bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wettability of Wood Surface Layer Examined From Chemical Change Perspective
Authors: Papp Eva Annamaria , Csiha Csilla , Makk Adam Nandor , Hofmann Tamas , Csoka Levente
Published: March 2020

The effect of artificial ageing on spruce (Picea abies), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), birch (Betula pendula), and sessile oak (Quercus petraea) wood surfaces were investigated using qualitative (total phenolic and total soluble carbohydrate content) chemical examination methods. During ageing (∑240h), the influence of surface chemistry modifications was monitored by contact angle measurements of polar, dispersive (distilled water), and dispersive (diiodomethane) liquids. The results clearly show the relation between the ratio of main chemical components of the wood surface layer and surface wettability during artificial radiation. The identified surface chemistry modifications cause more significant change in the contact angle of polar and dispersive liquid, relative to the change of dispersive liquid contact angle. Chemical changes of the wood surface layer are due to the degradation of the main wood components (cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin) which can be properly monitored by total phenolic (TPC) and total soluble carbohydrate content (TSCC) measurements.
A Comparative Study of the Electrochemical Behavior of α and β Phase Ti6Al4V Alloy in Ringer’s Solution
Authors: Luqman Monis , Seikh Asiful H. , Sarkar Amit , Ragab Sameh A. , Mohammed Jabair A. , Ijaz Muhammad Farzik , Abdo Hany S.
Published: March 2020

Owing to their superior biocompatibility, titanium and its alloys are often the first choice for implant materials in biomedical applications, especially for dental and bone repairs (orthodontics and prosthodontics). Titanium has low density and shows good mechanical and chemical properties. Although Ti-6Al-4V alloy exhibits excellent corrosion resistance properties, the metal ions released during corrosion are likely to induce aseptic loosening in long-term implantations. In the present study, Ti-6Al-4V alloy was subjected to two specific heat treatments, namely, air cooling and water quenching. The potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements revealed remarkable improvement in the corrosion resistance properties of the heat-treated specimens. The presence of the β phase is a plausible reason for the improvement. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction phase composition analysis, and microstructural characterization were performed to confirm the presence of the β phase.
Introducing the Facility List Coder: A New Dataset/Method to Evaluate Community Food Environments
Authors: Arcila-Agudelo Ana María , Muñoz-Mora Juan Carlos , Farran-Codina Andreu
Published: March 2020

Community food environments have been shown to be important determinants to explain dietary patterns. This data descriptor describes a typical dataset obtained after applying the Facility List Coder (FLC), a new tool to asses community food environments that was validated and presented. The FLC was developed in Python 3.7 combining GIS analysis with standard data techniques. It offers a low-cost, scalable, efficient, and user-friendly way to indirectly identify community nutritional environments in any context. The FLC uses the most open access information to identify the facilities (e.g., convenience food store, bar, bakery, etc.) present around a location of interest (e.g., school, hospital, or university). As a result, researchers will have a comprehensive list of facilities around any location of interest allowing the assessment of key research questions on the influence of the community food environment on different health outcomes (e.g., obesity, physical inactivity, or diet quality). The FLC can be used either as a main source of information or to complement traditional methods such as store census and official commercial lists, among others.
Linking Sustainable Development Goals with Thermal Comfort and Lighting Conditions in Educational Environments
Authors: Montiel Isabel , Mayoral Asunción M. , Navarro Pedreño José , Maiques Silvia , Marco Dos Santos Gema
Published: March 2020

The present paper deals with a wide range of issues related to the environmental quality in learning spaces, such as thermal and visual comfort, as well as energy efficiency. All of these issues fall under the umbrella of the UN Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Upon reviewing publications of past studies, interviews were conducted and questionnaires were distributed in public high schools in the province of Alicante, located in the Southeast of Spain. Sixteen high schools were selected for the interviews. Fifteen in the city of Elche, which is the total amount of the high schools in the city. One additional high school that was considered important for this research was included in the study due to the characteristics of the building design, excessively exposed to weather conditions. Significant differences were observed between schools built before 2000 and those built after that date. The latter, surprisingly, not more thermally and visually comfortable or energy efficient. The knowledge gained from our investigation will be of great benefit for architects, designers, engineers, school planners and principals in order to establish stronger connections between infrastructures and SDGs. A chart linking recommendations with specific SDGs is also included in this study.
Electromagnetic Field Based WPT Technologies for UAVs: A Comprehensive Survey
Authors: Nguyen Minh T. , Nguyen Cuong V. , Truong Linh H. , Le Anh M. , Quyen Toan V. , Masaracchia Antonino , Teague Keith A.
Published: March 2020

Wireless power transfer (WPT) techniques are important in a variety of applications in both civilian and military fields. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being used for many practical purposes, such as monitoring or delivering payloads. There is a trade-off between the weight of the UAVs or their batteries and their flying time. Their working time is expected to be as long as possible. In order to support the UAVs to work effectively, WPT techniques are applied with UAVs to charge secondary energy supply sources in order to increase their working time. This paper reviews common techniques of WPT deployed with UAVs to support them while working for different purposes. Numerous approaches have been considered to illustrate techniques to exploit WPT techniques. The charging distances, energy harvesting techniques, electronic device improvements, transmitting issues, etc., are considered to provide an overview of common problems in utilizing and charging UAVs. Moreover, specific problems are addressed to support suitable solutions with either techniques or applications for UAVs.
Framework Integrating Lossy Compression and Perturbation for the Case of Smart Meter Privacy
Authors: Plenz Maik , Dong Chaoyu , Grumm Florian , Meyer Marc Florian , Schumann Marc , McCulloch Malcom , Jia Hongjie , Schulz Detlef
Published: March 2020

The encoding of high-resolution energy profile datasets from end-users generated by smart electricity meters while maintaining the fidelity of relevant information seems to be one of the backbones of smart electrical markets. In the end-user sphere of smart grids, specific load curves of households can easily be utilized to aggregate detailed information about customer’s daily activities, which would be attractive for cyber attacks. Based on a dataset measured by a smart meter installed in a German household, this paper integrates two complementary approaches to encrypt load profile datasets. On the one hand, the paper explains an integration of a lossy compression and classification technique, which is usable for individual energy consumption profiles of households. On the other hand, a perturbation approach with the Gaussian distribution is used to enhance the safety of a large amount of privacy profiles. By this complete workflow, involving the compression and perturbation, the developed framework sufficiently cut off the chance of de-noising attacks on private data and implement an additional, easy-to-handle layer of data security.
Response of Soil CO2 Efflux to Shelterwood Harvesting in a Mature Temperate Pine Forest
Authors: Thorne Robin , Khomik Myroslava , Hayman Emily , Arain Altaf
Published: March 2020

In forest ecosystems, soil CO2 efflux is an important component of ecosystem respiration (RE), which is generally driven by variability in soil temperature and soil moisture. Tree harvesting in forests can alter the soil variables and, consequently, impact soil CO2 efflux. This study investigated the response of total soil CO2 efflux, and its components, to a shelterwood harvesting event of a mature temperate white pine (Pinus strobus L.) forest located in Southern Ontario, Canada. The objective was to explore the response of soil CO2 effluxes to changes in the forest microclimate, such as soil temperature and soil moisture, after shelterwood harvesting removed approximately one-third of the overstory canopy. No significant differences were found in both soil temperature and soil moisture between the pre-harvesting (2008–2011) and post-harvesting (2012–2014) periods. Despite similar soil microclimates, total soil CO2 effluxes were significantly reduced by up to 37%. Soil CO2 effluxes from heterotrophic sources were significantly reduced post-harvesting by approximately 27%, while no significant difference in the mineral-soil horizon sources were measured. An analysis of RE, measured with an eddy covariance tower over the study area, showed an increase post-harvesting. However, the overall net ecosystem carbon exchange showed no significant difference between pre- and post-harvesting. This was due to an increase in the gross ecosystem productivity post-harvesting, compensating for the increased losses (i.e., increased RE). This study highlights the complexities of soil CO2 efflux after a disturbance, such as a harvest. The knowledge gained from this study adds to our understanding of how shelterwood harvesting may influence ecosystem carbon exchange and will be useful for forest managers focused on carbon sequestration and forest conservation.
Association Between Back Muscle Strength and Proprioception or Mechanoreceptor Control Strategy in Postural Balance in Elderly Adults with Lumbar Spondylosis
Authors: Ito Tadashi , Sakai Yoshihito , Ito Yohei , Yamazaki Kazunori , Morita Yoshifumi
Published: March 2020

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between back muscle strength and proprioception or mechanoreceptor control strategies used for postural balance in elderly adults with lumbar spondylosis. The displacement of the center of pressure (COP) excursion was determined in 24 elderly adults with lumbar spondylosis and 24 healthy young adults while the participants were standing upright on a balance board with their eyes closed. Vibratory stimulations of 30, 60, and 240 Hz were applied to the gastrocnemius (GS) and lumbar multifidus (LM) muscles to evaluate the effect of different proprioceptive signals on postural control. Back muscle strength was evaluated. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationship between back muscle strength and significant COP excursion. Compared with young adults, elderly adults with lumbar spondylosis showed an increase in COP excursion displacement when a vibratory stimulation of 240 Hz was applied to the GS (P = 0.002) and LM muscles (P < 0.001). LM stimulation at 240 Hz was significantly associated with back muscle strength (P = 0.038). Postural control assessment with 240-Hz mechanoreceptor stimulation of the trunk could be a good indicator of postural instability due to over-dependence on mechanoreceptors and back muscle weakness in elderly adults with lumbar spondylosis.
Widespread Difficulties and Applications in the Monitoring of Historical Buildings: The Case of the Realm of Venaria Reale
Authors: Bonora Anna , Fabbri Kristian , Pretelli Marco
Published: March 2020

Environmental monitoring represents a key step for restaurateurs to follow who strive to ensure the preservation of buildings and artifacts while allowing for people’s thermal comfort. This paper describes the possibilities and main issues arising from the study of indoor microclimates. The presented case study focuses on the monitoring data analysis for two rooms of the Realm of Venaria Reale, in Turin. The adopted methodology provides for the gathering of knowledge about the history, the geometry, and the change of use in the course of the lifetime of the building. This information allows us to construct a virtual model of the building, through which it is possible to evaluate the past and present and to hypothesize future scenarios regarding the indoor environmental conditions. Moreover, this paper presents a specific index, namely the Heritage Microclimate Risk (HMR), which enables us to evaluate the risk level to which the artifacts kept within historic buildings are exposed. With that database of information, we can preemptively define which actions (managerial and structural) would need to be taken for the preservation of the artifacts and the building itself, avoiding the possible risk component taken by working on the real building.
Analysing the Police Patrol Routing Problem: A Review
Authors: Dewinter Maite , Vandeviver Christophe , Vander Beken Tom , Witlox Frank
Published: March 2020

Police patrol is a complex process. While on patrol, police officers must balance many intersecting responsibilities. Most notably, police must proactively patrol and prevent offenders from committing crimes but must also reactively respond to real-time incidents. Efficient patrol strategies are crucial to manage scarce police resources and minimize emergency response times. The objective of this review paper is to discuss solution methods that can be used to solve the so-called police patrol routing problem (PPRP). The starting point of the review is the existing literature on the dynamic vehicle routing problem (DVRP). A keyword search resulted in 30 articles that focus on the DVRP with a link to police. Although the articles refer to policing, there is no specific focus on the PPRP; hence, there is a knowledge gap. A diversity of approaches is put forward ranging from more convenient solution methods such as a (hybrid) Genetic Algorithm (GA), linear programming and routing policies, to more complex Markov Decision Processes and Online Stochastic Combinatorial Optimization. Given the objectives, characteristics, advantages and limitations, the (hybrid) GA, routing policies and local search seem the most valuable solution methods for solving the PPRP.
Analyzing Road Coverage of Public Vehicles According to Number and Time Period for Installation of Road Inspection Systems
Authors: Kashiyama Takehiro , Sekimoto Yoshihide , Seto Toshikazu , Lwin Ko Ko
Published: March 2020

Shortages of engineers and financial resources have made it difficult for municipalities to identify and address problems with aging road infrastructures. To resolve these problems, numerous studies have focused on automating road inspection, including a study in which we developed a smartphone-based road inspection system. For efficient operation of the system, it is necessary to understand the usage of vehicles in which the system will be installed. In this study, we analyzed the usage of public vehicles with long-term global positioning system (GPS) probe data collected from public vehicles operating in Kakogawa city and Fujisawa city in Japan. As a result, we discovered that local governments of the same size have similar tendencies in terms of road coverage. Moreover, we found that installing road inspection systems on only a few public vehicles can cover the entire road inspection area. We anticipate that these results will assist local governments in making informed decisions during the system introduction process and provide an indicator of the accuracy required for road inspection systems to future researchers.
Retro-Fitting Earth-Field Compensation Coils to the Vertical Cryostat GERSEMI in FREIA
Authors: Ziemann Volker , Wedberg Rolf , Peterson Tord , Wirén Anders
Published: March 2020

We describe the design and construction of coils to compensate the Earth’s magnetic field in the vertical cryostat GERSEMI in the FREIA laboratory at Uppsala University.
An Integrated GIS Methodology to Assess the Impact of Engineering Maintenance Activities: A Case Study of Dredging Projects
Authors: Magaña Pedro , Reyes-Merlo Miguel Á. , Tintoré Ángela , Zarzuelo Carmen , Ortega-Sánchez Miguel
Published: March 2020

Engineering infrastructures require regular maintenance and/or repair activities that have important social, environmental, and economic impacts. Despite their growing importance, few studies have focused on fully integrated analyses. This work presents a general methodological approach to design databases of engineering maintenance activities for their assessment. This methodology was applied to the case of dredging projects in the ports managed by the Andalusian Regional Government (Spain). The resulting database contains 87 fields of information obtained from the analysis of 70 activities performed between 1993 and 2015. This database is free, public, and available to the scientific community, and it was implemented in PostgreSQL using the PostGIS extension for spatial data; therefore, it can be integrated in a GIS. The assessment of deviations from the initial projects and the comparison between locations enhanced our methodology, which represents a valuable tool not only for scientists and managers to improve the decision-making process when planning future strategies, but also to evaluate the environmental impacts.
rGO/GO Nanosheets in Tribology: From the State of the Art to the Future Prospective
Authors: Sarno Maria , Scarpa Davide , Senatore Adolfo , Ahmed Abdalglil Mustafa Waleed
Published: March 2020

In the last few decades, in the lubricant industry, the request for new performing additives has been becoming imperative. In this scenario, control at the nanoscale can be the key factor for the improvement of more efficient nanolubricants. Herein, after a discussion about the nanoparticles’ four main lubrication mechanisms, considerable attention is devoted to the usage of reduced graphene oxide/graphene oxide (rGO/GO) nanosheets in tribology. Moreover, graphene surface functionalization is reviewed, also including unexplored results in the field of lubrication. As far as the literature is concerned, it can be postulated that rGO/GO nanosheets can reduce wear and friction. Wear reduction is obtained by deposition and film formation, while friction reduction is related more to the shear and lamination of the sheets on the contacting surfaces. Nevertheless, the two phenomena are interrelated and work in sync. In this context, it is of high importance to form a homogenous suspension for a continuous nanosheet supply after deposition and shearing. The focus of this review was placed on the main issues still to be overcome, e.g., the literature results in rationalization; dispersion stability enhancement; and finding the optimum concentration in the delicate balance of different components. Possible solutions for their efficient overcoming are eventually reported.
Numerical Investigation on the Swimming of Gyrotactic Microorganisms in Nanofluids through Porous Medium over a Stretched Surface
Authors: Shahid Anwar , Huang Hulin , Bhatti Muhammad Mubashir , Zhang Lijun , Ellahi Rahmat
Published: March 2020

In this article, the effects of swimming gyrotactic microorganisms for magnetohydrodynamics nanofluid using Darcy law are investigated. The numerical results of nonlinear coupled mathematical model are obtained by means of Successive Local Linearization Method. This technique is based on a simple notion of the decoupling systems of equations utilizing the linearization of the unknown functions sequentially according to the order of classifying the system of governing equations. The linearized equations, that developed a sequence of linear differential equations along with variable coefficients, were solved by employing the Chebyshev spectral collocation method. The convergence speed of the SLLM technique can be willingly upgraded by successive applying over relaxation method. The comparison of current study with available published literature has been made for the validation of obtained results. It is found that the reported numerical method is in perfect accord with the said similar methods. The results are displayed through tables and graphs.
Large Constant-Sign Solutions of Discrete Dirichlet Boundary Value Problems with p-Mean Curvature Operator
Authors: Wang Jianxia , Zhou Zhan
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we consider the existence of infinitely many large constant-sign solutions for a discrete Dirichlet boundary value problem involving p -mean curvature operator. The methods are based on the critical point theory and truncation techniques. Our results are obtained by requiring appropriate oscillating behaviors of the non-linear term at infinity, without any symmetry assumptions.
Torsion Discriminance for Stability of Linear Time-Invariant Systems
Authors: Wang Yuxin , Sun Huafei , Cao Yueqi , Zhang Shiqiang
Published: March 2020

This paper extends the former approaches to describe the stability of n-dimensional linear time-invariant systems via the torsion τ ( t ) of the state trajectory. For a system r ˙ ( t ) = A r ( t ) where A is invertible, we show that (1) if there exists a measurable set E 1 with positive Lebesgue measure, such that r ( 0 ) ∈ E 1 implies that lim t → + ∞ τ ( t ) ≠ 0 or lim t → + ∞ τ ( t ) does not exist, then the zero solution of the system is stable; (2) if there exists a measurable set E 2 with positive Lebesgue measure, such that r ( 0 ) ∈ E 2 implies that lim t → + ∞ τ ( t ) = + ∞ , then the zero solution of the system is asymptotically stable. Furthermore, we establish a relationship between the ith curvature ( i = 1 , 2 , ⋯ ) of the trajectory and the stability of the zero solution when A is similar to a real diagonal matrix.
A Novel Non-Isotonic Statistical Bivariate Regression Method—Application to Stratigraphic Data Modeling and Interpolation
Authors: Polucci Daniele , Marchetti Michele , Fiori Simone
Published: March 2020

The present paper deals with nonlinear, non-monotonic data regression. This paper introduces an efficient algorithm to perform data transformation from non-monotonic to monotonic to be paired with a statistical bivariate regression method. The proposed algorithm is applied to a number of synthetic and real-world non-monotonic data sets to test its effectiveness. The proposed novel non-isotonic regression algorithm is also applied to a collection of data about strontium isotope stratigraphy and compared to a LOWESS regression tool.
Optimization of Thermal Processes Applied to Hypoeutectic White Cast Iron containing 25% Cr Aimed at Increasing Erosive Wear Resistance
Authors: Gonzalez-Pociño Alejandro , Alvarez-Antolin Florentino , Asensio-Lozano Juan
Published: March 2020

Hypoeutectic white cast irons containing 25% Cr are used in very demanding environments that require high resistance to erosive wear, for instance, the crushing and processing of minerals or the manufacture of cement. This high percentage in Cr, in turn, favors corrosion resistance. The application of a Design of Experiments (DoE) allows the analysis of the effects of modifying certain factors related to the heat treatments applied to these alloys. Among these factors, the influence of prior softening treatment to facilitate the machining of these cast irons and the influence of the factors related to the destabilization of austenite, during both quenching and tempering, were analyzed. The precipitated phases were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), while the Rietveld structural refinement method was used to determine their percentages by weight. Erosive wear resistance was calculated using the ASTM G76 standard test method. It is concluded that the thermal softening treatment, consisting of 2 h at 1000 °C and 24 h at 700 °C, does not result in additional softening of the material compared to its as-cast state. Furthermore, it is observed that not only eutectic carbides influence wear resistance, but that the influence of the matrix constituent is also significant. It is also verified that the tempering treatment plays a decisive role in wear resistance. Temperatures of 500 °C and tempering times of 6 h increase the wear resistance and hardness of the aforementioned matrix constituent. Tempering temperatures of 200 °C lead to an increase in retained austenite content and the presence of M3C carbides versus mixed M7C3 and M23C6 carbides. The quench cooling medium is not found to have a significant influence on the hardness or wear resistance.
A Microfluidic Biosensor Based on Magnetic Nanoparticle Separation, Quantum Dots Labeling and MnO2 Nanoflower Amplification for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Salmonella Typhimurium
Authors: Hao Li , Xue Li , Huang Fengchun , Cai Gaozhe , Qi Wuzhen , Zhang Miao , Han Qing’an , Wang Zengli , Lin Jianhan
Published: March 2020

Screening of foodborne pathogens is an effective way to prevent microbial food poisoning. A microfluidic biosensor was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of Salmonella Typhimurium using quantum dots (QDs) as fluorescent probes for sensor readout and manganese dioxide nanoflowers (MnO2 NFs) and as QDs nanocarriers for signal amplification. Prior to testing, amino-modified MnO2 nanoflowers (MnO2-NH2 NFs) were conjugated with carboxyl-modified QDs through EDC/NHSS method to form MnO2-QD NFs, and MnO2-QD NFs were functionalized with polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) to form MnO2-QD-pAb NFs. First, the mixture of target Salmonella Typhimurium cells and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) modified with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) was injected with MnO2-QD-pAb NFs into a microfluidic chip to form MNP-bacteria-QD-MnO2 complexes. Then, glutathione (GSH) was injected to dissolve MnO2 on the complexes into Mn2+, resulting in the release of QDs. Finally, fluorescent intensity of the released QDs was measured using the fluorescent detector to determine the amount of Salmonella. A linear relationship between fluorescent intensity and bacterial concentration from 1.0 × 102 to 1.0 × 107 CFU/mL was found with a low detection limit of 43 CFU/mL and mean recovery of 99.7% for Salmonella in spiked chicken meats, indicating the feasibility of this biosensor for practical applications.
Biomarkers for Point-of-Care Diagnosis of Sepsis
Authors: Teggert Andrew , Datta Harish , Ali Zulfiqur
Published: March 2020

Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. In 2017, almost 50 million cases of sepsis were recorded worldwide and 11 million sepsis-related deaths were reported. Therefore, sepsis is the focus of intense research to better understand the complexities of sepsis response, particularly the twin underlying concepts of an initial hyper-immune response and a counter-immunological state of immunosuppression triggered by an invading pathogen. Diagnosis of sepsis remains a significant challenge. Prompt diagnosis is essential so that treatment can be instigated as early as possible to ensure the best outcome, as delay in treatment is associated with higher mortality. In order to address this diagnostic problem, use of a panel of biomarkers has been proposed as, due to the complexity of the sepsis response, no single marker is sufficient. This review provides background on the current understanding of sepsis in terms of its epidemiology, the evolution of the definition of sepsis, pathobiology and diagnosis and management. Candidate biomarkers of interest and how current and developing point-of-care testing approaches could be used to measure such biomarkers is discussed.
Cell Lysis Based on an Oscillating Microbubble Array
Authors: Liu Xiufang , Li Jinyuan , Zhang Liangyu , Huang Xiaowei , Farooq Umar , Pang Na , Zhou Wei , Qi Lin , Xu Lisheng , Niu Lili , Meng Long
Published: March 2020

Cell lysis is a process of breaking cell membranes to release intracellular substances such as DNA, RNA, protein, or organelles from a cell. The detection of DNA, RNA, or protein from the lysed cells is of importance for cancer diagnostics and drug screening. In this study, we develop a microbubble array that enables the realization of multiple cell lysis induced by the shear stress resulting from the individual oscillating microbubbles. The oscillating microbubbles in the channel have similar vibration amplitudes, and the intracellular substances can be released from the individual cells efficiently. Moreover, the efficiency of cell lysis increases with increments of input voltage and sonication time. By means of DNA agarose-gel electrophoresis, a sufficient extraction amount of DNA released from the lysed cells can be detected, and there is no significant difference in lysis efficiency when compared to cell lysis achieved using commercial kits. With the advantages of the simple manufacturing process, low cost, high efficiency, and high speed, this device can serve as an efficient and versatile tool for the single-cell sequencing of cell biology research, disease diagnosis, and stem cell therapy.
Complete Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas psychrotolerans CS51, a Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterium, Under Heavy Metal Stress Conditions
Authors: Kang Sang-Mo , Asaf Sajjad , Khan Abdul Latif , Lubna  , Khan Adil , Mun Bong-Gyu , Khan Muhammad Aaqil , Gul Humaira , Lee In-Jung
Published: March 2020

In the current study, we aimed to elucidate the plant growth-promoting characteristics of Pseudomonas psychrotolerans CS51 under heavy metal stress conditions (Zn, Cu, and Cd) and determine the genetic makeup of the CS51 genome using the single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology of Pacific Biosciences. The results revealed that inoculation with CS51 induced endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellins (GAs), which significantly enhanced cucumber growth (root shoot length) and increased the heavy metal tolerance of cucumber plants. Moreover, genomic analysis revealed that the CS51 genome consisted of a circular chromosome of 5,364,174 base pairs with an average G+C content of 64.71%. There were around 4774 predicted protein-coding sequences (CDSs) in 4859 genes, 15 rRNA genes, and 67 tRNA genes. Around 3950 protein-coding genes with function prediction and 733 genes without function prediction were identified. Furthermore, functional analyses predicted that the CS51 genome could encode genes required for auxin biosynthesis, nitrate and nitrite ammonification, the phosphate-specific transport system, and the sulfate transport system, which are beneficial for plant growth promotion. The heavy metal resistance of CS51 was confirmed by the presence of genes responsible for cobalt-zinc-cadmium resistance, nickel transport, and copper homeostasis in the CS51 genome. The extrapolation of the curve showed that the core genome contained a minimum of 2122 genes (95% confidence interval = 2034.24 to 2080.215). Our findings indicated that the genome sequence of CS51 may be used as an eco-friendly bioresource to promote plant growth in heavy metal-contaminated areas.
Perfect Dual-Band Absorber Based on Plasmonic Effect with the Cross-Hair/Nanorod Combination
Authors: Chou Chau Yuan-Fong , Chou Chao Chung-Ting , Huang Hung Ji , Kooh Muhammad Raziq Rahimi , Kumara N. T. R. N. , Lim Chee Ming , Chiang Hai-Pang
Published: March 2020

Plasmonic effect using a cross-hair can convey strongly localized surface plasmon modes among the separated composite nanostructures. Compared to its counterpart without the cross-hair, this characteristic has the remarkable merit of enhancing absorptance at resonance and can make the structure carry out a dual-band plasmonic perfect absorber (PPA). In this paper, we propose and design a novel dual-band PPA with a gathering of four metal-shell nanorods using a cross-hair operating at visible and near-infrared regions. Two absorptance peaks at 1050 nm and 750 nm with maximal absorptance of 99.59% and 99.89% for modes 1 and 2, respectively, are detected. High sensitivity of 1200 nm refractive unit (1/RIU), figure of merit of 26.67 and Q factor of 23.33 are acquired, which are very remarkable compared with the other PPAs. In addition, the absorptance in mode 1 is about nine times compared to its counterpart without the cross-hair. The proposed structure gives a novel inspiration for the design of a tunable dual-band PPA, which can be exploited for plasmonic sensor and other nanophotonic devices.
Growth of Self-Catalyzed InAs/InSb Axial Heterostructured Nanowires: Experiment and Theory
Authors: Arif Omer , Zannier Valentina , Dubrovskii Vladimir G. , Shtrom Igor V. , Rossi Francesca , Beltram Fabio , Sorba Lucia
Published: March 2020

The growth mechanisms of self-catalyzed InAs/InSb axial nanowire heterostructures are thoroughly investigated as a function of the In and Sb line pressures and growth time. Some interesting phenomena are observed and analyzed. In particular, the presence of In droplet on top of InSb segment is shown to be essential for forming axial heterostructures in the self-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid mode. Axial versus radial growth rates of InSb segment are investigated under different growth conditions and described within a dedicated model containing no free parameters. It is shown that widening of InSb segment with respect to InAs stem is controlled by the vapor-solid growth on the nanowire sidewalls rather than by the droplet swelling. The In droplet can even shrink smaller than the nanowire facet under Sb-rich conditions. These results shed more light on the growth mechanisms of self-catalyzed heterostructures and give clear route for engineering the morphology of InAs/InSb axial nanowire heterostructures for different applications.
Impact of Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Nutrition Interventions on Breastfeeding Practices, Growth and Mortality in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Systematic Review
Authors: Lassi Zohra S. , Rind Fahad , Irfan Omar , Hadi Rabia , Das Jai K. , Bhutta Zulfiqar A.
Published: March 2020

Undernutrition is associated with 45% of total infant deaths, totalling 2.7 million globally per year. The vast majority of the burden is felt in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This review aims to assess the effectiveness of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) interventions. We searched multiple databases including Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE. Title/abstract screening and full-text screening and data extraction filtered 77 studies for inclusion. Breastfeeding education interventions (n = 38) showed 20% increase in rates of early initiation of breastfeeding, 102% increase in exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at 3 months and 53% increase in EBF at 6 months and 24% decreases in diarrheal diseases. Complementary feeding education intervention (n=12) showed a 0.41 standard deviation (SD) increase in WAZ, and 0.25 SD in HAZ in food secure setting. Complementary food provision with or without education (n=17) showed a 0.14 SD increase in HAZ and 36% decrease in stunting. Supplementary food interventions (n=12) showed a significant 0.15 SD increase in WHZ. Subgroup analyses showed healthcare professional led interventions were largely more effective, especially on breastfeeding outcomes. We believe this is a comprehensive review of the existing literature on IYCF studies in LMICs. Though breastfeeding education is well supported in its effectiveness on breastfeeding practices, limited evidence exists for growth outcomes. Supplementation interventions seem to have better effects at improving growth. However, more research is required to reach more substantial conclusions.
Serum Vitamin D Concentration ≥75 nmol/L Is Related to Decreased Cardiometabolic and Inflammatory Biomarkers, Metabolic Syndrome, and Diabetes; and Increased Cardiorespiratory Fitness in US Adults
Authors: Ganji Vijay , Tangpricha Vin , Zhang Xu
Published: March 2020

A serum vitamin D [25-hydroxyvitamin D, 25(OH)D] concentration of ≥75 nmol/L is recommended for optimal health. We investigated the relationship between serum 25(OH)D and metabolic syndrome (MetS), diabetes, cardiometabolic biomarkers, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in US adults using clinical cut points recommended by health organizations. Data from USA’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used. Prevalences and likelihood of having MetS and diabetes according to clinical cut points for serum 25(OH)D (<30 nmol/L, 30-<50 nmol/L, 50-<75 nmo/L, and ≥75 nmol/L) were determined with multivariate logistic regression. Relations between serum 25(OH)D and various cardiometabolic biomarkers, CRF, MetS, and diabetes were tested using multivariable adjusted regression. Prevalence of MetS and diabetes were significantly lower in individuals with serum 25(OH)D ≥75 nmol/L (MetS, 21.6%; diabetes, 4.1%) compared to those with 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L (MetS, 45.5%; diabetes, 11.6%) (p < 0.0001). Individuals with serum 25(OH)D ≥75 nmol/L had significantly lower waist circumference (p < 0.0001), C-reactive protein (p = 0.003), glycated hemoglobin (p < 0.0002), fasting triglycerides (p < 0.0001), total homocysteine (p < 0.0001), and insulin resistance (p = 0.0001) and had significantly higher HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.0001) and maximal oxygen uptake (marker for CRF) (p< 0.0009) compared to those with 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L. In conclusion, serum 25(OH)D ≥75 nmol/L is associated with positive indicators related to cardiometabolic diseases in US adults.
Molecular Detection of Multidrug Resistant Salmonella Species Isolated from Broiler Farm in Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Shanzida Binte , Mahmud Muket , Akter Rafiya , Hasan Mahadi , Sobur Abdus , Nazir KHM Nazmul Hussain , Noreddin Ayman , Rahman Tanvir , El Zowalaty Mohamed E. , Rahman Marzia
Published: March 2020

Multidrug resistant (MDR) Salmonella are a leading cause of foodborne diseases and serious human health concerns worldwide. In this study we detected MDR Salmonella in broiler chicken along with the resistance genes and class 1 integron gene intl1. A total of 100 samples were collected from broiler farms comprising 50 cloacal swabs, 35 litter and 15 feed samples. Overall prevalence of Salmonella was 35% with the highest detected in cloacal swabs. Among the Salmonella, 30 isolates were confirmed as S. enterica serovar Typhimurium using molecular methods of PCR. Disk diffusion susceptibility test revealed that all the Salmonella were classified as MDR with the highest resistance to tetracycline (97.14%), chloramphenicol (94.28%), ampicillin (82.85%) and streptomycin (77.14%). The most prevalent resistance genotypes were tetA (97.14%), floR (94.28%), blaTEM-1 (82.85%) and aadA1 (77.14%). In addition, among the MDR Salmonella, 20% were positive for class 1 integron gene (intl1). As far as we know, this is the first study describing the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance in MDR Salmonella from broiler farms in Bangladesh. In addition to tetA, floR, blaTEM-1, aadA1 and intl1 were also detected in the isolated MDR Salmonella. The detection of MDR Salmonella in broiler chicken carrying intl1 is of serious public health concern because of their zoonotic nature and possibilities to enter into the food chain.
Tritrichomonas Foetus: A Study of Prevalence in Animal Hosts in Poland
Authors: Dąbrowska Joanna , Karamon Jacek , Kochanowski Maciej , Sroka Jacek , Skrzypek Katarzyna , Zdybel Jolanta , Różycki Mirosław , Jabłoński Artur , Cencek Tomasz
Published: March 2020

Tritrichomonas foetus is described as a pathogen of cattle and cats and also exhibits commensalism with pigs. In order to estimate the prevalence and determine the risk factors for parasite infection, specimens from animal hosts (cat, pigs, and cattle) from Poland were investigated. To our best knowledge, this is the first such study to examine samples from wild boars (Sus scrofa) for the presence of T. foetus. Data were collected from 117 cats, 172 pigs, 236 wild boars, and 180 cattle. The sensitivity of T. foetus identification was increased by using two molecular assays: PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The prevalence of feline tritrichomonosis was 20.51%, and statistically significant differences were obtained between groups of animals regarding age, breed, number of cats, diarrhea, and place of living. Positive PCR and LAMP results for T. foetus were estimated for 16.28% of pigs, and the obtained data were significantly correlated with age. Conversely, no significant differences were observed concerning the farm size factor. In our survey, no cases of bovine tritrichomonosis were found, which is consistent with the data from the other countries of the European Union. Similarly, all wild boar samples were also T. foetus-negative according to LAMP and PCR.
Sustainability Assessment of Food Redistribution Initiatives in Sweden
Authors: Bergström Pauline , Malefors Christopher , Strid Ingrid , Hanssen Ole Jørgen , Eriksson Mattias
Published: March 2020

Food banks that redistribute surplus food from retailers and the food industry to people in need are not a new concept globally, but their connection to food waste prevention is new. As a result, new types of food redistribution units are emerging and diversifying to find new target groups and distribution methods. The aim of this study was to identify and study surplus food redistribution units in Sweden, and then to assess the impact on several sustainability indicators for selected redistribution units, in order to increase knowledge on the types of values these redistribution concepts generate. The methods used for analyzing the scenarios were Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing and Social Life Cycle Assessment. The results showed that providing food bags to socially exposed people generated the largest reduction of greenhouse gas emissions per kg of redistributed food (−1.2 kg CO2 eq./FU). Reprocessing surplus food to a high-quality end-product was attributed a high social value, due to job creation effects in the high number of working hours required per kg of redistributed food. With regard to economic impacts, all but two scenarios studied had monthly financial losses, and therefore needed other sources of financial support.
Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of the “El Sexmo” Tourist Gold Mine (Zaruma, Ecuador) as A Geosite and Mining Site
Authors: Carrión-Mero Paúl , Loor-Oporto Oscar , Andrade-Ríos Héctor , Herrera-Franco Gricelda , Morante-Carballo Fernando , Jaya-Montalvo María , Aguilar-Aguilar Maribel , Torres-Peña Karen , Berrezueta Edgar
Published: March 2020

Zaruma is host to the ‘‘El Sexmo’’ tourist mine, the galleries of which extend below the city, and its exploitation dates back to precolonial times. The mining boom created important development in the area, but informal mining also emerged causing environmental issues and safety problems. This study presents a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the “El Sexmo” Tourist Mine in the context of its potential as a tourism geosite and mining site. The methodological stages included: (i) The process and systematization of the general mine information and its surroundings; (ii) the assessment of the geological and mining interest of the mine, through GAM and Brilha method; and (iii) description and proposal of action strategies through Delphi analysis and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) matrix. Based on the results of the quantitative evaluation, the high values in the educational, scientific, and tourist aspects of the two applied methodologies, show the mine as a potential geosite and mining site with added cultural value. In addition, the quantitative assessment in correspondence with the qualitative analysis, allowed to propose improvement strategies to take advantage of the geological resources and mining identity of the area, as an alternative that strengthens the infrastructure of the mine and consolidates the geotouristic development of the area.
The Potential of Space-Based Sea Surface Salinity on Monitoring the Hudson Bay Freshwater Cycle
Authors: Tang Wenqing , Yueh Simon H. , Yang Daqing , Mcleod Ellie , Fore Alexander , Hayashi Akiko , Olmedo Estrella , Martínez Justino , Gabarró Carolina
Published: March 2020

Hudson Bay (HB) is the largest semi-inland sea in the Northern Hemisphere, connecting with the Arctic Ocean through the Foxe Basin and the northern Atlantic Ocean through the Hudson Strait. HB is covered by ice and snow in winter, which completely melts in summer. For about six months each year, satellite remote sensing of sea surface salinity (SSS) is possible over open water. SSS links freshwater contributions from river discharge, sea ice melt/freeze, and surface precipitation/evaporation. Given the strategic importance of HB, SSS has great potential in monitoring the HB freshwater cycle and studying its relationship with climate change. However, SSS retrieved in polar regions (poleward of 50°) from currently operational space-based L-band microwave instruments has large uncertainty (~ 1 psu) mainly due to sensitivity degradation in cold water (<5°C) and sea ice contamination. This study analyzes SSS from NASA Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) and European Space Agency (ESA) Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity(SMOS) missions in the context of HB freshwater contents. We found that the main source of the year-to-year SSS variability is sea ice melting, in particular, the onset time and places of ice melt in the first couple of months of open water season. The freshwater contribution from surface forcing P-E is smaller in magnitude comparing with sea ice contribution but lasts on longer time scale through the whole open water season. River discharge is comparable with P-E in magnitude but peaks before ice melt. The spatial and temporal variations of freshwater contents largely exceed the remote sensed SSS uncertainty. This fact justifies the use of remote sensed SSS for monitoring the HB freshwater cycle.
Using Training Samples Retrieved from a Topographic Map and Unsupervised Segmentation for the Classification of Airborne Laser Scanning Data
Authors: Yang Zhishuang , Jiang Wanshou , Lin Yaping , Elberink Sander Oude
Published: March 2020

The labeling of point clouds is the fundamental task in airborne laser scanning (ALS) point clouds processing. Many supervised methods have been proposed for the point clouds classification work. Training samples play an important role in the supervised classification. Most of the training samples are generated by manual labeling, which is time-consuming. To reduce the cost of manual annotating for ALS data, we propose a framework that automatically generates training samples using a two-dimensional (2D) topographic map and an unsupervised segmentation step. In this approach, input point clouds, at first, are separated into the ground part and the non-ground part by a DEM filter. Then, a point-in-polygon operation using polygon maps derived from a 2D topographic map is used to generate initial training samples. The unsupervised segmentation method is applied to reduce the noise and improve the accuracy of the point-in-polygon training samples. Finally, the super point graph is used for the training and testing procedure. A comparison with the point-based deep neural network Pointnet++ (average F1 score 59.4%) shows that the segmentation based strategy improves the performance of our initial training samples (average F1 score 65.6%). After adding the intensity value in unsupervised segmentation, our automatically generated training samples have competitive results with an average F1 score of 74.8% for ALS data classification while using the ground truth training samples the average F1 score is 75.1%. The result shows that our framework is feasible to automatically generate and improve the training samples with low time and labour costs.