bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mental Rotation in American Children: Diminished Returns of Parental Education in Black Families
Authors: Assari Shervin
Published: November 2020

Background: While parental education and family socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with an increase in children’s cognitive functioning, and less is known about racial variation in these effects. Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) suggest that, under racism and social stratification, family SES and particularly parental education show weaker effects on children’s tangible outcomes for marginalized, racialized, and minoritized families, particularly Blacks, compared to Whites. Aim: We conducted this study to compare the effect of parental education on children’s mental rotation abilities, as an important aspect of cognitive function, by race. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 11,135 9–10-year-old American children. Data came from baseline of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The independent variable was parental education. The dependent variable, mental rotation, was measured by the Little Man Task. Ethnicity, gender, age, marital status, and household income were the covariates. Results: Parental education was positively associated with mental rotation. However, parental education showed a weaker association with mental rotation in Black than in White families. This was documented by a significant interaction between race and parental education on children’s efficiency score. Conclusion: Parental education shows a weaker correlation with mental rotation of Black rather than White children, which is probably because of racism, social stratification, and discrimination. This finding is in line with the MDRs phenomenon and suggests that marginalization and racism may interfere with the influences of parental assets and resources and Black American children’s development.
A Multi-Objective Approach for Anti-Osteosarcoma Cancer Agents Discovery through Drug Repurposing
Authors: Cabrera-Andrade Alejandro , López-Cortés Andrés , Jaramillo-Koupermann Gabriela , González-Díaz Humberto , Pazos Alejandro , Munteanu Cristian R. , Pérez-Castillo Yunierkis , Tejera Eduardo
Published: November 2020

Osteosarcoma is the most common type of primary malignant bone tumor. Although nowadays 5-year survival rates can reach up to 60–70%, acute complications and late effects of osteosarcoma therapy are two of the limiting factors in treatments. We developed a multi-objective algorithm for the repurposing of new anti-osteosarcoma drugs, based on the modeling of molecules with described activity for HOS, MG63, SAOS2, and U2OS cell lines in the ChEMBL database. Several predictive models were obtained for each cell line and those with accuracy greater than 0.8 were integrated into a desirability function for the final multi-objective model. An exhaustive exploration of model combinations was carried out to obtain the best multi-objective model in virtual screening. For the top 1% of the screened list, the final model showed a BEDROC = 0.562, EF = 27.6, and AUC = 0.653. The repositioning was performed on 2218 molecules described in DrugBank. Within the top-ranked drugs, we found: temsirolimus, paclitaxel, sirolimus, everolimus, and cabazitaxel, which are antineoplastic drugs described in clinical trials for cancer in general. Interestingly, we found several broad-spectrum antibiotics and antiretroviral agents. This powerful model predicts several drugs that should be studied in depth to find new chemotherapy regimens and to propose new strategies for osteosarcoma treatment.
Simultaneous Determination of Isothiazolinones and Parabens in Cosmetic Products Using Solid-Phase Extraction and Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Diode Array Detector
Authors: Ali Hazim Mohammed , Alsohaimi Ibrahim Hotan , Khan Mohammad Rizwan , Azam Mohammad
Published: November 2020

Isothiazolinones methylisothiazolinone (MI) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), and parabens methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP) and butylparaben (BP) are the most common synthetic preservatives. They are all known to be potential skin allergens that lead to contact dermatitis. Thus, the identification of these unsafe chemicals in cosmetic products is of high importance. In the present study, solid-phase extraction (SPE) based on HyperSep reversed-phase C8/benzene sulfonic acid ion exchanger (HyperSep C8/BSAIE) and Sep-Pak C18 sorbents, and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/diode array detector (UHPLC/DAD) were optimized for the simultaneous determination of MI, MCI, MP, EP, PP and BP in cosmetic products. HyperSep C8/BSAIE and UHPLC/DAD with the eluting solvent mixture (acetonitrile/methanol, 2:1, v/v) and detection wavelength (255 nm) were found to be the optimal conditions, respectively. The method illustrates the excellent linearity range (0.008–20 μg/mL) with coefficient of determination (R2, 0.997–0.999), limits of detection (LOD, 0.001–0.002 μg/mL), precision in terms of relative standard deviation (RSD < 3%, intra-day and <6%, inter-day) when examining a standard mixture at low (0.07 µg/mL), medium (3 µg/mL) and high (15 µg/mL) concentrations. A total of 31 cosmetic samples were studied, achieving concentrations (MI, not detected (nd)-0.89 µg/g), (MCI, nd-0.62 µg/g), (MP, nd-6.53 µg/g), (EP, nd-0.90 µg/g), (PP, nd-9.69 µg/g) and (BP, nd-17.80 µg/g). Recovery values ranged from 92.33 to 101.43% depending on the types of sample. To our knowledge, this is the first specific method which covers the theme and describes background amounts of such preservatives in cosmetics.
Serum and Glucocorticoid-Inducible Kinase 1 (SGK1) in NSCLC Therapy
Authors: Guerriero Ilaria , Monaco Gianni , Coppola Vincenzo , Orlacchio Arturo
Published: November 2020

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the most prevalent and one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. Despite recent success, there is still an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. It is also becoming increasingly evident that combinatorial approaches are more effective than single modality treatments. This review proposes that the serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) may represent an attractive target for therapy of NSCLC. Although ubiquitously expressed, SGK1 deletion in mice causes only mild defects of ion physiology. The frequent overexpression of SGK1 in tumors is likely stress-induced and provides a therapeutic window to spare normal tissues. SGK1 appears to promote oncogenic signaling aimed at preserving the survival and fitness of cancer cells. Most importantly, recent investigations have revealed the ability of SGK1 to skew immune-cell differentiation toward pro-tumorigenic phenotypes. Future studies are needed to fully evaluate the potential of SGK1 as a therapeutic target in combinatorial treatments of NSCLC. However, based on what is currently known, SGK1 inactivation can result in anti-oncogenic effects both on tumor cells and on the immune microenvironment. A first generation of small molecules to inactivate SGK1 has already been already produced.
PLA/PLGA-Based Drug Delivery Systems Produced with Supercritical CO2—A Green Future for Particle Formulation?
Authors: Gangapurwala Gauri , Vollrath Antje , De San Luis Alicia , Schubert Ulrich S.
Published: November 2020

Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) can serve as solvent, anti-solvent and solute, among others, in the field of drug delivery applications, e.g., for the formulation of polymeric nanocarriers in combination with different drug molecules. With its tunable properties above critical pressure and temperature, SC-CO2 offers control of the particle size, the particle morphology, and their drug loading. Moreover, the SC-CO2-based techniques overcome the limitations of conventional formulation techniques e.g., post purification steps. One of the widely used polymers for drug delivery systems with excellent mechanical (Tg, crystallinity) and chemical properties (controlled drug release, biodegradability) is poly (lactic acid) (PLA), which is used either as a homopolymer or as a copolymer, such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA). Over the last 30 years, extensive research has been conducted to exploit SC-CO2-based processes for the formulation of PLA carriers. This review provides an overview of these research studies, including a brief description of the SC-CO2 processes that are widely exploited for the production of PLA and PLGA-based drug-loaded particles. Finally, recent work shows progress in the development of SC-CO2 techniques for particulate drug delivery systems is discussed in detail. Additionally, future perspectives and limitations of SC-CO2-based techniques in industrial applications are examined.
Mitochondria-Targeted Drug Delivery in Cardiovascular Disease: A Long Road to Nano-Cardio Medicine
Authors: Forini Francesca , Canale Paola , Nicolini Giuseppina , Iervasi Giorgio
Published: November 2020

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a major threat for human health. The available preventive and treatment interventions are insufficient to revert the underlying pathological processes, which underscores the urgency of alternative approaches. Mitochondria dysfunction plays a key role in the etiopathogenesis of CVD and is regarded as an intriguing target for the development of innovative therapies. Oxidative stress, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, and excessive fission are major noxious pathways amenable to drug therapy. Thanks to the advancements of nanotechnology research, several mitochondria-targeted drug delivery systems (DDS) have been optimized with improved pharmacokinetic and biocompatibility, and lower toxicity and antigenicity for application in the cardiovascular field. This review summarizes the recent progress and remaining obstacles in targeting mitochondria as a novel therapeutic option for CVD. The advantages of nanoparticle delivery over un-targeted strategies are also discussed.
Insights into the Binding of Dietary Phenolic Compounds to Human Serum Albumin and Food-Drug Interactions
Authors: López-Yerena Anallely , Perez Maria , Vallverdú-Queralt Anna , Escribano-Ferrer Elvira
Published: November 2020

The distribution of drugs and dietary phenolic compounds in the systemic circulation de-pends on, among other factors, unspecific/specific reversible binding to plasma proteins such as human serum albumin (HSA). Phenolic substances, present in plant-derived feeds, foods, beverages, herbal medicines, and dietary supplements, are of great interest due to their biological activity. Recently, considerable research has been directed at the formation of phenol–HSA complexes, focusing above all on structure–affinity relationships. The nucleophilicity and planarity of molecules can be altered by the number and position of hydroxyl groups on the aromatic ring and by hydrogenation. Binding affinities towards HSA may also differ between phenolic compounds in their native form and conjugates derived from phase II reactions. On the other hand, food–drug interactions may increase the concentration of free drugs in the blood, affecting their transport and/or disposition and in some cases provoking adverse or toxic effects. This is caused mainly by a decrease in drug binding affinities for HSA in the presence of flavonoids. Accordingly, to avoid the side effects arising from changes in plasma protein binding, the intake of flavonoid-rich food and beverages should be taken into consideration when treating certain pathologies.
Self-Nanoemulsifying System Loaded with Sildenafil Citrate and Incorporated within Oral Lyophilized Flash Tablets: Preparation, Optimization, and In Vivo Evaluation
Authors: Hosny Khaled M. , Alhakamy Nabil A. , Almodhwahi Maeen A. , Kurakula Mallesh , Almehmady Alshaimaa M. , Elgebaly Samar S.
Published: November 2020

Sildenafil citrate is a drug used throughout the world primarily to treat erectile dysfunction. Several problems with the commercially available product decrease its efficacy, such as limited solubility, delayed onset of action, and low bioavailability with a large variability in the absorption profile. This study aimed to develop an optimized self-nanoemulsifying lyophilized tablet for the drug to conquer the foresaid problems. Sildenafil solubility in various surfactants, oils, and cosurfactants was attempted. An optimized formulation of a loaded self-nanoemulsion with a small droplet size was developed by applying a special cubic model of the mixture design. Sixteen formulations were prepared and characterized for droplet size. On the basis of solubility studies, a clove oil/oleic acid mixture, polysorbate 20 (Tween 20), and propylene glycol were selected as the proposed oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant, respectively. On the basis of desirability, an optimized sildenafil citrate-loaded self-nanoemulsifying delivery system containing 10% of the oil mixture, 60% of the surfactant, and 30% of the cosurfactant had a droplet size of 65 nm. Subsequently, the tablet form was fabricated with optimum ratios of 0.4% fumed silica, 0.1% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and 0.4% sodium starch glycolate. This formula showed satisfactory results in both disintegration and dissolution studies. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies indicated a higher bioavailability (1.44 times) and rapid absorption profile for the study’s tablets compared with commercially available tablets. In conclusion, highly bioavailable oral lyophilized flash tablets of sildenafil were successfully prepared. They will be a good alternative to the conventional solid-dosage form.
Antibacterial Activity of Linezolid against Gram-Negative Bacteria: Utilization of ε-Poly-l-Lysine Capped Silica Xerogel as an Activating Carrier
Authors: Guzel Kaya Gulcihan , Medaglia Serena , Candela-Noguera Vicente , Tormo-Mas María Ángeles , Marcos María Dolores , Aznar Elena , Deveci Huseyin , Martínez-Máñez Ramón
Published: November 2020

In recent times, many approaches have been developed against drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria. However, low-cost high effective materials which could broaden the spectrum of antibiotics are still needed. In this study, enhancement of linezolid spectrum, normally active against Gram-positive bacteria, was aimed for Gram-negative bacteria growth inhibition. For this purpose, a silica xerogel prepared from a low-cost precursor is used as a drug carrier owing to the advantages of its mesoporous structure, suitable pore and particle size and ultralow density. The silica xerogel is loaded with linezolid and capped with ε-poly-l-lysine. The developed nano-formulation shows a marked antibacterial activity against to Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. In comparison to free linezolid and ε-poly-l-lysine, the material demonstrates a synergistic effect on killing for the three tested bacteria. The results show that silica xerogels can be used as a potential drug carrier and activity enhancer. This strategy could provide the improvement of antibacterial activity spectrum of antibacterial agents like linezolid and could represent a powerful alternative to overcome antibiotic resistance in a near future.
Polymer/Iron-Based Layered Double Hydroxides as Multifunctional Wound Dressings
Authors: Figueiredo Mariana Pires , Borrego-Sánchez Ana , García-Villén Fátima , Miele Dalila , Rossi Silvia , Sandri Giuseppina , Viseras César , Constantino Vera Regina Leopoldo
Published: November 2020

This work presents the development of multifunctional therapeutic membranes based on a high-performance block copolymer scaffold formed by polyether (PE) and polyamide (PA) units (known as PEBA) and layered double hydroxide (LDH) biomaterials, with the aim to study their uses as wound dressings. Two LDH layer compositions were employed containing Mg2+ or Zn2+, Fe3+ and Al3+ cations, intercalated with chloride anions, abbreviated as Mg-Cl or Zn-Cl, or intercalated with naproxenate (NAP) anions, abbreviated as Mg-NAP or Zn-NAP. Membranes were structurally and physically characterized, and the in vitro drug release kinetics and cytotoxicity assessed. PEBA-loading NaNAP salt particles were also prepared for comparison. Intercalated NAP anions improved LDH–polymer interaction, resulting in membranes with greater mechanical performance compared to the polymer only or to the membranes containing the Cl-LDHs. Drug release (in saline solution) was sustained for at least 8 h for all samples and release kinetics could be modulated: a slower, an intermediate and a faster NAP release were observed from membranes containing Zn-NAP, NaNAP and Mg-NAP particles, respectively. In general, cell viability was higher in the presence of Mg-LDH and the membranes presented improved performance in comparison with the powdered samples. PEBA containing Mg-NAP sample stood out among all membranes in all the evaluated aspects, thus being considered a great candidate for application as multifunctional therapeutic dressings.
In the Eye of the Storm: The Role of the Pharmacist in Medication Safety during the COVID-19 Pandemic at an Urban Teaching Hospital
Authors: Kanaan Abir O. , Sullivan Karyn M. , Seed Sheila M. , Cookson Nathan A. , Spooner Linda M. , Abraham George M.
Published: November 2020

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, has challenged practitioners with complex clinical scenarios as well as conflicting and scarce data to support treatment strategies. The pandemic has also placed strains on institutions due to drug shortages, alterations in medication use processes, economic losses, and staff exposure to the virus. This article provides pharmacist-led suggestions and strategies to various case questions, describing some of the challenges faced by practitioners at an urban teaching hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategies suggested can be explored at other institutions.
Metabolic Profiling of Primary Metabolites and Galantamine Biosynthesis in Wounded Lycoris radiata Callus
Authors: Park Chang Ha , Sathasivam Ramaraj , Nguyen Bao Van , Baek Seung-A , Yeo Hyeon Ji , Park Ye Eun , Kim Haeng Hoon , Kim Jae Kwang , Park Sang Un
Published: November 2020

Plants are continuously exposed to abiotic and biotic factors that lead to wounding stress. Different plants exhibit diverse defense mechanisms through which various important metabolites are synthesized. Humans can exploit these mechanisms to improve the efficacy of existing drugs and to develop new ones. Most previous studies have focused on the effects of wounding stress on the different plant parts, such as leaves, stems, and roots. To date, however, no study has investigated the accumulation of primary and galantamine content following the exposure of a callus to wounding stress. Therefore, in the present study, we exposed Lycoris radiata calli to wounding stress and assessed the expression levels of several genes involved in metabolic pathways at various time points (0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of exposure). Furthermore, we quantify the primary and galantamine content using gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry and the high-performance liquid chromatography qRT-PCR analysis of eight galantamine pathway genes (LrPAL-2, LrPAL-3, LrC4H-2, LrC3H, LrTYDC2, LrN4OMT, LrNNR, and LrCYP96T) revealed that seven genes, except LrN4OMT, were significantly expressed following exposure to wounding stress. Galantamine contents of calli after 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of exposure were respectively 2.5, 2.5, 3.5, 3.5, 5.0, 5.0, and 8.5 times higher than that after 0 h of exposure. Furthermore, a total of 48 hydrophilic metabolites were detected in the 0 h exposed callus and 96 h exposed callus using GC-TOFMS. In particular, a strong positive correlation between galantamine and initial precursors, such as phenylalanine and tyrosine, was observed.
Euphorbia cuneata Represses LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury in Mice via Its Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Activities
Authors: Abdallah Hossam M. , El-Agamy Dina S. , Ibrahim Sabrin R. M. , Mohamed Gamal A. , Elsaed Wael M. , Elghamdi Amjad A. , Safo Martin K. , Malebari Azizah M.
Published: November 2020

Euphorbia cuneata (EC; Euphorbiaceae), which widely grows in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, is used traditionally to treat pain and inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the protective anti-inflammatory effect of a standardized extract of EC against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and the possible underlying mechanism(s) of this pharmacologic activity. ALI was induced in male Balb/c mice using intraperitoneal injection of LPS. A standardized total methanol extract of EC or dexamethasone was administered 5 days prior to LPS challenge. Bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) and lung samples were collected for analysis. The results demonstrated the protective anti-inflammatory effect of EC against LPS-induced ALI in mice. Standardized EC contained 2R-naringenin-7-O-β-glucoside (1), kaempferol-7-O-β-glucoside (2), cuneatannin (3), quercetin (4), and 2R-naringenin (5) in concentrations of 6.16, 4.80, 51.05, 13.20, and 50.00 mg/g of extract, respectively. EC showed a protective effect against LPS-induced pulmonary damage. EC reduced lung wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio and total protein content in BALF, indicating attenuation of the pulmonary edema. Total and differential cell counts were decreased in EC-treated animals. Histopathological examination confirmed the protective effect of EC, as indicated by an amelioration of LPS-induced lesions in lung tissue. EC also showed a potent anti-oxidative property as it decreased lipid peroxidation and increased the antioxidants in lung tissue. Finally, the anti-inflammatory activity of EC was obvious through its ability to suppress the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and hence its reduction of the levels of downstream inflammatory mediators. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the protective effects of EC against LPS-induced lung injury in mice, which may be due to its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.
Optimized Encapsulation of the FLAP/PGES-1 Inhibitor BRP-187 in PVA-Stabilized PLGA Nanoparticles Using Microfluidics
Authors: Behnke Mira , Vollrath Antje , Klepsch Lea , Beringer-Siemers Baerbel , Stumpf Steffi , A. Czaplewska Justyna , Hoeppener Stephanie , Werz Oliver , S. Schubert Ulrich
Published: November 2020

The dual inhibitor of the 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) and the microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1), named BRP-187, represents a promising drug candidate due to its improved anti-inflammatory efficacy along with potentially reduced side effects in comparison to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, BRP-187 is an acidic lipophilic drug and reveals only poor water solubility along with a strong tendency for plasma protein binding. Therefore, encapsulation in polymeric nanoparticles is a promising approach to enable its therapeutic use. With the aim to optimize the encapsulation of BRP-187 into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles, a single-phase herringbone microfluidic mixer was used for the particle preparation. Various formulation parameters, such as total flow rates, flow rate ratio, the concentration of the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a surfactant, initial polymer concentration, as well as presence of a co-solvent on the final particle size distribution and drug loading, were screened for best particle characteristics and highest drug loading capacities. While the size of the particles remained in the targeted region between 121 and 259 nm with low polydispersities (0.05 to 0.2), large differences were found in the BRP-187 loading capacities (LC = 0.5 to 7.29%) and drug crystal formation during the various formulations.
Reliability of Free Inflation and Dynamic Mechanics Tests on the Prediction of the Behavior of the Polymethylsilsesquioxane–High-Density Polyethylene Nanocomposite for Thermoforming Applications
Authors: Erchiqui Fouad , Zaafrane Khaled , Baatti Abdessamad , Kaddami Hamid , Imad Abdellatif
Published: November 2020

Numerical modeling of the thermoforming process of polymeric sheets requires precise knowledge of the viscoelastic behavior under conjugate effect pressure and temperature. Using two different experiments, bubble inflation and dynamic mechanical testing on a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposite reinforced with polymethylsilsesquioxane HDPE (PMSQ–HDPE) nanoparticles, material constants for Christensen’s model were determined by the least squares optimization. The viscoelastic identification relative to the inflation test seemed to be the most appropriate for the numerical study of thermoforming of a thin PMSQ–HDPE part. For this purpose, the finite element method was considered.
Progress in the Applications of Smart Piezoelectric Materials for Medical Devices
Authors: Zaszczyńska Angelika , Gradys Arkadiusz , Sajkiewicz Paweł
Published: November 2020

Smart piezoelectric materials are of great interest due to their unique properties. Piezoelectric materials can transform mechanical energy into electricity and vice versa. There are mono and polycrystals (piezoceramics), polymers, and composites in the group of piezoelectric materials. Recent years show progress in the applications of piezoelectric materials in biomedical devices due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Medical devices such as actuators and sensors, energy harvesting devices, and active scaffolds for neural tissue engineering are continually explored. Sensors and actuators from piezoelectric materials can convert flow rate, pressure, etc., to generate energy or consume it. This paper consists of using smart materials to design medical devices and provide a greater understanding of the piezoelectric effect in the medical industry presently. A greater understanding of piezoelectricity is necessary regarding the future development and industry challenges.
Polyurethane-Carbon Nanotubes Composite Dual Band Antenna for Wearable Applications
Authors: Olejník Robert , Goňa Stanislav , Slobodian Petr , Matyáš Jiří , Moučka Robert , Daňová Romana
Published: November 2020

The design of a unipole and a dual band F-shaped antenna was conducted to find the best parameters of prepared antenna. Antenna radiator part is fully made of polymer and nonmetal base composite. Thermoplastic polyurethane (PU) was chosen as a matrix and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as an electrical conductive filler, which creates conductive network. The use of the composite for the antenna has the advantage in simple preparation through dip coating technique. Minor disadvantage is the usage of solvent for composite preparation. Composite structure was used for radiator part of antenna. The antenna operates in 2.45 and 5.18 GHz frequency bands. DC conductivity of our PU/MWCNT composite is about 160 S/m. With this material, a unipole and a dual band F antenna were realized on 2 mm thick polypropylene substrate. Both antenna designs were also simulated using finite integration technique in the frequency domain (FI-FD). Measurements and full wave simulations of S11 of the antenna showed good agreement between measurements and simulations. Except for S11, the gain and radiation pattern of the antennas were measured and simulated. Maximum gain of the designed unipole antenna is around −10.0 and −5.5 dBi for 2.45 and 5.18 GHz frequency bands, respectively. The manufactured antennas are intended for application in wearable electronics, which can be used to monitor various activities such as walking, sleeping, heart rate or food consumption.
Effects of Post-Curing Time on the Mechanical and Color Properties of Three-Dimensional Printed Crown and Bridge Materials
Authors: Kim Dohyun , Shim Ji-Suk , Lee Dasun , Shin Seung-Ho , Nam Na-Eun , Park Kyu-Hyung , Shim June-Sung , Kim Jong-Eun
Published: November 2020

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is increasingly being utilized in the dental field. After fabricating a prosthesis using a 3D printed resin, a post-curing process is required to improve its mechanical properties, but there has been insufficient research on the optimal post-curing conditions. We used various 3D printed crown and bridge materials in this study, and evaluated the changes in their properties according to post-curing time by evaluating the flexural strength, Weibull modulus, Vickers hardness, color change, degree of conversion, and biocompatibility. The obtained results confirmed that the strength of the 3D printed resin increased when it was post-cured for 60–90 min. The Vickers hardness, the degree of conversion, and biocompatibility of the 3D printed resins increased significantly around the beginning of the post-curing time, and then increased more gradually as the post-curing time increased further. It was observed that the color tone also changed as the post-curing time increased, with some groups showing a ΔE00 value of ≥ 2.25, which can be recognized clinically. This study has confirmed that, after the printing process of a 3D printed resin was completed, a sufficient post-curing time of at least 60 min is required to improve the overall clinical performance of the produced material.
Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Silica/Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Vulcanizates with Eco-Friendly Ionic Liquid
Authors: Hussain Munir , Yasin Sohail , Memon Hafeezullah , Li Zhiyun , Fan Xinpeng , Akram Muhammad Adnan , Wang Wanjie , Song Yihu , Zheng Qiang
Published: November 2020

In this paper we designed greener rubber nanocomposites exhibiting high crosslinking density, and excellent mechanical and thermal properties, with a potential application in technical fields including high-strength and heat-resistance products. Herein 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM]OAc) ionic liquid was combined with silane coupling agent to formulate the nanocomposites. The impact of [EMIM]OAc on silica dispersion in a nitrile rubber (NBR) matrix was investigated by a transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscopy. The combined use of the ionic liquid and silane in an NBR/silica system facilitates the homogeneous dispersion of the silica volume fraction (φ) from 0.041 to 0.177 and enhances crosslinking density of the matrix up to three-fold in comparison with neat NBR, and also it is beneficial for solving the risks of alcohol emission and ignition during the rubber manufacturing. The introduction of ionic liquid greatly improves the mechanical strength (9.7 MPa) with respect to neat NBR vulcanizate, especially at high temperatures e.g., 100 °C. Furthermore, it impacts on rheological behaviors of the nanocomposites and tends to reduce energy dissipation for the vulcanizates under large amplitude dynamic shear deformation.
Quantifying the Effect of COD to TN Ratio, DO Concentration and Temperature on Filamentous Microorganisms’ Population and Trans-Membrane Pressure (TMP) in Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBR)
Authors: Gkotsis Petros , Lemonidis Giannis , Mitrakas Manassis , Pentedimos Alexandros , Kostoglou Margaritis , Zouboulis Anastasios
Published: November 2020

Using moderate populations of filaments in the biomass of Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBRs) is a biological anti-fouling method which has been increasingly applied over the last few years. This study aims to quantify the effect of COD to TN ratio, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) concentration and temperature on filaments’ population and Trans-Membrane Pressure (TMP) in a pilot-scale MBR, with a view to reducing membrane fouling. The novelty of the present work concerns the development of a mathematical equation that correlates fouling rate (dTMP/dt) with the population of filamentous microorganisms, assessed by the Filament Index (FI), and with the concentration of the carbohydrate fraction of Soluble Microbial Products (SMPc). Apart from TMP and SMPc, other fouling-related biomass characteristics, such as sludge filterability and settleability, were also examined. It was shown that at high COD to TN ratio (10:1), low DO concentration in the filaments’ tank (0.5 ± 0.3 mg/L) and high temperature (24–30 °C), a moderate population of filaments is developed (FI = 1–2), which delays the TMP rise. Under these conditions, sludge filterability and settleability were also enhanced. Finally, TMP data analysis showed that the fouling rate is affected by FI and SMPc concentration mainly in the long-term fouling stage and increases exponentially with their increase.
Comparative Study of Mercury(II) Removal from Aqueous Solutions onto Natural and Iron-Modified Clinoptilolite Rich Zeolite
Authors: Ugrina Marin , Čeru Teja , Nuić Ivona , Trgo Marina
Published: November 2020

The contamination of soil and water bodies with mercury from anthropogenic sources such as mining and industry activities causes negative effect for living organisms due to the process of bioaccumulation and biomagnification through the food chain. Therefore, the need for remediation of contaminated areas is extremely necessary and very desirable when it is cost-effective by using low-cost sorbents. This paper compares the sorption abilities of natural and iron-modified zeolite towards Hg(II) ions from aqueous solutions. The influence of pH, solid/liquid ratio (S/L), contact time, and initial concentration on the sorption efficiency onto both zeolites was investigated. At the optimal pH = 2 and S/L = 10, the maximum amount of sorbed Hg(II) is 0.28 mmol/g on the natural zeolite and 0.54 mmol/g on the iron-modified zeolite. It was found that rate-controlling step in mass transfer is intraparticle diffusion accompanied by film diffusion. Ion exchange as a main mechanism, accompanied with surface complexation and co-precipitation were included in the Hg(II) sorption onto both zeolite samples. This is confirmed by the determination of the amount of sorbed Hg(II) and the amount of released exchangeable cations from the zeolite structure as well as by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) of saturated zeolite samples. In a wide pH range, 4.01 ≤ pH ≤ 11.08, the leaching of Hg(II) was observed in the amount of only 0.28–0.78% from natural zeolite and 0.07–0.51% from iron-modified zeolite indicating that both zeolites could be used for remediation purposes while the results suggest that modification significantly improves the sorption properties of zeolite.
Drivers of Development in a Romanian Context: An Empirical Study of the Potential Impact of Religiosity and Individual Values on Core Human Rights Relevant to the United Nations’ Agenda 2030
Authors: Rogobete Silviu E. , Pețan Ligia
Published: November 2020

The aim of this study is to analyse the complex interplay between religiosity, individual values, and support for human rights relevant to development, in a Romanian context marked by high levels of religiosity and low levels of socioeconomic development. The study employs a quantitative empirical research project involving high school students (N-681) in all the capital cities of the regional development areas of Romania. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicate that some dimensions of religiosity (religious belief and faith) are positive predictors of support for socioeconomic rights, universalism, and human dignity, and thus are conducive to sustainable development attitudes and practices. However, other dimensions, such as theism, positively predict traditionalism, while negatively predicting universalism, which may indicate a lower propensity towards supporting development. Hence, it can be inferred that for this sample, religiosity has a real but limited role in supporting some human rights and individual values conducive to a culture of development relevant to the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda. Individual values such as self-direction and universalism seem to play a more important role.
Sprayer Axial Fan Layout Affecting Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions
Authors: Failla Sabina , Bisaglia Carlo , Schillaci Giampaolo , Longo Domenico , Romano Elio
Published: November 2020

Agricultural practices that make use of variable-rate (VR) distribution, introduced by precision agriculture (PA), are based on many points of variability which obtain different and modular effects that can affect the efficacy and environmental impact of the treatment performed. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of different structural combinations of an agricultural sprayer on the required power, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions. The studied machine was equipped with a mechanical device that regulated the air outlet section in three openings. The fan was tested in five blade angles and in two gear ratios. The power requirement (kW) was calculated using a torque-meter. Moreover, fuel consumption (L h−1), energy demand (MJ L−1), and carbon emissions (kg CO2eq kg−1) were calculated by the power consumption of each test. The results showed that all components of the layout and their interaction influenced consumption and, consequently, emissions. In order to mitigate the environmental impact of treatments, the outcomes suggest the possibility of implementing this study into algorithms that make setup choices during distribution.
A New Soft RCC Device with Pneumatic Regulation
Authors: Bottero Stefano , Muscolo Giovanni Gerardo , Ferraresi Carlo
Published: November 2020

The work described in this paper aims at exploiting the characteristic of a special deformable actuator with rolling membranes to realize a device with defined Remote Center of Compliance (RCC). Starting from theoretical approaches to the definition of the RCC, the authors propose a novel and simple formulation that can be applied to the soft actuator to determine its RCC. The position of the device’s RCC was determined by creating an asymmetry on the geometry of the device along its axis, i.e., by imposing a longitudinal displacement to the piston with respect to the membranes’ rest condition. FEM simulations of the device behavior were carried out and a first formulation describing the placement of the RCC by varying the operating pressure was found. Finally, a comparison of the theoretical model and FEM results is presented, validating the proposed formulation.
Thirty Years of Land Cover and Fraction Cover Changes over the Sudano-Sahel Using Landsat Time Series
Authors: Souverijns Niels , Buchhorn Marcel , Horion Stéphanie , Fensholt Rasmus , Verbeeck Hans , Verbesselt Jan , Herold Martin , Tsendbazar Nandin-Erdene , Bernardino Paulo N. , Somers Ben , Van De Kerchove Ruben
Published: November 2020

Historical land cover maps are of high importance for scientists and policy makers studying the dynamic character of land cover change in the Sudano-Sahel, including anthropogenic and climatological drivers. Despite its relevance, an accurate high resolution record of historical land cover maps is currently lacking over the Sudano-Sahel. In this study, 30 m resolution historically consistent land cover and cover fraction maps are provided over the Sudano-Sahel for the period 1986–2015. These land cover/cover fraction maps are achieved based on the Landsat archive preprocessed on Google Earth Engine and a random forest classification/regression model, while historical consistency is achieved using the hidden Markov model. Using these historical maps, a multitude of variability in the dynamic Sudano-Sahel region over the past 30 years is revealed. On the one hand, Sahel-wide cropland expansion and the re-greening of the Sahel is observed in the discrete land cover classification. On the other hand, subtle changes such as forest degradation are detected based on the cover fraction maps. Additionally, exploiting the 30 m spatial resolution, fine-scale changes, such as smallholder or subsistence farming, can be detected. The historical land cover/cover fraction maps presented in this study are made available via an open-access platform.
Manhole Cover Detection on Rasterized Mobile Mapping Point Cloud Data Using Transfer Learned Fully Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Mattheuwsen Lukas , Vergauwen Maarten
Published: November 2020

Large-scale spatial databases contain information of different objects in the public domain and are of great importance for many stakeholders. These data are not only used to inventory the different assets of the public domain but also for project planning, construction design, and to create prediction models for disaster management or transportation. The use of mobile mapping systems instead of traditional surveying techniques for the data acquisition of these datasets is growing. However, while some objects can be (semi)automatically extracted, the mapping of manhole covers is still primarily done manually. In this work, we present a fully automatic manhole cover detection method to extract and accurately determine the position of manhole covers from mobile mapping point cloud data. Our method rasterizes the point cloud data into ground images with three channels: intensity value, minimum height and height variance. These images are processed by a transfer learned fully convolutional neural network to generate the spatial classification map. This map is then fed to a simplified class activation mapping (CAM) location algorithm to predict the center position of each manhole cover. The work assesses the influence of different backbone architectures (AlexNet, VGG-16, Inception-v3 and ResNet-101) and that of the geometric information channels in the ground image when commonly only the intensity channel is used. Our experiments show that the most consistent architecture is VGG-16, achieving a recall, precision and F2-score of 0.973, 0.973 and 0.973, respectively, in terms of detection performance. In terms of location performance, our approach achieves a horizontal 95% confidence interval of 16.5 cm using the VGG-16 architecture.
Detection of Defoliation Injury in Peanut with Hyperspectral Proximal Remote Sensing
Authors: Pinto José , Powell Scott , Peterson Robert , Rosalen David , Fernandes Odair
Published: November 2020

Remote sensing can be applied to optimize efficiency in pest detection, as an insect sampling tool. This efficiency can result in more precise recommendations for decision making in pest management. Pest detection with remote sensing is often feasible because plant biotic stress caused by herbivory triggers a defensive physiological response in plants, which generally results in changes to leaf reflectance. Therefore, the key objective of this study was to use hyperspectral proximal remote sensing and gas exchange parameters to characterize peanut leaf responses to herbivory by Stegasta bosqueella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), two major pests in South American peanut (Arachis hypogaea) production. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with a 2 × 3 factorial scheme (two lepidopterous species and 3 categories of injury). The injury treatments were: (1) natural infestation by third instars of S. bosqueella, (2) natural infestation by third instars of S. cosmioides, and (3) simulation of injury with scissors to mimic larval injury. We verified that peanut leaf reflectance is different between herbivory by the two larval species, but similar among real and simulated defoliation. Similarly, we observed differences in photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and photosynthetic water use efficiency only between species but not between real and simulated larval defoliation. Our results provide information that is essential for the development of sampling and economic thresholds of S. bosqueella and S. cosmioides on the peanut.
Slice-Based Instance and Semantic Segmentation for Low-Channel Roadside LiDAR Data
Authors: Liu Hui , Lin Ciyun , Wu Dayong , Gong Bowen
Published: November 2020

More and more scholars are committed to light detection and ranging (LiDAR) as a roadside sensor to obtain traffic flow data. Filtering and clustering are common methods to extract pedestrians and vehicles from point clouds. This kind of method ignores the impact of environmental information on traffic. The segmentation process is a crucial part of detailed scene understanding, which could be especially helpful for locating, recognizing, and classifying objects in certain scenarios. However, there are few studies on the segmentation of low-channel (16 channels in this paper) roadside 3D LiDAR. This paper presents a novel segmentation (slice-based) method for point clouds of roadside LiDAR. The proposed method can be divided into two parts: the instance segmentation part and semantic segmentation part. The part of the instance segmentation of point cloud is based on the regional growth method, and we proposed a seed point generation method for low-channel LiDAR data. Furthermore, we optimized the instance segmentation effect under occlusion. The part of semantic segmentation of a point cloud is realized by classifying and labeling the objects obtained by instance segmentation. For labeling static objects, we represented and classified a certain object through the related features derived from its slices. For labeling moving objects, we proposed a recurrent neural network (RNN)-based model, of which the accuracy could be up to 98.7%. The result implies that the slice-based method can obtain a good segmentation effect and the slice has good potential for point cloud segmentation.
Quality Assessment of Photogrammetric Methods—A Workflow for Reproducible UAS Orthomosaics
Authors: Ludwig Marvin , M. Runge Christian , Friess Nicolas , Koch Tiziana L. , Richter Sebastian , Seyfried Simon , Wraase Luise , Lobo Agustin , Sebastià M.-Teresa , Reudenbach Christoph , Nauss Thomas
Published: November 2020

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are cost-effective, flexible and offer a wide range of applications. If equipped with optical sensors, orthophotos with very high spatial resolution can be retrieved using photogrammetric processing. The use of these images in multi-temporal analysis and the combination with spatial data imposes high demands on their spatial accuracy. This georeferencing accuracy of UAS orthomosaics is generally expressed as the checkpoint error. However, the checkpoint error alone gives no information about the reproducibility of the photogrammetrical compilation of orthomosaics. This study optimizes the geolocation of UAS orthomosaics time series and evaluates their reproducibility. A correlation analysis of repeatedly computed orthomosaics with identical parameters revealed a reproducibility of 99% in a grassland and 75% in a forest area. Between time steps, the corresponding positional errors of digitized objects lie between 0.07 m in the grassland and 0.3 m in the forest canopy. The novel methods were integrated into a processing workflow to enhance the traceability and increase the quality of UAS remote sensing.
Uncertainty-Based Human-in-the-Loop Deep Learning for Land Cover Segmentation
Authors: García Rodríguez Carlos , Vitrià Jordi , Mora Oscar
Published: November 2020

In recent years, different deep learning techniques were applied to segment aerial and satellite images. Nevertheless, state of the art techniques for land cover segmentation does not provide accurate results to be used in real applications. This is a problem faced by institutions and companies that want to replace time-consuming and exhausting human work with AI technology. In this work, we propose a method that combines deep learning with a human-in-the-loop strategy to achieve expert-level results at a low cost. We use a neural network to segment the images. In parallel, another network is used to measure uncertainty for predicted pixels. Finally, we combine these neural networks with a human-in-the-loop approach to produce correct predictions as if developed by human photointerpreters. Applying this methodology shows that we can increase the accuracy of land cover segmentation tasks while decreasing human intervention.