bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Time-Course Core Temperature and Water Loss in Realistic Adult and Child Models with Urban Micrometeorology Prediction
Authors: Kamiya Toshiki , Onishi Ryo , Kodera Sachiko , Hirata Akimasa
Published: December 2019

Ambient conditions may change rapidly and notably over time in urban areas. Conventional indices, such as the heat index and wet bulb globe temperature, are useful only in stationary ambient conditions. To estimate the risks of heat-related illness, human thermophysiological responses should be followed for ambient conditions in the time domain. We develop a computational method for estimating the time course of core temperature and water loss by combining micrometeorology and human thermal response. We firstly utilize an urban micrometeorology prediction to reproduce the environment surrounding walkers. The temperature elevations and sweating in a standard adult and child are then estimated for meteorological conditions. With the integrated computational method, we estimate the body temperature and thermophysiological responses for an adult and child walking along a street with two routes (sunny and shaded) in Tokyo on 7 August 2015. The difference in the core temperature elevation in the adult between the two routes was 0.11 °C, suggesting the necessity for a micrometeorology simulation. The differences in the computed body core temperatures and water loss of the adult and child were notable, and were mainly characterized by the surface area-to-mass ratio. The computational techniques will be useful for the selection of actions to manage the risk of heat-related illness and for thermal comfort.
Active Commute in Relation to Cognition and Academic Achievement in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Future Recommendations
Authors: Phansikar Madhura , Ashrafi Sadia Anjum , Khan Naiman A. , Massey William V. , Mullen Sean P.
Published: December 2019

Active commuting to school (ACS) is an important source of physical activity among children. Recent research has focused on ACS and its benefits on cognition and academic achievement (AA), factors important for success in school. This review aims to synthesize literature on the relationship between ACS and cognition or AA among children and adolescents. Peer-reviewed articles in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library assessing ACS with cognition and/or AA among children, until February 2019, were selected. Twelve studies across nine countries (age range 4–18.5 years) were included. One study used accelerometers, whereas all others used self-report measures of ACS. A wide range of objective assessments of cognitive functioning and AA domains were used. Five among eight studies, and four among six found a positive relationship between ACS and cognitive or AA measure, respectively. Four studies found dose–response relationships, and some studies found sex differences. The quantitative analysis found that ACS was not significantly associated with mathematics score (odds ratio = 1.18; CI = 0.40, 3.48). Findings are discussed in terms of methodological issues, potential confounders, and the strength of the evidence. Future studies should conduct longitudinal studies and use objective measures of ACS to understand this relationship further.
The Challenge of Bringing iPSCs to the Patient
Authors: Ortuño-Costela María del Carmen , Cerrada Victoria , García-López Marta , Gallardo M. Esther
Published: December 2019

The implementation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in biomedical research more than a decade ago, resulted in a huge leap forward in the highly promising area of personalized medicine. Nowadays, we are even closer to the patient than ever. To date, there are multiple examples of iPSCs applications in clinical trials and drug screening. However, there are still many obstacles to overcome. In this review, we will focus our attention on the advantages of implementing induced pluripotent stem cells technology into the clinics but also commenting on all the current drawbacks that could hinder this promising path towards the patient.
Analysis of EYA3 Phosphorylation by Src Kinase Identifies Residues Involved in Cell Proliferation
Authors: Ionescu Aura E. , Mentel Mihaela , Munteanu Cristian V.A. , Sima Livia E. , Martin Eliza C. , Necula-Petrareanu Georgiana , Szedlacsek Stefan E.
Published: December 2019

Eyes absent (EYA) are non-thiol-based protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) that also have transcriptional co-activator functions. Their PTP activity is involved in various pathologies. Recently, we demonstrated that Src tyrosine kinase phosphorylates human EYA3 by controlling its subcellular localization. We also found EYA3′s ability to autodephosphorylate, while raising the question if the two opposing processes could be involved in maintaining a physiologically adequate level of phosphorylation. Using native and bottom-up mass spectrometry, we performed detailed mapping and characterization of human EYA3 Src-phosphorylation sites. Thirteen tyrosine residues with different phosphorylation and autodephosphorylation kinetics were detected. Among these, Y77, 96, 237, and 508 displayed an increased resistance to autodephosphorylation. Y77 and Y96 were found to have the highest impact on the overall EYA3 phosphorylation. Using cell cycle analysis, we showed that Y77, Y96, and Y237 are involved in HEK293T proliferation. Mutation of the three tyrosine residues abolished the pro-proliferative effect of EYA3 overexpression. We have also identified a Src-induced phosphorylation pattern of EYA3 in these cells. These findings suggest that EYA3′s tyrosine phosphorylation sites are non-equivalent with their phosphorylation levels being under the control of Src-kinase activity and of EYA3′s autodephosphorylation.
Effects of Detritivores on Nutrient Dynamics and Corn Biomass in Mesocosms
Authors: Lindsey-Robbins Josephine , Vázquez-Ortega Angélica , McCluney Kevin , Pelini Shannon
Published: December 2019

(1) Background: Strategies aimed at managing freshwater eutrophication should be based on practices that consider cropland invertebrates, climatic change, and soil nutrient cycling. Specifically, detritivores play a crucial role in the biogeochemical processes of soil through their consumptive and burrowing activities. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of increasing detritivore abundance as a strategy for nutrient management under varied rainfall. (2) Methods: We manipulated soil macroinvertebrate abundance and rainfall amount in an agricultural mesocosms. We then measured the phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon levels within the soil, corn, invertebrates, and soil solution. (3) Results: Increasing detritivore abundance in our soil significantly increased corn biomass by 2.49 g (p < 0.001), reduced weed growth by 18.2% (p < 0.001), and decreased soil solution nitrogen and total organic carbon (p < 0.05) and volume by 31.03 mL (p < 0.001). Detritivore abundance also displayed a significant interaction effect with rainfall treatment to influence soil total P (p = 0.0019), total N (p < 0.001), and total C (p = 0.0146). (4) Conclusions: Soil detritivores play an important role in soil nutrient cycling and soil health. Incorporating soil macroinvertebrate abundance into management strategies for agricultural soil may increase soil health of agroecosystems, preserve freshwater ecosystems, and protect the valuable services they both provide for humans.
The Broad Clinical Spectrum of Disseminated Histoplasmosis in HIV-Infected Patients: A 30 Years’ Experience in French Guiana
Authors: Couppié Pierre , Herceg Katarina , Bourne-Watrin Morgane , Thomas Vincent , Blanchet Denis , Alsibai Kinan Drak , Louvel Dominique , Djossou Felix , Demar Magalie , Blaizot Romain , Adenis Antoine
Published: December 2019

Histoplasmosis is a common but neglected AIDS-defining condition in endemic areas for Histoplasma capsulatum. At the advanced stage of HIV infection, the broad spectrum of clinical features may mimic other frequent opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis and makes it difficult for clinicians to diagnose histoplasmosis in a timely manner. Diagnosis of histoplasmosis is difficult and relies on a high index of clinical suspicion along with access to medical mycology facilities with the capacity to implement conventional diagnostic methods (direct examination and culture) in a biosafety level 3 laboratory as well as indirect diagnostic methods (molecular biology, antibody, and antigen detection tools in tissue and body fluids). Time to initiation of effective antifungals has an impact on the patient’s prognosis. The initiation of empirical antifungal treatment should be considered in endemic areas for Histoplasma capsulatum and HIV. Here, we report on 30 years of experience in managing HIV-associated histoplasmosis based on a synthesis of clinical findings in French Guiana with considerations regarding the difficulties in determining its differential diagnosis with other opportunistic infections.
Old Timber Reinforcement with FRPs
Authors: Brol Janusz , Wdowiak-Postulak Agnieszka
Published: December 2019

The tests included the determination of the reinforcement effectiveness of old larch timber originating from a building built in 1860 with the use of carbon-fibre and aramid-fibre mats and strips, BFRPs and GFRPs. The test results showed that in old solid timber pieces from European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), the highest mean flexural bending capacity occurred in samples reinforced with carbon-fibre mats (increase in flexural bending capacity was 60.66% in relation to non-reinforced elements), while the lowest flexural bending capacity of the tested components occurred with reinforcement with GFRP (10 mm in diameter) (increase by only 19.04% in relation to non-reinforced elements). Additionally, bending tests of repaired 130-year-old pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) beams were shown (real-size scale) using CFRP strips and mats. The problems associated with the delamination of the CFRP strip due to uneven deformation of the damaged timber surface and the effectiveness of these repairs are also shown.
Prediction on Compressive and Split Tensile Strengths of GGBFS/FA Based GPC
Authors: Lee Songhee , Shin Sangmin
Published: December 2019

Based on rate constant concept, empirical models were presented for the predictions of age-dependent development of compressive and split tensile strengths of geopolymer concrete composite (GPCC) with fly ash (FA) blended with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). The models were empirically developed based on a total of 180 cylindrical test results of GPCC. Six different independent factors comprising of curing temperature, the weight ratios of GGBFS/binder, the aggregate/binder, the alkali solution/binder, the Na2SiO3/NaOH, and the NaOH concentration were considered as the variables. The ANOVA analyses performed on Taguchi orthogonal arrays with six factors in three levels showed that the curing temperature and ratio of GGBFS to binder were the main contributing factors to the development of compressive strength. The models, functionalized with these contributing factors and equivalent age, reflect the level of activation energy of GPCC similar to that of ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPC) and a higher frequency of molecular collisions during the curing period at elevated temperature. The model predictions for compressive and split tensile strength showed good agreements with tested results.
Pressure-Dependent Stability of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid/DNA Materials Investigated by High-Pressure Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Wang Teng-Hui , Shen Min-Hsiu , Chang Hai-Chou
Published: December 2019

1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4MIM][PF6])/DNA and 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C3MIM][PF6])/DNA mixtures were prepared and characterized by high-pressure infrared spectroscopy. Under ambient pressure, the imidazolium C2–H and C4,5–H absorption bands of [C4MIM][PF6]/DNA mixture were red-shifted in comparison with those of pure [C4MIM][PF6]. This indicates that the C2–H and C4,5–H groups may have certain interactions with DNA that assist in the formation of the ionic liquid/DNA association. With the increase of pressure from ambient to 2.5 GPa, the C2–H and C4,5–H absorption bands of pure [C4MIM][PF6] displayed significant blue shifts. On the other hand, the imidazolium C–H absorption bands of [C4MIM][PF6]/DNA showed smaller frequency shift upon compression. This indicates that the associated [C4MIM][PF6]/DNA conformation may be stable under pressures up to 2.5 GPa. Under ambient pressure, the imidazolium C2–H and C4,5–H absorption bands of [C3MIM][PF6]/DNA mixture displayed negligible shifts in frequency compared with those of pure [C3MIM][PF6]. The pressure-dependent spectra of [C3MIM][PF6]/DNA mixture revealed spectral features similar to those of pure [C3MIM][PF6]. Our results indicate that the associated structures of [C4MIM][PF6]/DNA are more stable than those of [C3MIM][PF6]/DNA under high pressures.
Improving Output Power of InGaN Laser Diode Using Asymmetric In0.15Ga0.85N/In0.02Ga0.98N Multiple Quantum Wells
Authors: Wang Wenjie , Xie Wuze , Deng Zejia , Liao Mingle
Published: December 2019

Herein, the optical field distribution and electrical property improvements of the InGaN laser diode with an emission wavelength around 416 nm are theoretically investigated by adjusting the relative thickness of the first or last barrier layer in the three In0.15Ga0.85N/In0.02Ga0.98N quantum wells, which is achieved with the simulation program Crosslight. It was found that the thickness of the first or last InGaN barrier has strong effects on the threshold currents and output powers of the laser diodes. The optimal thickness of the first quantum barrier layer (FQB) and last quantum barrier layer (LQB) were found to be 225 nm and 300 nm, respectively. The thickness of LQB layer predominantly affects the output power compared to that of the FQB layer, and the highest output power achieved 3.87 times that of the reference structure (symmetric quantum well), which is attributed to reduced optical absorption loss as well as the reduced vertical electron leakage current leaking from the quantum wells to the p-type region. Our result proves that an appropriate LQB layer thickness is advantageous for achieving low threshold current and high output power lasers.
First Synthesis of (−)-Altenuene-D3 Suitable as Internal Standard for Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Sebald Michael A. , Gebauer Julian , Sommerfeld Thomas , Koch Matthias
Published: December 2019

Metabolites from Alternaria fungi exhibit a variety of biological properties such as phytotoxic, cytotoxic, or antimicrobial activity. Optimization of a literature procedure culminated in an efficient total synthesis of (−)-altenuene as well as a stable isotope-labeled derivative suitable for implementation in a LC-MS/MS method for mycotoxin analysis.
Structure-Activity Study of an All-d Antimicrobial Octapeptide D2D
Authors: Lone Abdullah , Thomsen Thomas T. , Nielsen Josefine Eilsø , Thulstrup Peter W. , Klitgaard Rasmus N. , Løbner-Olesen Anders , Lund Reidar , Jenssen Håvard , Hansen Paul R.
Published: December 2019

The increasing emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria is a serious threat to public health worldwide. Antimicrobial peptides have attracted attention as potential antibiotics since they are present in all multicellular organisms and act as a first line of defence against invading pathogens. We have previously identified a small all-d antimicrobial octapeptide amide kk(1-nal)fk(1-nal)k(nle)-NH2 (D2D) with promising antimicrobial activity. In this work, we have performed a structure-activity relationship study of D2D based on 36 analogues aimed at discovering which elements are important for antimicrobial activity and toxicity. These modifications include an alanine scan, probing variation of hydrophobicity at lys5 and lys7, manipulation of amphipathicity, N-and C-termini deletions and lys-arg substitutions. We found that the hydrophobic residues in position 3 (1-nal), 4 (phe), 6 (1-nal) and 8 (nle) are important for antimicrobial activity and to a lesser extent cationic lysine residues in position 1, 2, 5 and 7. Our best analogue 5, showed MICs of 4 µg/mL against A. baumannii, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus with a hemolytic activity of 47% against red blood cells. Furthermore, compound 5 kills bacteria in a concentration-dependent manner as shown by time-kill kinetics. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of D2D and compounds 1–8 showed that they likely fold into α-helical secondary structure. Small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments showed that a random unstructured polymer-like chains model could explain D2D and compounds 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8. Solution structure of compound 5 can be described with a nanotube structure model, compound 7 can be described with a filament-like structure model, while compound 2 can be described with both models. Lipid interaction probed by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) showed that a higher amount of compound 5 (~50–60%) inserts into the bilayer compared to D2D (~30–50%). D2D still remains the lead compound, however compound 5 is an interesting antimicrobial peptide for further investigations due to its nanotube structure and minor improvement to antimicrobial activity compared to D2D.
FePc and FePcF16 on Rutile TiO2(110) and (100): Influence of the Substrate Preparation on the Interaction Strength
Authors: Karstens Reimer , Glaser Mathias , Belser Axel , Balle David , Polek Małgorzata , Ovsyannikov Ruslan , Giangrisostomi Erika , Chassé Thomas , Peisert Heiko
Published: December 2019

Interface properties of iron phthalocyanine (FePc) and perfluorinated iron phthalocyanine (FePcF16) on rutile TiO2(100) and TiO2(110) surfaces were studied using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). It is demonstrated that the interaction strength at the interfaces is considerably affected by the detailed preparation procedure. Weak interactions were observed for all studied interfaces between FePc or FePcF16 and rutile, as long as the substrate was exposed to oxygen during the annealing steps of the preparation procedure. The absence of oxygen in the last annealing step only had almost no influence on interface properties. In contrast, repeated substrate cleaning cycles performed in the absence of oxygen resulted in a more reactive, defect-rich substrate surface. On such reactive surfaces, stronger interactions were observed, including the cleavage of some C–F bonds of FePcF16.
Enhanced Antifungal Activities of Eugenol-Entrapped Casein Nanoparticles against Anthracnose in Postharvest Fruits
Authors: Xue Yang , Zhou Shitong , Fan Chenyue , Du Qizhen , Jin Peng
Published: December 2019

This study aims to improve the antifungal effects of eugenol through low-energy self-assembly fabrication and optimization of eugenol-casein nanoparticles (EC-NPs). Optimized EC-NPs (eugenol/casein ratio of 1:5) were obtained with a mean size of 307.4 ± 2.5 nm and entrapment efficiency of 86.3% ± 0.2%, and showed high stability under incubated at 20 and 37 °C for 48 h. EC-NPs exhibited satisfactory sustained-release effect at 20 °C or 37 °C, with remaining eugenols amounts of 79.51% and 53.41% after 72 h incubation, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of native eugenol (only 26.40% and 19.82% after the first 12 h). EC-NPs exhibited a greater antifungal activity (>95.7%) against spore germination of fungus that was greater than that of native eugenol, showed 100% inhibition of the anthracnose incidence in postharvest pear after 7 d. EC-NPs is potential as an environmental-friendly preservatives in the food industry.
Inapparent Strengthening Effect of Twin Interface in Cu/Pd Multilayered Films with a Large Lattice Mismatch
Authors: Weng Shayuan , Chen Xiang , Yue Xing , Fu Tao , Peng Xianghe
Published: December 2019

It has been found that there are two kinds of interfaces in a Cu/Pd multilayered film, namely, cube-on-cube and twin. However, the effects of the interfacial structure and modulation period on the mechanical properties of a Cu/Pd multilayered film remain unclear. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations of Cu/Pd multilayered film with different interfaces and modulation periods under in-plane tension are performed to investigate the effects of the interfacial structure and modulation period. The interface misfit dislocation net exhibits a periodic triangular distribution, while the residual internal stress can be released through the bending of dislocation lines. With the increase of the modulation period, the maximum stress shows an upward trend, while the flow stress declines. It was found that the maximum stress and flow stress of the sample with a cube-on-cube interface is higher than that of the sample with a twin interface, which is different from the traditional cognition. This unusual phenomenon is mainly attributed to the discontinuity and unevenness of the twin boundaries caused by the extremely severe lattice mismatch.
Obesity and Vitamin D Insufficiency among Adolescent Girls and Young Adult Women from Korea
Authors: Jang Haeun , Lee Yujin , Park Kyong
Published: December 2019

Although there is evidence of the biological mechanisms by which obesity may induce vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency, limited epidemiological studies have been conducted, especially among Asian adolescent girls and young adult women who are at a high risk of vitamin D deficiency. This study aimed to examine the cross-sectional association between obesity and vitamin D insufficiency among adolescent girls and young adult women in Korea. We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008–2014, and 3623 girls and young adult women aged 12–29 years were included. Demographic and lifestyle data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from the health interview survey. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level, body mass index (BMI), and body fat percentage (BF%) were measured during health examinations. Multivariable logistic regression was used considering the complex, multistage probability sample design of KNHANES. In the multivariable-adjusted analyses, obese girls and women, defined by BMI, were more likely to have a higher prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency (odds ratio [OR]: 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–2.17). This association was also evident for BF%. Participants with ≥30% BF% had a significantly higher prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency (OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.07–2.16). Obesity may worsen vitamin D insufficiency among adolescents and young women because of the fat-soluble characteristics of vitamin D and related health behaviors, such as a lack of outdoor activity. Further large-scale prospective cohort studies or randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm this causality.
L-Arabinose Elicits Gut-Derived Hydrogen Production and Ameliorates Metabolic Syndrome in C57BL/6J Mice on High-Fat-Diet
Authors: Zhao Lin , Wang Yan , Zhang Guanfei , Zhang Tiantian , Lou Jing , Liu Jiankang
Published: December 2019

Obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) associated with excess calorie intake has become a great public health concern worldwide. L-arabinose, a naturally occurring plant pentose, has a promising future as a novel food ingredient with benefits in MS; yet the mechanisms remain to be further elucidated. Gut microbiota is recently recognized to play key roles in MS. Molecular hydrogen, an emerging medical gas with reported benefits in MS, can be produced and utilized by gut microbes. Here we show oral L-arabinose elicited immediate and robust release of hydrogen in mice in a dose-and-time-dependent manner while alleviating high-fat-diet (HFD) induced MS including increased body weight especially fat weight, impaired insulin sensitivity, liver steatosis, dyslipidemia and elevated inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, L-arabinose modulated gene-expressions involved in lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function in key metabolic tissues. Antibiotics treatment abolished L-arabinose-elicited hydrogen production independent of diet type, confirming gut microbes as the source of hydrogen. q-PCR of fecal 16S rDNA revealed modulation of relative abundances of hydrogen-producing and hydrogen-consuming gut microbes as well as probiotics by HFD and L-arabinose. Our data uncovered modulating gut microbiota and hydrogen yield, expression of genes governing lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function in metabolic tissues is underlying L-arabinose’s benefits in MS.
Effect of Eco-Friendly Cellulose Nanocrystals on Physical Properties of Cement Mortars
Authors: Barnat-Hunek Danuta , Grzegorczyk-Frańczak Małgorzata , Szymańska-Chargot Monika , Łagód Grzegorz
Published: December 2019

Nanocellulose, being a material with nanodimensions, is characterized by high tensile strength, high modulus of elasticity, low thermal expansion, and relatively low density, as well as exhibiting very good electrical conductivity properties. The paper presents the results of research on cement mortars with the addition of nanocrystals cellulose, applied in three different amounts (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) by weight of cement, including: physical and mechanical properties, frost resistance and resistance against the detrimental effect of salt, and microstructure examination (SEM). Along with an increase in amount of admixture, the weight loss following frost resistance and salt crystallization tests is reduced. Studies have shown that the addition of nanocrystalline cellulose improves the compressive and flexural strength by 27.6% and 10.9%, respectively. After 50 freezing and thawing (F–T) cycles for the mortars with 1.5% nanocellulose admixture, an improvement in frost resistance by 98% was observed. In turn, the sulfate crystallization tests indicated a 35-fold decrease in weight loss following 1.5% nanopolymer addition to the mortar.
A Porous Polymer-Based Solid Acid Catalyst with Excellent Amphiphilicity: An Active and Environmentally Friendly Catalyst for the Hydration of Alkynes
Authors: Lei Yizhu , Zhang Maomin , Li Qian , Xia Yu , Leng Guojun
Published: December 2019

Developing efficient solid acid catalysts for aqueous organic reactions is of great importance for the development of sustainable chemistry. In this work, a porous polymeric acid catalyst was synthesized via a solvothermal copolymerization and a successive ion-exchange method. Physicochemical characterizations suggested that the prepared polymers possessed large Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas, a hierarchically porous structure, excellent surface amphiphilicity, and nice swelling properties. Notably, an activity test in phenylacetylene hydration indicated that the prepared solid acid exhibited high catalytic activity in water, which outperformed commercial amberlyst-15, sulfuric acid, and benzenesulfonic acid. Moreover, the prepared solid acid can be easily recovered and reused at least four times. Additionally, a variety of aromatic and aliphatic alkynes could be effectively transformed into corresponding ketones under optimal reaction conditions.
Surface Wave Enhanced Sensing in the Terahertz Spectral Range: Modalities, Materials, and Perspectives
Authors: Poulin Mathieu , Giannacopoulos Steven , Skorobogatiy Maksim
Published: December 2019

The terahertz spectral range (frequencies of 0.1–10 THz) has recently emerged as the next frontier in non-destructive imaging and sensing. Here, we review amplitude-based and phase-based sensing modalities in the context of the surface wave enhanced sensing in the terahertz frequency band. A variety of surface waves are considered including surface plasmon polaritons on metals, semiconductors, and zero gap materials, surface phonon polaritons on polaritonic materials, Zenneck waves on high-k dielectrics, as well as spoof surface plasmons and spoof Zenneck waves on structured interfaces. Special attention is paid to the trade-off between surface wave localization and sensor sensitivity. Furthermore, a detailed theoretical analysis of the surface wave optical properties as well as the sensitivity of sensors based on such waves is supplemented with many examples related to naturally occurring and artificial materials. We believe our review can be of interest to scientists pursuing research in novel high-performance sensor designs operating at frequencies beyond the visible/IR band.
An Approach to Multi-Objective Path Planning Optimization for Underwater Gliders
Authors: Lucas Carlos , Hernández-Sosa Daniel , Greiner David , Zamuda Aleš , Caldeira Rui
Published: December 2019

Underwater gliders are energy-efficient vehicles that rely on changes in buoyancy in order to convert up and down movement into forward displacement. These vehicles are conceived as multi-sensor platforms, and can be used to collect ocean data for long periods in wide range areas. This endurance is achieved at the cost of low speed, which requires extensive planning to ensure vehicle safety and mission success, particularly when dealing with strong ocean currents. As gliders are often involved on missions that pursue multiple objectives (track events, reach a target point, avoid obstacles, sample specified areas, save energy), path planning requires a way to deal with several constraints at the same time; this makes glider path planning a multi-objective (MO) optimization problem. In this work, we analyse the usage of the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) to tackle a MO glider path planning application on a complex environment integrating 3D and time varying ocean currents. Multiple experiments using a glider kinematic simulator coupled with NSGA-II, combining different control parameters were carried out, to find the best parameter configuration that provided suitable paths for the desired mission. Ultimately, the system described in this work was able to optimize multi-objective trajectories, providing non dominated solutions. Such a planning tool could be of great interest in real mission planning, to assist glider pilots in selecting the most convenient paths for the vehicle, taking into account ocean forecasts and particular characteristics of the deployment location.
Fuzzy Logic and Bio-Inspired Firefly Algorithm Based Routing Scheme in Intrabody Nanonetworks
Authors: Fahim Hamza , Li Wei , Javaid Shumaila , Sadiq Fareed Mian Muhammad , Ahmed Gulnaz , Khattak Muhammad Kashif
Published: December 2019

An intrabody nanonetwork (IBNN) is composed of nanoscale (NS) devices, implanted inside the human body for collecting diverse physiological information for diagnostic and treatment purposes. The unique constraints of these NS devices in terms of energy, storage and computational resources are the primary challenges in the effective designing of routing protocols in IBNNs. Our proposed work explicitly considers these limitations and introduces a novel energy-efficient routing scheme based on a fuzzy logic and bio-inspired firefly algorithm. Our proposed fuzzy logic-based correlation region selection and bio-inspired firefly algorithm based nano biosensors (NBSs) nomination jointly contribute to energy conservation by minimizing transmission of correlated spatial data. Our proposed fuzzy logic-based correlation region selection mechanism aims at selecting those correlated regions for data aggregation that are enriched in terms of energy and detected information. While, for the selection of NBSs, we proposed a new bio-inspired firefly algorithm fitness function. The fitness function considers the transmission history and residual energy of NBSs to avoid exhaustion of NBSs in transmitting invaluable information. We conduct extensive simulations using the Nano-SIM tool to validate the in-depth impact of our proposed scheme in saving energy resources, reducing end-to-end delay and improving packet delivery ratio. The detailed comparison of our proposed scheme with different scenarios and flooding scheme confirms the significance of the optimized selection of correlated regions and NBSs in improving network lifetime and packet delivery ratio while reducing the average end-to-end delay.
Participatory Research towards Food System Redesign: Italian Case Study and Perspectives
Authors: Ciaccia Corrado , Di Pierro Marta , Testani Elena , Roccuzzo Giancarlo , Cutuli Marcello , Ceccarelli Danilo
Published: December 2019

Industrial agriculture and its requirement for standardized approaches is driving the world towards a global food system, shrinking the role of farmers and shifting decision-making power. On the contrary, a holistic perspective towards a new food-system design could meet the needs of a larger share of stakeholders. Long-term experiments are crucial in this transition, being the hub of knowledge and the workshop of ‘participation in’ and ‘appropriation of’ the research in agriculture over a long term. We present a methodology applied during the creation of a small network of organic farmers in Italy and detail the steps of the co-innovation process implemented. After a context analysis of the area to define the type of research and degree of participation, three steps were performed: (1) Identification of stakeholders; (2) dialogic identification of common activities; and (3) validation and feedback from participants. In the first participatory step, five organic farms were engaged for the second and third steps. We organized meetings to discuss future plans, facilitating the interaction process between farmers and researchers. These activities led to: (i) the definition of a research protocol based on farmers’ research needs for a new long-term experiment; (ii) committing farmers to take an active role in the research; and (iii) hosting experimental satellite trials in their own farms.
Have Bangladesh’s Polders Decreased Livelihood Vulnerability? A Comparative Case Study
Authors: Nath Sanchayan , van Laerhoven Frank , Driessen Peter P. J.
Published: December 2019

Communities living in coastal regions are vulnerable to flooding, salinity intrusion, and natural hazards. This is aggravated by climate change. In order to reduce this vulnerability, governments have invested heavily in developing coastal infrastructures. One type of infrastructure development regards polders (i.e., pieces of land previously subject to permanent or temporal overflow that are now surrounded by embankments that prevent inundation). The impact of polderization on livelihood vulnerability is not straightforward and is therefore still poorly understood. In order to analyze such impacts, we present a comparative case study of four polders in Bangladesh that are characterized by varying societal circumstances, hydrological conditions, hydrological interventions, and different levels of community response to polderization. How does livelihood vulnerability vary temporally and spatially in polders, and what explains such variation? We use data collected via 162 surveys, 40 semi-structured interviews, and secondary research to analyze trends in the scores of the livelihood vulnerability index. Based on our analysis, we argue that after accounting for interactions amongst variables like hydrological conditions, hydrological interventions, community response, and other societal factors, livelihood vulnerability is lower in polders characterized by higher community involvement in using hydrological interventions to control the flow of saline water.
Zambian Civic Education Teacher Students in Norway for a Year—How Do They Describe Their Transformative Learning?
Authors: Bergersen Ane , Muleya Gistered
Published: December 2019

Through 10 years of cooperation between the University of Zambia and the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 24 students of Civic Education (Social Sciences) from the University of Zambia had an opportunity to travel to Norway to have a different learning experience of Civic Education. In this study, we sought through qualitative questionnaires and interviews to understand how the former Civic Education teacher students describe their experiences and received benefits during the 10 months they spent at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. The study established that transformative learning takes time, but of paramount importance was that the students were able to critically reflect and act as change-makers at an individual, school, and/or society level. The study also noted that international student mobility can increase students’ transformative learning under certain conditions. Therefore, our study concludes that crucial factors for transformative learning consist of the combination of cultural mentoring, teaching practice, critical discussions, and critical theories. Additionally, the study notes that reframing our perspectives as learners, teachers, and researchers can lead to increased awareness of moral imperatives for satisfying human needs, ensuring social justice and respecting environmental limits as citizens in a global world.
Systematic Review of Good Teaching Practices with ICT in Spanish Higher Education. Trends and Challenges for Sustainability
Authors: Alonso-García Santiago , Aznar-Díaz Inmaculada , Cáceres-Reche María-Pilar , Trujillo-Torres Juan-Manuel , Romero-Rodríguez José-María
Published: December 2019

Good teaching practices are developed in order to improve student learning. With technological and social development, educational practices increasingly demand the use of technology, so having good teaching practices with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is essential. At the same time, the Sustainable Development Agenda of the United Nations for the year 2030 is setting the principles of sustainable action for today’s society. In this context, the following objectives were proposed: to identify the good teaching practices with ICT that are being developed in Spanish higher education and to establish the relationship between good teaching practices with ICT and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). For this purpose, the method of systematic review of the literature based on the PRISMA protocol was used. A total of 27 documents published in the period 2008–2019 on good teaching practices with ICT in Spanish higher education were analyzed. Among the results, the emerging trend of good practices with ICT, the use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) as the main technology in good practices, and the majority of good practices in the development of SDG #4 (Quality Education) are highlighted. Finally, it is a challenge for teachers to include all these aspects in their classroom teaching.
Green-Building-Material Supplier Selection with a Rough-Set-Enhanced Quality Function Deployment
Authors: Zhang Zhiying , Liao Huchang , Chang Jiaying , Al-barakati Abdullah
Published: December 2019

Building material supplier evaluation and selection is a significant strategic-decision problem for reducing construction costs and ensuring the quality of a residential product. As people are increasingly concerning about the green level of a residential product and the competition in the housing market is becoming increasingly fierce, it becomes important to select a green customer-oriented material supplier for property developers. Quality function deployment (QFD) has been proven to be an effective quality-control technique to take customer voices into consideration. However, the relationship matrix in the QFD technique, as a key to translate customer requirements into technical attributes, was subjectively given by decision-makers in previous studies, which failed to reflect customer requirements accurately. The aim of this study is to put forward a neighborhood-rough-set-based quality function deployment model for a green-building-material supplier selection. The neighborhood rough set, as a nonparametric and flexible data-mining approach, can effectively and objectively determine the core relationships between a variety of factors. A rough number-based aggregation approach is applied to effectively and objectively aggregate the evaluations given by a group of experts. Then, the classical double normalization-based multiple aggregation method, which considers two types of normalization methods, three aggregation models, and a comprehensive score formula, is extended in rough-number form in order to rank the alternatives. Afterward, an attempt is made to evaluate and rank eleven alternative building-material suppliers for a repute property developer in mainland China, and the corresponding comparative and sensitive analyses verify the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed hybrid model.
The Evolution of Sustainable Development Theory: Types, Goals, and Research Prospects
Authors: Shi Longyu , Han Linwei , Yang Fengmei , Gao Lijie
Published: December 2019

Sustainable development (SD) has become a fundamental strategy to guide the world’s social and economic transformation. However, in the process of practice, there are still misinterpretations in regards to the theory of SD. Such misinterpretations are highlighted in the struggle between strong and weak sustainable development paths, and the confusion of the concept of intra-generational and inter-generational justice. In this paper, the literature survey method, induction method, and normative analysis were adopted to clarify the gradual evolution and improvement process of the concept and objective of SD, to strengthen the comprehensive understanding of the SD theory. Moreover, we also tried to bring in the situation and concepts of China. The results show that the theory of SD has gone through three periods: the embryonic period (before 1972), the molding period (1972–1987), and the developing period (1987–present). SD is gradually implemented into a global action from the initial fuzzy concept, including increasing practical wisdom. The goal of SD evolves from pursuing the single goal of sustainable use of natural resources to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper argues that the theory of strong sustainability should be the accepted concept of SD. Culture, good governance, and life support systems are important factors in promoting SD.
Study on Adaptive Cruise Control Strategy for Battery Electric Vehicle Considering Weight Adjustment
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Zhuan Xiangtao
Published: December 2019

This paper studies control strategies for adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems in battery electric vehicles (BEVs). A hierarchical control structure is adopted for the ACC system, and the structure contains an upper controller and a lower controller. This paper focuses on the upper controller. In the upper controller, model predictive control (MPC) is applied for optimizing multiple objectives in the car-following process. In addition, multiple objectives, including safety, tracking, comfort, and energy economy, can be transformed into a symmetric objective function with constraints in MPC. In the objective function, the corresponding weight matrix for the optimization of multiple objectives is implemented in symmetric form to reduce the computational complexity. The weights in the weight matrix are usually set to be constant. However, the motion states of the own vehicle and the front vehicle change with respect to time during a car-following process, resulting in variation of the driving conditions. MPCs with constant weights do not adapt well to changes in driving conditions, which limits the performance of the ACC system. Therefore, a strategy for weight adjustment is proposed in order to improve the tracking performance, in which some weights in MPC can be adjusted according to the relative velocity of two vehicles in real time. The simulation experiments are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the strategy for weight adjustment. Based on achieving the other control objectives, the ACC system with the weight adjustment has better tracking performance than the ACC system with the constant weight. While the tracking is improved, the energy economy is also improved.
Antigenic and Pathogenic Characteristics of QX-Type Avian Infectious Bronchitis Virus Strains Isolated in Southwestern China
Authors: Li Shuyun , Du Lijing , Xia Jing , Du Jiteng , You Guojin , Wen Yiping , Huang Xiaobo , Zhao Qing , Han Xinfeng , Yan Qigui , Wu Rui , Cui Min , Cao Sanjie , Huang Yong
Published: December 2019

The QX-type avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is still a prevalent genotype in Southwestern China. To analyze the antigenicity and pathogenicity characteristics of the dominant genotype strains (QX-type), S1 gene sequence analysis, virus cross-neutralization tests, and pathogenicity test of eight QX-type IBV isolates were conducted. Sequence analysis showed that the nucleotide homology between the eight strains was high, but distantly related to H120 and 4/91 vaccine strains. Cross-neutralization tests showed that all eight strains isolated from 2015 and 2017 belonged to the same serotype, but exhibited antigenic variations over time. The pathogenicity test of the five QX-type IBV isolates showed that only three strains, CK/CH/SC/DYW/16, CK/CH/SC/MS/17, and CK/CH/SC/GH/15, had a high mortality rate with strong respiratory and renal pathogenicity, whereas CK/CH/SC/PZ/17 and CK/CH/SC/DYYJ/17 caused only mild clinical symptoms and tissue lesions. Our results indicate that the prevalent QX-type IBVs displayed antigenic variations and pathogenicity difference. These findings may provide reference for research on the evolution of IBV and vaccine preparation of infectious bronchitis (IB).
Effects of Water Depth and Phosphorus Availability on Nitrogen Removal in Agricultural Wetlands
Authors: Song Xiaojun , Ehde Per Magnus , Weisner Stefan E. B.
Published: December 2019

Excess nitrogen (N) from agricultural runoff is a cause of pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Created free water surface (FWS) wetlands can be used as buffering systems to lower the impacts of nutrients from agricultural runoff. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate critical factors for N removal in FWS wetlands receiving high nitrate (NO3−) loads from agriculture. The study was performed in 12 experimental FWS wetlands in southern Sweden, receiving drainage water from an agricultural field area. The effects of water depth (mean depth of 0.4 m and 0.6 m, respectively) and phosphorus (P) availability (with or without additional P load) were investigated from July to October. The experiment was performed in a two-way design, with three wetlands of each combination of depth and P availability. The effects of P availability on the removal of NO3− and total N were strongly significant, with higher absolute N removal rates per wetland area (g m−2 day−1) as well as temperature-adjusted first-order area-based removal rate coefficients (Kat) in wetlands with external P addition compared to wetlands with no addition. Further, higher N removal in deep compared to shallow wetlands was indicated by statistically significant differences in Kat. The results show that low P availability may limit N removal in wetlands receiving agricultural drainage water. Furthermore, the results support that not only wetland area but also wetland volume may be important for N removal. The results have implications for the planning, location, and design of created wetlands in agricultural areas.