desired properties in a wide range of required characteristics. Further tuning of the gas separation efficiency can be achieved by attaching an appropriate substituent to the ester and aryl group.
Raman Microspectroscopy Detection and Characterisation of Microplastics in Human Breastmilk
Authors: Ragusa Antonio , Notarstefano Valentina , Svelato Alessandro , Belloni Alessia , Gioacchini Giorgia , Blondeel Christine , Zucchelli Emma , De Luca Caterina , D’Avino Sara , Gulotta Alessandra , Carnevali Oliana , Giorgini Elisabetta
Published: July 2022

The widespread use of plastics determines the inevitable human exposure to its by-products, including microplastics (MPs), which enter the human organism mainly by ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Once internalised, MPs may pass across cell membranes and translocate to different body sites, triggering specific cellular mechanisms. Hence, the potential health impairment caused by the internalisation and accumulation of MPs is of prime concern, as confirmed by numerous studies reporting evident toxic effects in various animal models, marine organisms, and human cell lines. In this pilot single-centre observational prospective study, human breastmilk samples collected from N. 34 women were analysed by Raman Microspectroscopy, and, for the first time, MP contamination was found in 26 out of 34 samples. The detected microparticles were classified according to their shape, colour, dimensions, and chemical composition. The most abundant MPs were composed of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene, with sizes ranging from 2 to 12 µm. MP data were statistically analysed in relation to specific patients’ data (age, use of personal care products containing plastic compounds, and consumption of fish/shellfish, beverages, and food in plastic packaging), but no significant relationship was found, suggesting that the ubiquitous MP presence makes human exposure inevitable.
Potential Applications of the Cytisus Shrub Species: Cytisus multiflorus, Cytisus scoparius, and Cytisus striatus
Authors: Caramelo Débora , Barroca Celina , Guiné Raquel , Gallardo Eugenia , Anjos Ofélia , Gominho Jorge
Published: July 2022

Cytisus spp. is present throughout the Portuguese territory. Although most of these species are considered native in Portugal, at least one species has already been reported as invasive in other parts of the world. Different measures of control have been investigated, and the application of herbicides is the most commonly used. This review gathers information about the biochemical profile and analytical methods used for the evaluation of the potential bioactivities of three species of the genus Cytisus, better known as brooms, which were used in traditional medicine through the production of infusions and decoctions for the treatment of several health problems, mainly due to their high value of phenolic compounds. However, little research has been conducted on its biological activities as a potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agent. Furthermore, one species (Cytisus striatus) has not been subjected to extensive research in identifying chemical compounds and evaluating their potential bioactivities. This species (known as the Portuguese broom) has a great expression in one of the forest typologies with a considerable percentage in Portugal. This research work is essential to encourage a scientific and sustainable valorisation of Cytisus spp. (namely C. striatus), which will consequently contribute to forest cleaning and management to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Description Logic Ontology-Supported Part Orientation for Fused Deposition Modelling
Authors: Huang Meifa , Zheng Nan , Qin Yuchu , Tang Zhemin , Zhang Han , Fan Bing , Qin Ling
Published: July 2022

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is well-known as an inexpensive and the most commonly used additive manufacturing process. In FDM, build orientation is one of the critical factors that affect the quality of the printed part. However, the activity of determining a build orientation for an FDM part, i.e., part orientation for FDM, usually relies on the knowledge and experience of domain experts. This necessitates an approach that enables the capture, representation, reasoning, and reuse of the data and knowledge in this activity. In this paper, a description logic (DL) ontology-supported part orientation approach for FDM is presented. Firstly, a set of top-level entities are created to construct a DL ontology for FDM part orientation. Then a DL ontology-supported alternative orientation generation procedure, a DL ontology-supported factor value prediction procedure, and a DL ontology-supported optimal orientation selection procedure are developed successively. After that, the application of the presented approach is illustrated via part orientation on six FDM parts. Finally, the effectiveness and efficiency of the presented approach are demonstrated through theoretical predictions and printing experiments and the advantages of the approach are demonstrated via an example. The demonstration results suggest that the presented approach has satisfying effectiveness and efficiency and provides a semantic enrichment model for capturing and representing FDM part orientation data and knowledge to enable automatic checking, reasoning, query, and further reuse.
Product-Property Guided Scale-Up of a Fluidized Bed Spray Granulation Process Using the CFD-DEM Method
Authors: Kieckhefen Paul , Pietsch-Braune Swantje , Heinrich Stefan
Published: July 2022

In this work, a method to predict the surface structures of particles produced by fluidized bed spray layering granulation using the CFD-DEM method was developed. A simple state-variable/event tracking approach was implemented to capture indirect quantifiers of the progression of structure-forming microprocesses. The state of the droplet at the time of impact on the particle surface, as well as the time required for drying, is correlated to product properties that quantify surface structure morphology such as roughness. A workflow for scale-up of fluidized bed granulation guided by product-property predictors is presented. The approach was tested on a demonstration case from the literature, where a particle core is coated with sodium benzoate solution. The experiment was scaled-up by a factor of eight to pilot-scale using the developed method. Varying the number of nozzles in use in the pilot-scale granulation affected the particle surface roughness due to the differing drying conditions encountered. On this basis, the ability of the tracked-quantity approach to capture the relationship between product properties and geometric feature or process conditions is demonstrated.
Characterization of Slaughterhouse Wastewater and Development of Treatment Techniques: A Review
Authors: Ng Mary , Dalhatou Sadou , Wilson Jessica , Kamdem Boniface Pone , Temitope Mercy Bankole , Paumo Hugues Kamdem , Djelal Hayet , Assadi Aymen Amine , Nguyen-Tri Phuong , Kane Abdoulaye
Published: July 2022

Commercialization in the meat-processing industry has emerged as one of the major agrobusiness challenges due to the large volume of wastewater produced during slaughtering and cleaning of slaughtering facilities. Slaughterhouse wastewater (SWW) contains proteins, fats, high organic contents, microbes, and other emerging pollutants (pharmaceutical and veterinary residues). It is important to first characterize the wastewater so that adequate treatment techniques can be employed so that discharge of this wastewater does not negatively impact the environment. Conventional characterization bulk parameters of slaughterhouse wastewater include pH, color, turbidity, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and coliform counts. Characterization studies conducted have revealed the effects of the pollutants on microbial activity of SWW through identification of toxicity of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Due to the high-strength characteristics and complex recalcitrant pollutants, treatment techniques through combined processes such as anaerobic digestion coupled with advanced oxidation process were found to be more effective than stand-alone methods. Hence, there is need to explore and evaluate innovative treatments and techniques to provide a comprehensive summary of processes that can reduce the toxicity of slaughterhouse wastewater to the environment. This work presents a review of recent studies on the characterization of SWW, innovative treatments and technologies, and critical assessment for future research.
Green Synthesis of 3-Hydroxybutyraldehyde from Acetaldehyde Catalyzed by La-Ca-Modified MgO/Al2O3
Authors: Ren Hailun , Li Weihong
Published: July 2022

3-hydroxybutyraldehyde (3-HBA) is mainly employed to synthesize 1,3-BDO (1,3-butanediol), which is one of the most important components in cosmetics moisturizers. In this study, a series of composite oxide catalysts were prepared by bringing alkaline earth metal Ca and rare earth metal La to the composite oxide MgO/Al2O3, which were made through the co-precipitation method. These catalysts were applied in the synthesis of 3-HBA through acetaldehyde (AcH) condensation. The structure, texture, and acidic properties of these catalysts were characterized using various characterization methods, and the effects of catalyst composition, reaction temperature, reaction pressure, and residence time on the conversion of AcH were investigated as well. The results showed that the introduction of Ca and La weakened the acidic property and enhanced the basic property, which favored the AcH condensation to synthesize 3-HBA. At a temperature of 20 °C, pressure of 200 kPa, and residence time of 70 min, 0.5%La-2.3%Ca-2MgO/Al2O3 exhibited a better catalytic activity, and the conversion of AcH reached 95.89%. The selectivity and yield of 3-HBA were 92.08% and 88.30%, respectively. The stability test indicated that the high AcH conversion could be maintained for 5 h.
What Is the Maximum Likelihood Estimate When the Initial Solution to the Optimization Problem Is Inadmissible? The Case of Negatively Estimated Variances
Authors: Zitzmann Steffen , Walther Julia-Kim , Hecht Martin , Nagengast Benjamin
Published: July 2022

The default procedures of the software programs Mplus and lavaan tend to yield an inadmissible solution (also called a Heywood case) when the sample is small or the parameter is close to the boundary of the parameter space. In factor models, a negatively estimated variance does often occur. One strategy to deal with this is fixing the variance to zero and then estimating the model again in order to obtain the estimates of the remaining model parameters. In the present article, we present one possible approach for justifying this strategy. Specifically, using a simple one-factor model as an example, we show that the maximum likelihood (ML) estimate of the variance of the latent factor is zero when the initial solution to the optimization problem (i.e., the solution provided by the default procedure) is a negative value. The basis of our argument is the very definition of ML estimation, which requires that the log-likelihood be maximized over the parameter space. We present the results of a small simulation study, which was conducted to evaluate the proposed ML procedure and compare it with Mplus’ default procedure. We found that the proposed ML procedure increased estimation accuracy compared to Mplus’ procedure, rendering the ML procedure an attractive option to deal with inadmissible solutions.
Laser Cleaning as Novel Approach to Preservation of Historical Books and Documents on a Paper Basis
Authors: Parfenov Vadim , Galushkin Alexander , Tkachenko Tatiana , Aseev Vladimir
Published: July 2022

The purpose of this work is the study of laser cleaning of historical paper. The effect of laser exposure of the paper reflectance, fracture resistance and acidity was investigated. The paper surface roughness before and after laser treatment was analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that use of multi-pulse micromachining in combination with high-speed scanning of laser beams provides high safety for paper cleaning. The optimal parameters of laser radiation for effective and safe cleaning are a power density of about 2 × 105 W/cm2 at a wavelength of 1.06 μm, pulse repetition rate is 20 kHz; and a beam scanning speed of 200 mm/s–500 mm/s. The selective laser cleaning method for books and documents was proposed. Selective cleaning is achieved by means of high-precision control of the trajectory of movement of laser beams.
Dry Reforming of Methane on Ni/Nanorod-CeO2 Catalysts Prepared by One-Pot Hydrothermal Synthesis: The Effect of Ni Content on Structure, Activity, and Stability
Authors: Tuti Simonetta , Luisetto Igor , Pasqual Laverdura Umberto , Marconi Eleonora
Published: July 2022

The nanorod morphology of the CeO2 support has been recognized as more beneficial than other morphologies for catalytic activity in the dry reforming of methane. Ni/nanorod-CeO2 catalysts with different Ni contents were prepared by one-pot hydrothermal synthesis. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), H2-temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), H2-temperature-programmed desorption (H2-TPD), field emission scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (FE-SEM/EDS), Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BHJ) analysis. The effect of Ni content on the size and the intrinsic strain of ceria was analyzed by the Size–Strain plot and Williamson–Hall plot of XRD data. The average Ni particle size and Ni dispersion were determined by H2-TPD. XRD and H2-TPR analysis revealed a strong Ni–support interaction that limited nickel sintering. The activity for the dry reforming of methane was tested with the stoichiometric mixture CO2:CH4:N2:He = 20:20:20:140, gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) = 300 L g−1 h−1, and temperatures in the range of 545–800 °C. The turnover frequency (TOF) value increased linearly with the average Ni particle size in the range of 5.5–33 nm, suggesting the structure sensitivity of the reaction. Samples with Ni loading of 4–12 wt.% showed high H2/CO selectivity and stability over time on stream, whereas the sample with a Ni loading of 2 wt.% was less selective and underwent rapid deactivation. Only a small amount of nanotubular carbon was observed by FE-SEM after the time-on-stream experiment. Deactivation of the low-Ni-content sample is ascribed to the easier oxidation of the small Ni particles.