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Author Gorbanev, Y.; Engelmann, Y.; van’t Veer, K.; Vlasov, E.; Ndayirinde, C.; Yi, Y.; Bals, S.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Al2O3-Supported Transition Metals for Plasma-Catalytic NH3 Synthesis in a DBD Plasma: Metal Activity and Insights into Mechanisms Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Catalysts Abbreviated Journal Catalysts
Volume 11 Issue 10 Pages 1230
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Movement Antwerp (MOVANT)
Abstract N2 fixation into NH3 is one of the main processes in the chemical industry. Plasma catalysis is among the environmentally friendly alternatives to the industrial energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. However, many questions remain open, such as the applicability of the conventional catalytic knowledge to plasma. In this work, we studied the performance of Al2O3-supported Fe, Ru, Co and Cu catalysts in plasma-catalytic NH3 synthesis in a DBD reactor. We investigated the effects of different active metals, and different ratios of the feed gas components, on the concentration and production rate of NH3, and the energy consumption of the plasma system. The results show that the trend of the metal activity (common for thermal catalysis) does not appear in the case of plasma catalysis: here, all metals exhibited similar performance. These findings are in good agreement with our recently published microkinetic model. This highlights the virtual independence of NH3 production on the metal catalyst material, thus validating the model and indicating the potential contribution of radical adsorption and Eley-Rideal reactions to the plasma-catalytic mechanism of NH3 synthesis.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000715656300001 Publication Date 2021-10-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-4344 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.082 Times cited 19 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Catalisti, Moonshot P2C ; Research Foundation – Flanders, GoF9618n ; European Research Council, 810182 SCOPE 815128 REALNANO ; sygmaSB Approved Most recent IF: 3.082
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:183279 Serial 6815
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Author Lamonier, J.-F.; Bogaerts, A.
Title Feature Papers to Celebrate “Environmental Catalysis”—Trends & Outlook Type Editorial
Year 2022 Publication Catalysts Abbreviated Journal Catalysts
Volume 12 Issue 7 Pages 720
Keywords Editorial; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract This Special Issue collects three reviews, eight articles, and two communications related to the design of catalysts for environmental applications, such as the transformation of several pollutants into harmless or valuable products [...]
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000831734700001 Publication Date 2022-06-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-4344 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 3.9 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.9
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:189202 Serial 7074
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Author Canossa, S.; Graiff, C.; Crocco, D.; Predieri, G.
Title Water structures and packing efficiency in methylene blue cyanometallate salts Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Crystals Abbreviated Journal Crystals
Volume 10 Issue 7 Pages 558
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Crystal structure prediction is the holy grail of crystal engineering and is key to its ambition of driving the formation of solids based on the selection of their molecular constituents. However, this noble quest is hampered by the limited predictability of the incorporation of solvent molecules, first and foremost the ubiquitous water. In this context, we herein report the structure of four methylene blue cyanometallate phases, where anions with various shapes and charges influence the packing motif and lead to the formation of differently hydrated structures. Importantly, water molecules are observed to play various roles as isolated fillings, dimers, or an infinite network with up to 13 water molecules per repeating unit. Each crystal structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and evaluated with the aid of Hirshfeld surface analysis, focussing on the role of water molecules and the hierarchy of different classes of interactions in the overall supramolecular landscape of the crystals. Finally, the collected pieces of evidence are matched together to highlight the leading role of MB stacking and to derive an explanation for the observed hydration diversity based on the structural role of water molecules in the crystal architecture.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000554226900001 Publication Date 2020-07-01
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-4352 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.566 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes ; The Elettra Synchrotron (CNR Trieste) is gratefully acknowledged for the beamtime allocated at the beamline XRD1 (proposal nr 20175216). S.C. acknowledges the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) for supporting his research (grant nr. 12ZV120N). ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:171279 Serial 6653
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Author Das, P.P.; Guzzinati, G.; Coll, C.; Gomez Perez, A.; Nicolopoulos, S.; Estrade, S.; Peiro, F.; Verbeeck, J.; Zompra, A.A.; Galanis, A.S.
Title Reliable Characterization of Organic & Pharmaceutical Compounds with High Resolution Monochromated EEL Spectroscopy Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Polymers Abbreviated Journal Polymers-Basel
Volume 12 Issue 7 Pages 1434
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Organic and biological compounds (especially those related to the pharmaceutical industry) have always been of great interest for researchers due to their importance for the development of new drugs to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. As many new API (active pharmaceutical ingredients) and their polymorphs are in nanocrystalline or in amorphous form blended with amorphous polymeric matrix (known as amorphous solid dispersion—ASD), their structural identification and characterization at nm scale with conventional X-Ray/Raman/IR techniques becomes difficult. During any API synthesis/production or in the formulated drug product, impurities must be identified and characterized. Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) at high energy resolution by transmission electron microscope (TEM) is expected to be a promising technique to screen and identify the different (organic) compounds used in a typical pharmaceutical or biological system and to detect any impurities present, if any, during the synthesis or formulation process. In this work, we propose the use of monochromated TEM-EELS, to analyze selected peptides and organic compounds and their polymorphs. In order to validate EELS for fingerprinting (in low loss/optical region) and by further correlation with advanced DFT, simulations were utilized.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000556786700001 Publication Date 2020-06-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-4360 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.364 Times cited 6 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes C.C., F.P., S.E. acknowledges the Spanish government for projects MAT2016-79455-P, Research Network RED2018-102609-T and the FPI (BES-2017-080045) grant of Ministerio de Ciència, Innovación y Universidades. G.G. acknowledges support from a postdoctoral fellowship grant from the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek—Vlaanderen (FWO). P.P.D., A.G.P., S.N. gratefully acknowledge much helpful discussion on EELS study for organic compounds with Dr. Andrey Chuvilin (CIC NANOGUNE, Donostia—San Sebastian, Spain). The authors also acknowledge Raúl Arenal (University de Zaragoza, Spain) for useful discussion on EELS. The authors acknowledge also Ulises Julio Amador Elizondo (Universidad CEU San Pablo, Spain) for kindly provide the aripiprazole and piroxicam samples for EELS study.; EUSMI_TA; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:170603 Serial 6400
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Author Al-Emam, E.; Beltran, V.; De Meyer, S.; Nuyts, G.; Wetemans, V.; De Wael, K.; Caen, J.; Janssens, K.
Title Removal of a past varnish treatment from a 19th-century Belgian wall painting by means of a solvent-loaded double network hydrogel Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Polymers Abbreviated Journal Polymers-Basel
Volume 13 Issue 16 Pages 2651-20
Keywords A1 Journal article; Art; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES); Antwerp Electrochemical and Analytical Sciences Lab (A-Sense Lab); Antwerp X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy (AXIS)
Abstract Polymeric materials have been used by painting conservator-restorers as consolidants and/or varnishes for wall paintings. The application of these materials is carried out when confronting loose paint layers or as a protective coating. However, these materials deteriorate and cause physiochemical alterations to the treated surface. In the past, the monumental neo-gothic wall painting 'The Last Judgment' in the chapel of Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege in Antwerp, Belgium was treated with a synthetic polymeric material. This varnish deteriorated significantly and turned brown, obscuring the paint layers. Given also that the varnish was applied to some parts of the wall painting and did not cover the entire surface, it was necessary to remove it in order to restore the original appearance of the wall painting. Previous attempts carried out by conservator-restorers made use of traditional cleaning methods, which led to damage of the fragile paint layers. Therefore, gel cleaning was proposed as a less invasive and more controllable method for gently softening and removing the varnish. The work started by identifying the paint stratigraphy and the deteriorated varnish via optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. A polyvinyl alcohol-borax/agarose (PVA-B/AG) hydrogel loaded with a number of solvents/solvent mixtures was employed in a series of tests to select the most suitable hydrogel composite. By means of the hydrogel composite loaded with 10% propylene carbonate, it was possible to safely remove the brown varnish layer. The results were verified by visual examinations (under visible light 'VIS' and ultraviolet light 'UV') as well as OM and FTIR spectroscopy.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000690248000001 Publication Date 2021-08-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-4360 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.364 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.364
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:181567 Serial 8470
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Author Bengtson, C.; Bogaerts, A.
Title On the Anti-Cancer Effect of Cold Atmospheric Plasma and the Possible Role of Catalase-Dependent Apoptotic Pathways Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Cells Abbreviated Journal Cells
Volume 9 Issue 10 Pages 2330
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a promising new agent for (selective) cancer treatment, but the underlying cause of the anti-cancer effect of CAP is not well understood yet. Among different theories and observations, one theory in particular has been postulated in great detail and consists of a very complex network of reactions that are claimed to account for the anti-cancer effect of CAP. Here, the key concept is a reactivation of two specific apoptotic cell signaling pathways through catalase inactivation caused by CAP. Thus, it is postulated that the anti-cancer effect of CAP is due to its ability to inactivate catalase, either directly or indirectly. A theoretical investigation of the proposed theory, especially the role of catalase inactivation, can contribute to the understanding of the underlying cause of the anti-cancer effect of CAP. In the present study, we develop a mathematical model to analyze the proposed catalase-dependent anti-cancer effect of CAP. Our results show that a catalase-dependent reactivation of the two apoptotic pathways of interest is unlikely to contribute to the observed anti-cancer effect of CAP. Thus, we believe that other theories of the underlying cause should be considered and evaluated to gain knowledge about the principles of CAP-induced cancer cell death.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000584186700001 Publication Date 2020-10-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-4409 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 2 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:173632 Serial 6429
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Author Demuynck, R.; Efimova, I.; Lin, A.; Declercq, H.; Krysko, D.V.
Title A 3D cell death assay to quantitatively determine ferroptosis in spheroids Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Cells Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue 3 Pages 703-713
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract The failure of drug efficacy in clinical trials remains a big issue in cancer research. This is largely due to the limitations of two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures, the most used tool in drug screening. Nowadays, three-dimensional (3D) cultures, including spheroids, are acknowledged to be a better model of the in vivo environment, but detailed cell death assays for 3D cultures (including those for ferroptosis) are scarce. In this work, we show that a new cell death analysis method, named 3D Cell Death Assay (3DELTA), can efficiently determine different cell death types including ferroptosis and quantitatively assess cell death in tumour spheroids. Our method uses Sytox dyes as a cell death marker and Triton X-100, which efficiently permeabilizes all cells in spheroids, was used to establish 100% cell death. After optimization of Sytox concentration, Triton X-100 concentration and timing, we showed that the 3DELTA method was able to detect signals from all cells without the need to disaggregate spheroids. Moreover, in this work we demonstrated that 2D experiments cannot be extrapolated to 3D cultures as 3D cultures are less sensitive to cell death induction. In conclusion, 3DELTA is a more cost-effective way to identify and measure cell death type in 3D cultures, including spheroids.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000529337400180 Publication Date 2020-03-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-4409 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited 5 Open Access
Notes ; Research in the D.V.K. group is supported by Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (1506218N, 1507118N, G051918N and G043219N) and Ghent University (Special Research Fund IOP 01/O3618). ; Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:167215 Serial 6446
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Author Van Loenhout, J.; Freire Boullosa, L.; Quatannens, D.; De Waele, J.; Merlin, C.; Lambrechts, H.; Lau, H.W.; Hermans, C.; Lin, A.; Lardon, F.; Peeters, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Smits, E.; Deben, C.
Title Auranofin and Cold Atmospheric Plasma Synergize to Trigger Distinct Cell Death Mechanisms and Immunogenic Responses in Glioblastoma Type A1 Journal Article;oxidative stress
Year 2021 Publication Cells Abbreviated Journal Cells
Volume 10 Issue 11 Pages 2936
Keywords A1 Journal Article;oxidative stress; auranofin; cold atmospheric plasma; glioblastoma; cancer cell death; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;
Abstract Targeting the redox balance of malignant cells via the delivery of high oxidative stress unlocks a potential therapeutic strategy against glioblastoma (GBM). We investigated a novel reactive oxygen species (ROS)-inducing combination treatment strategy, by increasing exogenous ROS via cold atmospheric plasma and inhibiting the endogenous protective antioxidant system via auranofin (AF), a thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR) inhibitor. The sequential combination treatment of AF and cold atmospheric plasma-treated PBS (pPBS), or AF and direct plasma application, resulted in a synergistic response in 2D and 3D GBM cell cultures, respectively. Differences in the baseline protein levels related to the antioxidant systems explained the cell-line-dependent sensitivity towards the combination treatment. The highest decrease of TrxR activity and GSH levels was observed after combination treatment of AF and pPBS when compared to AF and pPBS monotherapies. This combination also led to the highest accumulation of intracellular ROS. We confirmed a ROS-mediated response to the combination of AF and pPBS, which was able to induce distinct cell death mechanisms. On the one hand, an increase in caspase-3/7 activity, with an increase in the proportion of annexin V positive cells, indicates the induction of apoptosis in the GBM cells. On the other hand, lipid peroxidation and inhibition of cell death through an iron chelator suggest the involvement of ferroptosis in the GBM cell lines. Both cell death mechanisms induced by the combination of AF and pPBS resulted in a significant increase in danger signals (ecto-calreticulin, ATP and HMGB1) and dendritic cell maturation, indicating a potential increase in immunogenicity, although the phagocytotic capacity of dendritic cells was inhibited by AF. In vivo, sequential combination treatment of AF and cold atmospheric plasma both reduced tumor growth kinetics and prolonged survival in GBM-bearing mice. Thus, our study provides a novel therapeutic strategy for GBM to enhance the efficacy of oxidative stress-inducing therapy through a combination of AF and cold atmospheric plasma.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000807134000001 Publication Date 2021-10-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-4409 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Olivia Hendrickx Research Fund, 21OCL06 ; University of Antwerp, FFB160231 ; The authors would express their gratitude to Hans de Reu for technical assistance with flow cytometry. Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:182915 Serial 6826
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Author Fitawok, M.B.; Derudder, B.; Minale, A.S.; Van Passel, S.; Adgo, E.; Nyssen, J.
Title Modeling the Impact of Urbanization on Land-Use Change in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia: An Integrated Cellular Automata–Markov Chain Approach Type A1 Journal Article
Year 2020 Publication Land Abbreviated Journal Land
Volume 9 Issue 4 Pages 115
Keywords A1 Journal Article; analytical hierarchy process; cellular automata; land-use change; Markov chain; urbanization; Engineering Management (ENM) ;
Abstract The fast-paced urbanization of recent decades entails that many regions are facing seemingly uncontrolled land-use changes (LUCs) that go hand in hand with a range of environmental and socio-economic challenges. In this paper, we use an integrated cellular automata–Markov chain (CA–MC) model to analyze and predict the urban expansion of and its impact on LUC in the city of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. To this end, the research marshals high-resolution Landsat images of 1991, 2002, 2011, and 2018. An analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method is then used to identify the biophysical and socioeconomic factors underlying the expansion in the research area. It is shown that, during the period of study, built-up areas are rapidly expanding in the face of an overall decline of the farmland and vegetation cover. Drawing on a model calibration for 2018, the research predicts the possible geographies of LUC in the Bahir Dar area for 2025, 2034, and 2045. It is predicted that the conversions of other land-use types into built-up areas will persist in the southern, southwestern, and northeastern areas of the sprawling city, which can mainly be traced back to the uneven geographies of road accessibility, proximity to the city center, and slope variables. We reflect on how our findings can be used to facilitate sustainable urban development and land-use policies in the Bahir Dar area.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000533901100026 Publication Date 2020-04-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-445X ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes The authors would like to thank the VLIR-UOS project for funding this research through Bahir Dar University—Institutional University Cooperation (BDU-IUC) program. Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number ENM @ enm @c:irua:169600 Serial 6381
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Author Chekol Zewdie, M.; Moretti, M.; Tenessa, D.B.; Ayele, Z.A.; Nyssen, J.; Tsegaye, E.A.; Minale, A.S.; Van Passel, S.
Title Agricultural technical efficiency of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia : a stochastic frontier approach Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Land Abbreviated Journal
Volume 10 Issue 3 Pages 246
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract In the past decade, to improve crop production and productivity, Ethiopia has embarked on an ambitious irrigation farming expansion program and has introduced new large- and small-scale irrigation initiatives. However, in Ethiopia, poverty remains a challenge, and crop productivity per unit area of land is very low. Literature on the technical efficiency (TE) of large-scale and small-scale irrigation user farmers as compared to the non-user farmers in Ethiopia is also limited. Investigating smallholder farmers' TE level and its principal determinants is very important to increase crop production and productivity and to improve smallholder farmers' livelihood and food security. Using 1026 household-level cross-section data, this study adopts a technology flexible stochastic frontier approach to examine agricultural TE of large-scale irrigation users, small-scale irrigation users and non-user farmers in Ethiopia. The results indicate that, due to poor extension services and old-style agronomic practices, the mean TE of farmers is very low (44.33%), implying that there is a wider room for increasing crop production in the study areas through increasing the TE of smallholder farmers without additional investment in novel agricultural technologies. Results also show that large-scale irrigation user farmers (21.05%) are less technically efficient than small-scale irrigation user farmers (60.29%). However, improving irrigation infrastructure shifts the frontier up and has a positive impact on smallholder farmers' output.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000633846200001 Publication Date 2021-03-01
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-445x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:177647 Serial 6913
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Author Shi, P.; Ratkowsky, D.A.; Gielis, J.
Title The generalized Gielis geometric equation and its application Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Symmetry-Basel Abbreviated Journal Symmetry-Basel
Volume 12 Issue 4 Pages 645-10
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Many natural shapes exhibit surprising symmetry and can be described by the Gielis equation, which has several classical geometric equations (for example, the circle, ellipse and superellipse) as special cases. However, the original Gielis equation cannot reflect some diverse shapes due to limitations of its power-law hypothesis. In the present study, we propose a generalized version by introducing a link function. Thus, the original Gielis equation can be deemed to be a special case of the generalized Gielis equation (GGE) with a power-law link function. The link function can be based on the morphological features of different objects so that the GGE is more flexible in fitting the data of the shape than its original version. The GGE is shown to be valid in depicting the shapes of some starfish and plant leaves.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000540222200156 Publication Date 2020-04-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-8994 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited 4 Open Access
Notes ; This research was funded by the Jiangsu Government Scholarship for Overseas Studies (grant number: JS-2018-038). ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2020 IF: 1.457
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:168141 Serial 6526
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Author Quintelier, M.; Perkisas, T.; Poppe, R.; Batuk, M.; Hendrickx, M.; Hadermann, J.
Title Determination of spinel content in cycled Li1.2Ni0.13Mn0.54Co0.13O2 using three-dimensional electron diffraction and precession electron diffraction Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Symmetry-Basel Abbreviated Journal Symmetry-Basel
Volume 13 Issue 11 Pages 1989-17
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Engineering Management (ENM); Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Among lithium battery cathode materials, Li1.2Ni0.13Mn0.54Co0.13O2 (LR-NMC) has a high theoretical capacity, but suffers from voltage and capacity fade during cycling. This is partially ascribed to transition metal cation migration, which involves the local transformation of the honeycomb layered structure to spinel-like nano-domains. Determination of the honeycomb layered/spinel phase ratio from powder X-ray diffraction data is hindered by the nanoscale of the functional material and the domains, diverse types of twinning, stacking faults, and the possible presence of the rock salt phase. Determining the phase ratio from transmission electron microscopy imaging can only be done for thin regions near the surfaces of the crystals, and the intense beam that is needed for imaging induces the same transformation to spinel as cycling does. In this article, it is demonstrated that the low electron dose sufficient for electron diffraction allows the collection of data without inducing a phase transformation. Using calculated electron diffraction patterns, we demonstrate that it is possible to determine the volume ratio of the different phases in the particles using a pair-wise comparison of the intensities of the reflections. Using this method, the volume ratio of spinel structure to honeycomb layered structure is determined for a submicron sized crystal from experimental three-dimensional electron diffraction (3D ED) and precession electron diffraction (PED) data. Both twinning and the possible presence of the rock salt phase are taken into account. After 150 charge-discharge cycles, 4% of the volume in LR-NMC particles was transformed irreversibly from the honeycomb layered structure to the spinel structure. The proposed method would be applicable to other multi-phase materials as well.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000815310500001 Publication Date 2021-10-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-8994 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 1.457 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.457
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189468 Serial 7080
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Author Li, Y.; Quinn, B.K.; Gielis, J.; Li, Y.; Shi, P.
Title Evidence that supertriangles exist in nature from the vertical projections of Koelreuteria paniculata fruit Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Symmetry Abbreviated Journal Symmetry-Basel
Volume 14 Issue 1 Pages 23
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Many natural radial symmetrical shapes (e.g., sea stars) follow the Gielis equation (GE) or its twin equation (TGE). A supertriangle (three triangles arranged around a central polygon) represents such a shape, but no study has tested whether natural shapes can be represented as/are supertriangles or whether the GE or TGE can describe their shape. We collected 100 pieces of Koelreuteria paniculata fruit, which have a supertriangular shape, extracted the boundary coordinates for their vertical projections, and then fitted them with the GE and TGE. The adjusted root mean square errors (RMSEadj) of the two equations were always less than 0.08, and >70% were less than 0.05. For 57/100 fruit projections, the GE had a lower RMSEadj than the TGE, although overall differences in the goodness of fit were non-significant. However, the TGE produces more symmetrical shapes than the GE as the two parameters controlling the extent of symmetry in it are approximately equal. This work demonstrates that natural supertriangles exist, validates the use of the GE and TGE to model their shapes, and suggests that different complex radially symmetrical shapes can be generated by the same equation, implying that different types of biological symmetry may result from the same biophysical mechanisms.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000746030100001 Publication Date 2021-12-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-8994 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.7
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:186453 Serial 7158
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Author Shi, P.; Wang, L.; Quinn, B.K.K.; Gielis, J.
Title A new program to estimate the parameters of Preston's equation, a general formula for describing the egg shape of birds Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Symmetry Abbreviated Journal Symmetry-Basel
Volume 15 Issue 1 Pages 231-10
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Preston's equation is a general model describing the egg shape of birds. The parameters of Preston's equation are usually estimated after re-expressing it as the Todd-Smart equation and scaling the egg's actual length to two. This method assumes that the straight line through the two points on an egg's profile separated by the maximum distance (i.e., the longest axis of an egg's profile) is the mid-line. It hypothesizes that the photographed egg's profile is perfectly bilaterally symmetrical, which seldom holds true because of photographic errors and placement errors. The existing parameter estimation method for Preston's equation considers an angle of deviation for the longest axis of an egg's profile from the mid-line, which decreases prediction errors to a certain degree. Nevertheless, this method cannot provide an accurate estimate of the coordinates of the egg's center, and it leads to sub-optimal parameter estimation. Thus, it is better to account for the possible asymmetry between the two sides of an egg's profile along its mid-line when fitting egg-shape data. In this paper, we propose a method based on the optimization algorithm (optimPE) to fit egg-shape data and better estimate the parameters of Preston's equation by automatically searching for the optimal mid-line of an egg's profile and testing its validity using profiles of 59 bird eggs spanning a wide range of existing egg shapes. We further compared this method with the existing one based on multiple linear regression (lmPE). This study demonstrated the ability of the optimPE method to estimate numerical values of the parameters of Preston's equation and provide the theoretical egg length (i.e., the distance between two ends of the mid-line of an egg's profile) and the egg's maximum breadth. This provides a valuable approach for comparing egg shapes among conspecifics or across different species, or even different classes (e.g., birds and reptiles), in future investigations.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000927531000001 Publication Date 2023-01-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-8994 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2023 IF: 1.457
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:195347 Serial 7279
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Author Wang, L.; Ratkowsky, D.A.; Gielis, J.; Ricci, P.E.; Shi, P.
Title Effects of the numerical values of the parameters in the Gielis equation on its geometries Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Symmetry Abbreviated Journal Symmetry-Basel
Volume 14 Issue 12 Pages 2475-12
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract The Lamé curve is an extension of an ellipse, the latter being a special case. Dr. Johan Gielis further extended the Lamé curve in the polar coordinate system by introducing additional parameters (n1, n2, n3; m): rφ=1Acosm4φn2+1Bsinm4φn3−1/n1, which can be applied to model natural geometries. Here, r is the polar radius corresponding to the polar angle φ; A, B, n1, n2 and n3 are parameters to be estimated; m is the positive real number that determines the number of angles of the Gielis curve. Most prior studies on the Gielis equation focused mainly on its applications. However, the Gielis equation can also generate a large number of shapes that are rotationally symmetric and axisymmetric when A = B and n2 = n3, interrelated with the parameter m, with the parameters n1 and n2 determining the shapes of the curves. In this paper, we prove the relationship between m and the rotational symmetry and axial symmetry of the Gielis curve from a theoretical point of view with the condition A = B, n2 = n3. We also set n1 and n2 to take negative real numbers rather than only taking positive real numbers, then classify the curves based on extremal properties of r(φ) at φ = 0, π/m when n1 and n2 are in different intervals, and analyze how n1, n2 precisely affect the shapes of Gielis curves.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000904525700001 Publication Date 2022-11-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-8994 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.7
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:191860 Serial 7301
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Author Huang, W.; Li, Y.; Niklas, K.J.; Gielis, J.; Ding, Y.; Cao, L.; Shi, P.
Title A superellipse with deformation and its application in describing the cross-sectional shapes of a square bamboo Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Symmetry-Basel Abbreviated Journal Symmetry-Basel
Volume 12 Issue 12 Pages 2073
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract Many cross-sectional shapes of plants have been found to approximate a superellipse rather than an ellipse. Square bamboos, belonging to the genus Chimonobambusa (Poaceae), are a group of plants with round-edged square-like culm cross sections. The initial application of superellipses to model these culm cross sections has focused on Chimonobambusa quadrangularis (Franceschi) Makino. However, there is a need for large scale empirical data to confirm this hypothesis. In this study, approximately 750 cross sections from 30 culms of C. utilis were scanned to obtain cross-sectional boundary coordinates. A superellipse exhibits a centrosymmetry, but in nature the cross sections of culms usually deviate from a standard circle, ellipse, or superellipse because of the influences of the environment and terrain, resulting in different bending and torsion forces during growth. Thus, more natural cross-sectional shapes appear to have the form of a deformed superellipse. The superellipse equation with a deformation parameter (SEDP) was used to fit boundary data. We find that the cross-sectional shapes (including outer and inner rings) of C. utilis can be well described by SEDP. The adjusted root-mean-square error of SEDP is smaller than that of the superellipse equation without a deformation parameter. A major finding is that the cross-sectional shapes can be divided into two types of superellipse curves: hyperellipses and hypoellipses, even for cross sections from the same culm. There are two proportional relationships between ring area and the product of ring length and width for both the outer and inner rings. The proportionality coefficients are significantly different, as a consequence of the two different superellipse types (i.e., hyperellipses and hypoellipses). The difference in the proportionality coefficients between hyperellipses and hypoellipses for outer rings is greater than that for inner rings. This work informs our understanding and quantifying of the longitudinal deformation of plant stems for future studies to assess the influences of the environment on stem development. This work is also informative for understanding the deviation of natural shapes from a strict rotational symmetry.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000602546300001 Publication Date 2020-12-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2073-8994 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2020 IF: 1.457
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:174472 Serial 8622
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Author Anaf, W.; Leyva Pernia, D.; Schalm, O.
Title Standardized indoor air quality assessments as a tool to prepare heritage guardians for changing preservation conditions due to climate change Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Geosciences Abbreviated Journal
Volume 8 Issue 8 Pages Unsp 276-14
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Systems and software Modelling (AnSyMo); AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation); Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES)
Abstract Climate change will affect the preservation conditions of our cultural heritage. Therefore, well-considered mitigation actions should be implemented to safeguard our heritage for future generations. Environmental monitoring is essential to follow up the change in preservation conditions and to evaluate the effectiveness of performed mitigation actions. To support heritage guardians in the processing and evaluation of monitored data, an indoor air quality (IAQ) index for heritage applications is introduced. The index is calculated for each measured point in time and is visualized in a user-friendly and intuitive way. The current paper describes the backbone of the IAQ-calculating algorithm. The algorithm is subsequently applied on a case study in which a mitigation action is implemented in a church.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000443254500006 Publication Date 2018-07-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3263 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:152329 Serial 8578
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Author Kang, T.-Y.; Kwon, J.-S.; Kumar, N.; Choi, E.; Kim, K.-M.
Title Effects of a Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet with Different Gas Sources and Modes of Treatment on the Fate of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Applied Sciences Abbreviated Journal Appl Sci-Basel
Volume 9 Issue 22 Pages 4819
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Despite numerous attempts to use human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in the field of tissue engineering, the control of their differentiation remains challenging. Here, we investigated possible applications of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (NTAPPJ) to control the differentiation of hMSCs. An air- or nitrogen-based NTAPPJ was applied to hMSCs in culture media, either directly or by media treatment in which the cells were plated after the medium was exposed to the NTAPPJ. The durations of exposure were 1, 2, and 4 min, and the control was not exposed to the NTAPPJ. The initial attachment of the cells was assessed by a water-soluble tetrazolium assay, and the gene expression in the cells was assessed through reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining. The results showed that the gene expression in the hMSCs was generally increased by the NTAPPJ exposure, but the enhancement was dependent on the conditions of the exposure, such as the source of the gas and the treatment method used. These results were attributed to the chemicals in the extracellular environment and the reactive oxygen species generated by the plasma. Hence, it was concluded that by applying the best conditions for the NTAPPJ exposure of hMSCs, the control of hMSC differentiation was possible, and therefore, exposure to an NTAPPJ is a promising method for tissue engineering.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000502570800096 Publication Date 2019-11-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.679 Times cited Open Access
Notes The plasma source was kindly provided by the Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Kwangwoon University. Approved Most recent IF: 1.679
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:164893 Serial 5435
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Author Peeters, J.; Steenackers, G.; Sfarra, S.; Legrand, S.; Ibarra-Castanedo, C.; Janssens, K.; van der Snickt, G.
Title IR reflectography and active thermography on artworks : the added value of the 1.53 µm band Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Applied Sciences Abbreviated Journal Appl Sci-Basel
Volume 8 Issue 1 Pages 50
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Infrared Radiation (IR) artwork inspection is typically performed through active thermography and reflectography with different setups and cameras. While Infrared Radiation Reflectography (IRR) is an established technique in the museum field, exploiting mainly the IR-A (0.71.4 µm) band to probe for hidden layers and modifications within the paint stratigraphy system, active thermography operating in the IR-C range (35 μ m) is less frequently employed with the aim to visualize structural defects and features deeper inside the build-up. In this work, we assess to which extent the less investigated IR-B band (1.53 μ m) can combine the information obtained from both setups. The application of IR-B systems is relatively rare as there are only a limited amount of commercial systems available due to the technical complexity of the lens coating. This is mainly added as a so-called broadband option on regular Mid-wave infrared radiation (MWIR) (IR-C/35 μ m) cameras to increase sensitivity for high temperature applications in industry. In particular, four objects were studied in both reflectographic and thermographic mode in the IR-B spectral range and their results benchmarked with IR-A and IR-C images. For multispectral application, a single benchmark is made with macroscopic reflection mode Fourier transform infrared (MA-rFTIR) results. IR-B proved valuable for visualisation of underdrawings, pencil marks, canvas fibres and wooden grain structures and potential pathways for additional applications such as pigment identification in multispectral mode or characterization of the support (panels, canvas) are indicated.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000424388800050 Publication Date 2018-01-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.679 Times cited 4 Open Access
Notes ; This research has been funded by the University of Antwerp and the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (VLAIO) by the support to the TETRA project 'SINT: Smart Integration of Numerical modelling and Thermal inspection' with project number HBC.2017.0032. Furthermore, the research leading to these results has received funding from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) travel grant V4.010.16N and the Stimpro stimuli of UAntwerpen under project ID 32864. We would like to end with a special thanks to the MiViM research chair of Prof. Xavier Maldague and the support of the full team in supporting the preliminary measurements of this research. ; Approved Most recent IF: 1.679
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:149164 Serial 5677
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Author Katiyar, K.S.; Lin, A.; Fridman, A.; Keating, C.E.; Cullen, D.K.; Miller, V.
Title Non-thermal plasma accelerates astrocyte regrowth and neurite regeneration following physical trauma in vitro Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Applied Sciences Abbreviated Journal Appl Sci-Basel
Volume 9 Issue 18 Pages 3747
Keywords A1 Journal article; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract Non-thermal plasma (NTP), defined as a partially ionized gas, is an emerging technology with several biomedical applications, including tissue regeneration. In particular, NTP treatment has been shown to activate endogenous biological processes to promote cell regrowth, differentiation, and proliferation in multiple cell types. However, the effects of this therapy on nervous system regeneration have not yet been established. Accordingly, the current study explored the effects of a nanosecond-pulsed dielectric barrier discharge plasma on neural regeneration. Following mechanical trauma in vitro, plasma was applied either directly to (1) astrocytes alone, (2) neurons alone, or (3) neurons or astrocytes in a non-contact co-culture. Remarkably, we identified NTP treatment intensities that accelerated both neurite regeneration and astrocyte regrowth. In astrocyte cultures alone, an exposure of 20-90 mJ accelerated astrocyte re-growth up to three days post-injury, while neurons required lower treatment intensities (<= 20 mJ) to achieve sub-lethal outgrowth. Following injury to neurons in non-contact co-culture with astrocytes, 20 mJ exposure of plasma to only neurons or astrocytes resulted in increased neurite regeneration at three days post-treatment compared to the untreated, but no enhancement was observed when both cell types were treated. At day seven, although regeneration further increased, NTP did not elicit a significant increase from the control. However, plasma exposure at higher intensities was found to be injurious, underscoring the need to optimize exposure levels. These results suggest that growth-promoting physiological responses may be elicited via properly calibrated NTP treatment to neurons and/or astrocytes. This could be exploited to accelerate neurite re-growth and modulate neuron-astrocyte interactions, thereby hastening nervous system regeneration.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000489115200107 Publication Date 2019-09-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.679 Times cited 2 Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.679
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:163799 Serial 6312
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Author Kaushik, N.K.; Bekeschus, S.; Tanaka, H.; Lin, A.; Choi, E.H.
Title Plasma medicine technologies Type Editorial
Year 2021 Publication Applied Sciences-Basel Abbreviated Journal Appl Sci-Basel
Volume 11 Issue 10 Pages 4584-4
Keywords Editorial; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT)
Abstract This Special Issue, entitled “Plasma Medicine Technologies”, covers the latest remarkable developments in the field of plasma bioscience and medicine. Plasma medicine is an interdisciplinary field that combines the principles of plasma physics, material science, bioscience, and medicine, towards the development of therapeutic strategies. A study on plasma medicine has yielded the development of new treatment opportunities in medical and dental sciences. An important aspect of this issue is the presentation of research underlying new therapeutic methods that are useful in medicine, dentistry, sterilization, and, in the current scenario, that challenge perspectives in biomedical sciences. This issue is focused on basic research on the characterization of the bioplasma sources applicable to living cells, especially to the human body, and fundamental research on the mutual interactions between bioplasma and organic–inorganic liquids, and bio or nanomaterials.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000662527200001 Publication Date 2021-05-18
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.679 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.679
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:178139 Serial 6771
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Jannis, D.; Müller-Caspary, K.; Béché, A.; Verbeeck, J.
Title Coincidence Detection of EELS and EDX Spectral Events in the Electron Microscope Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Applied Sciences-Basel Abbreviated Journal Appl Sci-Basel
Volume 11 Issue 19 Pages 9058
Keywords A1 Journal article; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract Recent advances in the development of electron and X-ray detectors have opened up the possibility to detect single events from which its time of arrival can be determined with nanosecond resolution. This allows observing time correlations between electrons and X-rays in the transmission electron microscope. In this work, a novel setup is described which measures individual events using a silicon drift detector and digital pulse processor for the X-rays and a Timepix3 detector for the electrons. This setup enables recording time correlation between both event streams while at the same time preserving the complete conventional electron energy loss (EELS) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) signal. We show that the added coincidence information improves the sensitivity for detecting trace elements in a matrix as compared to conventional EELS and EDX. Furthermore, the method allows the determination of the collection efficiencies without the use of a reference sample and can subtract the background signal for EELS and EDX without any prior knowledge of the background shape and without pre-edge fitting region. We discuss limitations in time resolution arising due to specificities of the silicon drift detector and discuss ways to further improve this aspect.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000710160300001 Publication Date 2021-09-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.679 Times cited 9 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, G042920 ; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 101017720 ; Helmholtz-Fonds, VH-NG-1317 ; Approved Most recent IF: 1.679
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:183336 Serial 6821
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Author Hillen, M.; Sels, S.; Ribbens, B.; Verspeek, S.; Janssens, K.; Van der Snickt, G.; Steenackers, G.
Title Qualitative Comparison of Lock-in Thermography (LIT) and Pulse Phase Thermography (PPT) in Mid-Wave and Long-Wave Infrared for the Inspection of Paintings Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Applied Sciences Abbreviated Journal Appl Sci-Basel
Volume 13 Issue 7 Pages 1-13
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Art; Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES); Antwerp X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy (AXIS)
Abstract When studying paintings with active infrared thermography (IRT), minimizing the temperature fluctuations and thermal shock during a measurement becomes important. Under these conditions, it might be beneficial to use lock-in thermography instead of the conventionally used pulse thermography (PT). This study compared the observations made with lock-in thermography (LIT) and pulse phase thermography (PPT) with halogen light excitation. Three distinctly different paintings were examined. The LIT measurements caused smaller temperature fluctuations and, overall, the phase images appeared to have a higher contrast and less noise. However, in the PPT phase images, the upper paint layer was less visible, an aspect which is of particular interest when trying to observe subsurface defects or the structure of the support. The influence of the spectral range of the cameras on the results was also investigated. All measurements were taken with a mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long wave infrared (LWIR) camera. The results show that there is a significant number of direct reflection artifacts, caused by the use of the halogen light sources when using the MWIR camera. Adding a long-pass filter to the MWIR camera eliminated most of these artifacts. All results are presented in a side-by-side comparison.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000972133900001 Publication Date 2023-03-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2023 IF: 1.679
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:194898 Serial 7333
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Author Hillen, M.; Legrand, S.; Dirkx, Y.; Janssens, K.; van der Snickt, G.; Caen, J.; Steenackers, G.
Title Cluster analysis of IR thermography data for differentiating glass types in historical leaded-glass windows Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Applied Sciences-Basel Abbreviated Journal Appl Sci-Basel
Volume 10 Issue 12 Pages 4255-13
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Antwerp Cultural Heritage Sciences (ARCHES); AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation)
Abstract Infrared thermography is a fast, non-destructive and contactless testing technique which is increasingly used in heritage science. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of infrared thermography, in combination with a data clustering approach, to differentiate between the different types of historical glass that were included in a colorless leaded-glass windows during previous restoration interventions. Inspection of the thermograms and the application of two data mining techniques on the thermal data, i.e., k-means clustering and hierarchical clustering, allowed identifying different groups of window panes that show a different thermal behavior. Both clustering approaches arrive at similar groupings of the glass with a clear separation of three types. However, the lead cames that hold the glass panes appear to have a substantial impact on the thermal behavior of the surrounding glass, thus preventing classification of the smallest glass panes. For the larger panes, this was not a critical issue as the center of the glass remained unaffected. Subtle visual color differences between panes, implying a variation in coloring metal ions, was not always distinguished by IRT. Nevertheless, data clustering assisted infrared thermography shows potential as an efficient and swift method for documenting the material intervention history of leaded-glass windows during or in preparation of conservation treatments.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000549351800001 Publication Date 2020-06-22
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2020 IF: 1.679
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:170012 Serial 7674
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Author Adhami Sayad Mahaleh, M.; Narimisa, M.; Nikiforov, A.; Gromov, M.; Gorbanev, Y.; Bitar, R.; Morent, R.; De Geyter, N.
Title Nitrogen Oxidation in a Multi-Pin Plasma System in the Presence and Absence of a Plasma/Liquid Interface Type A1 Journal Article
Year 2023 Publication Applied Sciences Abbreviated Journal Applied Sciences
Volume 13 Issue 13 Pages 7619
Keywords A1 Journal Article; Plasma, laser ablation and surface modeling Antwerp (PLASMANT) ;
Abstract The recent energy crisis revealed that there is a strong need to replace hydrocarbon-fueled industrial nitrogen fixation processes by alternative, more sustainable methods. In light of this, plasma-based nitrogen fixation remains one of the most promising options, considering both theoretical and experimental aspects. Lately, plasma interacting with water has received considerable attention in nitrogen fixation applications as it can trigger a unique gas- and liquid-phase chemistry. Within this context, a critical exploration of plasma-assisted nitrogen fixation with or without water presence is of great interest with an emphasis on energy costs, particularly in plasma reactors which have potential for large-scale industrial application. In this work, the presence of water in a multi-pin plasma system on nitrogen oxidation is experimentally investigated by comparing two pulsed negative DC voltage plasmas in metal–metal and metal–liquid electrode configurations. The plasma setups are designed to create similar plasma properties, including plasma power and discharge regime in both configurations. The system energy cost is calculated, considering nitrogen-containing species generated in gas and liquid phases as measured by a gas analyzer, nitrate sensor, and a colorimetry method. The energy cost profile as a function of specific energy input showed a strong dependency on the plasma operational frequency and the gas flow rate, as a result of different plasma operation regimes and initiated reverse processes. More importantly, the presence of the plasma/liquid interface increased the energy cost up to 14 ± 8%. Overall, the results showed that the presence of water in the reaction zone has a negative impact on the nitrogen fixation process.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001031217300001 Publication Date 2023-06-28
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3417 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.7 Times cited Open Access Not_Open_Access
Notes NITROPLASM FWO-FNRS Excellence of Science, 30505023 ; European Union-NextGenerationEU, G0G2322N ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.7; 2023 IF: 1.679
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:198153 Serial 8802
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Author Van Loenhout, J.; Peeters, M.; Bogaerts, A.; Smits, E.; Deben, C.
Title Oxidative Stress-Inducing Anticancer Therapies: Taking a Closer Look at Their Immunomodulating Effects Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Antioxidants Abbreviated Journal Antioxidants
Volume 9 Issue 12 Pages 1188
Keywords A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Center for Oncological Research (CORE)
Abstract Cancer cells are characterized by higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared to normal cells as a result of an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants. However, cancer cells maintain their redox balance due to their high antioxidant capacity. Recently, a high level of oxidative stress is considered a novel target for anticancer therapy. This can be induced by increasing exogenous ROS and/or inhibiting the endogenous protective antioxidant system. Additionally, the immune system has been shown to be a significant ally in the fight against cancer. Since ROS levels are important to modulate the antitumor immune response, it is essential to consider the effects of oxidative stress-inducing treatments on this response. In this review, we provide an overview of the mechanistic cellular responses of cancer cells towards exogenous and endogenous ROS-inducing treatments, as well as the indirect and direct antitumoral immune effects, which can be both immunostimulatory and/or immunosuppressive. For future perspectives, there is a clear need for comprehensive investigations of different oxidative stress-inducing treatment strategies and their specific immunomodulating effects, since the effects cannot be generalized over different treatment modalities. It is essential to elucidate all these underlying immune effects to make oxidative stress-inducing treatments effective anticancer therapy.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000602288600001 Publication Date 2020-11-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3921 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7 Times cited Open Access
Notes This research was funded by the Olivia Hendrickx Research Fund (21OCL06) and the University of Antwerp (FFB160231). Approved Most recent IF: 7; 2020 IF: NA
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:173865 Serial 6441
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Author De Backer, J.; Maric, D.; Zuhra, K.; Bogaerts, A.; Szabo, C.; Vanden Berghe, W.; Hoogewijs, D.
Title Cytoglobin Silencing Promotes Melanoma Malignancy but Sensitizes for Ferroptosis and Pyroptosis Therapy Response Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Antioxidants Abbreviated Journal Antioxidants
Volume 11 Issue 8 Pages 1548
Keywords A1 Journal article; Pharmacology. Therapy; Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine – Antwerp (PLASMANT); Proteinscience, proteomics and epigenetic signaling (PPES)
Abstract Despite recent advances in melanoma treatment, there are still patients that either do not respond or develop resistance. This unresponsiveness and/or acquired resistance to therapy could be explained by the fact that some melanoma cells reside in a dedifferentiated state. Interestingly, this dedifferentiated state is associated with greater sensitivity to ferroptosis, a lipid peroxidation-reliant, iron-dependent form of cell death. Cytoglobin (CYGB) is an iron hexacoordinated globin that is highly enriched in melanocytes and frequently downregulated during melanomagenesis. In this study, we investigated the potential effect of CYGB on the cellular sensitivity towards (1S, 3R)-RAS-selective lethal small molecule (RSL3)-mediated ferroptosis in the G361 melanoma cells with abundant endogenous expression. Our findings show that an increased basal ROS level and higher degree of lipid peroxidation upon RSL3 treatment contribute to the increased sensitivity of CYGB knockdown G361 cells to ferroptosis. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis demonstrates the enrichment of multiple cancer malignancy pathways upon CYGB knockdown, supporting a tumor-suppressive role for CYGB. Remarkably, CYGB knockdown also triggers activation of the NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and subsequent induction of pyroptosis target genes. Altogether, we show that silencing of CYGB expression modulates cancer therapy sensitivity via regulation of ferroptosis and pyroptosis cell death signaling pathways.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000846411000001 Publication Date 2022-08-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2076-3921 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 7
Call Number PLASMANT @ plasmant @c:irua:190686 Serial 7102
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Author Mazhar, R.; Azadi, H.; Van Passel, S.; Varnik, R.; Pietrzykowski, M.; Skominas, R.; Wei, Z.; Xuehao, B.
Title Does contract length matter? The impact of various contract-farming regimes on land-improvement investment and the efficiency of contract farmers in Pakistan Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Agriculture (Basel) Abbreviated Journal
Volume 13 Issue 9 Pages 1651-16
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering Management (ENM)
Abstract Land-tenure security is integral to local communities' socioeconomic development. It has been a center of debate in academia and for legislators and advocates to implement reforms to enhance efficient and sustainable development in land management. Yet, knowledge gaps remain in how various contract-farming regimes contribute to land-improvement investment and technical efficiency. This study used a data set of 650 farm households collected through a two-stage stratified sampling to investigate the influence of three contract-farming regimes: long-term, medium-term, and short-term contracts, on the land-improvement investment, productivity, and technical efficiency of contract farmers in Punjab, Pakistan. The study used multivariate probit and ordinary least square regression models to examine the posit relationships. The findings highlight that farmers with long-term land contracts have higher per hectare yield, income and profit than those with medium-term and short-term contracts. The results confirm that farmers with medium- and long-term contracts tend to invest more in land-improvement measures, i.e., organic and green manure. Further, the study findings demonstrate that long-term land tenures are more effective when farmers make decisions regarding the on-farm infrastructure, like tube-well installation, tractor ownership, and holding farm logistics. Last, the study results confirm that long-term contracts are more robust regarding technical efficiency. Moreover, the findings support the Marshallian inefficiency hypothesis and extend the literature on contract farming, land-improvement investment, and land use policy, and offer coherent policy actions for stakeholders to improve farmers' productivity, technical efficiency, and income.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001071045300001 Publication Date 2023-08-22
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2077-0472 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:200373 Serial 9201
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Author Leus, K.; Dendooven, J.; Tahir, N.; Ramachandran, R.; Meledina, M.; Turner, S.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Goeman, J.; Van der Eycken, J.; Detavernier, C.; Van Der Voort, P.
Title Atomic Layer Deposition of Pt Nanoparticles within the Cages of MIL-101: A Mild and Recyclable Hydrogenation Catalyst Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Nanomaterials Abbreviated Journal Nanomaterials-Basel
Volume 6 Issue 6 Pages 45
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT)
Abstract We present the in situ synthesis of Pt nanoparticles within MIL-101-Cr (MIL = Materials Institute Lavoisier) by means of atomic layer deposition (ALD). The obtained Pt@MIL-101 materials were characterized by means of N2 adsorption and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) measurements, showing that the structure of the metal organic framework was well preserved during the ALD deposition. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis confirmed the deposition of highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles with sizes determined by the MIL-101-Cr pore sizes and with an increased Pt loading for an increasing number of ALD cycles. The Pt@MIL-101 material was examined as catalyst in the hydrogenation of different linear and cyclic olefins at room temperature, showing full conversion for each substrate. Moreover, even under solvent free conditions, full conversion of the substrate was observed. A high concentration test has been performed showing that the Pt@MIL-101 is stable for a long reaction time without loss of activity, crystallinity and with very low Pt leaching.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000373533300009 Publication Date 2016-03-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2079-4991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.553 Times cited 19 Open Access
Notes Karen Leus acknowledges the financial support from the Ghent University “Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds” BOF post-doctoral Grant 01P06813T and UGent “Geconcentreeerde Onderzoekacties” GOA Grant 01G00710. Jolien Dendooven and Stuart Turner gratefully acknowledges the “Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek” FWO Vlaanderen for a post-doctoral scholarship. Christophe Detavernier thanks the FWO Vlaanderen, BOF-UGent (GOA 01G01513) and the Hercules Foundation (AUGE/09/014) for financial support. The Titan microscope used for this investigation was partially funded by the Hercules foundation of the Flemish government. This work was supported by the “Belgian Interuniversitaire Attractie Pool-Pôle d'Attraction Interuniversitaire” IAP-PAI network. Approved Most recent IF: 3.553
Call Number c:irua:131902 Serial 4015
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Author Liao, T.-W.; Verbruggen, S.; Claes, N.; Yadav, A.; Grandjean, D.; Bals, S.; Lievens, P.
Title TiO2 Films Modified with Au Nanoclusters as Self-Cleaning Surfaces under Visible Light Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Nanomaterials Abbreviated Journal Nanomaterials-Basel
Volume 8 Issue 8 Pages 30
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract In this study, we applied cluster beam deposition (CBD) as a new approach for fabricating efficient plasmon-based photocatalytic materials. Au nanoclusters (AuNCs) produced in the gas phase were deposited on TiO2 P25-coated silicon wafers with coverage ranging from 2 to 8 atomic monolayer (ML) equivalents. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of the AuNCs modified TiO2 P25 films show that the surface is uniformly covered by the AuNCs that remain isolated at low coverage (2 ML, 4 ML) and aggregate at higher coverage (8 ML). A clear relationship between AuNCs coverage and photocatalytic activity towards stearic acid photo-oxidation was measured, both under ultraviolet and green light illumination. TiO2 P25 covered with 4 ML AuNCs showed the best stearic acid photo-oxidation performance under green light illumination (Formal Quantum Efficiency 1.6 x 10-6 over a period of 93 h). These results demonstrate the large potential of gas-phase AuNCs beam deposition technology for the fabrication of visible light active plasmonic photocatalysts.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000424131600030 Publication Date 2018-01-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN (up) 2079-4991 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.553 Times cited 29 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n 607417 (Catsense). We also thank the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO, Belgium), the Flemish Concerted Action (BOF KU Leuven, Project No. GOA/14/007) research program, and the microscope was partly funded by the Hercules Fund from the Flemish Government for the support. N.C. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078-COLOURATOM). ECAS_Sara (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:can); Approved Most recent IF: 3.553
Call Number EMAT @ emat @c:irua:147898UA @ admin @ c:irua:147898 Serial 4805
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