bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of TiO2-Cu Composites in Photocatalytic Degradation Different Pollutants and Hydrogen Production
Authors: Hampel Boglárka , Pap Zsolt , Sapi Andras , Szamosvolgyi Akos , Baia Lucian , Hernadi Klara
Published: January 2020

In the present work, copper nanoparticles were deposited onto the surface of two different commercial titanias (Evonik Aeroxide P25 and Aldrich anatase). During the synthesis, the concentration of copper was systematically varied (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 5.0%, and 10 wt.%) to optimize the composite-composition. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated under UV-light, using methyl orange and Rhodamine B as model and ketoprofen as real pollutant. For the hydrogen production capacity, oxalic acid was used as the sacrificial agent. The morpho-structural properties were investigated by using XRD (X-ray diffraction), TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) DRS (Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy), XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), and SEM-EDX methods (Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis). Increasing the copper concentration enhanced the photocatalytic activity for methyl orange degradation in the case of Aldrich anatase-based composites. When the P25-based composites were considered, there was no correlation between the Cu concentration and the activity; but, independently of the base photocatalyst, the composites containing 10% Cu were the best performing materials. Contrarily, for the ketoprofen degradation, increasing the copper concentration deteriorated the photoactivity. For both Aldrich anatase and P25, the best photocatalytic activity was shown by the composites containing 0.5% Cu. For the degradation of Rhodamine B solution, 1.5% of copper nanoparticles was the most suitable. When the hydrogen production capacity was evaluated, the P25-based composites showed higher performance (produced more hydrogen) than the Aldrich anatase-based ones. It was found that Cu was present in four different forms, including belloite (Cu(OH)Cl), metallic Cu, and presumably amorphous Cu(I)- and Cu(II)-based compounds, which were easily convertible among themselves during the photocatalytic processes.
Metformin Inhibits Tumor Metastasis through Suppressing Hsp90α Secretion in an AMPKα1-PKCγ Dependent Manner
Authors: Gong Yuanchao , Wang Caihong , Jiang Yi , Zhang Shaosen , Feng Shi , Fu Yan , Luo Yongzhang
Published: January 2020

Metformin has been documented in epidemiological studies to mitigate tumor progression. Previous reports show that metformin inhibits tumor migration in several cell lines, such as MCF-7 and H1299, but the mechanisms whereby metformin exerts its inhibitory effects on tumor metastasis remain largely unknown. The secreted proteins in cancer cell-derived secretome have been reported to play important roles in tumor metastasis, but whether metformin has an effect on tumor secretome remains unclear. Here we show that metformin inhibits tumor metastasis by suppressing Hsp90α (heat shock protein 90α) secretion. Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis and functional validation identify that eHsp90α (extracellular Hsp90α) is one of the most important secreted proteins for metformin to inhibit tumor cells migration, invasion and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we find that metformin inhibits Hsp90α secretion in an AMPKα1 dependent manner. Our data elucidate that AMPKα1 (AMP-activated protein kinase α1) decreases the phosphorylation level of Hsp90α by inhibiting the kinase activity of PKCγ (protein kinase Cγ), which suppresses the membrane translocation and secretion of Hsp90α. Collectively, our results illuminate that metformin inhibits tumor metastasis by suppressing Hsp90α secretion in an AMPKα1 dependent manner.
Climate Change Adaptation Options for Coastal Communities and Local Governments
Authors: Sinay Laura , Carter R. W. (Bill)
Published: January 2020

Extreme weather events and failure to adapt to the likely impacts of climate change are two of the most significant threats to humanity. Therefore, many local communities are preparing adaptation plans. Even so, much of what was done has not been published in the peer-reviewed literature. This means that consideration of adaptation options for local communities is limited. With the objective of assisting in the development of adaptation plans, we present 80 adaptation options suitable for coastal communities that can be applied by local governments. They are a catena of options from defend to co-exist and finally, retreat that progresses as impacts become less manageable. Options are organized according to their capacity to protect local properties and infrastructure, natural systems, food production, availability of fresh and drinking water and well-being of the local population, as these are likely to be affected by climate change. To respond to multiple threats, ‘soft’ options, such as awareness raising, planning, political articulation and financial incentives, insurance and professional skills enhancement, can be encouraged immediately at relatively low cost and are reversible. For specific threats, options emphasize change in management practices as pre-emptive measures. Key audiences for this work are communities and local governments starting to consider priority actions to respond to climate change impacts.
CCN-Based Inter-Vehicle Communication for Efficient Collection of Road and Traffic Information
Authors: Nakazawa Takanori , Tang Suhua , Obana Sadao
Published: January 2020

Recently, inter-vehicle communication, which helps to avoid collision accidents (by driving safety support system) and facilitate self-driving (by dissemination of road and traffic information), has attracted much attention. In this paper, in order to efficiently collect road/traffic information in the request/response manner, first a basic method, Content-centric network (CCN) for Vehicular network (CV), is proposed, which applies CCN cache function to inter-vehicle communication. Content naming and routing, which take vehicle mobility into account, are investigated. On this basis, the CV method is extended (called ECV) to avoid the cache miss problem caused by vehicle movement, and is further enhanced (called ECV+) to more efficiently exploit cache buffer in vehicles, caching content according to a probability decided by a channel usage rate. Extensive evaluations on the network simulator Scenargie, with a realistic open street map, confirm that the CV method and its extensions (ECV, ECV+) effectively reduce the average number of hops of data packets (by up to 47%, 63%, and 83%, respectively) and greatly improve the content acquisition success rate (by up to 356%, 444%, and 689%, respectively), compared to the method without a cache mechanism.
Optimized Charging of PV-Batteries for Households Using Real-Time Pricing Scheme: A Model and Heuristics-Based Implementation
Authors: Basmadjian Robert
Published: January 2020

The combination of solar panels (PV) with energy storage systems (ESS) has been becoming more and more a common practice for households. In this context, the battery of ESS satisfies the needs of the household when PV generation is not present. Recently, dynamic pricing became one of the measures taken to shift the demand. Thanks to technological advances (e.g., smart meters), real-time pricing (RTP) has shown to be the most attractive option in the market, due to the ease of estimating price elasticity over various time periods. We studied a PV-battery system for the case of households which are under RTP scheme. To this end, we described and modeled the underlying system, and compiled an objective function having as an optimization goal, the minimization of the charging cost of the battery. Furthermore, we propose a heuristics-based algorithm that schedules the charging process during cheap periods. To evaluate the amount of savings, we considered a real-life testbed and implemented the proposed algorithm by taking into account different scenarios. The results demonstrate the benefits of households adhering to real-time pricing scheme, where the savings reached 50% in certain cases.
Design of Novel Nested Arrays Based on the Concept of Sum-Difference Coarray
Authors: Si Weijian , Peng Zhanli , Hou Changbo , Zeng Fuhong
Published: January 2020

Nested arrays have recently attracted considerable attention in the field of direction of arrival (DOA) estimation owing to the hole-free property of their virtual arrays. However, such virtual arrays are confined to difference coarrays as only spatial information of the received signals is exploited. By exploiting the spatial and temporal information jointly, four kinds of novel nested arrays based on the sum-difference coarray (SDCA) concept are proposed. To increase the degrees of freedom (DOFs) of SDCA, a modified translational nested array (MTNA) is introduced first. Then, by analyzing the relationship among sensors in MTNA, we give the specific positions of redundant sensors and remove them later. Finally, we derive the closed-form expressions for the proposed arrays as well as their SDCAs. Meanwhile, different index sets corresponding to the proposed arrays are also designed for their use in obtaining the desirable SDCAs. Moreover, the properties regarding DOFs of SDCAs and physical apertures for the proposed arrays are analyzed, which prove that both the DOFs and physical apertures are improved. Simulation results are provided to verify the superiority of the proposed arrays.
Scene Text Detection with Polygon Offsetting and Border Augmentation
Authors: Kobchaisawat Thananop , Chalidabhongse Thanarat H. , Satoh Shin’ichi
Published: January 2020

Scene text localization is a very crucial step in the issue of scene text recognition. The major challenges—such as how there are various sizes, shapes, unpredictable orientations, a wide range of colors and styles, occlusion, and local and global illumination variations—make the problem different from generic object detection. Unlike existing scene text localization methods, here we present a segmentation-based text detector which can detect an arbitrary shaped scene text by using polygon offsetting, combined with the border augmentation. This technique better distinguishes contiguous and arbitrary shaped text instances from nearby non-text regions. The quantitative experimental results on public benchmarks, ICDAR2015, ICDAR2017-MLT, ICDAR2019-MLT, and Total-Text datasets demonstrate the performance and robustness of our proposed method, compared to previous approaches which have been proposed.
PLC/HMI-Based Implementation of a Real-Time Educational Power System Protective Relays Platform
Authors: Radhi Mahmood Jawad , Salim Ali Ramzy , Abd-Alhameed Raed A.
Published: January 2020

Engineering laboratories are key elements in engineering learning and are essential for a concrete understanding of engineering topics and experiments. These key laboratories are no longer just hardware-dependent, they are a creative combination of programmable hardware and also user-defined driving software. In this work, an educational power system protective relaying laboratory platform was designed and implemented using a programmable logic controller (PLC) and human–machine interface (HMI) in order to introduce engineering students to the operating mechanisms experimentally. It engaged the students in selecting settings and upgrading the inverse definite minimum time (IDMT) protection relays for overcurrent, overvoltage, undervoltage, and differential current. With the platform and the help of the HMI, the students mastered (or came close to mastering) the field of protective relays, especially those explicitly implemented in the platform. The students were also able to see the real-time response that is equivalent to the relay operation time of the protective relays under the various possible settings, and the kinesthetic learning that was involved gave them a deeper understanding of what is involved in relays upgrading.
Catalytic Hydrotreatment of the Pyrolytic Sugar and Pyrolytic Lignin Fractions of Fast Pyrolysis Liquids Using Nickel Based Catalysts
Authors: Yin Wang , Alekseeva (Bykova) Maria V. , Venderbosch Robertus Hendrikus , Yakovlev Vadim A. , Heeres Hero Jan
Published: January 2020

Catalytic hydrotreatment is recognized as an efficient method to improve the properties of pyrolysis liquids (PO) to allow co-feeding with fossil fuels in conventional refinery units. The promising catalyst recipes identified so far are catalysts with high nickel contents (38 to 57 wt.%), promoted by Cu, Pd, Mo and/or a combination, and supported by SiO2, SiO2-ZrO2, SiO2-ZrO2-La2O3 or SiO2-Al2O3. To gain insights into the reactivity of the pyrolytic sugar (PS) and pyrolytic lignin (PL) fraction of PO, hydrotreatment studies (350 °C, 120 bar H2 pressure (RT) for 4 h) were performed in a batch autoclave. Catalyst performance was evaluated by considering the product properties (H/C ratio, the charring tendency (TGA) and molecular weight distribution (GPC)) and the results were compared with a benchmark Ru/C catalyst. All Ni based catalysts gave products oils with a higher H/C compared to Ru/C. The Mo promoted catalyst performed best, giving a product with the highest H/C ratio (1.54) and the lowest TG residue (0.8 wt.% compared to 12 wt.% for the fresh PS). The results further revealed that the PS fraction is highly reactive and full conversion was achieved at 350 °C. In contrast, the PL fraction was rather inert, and only part of the PL fraction was converted. The fresh and spent catalysts after the hydrotreatment of the PS and PL fractions were characterized by elemental analysis, powder X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM-EDX). The results revealed that the use of PS as the feed leads to higher amounts of coke deposits on the catalysts, and higher levels of Ni agglomeration when compared to experiments with PL and pure PO. This proofs that proper catalyst selection for the PS fraction is of higher importance than for the PL fraction. The Mo promoted Ni catalysts showed the lowest amount of coke and the lowest tendency for Ni nanoparticle agglomeration compared to the monometallic Ni and bimetallic Ni-Cu catalysts.
Numerical Predictions of a Swirl Combustor Using Complex Chemistry Fueled with Ammonia/Hydrogen Blends
Authors: Vigueras-Zuniga Marco-Osvaldo , Tejeda-del-Cueto Maria-Elena , Vasquez-Santacruz José-Alejandro , Herrera-May Agustín-Leobardo , Valera-Medina Agustin
Published: January 2020

Ammonia, a chemical that contains high hydrogen quantities, has been presented as a candidate for the production of clean power generation and aerospace propulsion. Although ammonia can deliver more hydrogen per unit volume than liquid hydrogen itself, the use of ammonia in combustion systems comes with the detrimental production of nitrogen oxides, which are emissions that have up to 300 times the greenhouse potential of carbon dioxide. This factor, combined with the lower energy density of ammonia, makes new studies crucial to enable the use of the molecule through methods that reduce emissions whilst ensuring that enough power is produced to support high-energy intensive applications. Thus, this paper presents a numerical study based on the use of novel reaction models employed to characterize ammonia combustion systems. The models are used to obtain Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations via Star-CCM+ with complex chemistry of a 70%–30% (mol) ammonia–hydrogen blend that is currently under investigations elsewhere. A fixed equivalence ratio (1.2), medium swirl (0.8), and confined conditions are employed to determine the flame and species propagation at various operating atmospheres and temperature inlet values. The study is then expanded to high inlet temperatures, high pressures, and high flowrates at different confinement boundary conditions. The results denote how the production of NOx emissions remains stable and under 400 ppm, whilst higher concentrations of both hydrogen and unreacted ammonia are found in the flue gases under high power conditions. The reduction of heat losses (thus higher temperature boundary conditions) has a crucial impact on further destruction of ammonia post-flame, with a raise in hydrogen, water, and nitrogen through the system, thus presenting an opportunity of combustion efficiency improvement of this blend by reducing heat losses. Final discussions are presented as a method to raise power whilst employing ammonia for gas turbine systems.
An Optimization Scheme Based on Fuzzy Logic Control for Efficient Energy Consumption in Hydroponics Environment
Authors: Khudoyberdiev Azimbek , Ahmad Shabir , Ullah Israr , Kim DoHyeun
Published: January 2020

As the world population is increasing rapidly, food and water demands are the most crucial problem for humanity. In some areas of the world, water or environment is unsuitable for plant growth; hydroponic systems can provide a suitable environment for crop production with effective management of natural resources. Internet of Things paradigm based automated systems has been creating an excellent opportunity for monitoring and controlling agriculture by minimizing the cost and maximizing the profit significantly over the past decade. The reduction of the cost can be achieved by sufficient usage of resources and setting up optimum operational parameters for agricultural devices. This paper presents an optimization scheme with novel objective function for hydroponics environment parameters management with efficient energy consumption. The proposed approach provides optimal energy and resource utilization in the hydroponics system with setting up a working level and operational duration to the actuators. We have developed an optimization scheme with objective function for optimal humidity and water level control based on fuzzy logic, which can support the optimal measurement for crop growth with energy efficiency. Fuzzy logic control is applied for the compromise between actuators working level and operational duration. A real hydroponics environment has been implemented and presented to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. It can be assessed through the simulation results that the optimization module achieves a signification reduction (18%) in energy consumption as compared to the other scheme.
Testing the Durability of Anti-Soiling Coatings for Solar Cover Glass by Outdoor Exposure in Denmark
Authors: Oehler Gizelle C. , Lisco Fabiana , Bukhari Farwah , Uličná Soňa , Strauss Ben , Barth Kurt L. , Walls John M.
Published: January 2020

The presence of soiling on photovoltaic modules reduces light transmission through the front cover glass to the active absorber, thereby reducing efficiency and performance. Current soiling mitigation techniques are expensive and/or ineffective. However, anti-soiling coatings applied to the solar cover glass have the potential to reduce soiling for long periods of time without continuous maintenance. This paper reports the performance of two transparent hydrophobic coatings (A and B) exposed to the outdoor environment of coastal Denmark for 24 weeks. A comparison was made between the performance of coated and uncoated glass coupons, periodically cleaned coupons, and accelerated laboratory tests. Although initial results were promising, water contact angle and transmittance values were found to decline continuously for all coated and uncoated coupons. Surface blisters, film thickness reduction, changes in surface chemistry (fluorine loss), and abrasion damage following cleaning were observed. Coupons cleaned every 4 weeks showed a restoration in transmittance. Cycles of light rainfall and evaporation combined with a humid and salty environment led to cementation occurring on all coupons. The development of an abrasion-resistant, super-hydrophobic coating with a low roll-off angle and high water contact angle is more likely to provide an anti-soiling solution by reducing the build-up of cementation.
Estimation and Mapping of Solar Irradiance for Korea by Using COMS MI Satellite Images and an Artificial Neural Network Model
Authors: Koo YoungHyun , Oh Myeongchan , Kim Sung-Min , Park Hyeong-Dong
Published: January 2020

The power capacity of solar photovoltaics (PVs) in Korea has grown dramatically in recent years, and an accurate estimation of solar resources is crucial for the efficient management of these solar PV systems. Since the number of solar irradiance measurement sites is insufficient for Korea, satellite images can be useful sources for estimating solar irradiance over a wide area of Korea. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was constructed to calculate hourly global horizontal solar irradiance (GHI) from Korea Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS) Meteorological Imager (MI) images. Solar position variables and five COMS MI channels were used as inputs for the ANN model. The basic ANN model was determined to have a window size of five for the input satellite images and two hidden layers, with 30 nodes on each hidden layer. After these ANN parameters were determined, the temporal and spatial applicability of the ANN model for solar irradiance mapping was validated. The final ANN ensemble model, which calculated the hourly GHI from 10 independent ANN models, exhibited a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.975 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 54.44 W/m² (12.93%), which were better results than for other remote-sensing based works for Korea. Finally, GHI maps for Korea were generated using the final ANN ensemble model. This COMS-based ANN model can contribute to the efficient estimation of solar resources and the improvement of the operational efficiency of solar PV systems for Korea.
A Charge Possibility of an Unfueled Prechamber and Its Fluctuating Phenomenon for the Spark Ignited Engine
Authors: Gombosuren Nyamsuren , Yoshifumi Ogami , Hiroyuki Asada
Published: January 2020

The demand for internal combustion engines remains high for mobile power sources in all fields due to their low costs, running distance capacity, charging reliability, and heavy driving durability. However, air pollution, efficiency, and environmental factors make this more challenging. According to recent research, using a fueled prechamber can lead to lean combustion in the main chamber, resulting in increased efficiency, reduced fuel consumption, and reduced toxic emissions. However, difficulties in producing a fueled prechamber for commercial engines include mixture and soot formation problems in the limited space of the prechamber, and limited research on the charging possibility of the unfueled prechamber. A removable prechamber is advantageous for used vehicles because an engine redesign is not required. Therefore, we proposed to use an unfueled prechamber to enhance the lean burning efficiency of the spark ignited (SI) engine and explore the possibility of charging an unfueled, unscavenged prechamber with a fuel-rich mixture. Consequently, investigating the possibility of filling an unfueled prechamber with a fuel-rich mixture without additional fuel delivery or an air control system was the aim of this study. For this purpose, the charge flowrate of the centrally located unfueled prechamber is extensively investigated by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), through its design. As a result, a realizable charge flow was detected for the unfueled prechamber in two periods in the inlet and compression strokes. Most importantly, we found fluctuation phenomena in mass flow rates at the inlet stroke directing a charge flow of the richer mixture into an unfueled prechamber without additional systems. Moreover, keeping the charged rich mixture inside the prechamber during the compression stroke is as important as charging the prechamber with the fuel-rich mixture. The study will enable us to produce a removable prechamber to improve the combustion efficiency of port injected engines.
Projecting Medicinal Plant Trade Volume and Value in Deciduous Forests of the Eastern United States
Authors: Kruger Steve D. , Munsell John F. , Chamberlain James L. , Davis Jeanine M. , Huish Ryan D.
Published: January 2020

The volume, value and distribution of the nontimber forest product (NTFP) trade in the United States are largely unknown. This is due to the lack of systematic, periodic and comprehensive market tracking programs. Trade measurement and mapping would allow market actors and stakeholders to improve market conditions, manage NTFP resources, and increase the sustainable production of raw material. This is especially true in the heavily forested and mountainous regions of the eastern United States. This study hypothesized that the tendency to purchase medicinal NTFPs in this region can be predicted using socioeconomic and environmental variables associated with habitat and trade, and those same variables can be used to build more robust estimates of trade volume. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) dealers were surveyed (n = 700), because by law they must acquire a license to legally trade in this species, and therefore report a business address. They also record purchase data. Similar data are not reported for other medicinal species sold to the same buyers, known colloquially as ‘off-roots’. Ginseng buyers were queried about trade activity in eleven commonly-harvested and previously untracked medicinal NTFP species in 15 states. Multinomial logistic regression comprised of socioeconomic and environmental predictors tied to business location was used to determine the probability that a respondent purchased off-roots. Significant predictors included location in a particular subregion, population and percentage of employment in related industries. These variables were used in a two-step cluster analysis to group respondents and nonrespondents. Modeled probabilities for off-root purchasing among respondents in each cluster were used to impute average off-root volumes for a proportion of nonrespondents in the same cluster. Respondent observations and nonrespondent estimations were summed and used to map off-root trade volume and value. Model functionality and estimates of the total volume, value and spatial distribution are discussed. The total value of the species surveyed to harvesters was 4.3 million USD. We also find that 77 percent of the trade value and 73 percent of the trade volume were represented by two species: black cohosh (Actaea racemosa L.) and goldenseal (Hydrastis canqdensis L.)
Conservation–Protection of Forests for Wildlife in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Authors: Elliott A. Blaine , Mini Anne E. , McKnight S. Keith , Twedt Daniel J.
Published: January 2020

The nearly ubiquitous bottomland hardwood forests that historically dominated the Mississippi Alluvial Valley have been greatly reduced in area. In addition, changes in hydrology and forest management have altered the structure and composition of the remaining forests. To ameliorate the detrimental impact of these changes on silvicolous wildlife, conservation plans have emphasized restoration and reforestation to increase the area of interior (core) forest habitat, while presuming negligible loss of extant forest in this ecoregion. We assessed the conservation–protection status of land within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley because without protection, existing forests are subject to conversion to other uses. We found that only 10% of total land area was currently protected, although 28% of extant forest was in the current conservation estate. For forest patches, we prioritized their need for additional conservation–protection based on benefits to forest bird conservation afforded by forest patch area, geographic location, and hydrologic condition. Based on these criteria, we found that 4712 forest patches warranted conservation–protection, but only 109 of these forest patches met our desired conservation threshold of >2000 ha of core forest that was >250 m from an edge. Overall, 35% of the area of forest patches warranting conservation–protection was protected within the conservation estate. Even so, for those forest patches identified as most in need of conservation–protection, less than 10% of their area was currently protected. The conservation–protection priorities described fill an unmet need for land trusts and other conservation partners pursuing strategic forest protection in support of established bird conservation objectives.
Removal of Small-Molecular Byproducts from Crude Fructo-Oligosaccharide Preparations by Fermentation Using the Endospore-Forming Probiotic Bacillus coagulans
Authors: Fan Rong , Burghardt Jan P. , Xiong Tao , Czermak Peter
Published: January 2020

Short-chain prebiotic fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) produced by enzymatic conversion from sucrose often contains high concentration of monosaccharides as byproducts. In addition to conventional physical/chemical purification processes, microbial treatment is an alternative method to remove these byproducts. We used Bacillus coagulans to reduce the abundance of byproducts during the enzymatic production of FOS. It is a promising probiotic because this thermophilic and spore-forming bacterium remains viable and stable during food processing and storage. B. coagulans also produces lactic acid during the carbohydrate metabolism and is used industrially to produce lactic acid for medical and food/feed applications. We aimed to establish an evaluation system to screen different strains of B. coagulans for their performance and selected B. coagulans Thorne for the treatment of crude FOS due to its high growth rate, high sporulation rate, and low nutrient requirements. B. coagulans preferentially utilized monosaccharides over other sugar components of the FOS mixture. Glucose and fructose were completely consumed during the fermentation but 85% (w/w) of the total FOS remained. At the end of the fermentation, the total viable cell count of B. coagulans Thorne was 9.9 × 108 cfu·mL−1 and the maximum endospore count was 2.42 × 104 cfu·mL−1.
Assessment of Antioxidant Properties of Classic Energy Drinks in Comparison with Fruit Energy Drinks
Authors: Nowak Dariusz , Gośliński Michał
Published: January 2020

Energy drinks (EDs) contain sugar, caffeine, and other bioactive compounds. Recently, new types of EDs, enriched with fruit juices, natural pigments, and plant extracts, have been launched in the market. The objective of this study was to investigate the composition and antioxidant properties of the most popular classic and fruit EDs. The study was carried out including 24 of the most popular energy drinks (classic and fruit EDs). The composition of EDs, especially caffeine and sugar, and antioxidant properties (antioxidant capacity, total polyphenols, total anthocyanins, vitamin C) were analyzed. Energy drinks with added fruit juice or natural pigments had a significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) antioxidant capacity compared to classic energy drinks. Fruit EDs had a higher concentration of polyphenols and vitamin C. In some fruit EDs, slight amounts of anthocyanins were found. Generally, EDs are not a rich source of polyphenols and are not distinguished by high antioxidant capacity. However, fruit energy drinks and/or ones with added natural pigments have much better antioxidant properties than classic EDs. Both classic and fruit EDs contain a large amount of caffeine and sugar, therefore, it would be advisable not to drink large amounts of EDs for possible related health issues.
Analytical and Sample Preparation Techniques for the Determination of Food Colorants in Food Matrices
Authors: Ntrallou Konstantina , Gika Helen , Tsochatzis Emmanouil
Published: January 2020

Color additives are widely used by the food industry to enhance the appearance, as well as the nutritional properties of a food product. However, some of these substances may pose a potential risk to human health, especially if they are consumed excessively and are regulated, giving great importance to their determination. Several matrix-dependent methods have been developed and applied to determine food colorants, by employing different analytical techniques along with appropriate sample preparation protocols. Major techniques applied for their determination are chromatography with spectophotometricdetectors and spectrophotometry, while sample preparation procedures greatly depend on the food matrix. In this review these methods are presented, covering the advancements of existing methodologies applied over the last decade.
Integral Valorization of Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) By-Products through a Green Chemistry Approach towards Added Value Ingredients
Authors: Campos Débora A. , Ribeiro Tânia B. , Teixeira José A. , Pastrana Lorenzo , Pintado Maria Manuela
Published: January 2020

Industrial by-products are produced every day through fruit processing industries. Pineapple is not an exception; when processed, around 60% (w/w) of its weight are peels, stem, trimmings, and crown, the only used fruit part for human consumption. Due to high concerns of sustainability in the food system and negative high impact of human practice in the environment, a strategy has to be developed. Therefore, a green chemistry approach was applied to pineapple by-products to make an integrated valorization by the extraction of bioactive molecules. Two pineapple by-products (peels and stems) were studied, applying a green chemistry approach, which means the non-use of organic solvents or extreme methodologies. A subdivision of each by-product was done by the application of a juice machine. The peels and stems in the fresh state were ground separately, creating two fractions for each by-product—a juice and a wet pulp (press cake). The press cake was characterized, dried, and ground to create a fine powder flour. To the juice, a precipitation methodology with polysaccharides was applied, which allowed the bromelain separation (developing of an enzymatic fraction) from the fruit juice. The enzymatic extract was freeze-dried, and the juice was spray-dried, developing two more fine powders. Thus, three new ingredients were produced from each by-product, creating a total of six new ingredients. Overall, the enzymatic fractions represented around 0.26% (w/w) of pineapple weight. Pineapple stem juice represented 4.8% (w/w), and peel juice represented 17.3% (w/w). Pineapple stem flour represented 3.1% (w/w), and peel flour represented 11.4% (w/w) of the total pineapple weight. To valorize the by-products juices, a full characterization was performed of bioactive molecules and biological activities. When comparing the two juices, the peel juice showed lower content of total phenolic compounds, lower antioxidant capacity, and lower content of vitamin C. The different phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC analysis in the two pineapple by-products juices. However, the same compounds in both juices were quantified (chlorogenic, caffeic, and ferulic acids). On the other hand, the by-products flours had a high content of insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), mainly cellulose and hemicellulose. Therefore, the approach applied in this work opens the door to the production of green products, as a result of by-products valorization. This could be applied not only in the food industry but also in the nutraceutical and cosmetic industries.
Applying Nutrient Profiling Systems to Packaged Foods and Drinks Sold in Jamaica
Authors: Soares-Wynter Suzanne , Aiken-Hemming Stacey-Ann , Hollingsworth Bridget , Miles Donna R. , Ng Shu Wen
Published: January 2020

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Chile stage III nutrient profiling systems (NPSs) were applied to packaged beverages/foods sold in Jamaica to: (a) identify products with excess nutrients of concern (NOC) under each NPS; (b) assess differences between these NPS, and (c) discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each NPS when applied to Jamaica’s food supply. Data on 6261 branded multi-ingredient packaged products were collected from the city of Kingston in 2018; of these, 4739 products, comprised of 3423 foods (from 15 food groups) and 1316 beverages (from four beverage groups), provided sufficient information. Products containing excessive NOC under each NPS were identified and the proportions of categories with excess NOC were compared using correlation coefficients. Also assessed were the mean nutrient values among the subset of products exceeding versus not exceeding both NPSs using tests of significance. A larger proportion of packaged beverages and foods exceeds thresholds under PAHO versus Chile Stage III. Additionally, a larger percentage of foods, like fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish and seafood, would be considered as having excess sugar or sodium under PAHO versus Chile. This is the first study in the Caribbean that applies two existing NPSs to packaged products. The results can help to determine an appropriate NPS for use in Jamaica as the basis for food and nutrition policies, to help consumers make improved food choices.
The Digital Health Revolution and People with Disabilities: Perspective from the United States
Authors: Jones Mike , DeRuyter Frank , Morris John
Published: January 2020

This article serves as the introduction to this special issue on Mobile Health and Mobile Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities. Social, technological and policy trends are reviewed. Needs, opportunities and challenges for the emerging fields of mobile health (mHealth, aka eHealth) and mobile rehabilitation (mRehab) are discussed. Healthcare in the United States (U.S.) is at a critical juncture characterized by: (1) a growing need for healthcare and rehabilitation services; (2) maturing technological capabilities to support more effective and efficient health services; (3) evolving public policies designed, by turns, to contain cost and support new models of care; and (4) a growing need to ensure acceptance and usability of new health technologies by people with disabilities and chronic conditions, clinicians and health delivery systems. Discussion of demographic and population health data, healthcare service delivery and a public policy primarily focuses on the U.S. However, trends identified (aging populations, growing prevalence of chronic conditions and disability, labor shortages in healthcare) apply to most countries with advanced economies and others. Furthermore, technologies that enable mRehab (wearable sensors, in-home environmental monitors, cloud computing, artificial intelligence) transcend national boundaries. Remote and mobile healthcare delivery is needed and inevitable. Proactive engagement is critical to ensure acceptance and effectiveness for all stakeholders.
Fertility Deterioration in a Remediated Petroleum-Contaminated Soil
Authors: Domínguez-Rodríguez Verónica Isidra , Adams Randy H. , Vargas-Almeida Mariloli , Zavala-Cruz Joel , Romero-Frasca Enrique
Published: January 2020

A soil that had been remediated by soil washing and chemical oxidation was evaluated, comparing it to an uncontaminated control soil ~30 m away. Profile descriptions were made of both soils over a 0–1 m depth, and samples were analyzed from each soil horizon. Samples were also analyzed from surface soil (0–30 cm). The control soil (a Fluvisol), had several unaltered A and C horizons, but the remediated soil presented only two poorly differentiated horizons, without structure and much lower in organic matter (<0.5%). In surface samples (0–30 cm), the bulk density, sand-silt-clay contents, field capacity, organic matter, and porosity were different with respect to the control (p > 0.05), and there was much greater compaction (3.04 vs. 1.10 MPa). However, the hydrocarbon concentration in the remediated soil was low (969.12 mg kg−1, average), and was not correlated to soil fertility parameters, such as porosity, organic matter, pH, moisture, field capacity or texture (R2 < 0.69), indicating that the impacts (such as compaction, lower field capacity and moisture content) were not due to residual hydrocarbons. Likewise, acute toxicity (Microtox) was not found, nor water repellency (penetration time < 5 s). It was concluded that the fertility deterioration in this soil was caused principally from the mixture of upper (loam) and lower (silty clay to silty clay loam) horizons during remediation treatment. Another important factor was the reduction in organic material, probably caused by the chemical oxidation treatment.
High Willingness to Participate in Partner Notification among Women Attending Reproductive Health and STI Clinics in Shenzhen, China: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Weng Rongxing , Yu Weiye , Hong Fuchang , Zhang Chunlai , Wen Lizhang , Wang Feng , Luo Yiting , Ye Jianbin , Tang Fen , Wang Honglin , Chen Xiangsheng , Cai Yumao
Published: January 2020

Genital Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STI) worldwide. We explored the factors associated with willingness to participate in partner notification (PN) among women attending reproductive health and STI clinics in Shenzhen, China. An anonymous questionnaire was used to collect the sociodemographic characteristics, STI histories, and willingness to participate in routine CT screening and partner notification. In total, 87.31% (n = 10,780) of participants were willing to notify their sex partner(s) if they were diagnosed with a CT infection. Willingness to complete PN was significantly associated with: being married, residing in Shenzhen ≥1 year, having completed junior college or higher, not currently reporting STI-related symptoms, willing to have routine CT screening, and having a correct understanding of the health sequelae of CT infection. Nearly all women surveyed at reproductive health and STI clinics in Shenzhen reported willingness to complete PN. Promoting PN in these settings could help detect a large number of additional CT cases. Our findings provide evidence and implications for public health interventions on PN and suggest that targeted interventions are urgently needed for particular subpopulations including those not currently married, with shorter residency, lower education, and less awareness about the dangers of CT infection.
Pathways to Increasing Adolescent Physical Activity and Wellbeing: A Mediation Analysis of Intervention Components Designed Using a Participatory Approach
Authors: Corder Kirsten , Werneck André O. , Jong Stephanie T. , Hoare Erin , Brown Helen Elizabeth , Foubister Campbell , Wilkinson Paul O. , van Sluijs Esther MF
Published: January 2020

We assessed which intervention components were associated with change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and wellbeing through proposed psychosocial mediators. Eight schools (n = 1319; 13–14 years) ran GoActive, where older mentors and in-class-peer-leaders encouraged classes to conduct two new activities/week; students gained points and rewards for activity. We assessed exposures: participant-perceived engagement with components (post-intervention): older mentorship, peer leadership, class sessions, competition, rewards, points entered online; potential mediators (change from baseline): social support, self-efficacy, group cohesion, friendship quality, self-esteem; and outcomes (change from baseline): accelerometer-assessed MVPA (min/day), wellbeing (Warwick-Edinburgh). Mediation was assessed using linear regression models stratified by gender (adjusted for age, ethnicity, language, school, BMI z-score, baseline values), assessing associations between (1) exposures and mediators, (2) exposures and outcomes (without mediators) and (3) exposure and mediator with outcome using bootstrap resampling. No evidence was found to support the use of these components to increase physical activity. Among boys, higher perceived teacher and mentor support were associated with improved wellbeing via various mediators. Among girls, higher perceived mentor support and perception of competition and rewards were positively associated with wellbeing via self-efficacy, self-esteem and social support. If implemented well, mentorship could increase wellbeing among adolescents. Teacher support and class-based activity sessions may be important for boys’ wellbeing, whereas rewards and competition warrant consideration among girls.
An Experimental Strategy for Capturing the Margins of Prepared Single Teeth with an Intraoral Scanner: A Prospective Clinical Study on 30 Patients
Authors: Mangano Francesco Guido , Margiani Bidzina , Solop Ivan , Latuta Nadezhda , Admakin Oleg
Published: January 2020

Purpose: To present an experimental strategy for successfully capturing the margins of prepared single teeth with an intraoral scanner (IOS). Methods: The protocol was as follows: (1) an intraoral impression was captured with an IOS, without taking care of the visibility of the margins; (2) a partial analog impression was taken by means of a 3D-printed custom tray filled with polyvinylsiloxane light, after the removal of a retraction cord; (3) the hollow portion of the analog impression, with the preparation margins clearly visible, was scanned extraorally with the same IOS; (4) the scan of the analog impression was imported into computer-assisted-design (CAD) software, where its normals were inverted; (5) the scan with inverted normals was registered on the first intraoral scan, and replaced it; (6) the technician designed the final restoration, which was fabricated and delivered for application. The study outcomes were: (1) the marginal adaptation of the final crown; (2) the quality of interproximal contacts; and (3) the quality of occlusal contacts. Results: Thirty patients (18 males, 12 females; mean age 51.3 ± 11.6 years) were selected for this study. All these patients were restored with a monolithic translucent zirconia crown, fabricated following the aforementioned protocol. The clinical precision and the marginal adaptation of the crowns were optimal, interproximal contact points were perfect, and the only necessary adaptations were occlusal, with some minor precontacts that had to be polished. Conclusions: The present protocol seems to be compatible with the fabrication of clinically precise zirconia crowns. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.
Can Exposure to Certain Urban Green Spaces Trigger Frontal Alpha Asymmetry in the Brain?—Preliminary Findings from a Passive Task EEG Study
Authors: Olszewska-Guizzo Agnieszka , Sia Angelia , Fogel Anna , Ho Roger
Published: January 2020

A growing body of evidence from observational and experimental studies shows the associations between exposure to urban green spaces (UGSs) and mental health outcomes. Little is known about which specific features of UGS that might be the most beneficial. In addition, there is potential in utilizing objective physiological markers of mental health, such as assessing brain activity, but the subject requires further investigation. This paper presents the preliminary findings from an on-going within-subject experiment where adult participants (n = 22; 13 females) were passively exposed to six landscape scenes within two UGSs (a park and a neighborhood green space) and three scenes of a busy urban downtown (control site). The landscape scenes were pre-selected based on their contemplative landscape score (CLS) to represent different levels of aggregation of contemplative features within each view. Participants went to each of the sites in a random order to passively view the scenes, while their electroencephalography (EEG) signal was being recorded concurrently. Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) values, commonly associated with the approach-related motivation and positive emotions, were extracted. The preliminary results show trends for the main effect of site on FAA, suggestive of stronger FAA in park compared to the control site, akin to more positive mood. There was also a trend for the interaction between the site and scene, which suggests that even within the individual sites, there is variability depending on the specific scene. Adjusting for environmental covariate strengthened these effects, these interim findings are promising in supporting the study hypothesis and suggest that exposure to urban green spaces may be linked to mental health outcomes.