bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and Repurposing of Trisubstituted Harmine Derivatives as Novel Inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Phosphoserine Phosphatase
Authors: Pierson Elise , Haufroid Marie , Gosain Tannu Priya , Chopra Pankaj , Singh Ramandeep , Wouters Johan
Published: January 2020

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is still the deadliest bacterial pathogen worldwide and the increasing number of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases further complicates this global health issue. M. tuberculosis phosphoserine phosphatase SerB2 is a promising target for drug design. Besides being a key essential metabolic enzyme of the pathogen’s serine pathway, it appears to be involved in immune evasion mechanisms. In this work, a malachite green-based phosphatase assay has been used to screen 122 compounds from an internal chemolibrary. Trisubstituted harmine derivatives were found among the best hits that inhibited SerB2 activity. Synthesis of an original compound helped to discuss a brief structure activity relationship evaluation. Kinetics experiments showed that the most potent derivatives inhibit the phosphatase in a parabolic competitive fashion with apparent inhibition constants ( K i ) values in the micromolar range. Their interaction modes with the enzyme were investigated through induced fit docking experiments, leading to results consistent with the experimental data. Cellular assays showed that the selected compounds also inhibited M. tuberculosis growth in vitro. Those promising results may provide a basis for the development of new antimycobacterial agents targeting SerB2.
Nature of the Interaction of Pyridines with OCS. A Theoretical Investigation
Authors: Bhattarai Sumitra , Sutradhar Dipankar , Chandra Asit K. , Zeegers-Huyskens Therese
Published: January 2020

Ab initio calculations were carried out to investigate the interaction between para-substituted pyridines (X-C5H4N, X=NH2, CH3, H, CN, NO2) and OCS. Three stable structures of pyridine.OCS complexes were detected at the MP2=full/aug-cc-pVDZ level. The A structure is characterized by N…S chalcogen bonds and has binding energies between −9.58 and −12.24 kJ/mol. The B structure is bonded by N…C tetrel bond and has binding energies between −10.78 and −11.81 kJ/mol. The C structure is characterized by π-interaction and has binding energies between −10.76 and −13.33 kJ/mol. The properties of the systems were analyzed by AIM, NBO, and SAPT calculations. The role of the electrostatic potential of the pyridines on the properties of the systems is outlined. The frequency shift of relevant vibrational modes is analyzed.
Cyclopentadienone Iron Tricarbonyl Complexes-Catalyzed Hydrogen Transfer in Water
Authors: Ndiaye Daouda , Coufourier Sébastien , Mbaye Mbaye Diagne , Gaillard Sylvain , Renaud Jean-Luc
Published: January 2020

The development of efficient and low-cost catalytic systems is important for the replacement of robust noble metal complexes. The synthesis and application of a stable, phosphine-free, water-soluble cyclopentadienone iron tricarbonyl complex in the reduction of polarized double bonds in pure water is reported. In the presence of cationic bifunctional iron complexes, a variety of alcohols and amines were prepared in good yields under mild reaction conditions.
Study on Structure Activity Relationship of Natural Flavonoids against Thrombin by Molecular Docking Virtual Screening Combined with Activity Evaluation In Vitro
Authors: Wang Xiaoyan , Yang Zhen , Su Feifei , Li Jin , Boadi Evans Owusu , Chang Yan-xu , Wang Hui
Published: January 2020

Thrombin, a key enzyme of the serine protease superfamily, plays an integral role in the blood coagulation cascade and thrombotic diseases. In view of this, it is worthwhile to establish a method to screen thrombin inhibitors (such as natural flavonoid-type inhibitors) as well as investigate their structure activity relationships. Virtual screening using molecular docking technique was used to screen 103 flavonoids. Out of this number, 42 target compounds were selected, and their inhibitory effects on thrombin assayed by chromogenic substrate method. The results indicated that the carbon-carbon double bond group at the C2, C3 sites and the carbonyl group at the C4 sites of flavones were essential for thrombin inhibition, whereas the methoxy and O-glycosyl groups reduced thrombin inhibition. Noteworthy, introduction of OH groups at different positions on flavonoids either decreased or increased anti-thrombin potential. Myricetin exhibited the highest inhibitory potential against thrombin with an IC50 value of 56 μM. Purposively, the established molecular docking virtual screening method is not limited to exploring flavonoid structure activity relationships to anti-thrombin activity but also usefully discovering other natural active constituents.
Pharmacological Overview of the BGP-15 Chemical Agent as a New Drug Candidate for the Treatment of Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Pető Ágota , Kósa Dóra , Fehér Pálma , Ujhelyi Zoltán , Sinka Dávid , Vecsernyés Miklós , Szilvássy Zoltán , Juhász Béla , Csanádi Zoltán , Vígh László , Bácskay Ildikó
Published: January 2020

BGP-15 is a new insulin sensitizer drug candidate, which was developed by Hungarian researchers. In recent years, numerous research groups have studied its beneficial effects. It is effective in the treatment of insulin resistance and it has protective effects in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, diastolic dysfunction, tachycardia, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation, and it can alleviate cardiotoxicity. BGP-15 exhibits chemoprotective properties in different cytostatic therapies, and has also proven to be photoprotective. It can additionally have advantageous effects in mitochondrial-stress-related diseases. Although the precise mechanism of the effect is still unknown to us, we know that the molecule is a PARP inhibitor, chaperone co-inducer, reduces ROS production, and is able to remodel the organization of cholesterol-rich membrane domains. In the following review, our aim was to summarize the investigated molecular mechanisms and pharmacological effects of this potential API. The main objective was to present the wide pharmacological potentials of this chemical agent.
Multifunctional Nanocarriers for Lung Drug Delivery
Authors: Pontes Jorge F. , Grenha Ana
Published: January 2020

Nanocarriers have been increasingly proposed for lung drug delivery applications. The strategy of combining the intrinsic and more general advantages of the nanostructures with specificities that improve the therapeutic outcomes of particular clinical situations is frequent. These include the surface engineering of the carriers by means of altering the material structure (i.e., chemical modifications), the addition of specific ligands so that predefined targets are reached, or even the tuning of the carrier properties to respond to specific stimuli. The devised strategies are mainly directed at three distinct areas of lung drug delivery, encompassing the delivery of proteins and protein-based materials, either for local or systemic application, the delivery of antibiotics, and the delivery of anticancer drugs—the latter two comprising local delivery approaches. This review addresses the applications of nanocarriers aimed at lung drug delivery of active biological and pharmaceutical ingredients, focusing with particular interest on nanocarriers that exhibit multifunctional properties. A final section addresses the expectations regarding the future use of nanocarriers in the area.
Decreased PEDF Promotes Hepatic Fatty Acid Uptake and Lipid Droplet Formation in the Pathogenesis of NAFLD
Authors: Huang Kuang-Tzu , Chen Kuang-Den , Hsu Li-Wen , Kung Chao-Pin , Li Shu-Rong , Chen Chien-Chih , Chiu King-Wah , Goto Shigeru , Chen Chao-Long
Published: January 2020

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the leading cause of chronic liver diseases worldwide, ranges from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, with the risk for progressive fibrosis or even cirrhosis. While simple steatosis is a relatively benign condition, the buildup of toxic lipid metabolites can induce chronic inflammation, ultimately triggering disease progression. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a secreted, multifunctional glycoprotein with lipid metabolic activities. PEDF promotes lipolysis through binding to adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), a key enzyme for triglyceride breakdown. In the current study, we aimed to delineate how changes in PEDF expression affect hepatic lipid accumulation. Our data revealed that hepatic PEDF was downregulated in a mouse NAFLD model. We further showed that decreased PEDF levels in hepatocytes in vitro resulted in elevated fatty acid uptake and lipid droplet formation, with concomitant upregulation of fatty acid transport proteins CD36 and fatty acid binding protein 1 (FABP1). RNA sequencing analysis of PEDF knocked down hepatocytes revealed an alteration in gene expression profile toward lipid accumulation. Additionally, decreased PEDF promotes mobilization of fatty acids, an observation distinct from blocking ATGL activity. Taken together, our data suggest that hepatic PEDF downregulation causes molecular changes that favor triglyceride accumulation, which may further lead to NAFLD progression.
Maternal Lutein and Zeaxanthin Concentrations in Relation to Offspring Visual Acuity at 3 Years of Age: The GUSTO Study
Authors: Lai Jun S. , Veetil Vaishnavi O. , Lanca Carla , Lee Bee Lan , Godfrey Keith M. , Gluckman Peter D. , Shek Lynette P. , Yap Fabian , Tan Kok Hian , Chong Yap Seng , Ong Choon Nam , Ngo Cheryl S , Saw Seang-Mei , Chong Mary F. F.
Published: January 2020

Lutein and zeaxanthin play important roles in visual functions, but their influence on early visual development is unclear. We related maternal lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations during pregnancy to offspring visual acuity (VA) in 471 mother–child pairs from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort. Maternal concentrations of plasma lutein and zeaxanthin were determined at delivery. We measured uncorrected distance of VA in 3-year old children using a LEA Symbols chart; readings were converted to the logarithm of Minimum Angle of Resolution (logMAR), with >0.3 logMAR indicating poor VA. Associations were examined using linear or Poisson regression adjusted for confounders. The median (inter-quartile range) of maternal lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were 0.13 (0.09, 0.18) and 0.09 (0.07, 0.12) µmol/L, respectively. A total of 126 children had poor VA. The highest tertile of maternal zeaxanthin concentration was associated with 38% lower likelihood of poor VA in children (95% CI: 0.42, 0.93, p-Trends = 0.02). Higher maternal lutein concentrations were associated with a lower likelihood of poor VA in children (RR 0.60 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.88) for middle tertile; RR 0.78 (95% CI: 0.51, 1.19) for highest tertile (p-Quadratic = 0.02)). In conclusion, lutein and zeaxanthin status during pregnancy may influence offspring early visual development; but the results require confirmation with further studies, including more comprehensive measurements of macular functions.
Performance Factors Influencing Efficacy and Effectiveness of Iron Fortification Programs of Condiments for Improving Anemia Prevalence and Iron Status in Populations: A Systematic Review
Authors: Waller Anna W. , Andrade Juan E. , Mejia Luis A.
Published: January 2020

Iron fortification of staple foods is a common practice around the world to reduce the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia. More recently, fortified condiments, including salts, sauces, and powders, have been tested in various efficacy trials. However, there is limited information on how nutritional, environmental, and experimental factors affect their efficacy and effectiveness. The purpose of the present work was to systematically review performance factors affecting the efficacy of condiment fortification trials. Three databases were searched using a standardized keyword search and included based on four-point inclusion criteria. Studies were evaluated against a quality assessment tool and effect sizes were calculated. Studies were ranked as low or high performing, based on whether or not they significantly improved iron-deficiency outcomes (hemoglobin, anemia prevalence, and ferritin levels). Of the 955 retrieved studies, 23 were included—of which, nine performed poorly, eight performed highly, and six were classified as neither because they did not meet the criteria of assessing the three iron outcomes. Results showed that unsuccessful trials did not consider environmental factors such as parasitic infections, nutritional factors such as micronutrient deficiencies other than iron, consumer acceptability of the product or experimental factors such as monitoring and adherence to the trials. Two common performing factors identified among those studies performing highly vs. those that did not were the control of sensory changes and monitoring of consumption compliance (i.e., dose delivery). The present work can be used as decision-making support for nutrition policy makers when determining the appropriate implementation of condiment fortification programs.
A Special Amino-Acid Formula Tailored to Boosting Cell Respiration Prevents Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress Caused by Doxorubicin in Mouse Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Tedesco Laura , Rossi Fabio , Ragni Maurizio , Ruocco Chiara , Brunetti Dario , Carruba Michele O. , Torrente Yvan , Valerio Alessandra , Nisoli Enzo
Published: January 2020

Anthracycline anticancer drugs, such as doxorubicin (DOX), can induce cardiotoxicity supposed to be related to mitochondrial damage. We have recently demonstrated that a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched mixture (BCAAem), supplemented with drinking water to middle-aged mice, was able to promote mitochondrial biogenesis in cardiac and skeletal muscle. To maximally favor and increase oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial function, here we tested a new original formula, composed of essential amino acids, tricarboxylic acid cycle precursors and co-factors (named α5), in HL-1 cardiomyocytes and mice treated with DOX. We measured mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative stress, and BCAA catabolic pathway. Moreover, the molecular relevance of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) was studied in both cardiac tissue and HL-1 cardiomyocytes. Finally, the role of Krüppel-like factor 15 (KLF15), a critical transcriptional regulator of BCAA oxidation and eNOS-mTORC1 signal, was investigated. Our results demonstrate that the α5 mixture prevents the DOX-dependent mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress better than the previous BCAAem, implying a KLF15/eNOS/mTORC1 signaling axis. These results could be relevant for the prevention of cardiotoxicity in the DOX-treated patients.
Murine Genetic Background Overcomes Gut Microbiota Changes to Explain Metabolic Response to High-Fat Diet
Authors: Safari Zahra , Bruneau Aurélia , Monnoye Magali , Mariadassou Mahendra , Philippe Catherine , Zatloukal Kurt , Gérard Philippe
Published: January 2020

Interactions of diet, gut microbiota, and host genetics play essential roles in the development of metabolic diseases. A/J and C57BL/6J (C57) are two mouse strains known to display different susceptibilities to metabolic disorders. In this context, we analyzed gut microbiota composition in A/J and C57 mice, and assessed its responses to high-fat diet (HFD) and antibiotic (AB) treatment. We also exchanged the gut microbiota between the two strains following AB treatment to evaluate its impact on the metabolism. We showed that A/J and C57 mice have different microbiome structure and composition at baseline. Moreover, A/J and C57 microbiomes responded differently to HFD and AB treatments. Exchange of the gut microbiota between the two strains was successful as recipients’ microbiota resembled donor-strain microbiota. Seven weeks after inoculation, the differences between recipients persisted and were still closer from the donor-strain microbiota. Despite effective microbiota transplants, the response to HFD was not markedly modified in C57 and A/J mice. Particularly, body weight gain and glucose intolerance in response to HFD remained different in the two mouse strains whatever the changes in microbiome composition. This indicated that genetic background has a much stronger impact on metabolic responses to HFD than gut microbiome composition.
Oral Treatment of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats with Captopril-Surface Functionalized Furosemide-Loaded Multi-Wall Lipid-Core Nanocapsules
Authors: Michalowski Cecilia B. , Arbo Marcelo D. , Altknecht Louise , Anciuti Andréia N. , Abreu Angélica S. G. , Alencar Luciana M. R. , Pohlmann Adriana R. , Garcia Solange C. , Guterres Sílvia S.
Published: January 2020

Multi-wall lipid-core nanocapsule (MLNC) functionalized with captopril and nanoencapsulating furosemide within the core was developed as a liquid formulation for oral administration. The nanocapsules had mean particle size below 200 nm, showing unimodal and narrow size distributions with moderate dispersity (laser diffraction and dynamic light scattering). Zeta potential was inverted from −14.3 mV [LNC-Fur(0,5)] to +18.3 mV after chitosan coating. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy showed spherical structures corroborating the nanometric diameter of the nanocapsules. Regarding the systolic pressure, on the first day, the formulations showed antihypertensive effect and a longer effect than the respective drug solutions. When both drugs were associated, the anti-hypertensive effect was prolonged. On the fifth day, a time effect reduction was observed for all treatments, except for the nanocapsule formulation containing both drugs [Capt(0.5)-Zn(25)-MLNC-Fur(0.45)]. For diastolic pressure, only Capt(0.5)-Zn(25)-MLNC-Fur(0.45) presented a significant difference (p < 0.05) on the first day. On the fifth day, both Capt(0.5)-MLNC-Fur(0.45) and Capt(0.5)-Zn(25)-MLNC-Fur(0.45) had an effect lasting up to 24 h. The analysis of early kidney damage marker showed a potential protection in renal function by Capt(0.5)-Zn(25)-MLNC-Fur(0.45). In conclusion, the formulation Capt(0.5)-Zn(25)-MLNC-Fur(0.45) proved to be suitable for hypertension treatment envisaging an important innovation.
Development of Expanded Takayanagi Model for Tensile Modulus of Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Nanocomposites Assuming Interphase Regions Surrounding the Dispersed and Networked Nanoparticles
Authors: Zare Yasser , Rhee Kyong Yop
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we consider the interphase regions surrounding the dispersed and networked carbon nanotubes (CNT) to develop and simplify the expanded Takayanagi model for tensile modulus of polymer CNT nanocomposites (PCNT). The moduli and volume fractions of dispersed and networked CNT and the surrounding interphase regions are considered. Since the modulus of interphase region around the dispersed CNT insignificantly changes the modulus of nanocomposites, this parameter is removed from the developed model. The developed model shows acceptable agreement with the experimental results of several samples. “ER” as nanocomposite modulus per the modulus of neat matrix changes from 1.4 to 7.7 at dissimilar levels of “f” (CNT fraction in the network) and network modulus. Moreover, the lowest relative modulus of 2.2 is observed at the smallest levels of interphase volume fraction ( ϕ i < 0.017), while the highest “ ϕ i ” as 0.07 obtains the highest relative modulus of 11.8. Also, the variation of CNT size (radius and length) significantly changes the relative modulus from 2 to 20.
3D Printing On-Water Sports Boards with Bio-Inspired Core Designs
Authors: Soltani Aref , Noroozi Reza , Bodaghi Mahdi , Zolfagharian Ali , Hedayati Reza
Published: January 2020

Modeling and analyzing the sports equipment for injury prevention, reduction in cost, and performance enhancement have gained considerable attention in the sports engineering community. In this regard, the structure study of on-water sports board (surfboard, kiteboard, and skimboard) is vital due to its close relation with environmental and human health as well as performance and safety of the board. The aim of this paper is to advance the on-water sports board through various bio-inspired core structure designs such as honeycomb, spiderweb, pinecone, and carbon atom configuration fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Fused deposition modeling was employed to fabricate complex structures from polylactic acid (PLA) materials. A 3D-printed sample board with a uniform honeycomb structure was designed, 3D printed, and tested under three-point bending conditions. A geometrically linear analytical method was developed for the honeycomb core structure using the energy method and considering the equivalent section for honeycombs. A geometrically non-linear finite element method based on the ABAQUS software was also employed to simulate the boards with various core designs. Experiments were conducted to verify the analytical and numerical results. After validation, various patterns were simulated, and it was found that bio-inspired functionally graded honeycomb structure had the best bending performance. Due to the absence of similar designs and results in the literature, this paper is expected to advance the state of the art of on-water sports boards and provide designers with structures that could enhance the performance of sports equipment.
Disparate Environmental Monitoring as a Barrier to the Availability and Accessibility of Open Access Data on the Tidal Thames
Authors: Lanoue Julia
Published: January 2020

Open Access data plays an increasingly important role in discussions of environmental issues. Limited availability or poor quality data can impede citizen participation in environmental dialogue, leading to their voices being undermined. This study assesses the quality of Open Access environmental data and barriers to its accessibility in the Thames Estuary. Data quality is assessed by its ability to track long-term trends in temperature, salinity, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen. The inconsistencies found in the data required analyses and careful interpretation beyond what would be expected of a citizen. The lack of clear documentation and centralized database acted as a major barrier to usability. A set of recommendations are produced for estuarine monitoring, including defining minimum standards for metadata, creating a centralized database for better quality control and accessibility, and developing flexible monitoring protocols that can incorporate new hypotheses and partnerships. The goal of the recommendations is to create monitoring which can encourage better science and wider participation in the natural environment.
Luther/an(d) Feminist Intersectional Theology
Authors: Riswold Caryn D.
Published: January 2020

This article will offer some criteria for evaluating a contemporary feminist engagement with Martin Luther’s work. The key theory and method is intersectionality: where Luther’s theology has resonance with intersectionality is where his work continues to have potential for feminist theological engagement. In turn, intersectionality helps identify and explain some of the lingering failures and limitations of his work for contemporary theology. Six core concepts of intersectionality will be explored and applied to Luther’s work, suggesting that where he fails is precisely where contemporary feminist theology has significant insight to offer.
Comparative Religion and Anti-Religious Museums of Soviet Russia in the 1920s
Authors: Shakhnovich Marianna
Published: January 2020

By the end of the 1920s, more than 100 anti-religious museums had been opened in the Soviet Union. In addition, anti-religious departments appeared in the exhibitions of many local historical museums. In Moscow, the Central Anti-Religious Museum was opened in the Cathedral of the Strastnoi Monastery. At that time, the first museum promoting a comparative and historical approach to the study and presentation of religious artifacts was opened in Petrograd in 1922. The formation of Museum of Comparative Religion was based on the conjunction of the activities of the Petrograd Excursion Institute, the Academy of Sciences, and the Ethnographic department of Petrograd University. In this paper, based on archival materials, we analyze the methodological principles of the formation of the exhibitions at the newly founded museum, along with its themes, structure, and selection of exhibits. The Museum of Comparative Religion had a very short life before it was transformed into the Leningrad anti-religious museum, but its principles were inherited by the Museum of the History of Religion, which was opened in 1932.
Quantitatively Assessing and Attributing Land Use and Land Cover Changes on China’s Loess Plateau
Authors: Du Xiaozheng , Zhao Xiang , Liang Shunlin , Zhao Jiacheng , Xu Peipei , Wu Donghai
Published: January 2020

The global land surface cover is undergoing extensive changes in the context of global change, especially in the Loess Plateau, where ecological restoration policies have been vigorously implemented since 2000. Evaluating the impact of these policies on land cover is of great significance for regional sustainable development. Nonetheless, there are few quantitative assessment studies of the impact of ecological restoration policies on land use and land cover change (LULCC). In this study, a relative contribution conceptual model (RCCM) was used to explore the contribution of the policies to LULCC under the influence of natural background change, which was based on the Markov chain and the future land use simulation (FLUS) model. The results show that LULCC is influenced by ecological restoration policies and the natural environment, of which the policies contribute about 72.37% and natural change contribute about 27.63%. Ecological restoration policies have a profound impact on LULCC, changing the original direction of LULCC greatly. Additionally, these policies regulate the pattern of LULCC by controlling the amount of cropland as a rebalanced leverage. These findings provide useful information for facilitating sustainable ecological development in the Loess Plateau and theoretically supporting environmental decision-making.
Multidimensional Poverty among Female Householders in Korea: Application of a Latent Class Model
Authors: Nam Su-Jung
Published: January 2020

In this work, we examine poverty among vulnerable Korean female householders using a multidimensional concept with six dimensions: money, health, housing, employment, human relations, and social security. Taking data from the “Korea Welfare Panel Study 2015” by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and the Welfare Research Institute of Seoul National University, we apply latent class analysis to assess poverty among female householders using the Mplus8 software. The poverty indicator correlations are examined with Cramer’s V, and the differences in individual characteristics are analyzed through X2 and analysis of variance. The results show that the poor are composed of several groups with different characteristics. We divide the female householders into three main types, all likely to experience poverty in terms of money and employment. However, Type 1 shows a high probability of experiencing poverty in terms of money, employment, human relations, and health; when compared with Types 2 and 3, Type 1 poverty probability turns out to be higher for several indicators. Type 2 shows susceptibility to basic poverty, with a high probability of experiencing poverty in terms of money and employment. Lastly, Type 3 has a higher probability of health poverty than Types 1 and 2.
A Study on the Similarities and Differences of the Conventional Gasoline Spot Price Fluctuation Network between Different Harbors
Authors: Zhang Guangyong , Tian Lixin , Zhang Wenbin , Yan Xu , Wan Bingyue , Zhen Zaili
Published: January 2020

According to the fluctuation series of the conventional gasoline spot prices (CGSP) in New York Harbor (NYH) and U.S. Gulf Coast (GC), this paper defines the fluctuation modes by the coarse-grained method based on the CGSP series in the two harbors. The fluctuation series are converted into the characters by means of the sliding window, where five symbol series is used as a fluctuation mode, one day was used as a step to slide in the data window, and the conventional gasoline spot prices fluctuation network (CGSPFN) is constructed in the two harbors. Then the evolutionary rule of the new nodes in the CGSPFN is analyzed, such as the strength and distribution, average shortest paths, conversion cycle, betweenness, and clustering coefficient of the nodes are calculated in different periods. The result indicates that the cumulative time of the new nodes which appeared in the CGSPFN is not random but presents a high linear growth trend, which reveals the linear features of the cumulative time of abnormal points when the gasoline price fluctuation appears. The betweenness and clustering coefficient shows that the nodes with the larger strength have smaller betweenness and clustering coefficients, the nodes with the larger betweenness have smaller strength and clustering coefficients, and the nodes with the larger clustering coefficients have smaller betweenness and strength. Meanwhile, the gasoline prices are in a transitional period when the larger indicators appear and have a rising trend, and identifying the transitional period will help the decision maker to grasp the regularity of the changes of the gasoline prices.
Economic and Technical Considerations in Pursuing Green Building Certification: A Case Study from Iran
Authors: Amiri Ali , Ottelin Juudit , Sorvari Jaana , Junnila Seppo
Published: January 2020

Buildings use 30–40% of all energy resources and are thus the main consumers in modern society. Moreover, buildings require a vast amount of different raw materials. During the last two decades, several green building certifications have been created in order to consider the social, economic, and environmental aspects of the sustainability of buildings. One of the most famous and widely used of these certifications is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). So far, the use of LEED has concentrated in the US and other developed countries. One reason that restricts the use of this point-based system certification in developing countries is the limited data about its costs. In this study, the extra cost of the certification process were evaluated, besides the changes needed in the design of the building to reach the points required by LEED. At the first stage, the number of points the case study earns in its current format (Scenario 1) were assessed, then the cost difference of getting either the Certified (Scenario 2) or Silver (Scenario 3) level LEED certification for the building was studied. It was found that besides some technical considerations, filling the criteria of the Certified and Silver level increases the total costs of construction by 3.4% and 5.9%, respectively. Further improvement of the building’s energy efficiency would enable the attainment of a higher-level certification. The results of the study could help to promote the use of green building certifications in Western Asia.
Impacts of Landscapes on Water Quality in A Typical Headwater Catchment, Southeastern China
Authors: Zhao Kaiyan , Wu Huawu , Chen Wen , Sun Wei , Zhang Haixia , Duan Weili , Chen Wenjun , He Bin
Published: January 2020

The relationship between land landscape and water quality has been a hot topic, especially for researchers in headwater catchment, because of drinking water safety and ecological protection. In this study, Lita Watershed, a typical headwater catchment of Southeast China, was selected as the study area. During 2015 and 2016, water samples were collected from 18 sampling points every month, and 19 water quality parameters were tested such as nutrients and heavy metals. Through multistatistics analysis, the results show that the most sensitive water quality parameters are Cr, NO3, NO2, and COD. The type and scale of water body have direct effects on water quality, while the land-use patterns in the surrounding areas have an indirect impact on the concentration and migration of pollutants. This effect is sensitive to seasonal change because heavy metals are mainly from atmospheric deposition, but nutrients are mainly from agricultural nonpoint source pollution. According to the results, increasing the proportion of forest land and paddy field is effective to the reduction of water nutrients. Besides, balancing the configuration of water bodies, especially increasing the capacity of the pond, can significantly alleviate the water pollution in the dry season. This study is useful to provide policy suggestion for refined watershed management and water source planning basing on seasons and pollution sources.
University Students’ Perspectives on Reflective Learning: Psychometric Properties of the Eight-Cultural-Forces Scale
Authors: Gómez-Barreto Isabel María , Merino-Tejedor Enrique , Sánchez-Santamaría José
Published: January 2020

This study emerges from the development of higher-order thinking skills recognised as influential attributes to be considered for quality of learning in preservice teachers; hence, this quantitative research is a systematic attempt to obtain metric-quality pieces of evidence for identifying university students’ perspectives on reflective learning standards throughout their initial training period utilising an adapted cultural-forces scale. The earlier mentioned tool is an adaptation of Ritchhart’s scale (2015) for the assessment of cultural forces from the model of the Culture of Thinking. The selected sample of preservice teachers encompasses 700 university students of education from 7 faculties of education in Spain. Research results reveal that the use of the scale displayed high reliability and suitability. Similarly, significant statistical differences were observed in the eight scales of cultural forces assessment, where the prime-valued by the students were interactions, expectations, environment, language and time. Apropos of statistics, research results manifest as relevant. Such significance reveals how classroom culture and practical strategies acquire meaning and show connections with learning purposes—likewise with the developmental encouragement of cognitive skills and dispositions towards reflective learning.
Valorization of Lignin as a Sustainable Component of Structural Materials and Composites: Advances from 2011 to 2019
Authors: Karunarathna Menisha S. , Smith Rhett C.
Published: January 2020

Lignin is the most abundant aromatic biopolymer and is the sustainable feedstock most likely to supplant petroleum-derived aromatics and downstream products. Rich in functional groups, lignin is largely peerless in its potential for chemical modification towards attaining target properties. Lignin’s crosslinked network structure can be exploited in composites to endow them with remarkable strength, as exemplified in timber and other structural elements of plants. Yet lignin may also be depolymerized, modified, or blended with other polymers. This review focuses on substituting petrochemicals with lignin derivatives, with a particular focus on applications more significant in terms of potential commercialization volume, including polyurethane, phenol-formaldehyde resins, lignin-based carbon fibers, and emergent melt-processable waste-derived materials. This review will illuminate advances from the last eight years in the prospective utilization of such lignin-derived products in a range of application such as adhesives, plastics, automotive components, construction materials, and composites. Particular technical issues associated with lignin processing and emerging alternatives for future developments are discussed.
Becoming Carbon Neutral in Costa Rica to Be More Sustainable: An AHP Approach
Authors: André Francisco , Valenciano-Salazar Jorge
Published: January 2020

We propose addressing an organization’s adoption of an environmental certification as a multicriteria problem considering environmental sustainability as well as economic and strategic aspects. Our methodological approach uses the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), which we use in an empirical application to analyze the adoption decision of several Costa Rican firms and institutions. Firstly, we select a set of economic, strategic, and environmental criteria that seem relevant for the organization’s direction. We select these criteria according to our literature review and a series of face-to-face interviews with scholars and companies’ managers. As an environmental certification, we focus on Carbon Neutral (CN), which is a domestic certification aimed at reducing or offsetting carbon emissions. For the sake of comparison, we also consider ISO 14001, which is a well-known international standard aimed at compliance with environmental norms. We conduct the AHP analysis using the answers given by 24 companies and institutions, which in aggregate terms, give CN a higher score than ISO 14001. This result is mainly due to the fact that CN ranks above ISO 14001 when attending to environmental sustainability, although ISO 14001 tends to be preferred in economic and strategic terms.
Outdoor Recreation Participation in Istanbul, Turkey: An Investigation of Frequency, Length, Travel Time and Activities
Authors: Hayir-Kanat Meryem , Breuste Jürgen
Published: January 2020

Although outdoor recreation participation has been studied extensively, little research has come from less developed regions of the world. This paper examined outdoor recreation participation and its predictors in Istanbul, an increasingly urbanized and populated megacity, in Turkey. The results show that nearly half of the people interviewed in this study had claimed to visit a nature area at least once a week or more often, nearly three-quarters invested a travel time to these areas of between 30 min to 2 h, about two-thirds spent more than 2 h at the area, and about one-third was engaged in leisurely walking. The frequency of visits was almost the single predictor of travel time. Visit frequencies were predicted by the travel time and visit length. Activity type and traveling longer than 2 h predicted the length of visits. Recreational activity type was predicted by visit length and travel time. Socio-demographic variables were associated with only a few outdoor participation variables. The findings imply that the residents have limited contact with nature and limited opportunity to benefit from such interaction.
Reflecting SDG 6.1 in Rural Water Supply Tariffs: Considering ‘Affordability’ Versus ‘Operations and Maintenance Costs’ in Malawi
Authors: Truslove Jonathan , Coulson Andrea , Nhlema Muthi , Mbalame Emma , Kalin Robert
Published: January 2020

Local tariffs in the form of household contributions are the primary financial mechanism to fund the maintenance of rural water supplies in Malawi. An investigation was conducted into the tariffs set by rural service providers to sustain drilled boreholes equipped with Afridev handpumps. A binary logistic regression analysis identified significant explanatory variables for the most common identified considerations when setting tariffs, ‘affordability’ and ‘operations and maintenance (O&M) costs’. The results demonstrate tariffs collected less frequently and usage above the design limit of the Afridev (300 users) had lower odds of considering affordability and higher odds of considering O&M costs, than those collected per month and within the design limit. The results further suggest a recognition by service providers of an increased maintenance challenge. High usage, acquiring spare parts, and the collection of tariffs when repairs are required indicate an increased likelihood of considering O&M costs, conversely to considering affordability. The balance of affordability and sustainable maintenance is a perpetual challenge under decentralised service delivery. Investment into ongoing support and supply chains is required for the financial and operational requirements of water supply, to ensure payments for services does not prevent access to clean water at the local level and to achieve the 2030 agenda.
Complex Network Analysis of Transmission Mechanism for Sustainable Incentive Policies
Authors: Li Lingyan , Feng Lujiao , Guo Xiaotong , Xie Haiyan , Shi Wei
Published: January 2020

Existing research mainly focuses on the external impact of incentive policies of industrialized/manufactured construction (IMC). However, it is still unclear how the transmission mechanism among cities and regions of IMC incentive policies works in the process of formulation. To fill the knowledge gap, this study establishes a relationship matrix to propose the transmission-weighted complex network (TWCN). Degree distribution and clustering coefficient are used to calculate the transmission path and the transmission intensity of TWCN. The validation is based on data collected from 415 policy documents (2010–2018) and 2923 items from 181 nodes of the TWCN for IMC policies. The findings show that transmission path of IMC incentive policies is from the eastern coast of China to the central, western and northern regions. Fiscal and taxation incentives have the greatest intensity of spatial agglomeration in the transmission process. The results of the TWCN are consistent and conform to the scientific and rational expectations of research. Overall, the research outcomes are applicable to studies on sustainability policies in different fields, including sustainable construction, renewable energy, etc. Policy makers can implement the TWCN to recognize the performance and functions of different incentives and propose effective strategies to achieve sustainability.
How Proactive Environmental Strategy Facilitates Environmental Reputation: Roles of Green Human Resource Management and Discretionary Slack
Authors: Zhao Jinguo , Liu Huanxin , Sun Wei
Published: January 2020

Based on natural resource-based theory, we examined how firms’ environmental strategies and environmental reputation depended on their green human resource management and discretionary slack. From the perspective of human resource management, we hypothesized that proactive environmental strategy predicted firms’ environmental reputation through the mediation of green human resource management. We further proposed that slack resources, which can be used discretely by managers for environmental management, enhanced the hypothesized relationships. Using data from firms in environmentally sensitive industries in eastern China, we provided empirical support for our hypotheses. The findings highlight the vital roles played by managers and green human resource management in implementing firms’ environmental strategies and promoting firms’ environmental reputation.
An Integrative Approach to International Technology Transfer for Recycling Vietnam Coal Ash with Consideration of the Technological, Legal, and Network Perspectives
Authors: Lee Jongyeol , Kim Taeyoon , Sung Mina , Vu Hong Ha Thi , Shin Kyung Nam , Ahn Ji Whan
Published: January 2020

The rapid economic growth of Vietnam has increased the amount of coal ash waste during electricity generation from coal-fired thermal power plants. This waste is being dumped even though the capacity of dumping sites will not be sufficient in the future. Accordingly, Korean technologies of recycling ashes, modifying them into a valuable product, and fixing carbon dioxide via carbon mineralization, can be an alternative to dumping. In this study, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of deploying carbon mineralization technology to Vietnam while considering technological, legal, and network perspectives. The material properties of coal ash and the applicability of coal ash recycling technology were briefly investigated in Vietnam. Legislation has progressed, focusing on recycling coal ash as a building material, with supportive measures on investment and international cooperation. Meanwhile, a bilateral network between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea at the institutional and governmental levels strengthened the implementation of practical technology cooperation. In conclusion, we considered various perspectives in terms of the technology transfer of recycling coal ash. This technology transfer model can contribute to enhancing the possibility of successful technology cooperation for solving the environmental problems of coal ash.
Nitrogen Pulse and Competition Affects Nitrogen Metabolism in Invasive Weed (Amaranthus retroflexus) and Native Crop (Glycine max)
Authors: Jiang Baiwen , Zhou Xue , Lu Ping , Li Qi , Yang Haonan , Feike Til , Zhang Luyang , Guan Jiunian , Zhao Wei , Liu Haiying
Published: January 2020

Nitrogen (N) pulse is a frequent event in agroecosystems caused by fertilization. Understanding the responses of nitrogen metabolisms in native crops and invasive weeds to N pulses is essential in investigating the invasive mechanism of invasive weeds. A pot experiment was carried out to study the impacts of N pulse and the interspecific competition on nitrogen metabolism of an invasive weed (Amaranthus retroflexus) and a native crop (Glycine max); the plants were applied with an equal amount of N in three N pulse treatments, i.e., sole-summit treatment (SS) with N only applied on the seeding date, double-summit treatment (DS) with twice N applied (the fertilizer was applied on both the seeding date and the flowering date), and no-summit treatment (NS) in which N was applied evenly during the experiment. The results showed that A. retroflexus increased the nitrate reductase (NR) activity more than G. max (except for the roots) in the early growing stage, and increased the glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities in stem more than G. max in SS and DS treatments during the last two growing stages, however, the advantages were far weaker in the NS treatment. Interspecific competition had negative effects on the nitrogen metabolism of the two species among most of the sample times, and the effects of interspecific competition exerted a tissue-specific influence on nitrogen metabolism in the two species. A. retroflexus switched to reproductive growth earlier in SS treatment than in the DS and NS treatments when it was grown in mixed planting, and its height was the lowest in the NS treatment, so the competitive ability of A. retroflexus was higher in the SS and DS treatments than in the NS treatment, while SS treatment was the common application method of N fertilizer in the G. max farmland in China. Thus, the results of this study suggest that, if the farmer changed the N fertilizer application mode to a constant multiple fertilization mode, the competitive capacity of A. retroflexus will be reduced.
Modulational Instability, Inter-Component Asymmetry, and Formation of Quantum Droplets in One-Dimensional Binary Bose Gases
Authors: Mithun Thudiyangal , Maluckov Aleksandra , Kasamatsu Kenichi , Malomed Boris A. , Khare Avinash
Published: January 2020

Quantum droplets are ultradilute liquid states that emerge from the competitive interplay of two Hamiltonian terms, the mean-field energy and beyond-mean-field correction, in a weakly interacting binary Bose gas. We relate the formation of droplets in symmetric and asymmetric two-component one-dimensional boson systems to the modulational instability of a spatially uniform state driven by the beyond-mean-field term. Asymmetry between the components may be caused by their unequal populations or unequal intra-component interaction strengths. Stability of both symmetric and asymmetric droplets is investigated. Robustness of the symmetric solutions against symmetry-breaking perturbations is confirmed.