bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Li1.27Cr0.2Mn0.53O2 Layered Cathode Materials via a Nanomilling-Assisted Solid-state Process
Authors: Chang Chengkang , Dong Jian , Guan Li , Zhang Dongyun
Published: February 2019

Li1.27Cr0.2Mn0.53O2 layered cathodic materials were prepared by a nanomilling-assisted solid-state process. Whole-pattern refinement of X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed that the samples are solid solutions with layered α-NaFeO2 structure. SEM observation of the prepared powder displayed a mesoporous nature composed of tiny primary particles in nanoscale. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies on the cycled electrodes confirmed that triple-electron-process of the Cr3+/Cr6+ redox pair, not the two-electron-process of Mn redox pair, dominants the electrochemical process within the cathode material. Capacity test for the sample revealed an initial discharge capacity of 195.2 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 C, with capacity retention of 95.1% after 100 cycles. EIS investigation suggested that the high Li ion diffusion coefficient (3.89 × 10−10·cm2·s−1), caused by the mesoporous nature of the cathode powder, could be regarded as the important factor for the excellent performance of the Li1.27Cr0.2Mn0.53O2 layered material. The results demonstrated that the cathode material prepared by our approach is a good candidate for lithium-ion batteries.
Bio- and Fossil-Based Polymeric Blends and Nanocomposites for Packaging: Structure–Property Relationship
Authors: Luzi Francesca , Torre Luigi , Kenny José Maria , Puglia Debora
Published: February 2019

In the present review, the possibilities for blending of commodities and bio-based and/or biodegradable polymers for packaging purposes has been considered, limiting the analysis to this class of materials without considering blends where both components have a bio-based composition or origin. The production of blends with synthetic polymeric materials is among the strategies to modulate the main characteristics of biodegradable polymeric materials, altering disintegrability rates and decreasing the final cost of different products. Special emphasis has been given to blends functional behavior in the frame of packaging application (compostability, gas/water/light barrier properties, migration, antioxidant performance). In addition, to better analyze the presence of nanosized ingredients on the overall behavior of a nanocomposite system composed of synthetic polymers, combined with biodegradable and/or bio-based plastics, the nature and effect of the inclusion of bio-based nanofillers has been investigated.
Growth Characterization of Intermetallic Compound at the Ti/Al Solid State Interface
Authors: Zhao Yangyang , Li Jiuyong , Qiu Ranfeng , Shi Hongxin
Published: February 2019

Ti-Al diffusion couples, prepared by resistance spot welding, were annealed up to 112 h at 823, 848, and 873 K in ambient atmosphere. The interfacial microstructure was observed and analyzed using SEM and TEM. The growth characterization of intermetallic compound formed at the Ti/Al solid state interface was investigated. Only TiAl3 phase was detected in the interfacial zone, and its growth was governed by reaction-controlled mechanism in the previous period and by diffusion-controlled mechanism in the latter period. The activation energies were 198,019 and 122,770 J/mol for reaction-controlled and diffusion-controlled mechanism, respectively.
Cryptic Secondary Metabolites from the Sponge-Associated Fungus Aspergillus ochraceus
Authors: Frank Marian , Özkaya Ferhat Can , Müller Werner E. G. , Hamacher Alexandra , Kassack Matthias U. , Lin Wenhan , Liu Zhen , Proksch Peter
Published: February 2019

The fungus Aspergillus ochraceus was isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Agelas oroides. The initial fermentation of the fungus on solid rice medium yielded 16 known compounds (4–19). The addition of several inorganic salts to the rice medium mainly influenced the accumulation of these secondary metabolites. Fermentation of the fungus on white bean medium yielded the new waspergillamide B (1) featuring an unusual p-nitrobenzoic acid as partial structure. Moreover, two new compounds, ochraspergillic acids A and B (2 and 3), which are both adducts of dihydropenicillic acid and o- or p-aminobenzoic acid, were isolated from the co-culture of the fungus with Bacillus subtilis. Compound 2 was also detected in axenic fungal cultures following the addition of either anthranilic acid or tryptophan to the rice medium. The structures of the new compounds were established by 1D and 2DNMR experiments as well as from the HRMS data. The absolute configuration of 1 was elucidated following hydrolysis and derivatization of the amino acids using Marfey’s reagent. Viomellein (9) and ochratoxin B (18) exhibited strong cytotoxicity against the A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells with IC50 values of 5.0 and 3.0 µM, respectively.
An Innovative, Unobtrusive Approach to Investigate Smartphone Interaction in Nonaddicted Subjects Based on Wearable Sensors: A Pilot Study
Authors: Tonacci Alessandro , Billeci Lucia , Sansone Francesco , Masci Antonella , Pala Anna Paola , Domenici Claudio , Conte Raffaele
Published: February 2019

Background and objectives: Smartphones are playing a pivotal role in everyday life, due to the opportunity they grant in terms of simplifying communication, entertainment, education and many other daily activities. Against such positive characteristics, smartphone interaction can result, in particular cases, in dangerous smartphone addiction patterns, possibly leading to several long-term detrimental psychophysiological conditions. Therefore, this pilot aims at assessing the feasibility of using an innovative approach, based on unobtrusive wearable sensors, used for the first time in this specific topic, and psychological questionnaires, to investigate the links between stress and emotions in a group of young, nonaddicted individuals performing smartphone interaction. Materials and methods: 17 volunteers were enrolled for the present study. The study protocol was divided into three phases, with an initial resting state (baseline) of three minutes, a smartphone interaction session (task) of the same length, and a final resting state (recovery), lasting three minutes. In the overall procedure, electrocardiogram (ECG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) measurements, both monitored by wearable sensors, were acquired in order to assess the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Results: A significant decrease was seen in pNN50 during the smartphone interaction with respect to the baseline (Z = −2.675, p = 0.007), whereas the Low-to-High Frequency (LF/HF) ratio at task was somewhat correlated with phubbing behaviors (r = 0.655, p = 0.029), assessed through dedicated questionnaires. Conclusions: Taken together with the slight changes in GSR data, such results suggest the feasibility of this approach to characterize the ANS activation during smartphone interaction among young individuals. Further studies should enlarge the study population and involve smartphone-addicted subjects in order to increase the scientific and clinical relevance of such findings.
Simple Fabrication of Structured Magnetic Metallic Nano-Platelets for Bio-Analytical Applications
Authors: Novotny Jakub , Juskova Petra , Kupcik Rudolf , Bilkova Zuzana , Foret Frantisek
Published: February 2019

This short communication presents a simple method of preparation of thin-metal nano-platelets utilizing metal sputtering and lift-off photolithography. The method offers complete control over size, shape and properties of nano-platelets of sub-micrometer thickness. Platelets with a thickness of 50–200 nm and with defined arbitrary shapes and sizes in the range of 15–300 μm were prepared from single or multiple metal layers by magnetron sputtering. Deposition of different metals in layers enabled fabrication of bi- or tri-metallic platelets with a magnetic core and differently composed surfaces. Highly reflective nano-platelets with a magnetic core allowed manipulation by magnetic fields, while different metallic surfaces served for functionalization by selected molecules. Submicron thin nano-platelets are extremely light (e.g., ~20 ng for a 100 μm × 100 μm × 0.1 μm gold nano-platelet) so that they can be attached to surfaces by only a few chemical bonds. At the same time their area is sufficiently large for simple optical recognition of their shape which is intended to label various characteristics depending on the specific surface functionalization of the given shape.
The Cardiotoxicity Induced by Arsenic Trioxide is Alleviated by Salvianolic Acid A via Maintaining Calcium Homeostasis and Inhibiting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
Authors: Wang Ruiying , Zhang Jingyi , Wang Shan , Wang Min , Ye Tianyuan , Du Yuyang , Xie Xueheng , Ye Jingxue , Sun Guibo , Sun Xiaobo
Published: February 2019

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been verified as a breakthrough with respect to the management of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in recent decades but associated with some serious adverse phenomena, particularly cardiac functional abnormalities. Salvianolic acid A (Sal A) is a major effective component in treating ATO-induced cardiotoxicity. Therefore, the objective of our study was to assess whether Sal A had protective effects by the regulation of calcium homeostasis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. For the in vivo study, BALB/c mice were treated with ATO and/or Sal A via daily tail vein injections for two weeks. For the in vitro study, we detected the effects of ATO and/or Sal A in real time using adult rat ventricular myocytes (ARVMs) and an IonOptix MyoCam system. Our results showed that Sal A pretreatment alleviated cardiac dysfunction and Ca2+ overload induced by ATO in vivo and vitro. Moreover, Sal A increased sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) activity and expression, alleviated [Ca2+]ER depletion, and decreased ER stress-related protein expression. Sal A protects the heart from ATO-induced injury and its administration correlates with the modulation of SERCA, the recovery of Ca2+ homeostasis, and the down-regulation of ER stress-mediated apoptosis.
Controllable Preparation of SERS-Active Ag-FeS Substrates by a Cosputtering Technique
Authors: Ma Ning , Zhang Xin-Yuan , Fan Wenyue , Han Bingbing , Jin Sila , Park Yeonju , Chen Lei , Zhang Yongjun , Liu Yang , Yang Jinghai , Jung Young Mee
Published: February 2019

In this work, we introduced an ordered metal-semiconductor molecular system and studied the resulting surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect. Ag-FeS nanocaps with sputtered films of different thicknesses were obtained by changing the sputtering power of FeS while the sputtering power of Ag and the deposition time remained constant. When metallic Ag and the semiconductor FeS are cosputtered, the Ag film separates into Ag islands partially covered by FeS and strong coupling occurs among the Ag islands isolated by FeS, which contributes to the SERS phenomenon. We also investigated the SERS enhancement mechanism by decorating the nanocap arrays produced with different FeS sputtering powers with methylene blue (MB) probe molecules. As the FeS sputtering power increased, the SERS signal first increased and then decreased. The experimental results show that the SERS enhancement can mainly be attributed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the Ag nanoparticles. The coupling between FeS and Ag and the SPR displacement of Ag vary with different sputtering powers, resulting in changes in the intensity of the SERS spectra. These results demonstrate the high sensitivity of SERS substrates consisting of Ag-FeS nanocap arrays.
Air Puff System Fundamentals for Reproducible Eyeblink Conditioning Research
Authors: Reitz Frederick
Published: February 2019

Air puff systems are at once trivially straightforward and dauntingly complex. On the one hand, they are little but a pressure source, valve, and tube connected together. On the other, the air passing through them is a compressible medium, expanding approximately adiabatically while travelling at high velocity through a compliant tube, and exiting as a turbulent jet with velocity peak and profile varying non-linearly in its near-field. This complexity puts precise mathematical prediction of puff properties out of reach of most labs. There are, however, a number of phenomena fundamental to air puff system design that are worth understanding to a first order of approximation, or at least qualitatively. Using a simplified, “electronic–hydraulic analogy” model, this paper discusses these phenomena in just enough depth for the reader to confidently specify parts for an air puff delivery system, to measure its key parameters, and/or to describe a given system unambiguously in publications, thus maximizing reproducibility.
A Low-Cost Prototype for Driver Fatigue Detection
Authors: Meireles Tiago , Dantas Fábio
Published: February 2019

Driver fatigue and inattention accounts for up to 20% of all traffic accidents, therefore any system that can warn the driver whenever fatigue occurs proves to be useful. Several systems have been devised to detect driver fatigue symptoms, such as measuring physiological parameters, which can be uncomfortable, or using a video or infrared camera pointed at the driver’s face, which in some cases, may cause privacy concerns for the driver. Usually these systems are expensive, therefore a brief discussion on low-cost fatigue detection systems is presented, followed by a proposal for a non-intrusive low-cost prototype, that aims to detect driver fatigue symptoms. The prototype consists of several sensors that monitor driver physical parameters and vehicle behaviour, with a total system price close to 30 euros. The prototype is discussed and compared with similar systems, pointing out its strengths and weaknesses.
Gluten-Induced Extra-Intestinal Manifestations in Potential Celiac Disease—Celiac Trait
Authors: Popp Alina , Mäki Markku
Published: February 2019

Celiac disease patients may suffer from a number of extra-intestinal diseases related to long-term gluten ingestion. The diagnosis of celiac disease is based on the presence of a manifest small intestinal mucosal lesion. Individuals with a normal biopsy but an increased risk of developing celiac disease are referred to as potential celiac disease patients. However, these patients are not treated. This review highlights that patients with normal biopsies may suffer from the same extra-intestinal gluten-induced complications before the disease manifests at the intestinal level. We discuss diagnostic markers revealing true potential celiac disease. The evidence-based medical literature shows that these potential patients, who are “excluded” for celiac disease would in fact benefit from gluten-free diets. The question is why wait for an end-stage disease to occur when it can be prevented? We utilize research on dermatitis herpetiformis, which is a model disease in which a gluten-induced entity erupts in the skin irrespective of the state of the small intestinal mucosal morphology. Furthermore, gluten ataxia can be categorized as its own entity. The other extra-intestinal manifestations occurring in celiac disease are also found at the latent disease stage. Consequently, patients with celiac traits should be identified and treated.
Hesperidin Effects on Gut Microbiota and Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue in Healthy Rats
Authors: Estruel-Amades Sheila , Massot-Cladera Malén , Pérez-Cano Francisco J. , Franch Àngels , Castell Margarida , Camps-Bossacoma Mariona
Published: February 2019

Hesperidin, found in citrus fruits, has shown a wide range of biological properties. Nonetheless, a more in-depth investigation is required on the effects on the immune system, and in particular, on the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, together with its relationship with the gut microbiota. Therefore, we aimed to establish the influence of oral hesperidin administration on the intestinal lymphoid tissue and on the gut microbiota composition in healthy animals. Lewis rats were orally administrated 100 or 200 mg/kg hesperidin three times per week for four weeks. Microbiota composition and IgA-coated bacteria were determined in caecal content. Mesenteric lymph node lymphocyte (MLNL) composition and functionality were assessed. IgA, cytokines, and gene expression in the small intestine were quantified. Hesperidin administration resulted in a higher number of bacteria and IgA-coated bacteria, with changes in microbiota composition such as higher Lactobacillus proportion. Hesperidin was also able to increase the small intestine IgA content. These changes in the small intestine were accompanied by a decrease in interferon-γ and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 concentration. In addition, hesperidin increased the relative proportion of TCRαβ+ lymphocytes in MLNL. These results show the immunomodulatory actions of hesperidin on the gut-associated lymphoid tissue and reinforce its role as a prebiotic.
Effects of Mediterranean Diet and Physical Activity on Pulmonary Function: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in the ILERVAS Project
Authors: Gutiérrez-Carrasquilla Liliana , Sánchez Enric , Hernández Marta , Polanco Dinora , Salas-Salvadó Jordi , Betriu Àngels , Gaeta Anna Michela , Carmona Paola , Purroy Francesc , Pamplona Reinald , Farràs Cristina , López-Cano Carolina , Fernández Elvira , Lecube Albert
Published: February 2019

A few studies showed that both adherence to Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and physical activity practice have a positive impact on pulmonary function in subjects with lung disease. These associations are not well studied in subjects free from lung disease. In a cross-sectional study conducted in 3020 middle-aged subjects free of lung disease, adherence to the MedDiet using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener, and physical activity practice using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form were recorded. Respiratory function was assessed using forced spirometry and the results were evaluated according to the Global initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between adherence to the MedDiet and physical activity practice with the presence of ventilatory defects. Participants with a high adherence to MedDiet, in comparison to those with low adherence, had both higher forced vital capacity (FVC; 100 (87–109) vs. 94 (82–105) % of predicted, p = 0.003) and forced expired volume in the first second (FEV1; 100 (89–112) vs. 93 (80–107) % of predicted, p < 0.001). According to their degree of physical activity, those subjects with a high adherence also had both higher FVC (100 (88–107) vs. 94 (83–105) % of predicted, p = 0.027) and FEV1 (100 (89–110) vs. 95 (84–108) % of predicted, p = 0.047) in comparison with those with low adherence. The multivariable logistic regression models showed a significant and independent association between both low adherence to MedDiet and low physical activity practice, and the presence of altered pulmonary patterns, with differences between men and women. However, no joint effect between adherence to MedDiet and physical activity practice on respiratory function values was observed. Low adherence to MedDiet and low physical activity practice were independently associated with pulmonary impairment. Therefore, the lung mechanics seem to benefit from heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors.
Diet-Gut Microbiota Interactions and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)
Authors: Ponzo Valentina , Fedele Debora , Goitre Ilaria , Leone Filomena , Lezo Antonela , Monzeglio Clara , Finocchiaro Concetta , Ghigo Ezio , Bo Simona
Published: February 2019

Medical nutritional therapy is the first-line approach in managing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Diet is also a powerful modulator of the gut microbiota, whose impact on insulin resistance and the inflammatory response in the host are well known. Changes in the gut microbiota composition have been described in pregnancies either before the onset of GDM or after its diagnosis. The possible modulation of the gut microbiota by dietary interventions in pregnancy is a topic of emerging interest, in consideration of the potential effects on maternal and consequently neonatal health. To date, very few data from observational studies are available about the associations between diet and the gut microbiota in pregnancy complicated by GDM. In this review, we analyzed the available data and discussed the current knowledge about diet manipulation in order to shape the gut microbiota in pregnancy.
Can Carob-Fruit-Extract-Enriched Meat Improve the Lipoprotein Profile, VLDL-Oxidation, and LDL Receptor Levels Induced by an Atherogenic Diet in STZ-NAD-Diabetic Rats?
Authors: Macho-González Adrián , Garcimartín Alba , López-Oliva María , Ruiz-Roso Baltasar , Martín de la Torre Isabel , Bastida Sara , Benedí Juana , Sánchez-Muniz Francisco
Published: February 2019

Carob fruit extract (CFE) has shown remarkable in vitro antioxidant properties and reduces postprandial hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in healthy animals. Development of functional meat products that contain bioactive components are presented as a great nutritional strategy. Until now, the effect of the consumption of restructured meat enriched with CFE in a murine model of diabetes has not been investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect on glycemia, lipemia, lipoprotein profile, Ldlr, arylesterase (AE), and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and liver oxidation in streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NAD) growing Wistar diabetic rats fed restructured meat in the frame of a high cholesterol/high saturated-fat diet. In the present study, three groups (D, ED and DE) were fed cholesterol-enriched (1.4% cholesterol and 0.2% cholic acid) and high saturated-fat diets (50% of total energy from fats and 20.4% from saturated fatty acids). Rats were subjected to a STZ-NAD administration at the 3rd week. Group D did not receive CFE, while ED and DE rat groups received CFE before and after the diabetic induction, respectively. After eight weeks, D rats showed hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia, an increased amount cholesterol-enriched VLDL (β-VLDL), IDL and LDL particles and triglyceride-enriched HDL. ED and DE partially blocked the hypercholesterolemic induction with respect to D group (p < 0.001) and improved glycemia, cholesterol levels, lipoprotein profile, Ldlr, plasma AE activity and liver oxidation (p < 0.001). Fecal fat, moisture and excretion were higher while dietary digestibility was lower in ED and DE vs. D counterparts (p < 0.0014). In conclusion, CFE-enriched meat shows, for the first time, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in STZ-NAD animals fed high cholesterol/high saturated-fat diets. Likewise, it manages to reverse possible diabetes lipoprotein alterations if CFE-enriched meat is consumed before pathology development or improves said modifications if Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is already established.
Biopharmaceutical Development of a Bifonazole Multiple Emulsion for Enhanced Epidermal Delivery
Authors: Suñer-Carbó Joaquim , Calpena-Campmany Ana , Halbaut-Bellowa Lyda , Clares-Naveros Beatriz , Rodriguez-Lagunas María José , Barbolini Elena , Zamarbide-Losada Joanna , Boix-Montañés Antonio
Published: February 2019

Efficient topical delivery of imidazolic antifungals faces the challenge of overcoming its limited water solubility and its required long-lasting duration of treatments. In this paper, a hydrophilic multiple emulsion (ME) of Bifonazole (BFZ) is shown to maximize its skin retention, minimize its skin permeation, and maintain an acceptable level of being harmless in vivo. The formulations were pharmaceutically characterized and application properties were assessed based on viscosity measurements. Non-Newtonian pseudoplastic shear thinning with apparent thixotropy was observed, facilitating the formulation retention over the skin. The in vitro release profile with vertical diffusion cells showed a predominant square-root release kinetic suggesting an infinite dose depletion from the formulation. Ex vivo human skin permeation and penetration was additionally evaluated. Respective skin permeation was lower than values obtained with a commercial O/W formulation. The combination of amphoteric and non-ionic surfactants increased the bifonazole epidermal accumulation by a factor of twenty. This fact makes the possibility of increasing its current 24 h administration frequency more likely. Eventual alterations of skin integrity caused by the formulations were examined with epidermal histological analysis and in vivo preclinical measurements of skin elasticity and water retrograde permeation. Histological analysis demonstrated that the multiple emulsions were harmless. Additionally, modifications of in vivo skin integrity descriptors were considered as negligible.
Supercritical Assisted Electrospray: An Improved Micronization Process
Authors: Baldino Lucia , Cardea Stefano , Reverchon Ernesto
Published: February 2019

A new process is proposed that can largely improve classical electrospray (ESPR) atomization, thanks to the addition of supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) to the liquid mixture, in which a polymer is dissolved, forming an expanded liquid. The consequent reduction of surface tension and viscosity allows the production of micrometric or nanometric particles of controlled size and distribution at a production rate up to one hundred times that of the traditional process. The new process was applied to particle generation from a very high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and tested at different polymer percentages by weight and at different pressures. Repeatable microparticle diameters and distributions were obtained, ranging between 0.55 and 2.25 µm at PVP concentrations from 1 to 5% w/w and pressures between 80 and 120 bar.
Fabrication and Characterization of Roll-to-Roll Printed Air-Gap Touch Sensors
Authors: Lee Sang Hoon , Lee Sangyoon
Published: February 2019

Although printed electronics technology has been recently employed in the production of various devices, its use for the fabrication of electronic devices with air-gap structures remains challenging. This paper presents a productive roll-to-roll printed electronics method for the fabrication of capacitive touch sensors with air-gap structures. Each layer of the sensor was fabricated by printing or coating. The bottom electrode, and the dielectric and sacrificial layers were roll-to-roll slot-die coated on a flexible substrate. The top electrode was formed by roll-to-roll gravure printing, while the structural layer was formed by spin-coating. In particular, the sacrificial layer was coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and removed in water to form an air-gap. The successful formation of the air-gap was verified by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Electrical characteristics of the air-gap touch sensor samples were analyzed in terms of sensitivity, hysteresis, and repeatability. Experimental results showed that the proposed method can be suitable for the fabrication of air-gap sensors by using the roll-to-roll printed electronics technology.
Phase Behavior of a Carbon Dioxide/Methyl Trimethoxy Silane/Polystyrene Ternary System
Authors: Matsukawa Hiroaki , Yoda Satoshi , Okawa Yasuo , Otake Katsuto
Published: February 2019

Recently, polymeric foams filled with a silica aerogel have been developed. The phase behavior of CO2/silicon alkoxide binary systems and CO2/silicon alkoxide/polymer ternary systems is an important factor that affects the design of novel processes. The phase behavior of a carbon dioxide (CO2)/methyl trimethoxy silane (MTMS)/polystyrene (PS) ternary system was measured using a synthetic method involving the observation of the bubble and cloud point. The phase boundaries were measured at temperatures ranging from 313.2 to 393.2 K and CO2 weight fractions between 0.01 and 0.08. The CO2/MTMS/PS system showed a similar CO2 mass fraction dependence of the phase behavior to that observed for the CO2/tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS)/PS system. When the phase boundaries of these systems were compared, the vapor-liquid (VL) and vapor-liquid-liquid (VLL) lines were found to be nearly identical, while the liquid-liquid (LL) lines were different. These results indicate that the affinity between the silicon alkoxide and polymer greatly influences the liquid-liquid phase separation.
Effect of Cellulose Nanofiber (CNF) Surface Treatment on Cellular Structures and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene/CNF Nanocomposite Foams via Core-Back Foam Injection Molding
Authors: Wang Long , Okada Kiyomi , Hikima Yuta , Ohshima Masahiro , Sekiguchi Takafumi , Yano Hiroyuki
Published: February 2019

Herein, lightweight nanocomposite foams with expansion ratios ranging from 2–10-fold were fabricated using an isotactic polypropylene (iPP) matrix and cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as the reinforcing agent via core-back foam injection molding (FIM). Both the native and modified CNFs, including the different degrees of substitution (DS) of 0.2 and 0.4, were melt-prepared and used for producing the polypropylene (PP)/CNF composites. Foaming results revealed that the addition of CNF greatly improved the foamability of PP, reaching 2–3 orders of magnitude increases in cell density, in comparison to those of the neat iPP foams. Moreover, tensile test results showed that the incorporation of CNF increased the tensile modulus and yield stress of both solid and 2-fold foamed PP, and a greater reinforcing effect was achieved in composites containing modified CNF. In the compression test, PP/CNF composite foams prepared with a DS of 0.4 exhibited dramatic improvements in mechanical performance for 10-fold foams, in comparison to iPP, with increases in the elastic modulus and collapse stress of PP foams of 486% and 468%, respectively. These results demonstrate that CNF is extraordinarily helpful in enhancing the foamability of PP and reinforcing PP foams, which has importance for the development of lightweight polymer composite foams containing a natural nanofiber.
Thermo-Responsive Nanocomposite Hydrogels Based on PEG-b-PLGA Diblock Copolymer and Laponite
Authors: Maeda Tomoki , Kitagawa Midori , Hotta Atsushi , Koizumi Satoshi
Published: February 2019

Poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PEG-b-PLGA) diblock copolymers are widely known as polymeric surfactants for biomedical applications, and exhibit high solubility in water compared to PLGA-b-PEG-b-PLGA triblock copolymers known as gelation agents. In order to overcome the difficulties in the preparation of thermo-responsive hydrogels based on PLGA-b-PEG-b-PLGA due to the low solubility in water, the fabrication of thermo-responsive hydrogels based on PEG-b-PLGA with high solubility in water was attempted by adding laponite to the PEG-b-PLGA solution. In detail, PEG-b-PLGA with high solubility in water (i.e., high PEG/PLGA ratio) were synthesized. Then, the nanocomposite solution based on PEG-b-PLGA and laponite (laponite/PEG-b-PLGA nanocomposite) was fabricated by mixing the PEG-b-PLGA solutions and the laponite suspensions. By using the test tube inversion method and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), it was found that thermo-responsive hydrogels could be obtained by using PEG-b-PLGA, generally known as polymeric surfactants, and that the gelation temperature was around the physiological temperature and could be regulated by changing the solution composition. Furthermore, from the structural analysis by small angle neutron scattering (SANS), PEG-b-PLGA was confirmed to be on the surface of the laponite platelets, and the thermosensitive PEG-b-PLGA on the laponite surface could trigger the thermo-responsive connection of the preformed laponite network.
Adsorption Properties of β- and Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrins Cross-Linked with Epichlorohydrin in Aqueous Solution. A Sustainable Recycling Strategy in Textile Dyeing Process
Authors: Pellicer José A. , Rodríguez-López María I. , Fortea María I. , Lucas-Abellán Carmen , Mercader-Ros María T. , López-Miranda Santiago , Gómez-López Vicente M. , Semeraro Paola , Cosma Pinalysa , Fini Paola , Franco Esther , Ferrándiz Marcela , Pérez Enrique , Ferrándiz Miguel , Núñez-Delicado Estrella , Gabaldón José A.
Published: February 2019

β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) were used to prepare insoluble polymers using epichlorohydrin as a cross-linking agent and the azo dye Direct Red 83:1 was used as target adsorbate. The preliminary study related to adsorbent dosage, pH, agitation or dye concentration allowed us to select the best conditions to carry out the rest of experiments. The kinetics was evaluated by Elovich, pseudo first order, pseudo second order, and intra-particle diffusion models. The results indicated that the pseudo second order model presented the best fit to the experimental data, indicating that chemisorption is controlling the process. The results were also evaluated by Freundlich, Langmuir and Temkin isotherms. According to the determination coefficient (R2), Freunlich gave the best results, which indicates that the adsorption process is happening on heterogeneous surfaces. One interesting parameter obtained from Langmuir isotherm is qmax (maximum adsorption capacity). This value was six times higher when a β-CDs-EPI polymer was employed. The cross-linked polymers were fully characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). Also, morphology and particle size distribution were both assessed. Under optimized conditions, the β-CDs-EPI polymer seems to be a useful device for removing Direct Red 83:1 (close 90%), from aqueous solutions and industrial effluents. Complementarily, non-adsorbed dye was photolyzed by a pulsed light driven advanced oxidation process. The proposed methodology is environmental and economically advantageous, considering the point of view of a sustainable recycling economy in the textile dyeing process.
Operating Characteristics of High-Order Distributed Feedback Polymer Lasers
Authors: Zhou Puxi , Niu Lianze , Hayat Anwer , Cao Fengzhao , Zhai Tianrui , Zhang Xinping
Published: February 2019

In this study, high-order distributed-feedback (DFB) polymer lasers were comparatively investigated. Their performance relies on multiple lasing directions and their advantages include their high manufacturing tolerances due to the large grating periods. Nine laser cavities were fabricated by spin-coating the gain polymer films onto a grating structure, which was manufactured via interference lithography that operated at the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th DFB orders. Low threshold lasing and high slope efficiency were achieved in high-order DFB polymer lasers due to the large grating groove depth and the large gain layer thickness. A high-order DFB configuration shows possible advantages, including the ability to control the lasing direction and to achieve multiple-wavelength lasers. Furthermore, our investigation demonstrates that the increase in threshold and decrease in slope efficiency with an increase in the feedback order can be limited by controlling the structural parameters.
Statistical Behaviors of Semiflexible Polymer Chains Stretched in Rectangular Tubes
Authors: Wang Jizeng , Li Kai
Published: February 2019

We investigated the statistical behaviors of semiflexible polymer chains, which were simultaneously subjected to force stretching and rectangular tube confinement. Based on the wormlike chain model and Odijk deflection theory, we derived a new deflection length, by using which new compact formulas were obtained for the confinement free energy and force–confinement–extension relations. These newly derived formulas were justified by numerical solutions of the eigenvalue problem associated with the Fokker–Planck governing equation and extensive Brownian dynamics simulations based on the so-called generalized bead-rod (GBR) model. We found that, compared to classical deflection theory, these new formulas were valid for a much more extended range of the confinement size/persistence length ratio and had no adjustable fitting parameters for sufficiently long semiflexible chains in the whole deflection regime.
Solvent Effect on the Self-Assembly of a Thin Film Consisting of Y-Shaped Copolymer
Authors: Mu Dan , Li Jian-Quan , Cong Xing-Shun , Mi Yu-Wei , Zhang Han
Published: February 2019

The self-assembly of an amphiphilic Y-shaped copolymer consisting of two hydrophilic branches and one hydrophobic branch in a thin film is investigated under different conditions by virtue of mesoscopic computer modelling, accompanied by doping with a single solvent, doping with a binary solvent, and those solvent environments together with the introduction of confinement defined by various acting distances and influencing regions. A cylindrical micellar structure is maintained, as it is in the thin film with the doping of either 10% hydrophobic solvent or 10% hydrophilic solvent, whose structure consists of the hydrophobic core and hydrophilic shell. Attributed to the hydrophobicity/hydrophilia nature of the solvents, different solvents play an obvious role on the self-assembled structure, i.e., the hydrophobic solvent presents as a swelling effect, conversely, the hydrophilic solvent presents as a shrinking effect. Further, the synergistic effect of the binary solvents on the self-assembly produces the lowest values in both the average volumetric size and free energy density when the quantity of hydrophobic solvent and hydrophilic solvent is equivalent. Interestingly, the solvent effect becomes more pronounced under the existent of a confinement. When a lateral-oriented confinement is introduced, a periodically fluctuating change in the cylindrical size occurs in two near-wall regions, but the further addition of either hydrophobic or hydrophilic solvent can effectively eliminate such resulting hierarchical-sized cylinders and generate uniform small-sized cylinders. However, with the introduction of a horizontal-orientated confinement, the copolymers self-assemble into the spherical micellar structure. Moreover, the further addition of hydrophobic solvent leads to a decrease in the average size of micelles via coalescence mechanism, in contrast, the further addition of hydrophilic solvent causes an increase in the average size of micelles via splitting mechanism. These findings enrich our knowledge of the potential for the solvent effect on the self-assembly of amphiphilic copolymer system, and then provide theoretical supports on improving and regulating the mesoscopic structure of nanomaterials.
Comparisons of Functional Properties of Polysaccharides from Nostoc flagelliforme under Three Culture Conditions
Authors: Shen Shi-Gang , Lin Ya-Hui , Zhao Dong-Xue , Wu Yi-Kai , Yan Rong-Rong , Zhao Hua-Bing , Tan Zhi-Lei , Jia Shi-Ru , Han Pei-Pei
Published: February 2019

Nostoc flagelliforme is an edible cyanobacterium with excellent food and herbal values. It has been used as food in China for more than 2000 years. Many studies have been focused on improving the yield and bioactivity of Nostoc flagelliforme polysaccharides although these have ignored the functional properties. In this study, we extracted and purified three polysaccharides (WL-CPS, NaCl-CPS and Glu-CPS) from Nostoc flagelliforme under normal, salt stress and mixotrophic culture conditions, respectively, in order to change the physicochemical properties of polysaccharides with the aim of obtaining better functional properties. Both salt stress and mixotrophic culture conditions increased the specific yield of polysaccharides. Their functional properties were comparatively investigated and the results showed that NaCl-CPS exhibited the highest emulsification activity and flocculation capability, which was also higher than that of some commercial products. In contrast, Glu-CPS exhibited the highest water and oil holding capacities, foaming property, intrinsic viscosity and bile acids binding capacity. Our results indicated that both NaCl-CPS and Glu-CPS could be considered to be functional polysaccharides according to their respective characteristics, which have great potential in numerous applications, such as food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical and mineral industries. These findings also demonstrated the potential application of the proper regulation of culture conditions in the development of polysaccharides with desired functional properties.
Metamorphosis and the Shang State: Yi 異and the Yi ding異[fang方]鼎
Authors: Childs-Johnson Elizabeth
Published: February 2019

Despite a long tradition of scholarship on Shang religion, a clear and comprehensive account of that religion has proven elusive. Many scholars have relied on written accounts from the much later Warring States and Han eras purporting to describe Shang beliefs and practices, and have been misled into describing the Shang religion as bureaucratically institutionalized and characterized by tension between inner court and outer court worship of ancestral and nature deities. Other scholars have generalized about the nature of divinity in Shang time and have recognized the position of the king who as one with Di was divine. Rather than act as an intermediary between the living and dead, the Shang king was divine and equivalent to Di. The present study follows research recognizing that the Shang king ruled over a state system which I label “institutionalized metamorphism”. By “institutionalized metamorphism” a belief is implied in the metamorphic power of the Shang king that allowed him identification with and to a certain extent control over numinous spirits.
A Simplified, Object-Based Framework for Efficient Landslide Inventorying Using LIDAR Digital Elevation Model Derivatives
Authors: Bunn Michael D. , Leshchinsky Ben A. , Olsen Michael J. , Booth Adam
Published: February 2019

Landslide inventory maps are critical to understand the factors governing landslide occurrence and estimate hazards or sediment delivery to channels. Numerous semi-automated approaches for landslide inventory mapping have been proposed to improve the efficiency and objectivity of the process, but these methods have not been widely adopted by practitioners because of the use of input parameters without physical meaning, a lack of transparency in machine-learning based mapping techniques, and limitations in resulting products, which are not ordinarily designed or tested on a large-scale or in diverse geologic units. To this end, this work presents a new semi-automated method, called the Scarp Identification and Contour Connection Method (SICCM), which adapts to diverse geologic settings automatically or semi-automatically using interventions driven by simple inputs and interpretation from an expert mapper. The applicability of SICCM for use in landslide inventory mapping is demonstrated for three diverse study areas in western Oregon, USA by assessing the utility of the results as a landslide inventory, evaluating the sensitivity of the algorithm to changes in input parameters, and exploring how geology influences the resulting landslide inventory results. In these case studies, accuracies exceed 70%, with reliability and precision of nearly 80%. Conclusions of this work are that (1) SICCM efficiently produces meaningful landslide inventories for large areas as evidenced by mapping 216 km2 of landslide deposits with individual deposits ranging in size from 58 to 1.1 million m2; (2) results are predictable with changes to input parameters, resulting in an intuitive approach; (3) geology does not appear to significantly affect SICCM performance; and (4) the process involves simplifications compared with more complex alternatives from the literature.
Forest Spectral Recovery and Regeneration Dynamics in Stand-Replacing Wildfires of Central Apennines Derived from Landsat Time Series
Authors: Morresi Donato , Vitali Alessandro , Urbinati Carlo , Garbarino Matteo
Published: February 2019

Understanding post-fire regeneration dynamics is an important task for assessing the resilience of forests and to adequately guide post-disturbance management. The main goal of this research was to compare the ability of different Landsat-derived spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) to track post-fire recovery occurring in burned forests of the central Apennines (Italy) at different development stages. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), Normalized Burn Ratio 2 (NBR2) and a novel index called Forest Recovery Index 2 (FRI2) were used to compute post-fire recovery metrics throughout 11 years (2008–2018). FRI2 achieved the highest significant correlation (Pearson’s r = 0.72) with tree canopy cover estimated by field sampling (year 2017). The Theil–Sen slope estimator of linear regression was employed to assess the rate of change and the direction of SVIs recovery metrics over time (2010–2018) and the Mann–Kendall test was used to evaluate the significance of the spectral trends. NDVI displayed the highest amount of recovered pixels (38%) after 11 years since fire occurrence, whereas the mean value of NDMI, NBR, NBR2, and FRI2 was about 27%. NDVI was more suitable for tracking early stages of the secondary succession, suggesting greater sensitivity toward non-arboreal vegetation development. Predicted spectral recovery timespans based on pixels with a statistically significant monotonic trend did not highlight noticeable differences among normalized SVIs, suggesting similar suitability for monitoring early to mid-stages of post-fire forest succession. FRI2 achieved reliable results in mid- to long-term forest recovery as it produced up to 50% longer periods of spectral recovery compared to normalized SVIs. Further research is needed to understand this modeling approach at advanced stages of post-fire forest recovery.
Sampling Strategies for Soil Property Mapping Using Multispectral Sentinel-2 and Hyperspectral EnMAP Satellite Data
Authors: Castaldi Fabio , Chabrillat Sabine , van Wesemael Bas
Published: February 2019

Designing a sampling strategy for soil property mapping from remote sensing imagery entails making decisions about sampling pattern and number of samples. A consistent number of ancillary data strongly related to the target variable allows applying a sampling strategy that optimally covers the feature space. This study aims at evaluating the capability of multispectral (Sentinel-2) and hyperspectral (EnMAP) satellite data to select the sampling locations in order to collect a calibration dataset for multivariate statistical modelling of the Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) content in the topsoil of croplands. We tested different sampling strategies based on the feature space, where the ancillary data are the spectral bands of the Sentinel-2 and of simulated EnMAP satellite data acquired in Demmin (north-east Germany). Some selection algorithms require setting the number of samples in advance (random, Kennard-Stones and conditioned Latin Hypercube algorithms) where others automatically provide the ideal number of samples (Puchwein, SELECT and Puchwein+SELECT algorithm). The SOC content and the spectra extracted at the sampling locations were used to build random forest (RF) models. We evaluated the accuracy of the RF estimation models on an independent dataset. The lowest Sentinel-2 normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) for the validation set was obtained using Puchwein (nRMSE: 8.7%), and Kennard-Stones (9.2%) algorithms. The most efficient sampling strategies, expressed as the ratio between accuracy and number of samples per hectare, were obtained using Puchwein with EnMAP and Puchwein+SELECT algorithm with Sentinel-2 data. Hence, Sentinel-2 and EnMAP data can be exploited to build a reliable calibration dataset for SOC mapping. For EnMAP, the different selection algorithms provided very similar results. On the other hand, using Puchwein and Kennard-Stones algorithms, Sentinel-2 provided a more accurate estimation than the EnMAP. The calibration datasets provided by EnMAP data provided lower SOC variability and lower prediction accuracy compared to Sentinel-2. This was probably due to EnMAP coarser spatial resolution (30 m) less adequate for linkage to the sampling performed at 10 m scale.