bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organic Bioelectronics Development in Italy: A Review
Authors: Parmeggiani Matteo , Ballesio Alberto , Battistoni Silvia , Carcione Rocco , Cocuzza Matteo , D’Angelo Pasquale , Erokhin Victor V. , Marasso Simone Luigi , Rinaldi Giorgia , Tarabella Giuseppe , Vurro Davide , Pirri Candido Fabrizio
Published: February 2023

In recent years, studies concerning Organic Bioelectronics have had a constant growth due to the interest in disciplines such as medicine, biology and food safety in connecting the digital world with the biological one. Specific interests can be found in organic neuromorphic devices and organic transistor sensors, which are rapidly growing due to their low cost, high sensitivity and biocompatibility. This trend is evident in the literature produced in Italy, which is full of breakthrough papers concerning organic transistors-based sensors and organic neuromorphic devices. Therefore, this review focuses on analyzing the Italian production in this field, its trend and possible future evolutions.
Resistance to the Bacteriocin Lcn972 Deciphered by Genome Sequencing
Authors: Escobedo Susana , Campelo Ana B. , Umu Özgün C. O. , López-González María Jesús , Rodríguez Ana , Diep Dzung B. , Martínez Beatriz
Published: February 2023

In view of the current threat of antibiotic resistance, new antimicrobials with low risk of resistance development are demanded. Lcn972 is a lactococcal bacteriocin that inhibits septum formation by binding to the cell wall precursor lipid II in Lactococcus. It has a species-specific spectrum of activity, making Lcn972 an attractive template to develop or improve existing antibiotics. The aim of this work was to identify mutations present in the Lcn972-resistant clone Lactococcus cremoris D1-20, previously evolved from the sensitive strain L. cremoris MG1614. Whole-genome sequencing and comparison over the reference genome L. cremoris MG1363 identified several unexpected mutations in the parental strain MG1614, likely selected during in-house propagation. In the Lcn972R clone, two previously identified mutations were mapped and confirmed. Additionally, another transposition event deregulating cellobiose uptake was identified along with three point mutations of unknown consequences for Lcn972 resistance. Two new independent evolution experiments exposing L. cremoris MG1614 to Lcn972 revealed transposition of IS981 into the LLMG_RS12285 locus as the predominant mutation selected by Lcn972. This event occurs early during evolution and was found in 100% of the evolved clones, while other mutations were not selected. Therefore, activation of LLMG_RS12285 coding for a putative anti-ECF (extra-cytoplasmic function) sigma factor is regarded as the main Lcn972 resistance factor in L. cremoris MG1614.
Mechanisms and Applications of Bacterial Inoculants in Plant Drought Stress Tolerance
Authors: Bittencourt Priscila Pires , Alves Alice Ferreira , Ferreira Mariana Barduco , da Silva Irineu Luiz Eduardo Souza , Pinto Vitor Batista , Olivares Fabio Lopes
Published: February 2023

Agricultural systems are highly affected by climatic factors such as temperature, rain, humidity, wind, and solar radiation, so the climate and its changes are major risk factors for agricultural activities. A small portion of the agricultural areas of Brazil is irrigated, while the vast majority directly depends on the natural variations of the rains. The increase in temperatures due to climate change will lead to increased water consumption by farmers and a reduction in water availability, putting production capacity at risk. Drought is a limiting environmental factor for plant growth and one of the natural phenomena that most affects agricultural productivity. The response of plants to water stress is complex and involves coordination between gene expression and its integration with hormones. Studies suggest that bacteria have mechanisms to mitigate the effects of water stress and promote more significant growth in these plant species. The underlined mechanism involves root-to-shoot phenotypic changes in growth rate, architecture, hydraulic conductivity, water conservation, plant cell protection, and damage restoration through integrating phytohormones modulation, stress-induced enzymatic apparatus, and metabolites. Thus, this review aims to demonstrate how plant growth-promoting bacteria could mitigate negative responses in plants exposed to water stress and provide examples of technological conversion applied to agroecosystems.
Aqueous Geochemical Controls on the Sestonic Microbial Community in Lakes Michigan and Superior
Authors: Rani Asha , Ranjan Ravi , Bonina Solidea M. C. , Izadmehr Mahsa , Giesy John P. , Li An , Sturchio Neil C. , Rockne Karl J.
Published: February 2023

Despite being the largest freshwater lake system in the world, relatively little is known about the sestonic microbial community structure in the Laurentian Great Lakes. The goal of this research was to better understand this ecosystem using high-throughput sequencing of microbial communities as a function of water depth at six locations in the westernmost Great Lakes of Superior and Michigan. The water column was characterized by gradients in temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and other physicochemical parameters with depth. Mean nitrate concentrations were 32 μmol/L, with only slight variation within and between the lakes, and with depth. Mean available phosphorus was 0.07 μmol/L, resulting in relatively large N:P ratios (97:1) indicative of P limitation. Abundances of the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Thaumarchaeota, and Verrucomicrobia differed significantly among the Lakes. Candidatus Nitrosopumilus was present in greater abundance in Lake Superior compared to Lake Michigan, suggesting the importance of ammonia-oxidating archaea in water column N cycling in Lake Superior. The Shannon diversity index was negatively correlated with pH, temperature, and salinity, and positively correlated with DO, latitude, and N2 saturation. Results of this study suggest that DO, pH, temperature, and salinity were major drivers shaping the community composition in the Great Lakes.
Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Effect of Unifloral Honeys against Bacteria Isolated from Chronic Wound Infections
Authors: Balázs Viktória L. , Nagy-Radványi Lilla , Bencsik-Kerekes Erika , Koloh Regina , Szabó Dina , Kocsis Béla , Kocsis Marianna , Farkas Ágnes
Published: February 2023

Honey is known as an alternative remedy for the treatment of wounds. To evaluate the potential of five Hungarian honey types against wound-associated bacteria, in vitro microbiological assays were conducted on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined with the broth macrodilution method, and biofilm degradation capacity was tested with a crystal violet assay. To understand the underlying mechanisms, the effects of honey treatments were assessed on bacterial membrane integrity and quorum sensing (QS). The highest antibacterial activity, indicated by the lowest MIC values, as well as the highest biofilm inhibition rates and membrane disruption, was displayed by chestnut and linden honeys. The most sensitive bacterium was S. epidermidis. Bacterial membrane degradation took place 40 min after treatment with honey solutions of at least a 40% concentration. Each honey sample exhibited anti-QS activity, which was most pronounced in the case of chestnut honey. It was concluded that the antibacterial, biofilm-inhibiting and anti-QS activities of linden and chestnut honeys were superior to those of acacia, goldenrod and milkweed honeys. In addition to the floral source, the antibacterial effect of honey is influenced by the microbial species treated. The use of honey in wound treatment can be justified by its diverse antibacterial mechanisms.
The Recent Advances in the Utility of Microbial Lipases: A Review
Authors: Ali Sajid , Khan Sumera Afzal , Hamayun Muhammad , Lee In-Jung
Published: February 2023

Lipases are versatile biocatalysts and are used in different bioconversion reactions. Microbial lipases are currently attracting a great amount of attention due to the rapid advancement of enzyme technology and its practical application in a variety of industrial processes. The current review provides updated information on the different sources of microbial lipases, such as fungi, bacteria, and yeast, their classical and modern purification techniques, including precipitation and chromatographic separation, the immunopurification technique, the reversed micellar system, aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), aqueous two-phase flotation (ATPF), and the use of microbial lipases in different industries, e.g., the food, textile, leather, cosmetics, paper, and detergent industries. Furthermore, the article provides a critical analysis of lipase-producing microbes, distinguished from the previously published reviews, and illustrates the use of lipases in biosensors, biodiesel production, and tea processing, and their role in bioremediation and racemization.
On the Nature of Hydrophobic Organic Compound Adsorption to Smectite Minerals Using the Example of Hexachlorobenzene-Montmorillonite Interactions
Authors: Grančič Peter , Böhm Leonard , Gerzabek Martin H. , Tunega Daniel
Published: February 2023

The fate of chemical pollutants in the environment is determined by various factors including the type and strength of their interactions with reactive surfaces in soils and sediments. In the present work the interactions of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) with the surface of a common clay mineral belonging to the smectite group montmorillonite (MNT) is studied by means of the density functional theory method. The MNT net surface charge, induced by isomorphic substitutions, is systematically varied and compensated by Ca2+ cations. Based on the calculated electron densities, conclusions are drawn revealing the nature of their mutual interactions, the related stability of such surface complexes as well as possible molecular arrangements. It becomes apparent that the dominant contribution to the stability of HCB-MNT complexes arises from the cation-π interactions between the HCB molecule and the nearest compensating Ca2+ cation and thus besides the MNT net surface charge the type and size of the compensating cations are expected to play a crucial role in understanding the HCB adsorption on MNT. This systematic study aims to contribute to a better mechanistic understanding of the interactions between hydrophobic organic compounds and reactive mineral surfaces.
Fabrication of a Molecularly-Imprinted-Polymer-Based Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite for Electrochemical Sensing of New Psychoactive Substances
Authors: Jiang Xue , Wu Fangsheng , Huang Xiaoyu , He Shan , Han Qiaoying , Zhang Zihua , Liu Wenbin
Published: February 2023

As new psychoactive substances (commonly known as “the third generation drugs”) have characteristics such as short-term emergence, rapid updating, and great social harmfulness, there is a large gap in the development of their detection methods. Herein, graphite oxide (GO) was first prepared and immobilized with a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent, then a new psychoactive substance (4-MEC) was chosen as a template, and then the surface RAFT polymerization of methacrylamide (MAAM) was carried out by using azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator and divinylbenzene (DVB) as a cross-linker. After the removal of the embedded template, graphene oxide modified by molecularly imprinted polymers (GO-MIPs) was finally obtained. Owing to the specific imprinted cavities for 4-MEC, the satisfactory selectivity and stability of the GO-MIP nanocomposite have been demonstrated. The GO-MIP nanocomposite was then used to fabricate the electrochemical sensor, which displayed a high selectivity in detecting 4-MEC over a linear concentration range between 5 and 60 μg mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.438 μg mL−1. As a result, the GO-MIPs sensor developed an accurate, efficient, convenient, and sensitive method for public security departments to detect illicit drugs and new psychoactive substances.
Novel Theranostic Approaches Targeting CCR4-Receptor, Current Status and Translational Prospectives: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gorica Joana , De Feo Maria Silvia , Corica Ferdinando , Sidrak Marko Magdi Abdou , Conte Miriam , Filippi Luca , Schillaci Orazio , De Vincentis Giuseppe , Frantellizzi Viviana
Published: February 2023

Background: With the high mortality rate of malignant tumors, there is a need to find novel theranostic approaches to provide an early diagnosis and targeted therapy. The chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) is highly expressed in various tumors and plays an important role in tumor pathogenesis. This systematic review aims to provide a complete overview on clinical and preclinical applications of the CCR4 receptor as a target for theranostics, using a systematic approach to classify and assemble published studies performed on humans and animals, sorted by field of application and specific tumor. Methods: A systematic literature search of articles suiting the inclusion criteria was conducted on Pubmed, Scopus, Central, and Web of Science databases, including papers published from January 2006 to November 2022. Eligible studies had to be performed on humans and/or in vivo/in vitro studying CCR4 expression in tumors. The methodological quality was assessed through the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) assessing only the studies performed on humans. Results: A total of 17 articles were screened. The articles were assessed for eligibility with the exclusion of 4 articles. Ultimately, 13 articles were selected for the qualitative analysis, and six articles were selected for the critical appraisal skills program. Conclusions: The development of new radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals targeting CCR4 show promising results in the theranostics of CCR4 sensible tumors. Although to widen its use in clinical practice, further translation of preclinical to clinical data is needed.
A Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model of Ketoconazole and Its Metabolites as Drug–Drug Interaction Perpetrators
Authors: Marok Fatima Zahra , Wojtyniak Jan-Georg , Fuhr Laura Maria , Selzer Dominik , Schwab Matthias , Weiss Johanna , Haefeli Walter Emil , Lehr Thorsten
Published: February 2023

The antifungal ketoconazole, which is mainly used for dermal infections and treatment of Cushing’s syndrome, is prone to drug–food interactions (DFIs) and is well known for its strong drug–drug interaction (DDI) potential. Some of ketoconazole’s potent inhibitory activity can be attributed to its metabolites that predominantly accumulate in the liver. This work aimed to develop a whole-body physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model of ketoconazole and its metabolites for fasted and fed states and to investigate the impact of ketoconazole’s metabolites on its DDI potential. The parent–metabolites model was developed with PK-Sim® and MoBi® using 53 plasma concentration-time profiles. With 7 out of 7 (7/7) DFI AUClast and DFI Cmax ratios within two-fold of observed ratios, the developed model demonstrated good predictive performance under fasted and fed conditions. DDI scenarios that included either the parent alone or with its metabolites were simulated and evaluated for the victim drugs alfentanil, alprazolam, midazolam, triazolam, and digoxin. DDI scenarios that included all metabolites as reversible inhibitors of CYP3A4 and P-gp performed best: 26/27 of DDI AUClast and 21/21 DDI Cmax ratios were within two-fold of observed ratios, while DDI models that simulated only ketoconazole as the perpetrator underperformed: 12/27 DDI AUClast and 18/21 DDI Cmax ratios were within the success limits.
Metallodrugs against Breast Cancer: Combining the Tamoxifen Vector with Platinum(II) and Palladium(II) Complexes
Authors: Kazimir Aleksandr , Schwarze Benedikt , Lönnecke Peter , Jelača Sanja , Mijatović Sanja , Maksimović-Ivanić Danijela , Hey-Hawkins Evamarie
Published: February 2023

The luminal A-subtype of breast cancer, where the oestrogen receptor α (ERα) is overexpressed, is the most frequent one. The prodrug tamoxifen (1) is the clinically used agent, inhibiting the ERα activity via the formation of several active metabolites, such as 4-hydroxytamoxifen (2) or 4,4′-dihydroxytamoxifen (3). In this study, we present the tamoxifen derivative 4-[1,1-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)but-1-en-2-yl]-2,2′-bipyridine (4), which was combined with platinum or palladium dichloride, the former a well-known scaffold in anticancer treatment, to give [PtCl2(4-κ2N,N′)] (5) or [PdCl2(4-κ2N,N′] (6). To prevent fast exchange of weakly coordinating chlorido ligands in aqueous solution, a bulky, highly stable and hydrophobic nido-carborate(−2) ([C2B9H11]2−) was incorporated. The resulting complexes [3-(4-κ2N,N′)-3,1,2-PtC2B9H11] (7) and [3-(4-κ2N,N′)-3,1,2-PdC2B9H11] (8) exhibit a dramatic change in electronic and biological properties compared to 5 and 6. Thus, 8 is highly selective for triple-negative MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50 = 3.7 μM, MTT test), while 7 is completely inactive against this cell line. The observed cytotoxicity of compounds 4–6 and 8 against this triple-negative cell line suggests off-target mechanisms rather than only ERα inhibition, for which these compounds were originally designed. Spectroscopic properties and electronic structures of the metal complexes were investigated for possible explanations of the biological activities.
Glioblastoma Multiforme: Probing Solutions to Systemic Toxicity towards High-Dose Chemotherapy and Inflammatory Influence in Resistance against Temozolomide
Authors: Nasir Sadia , Nazir Sadia , Hanif Rumeza , Javed Aneela
Published: February 2023

Temozolomide (TMZ), the first-line chemotherapeutic drug against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), often fails to provide the desired clinical outcomes due to inflammation-induced resistance amid inefficient drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The current study utilized solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs) for targeted delivery of TMZ against GBM. After successful formulation and characterization of SLNPs and conjugation with TMZ (SLNP-TMZ), their in-vitro anti-cancer efficacy and effect on the migratory potential of cancer cells were evaluated using temozolomide-sensitive (U87-S) as well as TMZ-resistant (U87-R) glioma cell lines. Elevated cytotoxicity and reduction in cell migration in both cell lines were observed with SLNP-TMZ as compared to the free drug (p < 0.05). Similar results were obtained in-vivo using an orthotopic xenograft mouse model (XM-S and XM-R), where a reduction in tumor size was observed with SLNP-TMZ treatment compared to TMZ. Concomitantly, higher concentrations of the drug were found in brain tissue resections of mice treated with SLNP-TMZ as compared to other vital organs than mice treated with free TMZ. Expression of inflammatory markers (Interleukin-1β, Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis factor-α) in a resistant cell line (U87-R) and its respective mouse model (XM-R) were also found to be significantly elevated as compared to the sensitive U87-S cell line and its respective mouse model (XM-S). Thus, the in-vitro and in-vivo results of the study strongly support the potential application of SLNP-TMZ for TMZ-sensitive and resistant GBM therapy, indicatively through inflammatory mechanisms, and thus merit further detailed insights
Evaluation of Soybean Wildfire Prediction via Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Lay Liny , Lee Hong Seok , Tayade Rupesh , Ghimire Amit , Chung Yong Suk , Yoon Youngnam , Kim Yoonha
Published: February 2023

Plant diseases that affect crop production and productivity harm both crop quality and quantity. To minimize loss due to disease, early detection is a prerequisite. Recently, different technologies have been developed for plant disease detection. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a nondestructive method for the early detection of crop disease and is based on the spatial and spectral information of images. Regarding plant disease detection, HSI can predict disease-induced biochemical and physical changes in plants. Bacterial infections, such as Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci, are among the most common plant diseases in areas of soybean cultivation, and have been implicated in considerably reducing soybean yield. Thus, in this study, we used a new method based on HSI analysis for the early detection of this disease. We performed the leaf spectral reflectance of soybean with the effect of infected bacterial wildfire during the early growth stage. This study aimed to classify the accuracy of the early detection of bacterial wildfire in soybean leaves. Two varieties of soybean were used for the experiment, Cheongja 3-ho and Daechan, as control (noninoculated) and treatment (bacterial wildfire), respectively. Bacterial inoculation was performed 18 days after planting, and the imagery data were collected 24 h following bacterial inoculation. The leaf reflectance signature revealed a significant difference between the diseased and healthy leaves in the green and near-infrared regions. The two-way analysis of variance analysis results obtained using the Python package algorithm revealed that the disease incidence of the two soybean varieties, Daechan and Cheongja 3-ho, could be classified on the second and third day following inoculation, with accuracy values of 97.19% and 95.69%, respectively, thus proving his to be a useful technique for the early detection of the disease. Therefore, creating a wide range of research platforms for the early detection of various diseases using a nondestructive method such HSI is feasible.
Lignin Nanoparticles for Enhancing Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Polybutylene Succinate/Thymol Composite Film for Active Packaging
Authors: Basbasan Angel Jr , Hararak Bongkot , Winotapun Charinee , Wanmolee Wanwitoo , Chinsirikul Wannee , Leelaphiwat Pattarin , Chonhenchob Vanee , Boonruang Kanchana
Published: February 2023

The natural abundance, polymer stability, biodegradability, and natural antimicrobial properties of lignin open a wide range of potential applications aiming for sustainability. In this work, the effects of 1% (w/w) softwood kraft lignin nanoparticles (SLNPs) on the physicochemical properties of polybutylene succinate (PBS) composite films were investigated. Incorporation of SLNPs into neat PBS enhanced Td from 354.1 °C to 364.7 °C, determined through TGA, whereas Tg increased from −39.1 °C to −35.7 °C while no significant change was observed in Tm and crystallinity, analyzed through DSC. The tensile strength of neat PBS increased, to 35.6 MPa, when SLNPs were added to it. Oxygen and water vapor permeabilities of PBS with SLNPs decreased equating to enhanced barrier properties. The good interactions among SLNPs, thymol, and PBS matrix, and the high homogeneity of the resultant PBS composite films, were determined through FTIR and FE-SEM analyses. This work revealed that, among the PBS composite films tested, PBS + 1% SLNPs + 10% thymol showed the strongest microbial growth inhibition against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae, both in vitro, through a diffusion method assay, and in actual testing on active packaging of mango fruit (cultivar “Nam Dok Mai Si Thong”). SLNPs could be an attractive replacement for synthetic substances for enhancing polymer properties without compromising the biodegradability of the resultant material, and for providing antimicrobial functions for active packaging applications.
Research Progress on Multifunctional Modified Separator for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Wang Ying , Ai Rui , Wang Fei , Hu Xiuqiong , Zeng Yuejing , Hou Jiyue , Zhao Jinbao , Zhang Yingjie , Zhang Yiyong , Li Xue
Published: February 2023

Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) are recognized as one of the second-generation electrochemical energy storage systems with the most potential due to their high theoretical specific capacity of the sulfur cathode (1675 mAhg−1), abundant elemental sulfur energy storage, low price, and green friendliness. However, the shuttle effect of polysulfides results in the passivation of the lithium metal anode, resulting in a decrease in battery capacity, Coulombic efficiency, and cycle stability, which seriously restricts the commercialization of LSBs. Starting from the separator layer before the positive sulfur cathode and lithium metal anode, introducing a barrier layer for the shuttle of polysulfides is considered an extremely effective research strategy. These research strategies are effective in alleviating the shuttle of polysulfide ions, improving the utilization of active materials, enhancing the battery cycle stability, and prolonging the cycle life. This paper reviews the research progress of the separator functionalization in LSBs in recent years and the research trend of separator functionalization in the future is predicted.
Lignocelluloses-Based Furan-Acetone Adducts as Wood Adhesives for Plywood Production
Authors: Huang Lizhen , Sun Wenchang , Shuai Li , Luo Xiaolin , Liu Jing
Published: February 2023

Plywood is made of wood veneers that are bonded with adhesives such as urea-formaldehyde, phenol-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde resins. The plywood made from formaldehyde-based adhesives not only releases formaldehyde but also relies on fossil resources. In this article, we synthesized furan-acetone adducts from lignocellulosic biomass in one pot. The furan-acetone adducts could be directly used as adhesives with the addition of phosphoric acid as a curing catalyst. Particularly, with the addition of 5 wt% diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) as a crosslinking agent, both the wet and dry bonding strength of the plywood prepared from the adhesives could meet the minimum requirement of 0.7 MPa (Chinese National Standard GB/T 9846-2015). The possible adhesion mechanism is that the penetration of furan-acetone adhesives into vessels and cell lumens followed by crosslinking during hot-pressing forms mechanical interlocking at the interface of wood veneers, which provides the main bonding strength of plywood. The findings presented here could provide a new way for the efficient preparation of aldehyde-free green wood adhesives and the value-added utilization of woody biomass.
Preparation and Properties of a Novel Biodegradable Composite Hydrogel Derived from Gelatin/Chitosan and Polylactic Acid as Slow-Release N Fertilizer
Authors: Yuan Weijie , Li Sihan , Guan Haohui , Zhang Shuai , Zhang Yaoxiang , Zhang Min , Yu Yi , Chen Xiangyi
Published: February 2023

To improve the efficient use of nitrogen and decrease the environmental pollution of N losses, a novel and biodegradable composite hydrogel was prepared by chemical cross-linking synthesis using gelatin (Gel), chitosan (CS) and polylactic acid (PLA) as raw materials. Urea as the nitrogen source was loaded into this new biodegradable hydrogel using the solution immersion method. The chemical structures of the composite hydrogels were characterized and their properties were analyzed by XRD and XPS. The regulation of urea loading and the swelling behavior of the composite hydrogel under different temperature conditions were investigated; the release behavior and release model of the composite hydrogel in the aqueous phase was explored. The results show that the loading of urea is controllable in aqueous urea solution with different concentrations. In the water phase, it shows a three-stage sustained release behavior, that is, the initial release rate of urea is relatively fast, and the medium release rate of urea gradually slows down, and finally the nutrient release rate tends to be flat. The release behavior in the water phase fits to the Ritger–Peppas model. Within 10 min, 180 min and 900 min, the cumulative nutrient release rate of gelatin/chitosan/PLA-urea (GCPU) composite hydrogel is 20%, 70% and 86%, respectively. Compared with pure urea, The urea diffusion time of GCPU was extended by 1350-times. In addition, the GCPU also has good water absorption and water retention properties, in which average water content can reach as high as 4448%. All of the results in this work showed that GCPU hydrogel had good water absorption and retention and N slow-release properties, which are expected to be widely used in sustainable agriculture and forestry, especially in arid and degraded land.
PVA/Inulin-Based Sustainable Films Reinforced with Pickering Emulsion of Niaouli Essential Oil for Potential Wound Healing Applications
Authors: Parın Fatma Nur , El-Ghazali Sofia , Yeşilyurt Ayşenur , Parın Uğur , Ullah Azeem , Khatri Muzamil , Kim Ick Soo
Published: February 2023

In this study, sustainable water-based films were produced via the solvent-casting method. Petroleum-free-based polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and carbohydrate-based inulin (INL) were used as matrices. Vegetable-waste pumpkin powder was used in the study because of its sustainability and antibacterial properties. Pickering emulsions were prepared using β-cyclodextrin. The influence of the different ratios of the β-cyclodextrin/niaouli essential oil (β-CD/NEO) inclusion complex (such as 1:1, 1:3, and 1:5) on the morphological (SEM), thermal (TGA), physical (FT-IR), wettability (contact angle), and mechanical (tensile test) characteristics of PVA/inulin films were investigated. Moreover, the antibacterial activities against the Gram (−) (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram (+) (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria of the obtained films were studied. From the morphological analysis, good emulsion stability and porosity were obtained in the Pickering films with the highest oil content, while instability was observed in the Pickering films with the lowest concentration of oil content. Thermal and spectroscopic analysis indicated there was no significant difference between the Pickering emulsion films and neat films. With the addition of Pickering emulsions, the tensile stress values decreased from 7.3 ± 1.9 MPa to 3.3 ± 0.2. According to the antibacterial efficiency results, films containing pumpkin powder and Pickering emulsion films containing both pumpkin powder and a ratio of 1:1 (β-CD/NEO) did not have an antibacterial effect, while Pickering emulsion films with a ratio of (β-CD/NEO) 1:3 and 1:5 showed an antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli, with a zone diameter of 12 cm and 17 cm, respectively. Among the samples, the films with ratio of (β-CD/NEO) 1:5 had the highest antioxidant capacity, as assessed by DPPH radical scavenging at 12 h intervals. Further, none of the samples showed any cytotoxic effects the according to LDH and WST-1 cytotoxicity analysis for the NIH3T3 cell line. Ultimately, it is expected that these films are completely bio-based and may be potential candidates for use in wound healing applications.
Confessional Cultures and European Identity: Religion, Ideology, and Economics
Authors: Nelsen Brent F. , Guth James L.
Published: February 2023

Proponents of greater European political unity through the development of the European Union (EU) have long sought to foster a “European” identity among citizens as a way of advancing their cause. And there is now a substantial body of scholarship devoted to understanding the social, economic, and demographic factors contributing to the development of such an identity. Recently, there has been a growing interest in cultural influences, but the possible impact of religion has been largely ignored. Using Eurobarometer 65.2 (2006), we show that religious groups differ systematically in their propensity to take “European” identity markers. Using multivariate analysis, we demonstrate that Catholics are most likely to be cognitive “Europeans”, while Protestants and other Christians are less likely to take such perspectives. Religiosity tends to reinforce the dominant propensity of each tradition. These religious differences persist even under statistical controls for other demonstrated influences, although their effects are strongest in the old Western European “core” of the EU. The long-term decline of Catholic religiosity thus has important implications for the future of “European” identities: their growth will depend increasingly on less “diffuse” and more variable influences, such as successful economic management by EU and national governments.
Integration of Remote-Sensing Techniques for the Preventive Conservation of Paleolithic Cave Art in the Karst of the Altamira Cave
Authors: Bayarri Vicente , Prada Alfredo , García Francisco , Díaz-González Lucía M. , De Las Heras Carmen , Castillo Elena , Fatás Pilar
Published: February 2023

Rock art offers traces of our most remote past and was made with mineral and organic substances in shelters, walls, or the ceilings of caves. As it is notably fragile, it is fortunate that some instances remain intact—but a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors can lead to its disappearance. Therefore, as a valuable cultural heritage, rock art requires special conservation and protection measures. Geomatic remote-sensing technologies such as 3D terrestrial laser scanning (3DTLS), drone flight, and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) allow us to generate exhaustive documentation of caves and their environment in 2D, 2.5D, and 3D. However, only its combined use with 3D geographic information systems (GIS) lets us generate new cave maps with details such as overlying layer thickness, sinkholes, fractures, joints, and detachments that also more precisely reveal interior–exterior interconnections and gaseous exchange; i.e., the state of senescence of the karst that houses the cave. Information of this kind is of great value for the research, management, conservation, monitoring, and dissemination of cave art.
Study on Ship Kelvin Wake Detection in Numerically Simulated SAR Images
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Guo Lixin , Wei Yiwen , Chai Shuirong
Published: February 2023

To improve ship safety and increase ship concealment, we introduce a nonconvex regularization with a Cauchy-based penalty for discussing the influence of ship parameters and speckle noise in numerically simulated SAR images. First, the Kelvin wake geometry was modeled based on the classic theory of ship wave generation. Second, the scattering echo of the Kelvin wake was calculated using the two-scale method (TSM). Then, using the range-Doppler algorithm (RDA), the scattering echo data obtained by the TSM were processed to obtain the Kelvin wake in SAR images. Finally, the wake was reconstructed in the Radon domain using the Cauchy proximal splitting based on the forward–backward algorithm. The simulation results showed that Kelvin wakes were more easily detected in HH polarization with a large pitch angle and X-band, based on which the influence of ship parameters and speckle noise on the detection of ship wake in numerically simulated SAR images was discussed at different wind speeds. The research conclusions are of value to the development of ship wake stealth technology and the improvement of ship safety.
High Spatiotemporal Flood Monitoring Associated with Rapid Lake Shrinkage Using Planet Smallsat and Sentinel-1 Data
Authors: Kimijima Satomi , Nagai Masahiko
Published: February 2023

High spatiotemporal flood monitoring is critical for flood control, mitigation, and management purposes in areas where tectonic and geological events significantly exacerbate flood disasters. For example, the rapid lake shrinkage resulting from the transformations of enclosed seas into lakes by the rapid land movement in the collision zone dramatically increases the flood risks in Indonesia, which requires frequent and detailed monitoring and assessment. This study primarily quantified the detailed flood disasters associated with the rapid lake shrinkage in Gorontalo Regency in Gorontalo Province, Indonesia using high spatiotemporal monitoring with a combination of PlanetScope smallsat constellations, Sentinel-1, and surface water datasets. Based on the findings that indicated its volume, distribution, pace, and pattern, the flood event that occurred in Gorontalo in November 2022 was demonstrated within a short interval of 2–12 days. The results also indicate both direct and indirect floodwater overflow from different water resources. Combining these results with the surface water occurrences from 1984 to 2021, our findings reveal the historical major flood-prone areas associated with the rapid lake shrinkage. These findings are expected to aid in the timely high spatiotemporal monitoring of rapid environmental change-induced flood disasters, even in tropical regions with high cloud coverage. Furthermore, these are also expected to be integrated into the flood hazard mitigation and management strategies associated with local-specific tectonic and geological systems.
GL-Tree: A Hierarchical Tree Structure for Efficient Retrieval of Massive Geographic Locations
Authors: Liu Bin , Zhang Chunyong , Xin Yang
Published: February 2023

Location-based application services and location privacy protection solutions are often required for the storage, management, and efficient retrieval of large amounts of geolocation data for specific locations or location intervals. We design a hierarchical tree-like organization structure, GL-Tree, which enables the storage, management, and retrieval of massive location data and satisfies the user’s location-hiding requirements. We first use Geohash encoding to convert the two-dimensional geospatial coordinates of locations into one-dimensional strings and construct the GL-Tree based on the Geohash encoding principle. We gradually reduce the location intervals by extending the length of the Geohash code to achieve geospatial grid division and spatial approximation of user locations. The hierarchical tree structure of GL-Tree reflects the correspondence between Geohash codes and geographic intervals. Users and their location relationships are recorded in the leaf nodes at each level of the hierarchical GL-Tree. In top–down order, along the GL-Tree, efficient storage and retrieval of location sets for specified locations and specified intervals can be achieved. We conducted experimental tests on the Gowalla public dataset and compared the performance of the B+ tree, R tree, and GL-Tree in terms of time consumption in three aspects: tree construction, location insertion, and location retrieval, and the results show that GL-Tree has good performance in terms of time consumption.
Human Motor Noise Assessed by Electromagnetic Sensors and Its Relationship with the Degrees of Freedom Involved in Movement Control
Authors: Caballero Carla , Barbado David , Moreno Francisco J.
Published: February 2023

Motor variability is a prominent feature of the human movement that, nowadays, can be easily measured through different sensors and analyzed using different types of variables, and it seems to be related to functional and adaptative motor behavior. It has been stated that motor variability is related to the system’s flexibility needed to choose the right degrees of freedom (DoFs) to adapt to constant environmental changes. However, the potential relationship between motor variability and DoFs is unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze how motor variability, both the amount and structure, changes depending on the mechanical DoFs involved in the movement control. For this purpose, movement variability was assessed by a tracking sensor in five tasks with different DoFs, and the amount, using standard deviation, and the structure of variability, through fuzzy entropy and detrended fluctuation analysis, were also assessed. The results showed a higher amount of variability and a less predictable and more auto-correlated variability structure in the long-term when more mechanical DoFs are implied. The studies that analyze motor variability should consider the type of movement and the DoFs involved in the analyzed task since, as the findings have shown, both factors have a noticeable influence on the amount and the structure of motor variability.
The Influence of CO2 Injection into Manure as a Pretreatment Method for Increased Biogas Production
Authors: Žalys Bronius , Venslauskas Kęstutis , Navickas Kęstutis , Buivydas Egidijus , Rubežius Mantas
Published: February 2023

Manure is considered a by-product or organic waste in cattle, pig, chicken or other animal breeding farms, which can be a valuable product as compost or feedstock for biogas production. The production of biomethane from biogas always copes with the formation of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a by-product. This CO2 may be recycled through the feedstock as a pretreatment to maximize homogeneity, and improve biogas yield and biogas quality. The CO2-pretreatment process of cow manure (CoM), chicken manure (ChM) and pig manure (PM) was performed in the continuously fed agitated reactor at 25 °C temperature and ambient barometric pressure. Biogas yield and composition exploration were performed in an anaerobic continuous feeding digester with controlled mesophilic (37 °C) environmental conditions. The CO2 pretreated PM, CoM and ChM yielded 234.62 ± 10.93 L/kgVS, 82.01 ± 3.19 L/kgVS and 374.53 ± 9.27 L/kgVS biomethane from feedstock volatile solids, respectively. The biomethane yield from CO2 pretreated CoM, ChM and PM achieved was higher over untreated manure by +33.78%, +28.76% and +21.78%, respectively. The anaerobic digestion process of tested feedstocks was stable, and the pH of the substrate was kept steady at a pH of CoM 7.77 ± 0.02, PM 8.07 ± 0.02 and ChM 8.09 ± 0.02 during all the experiment. The oxidation-reduction potential after pretreatment was within the optimal range (−255 ± 39.0 to −391 ± 16.8 mV) for anaerobic digestion. This process also had a positive effect on the energy generated from the feedstock, with ChM showing the greatest increase, from 2.38 MJ/kg to 3.06 MJ/kg.
Utilization of Agro-Industrial By-Products for Sustainable Poultry Production
Authors: Georganas Alexandros , Giamouri Elisavet , Pappas Athanasios C. , Zoidis Evangelos , Goliomytis Michael , Simitzis Panagiotis
Published: February 2023

Agro-industrial by-products (AIBPs) that are not intended for human consumption can be used as alternatives to conventional feedstuffs in animal nutrition to produce animal products without competing for land or triggering the food-feed competition, thus leading to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. These by-products are also known to contain several bioactive compounds and have a potential to become nutraceuticals that can promote the health and well-being of poultry. The potentials of some AIBPs (e.g., fruit juice industry leftovers, oilseed industrial by-products, distillers’ grain by-products, vinification by-products, olive oil industry by-products, pomegranate by-products, tomato processing by-products) and their derivative products as functional feeds for poultry, but also potential limitations of utilizing AIBPs in poultry nutrition are elaborated in the present review. The possible mechanisms through which AIBPs may improve the health status and productivity of poultry are also discussed. We suggest that nutrient variability across countries should be stabilized and potential hazards such as mycotoxins and pesticides should be eliminated, and the potential hazards present in AIBPs (e.g., mycotoxins) should be better controlled through appropriate legislation and proper application of control measures. Modern processing methods, new types/classifications, and proper developmental strategies foster the utilization of AIBPs in animal nutrition. This review focuses on the AIBPs as feeds, not only for their nutritional value but also for their contribution to sustainable practices.
Investigating the Drivers of Knowledge-Based Growth Management Using Fuzzy MICMAC: A Case Study in Iran
Authors: Molaei Qelichi Mohamad , Molan Amin Safdari , Murgante Beniamino
Published: February 2023

Attention to a city’s physical development is necessary for urban development plans. In Iran, the rapid physical expansion of cities in the form of unplanned and unbalanced growth due to various reasons, including indiscriminate migration, is considered a fundamental problem. This phenomenon is known as urban sprawl, which is one of the results of this type of growth. The research aims to identify and prioritize the indicators of the realization of knowledge-based growth management (KBGM) in the city of Tabriz, using foresight methods to analyze the effective drivers. The fuzzy linguistic MICMAC method was used to analyze mutual effects by converting linguistic variables into fuzzy numbers. In addition, using the theory of fuzzy sets for experts participating in research, the relationships between the 32 research variables were investigated. This research showed that the city of Tabriz had a scattered, isolated, fast, and unplanned growth, and it has relative compatibility. Despite the possibility of development within the limits of urban growth, most of the construction activities were outside the boundaries of urban growth. Key factors affecting the management of knowledge-based growth in Tabriz city were identified. Based on our findings, the university’s reputation, government effectiveness, urban competitiveness, city branding, quality of life, and strategic planning will impact the knowledge-based development process in Tabriz.
How Does Embedding Angle Affect Root–Soil Mechanical Interactions?
Authors: Zhang Chaobo , Feng Xiaohui , Qu Geng , Yang Qihong , Jiang Jing
Published: February 2023

Root–soil mechanical interactions are of vital importance in soil reinforcement by plant roots. However, it is unclear how the angles of the roots in the soil affect the root–soil mechanical interactions. To better understand the effect of this factor on root–soil mechanical interactions, pullout tests were conducted on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) roots with five root diameter groups (0.10–0.30 mm, 0.31–0.50 mm, 0.51–0.70 mm, 0.71–0.90 mm and 0.91–1.10 mm) and four embedding angles (30°, 45°, 60° and 90°) in sandy loam soil. Root tensile tests were also carried out to understand the process of root failure in the pullout tests. The results showed that the roots had two failure modes, slippage failure and breakage failure. The critical diameter of the two failure modes was 0.35 mm. Peak pullout force and pullout energy were positively related to the root diameter in power functions. Displacement was negatively related to the root diameter and embedding angle in exponential functions. Peak pullout force, root–soil friction coefficient and pullout energy all increased and then decreased with increasing embedding angles. The peak pullout force and root–soil friction coefficient reached their maximum values under an embedding angle of 60°, and pullout energy reached the maximum value under an embedding angle of 45°. Pullout energy was suggested as a preferred index of root–soil mechanical interactions for both thick/fine roots and inclined/upright roots.
Gravitational Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation from Charged Black Hole Binaries
Authors: Benavides-Gallego Carlos A. , Han Wen-Biao
Published: February 2023

In this manuscript, we investigate the electromagnetic radiation of a binary system of electrically charged black holes. Using the results of previous works, we compute the analytical expression for the waveform, the phase, and the Fourier transform during the inspiral phase for both the electromagnetic and gravitational radiations. To do so, we consider the quasi-circular approximation and small values for the charge-to-mass ratio in each black hole. In the case of electromagnetic radiation, we focus on the dipole contribution, but we also include the quadrupole term to complete our discussion. We found that the gravitational and electromagnetic waveforms contain two terms, and so does the Fourier transform. However, the behavior is dominated only by one of them. In the frequency-domain waves, for example, the dipole and quadrupole contributions and the gravitational wave are dominated by terms proportional to f−3/6, f−1/6, and f−7/6, respectively. As expected, the gravitational radiation and the quadrupole contribution have the same phase, in contrast to the dipole contribution. Moreover, the electromagnetic wave is more sensitive to changes in the charge-to-mass ratio than the gravitational wave.