bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrical and Physical Characteristics of WO3/Ag/WO3 Sandwich Structure Fabricated with Magnetic-Control Sputtering Metrology †
Authors: Wang Shea-Jue , Wang Mu-Chun , Chen Shih-Fan , Li Yu-Hsiang , Shen Tien-Szu , Bor Hui-Yun , Wei Chao-Nan
Published: August 2018

In this work, three layers of transparent conductive films of WO3/Ag/WO3 (WAW) were deposited on a glass substrate by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The thicknesses of WO3 (around 50~60 nm) and Ag (10~20 nm) films were mainly the changeable factors to achieve the optimal transparent conductivity attempting to replace the indium tin oxide (ITO) in cost consideration. The prepared films were cardinally subjected to physical and electrical characteristic analyses by means of X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and Keithley 4200 semiconductor parameter analyzer. The experimental results show as the thickness of the Ag layer increases from 10 nm to 20 nm, the resistance becomes smaller. While the thickness of the WO3 layer increases from 50 nm to 60 nm, its electrical resistance becomes larger.
Application of Biphase Complete Complementary Code for Ionospheric Sounding
Authors: Yang Guobin , Duan Peng , Jiang Chunhua , Liu Tongxin , Lan Ting , Zhao Zhengyu , Shi Shuzhu , Xu Chen
Published: August 2018

This paper illustrates the processes carried out for the application of biphase complete complementary code (CCC) for ionospheric sounding to address the coherent interference problem in multi-station ionospheric sounding. An algorithm to generate the biphase CCC is described, and the detailed process of waveform construction and signal processing is presented. Characteristics of the autocorrelation and cross-correlation are analyzed through simulations, and the technical feasibility of the application of CCC is explored. Experiments of ionospheric sounding with the CCC are also implemented to verify performance. Results demonstrate that the CCC performs well in multi-station ionospheric sounding, and is capable of eliminating the coherent interference in the network of ionosondes, compared to the conventional complementary code.
Fabrication of a Food Nano-Platform Sensor for Determination of Vanillin in Food Samples
Authors: Gupta Vinod Kumar , Karimi-Maleh Hassan , Agarwal Shilpi , Karimi Fatemeh , Bijad Majede , Farsi Mohammad , Shahidi Seyed-Ahmad
Published: August 2018

Herein, we describe the fabrication of NiO decorated single wall carbon nanotubes (NiO-SWCNTs) nanocomposites using the precipitation method. The synthesized NiO-SWCNTs nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Remarkably, NiO-SWCNTs and 1-butylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate modified carbon paste electrode (CPE/NiO-SWCNTs/BPrPF6) were employed for the electrochemical detection of vanillin. The vanillin sensor showed an ultra-high sensitivity of 0.3594 μA/μM and a low detection limit of 0.007 μM. In the final step, the NiO-SWCNTs/BPrPF6 was used as the suitable tool for food analysis.
Wearable Sensor Data to Track Subject-Specific Movement Patterns Related to Clinical Outcomes Using a Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Kobsar Dylan , Ferber Reed
Published: August 2018

Wearable sensors can provide detailed information on human movement but the clinical impact of this information remains limited. We propose a machine learning approach, using wearable sensor data, to identify subject-specific changes in gait patterns related to improvements in clinical outcomes. Eight patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) completed two gait trials before and one following an exercise intervention. Wearable sensor data (e.g., 3-dimensional (3D) linear accelerations) were collected from a sensor located near the lower back, lateral thigh and lateral shank during level treadmill walking at a preferred speed. Wearable sensor data from the 2 pre-intervention gait trials were used to define each individual’s typical movement pattern using a one-class support vector machine (OCSVM). The percentage of strides defined as outliers, based on the pre-intervention gait data and the OCSVM, were used to define the overall change in an individual’s movement pattern. The correlation between the change in movement patterns following the intervention (i.e., percentage of outliers) and improvement in self-reported clinical outcomes (e.g., pain and function) was assessed using a Spearman rank correlation. The number of outliers observed post-intervention exhibited a large association (ρ = 0.78) with improvements in self-reported clinical outcomes. These findings demonstrate a proof-of-concept and a novel methodological approach for integrating machine learning and wearable sensor data. This approach provides an objective and evidence-informed way to understand clinically important changes in human movement patterns in response to exercise therapy.
Automotive Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave Radar Interference Reduction Using Per-Vehicle Chirp Sequences
Authors: Son Youn-Sik , Sung Hyuk-Kee , Heo Seo Weon
Published: August 2018

Recently, many automobiles adopt radar sensors to support advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) functions. As the number of vehicles with radar systems increases the probability of radar signal interference and the accompanying ghost target problems become serious. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm where we deploy per-vehicle chirp sequence in a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar to mitigate the vehicle-to-vehicle radar interference. We devise a chirp sequence set so that the slope of each vehicle’s chirp sequence does not overlap within the set. By assigning one of the chirp sequences to each vehicle, we mitigate the interference from the radar signals transmitted by the neighboring vehicles. We confirm the performance of the proposed method stochastically by computer simulation. The simulation results show that the detection and false alarm performance is improved significantly by the proposed method.
Applying Soil Health Indicators to Encourage Sustainable Soil Use: The Transition from Scientific Study to Practical Application
Authors: Griffiths Bryan S. , Faber Jack , Bloem Jaap
Published: August 2018

The sustainable management of land for agricultural production has at its core a healthy soil, because this reduces the quantity of external inputs, reduces losses of nutrients to the environment, maximises the number of days when the soil can be worked, and has a pore structure that maximises both the retention of water in dry weather and drainage of water in wet weather. Soil health encompasses the physical, chemical, and biological features, but the use of biological indicators is the least well advanced. Sustainability also implies the balanced provision of ecosystem services, which can be more difficult to measure than single indicators. We describe how the key components of the soil food web contribute to a healthy soil and give an overview of the increasing number of scientific studies that have examined the use of biological indicators. A case study is made of the ecosystem service of water infiltration, which is quite an undertaking to measure directly, but which can be inferred from earthworm abundance and biodiversity which is relatively easy to measure. This highlights the difficulty of putting any monitoring scheme into practice and we finish by providing the considerations in starting a new soil health monitoring service in the UK and in maintaining biological monitoring in The Netherlands.
Perceived Walkability, Social Capital, and Self-Reported Physical Activity in Las Vegas College Students
Authors: Bartshe Melissa , Coughenour Courtney , Pharr Jennifer
Published: August 2018

College students are an understudied, vulnerable population, whose inactivity rates exceed those reported by U.S. adults. Walkability in sprawling cities, such as Las Vegas, is challenged due to automobile-oriented development. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between perceived neighborhood walkability, social capital, and meeting physical activity recommendations among University of Nevada-Las Vegas college students. Of the 410 participants, 42.2% met physical activity recommendations, 77.1% were female, 37.3% were white, and 79.5% owned a vehicle. Logistic regression showed that social capital (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, p = 0.04) and gender (OR = 0.49, p <0.01) were the only positive indicators of physical activity; no perceived walkability subscales were significant. Findings confirm that social factors remain an important health determinant and that females continue to be less active than males. The authors speculate that sprawl characteristics may impact perceived walkability and act as a deterrent, or that it is the social norm to commute and complete errands by vehicle. It may also be that the survey tool used was unable to account for confounding variables associated with sprawl. Supporting social capital may be one approach to increase physical activity. Fostering walkability makes urban environments more livable, sustainable, healthy, and equitable; thus, further research into the relationship between walkability and physical activity in college students is needed.
The Energy and Carbon Footprint of the Global ICT and E&M Sectors 2010–2015
Authors: Malmodin Jens , Lundén Dag
Published: August 2018

This article presents estimations of the energy and carbon footprint of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Entertainment & Media (E&M) sectors globally for 2010–2015 including a forecast to 2020. It builds on three previous global studies (2007, 2011, and 2018) and a Swedish study (2015) by the same authors. The study is based on an extensive dataset which combines primary and secondary data for operational (use stage) energy consumption and life cycle greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) for the included sub-sectors, including energy and carbon footprint data from about 100 of the major global manufacturers, operators, and ICT and E&M service providers. The data set also includes sales statistics and forecasts for equipment to estimate product volumes in addition to published LCA studies and primary manufacturing data to estimate the embodied carbon footprint of products. The result shows that the ICT and E&M sectors have turned their previously growing footprints into shrinking ones despite a continuous increase in subscriptions and data traffic. Furthermore, the results of this study are also indicating that these footprints are significantly smaller than previously forecasted.
An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship between Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) and Manufacturing Sustainability in Industry 4.0 with Time Study Approach
Authors: Ghafoorpoor Yazdi Poorya , Azizi Aydin , Hashemipour Majid
Published: August 2018

Nowadays, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are becoming increasingly competitive. In order to fulfill the rapidly changing market and diversified demands of customers, the SMEs need to achieve and maintain high productivity and quality, with fast response, sufficient flexibility, and short lead times. Therefore, Industry 4.0 offers various manufacturing paradigms that might be a solution in order to increase the productivity of SMEs such as intelligent and flexible manufacturing. Furthermore, in the last decade, the emphasis on adopting eco-friendly practices, implementing sustainability measures, and protecting the environment has continued to grow, to gain traction across SMEs. In fact, because of this need, many SMEs are now adopting sustainable manufacturing practices in response to this increased focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship. The main purpose of this paper is to design and study the implementation of a sustainable, intelligent material handling system for material distribution with utilizing an agent-based algorithm as control architecture. A time study-based methodology has been implemented to evaluate the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) to identify the matters that need to be resolved and optimized to increase the OEE percentage with consideration of the sustainability of the system. An exhaustive analytical trend applied to the generated time study data. Accordingly, further hardware, software, and layout design limitation and problems detected, and the proper solutions were anticipated. The observed time study results were presented, a fundamental set of analytical observation and information with associated histograms was reviewed. In addition, the study aims to recognize and analyze effective factors on the sustainability of improved processes, using a simple model. To do this, using experts’ viewpoints, affective factors on the sustainability of process improvement activities are determined.
Variability of Satellite Derived Phenological Parameters across Maize Producing Areas of South Africa
Authors: Adisa Omolola M. , Botai Joel O. , Hassen Abubeker , Darkey Daniel , Adeola Abiodun M. , Tesfamariam Eyob , Botai Christina M. , Adisa Abidemi T.
Published: August 2018

Changes in phenology can be used as a proxy to elucidate the short and long term trends in climate change and variability. Such phenological changes are driven by weather and climate as well as environmental and ecological factors. Climate change affects plant phenology largely during the vegetative and reproductive stages. The focus of this study was to investigate the changes in phenological parameters of maize as well as to assess their causal factors across the selected maize-producing Provinces (viz: North West, Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal) of South Africa. For this purpose, five phenological parameters i.e., the length of season (LOS), start of season (SOS), end of season (EOS), position of peak value (POP), and position of trough value (POT) derived from the MODIS NDVI data (MOD13Q1) were analysed. In addition, climatic variables (Potential Evapotranspiration (PET), Precipitation (PRE), Maximum (TMX) and Minimum (TMN) Temperatures spanning from 2000 to 2015 were also analysed. Based on the results, the maize-producing Provinces considered exhibit a decreasing trend in NDVI values. The results further show that Mpumalanga and Free State Provinces have SOS and EOS in December and April respectively. In terms of the LOS, KwaZulu-Natal Province had the highest days (194), followed by Mpumalanga with 177 days, while North West and Free State Provinces had 149 and 148 days, respectively. Our results further demonstrate that the influences of climate variables on phenological parameters exhibit a strong space-time and common covariate dependence. For instance, TMN dominated in North West and Free State, PET and TMX are the main dominant factors in KwaZulu-Natal Province whereas PRE highly dominated in Mpumalanga. Furthermore, the result of the Partial Least Square Path Modeling (PLS-PM) analysis indicates that climatic variables predict about 46% of the variability of phenology indicators and about 63% of the variability of yield indicators for the entire study area. The goodness of fit index indicates that the model has a prediction power of 75% over the entire study area. This study contributes towards enhancing the knowledge of the dynamics in the phenological parameters and the results can assist farmers to make the necessary adjustment in order to have an optimal production and thereby enhance food security for both human and livestock.
The Role of Manufacturing in Sustainable Economic Development: A Case of Guangzhou, China
Authors: Li Wei , Xue Desheng , Huang Xu
Published: August 2018

Economic development is the natural requirement of urban sustainability. Faced with uncertainty in society, including economic crisis and risk, the ability to reduce the stress and increase the security of economic life should be considered. World cities, deeply impacted by globalization and urbanization, deserve more attention with respect to the economic dimension of sustainable development. This study explored the role of manufacturing in the sustainable economic development of world cities, based on research in Guangzhou, China. This paper applies the grounded theory method, whereas data collection was performed through in-depth semi-structured interviews and field observations. This research found industrial interactions between manufacturing and a variety of relevant advanced producer services facilitate industrial upgrading and diversity, which exert positive effects on the city’s economic dimension of sustainable development.
Sustainable Distribution Organization Based on the Supply–Demand Coordination in Large Chinese Cities
Authors: Liu Sijing , Xu Jiuping , Shi Xiaoyuan , Li Guoqi , Liu Dinglong
Published: August 2018

In large Chinese cities, inefficient logistics organization, a rapid increase in freight demand, and the spreading of city logistics space have jointly contributed to the urban problems related to goods movement, such as spatial conflicts, traffic congestion, and air pollution. To address these problems and improve urban sustainability, we proposed a new spatial organization model of supply–demand coordination. We used the data from the Third China Economic Census and online point-of-interest (POI) for China’s four direct-controlled municipalities and 13 sub-provincial cities. We found that: (1) the freight supply and demand in China’s large cities are both spatially decentralized and clustered. However, there is a significant spatial mismatch between freight supply and demand in most of the studied cities. (2) The 17 studied cities can be divided into three types—highly unbalanced, unbalanced, and balanced—in light of the spatial mismatch between freight supply and demand. (3) The capacities of road surface and logistics nodes spatially differ. The supply capacity of the road systems in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou can only accommodate 18.4%, 35.5%, and 32.2% of the demand, respectively, while the supply capacity of the logistics nodes is more than twice that of the actual demand in these cities. Based on the findings, this paper proposed a differentiated method of demand management in different areas of the cities. To achieve the goals of low-carbon and sustainable development in logistics distribution, policy makers may consider planning urban freight activities along metro lines and intercity rail lines. Thus, this paper will provide a new perspective for understanding the urban freight distribution and management in large Chinese cities.
Reliability–Resiliency–Vulnerability Approach for Drought Analysis in South Korea Using 28 GCMs
Authors: Sung Jang , Chung Eun-Sung , Shahid Shamsuddin
Published: August 2018

This study developed a Reliability–Resiliency–Vulnerability (R–R–V) approach that aggregates the frequency, duration, and severity of droughts estimated using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). This approach was used to analyze the characteristics of droughts for the current (1976–2005) and the future (2010–2099) climates. The future climate data obtained from 28 general circulation models (GCMs) of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) was divided into three general periods: Future 1: 2010–2039, Future 2: 2040–2069; and Future 3: 2070–2099. As a result, aggregation R–R–V representing water availability would increase during Future 1, and then gradually decrease until the end of the century. The frequencies of future drought events for Future 2 and Future 3 were similar to the current frequency, while the durations will be longer and the severity will be higher at most locations during Future 3. Thus, the mean of R–R–V over South Korea is expected to decrease, except for Future 1, and the spatial variability of R–R–V is expected to increase. In the end, the changes in the mean and variance of rainfall and temperature would lead to a decrease in the mean and increase in the spatial variation of sustainability in South Korea. This approach and its results can be used to establish a long-term drought strategy for regions where the risk of future drought is expected to increase.
The Effect of Destination Social Responsibility on Tourists’ Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Emotions
Authors: Tran Huynh Anh Thu , Hwang Yun Seop , Yu Cheon , Yoo Seung Jick
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this study is to define destination social responsibility as a multidimensional construct and examine the relationships between destination social responsibility, tourists’ emotions and their satisfaction, through the lens of corporate social responsibility. A model is empirically tested with a sample of 359 random foreign tourists visiting Hoi An, Vietnam. The results indicate that all destination social responsibility dimensions, including economic, environmental, legal–ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities significantly enhance tourists’ emotions, while only legal–ethical and philanthropic responsibilities directly affect tourists’ satisfaction. The findings also confirm the mediating effect of emotions between destination social responsibility and tourists’ overall satisfaction.
The Characteristics of SMEs Preferring Cooperative Research and Development Support from the Government: The Case of Korea
Authors: Yoo Hyoung Sun , Lee Chul , Jun Seung-Pyo
Published: August 2018

To find ways to make the government’s cooperative research and development (R&D) support policy for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) more effective, we analyzed the characteristics of SMEs that prefer such support. Through decision tree and discriminant analysis of 3300 Korean SMEs, we derived rules to distinguish between groups that prefer cooperative R&D support and those that do not. Based on the results, the important influencing factors were found to be the time required for R&D planning, prior experience in cooperation, the availability of equipment, the ratio of self-procured R&D funding, the attempts at R&D and the firm’s level of performance. The results suggested that if the policy objective is to encourage more active involvement of SMEs in cooperative R&D support programs, it is desirable to attract SMEs with less cooperative experience and not to give too much weight to past achievements when selecting beneficiaries. Furthermore, we believe that policies offering supports in the R&D planning stage and the joint utilization of equipment could be solutions to reduce the practical difficulties experienced by SMEs related to cooperative R&D.
On Connection between Second-Degree Exterior and Symmetric Derivations of Kähler Modules
Authors: Merkepçi Hamiyet
Published: August 2018

Mathematical physics looks for ways to apply mathematical ideas to problems in physics. In differential forms, the tensor form is first defined, and the definitions of exterior and symmetric differential forms are made accordingly. For instance, M is an R-module, M ⊗ R M the tensor product of M with itself and H a submodule of M ⊗ R M generated by x ⊗ y − y ⊗ x , where x , y in M. Then, ∨ 2 ( M ) = M ⊗ R M / H is called the second symmetric power of M. A role of the exterior differential forms in field theory is related to the conservation laws for physical fields, etc. In this study, I present a new approach to emphasize the properties of second exterior and symmetric derivations on Kahler modules, and I find a connection between them. I constitute exact sequences of ∨ 2 ( Ω 1 ( S ) ) and Λ 2 ( Ω 1 ( S ) ) , and I describe and prove a new isomorphism in the following: Let S be an affine algebra presented by R / I , where R = k [ x 1 , … x s ] is a polynomial algebra and I = ( f 1 , … f m ) an ideal of R. Then, I have J 1 Ω 1 ( S ) ≃ Ω 1 ( S ) ⊕ ∨ 2 ( Ω 1 ( S ) ) ⊕ Λ 2 ( Ω 1 ( S ) .
Effective Adsorption of Patulin from Apple Juice by Using Non-Cytotoxic Heat-Inactivated Cells and Spores of Alicyclobacillus Strains
Authors: Sajid Marina , Mehmood Sajid , Niu Chen , Yuan Yahong , Yue Tianli
Published: August 2018

Patulin (PAT) is a major threat to many food products, especially apple and apple products, causing human health risks and economic losses. The aim of this study was to remove PAT from apple juice by using the heat-inactivated (HI) cells and spores of seven Alicyclobacillus strains under controlled conditions. The HI cells and spores of seven strains adsorbed PAT effectively, and the HI cells and spores of Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius DSM 451 (A51) showed maximum PAT adsorption capacity of up to 12.6 μg/g by HI cells and 11.8 μg/g by HI spores at 30 °C and pH 4.0 for 24 h. Moreover, the PAT adsorption process followed the pseudo-first order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model; thermodynamic parameters revealed that PAT adsorption is a spontaneous exothermic physisorption process. The results also indicated that PAT adsorption is strain-specific. The HI cells and spores of Alicyclobacillus strains are non-cytotoxic, and the bioadsorption of PAT did not affect the quality of the juice. Furthermore, the cell wall surface plays an important role in the adsorption process.
Melioidosis in Hong Kong
Authors: Lui Grace , Tam Anthony , Tso Eugene , Wu Alan , Zee Jonpaul , Choi Kin , Lam Wilson , Chan Man , Ting Wan , Hung Ivan
Published: August 2018

Melioidosis, although endemic in many parts of Southeast Asia, has not been systematically studied in Hong Kong, which is a predominantly urban area located in the subtropics. This review describes the early outbreaks of melioidosis in captive animals in Hong Kong in the 1970s, as well as the early reports of human clinical cases in the 1980s. A review of all hospitalized human cases of culture-confirmed melioidosis in the last twenty years showed an increasing trend in the incidence of the disease, with significant mortality observed. The lack of awareness of this disease among local physicians, the delay in laboratory diagnosis and the lack of epidemiological surveillance are among the greatest challenges of managing melioidosis in the territory.
Recent Progress in Fighting Ghosts in Quantum Gravity
Authors: De O. Salles Filipe , Shapiro Ilya L.
Published: August 2018

We review some of the recent results which can be useful for better understanding of the problem of stability of vacuum and in general classical solutions in higher derivative quantum gravity. The fourth derivative terms in the purely gravitational vacuum sector are requested by renormalizability already in both semiclassical and complete quantum gravity theories. However, because of these terms, the spectrum of the theory has unphysical ghost states which jeopardize the stability of classical solutions. At the quantum level, ghosts violate unitarity, and thus ghosts look incompatible with the consistency of the theory. The “dominating” or “standard” approach is to treat higher derivative terms as small perturbations at low energies. Such an effective theory is supposed to glue with an unknown fundamental theory in the high energy limit. We argue that the perspectives for such a scenario are not clear, to say the least. On the other hand, recently, there was certain progress in understanding physical conditions which can make ghosts not offensive. We survey these results and discuss the properties of the unknown fundamental theory which can provide these conditions satisfied.
Modulation of the Tumor Microenvironment by CXCR4 Antagonist-Armed Viral Oncotherapy Enhances the Antitumor Efficacy of Dendritic Cell Vaccines against Neuroblastoma in Syngeneic Mice
Authors: Komorowski Marcin , Tisonczyk Joanna , Kolakowska Agnieszka , Drozdz Ryszard , Kozbor Danuta
Published: August 2018

The induction of antitumor immune responses in tumor-bearing hosts depends on efficient uptake and processing of native or modified tumors/self-antigens by dendritic cells (DCs) to activate immune effector cells, as well as the extent of the immunosuppressive network in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Because the C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) for the C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12) is involved in signaling interactions between tumor cells and their TME, we used oncolytic virotherapy with a CXCR4 antagonist to investigate whether targeting of the CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis in murine neuroblastoma cells (NXS2)-bearing syngeneic mice affects the efficacy of bone marrow (BM)-derived DCs loaded with autologous tumor cells treated with doxorubicin for induction of immunogenic cell death. Here, we show that CXCR4 antagonist expression from an oncolytic vaccinia virus delivered intravenously to mice with neuroblastoma tumors augmented efficacy of the DC vaccines compared to treatments mediated by a soluble CXCR4 antagonist or oncolysis alone. This study is the first demonstration that modulating the tumor microenvironment by an armed oncolytic virus could have a significant impact on the efficacy of DC vaccines, leading to the generation of effective protection against neuroblastoma challenge.
Endometrial Stromal Sarcomas: A Revision of Their Potential as Targets for Immunotherapy
Authors: Tuyaerts Sandra , Amant Frédéric
Published: August 2018

Endometrial stromal sarcomas are a subtype of uterine sarcomas that are characterized by recurrent chromosomal translocations, resulting in the expression of tumor-specific fusion proteins that contribute to their tumorigenicity. These characteristics make the translocation breakpoints promising targets for immunotherapeutic approaches. In this review, we first describe the current knowledge about the classification of endometrial stromal sarcomas, and their molecular and genetic characteristics. Next, we summarize the available data on the use of translocation breakpoints as immunotherapeutic targets. Finally, we propose a roadmap to evaluate the feasibility of immunologic targeting of the endometrial stromal sarcoma-specific translocations in patients with recurrent disease.
Biofouling Formation and Bacterial Community Structure in Hybrid Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor-Membrane Bioreactors: Influence of Salinity Concentration
Authors: Rodriguez-Sanchez Alejandro , Leyva-Diaz Juan Carlos , Muñoz-Palazon Barbara , Rivadeneyra Maria Angustias , Hurtado-Martinez Miguel , Martin-Ramos Daniel , Gonzalez-Martinez Alejandro , Poyatos Jose Manuel , Gonzalez-Lopez Jesus
Published: August 2018

Two pilot-scale hybrid moving bed biofilm reactor-membrane bioreactors were operated in parallel for the treatment of salinity-amended urban wastewater under 6 hours of hydraulic retention time and 2500 mg L−1 total solids concentration. Two salinity conditions were tested: the constant salinity of 6.5 mS cm−1 electric conductivity (3.6 g L−1 NaCl) and the tidal-like variable salinity with maximum 6.5 mS cm−1 electric conductivity. An investigation was developed on the biofouling produced on the ultrafiltration membrane surface evaluating its bacterial community structure and its potential function in the fouling processes. The results showed that biofouling was clearly affected by salinity scenarios in terms of α-diversity and β-diversity and bacterial community structure, which confirms lower bacterial diversity under variable salinity conditions with Rhodanobacter and Dyella as dominant phylotypes. Microorganisms identified as bio-mineral formers belonged to genera Bacillus, Citrobacter, and Brevibacterium. These findings will be of help for the prevention and control of biofouling in saline wastewater treatment systems.
Modelling Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Large Wood Recruitment, Transport, and Deposition at the River Reach Scale during Extreme Floods
Authors: Zischg Andreas Paul , Galatioto Niccolo , Deplazes Silvana , Weingartner Rolf , Mazzorana Bruno
Published: August 2018

Large wood (LW) can lead to clogging at bridges and thus cause obstruction, followed by floodplain inundation. Moreover, colliding logs can cause severe damage to bridges, defense structures, and other infrastructure elements. The factors influencing spatiotemporal LW dynamics (LWD) during extreme floods vary remarkably across river basins and flood scenarios. However, there is a lack of methods to estimate the amount of LW in rivers during extreme floods. Modelling approaches allow for a reliable assessment of LW dynamics during extreme flood events by determining LW recruitment, transport, and deposition patterns. Here, we present a method for simulating LWD on a river reach scale implemented in R (LWDsimR). We extended a previously developed LW transport model with a tree recognition model on the basis of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for LW recruitment simulation. In addition, we coupled the LWD simulation model with the hydrodynamic simulation model Basic Simulation Environment for Computation of Environmental Flow and Natural Hazard Simulation (BASEMENT-ETH) by adapting the existing LW transport model to be used on irregular meshes. The model has been applied in the Aare River basin (Switzerland) to quantify mobilized LW volumes and the associated flow paths in a probable maximum flood scenario.
Minimizing the Principle Stresses of Powerhoused Rock-Fill Dams Using Control Turbine Running Units: Application of Finite Element Method
Authors: Ameen Ameen Mohammed Salih , Ibrahim Zainah , Othman Faridah , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Yaseen Zaher Mundher
Published: August 2018

This study focuses on improving the safety of embankment dams by considering the effects of vibration due to powerhouse operation on the dam body. The study contains two main parts. In the first part, ANSYS-CFX is used to create the three-dimensional (3D) Finite Volume (FV) model of one vertical Francis turbine unit. The 3D model is run by considering various reservoir conditions and the dimensions of units. The Re-Normalization Group (RNG) k-ε turbulence model is employed, and the physical properties of water and the flow characteristics are defined in the turbine model. In the second phases, a 3D finite element (FE) numerical model for a rock-fill dam is created by using ANSYS®, considering the dam connection with its powerhouse represented by four vertical Francis turbines, foundation, and the upstream reservoir. Changing the upstream water table minimum and maximum water levels, standers earth gravity, fluid-solid interface, hydrostatic pressure, and the soil properties are considered. The dam model runs to cover all possibilities for turbines operating in accordance with the reservoir discharge ranges. In order to minimize stresses in the dam body and increase dam safety, this study optimizes the turbine operating system by integrating turbine and dam models.
Optimizing Policy for Balanced Industrial Profit and Water Pollution Control under a Complex Socioecological System Using a Multiagent-Based Model
Authors: Deng Caiyun , Wang Hongrui , Zhang Weiguang , Jiao Zhiqian
Published: August 2018

Water pollution is a prominent and urgent environmental problem that represents a significant challenge in solving the water resource crisis. The ability to choose an optimal environmental policy can provide support for decision makers to effectively control water pollution. This study presents an agent-based model (ABM) approach involving two classes of agents, agricultural household agents and factory agents, to simulate pollutant discharge, and discusses the effectiveness of the whole system and subsystems under multiple policy scenarios involving a combination of environmental tax (ET) and payments for environmental services (PES). This idea is applied to the Shanmei Reservoir watershed, one of the important reservoirs watersheds in China. The results showed that: (1) the ABM represented well pollutant discharge scenarios where Nash coefficient (NSE) values were greater than 0.76; (2) though ET and PES policies were both effective in reducing water pollution, PES was more effective at reducing pollution from households, while ET was more effective at controlling industrial pollution emissions; (3) considering the environmental costs and general effect of the system, a medium degree of PES for agricultural household agents and a medium degree of ET for factory agents were found to be optimal for controlling water pollution in this watershed. A differential compensation mechanism and the introduction of market incentives were recommended to reduce the financial burden of the government. The results also demonstrated that ABM was helpful for choosing an effective policy to control pollution emissions and realizing environmental objectives and socio-economic co-benefits. The model structure and parameters should be optimized in specific cases because of the uncertainty of partial parameters and the neglect of the consumption process. These findings could be helpful for providing guidelines for water pollution control and sustainable water management in China.
Seasonal and Event-Based Hydrological and Slope Stability Modeling of Pyroclastic Fall Deposits Covering Slopes in Campania (Southern Italy)
Authors: De Vita Pantaleone , Fusco Francesco , Tufano Rita , Cusano Delia
Published: August 2018

The pyroclastic fall deposits mantling mountain slopes in the Campania region (Southern Italy) represent one of the most studied geomorphological frameworks of the world regarding rainfall-induced debris flows threating urban areas. The proposed study focused on advancing knowledge about the hydrological response of pyroclastic fall coverings from the seasonal to event-based time scales, leading to the initiation of slope instability. The study was based on two consequential tasks. The first was the analysis of a six-year monitoring of soil pressure head carried out in a sample area of the Sarno Mountains, located above a debris flow initiation zone. The second was based on coupled hydrological and slope stability modeling performed on the physical models of slopes, which were reconstructed by empirical correlations between the slope angle, total thickness, and stratigraphic settings of pyroclastic fall deposits mantling slopes. The results obtained were: (a) The understanding of a soil pressure head regime of the volcaniclastic soil mantle, always ranging in unsaturated conditions and characterized by a strong seasonal variability depending on precipitation patterns and the life cycle of deciduous chestnut forest; and (b) the reconstruction through a deterministic approach of seasonal intensity–duration rainfall thresholds related to different morphological conditions.
The Role of ICT in Improving Sequential Decisions for Water Management in Agriculture
Authors: Cavazza Francesco , Galioto Francesco , Raggi Meri , Viaggi Davide
Published: August 2018

Numerous Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) applications have been developed in irrigated agriculture. While there are studies focusing on ICTs impacts at the farm level, no research deals with this issue at the Water Authority (WA) level where ICTs can support strategic decisions on land and water allocation. The present study aims to design a theoretical model to estimate economic benefits from the ICT-informed decision process of water management in agriculture. Specifically, the study analyzes the motivations driving a case study WA using ICTs to support strategic management decisions involving risky choices. Results show that the WA under investigation has potentialities to save water and to implement adaptation strategies to climate change. Higher benefits from ICTs are attainable in areas with limited water availability and where the WA can effectively manage land allocation and control water delivery volumes. The study concludes that ICTs might have a disruptive potential in fulfilling WA’s specific information needs, but there is still a need to improve their accuracy due to the risk surrounding the decisions at stake.
Modeling Landscape Change Effects on Stream Temperature Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool
Authors: Mustafa Mamoon , Barnhart Brad , Babbar-Sebens Meghna , Ficklin Darren
Published: August 2018

Stream temperature is one of the most important factors for regulating fish behavior and habitat. Therefore, models that seek to characterize stream temperatures, and predict their changes due to landscape and climatic changes, are extremely important. In this study, we extend a mechanistic stream temperature model within the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) by explicitly incorporating radiative flux components to more realistically account for radiative heat exchange. The extended stream temperature model is particularly useful for simulating the impacts of landscape and land use change on stream temperatures using SWAT. The extended model is tested for the Marys River, a western tributary of the Willamette River in Oregon. The results are compared with observed stream temperatures, as well as previous model estimates (without radiative components), for different spatial locations within the Marys River watershed. The results show that the radiative stream temperature model is able to simulate increased stream temperatures in agricultural sub-basins compared with forested sub-basins, reflecting observed data. However, the effect is overestimated, and more noise is generated in the radiative model due to the inclusion of highly variable radiative forcing components. The model works at a daily time step, and further research should investigate modeling at hourly timesteps to further improve the temporal resolution of the model. In addition, other watersheds should be tested to improve and validate the model in different climates, landscapes, and land use regimes.
Response of the Downstream Braided Channel to Zhikong Reservoir on Lhasa River
Authors: Wu Xinyu , Li Zhiwei , Gao Peng , Huang Cao , Hu Tiesong
Published: August 2018

Lhasa River basin is situated in the southern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which is the most important region of economic and social development in Tibet. In order to efficiently utilize water resources in the basin and ease the shortage of regional electric power supply, Zhikong Reservoir was built in the upstream reach of the Lhasa River in 2006. Impoundment of this reservoir evidently affected the morphology and stability of the downstream braided channel below the dam. Yet, little is known about the complex responses of the downstream braided channel to the Zhikong Dam. Landsat images in the 2000–2016 period, together with daily discharges and field observations in the 2017–2018 period, were used to investigate the morphological response of the braided channel to the Zhikong Dam. The downstream Lhasa River below the Zhikong Dam was divided into four reaches (i.e., RS1, RS2, RS3 and RS4) based on the confluence of three downstream tributaries. Results showed that the number and area of central bars in the braided reach closest to Zhikong Dam (RS1) were increased because of main channel incision and water level drop. This increasing trend attenuated along the downstream channel of this reach. Braiding number index of multithread channels in RS1 obviously increased by 3 in one section and reduced by 2 in two sections, while changed in all sections randomly with no pronounced trend along the RS2 to RS3 and RS4 reaches. The average bar area in two focus reaches, RS1_B1 and RS2_B2, 6.0 km and 36.8 km far away to the Zhikong Dam, respectively, followed opposite trends with the former increasing and the later reducing. Furthermore, the mean dissection, landscape dissection and fragmentation shape indices in RS1, showed an increasing trend from 2001 to 2016, indicating the shape of irregular central bars varied greatly because clean water release of Zhikong Dam eroded the downstream braided channel.
Impact of Social Factors in Agricultural Production on the Crop Water Footprint in Xinjiang, China
Authors: Zhang Pei , Deng Xiaoya , Long Aihua , Hai Yang , Li Yang , Wang Hao , Xu Hailiang
Published: August 2018

Irrigation plays an important role in China’s agricultural production, and a reasonable assessment of water resources consumption in agricultural production will contribute to improved agricultural water management practices. The objectives of this study were to analyze variations in the magnitude of the crop water footprint (CWF) in Xinjiang and determine the major factors that influence variation in order to provide proposals for water resources management. The CWF of Xinjiang from 1988 to 2015 was calculated, and the impacts of crop-planting structures, agricultural inputs, and water conservancy projects on agricultural water use were analyzed to evaluate the suitable amount of agricultural water utilization and area of farmland in Xinjiang. Results show that the magnitude of the CWF in Xinjiang significantly increased during the study period. Construction of water conservancy projects greatly facilitated water diversion and had the closest relationship with the growth of CWF. The appropriate water volume and planting area for agriculture in Xinjiang is calculated to be 39.4 billion m3 and 4.3 million ha, respectively, which are 73% and 65% of the current water consumption and cultivated area, respectively. These results can be used as a reference for reducing agricultural water consumption and the farmland area in Xinjiang.
Numerical Simulation of Wave Propagation, Breaking, and Setup on Steep Fringing Reefs
Authors: Zhang Shanju , Zhu Liangsheng , Li Jianhua
Published: August 2018

The prediction of wave transformation and associated hydrodynamics is essential in the design and construction of reef top structures on fringing reefs. To simulate the transformation process with better accuracy and time efficiency, a shock-capturing numerical model based on the extended Boussinesq equations suitable for rapidly varying topography with respect to wave transformation, breaking and runup, is established. A hybrid finite volume–finite difference scheme is used to discretize conservation form of the extended Boussinesq equations. The finite-volume method with a HLL Riemann solver is applied to the flux terms, while finite-difference discretization is applied to the remaining terms. The fourth-order MUSCL (Monotone Upstream-centered Schemes for Conservation Laws) scheme is employed to create interface variables, with in which the van-Leer limiter is adopted to improve computational accuracy on complex topography. Taking advantage of van-Leer limiter, a nested model is used to take account of both computational run time and accuracy. A modified eddy viscosity model is applied to better accommodate wave breaking on steep reef slopes. The established model is validated with laboratory measurements of regular and irregular wave transformation and breaking on steep fringing reefs. Results show the model can provide satisfactory predictions of wave height, mean water level and the generation of higher harmonics.
Hierarchical heterostructures of Bi2MoO6 microflowers decorated with Ag2CO3 nanoparticles for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic removal of toxic pollutants
Authors: Li Shijie , Jiang Wei , Hu Shiwei , Liu Yu , Liu Yanping , Xu Kaibing , Liu Jianshe
Published: August 2018

Developing highly active and durable visible-light-driven photocatalysts for the degradation of toxic pollutants is of vital significance. Herein, Ag2CO3 nanoparticles were in situ formed on Bi2MoO6 microflowers to produce Ag2CO3/Bi2MoO6 heterostructures via a facile procedure. The morphologies, phases, chemical compositions, and optical properties of Ag2CO3/Bi2MoO6 were examined by multiple characterization techniques. The Ag2CO3/Bi2MoO6 heterostructures exhibited substantially improved performance in the removal of industrial dyes (rhodamine B (RhB), methyl orange (MO), and methyl blue (MB)), and the antibiotic tetracycline hydrochloride (TC), compared with bare Bi2MoO6 and Ag2CO3 under visible-light irradiation. The enhancement of activity was attributed to the high charge-separation capacity, which results from the matched band alignment of the two components. The cycling experiments showed a good durability of Ag2CO3/Bi2MoO6. Holes were found to be the dominant active species accounting for the pollutant degradation. This compound is a promising candidate for wastewater treatment.