bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Chronic Moderate Caloric Restriction on the Reproductive Function in Aged Male Wistar Rats
Authors: Jesús Pablo López de , Arenas-Ríos Edith , Ruíz-Ramos Mirna , Flores-Alonso Juan Carlos , Mendoza-Núñez Víctor Manuel , Arrieta-Cruz Isabel , Arteaga-Silva Marcela
Published: March 2022

Caloric restriction (CR) has been shown to be an effective nutritional intervention for increasing longevity in some animal species. The objective of this study was to evaluate CR’s effects on metabolic and reproductive parameters in 12-month-old male Wistar rats. The rats were distributed in three groups: control, CR at 15%, and CR at 35% for 6 (up to 18 months of age) and 12 months (up to 24 months of age). At the end of CR treatment, we evaluated reproductive (male sexual behavior (MSB), sperm quality) and biochemical parameters (plasma glucose, glucose-regulating hormone, and sex steroid levels), and quantified annexin V in the seminiferous epithelium. Results showed that MSB and sperm quality were improved after 6 months of CR associated with increases in plasma testosterone and decrease annexin V in the seminiferous epithelium of the testicles compared to their control group. The metabolic profile of the CR rats also improved compared to controls. However, these effects of CR on reproductive parameters were not maintained after 12 months of CR. Findings suggest that beginning CR at the age of maturity reestablishes the behavioral sexual response and reproductive function in older animals after 6 months of CR and improves endocrine functioning during aging.
Most Frequently Consumed Red/Processed Meat Dishes and Plant-Based Foods and Their Contribution to the Intake of Energy, Protein, and Nutrients-to-Limit among Canadians
Authors: Shafiee Mojtaba , Islam Naorin , Ramdath D. Dan , Vatanparast Hassan
Published: March 2022

Using cross-sectional data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey–Nutrition, we aimed to identify and characterize the top 10 most frequently consumed plant-based foods and red/processed meat dishes in the Canadian population. Plant-based foods and red/processed meat dishes categories included 659 and 265 unique food codes, respectively, from the Canadian Nutrient File. A total of 20,176 Canadian individuals aged ≥1 year were included in our analysis. The most frequently consumed plant-based food was “Cooked regular long-grain white rice”, which made a significant contribution to energy (12.1 ± 0.3%) and protein (6.1 ± 0.2%) intake among consumers. The most frequently consumed red/processed meat dish in Canada was “Cooked regular, lean or extra lean ground beef or patty”. Among red/processed meat dishes, “ham and cheese sandwich with lettuce and spread” made the most significant contribution to the intake of energy (21.8 ± 0.7%), saturated fat (31.0 ± 1.0%), sodium (41.8 ± 1.3%), and sugars (8.2 ± 0.5%) among the consumers. Ground beef is the most frequently consumed red/processed meat dish and white rice is the most frequently consumed plant-based food among Canadians. Red/processed meat dishes are major drivers of the excessive intake of nutrients-to-limit.
Relationship between Olfactory Function and BMI in Normal Weight Healthy Subjects and Patients with Overweight or Obesity
Authors: Velluzzi Fernanda , Deledda Andrea , Onida Maurizio , Loviselli Andrea , Crnjar Roberto , Sollai Giorgia
Published: March 2022

Smell plays a critical role in food choice and intake by influencing energy balance and body weight. Malnutrition problems or modified eating behaviors have been associated with olfactory impairment or loss. The obesity epidemic is a serious health problem associated with an increased risk of mortality and major physical comorbidities. The etiopathogenesis of obesity is complex and multifactorial, and one of the main factors contributing to the rapid increase in its incidence is the environment in which we live, which encourages the overconsumption of foods rich in energy, such as saturated fats and sugars. By means of the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test, we measured the olfactory threshold, discrimination and identification score (TDI score) in patients of the Obesity Center of the University Hospital (OC; n = 70) and we compared them with that of healthy normal weight controls (HC; n = 65). OC patients demonstrated a significantly lower olfactory function than HC subjects both general and specific for the ability to discriminate and identify odors, even when they were considered separately as females and males. For OC patients, a negative correlation was found between body mass index (BMI) and olfactory scores obtained by each subject, both when they were divided according to gender and when they were considered all together. Besides, normosmic OC patients showed a significantly lower BMI than hyposmic ones. A reduced sense of smell may contribute to obesity involving the responses of the cephalic phase, with a delay in the achievement of satiety and an excessive intake of high-energy foods and drinks.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Enterobacterales Recovered from Urinary Tract Infections in France
Authors: Farfour Eric , Dortet Laurent , Guillard Thomas , Chatelain Nicolas , Poisson Agathe , Mizrahi Assaf , Fournier Damien , Bonnin Rémy A. , Degand Nicolas , Morand Philippe , Janvier Frédéric , Fihman Vincent , Corvec Stéphane , Broutin Lauranne , Le Brun Cécile , Yin Nicolas , Héry-Arnaud Geneviève , Grillon Antoine , Bille Emmanuelle , Jean-Pierre Hélène , Amara Marlène , Jaureguy Francoise , Isnard Christophe , Cattoir Vincent , Diedrich Tristan , Flevin Emilie , Merens Audrey , Jacquier Hervé , Vasse Marc ,   on behalf of the GMC Study Group
Published: March 2022

In the context of increasing antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacterales, the management of these UTIs has become challenging. We retrospectively assess the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacterales isolates recovered from urinary tract samples in France, between 1 September 2017, to 31 August 2018. Twenty-six French clinical laboratories provided the susceptibility of 134,162 Enterobacterales isolates to 17 antimicrobials. The most frequent species were E. coli (72.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.7%), Proteus mirabilis (5.8%), and Enterobacter cloacae complex (2.9%). The overall rate of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales was 6.7%, and ranged from 1.0% in P. mirabilis to 19.5% in K. pneumoniae, and from 3.1% in outpatients to 13.6% in long-term care facilities. Overall, 4.1%, 9.3% and 10.5% of the isolates were resistant to cefoxitin, temocillin and pivmecillinam. Cotrimoxazole was the less active compound with 23.4% resistance. Conversely, 4.4%, 12.9%, and 14.3% of the strains were resistant to fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, and ciprofloxacin. However, less than 1% of E. coli was resistant to fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin. We identified several trends in antibiotics resistances among Enterobacterales isolates recovered from the urinary tract samples in France. Carbapenem-sparing drugs, such as temocillin, mecillinam, fosfomycin, cefoxitin, and nitrofurantoin, remained highly active, including towards ESBL-E.
Biological Evaluation in Resistant Cancer Cells and Study of Mechanism of Action of Arylvinyl-1,2,4-Trioxanes
Authors: Ng Jerome P. L. , Tiwari Mohit K. , Nasim Ali Adnan , Zhang Rui Long , Qu Yuanqing , Sharma Richa , Law Betty Yuen Kwan , Yadav Dharmendra K. , Chaudhary Sandeep , Coghi Paolo , Wong Vincent Kam Wai
Published: March 2022

1,2,4-trioxane is a pharmacophore, which possesses a wide spectrum of biological activities, including anticancer effects. In this study, the cytotoxic effect and anticancer mechanism of action of a set of 10 selected peroxides were investigated on five phenotypically different cancer cell lines (A549, A2780, HCT8, MCF7, and SGC7901) and their corresponding drug-resistant cancer cell lines. Among all peroxides, only 7 and 8 showed a better P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitory effect at a concentration of 100 nM. These in vitro results were further validated by in silico docking and molecular dynamic (MD) studies, where compounds 7 and 8 exhibited docking scores of −7.089 and −8.196 kcal/mol, respectively, and remained generally stable in 100 ns during MD simulation. Further experiments revealed that peroxides 7 and 8 showed no significant effect on ROS accumulations and caspase-3 activity in A549 cells. Peroxides 7 and 8 were also found to decrease cell membrane potential. In addition, peroxides 7 and 8 were demonstrated to oxidize a flavin cofactor, possibly elucidating its mechanism of action. In conclusion, apoptosis induced by 1,2,4-trioxane was shown to undergo via a ROS- and caspase-3-independent pathway with hyperpolarization of cell membrane potential.
Identifying HSV-1 Inhibitors from Natural Compounds via Virtual Screening Targeting Surface Glycoprotein D
Authors: Wu Jiadai , Power Helen , Miranda-Saksena Monica , Valtchev Peter , Schindeler Aaron , Cunningham Anthony L. , Dehghani Fariba
Published: March 2022

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections are a worldwide health problem in need of new effective treatments. Of particular interest is the identification of antiviral agents that act via different mechanisms compared to current drugs, as these could interact synergistically with first-line antiherpetic agents to accelerate the resolution of HSV-1-associated lesions. For this study, we applied a structure-based molecular docking approach targeting the nectin-1 and herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) binding interfaces of the viral glycoprotein D (gD). More than 527,000 natural compounds were virtually screened using Autodock Vina and then filtered for favorable ADMET profiles. Eight top hits were evaluated experimentally in African green monkey kidney cell line (VERO) cells, which yielded two compounds with potential antiherpetic activity. One active compound (1-(1-benzofuran-2-yl)-2-[(5Z)-2H,6H,7H,8H-[1,3] dioxolo[4,5-g]isoquinoline-5-ylidene]ethenone) showed weak but significant antiviral activity. Although less potent than antiherpetic agents, such as acyclovir, it acted at the viral inactivation stage in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting a novel mode of action. These results highlight the feasibility of in silico approaches for identifying new antiviral compounds, which may be further optimized by medicinal chemistry approaches.
Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Ameliorated Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rats
Authors: Yap Seng Kar , Tan Kian Leong , Abd Rahaman Nor Yasmin , Saulol Hamid Nur Fazila , Ooi Der Jiun , Tor Yin Sim , Daniel Looi Qi Hao , Stella Tan Li Kar , How Chee Wun , Foo Jhi Biau
Published: March 2022

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicle (hUC-MSCs-sEVs) therapy has shown promising results to treat diabetes mellitus in preclinical studies. However, the dosage of MSCs-sEVs in animal studies, up to 10 mg/kg, was considered high and may be impractical for future clinical application. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of low-dose hUC-MSCs-sEVs treatment on human skeletal muscle cells (HSkMCs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats. Treatment with hUC-MSCs-sEVs up to 100 μg/mL for 48 h showed no significant cytotoxicity. Interestingly, 20 μg/mL of hUC-MSCs-sEVs-treated HSkMCs increased glucose uptake by 80–90% compared to untreated cells. The hUC-MSCs-sEVs treatment at 1 mg/kg improved glucose tolerance in T2DM rats and showed a protective effect on complete blood count. Moreover, an improvement in serum HbA1c was observed in diabetic rats treated with 0.5 and 1 mg/kg of hUC-MSCs-sEVs, and hUC-MSCs. The biochemical tests of hUC-MSCs-sEVs treatment groups showed no significant creatinine changes, elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels compared to the normal group. Histological analysis revealed that hUC-MSCs-sEVs relieved the structural damage to the pancreas, kidney and liver. The findings suggest that hUC-MSCs-sEVs could ameliorate insulin resistance and exert protective effects on T2DM rats. Therefore, hUC-MSCs-sEVs could serve as a potential therapy for diabetes mellitus.
Silk Fibroin-Based Therapeutics for Impaired Wound Healing
Authors: Lehmann Tanner , Vaughn Alyssa E. , Seal Sudipta , Liechty Kenneth W. , Zgheib Carlos
Published: March 2022

Impaired wound healing can lead to local hypoxia or tissue necrosis and ultimately result in amputation or even death. Various factors can influence the wound healing environment, including bacterial or fungal infections, different disease states, desiccation, edema, and even systemic viral infections such as COVID-19. Silk fibroin, the fibrous structural-protein component in silk, has emerged as a promising treatment for these impaired processes by promoting functional tissue regeneration. Silk fibroin’s dynamic properties allow for customizable nanoarchitectures, which can be tailored for effectively treating several wound healing impairments. Different forms of silk fibroin include nanoparticles, biosensors, tissue scaffolds, wound dressings, and novel drug-delivery systems. Silk fibroin can be combined with other biomaterials, such as chitosan or microRNA-bound cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNP), to have a synergistic effect on improving impaired wound healing. This review focuses on the different applications of silk-fibroin-based nanotechnology in improving the wound healing process; here we discuss silk fibroin as a tissue scaffold, topical solution, biosensor, and nanoparticle.
Fano Resonance Hybrid Waveguide-Coupled Plasmonic Sensor Using Transparent Conductive Oxide in the Near-Infrared Range
Authors: Khattak Anum , Wei Li
Published: March 2022

We proposed an ultra-sensitive refractive index sensor by using indium-doped cadmium oxide as a plasmonic material operating in near-infrared based on Fano resonance. The proposed sensor has a hybrid multilayer waveguide structure that supports both a long-range surface plasmon polariton (LRSPP) mode and a dielectric waveguide (DWG) mode. The design strategy of the structure parameters of the inner layers is elaborated in detail through the numerical analysis of the two modes. By suitably tailoring the thickness of the coupling layer, a strong mode coupling between the two modes could be achieved, leading to a sharp asymmetric Fano resonance. With the designed optimal physical parameters, our proposed sensor could achieve a maximum intensity sensitivity of 19,909 RIU−1, a 193-fold enhancement than that of a conventional long-range SPR (LRSPR) based scheme. The proposed design can be a promising platform for biochemical sensing in the near-infrared region.
Effectiveness of Leaf Rust Resistance Genes in the Adult and Juvenile Stages in Southern Russia in 2011–2020
Authors: Volkova Galina , Kudinova Olga , Vaganova Olga , Agapova Valeria
Published: March 2022

Puccinia triticina Erikss. is a causative agent of wheat leaf rust spread worldwide. Wheat rust is a major disease on wheat in southern regions of Russia, which are leaders in grain production and have favorable conditions for pathogen development. In this paper we studied the effectiveness of 52 NILs of cv. Thatcher with Lr genes in field trials and 41 NILs—in the juvenile phase in a greenhouse during 2011–2020. We conclude that the lines with Lr9, Lr42 and Lr43+24 genes remained immune in the adult phase during ten years of research. Lines with Lr genes: 19, 24, 29, 36, 37, 38, 43, 45, 47, 50 showed efficiency in field tests (1–5 R on the CIMMYT scale). No immune lines to Puccinia triticina were registered in the juvenile phase during 2011–2020. The line with the Lr9 gene remained immune up to 2020; Lr19 and Lr41—up to 2015; Lr42—up to 2018, and Lr50—up to 2019. In 2020, there was an increase of P. triticina isolates with virulence to Thatcher lines with Lr: 9, 14a, 16, 19, 21, 28, 30, 33, 40, 45, W, 50. Additionally, we registered a change in infection types towards more susceptible in isogenic Lr gene lines: 1, 2a, 12, 14b, 15, 18, 20, 23, 25, 28, 29, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 44, 45 in the field. A sharp increase in the frequencies of virulent isolates was recorded in 2018–2020 due to unfavorable weather in the growing seasons. This indicates the ability of a dangerous pathogen to rapidly evolve in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, annual monitoring of the reaction of isogenic lines, selected released varieties and the study of the virulence of the phytopathogen are important measures necessary to prevent and control leaf rust in grain-producing regions of the world.
Hexogen Coating Kinetics with Polyurethane-Based Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) Using Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Wibowo Heri Budi , Sitompul Hamonangan Rekso Diputro , Budi Rika Suwana , Hartaya Kendra , Abdillah Luthfia Hajar , Ardianingsih Retno , Wibowo Ratih Sanggra Murti
Published: March 2022

The kinetics of hexogen coating with polyurethane-based hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) using infrared spectrometry was investigated. The kinetics model was evaluated through reaction steps: (1) hydroxyl and isocyanate to produce urethane, (2) urethane and isocyanate to produce allophanate, and (3) nitro and isocyanate to produce diazene oxide and carbon dioxide. HTPB, ethyl acetate, TDI (toluene diisocyanate), and hexogen were mixed for 60 min at 40 °C. The sample was withdrawn and analyzed with infrared spectroscopy every ten minutes at reference wavelengths of 2270 (the specific absorption for isocyanate groups) and 1768 cm−1 (the specific absorption for N=N groups). The solvent was vaporized; then, the coated hexogen was cured in the oven for 7 days at 60 °C. The effect of temperature on the coating kinetics was studied by adjusting the reaction temperature at 40, 50, and 60 °C. This procedure was repeated with IPDI (isophorone diisocyanate) as a curing agent. The reaction rate constant, k3, was calculated from an independent graphic based on increasing diazene oxide concentration every ten minutes. The reaction rate constants, k1 and k2, were numerically calculated using the Newton–Raphson and Runge–Kutta methods based on decreasing isocyanate concentrations. The activation energy of those steps was 1178, 1021, and 912 kJ mole−1. The reaction rate of hexogen coating with IPDI was slightly faster than with TDI.
The Fatigue Wear Process of Rubber-Metal Shock Absorbers
Authors: Kluczyk Marcin , Grządziela Andrzej , Pająk Michał , Muślewski Łukasz , Szeleziński Adam
Published: March 2022

Rubber and rubber-metal vibration isolators are widely used vibration isolation systems in marine applications. For naval application, shock absorber mounting systems must fulfil two functions. The first one supports the suspended mass in the absence of waving or detonation while providing isolation from vibrations and shock impact. In the second case, during the machine operation, it reduces the force of movement to an acceptable value. Moreover, it returns the insulated mass to the position output without plastic deformation or residual buckling after removing shock stresses or harmonic vibrations. The environment in which marine vibration isolators are to be used strongly influences the selection of a shock absorber. The main environmental problem is the temperature range in marine power plants, which ranges from 20 °C to 55 °C. Temperature fluctuations may cause changes in the physical properties of typical vibration/shock insulators. Both rubbers and elastomers used for shock absorbers tend to stiffen, gain low-temperature damping, and soften and lose damping at elevated temperatures. Factors such as moisture, ozone and changes in atmospheric pressure are usually ignored in shipbuilding. The main environmental factors influencing the ageing of insulators are liquid saturated hydrocarbons, i.e., oils, fuels, coolants, etc., which may come into contact with the surface of the insulators. This work presents the results of the research carried out to determine the effect of overload and the impact of petroleum products on the materials of metal-rubber shock absorbers made of three different rubbers and one polyurethane mixture. For each of the materials, shock absorbers with three different degrees of hardness were tested.
Biomaterials as Haemostatic Agents in Cardiovascular Surgery: Review of Current Situation and Future Trends
Authors: Moldovan Horațiu , Antoniac Iulian , Gheorghiță Daniela , Safta Maria Sabina , Preda Silvia , Broască Marian , Badilă Elisabeta , Fronea Oana , Scafa-Udrişte Alexandru , Cacoveanu Mihai , Molnar Adrian , Costache Victor Sebastian , Zaharia Ondin
Published: March 2022

Intraoperative haemostasis is of paramount importance in the practice of cardiovascular surgery. Over the past 70 years, topical haemostatic methods have advanced significantly and today we deal with various haemostatic agents with different properties and different mechanisms of action. The particularity of coagulation mechanisms after extracorporeal circulation, has encouraged the introduction of new types of topic agents to achieve haemostasis, where conventional methods prove their limits. These products have an important role in cardiac, as well as in vascular, surgery, mainly in major vascular procedures, like aortic dissections and aortic aneurysms. This article presents those agents used for topical application and the mechanism of haemostasis and offers general recommendations for their use in the operating room.
Exploiting Potential Biotechnological Applications of Poly-γ-glutamic Acid Low Molecular Weight Fractions Obtained by Membrane-Based Ultra-Filtration
Authors: Restaino Odile Francesca , Hejazi Sondos , Zannini Domenico , Giosafatto Concetta Valeria Lucia , Di Pierro Prospero , Cassese Elisabetta , D’ambrosio Sergio , Santagata Gabriella , Schiraldi Chiara , Porta Raffaele
Published: March 2022

Since the potentialities of applications of low molecular weight poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) chains have been so far only partially explored, the separation of diverse molecular families of them, as well as their characterization for potential bioactivity and ability to form films, were investigated. Two different approaches based on organic solvent precipitation or on ultra- and nano-filtration membrane-based purification of inexpensive commercial material were employed to obtain size-specific γ-PGA fractions, further characterized by size exclusion chromatography equipped with a triple detector array and by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography to assess their average molecular weight and their concentration. The γ-PGA low molecular weight fractions, purified by ultra-filtration, have been shown both to counteract the desiccation and the oxidative stress of keratinocyte monolayers. In addition, they were exploited to prepare novel hydrocolloid films by both solvent casting and thermal compression, in the presence of different concentrations of glycerol used as plasticizer. These biomaterials were characterized for their hydrophilicity, thermal and mechanical properties. The hot compression led to the attainment of less resistant but more extensible films. However, in all cases, an increase in elongation at break as a function of the glycerol content was observed. Besides, the thermal analyses of hot compressed materials demonstrated that thermal stability was increased with higher γ-PGA distribution po-lymer fractions. The obtained biomaterials might be potentially useful for applications in cosmetics and as vehicle of active molecules in the pharmaceutical field.
An Industrial Case for Polypropylene Nanocomposite Foams: Lightweight, Soundproof Exterior Automotive Parts
Authors: Girginer Ozunlu Burcu , Guner Fatma Seniha
Published: March 2022

Lightweighting is a challenge for the automotive industry, and foaming is a key technology used to address this problem. A new practical approach is studied to regulate the cell formation of copolymer polypropylene (co-PP) by utilizing graphene nanoplatelets (xGnP) as a process aid during foam injection molding. The approach was designed to enable process freedom to tune part performance by adjusting the amount of xGnP masterbatch. Two different levels of 1–2 wt % xGnP and 0.25–0.35 wt % supercritical fluid (SCF) were investigated. Prepared samples were compared with samples prepared by the traditional method (twin-screw extrusion followed by foam injection molding). The nanocomposite with 2 wt % xGnP comparatively showed about twofold reduction in cell size magnitude. Although the increment in SCF amount resulted in a 47% and 122% enhancement in flexural modulus and strength, respectively, and a 45% loss in Izod unnotched impact strength, the cell size was prone to increasing with regard to low melt strength as compared to neat foams. In conclusion, a 12% weight reduction fulfilled the desired performance parameters in terms of mechanical and sound insulation by utilizing 2 wt % xGnP as a process aid.
Semi-Continuous Heterophase Polymerization to Synthesize Poly(methacrylic acid)-Based Nanocomposites for Drug Delivery
Authors: Andrade-Melecio Hugo A. , Antolín-Cerón Víctor H. , Alvarado-Mendoza Abraham G. , Vázquez-Lepe Milton , Barrera-Rivera Karla A. , Martínez-Richa Antonio , Nuño-Donlucas Sergio M.
Published: March 2022

The design of nanocomposites with the potential for drug delivery is a topic of great interest. In this work, the synthesis of nanocomposites of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) grafted onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) functionalized with poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer by semicontinuous heterophase polymerization SHP, at three different methacrylic acid (MAA) dosing rates, is reported. SHP is a polymerization technique poorly used to prepare nanocomposites containing CNTs and has the potential to produce more ordered alkyl methacrylic polymer chains, which could favor the obtaining of a homogenous nanocomposite. For the nanocomposites synthesized, a lowest addition rate monomer-starved condition was reached. Analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrate that functionalized CNTs are grafted onto the PMAA matrix. The ability of prepared nanocomposites to deliver hydrocortisone was evaluated by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The hydrocortisone release profiles of pure PMAA and of their nanocomposites prepared at the lowest monomer fed rate were fitted with Higuchi and Korsmeyer–Peppas models, successfully. Functionalized CNTs have a crucial role to induce an effective release of hydrocortisone from the prepared nanocomposites.
Anion Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cell Application: A Review
Authors: Das Gautam , Choi Ji-Hyeok , Nguyen Phan Khanh Thinh , Kim Dong-Joo , Yoon Young Soo
Published: March 2022

The fuel cell industry is the most promising industry in terms of the advancement of clean and safe technologies for sustainable energy generation. The polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell is divided into two parts: anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) and proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In the case of PEMFCs, high-power density was secured and research and development for commercialization have made significant progress. However, there are technical limitations and high-cost issues for the use of precious metal catalysts including Pt, the durability of catalysts, bipolar plates, and membranes, and the use of hydrogen to ensure system stability. On the contrary, AEMFCs have been used as low-platinum or non-platinum catalysts and have a low activation energy of oxygen reduction reaction, so many studies have been conducted to find alternatives to overcome the problems of PEMFCs in the last decade. At the core of ensuring the power density of AEMFCs is the anion exchange membrane (AEM) which is less durable and less conductive than the cation exchange membrane. AEMFCs are a promising technology that can solve the high-cost problem of PEMFCs that have reached technological saturation and overcome technical limitations. This review focuses on the various aspects of AEMs for AEMFCs application.
Biodegradable, Stretchable and Transparent Plastic Films from Modified Waterborne Polyurethane Dispersions
Authors: Paul Uttam C. , Bayer Gözde , Grasselli Silvia , Malchiodi Annalisa , Bayer Ilker S.
Published: March 2022

Waterborne polyurethane dispersions can be designed to generate highly functional and environmentally friendly polymer systems. The use of water as the main dispersion medium is very advantageous for the environment and the introduction of linear and aliphatic polyols such as polyether and polyesters in the formulations can make them highly biocompatible and susceptible to biodegradation. In this study, we fabricated biodegradable, flexible and transparent plastic films by hybridizing a waterborne aliphatic polyester polyurethane (PU) suspension with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) using mechanical homogenization in water. Films were cast containing different concentrations of PVP. The hybrids containing 50 wt.% PVP (PU/PVP_50/50) were hydrophobic, stretchable, highly transparent and ductile beyond 100% strain compared to highly brittle PVP. The mechanical properties of the PU/PVP_50/50 film remained stable after repeated immersion wet–dry cycles, each lasting 2 days, and the dried films recovered their mechanical properties after each cycle. Based on a 28-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) test, the hybrid PU/PVP_50/50 film underwent extensive biodegradation. This simple but effective process can be very suitable in producing biodegradable ductile films with very good transparency that can serve a number of applications such as agricultural mulches, food and pharmaceutical packaging and biomedical field.
Towards a Circular Economy of Plastics: An Evaluation of the Systematic Transition to a New Generation of Bioplastics
Authors: Melchor-Martínez Elda M. , Macías-Garbett Rodrigo , Alvarado-Ramírez Lynette , Araújo Rafael G. , Sosa-Hernández Juan Eduardo , Ramírez-Gamboa Diana , Parra-Arroyo Lizeth , Alvarez Abraham Garza , Monteverde Rosina Paola Benavides , Cazares Karen Aleida Salazar , Reyes-Mayer Adriana , Yáñez Lino Mauricio , Iqbal Hafiz M. N. , Parra-Saldívar Roberto
Published: March 2022

Plastics have become an essential part of the modern world thanks to their appealing physical and chemical properties as well as their low production cost. The most common type of polymers used for plastic account for 90% of the total production and are made from petroleum-based nonrenewable resources. Concerns over the sustainability of the current production model and the environmental implications of traditional plastics have fueled the demand for greener formulations and alternatives. In the last decade, new plastics manufactured from renewable sources and biological processes have emerged from research and have been established as a commercially viable solution with less adverse effects. Nevertheless, economic and legislative challenges for biobased plastics hinder their widespread implementation. This review summarizes the history of plastics over the last century, including the most relevant bioplastics and production methods, the environmental impact and mitigation of the adverse effects of conventional and emerging plastics, and the regulatory landscape that renewable and recyclable bioplastics face to reach a sustainable future.
Decolonizing the Gender and Land Rights Debate in India: Considering Religion and More-than-Human Sociality in Women’s Lived Land Relatedness
Authors: Notermans Catrien , Swelsen Luna
Published: March 2022

This article links the feminist debate on women’s land rights in India to the current academic debate on critical human-nature relationships in the Anthropocene by studying how married Hindu women weigh the pros and cons of claiming land in their natal family and how they practice their lived relatedness to land in rural Udaipur (Rajasthan, North India). The article disentangles the complex issue of why women do not respond eagerly to Indian state policies that for a long time have promoted gender equality in the domain of land rights. In reaction to the dominant feminist debate on land rights, the authors introduce religion and more-than-human sociality as analytical foci in the examination of women’s responsiveness to land legislation. Their ethnographic study is based on fieldwork with married women in landowning families in four villages in Udaipur’s countryside. The authors argue that women have well-considered reasons not to claim natal land, and that their intimate relatedness to land as a sentient being, a nonhuman companion, and a powerful goddess explains the women’s reluctance to treat land as an inanimate commodity or property. Looking at religion brings to the fore women’s core business of making land fruitful and powerful, independent of any legislation. The authors maintain that a decolonized perspective on women’s land relatedness that takes religion and women’s multispecies perspective seriously may also offer a breakthrough in understanding why some women do not claim land.
Gait Analysis for a Tiltrotor: The Dynamic Invertible Gait
Authors: Shen Zhe , Tsuchiya Takeshi
Published: March 2022

A conventional feedback-linearization-based controller, when applied to a tiltrotor (eight inputs), results in extensive changes in tilting angles, which are not expected in practice. To solve this problem, we introduce the novel concept of “UAV gait” to restrict the tilting angles. The gait plan was initially used to solve the control problems in quadruped (four-legged) robots. Applying this approach, accompanied by feedback linearization, to a tiltrotor may give rise to the well-known non-invertible problem in the decoupling matrix. In this study, we explored invertible gait in a tiltrotor, and applied feedback linearization to stabilize the attitude and the altitude. The conditions necessary to achieve a full-rank decoupling matrix were deduced and simplified to near-zero roll and zero pitch. This paper proposes several invertible gaits to conduct an attitude–altitude control test. The accepted gaits within the region of interest were visualized. The simulation was conducted in Simulink, MATLAB. The results show promising responses in stabilizing attitude and altitude.
Validation of Four Satellite-Derived Soil Moisture Products Using Ground-Based In Situ Observations over Northern China
Authors: Liu Weicheng , Wang Jixin , Xu Falei , Li Chenrui , Xian Tao
Published: March 2022

Accurately obtaining the spatial distribution of soil moisture and its variability are the basis for the land-atmosphere interaction study. We investigated the fidelity of four satellite-based soil moisture products (AMSR2, CCI, SMAP, and SMOS) using in situ observation during the period 2019–2020. The spatial distribution and variability of different soil moisture products in northern China were analyzed for different seasons and climate zones. The satellite products showed the best performance of summer soil moisture with the bias and uncertainty of the three products (CCI, SMAP, and SMOS) being less than 0.041 and 0.097, whereas soil moisture showed a large bias in winter. For all seasons, AMSR2 and CCI demonstrated a positive bias whereas SMAP and SMOS showed a negative bias. CCI product had little bias in spring, summer, and fall in northern China, while SMAP and SMOS had the smallest bias in winter. For different climate zones, CCI product performed better in describing the temporal variability of soil moisture in arid climate zones with the correlation coefficients > 0.50 for most areas, while AMSR2 product provided a similar spatial distribution. In the eastern monsoon region, the soil moisture from SMAP and SMOS was found to have a large bias, whereas the bias in CCI product was small. Four products failed to reproduce the observed soil moisture characteristics in the transitional zones affected by the summer monsoon, with a positive bias found in AMSR2 and CCI and the largest biases in SMAP and SMOS products. We also suggest several reasons for the bias and error in the satellite soil moisture products. These results have important implications for soil moisture studies over midlatitude regions.
Comparing Offshore Ferry Lidar Measurements in the Southern Baltic Sea with ASCAT, FINO2 and WRF
Authors: Hatfield Daniel , Hasager Charlotte Bay , Karagali Ioanna
Published: March 2022

This article highlights the inter-comparisons of the wind measurement techniques available in deep water areas working towards combining them to obtain optimal estimates of the wind power potential. More specifically, this article presents comparisons of the Ferry Lidar Experiment wind data with those of the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT), the FINO2 meteorological mast, and the New European Wind Atlas (NEWA) simulations performed using the Weather Research, and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model. To be comparable to ASCAT surface winds, which are referenced at 10 m, the ferry lidar and FINO2 wind profile measurements were extrapolated down to 10 m using atmospheric stability information derived from the bulk Richardson number formulation. ASCAT had the lowest associated error compared with that of the ferry lidar in near-neutral atmospheric stratifications, whereas FINO2, despite a distance range of 30 km and a moving ferry lidar target, had the highest correlation and lowest RMSE in all atmospheric conditions. Due to the high frequency of low-level jets caused by the proximity to land from all directions as well as typically stable atmospheric conditions, the extrapolated ferry lidar measurements underpredicted the ASCAT 10 m wind speeds. WRF consistently underperformed compared to the other measurement methods, even with the ability to directly compare results with all other sources at all heights.
Aerial Imagery Can Detect Nitrogen Fertilizer Effects on Biomass and Stand Health of Miscanthus × giganteus
Authors: Namoi Nictor , Jang Chunhwa , Robins Zachary , Lin Cheng-Hsien , Lim Soo-Hyun , Voigt Thomas , Lee DoKyoung
Published: March 2022

Miscanthus × giganteus (Miscanthus) is a warm-season perennial grass grown for bioenergy feedstock production. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer management is crucial for the sustainability of Miscanthus production. In our two-year study (2018 and 2019), we investigated the role of vegetation indices (VIs) in evaluating N fertilization (0 N, 56 N, 112 N, and 168 N kg ha−1) impacts on Miscanthus biomass yield and stand health. The flight campaigns were conducted early, middle, and late during the summer growing season. Among the VIs, mid-summer growing season NDRE provided the best prediction of fresh biomass (R2 = 0.87 and 0.97) and dry biomass (R2 = 0.89 and 0.97) in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The VIs generally showed that it was possible to distinguish between 0 N and 168 N treatments, but neither 0 N and 56 N kg ha−1 nor 112 N and 168 N kg ha−1 could be separated. The results from this study highlight the importance of moderate application of N (112 kg N ha−1) in improving and maintaining the stand health and biomass yield of Miscanthus over time and suggest that mid-summer growing season VIs, NDRE in particular, can be useful for assessment of Miscanthus stand health and biomass yield.
An Adaptively Attention-Driven Cascade Part-Based Graph Embedding Framework for UAV Object Re-Identification
Authors: Shen Bo , Zhang Rui , Chen Hao
Published: March 2022

With the rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), object re-identification (Re-ID) based on the UAV platforms has attracted increasing attention, and several excellent achievements have been shown in the traditional scenarios. However, object Re-ID in aerial imagery acquired from the UAVs is still a challenging task, which is mainly due to the reason that variable locations and diverse viewpoints in UAVs platform are always resulting in more appearance ambiguities among the intra-objects and inter-objects. To address the above issues, in this paper, we proposed an adaptively attention-driven cascade part-based graph embedding framework (AAD-CPGE) for UAV object Re-ID. The AAD-CPGE aims to optimally fuse node features and their topological characteristics on the multi-scale structured graphs of parts-based objects, and then adaptively learn the most correlated information for improving the object Re-ID performance. Specifically, we first executed GCNs on the parts-based cascade node feature graphs and topological feature graphs for acquiring multi-scale structured-graph feature representations. After that, we designed a self-attention-based module for adaptive node and topological features fusion on the constructed hierarchical parts-based graphs. Finally, these learning hybrid graph-structured features with the most correlation discriminative capability were applied for object Re-ID. Several experimental verifications on three widely used UAVs-based benchmark datasets were carried out, and comparison with some state-of-the-art object Re-ID approaches validated the effectiveness and benefits of our proposed AAD-CPGE Re-ID framework.
Seasonal Ground Movement Due to Swelling/Shrinkage of Nicosia Marl
Authors: Tzampoglou Ploutarchos , Loukidis Dimitrios , Koulermou Niki
Published: March 2022

This research investigates the seasonal ground heave/settlement of an area covered by an expansive soil of Cyprus called Nicosia marl, highlighting the degree of influence of the main causal factors. For this purpose, existing geotechnical data from the archives of the Cyprus Geological Survey were first collected and processed to compile maps of the key geotechnical parameters in the study area. In order to estimate the ground movements in the area, Earth Observation (EO) techniques for the period between 16 November 2002–30 December 2006 were processed. The correlation of these movements with the existing geotechnical data indicates that there is a statistically significant correlation between plasticity index and the ground movements. Multivariate linear regression analysis using Lasso revealed that the plasticity index ranks first in importance among the examined variables.
Graph-Powered Interpretable Machine Learning Models for Abnormality Detection in Ego-Things Network
Authors: Thekke Kanapram Divya , Marcenaro Lucio , Martin Gomez David , Regazzoni Carlo
Published: March 2022

In recent days, it is becoming essential to ensure that the outcomes of signal processing methods based on machine learning (ML) data-driven models can provide interpretable predictions. The interpretability of ML models can be defined as the capability to understand the reasons that contributed to generating a given outcome in a complex autonomous or semi-autonomous system. The necessity of interpretability is often related to the evaluation of performances in complex systems and the acceptance of agents’ automatization processes where critical high-risk decisions have to be taken. This paper concentrates on one of the core functionality of such systems, i.e., abnormality detection, and on choosing a model representation modality based on a data-driven machine learning (ML) technique such that the outcomes become interpretable. The interpretability in this work is achieved through graph matching of semantic level vocabulary generated from the data and their relationships. The proposed approach assumes that the data-driven models to be chosen should support emergent self-awareness (SA) of the agents at multiple abstraction levels. It is demonstrated that the capability of incrementally updating learned representation models based on progressive experiences of the agent is shown to be strictly related to interpretability capability. As a case study, abnormality detection is analyzed as a primary feature of the collective awareness (CA) of a network of vehicles performing cooperative behaviors. Each vehicle is considered an example of an Internet of Things (IoT) node, therefore providing results that can be generalized to an IoT framework where agents have different sensors, actuators, and tasks to be accomplished. The capability of a model to allow evaluation of abnormalities at different levels of abstraction in the learned models is addressed as a key aspect for interpretability.
A Novel Concept of Combined High-Level-Laser Treatment and Transcutaneous Photobiomodulation Therapy Utilisation in Orthodontic Periodontal Interface Management
Authors: Hanna Reem , Pawelczyk-Madalińska Magdalena , Sălăgean Tudor , Nap Mircea Emil , Bordea Ioana Roxana , Benedicenti Stefano
Published: March 2022

This case report is aimed to demonstrate the synergetic effects of λ940 nm laser photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy in augmenting the advantages of high-level-laser treatment (HLLT)-mediated reaction orthodontic periodontal interface management. Materials and Methods: A 32-year-old female who presented with a persistent gummy smile of upper incisors and low upper midline frenum attachment post-orthodontic treatment, was seeking a better smile appearance. She had a history of delayed wound healing without underlying medical conditions; otherwise, she was fit and healthy. She underwent laser ablation of the upper midline frenum and gingivoplasty of the upper incisors region with λ940 nm and λ2780, respectively, as well as transcutaneous PBM therapy (λ940 nm) to accelerate wound healing. The laser protocols were as follows: λ2780 nm: power output—2 W, pulse width—60 μs, free running pulse (FRP), spot area—0.0016 cm2, pulse repetition rate—25 pulses per second (s), 80 mJ/pulse, 90 s, λ940 nm: 1.2 W, continuous wave (CW) emission mode, 300 μm, 60 s; whereas the adjunctive λ940 nm induced-PBM parameters were as follows: power output—1.4 W, CW—120 s, single application, spot area—2.8 cm2. An acceleration of the wound healing was observed on the 4th day of treatment with no immediate or post-operative complications. The results showed no functional or aesthetic relapses at a long-term follow-up of 6 months. The authors concluded that λ940 nm laser-PBM can provide a synergetic effect to HLLT in accelerating wound healing and offering a precision smile with minimal to none post-operative complications. It is safe and justifiable to utilise dual therapy over the conventional methods, which serves our patients’ needs in our daily practice and in various clinical indications. The concept and laser protocols of this clinical case report can pave the roadmap for future extensive studies.
Determinants of Different Aspects of Upper-Limb Activity after Stroke
Authors: Essers Bea , Biering Lundquist Camilla , Verheyden Geert , Brunner Iris Charlotte
Published: March 2022

We examined factors associated with different aspects of upper-limb (UL) activity in chronic stroke to better understand and improve UL activity in daily life. Three different aspects of UL activity were represented by four sensor measures: (1) contribution to activity according to activity ratio and magnitude ratio, (2) intensity of activity according to bilateral magnitude, and (3) variability of activity according to variation ratio. We combined data from a Belgian and Danish patient cohort (n = 126) and developed four models to determine associated factors for each sensor measure. Results from standard multiple regression show that motor impairment (Fugl–Meyer assessment) accounted for the largest part of the explained variance in all sensor measures (18–61%), with less motor impairment resulting in higher UL activity values (p < 0.001). Higher activity ratio, magnitude ratio, and variation ratio were further explained by having the dominant hand affected (p < 0.007). Bilateral magnitude had the lowest explained variance (adjusted R2 = 0.376), and higher values were further associated with being young and female. As motor impairment and biological aspects accounted for only one- to two-thirds of the variance in UL activity, rehabilitation including behavioral strategies might be important to increase the different aspects of UL activity.