bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Purification and Characterization of Ornithine Decarboxylase from Aspergillus terreus; Kinetics of Inhibition by Various Inhibitors
Authors: El-Sayed Ashraf , George Nelly , Yassin Marwa , Alaidaroos Bothaina , Bolbol Ahmed , Mohamed Marwa , Rady Amgad , Aziz Safa , Zayed Rawia , Sitohy Mahmoud
Published: July 2019

l-Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the rate-limiting enzyme of de novo polyamine synthesis in humans and fungi. Elevated levels of polyamine by over-induction of ODC activity in response to tumor-promoting factors has been frequently reported. Since ODC from fungi and human have the same molecular properties and regulatory mechanisms, thus, fungal ODC has been used as model enzyme in the preliminary studies. Thus, the aim of this work was to purify ODC from fungi, and assess its kinetics of inhibition towards various compounds. Forty fungal isolates were screened for ODC production, twenty fungal isolates have the higher potency to grow on L-ornithine as sole nitrogen source. Aspergillus terreus was the most potent ODC producer (2.1 µmol/mg/min), followed by Penicillium crustosum and Fusarium fujikuori. These isolates were molecularly identified based on their ITS sequences, which have been deposited in the NCBI database under accession numbers MH156195, MH155304 and MH152411, respectively. ODC was purified and characterized from A. terreus using SDS-PAGE, showing a whole molecule mass of ~110 kDa and a 50 kDa subunit structure revealing its homodimeric identity. The enzyme had a maximum activity at 37 °C, pH 7.4–7.8 and thermal stability for 20 h at 37 °C, and 90 days storage stability at 4 °C. A. terreus ODC had a maximum affinity (Km) for l-ornithine, l-lysine and l-arginine (0.95, 1.34 and 1.4 mM) and catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) (4.6, 2.83, 2.46 × 10−5 mM−1·s−1). The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by DFMO (0.02 µg/mL), curcumin (IC50 0.04 µg/mL), propargylglycine (20.9 µg/mL) and hydroxylamine (32.9 µg/mL). These results emphasize the strong inhibitory effect of curcumin on ODC activity and subsequent polyamine synthesis. Further molecular dynamic studies to elucidate the mechanistics of ODC inhibition by curcumin are ongoing.
Novel Benzothiazole-Based Ureas as 17β-HSD10 Inhibitors, A Potential Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment
Authors: Aitken Laura , Benek Ondrej , McKelvie Brogan E. , Hughes Rebecca E. , Hroch Lukas , Schmidt Monika , Major Louise L. , Vinklarova Lucie , Kuca Kamil , Smith Terry K. , Musilek Kamil , Gunn-Moore Frank J.
Published: July 2019

It has long been established that mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients can trigger pathological changes in cell metabolism by altering metabolic enzymes such as the mitochondrial 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 10 (17β-HSD10), also known as amyloid-binding alcohol dehydrogenase (ABAD). We and others have shown that frentizole and riluzole derivatives can inhibit 17β-HSD10 and that this inhibition is beneficial and holds therapeutic merit for the treatment of AD. Here we evaluate several novel series based on benzothiazolylurea scaffold evaluating key structural and activity relationships required for the inhibition of 17β-HSD10. Results show that the most promising of these compounds have markedly increased potency on our previously published inhibitors, with the most promising exhibiting advantageous features like low cytotoxicity and target engagement in living cells.
The Influence of Polysaccharide Coating on the Physicochemical Parameters and Cytotoxicity of Silica Nanoparticles for Hydrophilic Biomolecules Delivery
Authors: Andreani Tatiana , Fangueiro Joana F. , Severino Patrícia , de Souza Ana Luiza R. , Martins-Gomes Carlos , Fernandes Paula M. V. , Calpena Ana C. , Gremião Maria P. , Souto Eliana B. , Silva Amélia M.
Published: July 2019

The present work reports the effect of polysaccharides (chitosan and sodium alginate) on silica nanoparticles (SiNP) for hydrophilic molecules delivery taking insulin as model drug. The influence of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and homogenization speed on SiNP properties was assessed by a 22 factorial design achieving as optimal parameters: 0.43 mol/L of TEOS and homogenization speed of 5000 rpm. SiNP mean particle size (Z-Ave) was of 256.6 nm and polydispersity index (PI) of 0.218. SiNP coated with chitosan (SiNP-CH) or sodium alginate (SiNP-SA) increased insulin association efficacy; reaching 84.6% (SiNP-SA) and 90.8% (SiNP-CH). However, coated SiNP released 50–60% of the peptide during the first 45 min at acidic environment, while uncoated SiNP only released ~30%. Similar results were obtained at pH 6.8. The low Akaike’s (AIC) values indicated that drug release followed Peppas model for SiNP-SA and second order for uncoated SiNP and SiNP-CH (pH 2.0). At pH 6.8, the best fitting was Boltzmann for Ins-SiNP. However, SiNP-CH and SiNP-SA showed a first-order behavior. Cytotoxicity of nanoparticles, assessed in Caco-2 and HepG2 cells, showed that 100 to 500 µg/mL SiNP-CH and SiNP-SA slightly decreased cell viability, comparing with SiNP. In conclusion, coating SiNP with selected polysaccharides influenced the nanoparticles physicochemical properties, the insulin release, and the effect of these nanoparticles on cell viability.
Enhancement in Photoelectrochemical Performance of Optimized Amorphous SnS2 Thin Film Fabricated through Atomic Layer Deposition
Authors: Hu Weiguang , Hien Truong Thi , Kim Dojin , Chang Hyo Sik
Published: July 2019

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have distinct optical and electrical properties owing to their unique structures. In this study, smooth 2D amorphous tin disulfide (SnS2) films were fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD), and applied for the first time to photoelectrochemical water splitting. The optimal stable photocurrent density of the 50-nm-thick amorphous SnS2 film fabricated at 140 °C was 51.5 µA/cm2 at an oxygen evolution reaction (0.8 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE)). This value is better than those of most polycrystalline SnS2 films reported in recent years. These results are attributed mainly to adjustable optical band gap in the range of 2.80 to 2.52 eV, precise control of the film thickness at the nanoscale, and the close contact between the prepared SnS2 film and substrate. Subsequently, the photoelectron separation mechanisms of the amorphous, monocrystalline, and polycrystalline SnS2 films are discussed. Considering above advantages, the ALD amorphous SnS2 film can be designed and fabricated according to the application requirements.
Spark Plasma Sintering of Lithium Aluminum Germanium Phosphate Solid Electrolyte and its Electrochemical Properties
Authors: Zhu Hongzheng , Prasad Anil , Doja Somi , Bichler Lukas , Liu Jian
Published: July 2019

Sodium superionic conductor (NASICON)-type lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP) has attracted increasing attention as a solid electrolyte for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLIBs), due to the good ionic conductivity and highly stable interface with Li metal. However, it still remains challenging to achieve high density and good ionic conductivity in LAGP pellets by using conventional sintering methods, because they required high temperatures (>800 °C) and long sintering time (>6 h), which could cause the loss of lithium, the formation of impurity phases, and thus the reduction of ionic conductivity. Herein, we report the utilization of a spark plasma sintering (SPS) method to synthesize LAGP pellets with a density of 3.477 g cm−3, a relative high density up to 97.6%, and a good ionic conductivity of 3.29 × 10−4 S cm−1. In contrast to the dry-pressing process followed with high-temperature annealing, the optimized SPS process only required a low operating temperature of 650 °C and short sintering time of 10 min. Despite the least energy and short time consumption, the SPS approach could still achieve LAGP pellets with high density, little voids and cracks, intimate grain–grain boundary, and high ionic conductivity. These advantages suggest the great potential of SPS as a fabrication technique for preparing solid electrolytes and composite electrodes used in ASSLIBs.
Differences in Dietary Intakes among Lebanese Adults over a Decade: Results from Two National Surveys 1997–2008/2009
Authors: Nasreddine Lara , Ayoub Jennifer J. , Hachem Fatima , Tabbara Jiana , Sibai Abla M. , Hwalla Nahla , Naja Farah
Published: July 2019

Amidst the ongoing societal and economic shifts in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR), this study aims at investigating temporal trends in food consumption and nutrient intakes among Lebanese adults, by age and sex. Data were derived from two national cross-sectional surveys conducted in Lebanon during two time periods (1997; 2008/2009). In both surveys, dietary assessment was based on 24-h recalls. The results, expressed as % energy intake (%EI), revealed a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the consumption of bread, fruits, fresh fruit juices, milk and eggs, whereas the consumption of added fats and oils, poultry, cereals and cereal-based products, chips and salty crackers, sweetened milk and hot beverages increased over time (p < 0.001). A significant increase in dietary energy (kcal/day) and fat intake (%EI) was observed, coupled with decreases in carbohydrate intake (%EI) and dietary density of vitamin A and vitamin C (per 1000 kcal) (p < 0.001). These changes were noted in both genders and across age groups, albeit there were some disparities between groups. In conclusion, based on national nutrition surveys, this study is the first to characterize the nutrition transition in a middle-income country of the EMR, shedding light on priority areas for nutrition policies and interventions.
Remission Effects of Dietary Soybean Isoflavones on DSS-Induced Murine Colitis and an LPS-Activated Macrophage Cell Line
Authors: Kim Sang-Eun , Kawaguchi Koichiro , Hayashi Hiroko , Furusho Katsuhiro , Maruyama Mitsuo
Published: July 2019

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, although the exact causes of IBD remain unknown. Present treatments for IBDs have poor tolerability and insufficient therapeutic efficacy, thus, alternative therapeutic approaches are required. Soybean-derived isoflavones have multiple bioactivities such as anti-inflammation. However, the low water solubility of soybean isoflavones limits their bioavailability and practical use. Therefore, in order to study the preventive effects of water-soluble soybean isoflavones on colonic inflammatory status, we examined soybean-derived isoflavone glycosides (SIFs) in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced murine colitis model and in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW264.7 macrophages. Oral administration of SIF (0.5 w/v%) attenuated DSS-induced colitis in terms of body weight decrease, colon shortening, epithelial apoptosis, histological score, mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines, and immune cell infiltration in colon tissues. In the in vitro assessment, we observed the inhibitory effects of SIF on the production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2, via suppression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in RAW264.7 macrophages in response to LPS. Furthermore, we confirmed that the expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were decreased by pre-treatment with SIF in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages. Moreover, we demonstrated that SIF suppressed inflammatory mediators involved in nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway via inhibitory κB kinase phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitory κB. Our results suggested that SIF may be beneficial for the remission of colonic inflammatory status including IBDs.
Phase Angle: A Possible Biomarker to Quantify Inflammation in Subjects with Obesity and 25(OH)D Deficiency
Authors: Barrea Luigi , Muscogiuri Giovanna , Laudisio Daniela , Di Somma Carolina , Salzano Ciro , Pugliese Gabriella , de Alteriis Giulia , Colao Annamaria , Savastano Silvia
Published: July 2019

Obesity is associated to chronic low-grade metabolic inflammation and hypovitaminosis D. Among extra-skeletal effects, an important role in inflammation has been described for vitamin D (25(OH)D). Phase angle (PhA) is a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) parameter that represents an indicator of cellular health in chronic inflammatory states. However, it is still unknown whether a low 25(OH)D levels might correlate with PhA in obesity. Considering the lack of evidence correlating the 25(OH)D levels with PhA in obesity, the aim of this study was to investigate their possible relationship in a group of patients with obesity stratified according to body mass index (BMI) categories. Four hundred and fifty-five adult subjects (219 males and 236 females; 36 ± 11 years) were enrolled. Body composition, including PhA, was assessed using a BIA phase-sensitive system. Serum levels of 25(OH)D was determined by a direct competitive chemiluminescence immunoassay. Most of the participants were affected by grade III obesity (24%) and had 25(OH)D deficiency (67%). Subjects with 25(OH)D deficiency had highest BMI (p < 0.001). Stratifying the sample population according to the BMI classes, 25(OH)D levels decreased significantly along with the increase in BMI (p < 0.001), with the lowest 25(OH)D levels in the class III obesity. In addition, stratifying the sample population according to 25(OH)D categories, BMI and fat mass (FM) decreased, while PhA increased significantly along with the 25(OH)D categories (p < 0.001). The 25(OH)D levels showed significant positive associations with PhA (r = −0.59, p < 0.001), and this association remained significant also after adjusting for BMI and FM (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). The lowest values of PhA were significantly associated with the severity of obesity (OR 0.3, p < 0.001) and of 25(OH)D deficiency (OR 0.2, p < 0.001). To compare the relative predictive power of body composition parameters associated with the 25(OH)D levels, we performed a multiple linear regression analysis. The most sensitive and specific cut-off for 25(OH)D levels to predict the PhA above the median was >14 ng/mL (p < 0.001). In conclusion, we provided preliminary insights into a novel link between 25(OH)D levels and PhA in the setting of obesity. This association uncovered a new potential usefulness of PhA as expression of cell membrane integrity and predictor of inflammation in low 25(OH)D status that might help in identifying high-risk patients with obesity who could benefit from careful 25(OH)D supplementation.
The Dynamic Genetic-Hormonal Regulatory Network Controlling the Trichome Development in Leaves
Authors: Fambrini Marco , Pugliesi Claudio
Published: July 2019

Plant trichomes are outgrowths developed from an epidermal pavement cells of leaves and other organs. Trichomes (also called ‘hairs’) play well-recognized roles in defense against insect herbivores, forming a physical barrier that obstructs insect movement and mediating chemical defenses. In addition, trichomes can act as a mechanosensory switch, transducing mechanical stimuli (e.g., insect movement) into physiological signals, helping the plant to respond to insect attacks. Hairs can also modulate plant responses to abiotic stresses, such as water loss, an excess of light and temperature, and reflect light to protect plants against UV radiation. The structure of trichomes is species-specific and this trait is generally related to their function. These outgrowths are easily analyzed and their origin represents an outstanding subject to study epidermal cell fate and patterning in plant organs. In leaves, the developmental control of the trichomatous complement has highlighted a regulatory network based on four fundamental elements: (i) genes that activate and/or modify the normal cell cycle of epidermal pavement cells (i.e., endoreduplication cycles); (ii) transcription factors that create an activator/repressor complex with a central role in determining cell fate, initiation, and differentiation of an epidermal cell in trichomes; (iii) evidence that underlines the interplay of the aforesaid complex with different classes of phytohormones; (iv) epigenetic mechanisms involved in trichome development. Here, we reviewed the role of genes in the development of trichomes, as well as the interaction between genes and hormones. Furthermore, we reported basic studies about the regulation of the cell cycle and the complexity of trichomes. Finally, this review focused on the epigenetic factors involved in the initiation and development of hairs, mainly on leaves.
A Low-Cost, Flexible Pressure Capacitor Sensor Using Polyurethane for Wireless Vehicle Detection
Authors: Khong Duc Chien , Hoang Van-Phuc , Tien Nguyen Duy , Thanh Dao Toan
Published: July 2019

Detection of vehicles on the road can contribute to the establishment of an intelligent transportation management system to allow smooth transportation and the reduction of road accidents. Thus far, an efficient and low-cost polymer flexible pressure sensor for vehicle detection is lacking. This paper presents a flexible sensor for vehicle sensing and demonstrates a wireless system for monitoring vehicles on the road. A vehicle sensor was fabricated by sandwiching a polyurethane material between aluminum top/bottom electrodes. The sensing mechanism was based on changes in capacitance due to variation in the distance between the two electrodes at an applied external pressure. A clear response against a pressure load of 0.65 Mpa was observed, which is the same pressure as that of the car tire area in contact with the road. Significantly, the sensor was easy to embed on the road line due to its mechanical flexibility and large size. A field test was carried out by embedding the sensor on the road and crossing the sensor with a car. Moreover, the signal displayed on the tablet indicated that the sensing system can be used for wireless detection of the axle, speed, or weight of the vehicle on the road. The findings suggest that the flexible pressure sensor is a promising tool for use as a low-cost vehicle detector in future intelligent transportation management.
Analysis of O-Ring Seal Failure under Static Conditions and Determination of End-of-Lifetime Criterion
Authors: Kömmling Anja , Jaunich Matthias , Pourmand Payam , Wolff Dietmar , Hedenqvist Mikael
Published: July 2019

Determining a suitable and reliable end-of-lifetime criterion for O-ring seals is an important issue for long-term seal applications. Therefore, seal failure of ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) and hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) O-rings aged in the compressed state at 125 °C and at 150 °C for up to 1.5 years was analyzed and investigated under static conditions, using both non-lubricated and lubricated seals. Changes of the material properties were analyzed with dynamic-mechanical analysis and permeability experiments. Indenter modulus measurements were used to investigate DLO effects. It became clear that O-rings can remain leak-tight under static conditions even when material properties have already degraded considerably, especially when adhesion effects are encountered. As a feasible and reliable end-of-lifetime criterion for O-ring seals under static conditions should include a safety margin for slight dimensional changes, a modified leakage test involving a small and rapid partial decompression of the seal was introduced that enabled determining a more realistic but still conservative end-of-lifetime criterion for an EPDM seal.
FumeBot: A Deep Convolutional Neural Network Controlled Robot
Authors: Thomas Ajith , Hedley John
Published: July 2019

This paper describes the development of a convolutional neural network for the control of a home monitoring robot (FumeBot). The robot is fitted with a Raspberry Pi for on board control and a Raspberry Pi camera is used as the data feed for the neural network. A wireless connection between the robot and a graphical user interface running on a laptop allows for the diagnostics and development of the neural network. The neural network, running on the laptop, was trained using a supervised training method. The robot was put through a series of obstacle courses to test its robustness, with the tests demonstrating that the controller has learned to navigate the obstacles to a reasonable level. The main problem identified in this work was that the neural controller did not have memory of past actions it took and a past state of the world resulting in obstacle collisions. Options to rectify this issue are suggested.
Forecasting GRACE Data over the African Watersheds Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed , Sultan Mohamed , Elbayoumi Tamer , Tissot Philippe
Published: July 2019

The GRACE-derived terrestrial water storage (TWSGRACE) provides measurements of the mass exchange and transport between continents, oceans, and ice sheets. In this study, a statistical approach was used to forecast TWSGRACE data using 10 major African watersheds as test sites. The forecasted TWSGRACE was then used to predict drought events in the examined African watersheds. Using a nonlinear autoregressive with exogenous input (NARX) model, relationships were derived between TWSGRACE data and the controlling and/or related variables (rainfall, temperature, evapotranspiration, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). The performance of the model was found to be “very good” (Nash–Sutcliffe (NSE) > 0.75; scaled root mean square error (R*) < 0.5) for 60% of the investigated watersheds, “good” (NSE > 0.65; R* < 0.6) for 10%, and “satisfactory” (NSE > 0.50; R* < 0.7) for the remaining 30% of the watersheds. During the forecasted period, no drought events were predicted over the Niger basin, the termination of the latest (March–October 2015) drought event was observed over the Zambezi basin, and the onset of a drought event (January-March 2016) over the Lake Chad basin was correctly predicted. Adopted methodologies generate continuous and uninterrupted TWSGRACE records, provide predictive tools to address environmental and hydrological problems, and help bridge the current gap between GRACE missions.
Evaluation of Bayesian Multimodel Estimation in Surface Incident Shortwave Radiation Simulation over High Latitude Areas
Authors: Zhang Weiyu , Zhang Xiaotong , Li Wenhong , Hou Ning , Wei Yu , Jia Kun , Yao Yunjun , Cheng Jie
Published: July 2019

Surface incident shortwave radiation (SSR) is crucial for understanding the Earth’s climate change issues. Simulations from general circulation models (GCMs) are one of the most practical ways to produce long-term global SSR products. Although previous studies have comprehensively assessed the performance of the GCMs in simulating SSR globally or regionally, studies assessing the performance of these models over high-latitude areas are sparse. This study evaluated and intercompared the SSR simulations of 48 GCMs participating in the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) using quality-controlled SSR surface measurements at 44 radiation sites from three observation networks (GC-NET, BSRN, and GEBA) and the SSR retrievals from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System, Energy Balanced and Filled (CERES EBAF) data set over high-latitude areas from 2000 to 2005. Furthermore, this study evaluated the performance of the SSR estimations of two multimodel ensemble methods, i.e., the simple model averaging (SMA) and the Bayesian model averaging (BMA) methods. The seasonal performance of the SSR estimations of individual GCMs, the SMA method, and the BMA method were also intercompared. The evaluation results indicated that there were large deficiencies in the performance of the individual GCMs in simulating SSR, and these GCM SSR simulations did not show a tendency to overestimate the SSR over high-latitude areas. Moreover, the ensemble SSR estimations generated by the SMA and BMA methods were superior to all individual GCM SSR simulations over high-latitude areas, and the estimations of the BMA method were the best compared to individual GCM simulations and the SMA method-based estimations. Compared to the CERES EBAF SSR retrievals, the uncertainties of the SSR estimations of the GCMs, the SMA method, and the BMA method are relatively large during summer.
Novel Image Processing Method for Detecting Strep Throat (Streptococcal Pharyngitis) Using Smartphone
Authors: Askarian Behnam , Yoo Seung-Chul , Chong Jo Woon
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we propose a novel strep throat detection method using a smartphone with an add-on gadget. Our smartphone-based strep throat detection method is based on the use of camera and flashlight embedded in a smartphone. The proposed algorithm acquires throat image using a smartphone with a gadget, processes the acquired images using color transformation and color correction algorithms, and finally classifies streptococcal pharyngitis (or strep) throat from healthy throat using machine learning techniques. Our developed gadget was designed to minimize the reflection of light entering the camera sensor. The scope of this paper is confined to binary classification between strep and healthy throats. Specifically, we adopted k-fold validation technique for classification, which finds the best decision boundary from training and validation sets and applies the acquired best decision boundary to the test sets. Experimental results show that our proposed detection method detects strep throats with 93.75% accuracy, 88% specificity, and 87.5% sensitivity on average.
Electrochemiluminescence Sensor Based on Electrospun Three-Dimensional Carbon Nanofibers for the Detection of Difenidol Hydrochloride
Authors: Cheng Hao , Zhou Zhengyuan , Li Yanqing , Huang Wenyi , Feng Jun , Tang Tingfan , Li Lijun
Published: July 2019

The detection of difenidol hydrochloride, which is a drug that is widely used for treating the nausea and vomiting symptoms caused by certain diseases, has been increasingly involved in cases of suicide via overdosing and of drug poisoning in children. A novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor for the simple and effective detection of difenidol hydrochloride was fabricated by modifying a glassy carbon electrode with three-dimensional carbon nanofibers (3D-CNFs). The 3D-CNFs were synthesized by electrospinning a mixture of montmorillonite (MMT) and polyacrylonitrile, carbonizing the electrospun product, and etching it with hydrofluoric acid. The form and structure of the 3D-CNFs was analyzed via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman microspectroscopy. According to the experimental results obtained using the modified electrodes, a good linear relationship was found between peak intensity and difenidol concentration (y = 868.14x − 61.04, R2 = 0.999), with a relatively low detection limit (8.64 × 10−10 mol·L−1 (S/N = 3)). In addition, our approach exhibited good recovery values ranging from 98.99% to 102.28%. The proposed novel ECL sensor has wide application prospects for the detection of difenidol hydrochloride.
Surface Correlation-Based Fingerprinting Method Using LTE Signal for Localization in Urban Canyon
Authors: Lee Jung Ho , Shin Beomju , Shin Donghyun , Park Jinwoo , Ryu Yong Sang , Woo Deok Ha , Lee Taikjin
Published: July 2019

The Global Satellite Navigation System (GNSS) used in various location-based services is accurate and stable in outdoor environments. However, it cannot be utilized in an indoor environment because of low signal availability and degradation of accuracy due to the multipath distortion of satellite signals in urban areas. On the contrary, LTE signals are available almost everywhere in urban areas and are quite stable without much variation throughout the year. This is because of the fixed location of base stations and the well-maintained policy of mobile communication service providers. Its varied stability and reliability make LTE signals a more viable method for localization. However, there are some complexities in utilizing LTE signals including signal interference distortion phenomena during propagation multipath fading, and various types of noise. In this paper, we propose a surface correlation-based fingerprinting method to utilize LTE signals for localization in urban areas. The surface correlation converts timely measured signal strength into spatial pattern using the walking distance from a Pedestrian Dead-Reckoning (PDR). The surface correlation is carried out by comparing the spatial signal strength pattern of a pedestrian`s movement trajectory with a fingerprinting database to estimate the location. A reference trajectory of the moving pedestrian is chosen to have a greater correlation among the multiple trajectory candidates generated from a link-based fingerprinting database. By comparing spatial signal strength patterns, the proposed method can improve robustness in localization overcoming the accuracy degradation problem due to RF multipath and noise that are dominant in the conventional RSS measurement-based LTE localization scheme. The test results in urban areas demonstrate that the proposed surface correlation-based fingerprinting method has improved performance compared to the other conventional methods, thus proving to be a useful complementary method to the GNSS in urban areas.
Preliminary Research on the Nonlinear Ultrasonic Detection of the Porosity of Porous Material Based on Dynamic Wavelet Fingerprint Technology
Authors: Wang Xianghong , He Chenglong , Xie Wei , Hu Hongwei
Published: July 2019

Porosity is an important characteristic of porous material, which affects mechanical and material properties. In order to solve the problem that the large distribution range of pore size of porous materials leads to the large detection errors of porosity, the non-linear ultrasonic testing technique is applied. A graphite composite was used as the experimental object in the study. As the accuracy of porosity is directly related with feature extraction, the dynamic wavelet fingerprint (DWFP) technology was utilized to extract the feature parameter of the ultrasonic signals. The effects of the wavelet function, scale factor, and white slice ratio on the extraction of the nonlinear feature are discussed. The SEM photos were conducted using gray value to identify the aperture. The relationship between pore diameter and detection accuracy was studied. Its results show that the DWFP technology could identify the second harmonic component well, and the extracted nonlinear feature could be used for the quantitative trait of porosity. The larger the proportion of the small diameter holes and the smaller the aperture distribution range was, the smaller the error was. This preliminary research aimed to improve the nondestructive testing accuracy of porosity and it is beneficial to the application of porous material in the manufacturing field.
To Develop the Method for UHPLC-HRMS to Determine the Antibacterial Potential of a Central American Medicinal Plant
Authors: Monga Gaganpreet Kaur , Ghosal Anima , Ramanathan Dil
Published: July 2019

The development of antibiotic resistance by microbials has long been acknowledged. The major challenge worldwide is to develop novel, natural, and potent antibiotics against the multidrug resistant bacteria. In this study, our aim was to develop the method for a highly sensitive instrument, ultra-high performance liquid chromatograph-high resolution mass spectrometer (UHPLC-HRMS), to evaluate the antibacterial property of a natural product. Aechmea magdalenae (Andre) Andre ex Baker, a plant belonging to the family Bromeliaceae, a native of Central America was used in this study. Based on the available literature, it was hypothesized that Aechmea magdalenae has antibacterial activity. In addition, the profiling done on A. magdalenae using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) also revealed the presence of medicinally important chemical compounds, such as acetic acid. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of dried Aechmea plant extract was determined for the first time using 96-well plate assay, followed by determination of antibacterial potential using LC-MS. The reason being that other dried methanolic plant extracts, such as Vismia macrophylla, lined up for antibacterial testing have dark extracts, for which determining the antibacterial potential and reading the results with the naked eye would be challenging. To overcome the situation of dark plant extracts, a generalized novel LC-MS method was developed that was used for the plant A. magdalenae, and would be used further for other plants. A blue indicator called resazurin was added to the wells; resazurin, upon incubation with the living cells, got reduced to resorufin (which was pink), while it remained blue with bacterial growth inhibition. The mass difference created due to reduction of resazurin to resorufin was detected by using LTQ Orbitrap Discovery in positive ion mode to determine the antibacterial activity of the plant extract. The sample preparation for LC-MS assay included centrifugation of the samples taken from 96-well plate, followed by filtration of the supernatant, before exposing them to C-18 column. The results obtained from full scan LC-MS spectrum consistently demonstrated the presence of resorufin from wells with bacterial growth, and resazurin from wells with inhibition through peaks of relevant masses.
The Acceptability of Land Pools for the Sustainable Revalorisation of Wetland Meadows in the Spreewald Region, Germany
Authors: Busse Maria , Heitepriem Nico , Siebert Rosemarie
Published: July 2019

To successfully implement sustainability innovations, it is crucial to gain knowledge about their acceptability by potential users. This paper addresses the acceptability of land pools for the sustainable revalorization of wetland meadows using two case studies in a cultural landscape (CL) in Germany. The aim of this study is to analyse factors that influence the decisions of landowners and farmers towards these land pools. Therefore, we developed a sociologically driven framework of acceptability. We applied structured qualitative text analysis for analysing qualitative interviews. The results show that acceptability differs between the two case study areas and between interviewees. The value-based appreciation of the CL is high, but does not lead “per se” to a positive acceptance of the land pools. Reasons for this are the lack of shared values and the existence of diverging opinions about the objectives of land pools. Additional important factors are previous experiences, level of participation, and trust in actors or institutions. A recommendation is that discussion of values of nature supports the identification of shared values. A clear description of the problem and embedding the concept in a systematic strategy for regional development could enhance acceptability. For the success of similar sustainability innovations, it is essential to design a fair innovation process (transparent communication and active actors’ involvement). A theoretical-conceptual conclusion is that the acceptability framework supports qualitative, in-depth and actor-centred analyses focussing on linkages between values and arguments on different levels. The framework also reveals diverse and previously unknown factors.
The Context of Sustainable Development: Funding Society’s Nature and Forest Education through Promotional Forest Complexes in Poland in 2012–2016
Authors: Wartecka-Ważyńska Agnieszka , Jęczmyk Anna , Jalinik Mikołaj , Sikora Jan , Łuniewski Stanisław , Uglis Jarosław
Published: July 2019

The aim of this article is to present the funding sources and scale of the expenditure for the educational activity provided by Promotional Forest Complexes (PFCs) in the context of sustainable development. Apart from a number of significant economic functions, the State Forests in Poland perform important social functions, including the function of nature and forest education. Economic functions bring profit, while social functions are not subject to such commercialization. The execution of the social functions of Poland’s forests is dealt with by special organizational units, called Promotional Forest Complexes (PFCs). PFCs have suitable educational facilities at their disposal, enabling them to perform their tasks (e.g., education sites, nature exhibition rooms, forest teaching shelters, educational trails). Running these facilities involves certain transaction costs, which are covered from the PFCs’ own resources. The educational activity is partly financed from external sources. This analysis indicates that we could observe a decrease in internal and external resources dedicated to the nature and forest education of the society. The authors carried out the secondary materials analysis concerning the object of study, as well as the analysis of scientific literature and statistical analysis.
Assessing the Recreational Value of a National Forest Park from Ecotourists’ Perspective in Taiwan
Authors: Liu Wan-Yu , Chen Pin-Zheng , Hsieh Chi-Ming
Published: July 2019

The Huisun National Forest Recreation Area (HNFRA), which preserves over 85% of the forest to its natural state, provides many forest services, including environmental exploration, ecological conservation, recreation, and ecotourism in Taiwan. This study used analytical methods to analyze the recreational demands that influence tourists’ visits and the recreational value of tourism. The travel cost method (TCM) and the zero-truncated negative binomial regression model to assess the recreational value were chosen. The results revealed that the travel costs for nonlocal visitors were higher than those for local visitors by NT$818.59. The recreational demand was negatively correlated to income and had a significantly positive correlation with place of residence, age, and length of stay. The estimated annual recreational value of HNFRA was NT$3237 per person, and the total annual recreational value was NT$347,270,560. Raising the idea that recreational demand and the willingness to consume has a direct impact on the recreational value. Enhancing the site’s recreational value will be beneficial to ecotourists’ experiences and the management of HNFRA.
The Differing Foreign Entry Mode Choices for Sales and Production Subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations in the Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Ko Seok Jin
Published: July 2019

Foreign market entry mode research has been a popular area of study. However, a clear agreement between the usage of conventional constructs and their impact on a firm’s entry mode choice has not yet been found. This paper focuses on how, depending on the type of subsidiary that is established, multinational corporations (MNCs) in the manufacturing industry use different foreign market entry strategies. Previous research either treated types of subsidiaries synonymously or investigated them separately. However, due to the changing competitive landscape and disaggregation of value chain activities into separate subsidiaries, I find it necessary to compare how these entry mode choices differ depending on the activity each subsidiary is responsible for. My analysis finds that MNCs in the manufacturing industry are more likely to use joint ventures rather than wholly owned modes of entry for their production subsidiaries in comparison to their sales subsidiaries. I further explore how the international experience of the MNC strengthens this effect. This research utilizes a sample of 201 listed Korean manufacturing firms and 833 foreign market entry mode choices into 49 countries.
Determinants of Transport Mode Choice for Non-Commuting Trips: The Roles of Transport, Land Use and Socio-Demographic Characteristics
Authors: Convery Sheila , Williams Brendan
Published: July 2019

Despite rapid changes in vehicle technology and the expansion of IT-based mobility solutions, travel habits must be changed to address the environmental and health implications of increasing car dependency. A significant amount of research focuses on commuting, which comprises the largest share of annual vehicle miles travelled. However, non-work trips are also significant, especially when considering trip frequency. Using empirical data (N = 1298) from an urban-rural region and bivariate statistical analysis, the relationship between the land use–transport configuration (6 types) and travel behaviour patterns is examined for 14 non-work destinations. The land use characterisation used in this research includes an updated means of representing a land use mix. By defining the typologies of land use and transport for use in the analysis, the findings can be directed towards contrasting area types in the region. A strong statistically significant association between the land use–transport configuration and mode-share for 14 non-work journey purposes is found. Using regression modelling, income and car ownership are identified as key influences on travel behaviour patterns. The results of both analyses show that, for non-work trips, the transport–land use relationship is as important as key socio-demographic indicators. However, the results for reductions in car travel are relatively small for the area typologies outside the inner-city core. This indicates that efforts to provide alternatives to car travel in order to mitigate car dependency should be prioritised in these outer urban areas. Appropriate management of spatial structure for non-work activity types such that active mode use is possible is essential. This will resolve some of the important environmental and health impacts of car dependency.
Purification and Functional Characterization of a Biologically Active Full-Length Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Pr50Gag
Authors: Krishnan Anjana , Pillai Vineeta N. , Chameettachal Akhil , Mohamed Ali Lizna , Nuzra Nagoor Pitchai Fathima , Tariq Saeed , Mustafa Farah , Marquet Roland , A. Rizvi Tahir
Published: July 2019

The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) full-length Pr50Gag precursor is a key player in the assembly of new viral particles. It is also a critical component of the efficient selection and packaging of two copies of genomic RNA (gRNA) into the newly formed virus particles from a wide pool of cellular and spliced viral RNA. To understand the molecular mechanisms involved during FIV gRNA packaging, we expressed the His6-tagged and untagged recombinant FIV Pr50Gag protein both in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. The recombinant Pr50Gag-His6-tag fusion protein was purified from soluble fractions of prokaryotic cultures using immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). This purified protein was able to assemble in vitro into virus-like particles (VLPs), indicating that it preserved its ability to oligomerize/multimerize. Furthermore, VLPs formed in eukaryotic cells by the FIV full-length Pr50Gag both in the presence and absence of His6-tag could package FIV sub-genomic RNA to similar levels, suggesting that the biological activity of the recombinant full-length Pr50Gag fusion protein was retained in the presence of His6-tag at the carboxy terminus. Successful expression and purification of a biologically active, recombinant full-length Pr50Gag-His6-tag fusion protein will allow study of the intricate RNA-protein interactions involved during FIV gRNA encapsidation.
Modeling and Investigating the Mechanisms of Groundwater Level Variation in the Jhuoshui River Basin of Central Taiwan
Authors: Bai Tao , Tsai Wen-Ping , Chiang Yen-Ming , Chang Fi-John , Chang Wan-Yu , Chang Li-Chiu , Chang Kuang-Chih
Published: July 2019

Due to nonuniform rainfall distribution in Taiwan, groundwater is an important water source in certain areas that lack water storage facilities during periods of drought. Therefore, groundwater recharge is an important issue for sustainable water resources management. The mountainous areas and the alluvial fan areas of the Jhuoshui River basin in Central Taiwan are considered abundant groundwater recharge regions. This study aims to investigate the interactive mechanisms between surface water and groundwater through statistical techniques and estimate groundwater level variations by a combination of artificial intelligence techniques and the Gamma test (GT). The Jhuoshui River basin in Central Taiwan is selected as the study area. The results demonstrate that: (1) More days of accumulated rainfall data are required to affect variable groundwater levels in low-permeability wells or deep wells; (2) effective rainfall thresholds can be properly identified by lower bound screening of accumulated rainfall; (3) daily groundwater level variation can be estimated effectively by artificial neural networks (ANNs); and (4) it is difficult to build efficient models for low-permeability wells, and the accuracy and stability of models is worse in the proximal-fan areas than in the mountainous areas.
Numerical Investigations on the Instability of Boulders Impacted by Experimental Coastal Flows
Authors: Wang Liang , Bressan Lidia , Tinti Stefano
Published: July 2019

Coastal boulders transported inland by marine hazards, such as tsunamis and storms, are commonly found worldwide. Studies on the transport process of coastal boulders contribute to the understanding of a wide range of phenomena such as high-energy flow events, fluid-structure interaction, and coastal sediments. Consequently, it is crucial to understand how boulders move, but even more important to determine the instability condition for boulder transport. The hydrodynamic formulas including drag and lift coefficients are widely used to predict the incipient motion of boulders while few studies are conducted to evaluate the capability of these formulas. Recently, a series of laboratory experiments carried out at the Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory (Italian acronym LIDR) of the University of Bologna, Italy, revealed that boulders can start moving when the flow height and flow velocity are lower than the theoretical threshold computed by hydraulic formulas. In this paper, we use a numerical shallow water model to reproduce these freely available laboratory data with the aim of testing the capability of the model in capturing the main evolution of the process, and of casting new light on the instability condition of coastal boulders.
Numerical Investigation of a Hydropower Tunnel: Estimating Localised Head-Loss Using the Manning Equation
Authors: Andersson L. Robin , Hellström J. Gunnar I. , Andreasson Patrik , Lundström T. Staffan
Published: July 2019

The fluid dynamics within a water tunnel is investigated numerically using a RANS approach with the k- ε turbulence model. The computational model is based on a laser scan of a hydropower tunnel located in Gävunda, Sweden. The tunnel has a typical height of 6.9 m and a width of 7.2 m. While the average cross-sectional shape of the tunnel is smooth the local deviations are significant, where some roughness elements may be in the size of 5 m implying a large variation of the hydraulic radius. The results indicate that the Manning equation can successfully be used to study the localised pressure variations by taking into account the varying hydraulic radius and cross-sectional area of the tunnel. This indicates a dominant effect of the tunnel roughness in connection with the flow, which has the potential to be used in the future evaluation of tunnel durability. ANSYS-CFX was used for the simulations along with ICEM-CFD for building the mesh.