bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene Oxide-Enhanced and Dynamically Crosslinked Bio-Elastomer for Poly(lactic acid) Modification
Authors: Zhou Bingnan , Zheng Cunai , Zhang Ruanquan , Xue Shuyuan , Zheng Botuo , Shen Hang , Sheng Yu , Zhang Huagui
Published: May 2024

Being a bio-sourced and biodegradable polymer, polylactic acid (PLA) has been considered as one of the most promising substitutes for petroleum-based plastics. However, its wide application is greatly limited by its very poor ductility, which has driven PLA-toughening modifications to be a topic of increasing research interest in the past decade. Toughening enhancement is achieved often at the cost of a large sacrifice in strength, with the toughness–strength trade-off having remained as one of the main bottlenecks of PLA modification. In the present study, a bio-elastomeric material of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) crosslinked with sebacic acid (SA) and enhanced by graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles (NPs) was employed to toughen PLA with the purpose of simultaneously preserving strength and achieving additional functions. The even dispersion of GO NPs in ESO was aided by ultrasonication and guaranteed during the following ESO-SA crosslinking with GO participating in the carboxyl–epoxy reaction with both ESO and SA, resulting in a nanoparticle-enhanced and dynamically crosslinked elastomer (GESO) via a β-hydroxy ester. GESO was then melt-blended with PLA, with the interfacial reaction between ESO and PLA offering good compatibility. The blend morphology, and thermal and mechanical properties, etc., were evaluated and GESO was found to significantly toughen PLA while preserving its strength, with the GO loading optimized at ~0.67 wt%, which gave an elongation at break of ~274.5% and impact strength of ~10.2 kJ/m2, being 31 times and 2.5 times higher than pure PLA, respectively. Moreover, thanks to the presence of dynamic crosslinks and GO NPs, the PLA-GESO blends exhibited excellent shape memory effect and antistatic properties.
Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-Grafted Amphiphilic Block Copolymer Micelles Co-Loaded with Quercetin and DNA
Authors: Kalinova Radostina , Videv Pavel , Petrova Svetla , Doumanov Jordan , Dimitrov Ivaylo
Published: May 2024

The synergistic effect of drug and gene delivery is expected to significantly improve cancer therapy. However, it is still challenging to design suitable nanocarriers that are able to load simultaneously anticancer drugs and nucleic acids due to their different physico-chemical properties. In the present work, an amphiphilic block copolymer comprising a biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) block and a multi-alkyne-functional biodegradable polycarbonate (PC) block was modified with a number of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) side chains applying the highly efficient azide–alkyne “click” chemistry reaction. The resulting cationic amphiphilic copolymer with block and graft architecture (MPEG-b-(PC-g-PDMAEMA)) self-associated in aqueous media into nanosized micelles which were loaded with the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer drug quercetin. The drug-loaded nanoparticles were further used to form micelleplexes in aqueous media through electrostatic interactions with DNA. The obtained nanoaggregates—empty and drug-loaded micelles as well as the micelleplexes intended for simultaneous DNA and drug codelivery—were physico-chemically characterized. Additionally, initial in vitro evaluations were performed, indicating the potential application of the novel polymer nanocarriers as drug delivery systems.
Formation of Black Silicon in a Process of Plasma Etching with Passivation in a SF6/O2 Gas Mixture
Authors: Miakonkikh Andrey , Kuzmenko Vitaly
Published: May 2024

This article discusses a method for forming black silicon using plasma etching at a sample temperature range from −20 °C to +20 °C in a mixture of oxygen and sulfur hexafluoride. The surface morphology of the resulting structures, the autocorrelation function of surface features, and reflectivity were studied depending on the process parameters—the composition of the plasma mixture, temperature and other discharge parameters (radical concentrations). The relationship between these parameters and the concentrations of oxygen and fluorine radicals in plasma is shown. A novel approach has been studied to reduce the reflectance using conformal bilayer dielectric coatings deposited by atomic layer deposition. The reflectivity of the resulting black silicon was studied in a wide spectral range from 400 to 900 nm. As a result of the research, technologies for creating black silicon on silicon wafers with a diameter of 200 mm have been proposed, and the structure formation process takes no more than 5 min. The resulting structures are an example of the self-formation of nanostructures due to anisotropic etching in a gas discharge plasma. This material has high mechanical, chemical and thermal stability and can be used as an antireflective coating, in structures requiring a developed surface—photovoltaics, supercapacitors, catalysts, and antibacterial surfaces.
Analysis of the Nutritional Composition of Ready-to-Use Meat Alternatives in Belgium
Authors: Mertens Evelien , Deriemaeker Peter , Van Beneden Katrien
Published: May 2024

Background: The interest in meat alternatives has increased over the years as people embrace more varied food choices because of different reasons. This study aims to analyse the nutritional composition of ready-to-use meat alternatives and compare them with meat (products). Methods: Nutritional composition values were collected in 2022 of all ready-to-use meat alternatives in Belgian supermarkets, as well as their animal-based counterparts. A one-sample t-test was performed to test the nutritional composition of ready-to-use meat alternatives against norm values, while an independent samples t-test was used to make the comparison with meat. Results: Minced meat and pieces/strips/cubes scored favourably on all norm values. Cheeseburgers/schnitzels, nut/seed burgers and sausages contained more than 10 g/100 g total fat. The saturated fat and salt content was lower than the norm value in each category. Legume burgers/falafel contained less than 10 g/100 g protein. Vegetarian/vegan minced meat and bacon contained fewer calories, total and saturated fat, and more fibre compared to their animal-based counterparts. Conclusions: Minced meat and pieces/strips/cubes came out as the most favourable categories regarding nutritional composition norm values. Vegetarian/vegan steak came out the least favourable compared to steak, while vegetarian/vegan minced meat and vegetarian/vegan bacon came out the most favourable compared to their animal-based counterparts.
Potential Neuroprotective Effect of Melatonin in the Hippocampus of Male BTBR Mice
Authors: Bonetti Matteo , Giugno Lorena , Borsani Elisa , Bonomini Francesca
Published: May 2024

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder identified by impairments in common social interactions and repetitive behaviors. In ASD patients, substantial morphological alterations have been observed in the hippocampus, which represents an important region for the development of social skills. Melatonin, commonly found in many foods and plants, is also produced by the pineal gland. This indolamine, known to regulate the circadian rhythm, shows antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We therefore hypothesized that melatonin may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the hippocampus of ASD patients. We explored our hypothesis using the BTBR mouse, a well-regarded murine transgenic model for ASD. Immediately after weaning, male BTBR and C57BL/6 mice underwent an 8-week treatment with melatonin or vehicle. Later, through immunohistochemistry and the immunoblotting analysis of the hippocampus, we evaluated the overall expression and cellular localization of Nrf2 and SOD1, two enzymes involved in the oxidative stress response. Similarly, we evaluated NLRP3 and NFkB, two mediators of inflammation, and GAD67, an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of GABA. Ultimately, we addressed melatonin’s potential to regulate iron metabolism through a DAB-enhanced Perls reaction assay. Results showed melatonin’s potential for modulating the analyzed markers in BTBR mice, suggesting a potential neuroprotective effect in ASD patients.
Comparative Study on the Mechanism of Macrophage Activation Induced by Polysaccharides from Fresh and Dried Longan
Authors: Wang Shengwei , Chen Xiaoyan , Li Qianxin , Zhang Yinghui , Rong Yu , Feng Yanxian , Liu Hui , Xu Jucai , Yang Ruili , Li Wu
Published: May 2024

Longan (Dimcarpus longan Lour.) is a kind of traditional fruit used as a medicine and a food. Fresh longan is primarily consumed as a fruit, whereas dried longan is commonly employed for medicinal purposes. The differences in the immunomodulatory activities and mechanisms of polysaccharides between dried and fresh longan remain unclear. The present study comparatively analyzed the mechanisms of macrophage activation induced by polysaccharides from dried (LPG) and fresh longan (LPX). The results revealed that LPG and LPX differentially promoted macrophage phagocytosis and the secretion of NO, TNF-α, and IL-6. RNA-seq analysis revealed that LPG and LPX differentially affected gene expression in macrophages. The LPG treatment identified Tnf and chemokine-related genes as core genes, while myd88 and interferon-related genes were the core genes affected by LPX. A comprehensive analysis of the differentially expressed genes showed that LPG initiated macrophage activation primarily through the TLR2/4-mediated TRAM/TRAF6 and CLR-mediated Src/Raf1 NF-κB signaling pathways. LPX initiated macrophage activation predominantly via the CLR-mediated Bcl10/MALT1 and NLR-mediated Rip2/TAK1 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. Interestingly, the non-classical NF-κB signaling pathway was activated by polysaccharides in both dried and fresh longan to elicit a slow, mild immune response. LPG tends to promote immune cell migration to engage in the immune response, while LPX facilitates antigen presentation to promote T cell activation. These findings contribute insights into the mechanisms underlying the differences in bioactivity between dried and fresh longan and their potential applications in immune-enhancing strategies and functional-food development.
Machine Learning Identification of Nutrient Intake Variations across Age Groups in Metabolic Syndrome and Healthy Populations
Authors: Cai Chenglin , Li Hongyu , Zhang Lijia , Li Junqi , Duan Songqi , Fang Zhengfeng , Li Cheng , Chen Hong , Alharbi Metab , Ye Lin , Liu Yuntao , Zeng Zhen
Published: May 2024

This study undertakes a comprehensive examination of the intricate link between diet nutrition, age, and metabolic syndrome (MetS), utilizing advanced artificial intelligence methodologies. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning from 1999 to 2018 were meticulously analyzed using machine learning (ML) techniques, specifically extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and the proportional hazards model (COX). Using these analytic methods, we elucidated a significant correlation between age and MetS incidence and revealed the impact of age-specific dietary patterns on MetS. The study delineated how the consumption of certain dietary components, namely retinol, beta-cryptoxanthin, vitamin C, theobromine, caffeine, lycopene, and alcohol, variably affects MetS across different age demographics. Furthermore, it was revealed that identical nutritional intakes pose diverse pathogenic risks for MetS across varying age brackets, with substances such as cholesterol, caffeine, and theobromine exhibiting differential risks contingent on age. Importantly, this investigation succeeded in developing a predictive model of high accuracy, distinguishing individuals with MetS from healthy controls, thereby highlighting the potential for precision in dietary interventions and MetS management strategies tailored to specific age groups. These findings underscore the importance of age-specific nutritional guidance and lay the foundation for future research in this area.
Does Magnesium Provide a Protective Effect in Crohn’s Disease Remission? A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Costescu Sergiu , Bratosin Felix , Popa Zoran Laurentiu , Hrubaru Ingrid , Citu Cosmin
Published: May 2024

This systematic review evaluates the hypothesis that optimal serum magnesium levels may enhance remission rates in Crohn’s disease (CD) and considers whether magnesium supplementation could be beneficial in CD management. This review aims to synthesize available evidence concerning the impact of serum magnesium on disease remission in CD, and to analyze the effectiveness and mechanistic roles of magnesium supplementation. Adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus up to January 2024 using MeSH terms and free-text queries related to CD and magnesium. The inclusion criteria were studies that investigated serum magnesium levels, effects of supplementation, and the inflammatory mechanisms in CD remission. From the 525 records identified, eight studies met the inclusion criteria after the removal of duplicates and irrelevant records. These studies, conducted between 1998 and 2023, involved a cumulative sample of 453 patients and 292 controls. Key findings include significantly lower serum magnesium levels in CD patients (0.79 ± 0.09 mmol/L) compared to controls (0.82 ± 0.06 mmol/L), with up to 50% prevalence of hypomagnesemia in CD patients observed in one study. Notably, CD patients, particularly men, exhibited lower magnesium intake (men: 276.4 mg/day; women: 198.2 mg/day). Additionally, low magnesium levels correlated with increased sleep latency (95% CI −0.65 to −0.102; p = 0.011) and decreased sleep duration (95% CI −0.613 to −0.041; p = 0.028). Another key finding was the significant association between low serum magnesium levels and elevated CRP levels as an indicator of CD disease activity. The findings support the hypothesis that serum magnesium levels are significantly lower in CD patients compared to healthy controls and suggest that magnesium supplementation could improve CD management by enhancing remission rates and sleep quality. However, more rigorous, evidence-based research is necessary to define specific supplementation protocols and to fully elucidate the role of magnesium in CD pathophysiology.
The Hidden Reserve of Nurses in The Netherlands: A Spatial Analysis
Authors: van Merode Frits , Groot Wim , van Oostveen Catharina , Somers Melline
Published: May 2024

Worldwide, nurse shortages constitute a problem, including in the Netherlands. Every region in the country has a shortage of all types of nurses. At the same time, there are large hidden reserves: persons who have been trained as a nurse but do not work in the healthcare sector. The size of the hidden reserve exceeds the shortage of nurses. Until now, the literature has not paid much attention to spatial aspects of the nursing shortage problem. In this paper, we analyze the size of the hidden reserves and how they are distributed over the country, across large and smaller cities, and across different nurse categories. We find that especially densely populated areas have relatively small shares of trained nurses as well as large hidden reserves relative to their population. These areas are also facing the largest nurse shortages. As nurse labor markets are local, policies that are more focused on local situations are necessary to activate these hidden reserves.
Allosteric Modulators of Serotonin Receptors: A Medicinal Chemistry Survey
Authors: Brunetti Leonardo , Francavilla Fabio , Leopoldo Marcello , Lacivita Enza
Published: May 2024

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a neurotransmitter regulating numerous physiological functions, and its dysregulation is a crucial component of the pathological processes of schizophrenia, depression, migraines, and obesity. 5-HT interacts with 14 different receptors, of which 5-HT1A-1FRs, 5-HT2A-CRs, and 5-HT4-7Rs are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), while 5-HT3R is a ligand-gated ion channel. Over the years, selective orthosteric ligands have been identified for almost all serotonin receptors, yielding several clinically relevant drugs. However, the high degree of homology between 5-HTRs and other GPCRs means that orthosteric ligands can have severe side effects. Thus, there has recently been increased interest in developing safer ligands of GPCRs, which bind to less conserved, more specific sites, distinct from that of the receptor’s natural ligand. The present review describes the identification of allosteric ligands of serotonin receptors, which are largely natural compounds (oleamide, cannabidiol, THC, and aporphine alkaloids), complemented by synthetic modulators developed in large part for the 5-HT2C receptor. The latter are positive allosteric modulators sought after for their potential as drugs preferable over the orthosteric agonists as antiobesity agents for their potentially safer profile. When available, details on the interactions between the ligand and allosteric binding site will be provided. An outlook on future research in the field will also be provided.
RETRACTED: Aldawsari et al. Gum Acacia Functionalized Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles of Letrozole as Biocompatible Drug Delivery Carrier for Treatment of Breast Cancer. Pharmaceutics 2021, 13, 1554
Authors: Aldawsari Hibah M. , Singh Sima , Alhakamy Nabil A. , Bakhaidar Rana B. , Halwani Abdulrahman A. , Badr-Eldin Shaimaa M.
Published: May 2024

The Pharmaceutics Editorial Office retracts the article, “Gum Acacia Functionalized Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles of Letrozole as Biocompatible Drug Delivery Carrier for Treatment of Breast Cancer” [...]
Comparative Analysis of Micrometer-Sized Particle Deposition in the Olfactory Regions of Adult and Pediatric Nasal Cavities: A Computational Study
Authors: Jin Ziyu , Guo Gang , Yu Aibing , Qian Hua , Tong Zhenbo
Published: May 2024

Direct nose-to-brain drug delivery, a promising approach for treating neurological disorders, faces challenges due to anatomical variations between adults and children. This study aims to investigate the spatial particle deposition of micron-sized particles in the nasal cavity among adult and pediatric subjects. This study focuses on the olfactory region considering the effect of intrasubject parameters and particle properties. Two child and two adult nose models were developed based on computed tomography (CT) images, in which the olfactory region of the four nasal cavity models comprises 7% to 10% of the total nasal cavity area. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) coupled with a discrete phase model (DPM) was implemented to simulate the particle transport and deposition. To study the deposition of micrometer-sized drugs in the human nasal cavity during a seated posture, particles with diameters ranging from 1 to 100 μm were considered under a flow rate of 15 LPM. The nasal cavity area of adults is approximately 1.2 to 2 times larger than that of children. The results show that the regional deposition fraction of the olfactory region in all subjects was meager for 1–100 µm particles, with the highest deposition fraction of 5.7%. The deposition fraction of the whole nasal cavity increased with the increasing particle size. Crucially, we identified a correlation between regional deposition distribution and nasal cavity geometry, offering valuable insights for optimizing intranasal drug delivery.
Chitosan Alginate Nanoparticles of Protein Hydrolysate from Acheta domesticus with Enhanced Stability for Skin Delivery
Authors: Yeerong Kankanit , Chantawannakul Panuwan , Anuchapreeda Songyot , Juntrapirom Saranya , Kanjanakawinkul Watchara , Müllertz Anette , Rades Thomas , Chaiyana Wantida
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to develop chitosan alginate nanoparticles (CANPs) for enhanced stability for dermal delivery of protein hydrolysate from Acheta domesticus (PH). CANPs, developed using ionotropic pre-gelation followed by the polyelectrolyte complex technique, were characterized for particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential. After the incorporation of PH into CANPs, a comprehensive assessment included encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, morphology, chemical analyses, physical and chemical stability, irritation potential, release profile, skin permeation, and skin retention. The most optimal CANPs, comprising 0.6 mg/mL sodium alginate, 1.8 mg/mL calcium chloride, and 0.1 mg/mL chitosan, exhibited the smallest particle size (309 ± 0 nm), the narrowest PDI (0.39 ± 0.01), and pronounced negative zeta potential (−26.0 ± 0.9 mV), along with an encapsulation efficiency of 56 ± 2%, loading capacity of 2.4 ± 0.1%, release of 40 ± 2% after 48 h, and the highest skin retention of 12 ± 1%. The CANPs induced no irritation and effectively enhanced the stability of PH from 44 ± 5% of PH remaining in a solution to 74 ± 4% after three-month storage. Therefore, the findings revealed the considerable potential of CANPs in improving PH stability and skin delivery, with promising applications in cosmetics and related fields.
Contrasting Impacts of Ubiquitin Overexpression on Arabidopsis Growth and Development
Authors: Yu Peifeng , Gao Zhenyu , Hua Zhihua
Published: May 2024

In plants, the ubiquitin (Ub)-26S proteasome system (UPS) regulates numerous biological functions by selectively targeting proteins for ubiquitylation and degradation. However, the regulation of Ub itself on plant growth and development remains unclear. To demonstrate a possible impact of Ub supply, as seen in animals and flies, we carefully analyzed the growth and developmental phenotypes of two different poly-Ub (UBQ) gene overexpression plants of Arabidopsis thaliana. One is transformed with hexa-6His-UBQ (designated 6HU), driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, while the other expresses hexa-6His-TEV-UBQ (designated 6HTU), driven by the endogenous promoter of UBQ10. We discovered that 6HU and 6HTU had contrasting seed yields. Compared to wildtype (WT), the former exhibited a reduced seed yield, while the latter showed an increased seed production that was attributed to enhanced growth vigor and an elevated silique number per plant. However, reduced seed sizes were common in both 6HU and 6HTU. Differences in the activity and size of the 26S proteasome assemblies in the two transgenic plants were also notable in comparison with WT, suggestive of a contributory role of UBQ expression in proteasome assembly and function. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that exogenous expression of recombinant Ub may optimize plant growth and development by influencing the UPS activities via structural variance, expression patterns, and abundance of free Ub supply.
The Concurrent Application of Phosphogypsum and Modified Biochar as Soil Amendments Influence Sandy Soil Quality and Wheat Productivity
Authors: Elbagory Mohssen , Shaker Eman M. , El-Nahrawy Sahar , Omara Alaa El-Dein , Khalifa Tamer H.
Published: May 2024

Sandy soil covers a significant portion of Egypt’s total land area, representing a crucial agricultural resource for future food security and economic growth. This research adopts the hypothesis of maximizing the utilization of secondary products for soil improvement to reduce ecosystem pollution. The study focuses on assessing the impact of combining phosphogypsum and modified biochar as environmentally friendly soil amendments on loamy sand soil quality parameters such as soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, nutrient levels, and wheat yield. The treatments were T1: the recommended NPK fertilizer (control); T2: 2.5 kg phosphogypsum m−2 soil; T3: 2.5 kg rice straw biochar m−2 soil; T4: 2.5 kg cotton stalk biochar m−2 soil; T5: 2.5 kg rice-straw-modified biochar m−2 soil; T6: 2.5 kg cotton-stalk-modified biochar m−2 soil; and T7 to T10: mixed phosphogypsum and biochar treatments. The results revealed that the combined use of phosphogypsum and modified cotton stalk biochar (T10) significantly enhanced soil organic carbon (SOC) by 73.66% and 99.46% in both seasons, the soil available N both seasons by 130.12 and 161.45%, the available P by 89.49% and 102.02%, and the available K by 39.84 and 70.45% when compared to the control treatment. Additionally, this treatment led to the highest grain yield of wheat (2.72 and 2.92 Mg ha−1), along with a significant increase in straw yield (52.69% and 59.32%) compared to the control treatment. Overall, the findings suggest that the combined use of phosphogypsum and modified biochar, particularly cotton-stalk biochar, holds promise for improving loamy sand-soil quality and wheat productivity.
Characterization of Polyallylamine/Polystyrene Sulfonate Polyelectrolyte Microcapsules Formed on Solid Cores: Morphology
Authors: Kim Aleksandr L. , Musin Egor V. , Chebykin Yuri S. , Tikhonenko Sergey A.
Published: May 2024

Polyelectrolyte microcapsules (PMC) based on polyallylamine and polystyrene sulfonate are utilized in various fields of human activity, including medicine, textiles, and the food industry, among others. However, characteristics such as microcapsule size, shell thickness, and pore size are not sufficiently studied and systematized, even though they determine the possibility of using microcapsules in applied tasks. The aim of this review is to identify general patterns and gaps in the study of the morphology of polyelectrolyte microcapsules obtained by the alternate adsorption of polystyrene sulfonate and polyallylamine on different solid cores. First and foremost, it was found that the morphological change in polyelectrolyte microcapsules formed on different cores exhibits a significant difference in response to varying stimuli. Factors such as ionic strength, the acidity of the medium, and temperature have different effects on the size of the microcapsules, the thickness of their shells, and the number and size of their pores. At present, the morphology of the microcapsules formed on the melamine formaldehyde core has been most studied, while the morphology of microcapsules formed on other types of cores is scarcely studied. In addition, modern methods of nanoscale system analysis will allow for an objective assessment of PMC characteristics and provide a fresh perspective on the subject of research.
Thermal Decomposition Mechanism of P(DAC-AM) with Serial Cationicity and Intrinsic Viscosity
Authors: Chen Tingting , Wang Yongji , Zhang Yuejun
Published: May 2024

The thermal decomposition of the thermodynamic, kinetic and mechanisms of copolymer P(DAC-AM) samples with serial cationicity and intrinsic viscosity ([η]), and the control samples of homopolymer PAM and PDAC, were studied and analyzed using TG, DSC, FTIR. The results of the thermal decomposition thermodynamics confirmed that the thermal decomposition processes of the serial P(DAC-AM) samples and the two control samples could be divided into two stages. It was found that the processes of the copolymer P(DAC-AM) samples were not a simple superposition of those of homopolymers, whose monomers had composed the unit structures of the copolymer, but there were interactions between the two suspension groups. The results of thermal decomposition kinetics showed that the apparent activation energy (E) of the thermal decomposition process of all polymer samples had different varying trends in the terms of weight-loss rate (α). The reaction order (n) of the thermal decomposition of P(DAC-AM) in Stage I and II was close to 1, but in the former and the latter it tended to be 2 and 0.5, respectively. Finally, the thermal decomposition mechanism of copolymer P(DAC-AM) samples was discussed. The above research could not only fill in the knowledge vacancy of the thermal decomposition of the thermodynamic, kinetic and mechanisms of P(DAC-AM), but could also lay a foundation for the study of thermal decomposition mechanisms of the other types of polymers, including cationic polymers.
Smartphone-Based Rapid Quantitative Detection Platform with Imprinted Polymer for Pb (II) Detection in Real Samples
Authors: Meza López Flor de Liss , Hernández Christian Jacinto , Vega-Chacón Jaime , Tuesta Juan C. , Picasso Gino , Khan Sabir , Sotomayor María D. P. T. , López Rosario
Published: May 2024

This paper reports the successful development and application of an efficient method for quantifying Pb2+ in aqueous samples using a smartphone-based colorimetric device with an imprinted polymer (IIP). The IIP was synthesized by modifying the previous study; using rhodizonate, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), and potassium persulfate (KPS). The polymers were then characterized. An absorption study was performed to determine the optimal conditions for the smartphone-based colorimetric device processing. The device consists of a black box (10 × 10 × 10 cm), which was designed to ensure repeatability of the image acquisition. The methodology involved the use of a smartphone camera to capture images of IIP previously exposed at Pb2+ solutions with various concentrations, and color channel values were calculated (RGB, YMK HSVI). PLS multivariate regression was performed, and the optimum working range (0–10 mg L−1) was determined using seven principal components with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.215 mg L−1 and R2 = 0.998. The applicability of a colorimetric sensor in real samples showed a coefficient of variation (% RSD) of less than 9%, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) was applied as the reference method. These results confirmed that the quantitation smartphone-based colorimetric sensor is a suitable analytical tool for reliable on-site Pb2+ monitoring.
Approach to Chemical Process Transition Control via Regulatory Controllers with the Case of a Throughput Fluctuating Ethylene Column
Authors: Huang Dong , Liu Gang , Chen Kezhong , Liu Lizhi , Guo Jinlin
Published: May 2024

For chemical processes, dynamic optimization is employed for process transition. On the basis of the multilayer control structure, the employment of dynamic optimization is affected by the regulatory control system. To avoid the adjustment of the regulatory control system, set-point optimization is proposed. For comparison, two types of optimization models, namely direct optimization and set-point optimization, are formulated. The superiority of set-point optimization is rigorously proven. By simulating the commercial process of a throughput-fluctuating ethylene column, the integrated absolute error and maximum deviation of product quality are reduced by more than 150% with set-point optimization. The results indicate that the approach to process transition via regulatory controllers not only avoids the insecurity caused by the switching of set-point controllers but also improves the optimization performance. In conclusion, the proposed optimization structure, namely set-point optimization, is operable and stable for commercial chemical process transitions.
An Adaptive Discrete Integral Terminal Sliding Mode Control Method for a Two-Joint Manipulator
Authors: Xu Jianliang , Sui Zhen , Wang Wenduo , Xu Feng
Published: May 2024

In response to the trajectory tracking control problem of manipulators under measurement disturbances, a novel multi-input multi-output discrete integral terminal sliding mode control scheme is proposed. Initially, this scheme establishes a dynamic model of a two-joint manipulator based on the Lagrangian dynamics analysis method. Subsequently, a discrete integral terminal sliding mode control law based on the dynamic model of the two joints is designed, incorporating delayed estimation of unknown disturbances and discretization errors in the manipulator system. To enhance the trajectory tracking accuracy of the control scheme and suppress the impact of sliding mode chattering on the manipulator system, an adaptive switching term is introduced into the discrete integral terminal sliding mode control law. The paper derives an adaptive discrete integral terminal sliding mode control scheme and provides stability proof for the proposed approach. Simulation experiments are conducted to compare the proposed adaptive discrete integral terminal sliding mode control scheme with classical discrete sliding mode control schemes and discrete integral terminal sliding mode control schemes. The simulation results demonstrate that the designed adaptive discrete integral terminal sliding mode control scheme maintains trajectory tracking errors within 0.004 radians for each joint of the manipulator, with minimal changes in control torque for each joint. The absolute integral of the control torque variations is calculated at 5.85×103, which is lower than other control schemes, thereby validating the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach.
Electrochemical Polishing Method for Titanium Alloys with a Microgroove Structure
Authors: Wang Xu , Wang Yekun , Shao Xuanda , Zhou Kaiyao , Deng Qianfa , Yuan Zewei , Lyu Binghai
Published: May 2024

TI–6AL–4V alloys are widely used in various fields owing to their excellent corrosion resistance, high-temperature resistance, and low-temperature toughness. Herein, a microgroove fixture was used to simulate the microgrooves in a titanium alloy with different aspect ratios to study the influence of the electrolyte flow rate on the polishing effect. The optimization of the electrochemical polishing parameters was conducted using experiments and simulations. The effects of process parameters, such as the concentration of sodium chloride (NaCl) and zinc chloride (ZnCl2), polishing time, and processing voltage, on the quality of the post-polished surface were studied. Experiments were conducted on microgrooves with different aspect ratios under the optimized polishing process parameters. Changes in the surface elements of the microgrooves after polishing were detected. The experimental results indicated that the optimal electrochemical polishing solution flow rate, NaCl concentration, ZnCl2 concentration, polishing time, and processing voltage were 0.2 m/s, 4.0 wt.%, 0.4 wt.%, 8 min, and 90 V, respectively. After 8 min of electrochemical polishing, a TiO2 passivation film was formed on the surface of the microgroove. The surface roughness of the notch and bottom of the microgroove decreased from 250 nm to below 40 nm, with a minimum of 24.5 nm.
Sustainable Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Biochar for the Sorptive Removal of Acid Orange 7 (AO7) from Water
Authors: Yadav Anand Kumar , Chaubey Abhishek Kumar , Kapoor Shivang , Pratap Tej , Preetiva Brahmacharimayum , Vimal Vineet , Mohan Dinesh
Published: May 2024

The unregulated discharge of synthetic dyes from various anthropogenic and industrial activities has resulted in the contamination of different environmental compartments. These dyes can contaminate water bodies, soil, and even the air, resulting in many environmental and health issues. True colors may persist for long periods, thereby affecting the aesthetics and ecology of dye-contaminated areas. Furthermore, they pose potential risks to aquatic life and human health through the ingestion or absorption of dye-contaminated water or food. Acid orange 7 (AO7) is a synthetic azo dye used in the textile, tanning, food, pharmaceutical, paint, electronics, cosmetics, and paper and pulp industries. AO7 can have various human health implications, such as dermatitis, nausea, severe headache, respiratory tract irritation, and bone marrow depletion, due to its high toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity. Efforts to regulate and mitigate dye pollution (AO7) are crucial for environmental sustainability and public health. Therefore, this study aimed to remove AO7 from water using sustainable biochar. This objective was accomplished by pyrolyzing dried Napier grass at 700 °C to develop affordable and sustainable Napier grass biochar (NGBC700). The developed biochar was characterized for its surface morphology, surface functional groups, surface area, and elemental composition. The yield, moisture content, and ash content of the NGBC700 were approximately 31%, 6%, and 21%, respectively. The NGBC700’s BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) surface area was 108 m2 g−1. Batch sorption studies were carried out at different pH levels (2–10), biochar dosages (1, 2, 3, and 4 g L−1), and AO7 concentrations (10, 20, and 30 mg L−1). The kinetic data were better fitted to the pseudo-second-order (PSO) equation (R2 = 0.964–0.997) than the pseudo-first-order (PFO) equation (R2 = 0.789–0.988). The Freundlich isotherm equation (R2 = 0.965–0.994) fitted the sorption equilibrium data better than the Langmuir equation (R2 = 0.788–0.987), suggesting AO7 sorption on heterogenous NGBC700. The maximum monolayer AO7 adsorption capacities of the NGBC700 were 14.3, 12.7, and 8.4 mg g−1 at 10, 25, and 40 °C, respectively. The column AO7 sorption capacity was 4.4 mg g−1. Fixed-bed AO7 sorption data were fitted to the Thomas and Yoon–Nelson column models. The NGBC700 efficiently removed AO7 from locally available dye-laden wastewater. NGBC700 was regenerated using different NaOH concentrations. Possible interactions contributing to AO7 sorption on NGBC700 include hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, and π–π electron donor–acceptor attractions. The estimated total preparation cost of NGBC700 was US$ 6.02 kg−1. The developed sustainable NGBC700 is potentially cost-effective and environmentally friendly, and it utilizes waste (Napier grass) to eliminate fatal AO7 dye from aqueous media.
Populist Authoritarianism and Catholic Political Ethics: A Framework for a Moral Review
Authors: Opongo Elias Omondi
Published: May 2024

Can there be an ethics of politics or political ethics in populist authoritarian democracies? Given that politics operates under potentially risky and morally ambiguous methods that involve strategic calculations with some elements of irrationality, developing an ethics of political leadership can be an abstruse exercise. The frequent mismatch between political methods, objectives, and outcomes exemplifies the complexity of political reality and its unpredictability. The existential tension between utilitarian and deontological approaches to ethics frequently arises in politics. However, to address the failures of democracy in political leadership, it is imperative to explore the ethical implications of populist authoritarianism. By scrutinizing how populist authoritarianism undermines democratic principles and polarizes societies, one can better understand its moral challenges and work towards developing a more ethical framework for political leadership. This article discusses Catholic political ethics in response to populist authoritarianism from three different perspectives: first, it analyzes what populist authoritarianism entails and its limitations in political governance; second, it discusses diverse components of political ethics, highlighting realistic dilemmas in the application of each component; and third, it makes an ethical evaluation of populist authoritarianism from the Catholic social ethics perspective, emphasizing human dignity, common good, and solidarity as key to countering populist authoritarianism. The article makes two ethical suggestions in line with Catholic political ethics to address populist authoritarianism. The first is the principle of social cohesion, aimed at addressing the social, ethnic, racial, political, economic, and religious divisions that characterize populist authoritarian leadership. The second is the principle of social recognition, used as a strategy for safeguarding the common good by centralizing human dignity.
Learning Advanced Locomotion for Quadrupedal Robots: A Distributed Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning Framework with Riemannian Motion Policies
Authors: Wang Yuliu , Sagawa Ryusuke , Yoshiyasu Yusuke
Published: May 2024

Recent advancements in quadrupedal robotics have explored the motor potential of these machines beyond simple walking, enabling highly dynamic skills such as jumping, backflips, and even bipedal locomotion. While reinforcement learning has demonstrated excellent performance in this domain, it often relies on complex reward function tuning and prolonged training times, and the interpretability is not satisfactory. Riemannian motion policies, a reactive control method, excel in handling highly dynamic systems but are generally limited to fully actuated systems, making their application to underactuated quadrupedal robots challenging. To address these limitations, we propose a novel framework that treats each leg of a quadrupedal robot as an intelligent agent and employs multi-agent reinforcement learning to coordinate the motion of all four legs. This decomposition satisfies the conditions for utilizing Riemannian motion policies and eliminates the need for complex reward functions, simplifying the learning process for high-level motion modalities. Our simulation experiments demonstrate that the proposed method enables quadrupedal robots to learn stable locomotion using three, two, or even a single leg, offering advantages in training speed, success rate, and stability compared to traditional approaches, and better interpretability. This research explores the possibility of developing more efficient and adaptable control policies for quadrupedal robots.
Towards Urban Digital Twins: A Workflow for Procedural Visualization Using Geospatial Data
Authors: Somanath Sanjay , Naserentin Vasilis , Eleftheriou Orfeas , Sjölie Daniel , Wästberg Beata Stahre , Logg Anders
Published: May 2024

A key feature for urban digital twins (DTs) is an automatically generated detailed 3D representation of the built and unbuilt environment from aerial imagery, footprints, LiDAR, or a fusion of these. Such 3D models have applications in architecture, civil engineering, urban planning, construction, real estate, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and many other areas. While the visualization of large-scale data in conjunction with the generated 3D models is often a recurring and resource-intensive task, an automated workflow is complex, requiring many steps to achieve a high-quality visualization. Methods for building reconstruction approaches have come a long way, from previously manual approaches to semi-automatic or automatic approaches. This paper aims to complement existing methods of 3D building generation. First, we present a literature review covering different options for procedural context generation and visualization methods, focusing on workflows and data pipelines. Next, we present a semi-automated workflow that extends the building reconstruction pipeline to include procedural context generation using Python and Unreal Engine. Finally, we propose a workflow for integrating various types of large-scale urban analysis data for visualization. We conclude with a series of challenges faced in achieving such pipelines and the limitations of the current approach. However, the steps for a complete, end-to-end solution involve further developing robust systems for building detection, rooftop recognition, and geometry generation and importing and visualizing data in the same 3D environment, highlighting a need for further research and development in this field.
Deformation Characteristics and Activation Dynamics of the Xiaomojiu Landslide in the Upper Jinsha River Basin Revealed by Multi-Track InSAR Analysis
Authors: Ma Xu , Peng Junhuan , Su Yuhan , Shi Mengyao , Zheng Yueze , Li Xu , Jiang Xinwei
Published: May 2024

The upper Jinsha River, located in a high-mountain gorge with complex geological features, is highly prone to large-scale landslides, which could result in the formation of dammed lakes. Analyzing the movement characteristics of the typical Xiaomojiu landslide in this area contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics of landslides in the region, which is of great significance for landslide risk prediction and analysis. True displacement data on the surface of landslides are crucial for understanding the morphological changes in landslides, providing fundamental parameters for dynamic analysis and risk assessment. This study proposes a method for calculating the actual deformation of landslide bodies based on multi-track Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) deformation data. It iteratively solves for the optimal true deformation vector of the landslide on a per-pixel basis under a least-squares constraint based on the assumption of consistent displacement direction among adjacent points on the landslide surface. Using multi-track Sentinel data from 2017 to 2023, the line of sight (LOS) accumulative de-formation of the Xiaomojiu landslide was obtained, with a maximum LOS deformation of −126 mm/year. The true surface displacement of the Xiaomojiu landslide after activation was calculated using LOS deformation. The development of two rotational sub-slipping zones on the landslide body is inferred based on the distribution of actual displacements along the central profile line. Analysis of temporal changes in water body area data revealed that the Xiaomojiu landslide was activated after a barrier lake event and continuously moved due to the influence of higher water levels’ in the river channel. In conclusion, the proposed method can be applied to calculate the true surface displacement of landslides with complex mechanisms for analyzing the movement status of landslide bodies. Furthermore, the spatiotemporal analysis of the Xiaomojiu landslide characteristics can support analyzing the mechanisms of similar landslides in the Jinsha River Basin.
Does Ultra-Endurance Passion Make Athletes Happy?
Authors: Bill Tatjana , Dessart Grégory , Antonini Philippe Roberta
Published: May 2024

Sport psychology research of ultra-endurance (UE) athletes focused predominantly on their psychological characteristics, traits, and behaviors. However, their happiness and passion, as well as a unified framework for UE hobby phenomenon, were not sufficiently investigated. This study aims to: (1) identify the main contributors to happiness and passion of non-professional UE athletes; and (2) explore the possible relationships between types of sport passion, motivation, and athletic identity. During data collection, 116 non-professional UE athletes (mean age 43.66 years, SD = 8.97, 16.4% female) responded to an online questionnaire. Statistical analyses revealed that obsessive UE passion (p < 0.05) and amotivation (p < 0.05) predicted lower levels of happiness. A higher level of obsessive passion was predicted by extrinsic motivation (p < 0.005), amotivation (p < 0.05), and exclusivity identity (p < 0.001); a lower level was predicted by social identity (p < 0.05) and years in sports (p < 0.05). Weekly training hours and age correlated positively with passion strength, while amotivation was strongly negatively related to training volume. These results indicate that happiness of UE athletes depends on the type of sport passion formed and the quality of the underlying motivation: obsessive passion and amotivation seem to be the main enemies of happiness for UE athletes. This novel finding connecting passion, happiness, and motivation contributes to both a better understanding of the psychology of UE athletes and has practical implications for UE athletes, coaches, athletes’ social circles, and sport psychologists. Due to known maladaptive outcomes of obsessive passion, including its negative impact on overall well-being, health, and now also on happiness, its formation in UE athletes needs to be observed and prevented. While the study shows predictors of obsessive passion and high vs. low obsessive passion, future research should investigate how harmonious passion impacts athletes’ happiness, motivation, and identity. Likewise, research among the UE entourage would help to better understand the social impact of UE as a serious hobby and the formation of UE lifestyles. We also suggest our Temporal Framework for Progressive UE Engagement and Passion, which was further developed based on the results of this study, to be used and validated by sport psychologists.