bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“I Always Buy the Purple Ones … If I See Them”: Socioecological Factors Influencing Anthocyanin-Rich Food Consumption for Cognitive Health in Older Adults
Authors: Kent Katherine , Larsen-Truong Karen , Fleming Catharine , Li Li , Phillipson Lyn , Steiner-Lim Genevieve Z. , Charlton Karen E.
Published: March 2023

Despite the positive relationship between anthocyanin-rich foods and cognitive health, a dietary deficit exists in older adults. Effective interventions require an understanding of people’s dietary behaviors situated in social and cultural contexts. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore older adults’ perceptions about increasing their consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods for cognitive health. Following an educational session and the provision of a recipe and information book, an online survey and focus groups with Australian adults aged 65 years or older (n = 20) explored the barriers and enablers towards eating more anthocyanin-rich foods and potential strategies to achieve dietary change. An iterative, qualitative analysis identified the themes and classified the barriers, enablers and strategies onto the Social-Ecological model levels of influence (individual, interpersonal, community, society). Enabling factors included a desire to eat healthily, taste preference and familiarity of anthocyanin-rich foods (individual), social support (community), and the availability of some anthocyanin-rich foods (society). The barriers included budget, dietary preferences and motivation (individual), household influences (interpersonal), limited availability and access to some anthocyanin-rich foods (community) and the cost and the seasonal variability (society). The strategies included increasing individual-level knowledge, skills, and confidence in utilizing anthocyanin-rich foods, educational initiatives about the potential cognitive benefits, and advocating to increase access to anthocyanin-rich foods in the food supply. This study provides for the first time, insight into the various levels of influence impacting older adults’ ability to consume an anthocyanin-rich diet for cognitive health. Future interventions should be tailored to reflect the barriers and enablers and to provide targeted education about anthocyanin-rich foods.
Changes in Lean Tissue Mass, Fat Mass, Biological Parameters and Resting Energy Expenditure over 24 Months Following Sleeve Gastrectomy
Authors: Maïmoun Laurent , Aouinti Safa , Puech Marion , Lefebvre Patrick , Deloze Melanie , de Santa Barbara Pascal , Renard Eric , Christol Jean-Paul , Myzia Justine , Picot Marie-Christine , Mariano-Goulart Denis , Nocca David
Published: March 2023

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) induces weight loss but its effects on body composition (BC) are less well known. The aims of this longitudinal study were to analyse the BC changes from the acute phase up to weight stabilization following SG. Variations in the biological parameters related to glucose, lipids, inflammation, and resting energy expenditure (REE) were concomitantly analysed. Fat mass (FM), lean tissue mass (LTM), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 83 obese patients (75.9% women) before SG and 1, 12 and 24 months later. After 1 month, LTM and FM losses were comparable, whereas at 12 months the loss of FM exceeded that of LTM. Over this period, VAT also decreased significantly, biological parameters became normalized, and REE was reduced. For most of the BC, biological and metabolic parameters, no substantial variation was demonstrated beyond 12 months. In summary, SG induced a modification in BC changes during the first 12 months following SG. Although the significant LTM loss was not associated with an increase in sarcopenia prevalence, the preservation of LTM might have limited the reduction in REE, which is a longer-term weight-regain criterion.
Dietary Sources of Anthocyanins and Their Association with Metabolome Biomarkers and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in an Observational Study
Authors: Mostafa Hamza , Meroño Tomás , Miñarro Antonio , Sánchez-Pla Alex , Lanuza Fabián , Zamora-Ros Raul , Rostgaard-Hansen Agnetha Linn , Estanyol-Torres Núria , Cubedo-Culleré Marta , Tjønneland Anne , Landberg Rikard , Halkjær Jytte , Andres-Lacueva Cristina
Published: March 2023

Anthocyanins (ACNs) are (poly)phenols associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk. Associations between dietary intake, microbial metabolism, and cardiometabolic health benefits of ACNs have not been fully characterized. Our aims were to study the association between ACN intake, considering its dietary sources, and plasma metabolites, and to relate them with cardiometabolic risk factors in an observational study. A total of 1351 samples from 624 participants (55% female, mean age: 45 ± 12 years old) enrolled in the DCH-NG MAX study were studied using a targeted metabolomic analysis. Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were used to collect dietary data at baseline, six, and twelve months. ACN content of foods was calculated using Phenol Explorer and foods were categorized into food groups. The median intake of total ACNs was 1.6mg/day. Using mixed graphical models, ACNs from different foods showed specific associations with plasma metabolome biomarkers. Combining these results with censored regression analysis, metabolites associated with ACNs intake were: salsolinol sulfate, 4-methylcatechol sulfate, linoleoyl carnitine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and one valerolactone. Salsolinol sulfate and 4-methylcatechol sulfate, both related to the intake of ACNs mainly from berries, were inversely associated with visceral adipose tissue. In conclusion, plasma metabolome biomarkers of dietary ACNs depended on the dietary source and some of them, such as salsolinol sulfate and 4-methylcatechol sulfate may link berry intake with cardiometabolic health benefits.
The Effect of Omega-9 on Bone Viscoelasticity and Strength in an Ovariectomized Diet-Fed Murine Model
Authors: Omer Mahmoud , Ngo Christopher , Ali Hessein , Orlovskaya Nina , Cheong Vee San , Ballesteros Amelia , Garner Michael Tyrel , Wynn Austin , Martyniak Kari , Wei Fei , Collins Boyce E. , Yarmolenko Sergey N. , Asiatico Jackson , Kinzel Michael , Ghosh Ranajay , Meckmongkol Teerin , Calder Ashley , Dahir Naima , Gilbertson Timothy A. , Sankar Jagannathan , Coathup Melanie
Published: March 2023

Few studies have investigated the effect of a monosaturated diet high in ω-9 on osteoporosis. We hypothesized that omega-9 (ω-9) protects ovariectomized (OVX) mice from a decline in bone microarchitecture, tissue loss, and mechanical strength, thereby serving as a modifiable dietary intervention against osteoporotic deterioration. Female C57BL/6J mice were assigned to sham-ovariectomy, ovariectomy, or ovariectomy + estradiol treatment prior to switching their feed to a diet high in ω-9 for 12 weeks. Tibiae were evaluated using DMA, 3-point-bending, histomorphometry, and microCT. A significant decrease in lean mass (p = 0.05), tibial area (p = 0.009), and cross-sectional moment of inertia (p = 0.028) was measured in OVX mice compared to the control. A trend was seen where OVX bone displayed increased elastic modulus, ductility, storage modulus, and loss modulus, suggesting the ω-9 diet paradoxically increased both stiffness and viscosity. This implies beneficial alterations on the macro-structural, and micro-tissue level in OVX bone, potentially decreasing the fracture risk. Supporting this, no significant differences in ultimate, fracture, and yield stresses were measured. A diet high in ω-9 did not prevent microarchitectural deterioration, nevertheless, healthy tibial strength and resistance to fracture was maintained via mechanisms independent of bone structure/shape. Further investigation of ω-9 as a therapeutic in osteoporosis is warranted.
Early-Life Slow Enteral Feeding Progression Pattern Is Associated with Longitudinal Head-Size Growth Faltering and Neurodevelopmental Impairment Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Infants
Authors: Lin Yung-Chieh , Chu Chi-Hsiang , Chen Yen-Ju , Chen Ray-Bing , Huang Chao-Ching
Published: March 2023

Objective: To determine whether feeding progression patterns in the first eight postnatal weeks, depicted by clustering analysis of daily enteral feeding volume, are associated with longitudinal head-circumference (HC) growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely preterm (EP) infants. Methods: 200 infants who were admitted at gestational ages 23–27 weeks between 2011 and 2018; survived to discharge; and underwent longitudinal HC growth measurements at birth, term-equivalent age (TEA), corrected age (CA) 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month; and neurodevelopmental assessment using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at CA 24 months were included for analysis. Results: kmlShape analysis identified two distinct enteral feeding progression patterns: fast progression in 131 (66%) infants and slow progression in 69 (34%) infants. Compared to the fast progression group, the slow progression group showed significantly lower daily enteral volumes after day 13, was older in postnatal age reaching full feeding, had a higher rate of Delta z scores of HC (zHC) < −1 (p < 0.001) between birth and TEA, and displayed lower longitudinal zHC from TEA to CA 24 months. The slow progression group also showed higher rates of microcephaly [42% vs. 16%, p < 0.001; adjusted odd ratio (aOR): 3.269, p = 0.001] and neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) (38% vs. 19%, p = 0.007; aOR: 2.095, p = 0.035) at CA 24 months. For NDI, the model including feeding progression patterns showed a lower Akaike information criterion score and a better goodness of fit than the model that did not include feeding patterns. Conclusion: Characterizing feeding progression pattern may help identify EP infants at high-risk of head-size growth faltering and NDI at early childhood.
An 8-Week Peer Health Coaching Intervention among College Students: A Pilot Randomized Study
Authors: Yan Zi , Peacock Jessica , Cohen Juliana F. W. , Kurdziel Laura , Benes Sarah , Oh Seungbin , Bowling April
Published: March 2023

This study explored the effects of an 8-week peer coaching program on physical activity (PA), diet, sleep, social isolation, and mental health among college students in the United States. A total of 52 college students were recruited and randomized to the coaching (n = 28) or the control group (n = 24). The coaching group met with a trained peer health coach once a week for 8 weeks focusing on self-selected wellness domains. Coaching techniques included reflective listening, motivational interviews, and goal setting. The control group received a wellness handbook. PA, self-efficacy for eating healthy foods, quality of sleep, social isolation, positive affect and well-being, anxiety, and cognitive function were measured. No interaction effects between time and group were significant for the overall intervention group (all p > 0.05), while the main effects of group difference on moderate PA and total PA were significant (p < 0.05). Goal-specific analysis showed that, compared to the control group, those who had a PA goal significantly increased vigorous PA Metabolic Equivalent of Task (METs) (p < 0.05). The vigorous METs for the PA goal group increased from 1013.33 (SD = 1055.12) to 1578.67 (SD = 1354.09); the control group decreased from 1012.94 (SD = 1322.943) to 682.11 (SD = 754.89); having a stress goal significantly predicted a higher post-coaching positive affect and well-being, controlling the pre-score and other demographic factors: B = 0.37 and p < 0.05. Peer coaching showed a promising effect on improving PA and positive affect and well-being among college students.
Effects of Undernutrition on Swallowing Function and Activities of Daily Living in Hospitalized Patients: Data from the Japanese Sarcopenic Dysphagia Database
Authors: Abe Sayaka , Kokura Yoji , Maeda Keisuke , Nishioka Shinta , Momosaki Ryo , Matsuoka Hiroki , Tomii Yasuomi , Sugita Shinnosuke , Shimizu Kenta , Esashi Nanami , Wakabayashi Hidetaka
Published: March 2023

This retrospective cohort study examined the effects of undernutrition on swallowing function and activities of daily living in hospitalized patients. Data from the Japanese Sarcopenic Dysphagia Database were used, and hospitalized patients aged ≥20 years with dysphagia were included in the analysis. Participants were assigned to the undernutrition or normal nutritional status group based on the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria. The primary outcome was the Food Intake Level Scale change, and the secondary outcome was the Barthel Index change. Among 440 residents, 281 (64%) were classified under the undernutrition group. The undernutrition group had a significantly higher Food Intake Level Scale score at baseline and Food Intake Level Scale change (p = 0.001) than the normal nutritional status group. Undernutrition was independently associated with the Food Intake Level Scale change (B = −0.633, 95% confidence interval = −1.099 to −0.167) and the Barthel Index change (B = −8.414, 95% confidence interval = −13.089 to −3.739). This was defined as the period from the date of admission to the hospital until discharge or 3 months later. Overall, our findings indicate that undernutrition is associated with reduced improvement in swallowing function and the ability to perform activities of daily living.
Benefits of Whey Proteins on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Parameters and Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Lesgards Jean-François
Published: March 2023

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and it is a major risk factor for the early onset of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). More than genetics, food, physical activity, walkability, and air pollution are lifestyle factors, which have the greatest impact on T2DM. Certain diets have been shown to be associated with lower T2DM and cardiovascular risk. Diminishing added sugar and processed fats and increasing antioxidant-rich vegetable and fruit intake has often been highlighted, as in the Mediterranean diet. However, less is known about the interest of proteins in low-fat dairy and whey in particular, which have great potential to improve T2DM and could be used safely as a part of a multi-target strategy. This review discusses all the biochemical and clinical aspects of the benefits of high-quality whey, which is now considered a functional food, for prevention and improvement of T2DM and CVDs by insulin- and non-insulin-dependent mechanisms.
An Improved Core-Corona Model for Λ and Λ Polarization in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions
Authors: Ayala Alejandro , Dominguez Isabel , Maldonado Ivonne , Tejeda-Yeomans Maria Elena
Published: March 2023

Due to its sensitivity to the dynamics of strongly interacting matter subject to extreme conditions, hyperon global polarization has become an important observable to study the system created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Recently, the STAR and HADES collaborations have measured the global polarization of both Λ and Λ¯ produced in semi-central collisions in a wide range of collision energies. The polarization excitation functions show an increasing trend as the collision energy decreases, with the increase being more pronounced for the Λ¯. In this work, we make a summary of a core-corona model that we have developed to quantify the global polarization contributions from Λ and Λ¯ created in different regions of the fireball. The core-corona model assumes that Λs and Λ¯s are produced in both regions, the high-density core and the lower density corona, with different relative abundances which modulate the polarization excitation function. We have shown that the model works well for the description of experimental results. The global polarization excitation functions computed with the model show a peak at different collision energies in the region sNN≤10 GeV. Finally, we discuss and report on the model global polarization predictions for BES-II, NICA and CBM at FAIR and HADES energies.
Pyrazole-Enriched Cationic Nanoparticles Induced Early- and Late-Stage Apoptosis in Neuroblastoma Cells at Sub-Micromolar Concentrations
Authors: Zuccari Guendalina , Zorzoli Alessia , Marimpietri Danilo , Brullo Chiara , Alfei Silvana
Published: March 2023

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a severe form of tumor occurring mainly in young children and originating from nerve cells found in the abdomen or next to the spine. NB needs more effective and safer treatments, as the chance of survival against the aggressive form of this disease are very small. Moreover, when current treatments are successful, they are often responsible for unpleasant health problems which compromise the future and life of surviving children. As reported, cationic macromolecules have previously been found to be active against bacteria as membrane disruptors by interacting with the negative constituents of the surface of cancer cells, analogously inducing depolarization and permeabilization, provoking lethal damage to the cytoplasmic membrane, and cause loss of cytoplasmic content and consequently, cell death. Here, aiming to develop new curative options for counteracting NB cells, pyrazole-loaded cationic nanoparticles (NPs) (BBB4-G4K and CB1H-P7 NPs), recently reported as antibacterial agents, were assayed against IMR 32 and SHSY 5Y NB cell lines. Particularly, while BBB4-G4K NPs demonstrated low cytotoxicity against both NB cell lines, CB1H-P7 NPs were remarkably cytotoxic against both IMR 32 and SHSY 5Y cells (IC50 = 0.43–0.54 µM), causing both early-stage (66–85%) and late-stage apoptosis (52–65%). Interestingly, in the nano-formulation of CB1H using P7 NPs, the anticancer effects of CB1H and P7 were increased by 54–57 and 2.5–4-times, respectively against IMR 32 cells, and by 53–61 and 1.3–2 times against SHSY 5Y cells. Additionally, based on the IC50 values, CB1H-P7 was also 1-12-fold more potent than fenretinide, an experimental retinoid derivative in a phase III clinical trial, with remarkable antineoplastic and chemopreventive properties. Collectively, due to these results and their good selectivity for cancer cells (selectivity indices = 2.8–3.3), CB1H-P7 NPs represent an excellent template material for developing new treatment options against NB.
Topical Delivery of Cell-Penetrating Peptide-Modified Human Growth Hormone for Enhanced Wound Healing
Authors: Nguyen Tru Van , Lee Kyung-Hwa , Huang Yongzhuo , Shin Meong Cheol , Park Yoon Shin , Kim Hangun , Moon Cheol
Published: March 2023

Protein drugs have been emerging as a class of promising therapeutics. However, their topical application has been limited by their high molecular weight and poor permeability to the cell membrane. In this study, we aimed to enhance human growth hormone (hGH) permeability for topical application by conjugation of TAT peptide, a cell-penetrating peptide, to hGH via crosslinker. After TAT was conjugated to hGH, TAT-hGH was purified by affinity chromatography. TAT-hGH significantly increased cell proliferation compared with the control. Interestingly, the effect of TAT-hGH was higher than hGH at the same concentration. Furthermore, the conjugation of TAT to hGH enhanced the permeability of TAT-hGH across the cell membrane without affecting its biological activity in vitro. In vivo, the topical application of TAT-hGH into scar tissue markedly accelerated wound healing. Histological results showed that TAT-hGH dramatically promoted the re-epithelialization of wounds in the initial stage. These results demonstrate TAT-hGH as a new therapeutic potential drug for wound healing treatment. This study also provides a new method for topical protein application via enhancement of their permeability.
Dexamethasone and Dexamethasone Phosphate: Effect on DMPC Membrane Models
Authors: Cámara Candelaria Ines , Crosio Matías Ariel , Juarez Ana Valeria , Wilke Natalia
Published: March 2023

Dexamethasone (Dex) and Dexamethasone phosphate (Dex-P) are synthetic glucocorticoids with high anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive actions that gained visibility because they reduce the mortality in critical patients with COVID-19 connected to assisted breathing. They have been widely used for the treatment of several diseases and in patients under chronic treatments, thus, it is important to understand their interaction with membranes, the first barrier when these drugs get into the body. Here, the effect of Dex and Dex-P on dimyiristoylphophatidylcholine (DMPC) membranes were studied using Langmuir films and vesicles. Our results indicate that the presence of Dex in DMPC monolayers makes them more compressible and less reflective, induces the appearance of aggregates, and suppresses the Liquid Expanded/Liquid Condensed (LE/LC) phase transition. The phosphorylated drug, Dex-P, also induces the formation of aggregates in DMPC/Dex-P films, but without disturbing the LE/LC phase transition and reflectivity. Insertion experiments demonstrate that Dex induces larger changes in surface pressure than Dex-P, due to its higher hydrophobic character. Both drugs can penetrate membranes at high lipid packings. Vesicle shape fluctuation analysis shows that Dex-P adsorption on GUVs of DMPC decreases membrane deformability. In conclusion, both drugs can penetrate and alter the mechanical properties of DMPC membranes.
Self-Assembled Lecithin-Chitosan Nanoparticles Improved Rotigotine Nose-to-Brain Delivery and Brain Targeting Efficiency
Authors: Saha Paramita , Singh Prabhjeet , Kathuria Himanshu , Chitkara Deepak , Pandey Murali Monohar
Published: March 2023

Rotigotine (RTG) is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist and an approved drug for treating Parkinson’s disease. However, its clinical use is limited due to various problems, viz. poor oral bioavailability (<1%), low aqueous solubility, and extensive first-pass metabolism. In this study, rotigotine-loaded lecithin-chitosan nanoparticles (RTG-LCNP) were formulated to enhance its nose-to-brain delivery. RTG-LCNP was prepared by self-assembly of chitosan and lecithin due to ionic interactions. The optimized RTG-LCNP had an average diameter of 108 nm with 14.43 ± 2.77% drug loading. RTG-LCNP exhibited spherical morphology and good storage stability. Intranasal RTG-LCNP improved the brain availability of RTG by 7.86 fold with a 3.84-fold increase in the peak brain drug concentration (Cmax(brain)) compared to intranasal drug suspensions. Further, the intranasal RTG-LCNP significantly reduced the peak plasma drug concentration (Cmax(plasma)) compared to intranasal RTG suspensions. The direct drug transport percentage (DTP (%)) of optimized RTG-LCNP was found to be 97.3%, which shows effective direct nose-to-brain drug uptake and good targeting efficiency. In conclusion, RTG-LCNP enhanced drug brain availability, showing the potential for clinical application.
Pharmacokinetics of Orally Applied Cannabinoids and Medical Marijuana Extracts in Mouse Nervous Tissue and Plasma: Relevance for Pain Treatment
Authors: Dumbraveanu Cristiana , Strommer Katharina , Wonnemann Meinolf , Choconta Jeiny Luna , Neumann Astrid , Kress Michaela , Kalpachidou Theodora , Kummer Kai K.
Published: March 2023

Cannabis sativa plants contain a multitude of bioactive substances, which show broad variability between different plant strains. Of the more than a hundred naturally occurring phytocannabinoids, Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) have been the most extensively studied, but whether and how the lesser investigated compounds in plant extracts affect bioavailability or biological effects of Δ9-THC or CBD is not known. We therefore performed a first pilot study to assess THC concentrations in plasma, spinal cord and brain after oral administration of THC compared to medical marijuana extracts rich in THC or depleted of THC. Δ9-THC levels were higher in mice receiving the THC-rich extract. Surprisingly, only orally applied CBD but not THC alleviated mechanical hypersensitivity in the mouse spared nerve injury model, favoring CBD as an analgesic compound for which fewer unwanted psychoactive effects are to be expected.
Optimal Scheduling of Combined Electric and Heating Considering the Control Process of CHP Unit and Electric Boiler
Authors: Huang Yuehua , Chen Qing , Zhang Zihao , Liu Xingtao , Tu Jintong , Zhang Lei
Published: March 2023

In order to solve the problem of new energy consumption, a combined electric and heating system (CEHS) dynamic optimal scheduling method considering the optimal control of combined heat and power (CHP) unit and electric boiler is proposed from the perspective of unit technology transformation, to optimize the thermoelectric coupling relationship and improve the regulation capacity of the CEHS. Firstly, the electric and heat output models of CHP units considering the optimal control process, were constructed and used to analyze the electric–thermal characteristics and the impact of unit pressure safety under variable load input. On this basis, CHP units, electric boilers, wind power units, and thermal power units are optimally scheduled to minimize system operating costs. Finally, a simultaneous method of “discrete first, optimize later” is proposed to solve the dynamic optimal scheduling problem. The simulation results verify that the optimal scheduling considering the optimal control of CHP units and the retrofitting of electric boilers can promote the consumption of wind power and improve the overall operating economy of the system while ensuring the feasibility of the CEHS scheduling scheme.
Quantum Physisorption of Gas in Nanoporous Media: A New Perspective
Authors: Li Junqian
Published: March 2023

Although numerous investigations have revealed the gas physisorption characteristics of porous media, the essence of physisorption behavior of gas within nanoscale space is still indistinct. We speculated that the physisorption behavior of a complex molecular system (e.g., CH4 and CO2) exhibits a quantum effect due to the confinement effect of nanopores. Gas molecules occur in varied orbitals following certain probabilities and, therefore, have separate energy levels inside a nanoscale space. Energy level transition of molecules from excited state to ground state triggers gas physisorption, while non-uniform spatial distribution of energy-quantized molecules within nanopores dominates the gas physisorption behavior. The spatial distribution of gas molecules can be adjusted by temperature, pressure and potential energy field. Based on the quantum effect, we developed a physisorption equation from the perspective of quantum mechanics to re-understand the basic principles of gas physisorption within nanopores.
The Effect of CaO on the CO and NOx Emission Characteristics of Fast-Growing Grass Combustion
Authors: Li Yan , Hong Qingchao , Liu Haili , Liu Heyun
Published: March 2023

Fast-growing grass is a biomass material with characteristics such as high temperature and drought resistance; rapid growth and development; and repeated germination and cutting. Therefore, it is a popular biomass fuel. It is required that the pollutants produced during the biomass combustion process are appropriately controlled. For this purpose, our study analyses the influence of combustion temperature and calcium oxide (CaO) on the nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emission characteristics of fast-growing grass combustion using the biomass combustion flue gas analysis and testing platform. The results of our analysis revealed that CaO additive can simultaneously reduce the peak and total NOx emissions at 750 °C. Particularly, 5% CaO demonstrated a significant control effect on the NOx emission from the fast-growing grass combustion process, with a peak and total emissions reduction of 47.05% and 56.81%, respectively. In addition, with an increase in temperature, the CO emission curve attains a second peak higher than the first peak, and the peak and total emissions show a decreasing trend.
Performance Simulation of Permeable Concrete Materials Combined with Nanotechnology in Rainwater Management
Authors: Li Jianfeng , Jin Mengmeng , Chen Junbo , Weng Zucan , Sun Miao , Wu Danhong , Yan Huihui , Huang Zhigang , Xue Jinglan , Wang Feilan
Published: March 2023

In recent years, China has entered a period of rapid urban development, but most of the cities with rapid development still have ground hardening, which makes it difficult for rainwater to penetrate and discharge. In order to achieve the rapid drainage of accumulated water in the city, nanotechnology was introduced, and permeable concrete based on NC and NS nanomaterials was proposed. Combined with finite element analysis, the permeable properties and mechanical properties of permeable concrete mixed with nanomaterials were analyzed. A comprehensive performance analysis of pervious concrete shows that the viscosity of permeable concrete mixed with nanomaterials is significantly higher than that of non-mixed pervious concrete, and the permeability coefficient of permeable concrete mixed with nanomaterials can reach 0.43 cm/s. A finite element analysis shows that the incorporation of nanomaterials can improve the compressive strength of permeable concrete. At the same time, under a rainwater environment simulation, the rainwater retention time of pervious concrete is only 2.35 s. The above results show that the incorporation of nanomaterials into pervious concrete can improve the water permeability of pervious concrete, improve the mechanical properties of pervious concrete, and increase its service life, which is of great significance to urban development and urban management.
The Effect of Electro-Induced Multi-Gas Modification on Polymer Substrates’ Surface Structure for Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Doronin Fedor , Rytikov Georgy , Evdokimov Andrey , Rudyak Yury , Taranets Irina , Nazarov Victor
Published: March 2023

We investigated the effect of electro-induced multi-gas modification (EIMGM) duration on the adhesion and wear resistance of PET and LDPE polymer substrates used in the printing industry. It was found that EIMGM increases the polar component and the complete free surface energy from 26 to 57 mJ/m2 for LDPE and from 37 to 67 mJ/m2 for PET (due to the formation of oxygen-containing groups on the surface of the materials). Although the degree of textural and morphological heterogeneity of the modified LDPE increased more than twice compared to the initial state, it is not still suitable for application as a substrate in extrusion 3D printing. However, for PET, the plasma-chemical modification contributed to a significant increase (~5 times) in filament adhesion to its surface (due to chemical and morphological transformations of the surface layers) which allows for using the FFF technology for additive prototyping on the modified PET-substrates.
PCB Defect Detection Based on Deep Learning Algorithm
Authors: Chen I-Chun , Hwang Rey-Chue , Huang Huang-Chu
Published: March 2023

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are primarily used to connect electronic components to each other. It is one of the most important stages in the manufacturing of electronic products. A small defect in the PCB can make the final product inoperable. Therefore, careful and meticulous defect detection steps are necessary and indispensable in the PCB manufacturing process. The detection methods can generally be divided into manual inspection and automatic optical inspection (AOI). The main disadvantage of manual detection is that the detection speed is too slow, resulting in a waste of human resources and costs. Thus, in order to speed up the production speed, AOI techniques have been adopted by many PCB manufacturers. Most current AOI mechanisms use traditional optical algorithms. These algorithms can easily lead to misjudgments due to different light and shadow changes caused by slight differences in PCB placement or solder amount so that qualified PCBs are judged as defective products, which is also the main reason for the high misjudgment rate of AOI detection. In order to effectively solve the problem of AOI misjudgment, manual re-judgment is currently the reinspection method adopted by most PCB manufacturers for defective products judged by AOI. Undoubtedly, the need for inspectors is another kind of labor cost. To reduce the labor cost. of manual re-judgement, an accurate and efficient PCB defect reinspection mechanism based on deep learning algorithm is proposed. This mechanism mainly establishes two detection models, which can classify the defects of the product. When both models have basic recognition capabilities, the two models are then combined into a main model to improve the accuracy of defect detection. In the study, the data provided by Lite-On Technology Co., Ltd. were implemented. To achieve the practical application value in the industry, this research not only considers the problem of detection accuracy, but also considers the problem of detection execution speed. Therefore, fewer parameters are used in the construction of the model. The research results show that the accuracy rate of defect detection is about 95%, and the recall rate is 94%. Compared with other detection modules, the execution speed is greatly improved. The detection time of each image is only 0.027 s, which fully meets the purpose of industrial practical application.
Strategies for Sustainable Management of Agricultural Waste Vinyl in South Korea
Authors: Kim Dowan , Kim Eunsook , Phae Chaegun
Published: March 2023

Vinyl, such as those in the form of mulching and vinyl houses, is used to improve agricultural productivity. It is generated as an agriculture waste vinyl (AWV) after use. The collected AWV is transported to a recycling facility and shredded, washed, and compressed to be recycled. Recycled materials can contribute to the circular economy of agriculture as they are used again as an agricultural plastic product. However, in Korea, there are concerns about the illegal disposal (landfill, incineration) of AWV. So, a new management model is needed in which stakeholders voluntarily establish an AWV management system. In this study, a sustainable management strategy was proposed. This strategy is reinforcing the responsibility of the producers of AWV and forms a value chain in the proper discharge after consumption by applying the deposit system proposed to recover AWV. Local governments and the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NH) proposed education to curb the illegal disposal of AWV, and for managing areas where a collection system has not yet been established, biodegradable mulching vinyl (BMV) was proposed to minimize the environmental pollution caused by AWV. It was calculated that the EPR contribution was 0.16 USD/kg, and the introduction of BMV was 0.42 USD/kg in Korea. This study will provide a new alternative in countries struggling with AWV management.
“O Jewel Resplendent”: The Virgin Mary and Her Analogues in Hildegard of Bingen’s Scivias
Authors: Campbell Nathaniel M.
Published: March 2023

Despite the lush visual imagery of the twenty-six visions that form the foundation of Hildegard of Bingen’s first work, Scivias, the physical person of the Virgin Mary appears only once, as the Queen of the heavenly symphony in the book’s final vision. The images that coalesce in the musical compositions dedicated to the Virgin in that final symphony, however, resonate throughout the rest of the work, revealing Mary’s constant background presence. Moreover, analogues of traditional Marian imagery in both the text and the illustrations Hildegard designed for the work allow us to see how the Virgin exemplifies the life of the virtues from which Hildegard constructs the City of God. Finally, connections between Scivias and Hildegard’s third work, Liber diuinorum operum, demonstrate that the Virgin Mary models the path of virginity that Hildegard holds up as the singular road to holy perfection for herself and the nuns under her care.
Solid-State Fermentation for the Recovery of Phenolic Compounds from Agro-Wastes
Authors: Cerda-Cejudo Nadia D. , Buenrostro-Figueroa José J. , Sepúlveda-Torre Leonardo , Torres-León Cristian , Chávez-González Mónica L. , Ascacio-Valdés Juan A. , Aguilar Cristóbal N.
Published: March 2023

Polyphenolic compounds are a group of secondary metabolites in plants; these molecules are widely distributed in fruits, vegetables, and herbs and can be found in the vacuoles of plant cells. The current trend in these compounds is their extraction to study their applications in several areas, such as the food, cosmetic, and pharmacology industry. This review article presents a critical analysis of polyphenol extraction using solid-state fermentation. The parameters of extraction, such as the substrate, temperature, pH, inoculum of the microorganism, moisture, and water activity, are discussed in detail. This biotechnological extraction method affects the concentration and recovery of polyphenolic compounds. Some polyphenolic sources that are rising for their biological properties belong to agro-industrial wastes, such as peels, seeds, and the pulp of some fruits. Solid-state fermentation is an innovative and environmentally friendly tool that can contribute to generating value-added agrifood from agro-industrial wastes.
Monitoring Structural Displacements on a Wall with Five-Constellation Precise Point Positioning: A Position-Constrained Method and the Performance Analyses
Authors: Chu Feng-Yu , Chen Yin-Wei
Published: March 2023

The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) precise point positioning (PPP) technique has been commonly applied to structural displacement monitoring. Considering the sheltering effect, GNSS receivers are regularly mounted on the top of a structure, but the structure is often not a rigid body; therefore, the receiver should also be mounted on the wall of the structure. Combining five constellations, GNSS can effectively reduce the sheltering effect. Therefore, this study attempts to apply the five-constellation PPP technique to monitor structural long-term displacements on the wall (SLDW) and structural vibrational displacements on the wall (SVDW) and then analyze their performance. Two novel methods are proposed in monitoring SVDW. Firstly, semi-generated measurements are designed to generate pseudo-environments with vibrations for the receiver. Therefore, additional instruments are not necessary to generate vibrations. Secondly, to further reduce the sheltering effect, a position-constrained PPP (PCPPP) model is developed. Formal performance analyses are presented in this study, and the results show that using the five-constellation PPP to monitor SLDW and SVDW in the horizontal direction is possible as long as the sheltering effect over the half sky of the receiver is not severe. In monitoring SVDW, the PCPPP model can perform better than the classical PPP model and be successful in the horizontal direction when the condition of elevation cutoff is given as high as 50°. For Asia-Pacific mid-low-latitude regions, the global positioning system (GPS) and BeiDou system (BDS) are important to maintain the availability of monitoring SVDW.
Where Is the Peri-Urban? A Systematic Review of Peri-Urban Research and Approaches for Its Identification and Demarcation Worldwide
Authors: Sahana Mehebub , Ravetz Joe , Patel Priyank Pravin , Dadashpoor Hashem , Follmann Alexander
Published: March 2023

Metropolitan areas worldwide have grown rapidly and are usually surrounded by peri-urban zones that are neither urban nor rural. Despite widespread use of the term ‘peri-urban’, physical determination of these spaces is difficult due to their transient nature and multiple definitions. While many have identified peri-urban areas regionally or globally, questions persist on where exactly the peri-urban is located, and what are the most apt methods to delineate its boundaries. The answers are pertinent towards framing targeted policies for governing the dynamic socio-spatial transformations in these zones. This paper reviews peri-urban research over the last 50-plus years to discern the existing methodologies for its identification/demarcation and their applications. For this, a total of 3124 documents on peri-urban studies were identified through keyword searches in Scopus and Google Scholar databases. Thereafter, 56 documents were examined that explicitly dealt with demarcating peri-urban zones. Results reveal that there is no standout/generalized method for peri-urban demarcation. Rather, these approaches are geographically specific and vary across developed and developing countries, due to differences in land-use patterns, socioeconomic drivers, and political systems. Thus, we recommend developing a ‘pluralistic’ framework for determining peri-urban boundaries at the regional–global scale to enable better framing of relevant policies.
Urban Impervious Surface Extraction Based on Deep Convolutional Networks Using Intensity, Polarimetric Scattering and Interferometric Coherence Information from Sentinel-1 SAR Images
Authors: Wu Wenfu , Guo Songjing , Shao Zhenfeng , Li Deren
Published: March 2023

Urban impervious surface area is a key indicator for measuring the degree of urban development and the quality of an urban ecological environment. However, optical satellites struggle to effectively play a monitoring role in the tropical and subtropical regions, where there are many clouds and rain all year round. As an active microwave sensor, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has a long wavelength and can penetrate clouds and fog to varying degrees, making it very suitable for monitoring the impervious surface in such areas. With the development of SAR remote sensing technology, a more advanced and more complex SAR imaging model, namely, polarimetric SAR, has been developed, which can provide more scattering information of ground objects and is conducive to improving the extraction accuracy of impervious surface. However, the current research on impervious surface extraction using SAR data mainly focuses on the use of SAR image intensity or amplitude information, and rarely on the use of phase and polarization information. To bridge this gap, based on Sentinel-1 dual-polarized data, we selected UNet, HRNet, and Deeplabv3+ as impervious surface extraction models; and we input the intensity, coherence, and polarization features of SAR images into the respective impervious surface extraction models to discuss their specific performances in urban impervious surface extraction. The experimental results show that among the intensity, coherence, and polarization features, intensity is the most useful feature in the extraction of urban impervious surface based on SAR images. We also analyzed the limitations of extracting an urban impervious surface based on SAR images, and give a simple and effective solution. This study can provide an effective solution for the spatial-temporal seamless monitoring of an impervious surface in cloudy and rainy areas.
Correction: Barbosa et al. Evaluating Groundwater Storage Change and Recharge Using GRACE Data: A Case Study of Aquifers in Niger, West Africa. Remote Sens. 2022, 14, 1532
Authors: Barbosa Sergio A. , Pulla Sarva T. , Williams Gustavious P. , Jones Norman L. , Mamane Bako , Sanchez Jorge L.
Published: March 2023

There was an error in the original article [...]
Mapping Fractional Vegetation Coverage across Wetland Classes of Sub-Arctic Peatlands Using Combined Partial Least Squares Regression and Multiple Endmember Spectral Unmixing
Authors: Cunnick Heidi , Ramage Joan M. , Magness Dawn , Peters Stephen C.
Published: March 2023

Vegetation communities play a key role in governing the atmospheric-terrestrial fluxes of water, carbon, nutrients, and energy. The expanse and heterogeneity of vegetation in sub-arctic peatland systems makes monitoring change at meaningful spatial resolutions and extents challenging. We use a field-collected spectral endmember reference library to unmix hyperspectral imagery and map vegetation coverage at the level of plant functional type (PFT), across three wetland sites in sub-arctic Alaska. This study explores the optimization and parametrization of multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA) models to estimate coverage of PFTs across wetland classes. We use partial least squares regression (PLSR) to identify a parsimonious set of critical bands for unmixing and compare the reference and modeled coverage. Unmixing, using a full set of 110-bands and a smaller set of 4-bands, results in maps that effectively discriminate between PFTs, indicating a small investment in fieldwork results in maps mirroring the true ground cover. Both sets of spectral bands differentiate between PFTs, but the 4-band unmixing library results in more accurate predictive mapping with lower computational cost. Reducing the unmixing reference dataset by constraining the PFT endmembers to those identified in the field-site produces only a small advantage for mapping, suggesting extensive fieldwork may not be necessary for MESMA to have a high explanatory value in these remote environments.
Ground Deformation Monitoring over Xinjiang Coal Fire Area by an Adaptive ERA5-Corrected Stacking-InSAR Method
Authors: Zhang Yuxuan , Wang Yunjia , Huo Wenqi , Zhao Feng , Hu Zhongbo , Wang Teng , Song Rui , Liu Jinglong , Zhang Leixin , Fernández José , Escayo Joaquin , Cao Fei , Yan Jun
Published: March 2023

Underground coal fire is a global geological disaster that causes the loss of resources as well as environmental pollution. Xinjiang, China, is one of the regions suffering from serious underground coal fires. The accurate monitoring of underground coal fires is critical for management and extinguishment, and many remote sensing-based approaches have been developed for monitoring over large areas. Among them, the multi-temporal interferometric synthetic aperture radar (MT-InSAR) techniques have been recently employed for underground coal fires-related ground deformation monitoring. However, MT-InSAR involves a relatively high computational cost, especially when the monitoring area is large. We propose to use a more cost-efficient Stacking-InSAR technique to monitor ground deformation over underground coal fire areas in this study. Considering the effects of atmosphere on Stacking-InSAR, an ERA5 data-based estimation model is employed to mitigate the atmospheric phase of interferograms before stacking. Thus, an adaptive ERA5-Corrected Stacking-InSAR method is proposed in this study, and it is tested over the Fukang coal fire area in Xinjiang, China. Based on original and corrected interferograms, four groups of ground deformation results were obtained, and the possible coal fire areas were identified. In this paper, the ERA5 atmospheric delay products based on the estimation model along the LOS direction (D-LOS) effectively mitigate the atmospheric phase. The accuracy of ground deformation monitoring over a coal fire area has been improved by the proposed method choosing interferograms adaptively for stacking. The proposed Adaptive ERA5-Corrected Stacking-InSAR method can be used for efficient ground deformation monitoring over large coal fire areas.