bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene Oxide Composite for Selective Recognition, Capturing, Photothermal Killing of Bacteria over Mammalian Cells
Authors: Ma Gang , Qi Junjie , Cui Qifan , Bao Xueying , Gao Dong , Xing Chengfen
Published: May 2020

The multifunctional photothermal therapy (PTT) platform with the ability to selectively kill bacteria over mammalian cells has received widespread attention recently. Herein, we prepared graphene oxide-amino(polyethyleneglycol) (GO-PEG-NH2) while using the hydrophobic interaction between heptadecyl end groups of 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino(polyethyleneglycol)] (DSPE-PEG-NH2) and graphene oxide (GO). Based on GO-PEG-NH2, the versatile PTT system was constructed with simultaneous selective recognition, capturing, and photothermal killing of bacteria. When the cells undergo bacterial infection, owing to the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains and positively charged amino groups, GO-PEG-NH2 can specifically recognize and capture bacteria in the presence of cells. Meanwhile, the stable photothermal performance of GO-PEG-NH2 enables the captured bacteria to be efficiently photothermally ablated upon the irradiation of 808 nm laser. Besides, the GO-PEG-NH2 is highly stable in various biological media and it exhibits low cytotoxicity, suggesting that it holds great promise for biological applications. This work provides new insight into graphene-based materials as a PTT agent for the development of new therapeutic platforms.
Extracted Compounds from Neem Leaves as Antimicrobial Agent on the Physico-Chemical Properties of Seaweed-Based Biopolymer Films
Authors: Uthaya Kumar U. Seeta , Abdulmadjid S. N. , Olaiya N. G. , Amirul A. A. , Rizal S. , Rahman A. A. , Alfatah Tata , Mistar E. M. , Abdul Khalil H. P. S.
Published: May 2020

Neem leaves extract was incorporated into the matrix of seaweed biopolymer, and the seaweed-neem biocomposite films were irradiated with various doses of gamma irradiation (0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 kGy). The physical, barrier, antimicrobial, and mechanical properties of the films were studied. The incorporation of 5% w/w neem leaves extract into a seaweed-based film, and gamma irradiation dose of 2.5 kGy was most effective for improved properties of the film. The results showed that the interfacial interaction of the seaweed-neem improved with physical changes in colour and opacity. The water solubility, moisture content, and water vapour permeability and biodegradability rate of the film reduced. The contact angle values increased, which was interpreted as improved hydrophobicity. The tensile strength and modulus of the films increased, while the elongation of the composite films decreased compared to the control film. The film’s antimicrobial activities against bacteria were improved. Thus, neem leaves extract in combination with the application of gamma irradiation enhanced the performance properties of the film that has potential as packaging material.
History of Cyclodextrin Nanosponges
Authors: Krabicová Ilona , Appleton Silvia Lucia , Tannous Maria , Hoti Gjylije , Caldera Fabrizio , Rubin Pedrazzo Alberto , Cecone Claudio , Cavalli Roberta , Trotta Francesco
Published: May 2020

Nowadays, research in the field of nanotechnology and nanomedicine has become increasingly predominant, focusing on the manipulation and development of materials on a nanometer scale. Polysaccharides have often been used as they are safe, non-toxic, hydrophilic, biodegradable and are low cost. Among them, starch derivatives and, in particular, cyclodextrin-based nanosponges (CD NSs) have recently emerged due to the outstanding properties attributable to their peculiar structure. In fact, alongside the common polysaccharide features, such as the presence of tunable functional groups and their ability to interact with biological tissues, thus giving rise to bioadhesion, which is particularly useful in drug delivery, what makes CD NSs unique is their three-dimensional network made up of crosslinked cyclodextrin units. The name “nanosponge” appeared for the first time in the 1990s due to their nanoporous, sponge-like structure and responded to the need to overcome the limitations of native cyclodextrins (CDs), particularly their water solubility and inability to encapsulate charged and large molecules efficiently. Since CD NSs were introduced, efforts have been made over the years to understand their mechanism of action and their capability to host molecules with low or high molecular weight, charged, hydrophobic or hydrophilic by changing the type of cyclodextrin, crosslinker and degree of crosslinking used. They enabled great advances to be made in various fields such as agroscience, pharmaceutical, biomedical and biotechnological sectors, and NS research is far from reaching its conclusion. This review gives an overview of CD NS research, focusing on the origin and key points of the historical development in the last 50 years, progressing from relatively simple crosslinked networks in the 1960s to today’s multifunctional polymers. The approach adopted in writing the present study consisted in exploring the historical evolution of NSs in order to understand their role today, and imagine their future.
Fabrication of Poly(ethylene glycol) Capsules via Emulsion Templating Method for Targeted Drug Delivery
Authors: Yang Shuang , Ding Feng , Gao Zhiliang , Guo Jianman , Cui Jiwei , Zhang Peiyu
Published: May 2020

To reduce nonspecific interactions and circumvent biological barriers, low-fouling material of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is most used for the modification of drug nanocarriers. Herein, we report the fabrication of PEG capsules via the free-radical polymerization of linear PEG or 8-arm-PEG using an emulsion templating method for targeted drug delivery. Doxorubicin (DOX) could be loaded in capsules via electrostatic interactions. The obtained capsules composed of 8-arm-PEG result in a lower cell association (2.2%) compared to those composed of linear PEG (7.3%) and, therefore, demonstrate the stealth property. The functionalization of cyclic peptides containing Arg-Gly-Asp (cRGD) on PEG capsules induce high cell targeting to U87 MG cells. A cell cytotoxicity assay demonstrates the biocompatibility of PEG capsules and high drug delivery efficacy of the targeted capsules. The reported capsules with the stealth and targeting property provide a potential platform for improved drug delivery.
Efficacy of A Novel Smart Polymeric Nanodrug in the Treatment of Experimental Wounds in Rats
Authors: Silina Ekaterina V. , Manturova Natalia E. , Vasin Vitaliy I. , Artyushkova Elena B. , Khokhlov Nikolay V. , Ivanov Alexander V. , Stupin Victor A.
Published: May 2020

High-quality and aesthetic wound healing, as well as effective medical support of this process, continue to be relevant. This study aims to evaluate the medical efficacy of a novel smart polymeric nanodrug (SPN) on the rate and mechanism of wound healing in experimental animals. The study was carried out in male Wistar rats (aged 8–9 months). In these animals, identical square wounds down to the fascia were made in non-sterile conditions on the back on both sides of the vertebra. SPN was used for the treatment of one wound, and the other wound was left without treatment (control group). Biocompatible citrate-stabilized cerium oxide nanoparticles integrated into a polysaccharide hydrogel matrix containing natural and synthetic polysaccharide polymers (pectin, alginate, chitosan, agar-agar, water-soluble cellulose derivatives) were used as the therapeutic agent. Changes in the wound sizes (area, volume) over time and wound temperature were assessed on Days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14. Histological examination of the wounds was performed on Days 3, 7, and 14. The study showed that the use of SPN accelerated wound healing in comparison with control wounds by inhibiting the inflammatory response, which was measured by a decreased number of white blood cells in SPN-treated wounds. It also accelerated the development of fibroblasts, with an early onset of new collagen synthesis, which eventually led to the formation of more tender postoperative scars. Thus, the study demonstrated that the use of SPN for the treatment of wounds was effective and promising.
Influence of Internal Innovative Architecture on the Mechanical Properties of 3D Polymer Printed Parts
Authors: Pop Mihai Alin , Croitoru Cătălin , Bedo Tibor , Geamăn Virgil , Radomir Irinel , Zaharia Sebastian Marian , Chicoș Lucia Antoaneta
Published: May 2020

The utilization of polymer-based materials is quickly expanding. The enterprises of today are progressively seeking techniques to supplant metal parts with polymer-based materials as a result of their light weight, simple support and modest costs. The ceaselessly developing requirement for composite materials with new or enhanced properties brings about the preparation of different polymer mixes with various arrangements, morphologies and properties. Fused filament fabrication processes such as 3D-printing are nowadays shaping the actual pathway to a full pallet of materials, from art–craft to biomaterials. In this study, the structural and mechanical behavior of three types of commercially available filaments comprised of synthetic poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene-co-styrene) (ABS), poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(lactic acid)/polyhydroxyalkanoate reinforced with bamboo wood flour composite (PLA/PHA BambooFill) were assessed through mechanical testing and optical microscopy, aiming to understand how the modifications that occur in the printed models with internal architecture are influencing the mechanical properties of the 3D-printed material. It has been determined that the material printed from PLA presents the highest compression strength, three-point bending and shock resistance, while the ABS shows the best tensile strength performance. A probability plot was used to verify the normality hypothesis of data for the tensile strength, in conjunction with the Anderson–Darling statistic test. The results of the statistic indicated that the data were normally distributed and that there is a marked influence of the internal architecture of the 3D-printed models on the mechanical properties of the printed material.
Redox-Responsive Coordination Polymers of Dopamine-Modified Hyaluronic Acid with Copper and 6-Mercaptopurine for Targeted Drug Delivery and Improvement of Anticancer Activity against Cancer Cells
Authors: Tao Bo , Yin Zongning
Published: May 2020

Dopamine-modified hyaluronic acid (HA-DOP) was chosen as the drug carrier in this study, and Cu2+ was selected from among Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, and Ca2+ as the central atom. 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) was conjugated with HA through a coordination reaction. HA-DOP-copper-MP (HA-DOP-Cu-MP), a redox-responsive coordination polymer prodrug, was prepared. The drug loading was 49.5 mg/g, the encapsulation efficiency was 70.18%, and the particle size was 173.5 nm. HA-DOP-Cu-MP released rapidly in the release medium containing reduced glutathione (GSH), and the accumulated release exceeded 94% in 2 h. In the release medium without GSH, the drug release rate was slow, with only 15% of the 6-MP released in 24 h. Cell uptake experiments revealed the CD44 targeting of HA. Cell viability assays showed that the cytotoxicity of HA-DOP-Cu-MP was higher than that of free 6-MP. Indeed, HA-DOP-Cu-MP is very toxic to cancer cells. In this paper, the redox-responsive drug delivery system was synthesized by a coordination reaction. The tumour targeting and tumour cytotoxicity of 6-MP were improved.
Monitoring Parallel Robotic Cultivations with Online Multivariate Analysis
Authors: Hans Sebastian , Ulmer Christian , Narayanan Harini , Brautaset Trygve , Krausch Niels , Neubauer Peter , Schäffl Irmgard , Sokolov Michael , Cruz Bournazou Mariano Nicolas
Published: May 2020

In conditional microbial screening, a limited number of candidate strains are tested at different conditions searching for the optimal operation strategy in production (e.g., temperature and pH shifts, media composition as well as feeding and induction strategies). To achieve this, cultivation volumes of >10 mL and advanced control schemes are required to allow appropriate sampling and analyses. Operations become even more complex when the analytical methods are integrated into the robot facility. Among other multivariate data analysis methods, principal component analysis (PCA) techniques have especially gained popularity in high throughput screening. However, an important issue specific to high throughput bioprocess development is the lack of so-called golden batches that could be used as a basis for multivariate analysis. In this study, we establish and present a program to monitor dynamic parallel cultivations in a high throughput facility. PCA was used for process monitoring and automated fault detection of 24 parallel running experiments using recombinant E. coli cells expressing three different fluorescence proteins as the model organism. This approach allowed for capturing events like stirrer failures and blockage of the aeration system and provided a good signal to noise ratio. The developed application can be easily integrated in existing data- and device-infrastructures, allowing automated and remote monitoring of parallel bioreactor systems.
Revolutionary Hope in Dark Times: Zizek on Faith in the Future
Authors: Boucher Geoffrey
Published: May 2020

In this article, I interpret Zizek’s recent call to “abandon hope” and embrace the “courage of hopelessness,” as a provocation to articulate a new kind of utopia, rather than an endorsement of despair. On Zizek’s analysis, progressive hopes are currently directed towards fixing the existing situation, rather than accepting that the things that we hope will not happen are, in fact, about to happen—unless individuals, at last, summon the political resolution to act decisively. In a context of the “privatisation of hope,” however, where social despair has already been weaponised by the alt-Right, it is crucial to grasp Zizek’s intervention not as the expression of a tragic existential attitude of resignation to disaster, but as an effort to articulate the formal coordinates of a radical alternative. I interpret Zizek’s commentary, in the context of his overall theory of ideology, as an effort to articulate the “hope of the hopeless,” involving a kind of faith (in the future) without belief (in miracles), which requires the formulation of a new social principle that does not rely on the deceptive promise of a guaranteed positive outcome.
On a Flood-Producing Coastal Mesoscale Convective Storm Associated with the Kor’easterlies: Multi-Data Analyses Using Remotely-Sensed and In-Situ Observations and Storm-Scale Model Simulations
Authors: Park Seon Ki , Park Sojung
Published: May 2020

A flood-producing heavy rainfall event occurred at the mountainous coastal region in the northeast of South Korea on 5–6 August 2018, subsequent to extreme heat waves, through a quasi-stationary mesoscale convective system (MCS). We analyzed the storm environment via a multi-data approach using high-resolution (1-km) simulations from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and in situ/satellite/radar observations. The brightness temperature, from the Advanced Himawari Imager water vapor band, and the composite radar reflectivity were used to identify characteristics of the MCS and associated precipitations. The following factors affected this back-building MCS: low-level convergence by the Korea easterlies (Kor’easterlies), carrying moist air into the coast; strong vertical wind shear, making the updraft tilted and sustained; coastal fronts and back-building convection bands, formed through interactions among the Kor’easterlies, cold pool outflows, and orography; mid-level advection of cold air and positive relative vorticity, enhancing vertical convection and potential instability; and vigorous updraft releasing potential instability. The pre-storm synoptic environment provided favorable conditions for storm development such as high moisture and temperature over the coastal area and adjacent sea, and enhancement of the Kor’easterlies by expansion of a surface high pressure system. Upper-level north-northwesterly winds prompted the MCS to propagate south-southeastward along the coastline.
Progress in the Reconstruction of Terrain Relief Before Extraction of Rock Materials—The Case of Liban Quarry, Poland
Authors: Zarychta Roksana , Zarychta Adrian , Bzdęga Katarzyna
Published: May 2020

Open pit mining leads to irreversible changes in topographical relief, which makes a return to the original morphology virtually impossible. This is important for quarries that were part of former mining areas. This research presents an innovative approach to the reconstruction of the relief of anthropogenically transformed land on the example of Liban Quarry in Cracow, where operations began before 1873 to 1986. The basis for the reconstructed area was a Topographic Map of Poland with a scale 1:10,000 from 1997, from which a set of data was obtained to perform spatial analyses. The estimation was conducted using the ordinary kriging method, enabling a reconstruction of the morphology of the studied area and presenting it in the form of a hypsometric map and a digital elevation model. The correctness of the modelling was verified by cross-validation and a kriging standard deviation map (SDOK). These revealed low values of estimation errors in the places without contour lines on the base map. The comparison of the obtained maps and model with a Tactical Map of Poland with a scale 1:100,000 from 1934 indicated great similarities. The highest interpolation error value was recorded in the part of the pit where the difference between the actual and reconstructed elevation was about 30 m on average. In the exploited part, the SDOK did not exceed 0.52 m, and in the entire studied area, it reached a maximum of 0.56 m. The proposed approach fulfilled the assumptions of reconstruction, as the analysis revealed elements matching the historic relief in both forms of presentation of the topography of the quarry, on the obtained hypsometric map and on the tactical map. Our study is among the very few in the world concerning the application of geostatistics in the restoration of the relief of land transformed by open pit mining activities.
Deep Learning Segmentation and Classification for Urban Village Using a Worldview Satellite Image Based on U-Net
Authors: Pan Zhuokun , Xu Jiashu , Guo Yubin , Hu Yueming , Wang Guangxing
Published: May 2020

Unplanned urban settlements exist worldwide. The geospatial information of these areas is critical for urban management and reconstruction planning but usually unavailable. Automatically characterizing individual buildings in the unplanned urban village using remote sensing imagery is very challenging due to complex landscapes and high-density settlements. The newly emerging deep learning method provides the potential to characterize individual buildings in a complex urban village. This study proposed an urban village mapping paradigm based on U-net deep learning architecture. The study area is located in Guangzhou City, China. The Worldview satellite image with eight pan-sharpened bands at a 0.5-m spatial resolution and building boundary vector file were used as research purposes. There are ten sites of the urban villages included in this scene of the Worldview image. The deep neural network model was trained and tested based on the selected six and four sites of the urban village, respectively. Models for building segmentation and classification were both trained and tested. The results indicated that the U-net model reached overall accuracy over 86% for building segmentation and over 83% for the classification. The F1-score ranged from 0.9 to 0.98 for the segmentation, and from 0.63 to 0.88 for the classification. The Interaction over Union reached over 90% for the segmentation and 86% for the classification. The superiority of the deep learning method has been demonstrated through comparison with Random Forest and object-based image analysis. This study fully showed the feasibility, efficiency, and potential of the deep learning in delineating individual buildings in the high-density urban village. More importantly, this study implied that through deep learning methods, mapping unplanned urban settlements could further characterize individual buildings with considerable accuracy.
Synthesis, Characterization and Development of Energy Harvesting Techniques Incorporated with Antennas: A Review Study
Authors: Ibrahim Husam Hamid , Singh Mandeep S. J. , Al-Bawri Samir Salem , Islam Mohammad Tariqul
Published: May 2020

The investigation into new sources of energy with the highest efficiency which are derived from existing energy sources is a significant research area and is attracting a great deal of interest. Radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting is a promising alternative for obtaining energy for wireless devices directly from RF energy sources in the environment. An overview of the energy harvesting concept will be discussed in detail in this paper. Energy harvesting is a very promising method for the development of self-powered electronics. Many applications, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), smart environments, the military or agricultural monitoring depend on the use of sensor networks which require a large variety of small and scattered devices. The low-power operation of such distributed devices requires wireless energy to be obtained from their surroundings in order to achieve safe, self-sufficient and maintenance-free systems. The energy harvesting circuit is known to be an interface between piezoelectric and electro-strictive loads. A modern view of circuitry for energy harvesting is based on power conditioning principles that also involve AC-to-DC conversion and voltage regulation. Throughout the field of energy conversion, energy harvesting circuits often impose electric boundaries for devices, which are important for maximizing the energy that is harvested. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) is described as the ratio between the rectifier’s output DC power and the antenna-based RF-input power (before its passage through the corresponding network).
Shoreline Detection and Land Segmentation for Autonomous Surface Vehicle Navigation with the Use of an Optical System
Authors: Hożyń Stanisław , Zalewski Jacek
Published: May 2020

Autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) are a critical part of recent progressive marine technologies. Their development demands the capability of optical systems to understand and interpret the surrounding landscape. This capability plays an important role in the navigation of coastal areas a safe distance from land, which demands sophisticated image segmentation algorithms. For this purpose, some solutions, based on traditional image processing and neural networks, have been introduced. However, the solution of traditional image processing methods requires a set of parameters before execution, while the solution of a neural network demands a large database of labelled images. Our new solution, which avoids these drawbacks, is based on adaptive filtering and progressive segmentation. The adaptive filtering is deployed to suppress weak edges in the image, which is convenient for shoreline detection. Progressive segmentation is devoted to distinguishing the sky and land areas, using a probabilistic clustering model to improve performance. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, a set of images acquired from the vehicle’s operative camera were utilised. The results demonstrate that the proposed method performs with high accuracy regardless of distance from land or weather conditions.
Dual-Laser-Induced Breakdown Thermometry via Sound Speed Measurement: A New Procedure for Improved Spatiotemporal Resolution
Authors: Li Shen , Weng Wubin , Kong Chengdong , Aldén Marcus , Li Zhongshan
Published: May 2020

Measurement of acoustic waves from laser-induced breakdown has been developed as gas thermometry in combustion atmospheres. In the measurement, two laser-induced breakdown spots are generated and the local gas temperature between these two spots is determined through the measurement of the sound speed between them. In the previous study, it was found that the local gas breakdown can introduce notable system uncertainty, about 5% to the measured temperature. To eliminate the interference, in present work, a new measurement procedure was proposed, where two individual laser pulses with optimized firing order and delay time were employed. With the new measurement procedure, the system uncertainty caused by local gas breakdown can be largely avoided and the temporal and spatial resolutions can reach up to 0.5 ms and 10 mm, respectively. The improved thermometry, dual-laser-induced breakdown thermometry (DLIBT), was applied to measure temperatures of hot flue gases provided by a multijet burner. The measured temperatures covering the range between 1000 K and 2000 K were compared with the ones accurately obtained through the two-line atomic fluorescence (TLAF) thermometry with a measurement uncertainty of ~3%, and a very good agreement was obtained.
EEG Headset Evaluation for Detection of Single-Trial Movement Intention for Brain-Computer Interfaces
Authors: Jochumsen Mads , Knoche Hendrik , Kjaer Troels Wesenberg , Dinesen Birthe , Kidmose Preben
Published: May 2020

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) can be used in neurorehabilitation; however, the literature about transferring the technology to rehabilitation clinics is limited. A key component of a BCI is the headset, for which several options are available. The aim of this study was to test four commercially available headsets’ ability to record and classify movement intentions (movement-related cortical potentials—MRCPs). Twelve healthy participants performed 100 movements, while continuous EEG was recorded from the headsets on two different days to establish the reliability of the measures: classification accuracies of single-trials, number of rejected epochs, and signal-to-noise ratio. MRCPs could be recorded with the headsets covering the motor cortex, and they obtained the best classification accuracies (73%−77%). The reliability was moderate to good for the best headset (a gel-based headset covering the motor cortex). The results demonstrate that, among the evaluated headsets, reliable recordings of MRCPs require channels located close to the motor cortex and potentially a gel-based headset.
Strain Measurement Based on Speeded-up Robust Feature Algorithm Applied to Microimages from a Smartphone-Based Microscope
Authors: Xie Botao , Li Jinke , Zhao Xuefeng
Published: May 2020

The objective of this study is to evaluate and improve the accuracy and stability of a strain measurement method that uses the speeded-up robust feature (SURF) method to trace the displacement of feature points in microimages and obtain the strain in objects. The microimages were acquired using a smartphone with a portable microscope, which has a broad prospect of application. An experiment was performed using an unpacked optical fiber as the experimental carrier. The matching effect of the SURF method was analyzed in the microimage, and the M-estimator sample consensus (MSAC) algorithm was used to reject outliers generated by SURF. The results indicated that the accuracy of strain measurement using the proposed method is improved by modifying the feature point tracking method and measurement method. When compared with the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) data, the maximum standard error corresponded to 2.5 με, which satisfies the requirement of structural health monitoring (SHM) in practical engineering.
Experimental Investigation of Ground Radiation on Dielectric and Brightness Temperature of Soil Moisture and Soil Salinity
Authors: Wang Weizhen , Dong Leilei , Ma Chunfeng , Wei Long , Xu Feinan , Feng Jiaojiao
Published: May 2020

Soil moisture and salinity are crucial parameters of the Earth’s ecosystem; how to understand the radiation properties of them is of great significance for remote sensing monitoring. In this study, the application of mixed soil dielectric models (Dobson and generalized refractive mixing dielectric model (GRMDM)) and saline soil dielectric models (Dobson-S, HQR (Qingrong Hu), and WYR (Yueru Wu)) were analyzed to select the optimal models to simulate brightness temperature based on observational data. The brightness temperature of the soil moisture and multilevel salinity was simulated by using the Q-H (parameter of polarization mixing and parameter of characterizing height) model and Holmes parameterization scheme of soil effective temperature. The results show that both the Dobson model and the GRMDM model can well reproduce the real part and imaginary part of the dielectric constant of non-saline soil, and the GRMDM model was better. With the increase of the frequency, the simulation error of the dielectric constant of the saline soil by using the Dobson-S model, HQR model, and WYR model also increased, and the simulation result of the WYR model was better in the L band. The simulated result of the brightness temperature of soil moisture between the observation value and simulation value presented a high correlation both in the horizontal polarization and vertical polarization, with R greater than 0.967 and 0.948, and the root mean square error smaller than 3.998 K and 2.766 K, respectively. Meanwhile, the correlation coefficients of the brightness temperature of the saline soil in the horizontal polarization and vertical polarization were 0.935 and 0.971, and the root mean square errors were 5.808 K and 4.65 K, respectively. The brightness temperature decreased as the soil salinity increased, and the higher the salinity content was, the quicker the brightness temperature decreased. We expect that the experimental results can be used as a reference for algorithm developers to further enhance the accuracy of soil moisture and soil salinity retrievals.
Finite Element Solutions for Magnetic Field Problems in Terfenol-D Transducers
Authors: Teng Duo , Li Yatian
Published: May 2020

An appropriate magnetic design helps ensure that the Terfenol-D (Terbium- Dysprosium-Iron alloy) rods in giant magnetostrictive transducers have the perfect magnetostriction ability. To determine the optimum Terfenol-D rod state, a segmented stack configuration comprised by the Terfenol-D rods and NdFeB (neodymium-iron-boron) permanent magnets is presented. The bias magnetic field distributions simulated through the finite element method indicate that the segmented stack configuration is one effective way to produce the desired bias magnetic field. Particularly for long stacks, establishing a majority of domain to satisfy the desired bias magnetic field range is feasible. On the other hand, the eddy current losses of Terfenol-D rods are also the crucial to their magnetostriction ability. To reduce eddy current losses, the configuration with digital slots in the Terfenol-D rods is presented. The induced eddy currents and the losses are estimated. The simulations reveal that the digital slots configuration decreases the eddy current losses by 78.5% compared to the same size Terfenol-D rod with only a hole. A Terfenol-D transducer prototype has been manufactured using a Terfenol-D rod with a mechanical prestress of about 10 MPa and a bias magnetic field of about 42 kA/m. Its maximum transmitting current response of 185.4 dB at 3.75 kHz indicates its practicability for application as an underwater projector.
Data-Driven Cervical Cancer Prediction Model with Outlier Detection and Over-Sampling Methods
Authors: Ijaz Muhammad Fazal , Attique Muhammad , Son Youngdoo
Published: May 2020

Globally, cervical cancer remains as the foremost prevailing cancer in females. Hence, it is necessary to distinguish the importance of risk factors of cervical cancer to classify potential patients. The present work proposes a cervical cancer prediction model (CCPM) that offers early prediction of cervical cancer using risk factors as inputs. The CCPM first removes outliers by using outlier detection methods such as density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) and isolation forest (iForest) and by increasing the number of cases in the dataset in a balanced way, for example, through synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) and SMOTE with Tomek link (SMOTETomek). Finally, it employs random forest (RF) as a classifier. Thus, CCPM lies on four scenarios: (1) DBSCAN + SMOTETomek + RF, (2) DBSCAN + SMOTE+ RF, (3) iForest + SMOTETomek + RF, and (4) iForest + SMOTE + RF. A dataset of 858 potential patients was used to validate the performance of the proposed method. We found that combinations of iForest with SMOTE and iForest with SMOTETomek provided better performances than those of DBSCAN with SMOTE and DBSCAN with SMOTETomek. We also observed that RF performed the best among several popular machine learning classifiers. Furthermore, the proposed CCPM showed better accuracy than previously proposed methods for forecasting cervical cancer. In addition, a mobile application that can collect cervical cancer risk factors data and provides results from CCPM is developed for instant and proper action at the initial stage of cervical cancer.
Application of Low-Cost Electrochemical Sensors to Aqueous Systems to Allow Automated Determination of NH3 and H2S in Water
Authors: Cämmerer Malcolm , Mayer Thomas , Penzel Stefanie , Rudolph Mathias , Borsdorf Helko
Published: May 2020

Usage of commercially available electrochemical gas sensors is currently limited by both the working range of the sensor with respect to temperature and humidity and the spikes in sensor response caused by sudden changes in temperature or humidity. Using a thermostatically controlled chamber, the sensor response of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide sensors was studied under extreme, rapidly changing levels of humidity with the aim of analyzing nebulized water samples. To protect the sensors from damage, the gas stream was alternated between a saturated gas stream from a Flow Blurring® nebulizer and a dry air stream. When switching between high and low humidity gas streams, the expected current spike was observed and mathematically described. Using this mathematical model, the signal response due to the change in humidity could be subtracted from the measured signal and the sensor response to the target molecule recorded. As the sensor response is determined by the model while the sensor is acclimatizing to the new humid conditions, a result is calculated faster than that by systems that rely on stable humidity. The use of the proposed mathematical model thus widens the scope of electrochemical gas sensors to include saturated gas streams, for example, from nebulized water samples, and gas streams with variable humidity.
Innovation Strategy Selection Facilitates High-Performance Flexible Piezoelectric Sensors
Authors: Duan Shengshun , Wu Jun , Xia Jun , Lei Wei
Published: May 2020

Piezoelectric sensors with high performance and low-to-zero power consumption meet the growing demand in the flexible microelectronic system with small size and low power consumption, which are promising in robotics and prosthetics, wearable devices and electronic skin. In this review, the development process, application scenarios and typical cases are discussed. In addition, several strategies to improve the performance of piezoelectric sensors are summed up: (1) material innovation: from piezoelectric semiconductor materials, inorganic piezoceramic materials, organic piezoelectric polymer, nanocomposite materials, to emerging and promising molecular ferroelectric materials. (2) designing microstructures on the surface of the piezoelectric materials to enlarge the contact area of piezoelectric materials under the applied force. (3) addition of dopants such as chemical elements and graphene in conventional piezoelectric materials. (4) developing piezoelectric transistors based on piezotronic effect. In addition, the principle, advantages, disadvantages and challenges of every strategy are discussed. Apart from that, the prospects and directions of piezoelectric sensors are predicted. In the future, the electronic sensors need to be embedded in the microelectronic systems to play the full part. Therefore, a strategy based on peripheral circuits to improve the performance of piezoelectric sensors is proposed in the final part of this review.
A Building Project-Based Industrialized Construction Maturity Model Involving Organizational Enablers: A Multi-Case Study in China
Authors: Wang Guangbin , Liu Huan , Li Heng , Luo Xiaochun , Liu Jiaxi
Published: May 2020

Industrialized construction (IC) as a promising construction mode has been increasingly adopted in China due to its advantages of enhancing productivity and reducing the labor intensiveness in the construction industry. An objective and systematic evaluation of the IC mode is essential by clarifying the current weak areas in application and improving project performance. The meager existing studies have considered evaluating the IC maturity of prefabricated construction projects from the perspective of project governance. This study proposed an industrialized construction maturity model (ICMM) involving organizational enablers by employing the framework of the well-established European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model. The evaluation indicator system consisting of two parts (i.e., “enablers” and “results”) were abstracted by a literature review and expert interviews. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach was used to weight the indicators. The maturity of IC projects was rated as four levels (i.e., initial, upgraded, integrated, and optimal levels). The proposed ICMM was validated by conducting a multi-case study, four typical building projects that adopted prefabricated construction techniques in Shanghai were selected and evaluated by the proposed ICMM. Results showed that the ICMM can objectively and comprehensively realize the status quo of IC projects and help managers to identify weak areas of the current IC projects and performance improvement paths from the perspective of project governance. The ICMM was also evaluated to demonstrate its applicability and reliability through expert interviews.
How Vulnerable Are Urban Regeneration Sites to Climate Change in Busan, South Korea?
Authors: Kang Youngeun , Kim Keonhyeong , Jung Jeahyun , Son Seungwoo , Kim Eujin-Julia
Published: May 2020

Research on the risks of climate change to urban regeneration projects has been insufficient to date. Therefore, this study aims to compare and analyze the degree of risk of climate change impact on areas with and without urban regeneration projects (for Eup, Myeon, and Dong regional units) in Busan, South Korea. In this study, (1) climate change risk indicators were extracted based on the concept of risk (hazard, vulnerability, and exposure), (2) a spatial analysis was performed using a graphic information system (GIS), and (3) the primary influencing factors were derived through a logistic regression analysis. The principal results show that urban regeneration areas have a higher risk of climate change impact than other areas. The results indicate that urban regeneration areas have a higher population density per area and more impermeable or flooded areas can increase the risk of climate change impacts. We also discuss strategies to develop resilient cities and climate change adaptation policies for future urban regeneration projects.
Advances in Implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Techniques in Central America and the Caribbean
Authors: Rodrigo-Ilarri Javier , González-González Lidibert , Rodrigo-Clavero María-Elena , Cassiraga Eduardo
Published: May 2020

The use of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) systems is essential to ensure the sustainability of plans, programs and policies. This works shows, for the first time in the scientific literature, a joint vision of the current situation of SEA systems in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic. The analysis has been performed using data collected from an exhaustive review of the pre-existing literature and specific information obtained from personal interviews carried out during the SEA forum held in Bogotá in 2018. Legal mechanisms in the Central American and Caribbean region reveal that specific regulation is not necessary to apply and develop SEA systems. Little experience in SEA development in the region is evidenced in the absence of SEA methodologies adapted to the different contexts of policies, plans, programs and governance circumstances. SEA results’ dissemination procedures have been performed only in El Salvador and Costa Rica. Besides, results show that no monitoring mechanisms for the programs implemented under SEA processes have been applied to date. To ensure the future development of SEA processes in the region under sustainable criteria, it is essential to ensure the support of decision makers so that plans and policies can be properly adapted.
Effects of Correlated Colour Temperature of LED Light on Visual Sensation, Perception, and Cognitive Performance in a Classroom Lighting Environment
Authors: Yang Wonyoung , Jeon Jin Yong
Published: May 2020

Illuminance levels have been standardized and regulated for many purposes. However, the effects of correlated colour temperature of lighting have received little attention in the field. This study investigated the effects of correlated colour temperature of lighting on the brightness sensation, lighting perception, and cognitive performance of 60 students under ambient light emitting diodes (LED) lighting conditions (CCT: 3000 K, 4000 K, and 5700 K; illuminance: 650 lx and 1050 lx) in an actual university classroom. An increase in correlated colour temperature (CCT) led to an increase in brightness sensation. However, increased CCT did not linearly increase lighting comfort. A CCT of 4000 K was considered as the optimum for lighting comfort in educational settings. But in comparison to comfort, higher levels of perceptual properties, satisfaction and acceptance were not affected by CCT from 3000 K to 5700 K. Scores on the working memory test were significantly affected by CCT and illuminance level in men only. The effects of gender appeared in glare sensation and the working memory test. Women were sensitive to glare sensation and had a lower mean score in the working memory test than men. Optimal CCT is more beneficial than increased illuminance in moderately ambient indoor lighting, as it provides better lighting comfort. Further research can look at the long-term effects of CCT on lighting perception depending on brain processing levels and more diverse and in-depth cognitive performance.
Hepcidin-Expressing Fish Eggs as A Novel Food Supplement to Modulate Immunity against Pathogenic Infection in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Tseng Chung-Chih , Chu Tah-Wei , Danata Ridha , Risjani Yenny , Shih Hui-Tsu , Hu Shao-Yang
Published: May 2020

Hepcidin antimicrobial peptides are difficult to produce in prokaryotic expression systems due to their complex structure and antimicrobial activity. Although synthetic hepcidin provides an alternative to solve this issue, its high cost limits its practical application in various industries. The present study used zebrafish eggs as bioreactors to produce convict cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) hepcidin (AN-hepc) using the oocyte-specific zona pellucida (zp3) promoter. The expression plasmid pT2-ZP3-AN-hepc-ZP3-EGFP, using EGFP as a reporter of AN-hepc expression, was designed to establish the transgenic line Tg(ZP3:AN-hepc:ZP3:EGFP) for the expression of AN-hepc. The AN-hepc peptide was produced successfully in fertilized eggs, as evidenced by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The AN-hepc-expressing eggs exhibited antimicrobial activity against a variety of aquatic pathogens and antibiotic-resistant pathogens, suggesting that the AN-hepc expressed in fish eggs was bioactive. The immunomodulatory effects of AN-hepc-expressing fertilized eggs on zebrafish innate immunity were evaluated by determining the expression of indicator genes after feeding with AN-hepc-expressing fertilized eggs for two months. Zebrafish supplementation with AN-hepc-expressing fertilized eggs significantly increased the expression of innate immunity-related genes, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-15, TNF-α, NF-κb, complement C3b, lysozyme and TLR-4a. The zebrafish administered AN-hepc-expressing eggs exhibited higher cumulative survival than fish supplemented with wild-type and control eggs after infection with Aeromonas hydrophila and Streptococcus iniae. In conclusion, the present results showed that supplementation with AN-hepc-expressing fish eggs enhanced zebrafish innate immunity against pathogenic infections, suggesting that fertilized eggs containing AN-hepc have the potential to be developed as a food supplement for improving health status in aquaculture.
A Modular Approach for Steel Reinforcing of 3D Printed Concrete—Preliminary Study
Authors: Assaad Joseph J. , Abou Yassin Abdallah , Alsakka Fatima , Hamzeh Farook
Published: May 2020

3D concrete printing technology has considerably progressed in terms of material proportioning and properties; however, it still suffers from the difficulty of incorporating steel reinforcement for structural applications. This paper aims at developing a modular approach capable of manufacturing 3D printed beam and column members reinforced with conventional steel bars. The cubic-shaped printed modules had 240 mm sides, possessing four holes on the corners for subsequent insertion of flexural steel and grouting operations. The transverse steel (i.e., stirrups) was manually incorporated during the printing process. The reinforced 3D printed beams were built by joining the various modules using high-strength epoxy resins. Test results showed that the compressive and flexural strengths of plain (i.e., unreinforced) 3D printed specimens are higher than traditionally cast-in-place (CIP) ones, which was mostly attributed to the injected high-strength grout that densifies the matrix and hinders the ease of crack propagation during loading. The flexural moment capacity of 3D reinforced printed beams were fairly close to the ACI 318-19 code provisions; however, about 22% lower than companion CIP members. The reduction in peak loads was attributed to the modular approach used to construct the 3D members, which might alter the fundamentals and concepts of reinforced concrete design, including the transfer and redistribution of stresses at ultimate loading conditions.
Air Change in Low and High-Rise Apartments
Authors: Lai Yonghang , Ridley Ian A. , Brimblecombe Peter
Published: May 2020

Air exchange in tall apartment buildings is critical in controlling indoor environments in urban settings. Airtightness is relevant to energy efficiency, thermal comfort and air quality experienced by urban dwellers who spend much of their time indoors. While many air change measurements have been made in residential homes, fewer are available for high-rise apartments. The blower-door and CO2 exchange methods were used to measure air change in some Hong Kong apartment buildings, for comparison with those from other parts of the world. Hong Kong apartments are often small and typical rented apartments show a median of seven air changes per hour under a 50 Pa pressure difference, similar to Mediterranean houses, though much greater than the airtight buildings of Northern Europe. Extrapolation of blower-door measurements made at 50 Pa to the natural pressure difference measured for individual Hong Kong apartments provides an approximation (within 8%) of the natural air change rate measured with a tracer. Air flow is a function of the pressure difference ∆Pnf and the exponent n was found close to the typical 0.6. There was a positive relationship between air permeability and construction age, but some of this also seems to reflect varying levels of maintenance by the building management companies. The median exchange in the apartments under naturally ventilated conditions was 0.26 h−1, not atypical of some houses on the US West Coast.