bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Space Physical Sensor Protection and Control System Based on Neural Network Prediction: Application in Princess Elizabeth Area of Antarctica
Authors: Wang Yuchen , Dou Yinke , Guo Jingxue , Huang Dehong
Published: August 2020

In the inland areas of Antarctica, the establishment of an unmanned automatic observation support system is an urgent problem and challenge. This article introduces the development and application of an unmanned control system suitable for inland Antarctica. The system is called RIOD (Remote Control, Image Acquisition, Operation Maintenance, and Document Management System) for short. At the beginning of this research project, a mathematical model of heat conduction in the surface observation chamber was established, and the control strategy was determined through mathematical relationships and field experiments. Based on the analysis of local meteorological data, various neural network models are compared, and the training model with the smallest error is used to predict the future ambient temperature. Moreover, the future temperature is substituted into the mathematical model of thermal conductivity to obtain the input value of the next input power, to formulate the operation strategy for the system. This method maintains the regular operation of the sensor while reducing energy consumption. The RIOD system has been deployed in the Tai-Shan camp in China’s Antarctic inland inspection route. The application results 4.5 months after deployment show that the RIOD system can maintain stable operation at lower temperatures. This technology solves the demand for unmanned high-altitude physical observation or astronomical observation stations in inland areas.
Impact of Fluid Flow on CMOS-MEMS Resonators Oriented to Gas Sensing
Authors: Perello-Roig Rafel , Verd Jaume , Bota Sebastià , Segura Jaume
Published: August 2020

Based on experimental data, this paper thoroughly investigates the impact of a gas fluid flow on the behavior of a MEMS resonator specifically oriented to gas sensing. It is demonstrated that the gas stream action itself modifies the device resonance frequency in a way that depends on the resonator clamp shape with a corresponding non-negligible impact on the gravimetric sensor resolution. Results indicate that such an effect must be accounted when designing MEMS resonators with potential applications in the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In addition, the impact of thermal perturbations was also investigated. Two types of four-anchored CMOS-MEMS plate resonators were designed and fabricated: one with straight anchors, while the other was sustained through folded flexure clamps. The mechanical structures were monolithically integrated together with an embedded readout amplifier to operate as a self-sustained fully integrated oscillator on a commercial CMOS technology, featuring low-cost batch production and easy integration. The folded flexure anchor resonator provided a flow impact reduction of 5× compared to the straight anchor resonator, while the temperature sensitivity was enhanced to −115 ppm/°C, an outstanding result compared to the −2403 ppm/°C measured for the straight anchored structure.
Multi-Feature Nonlinear Optimization Motion Estimation Based on RGB-D and Inertial Fusion
Authors: Zhao Xiongwei , Miao Cunxiao , Zhang He
Published: August 2020

To achieve a high precision estimation of indoor robot motion, a tightly coupled RGB-D visual-inertial SLAM system is proposed herein based on multiple features. Most of the traditional visual SLAM methods only rely on points for feature matching and they often underperform in low textured scenes. Besides point features, line segments can also provide geometrical structure information of the environment. This paper utilized both points and lines in low-textured scenes to increase the robustness of RGB-D SLAM system. In addition, we implemented a fast initialization process based on the RGB-D camera to improve the real-time performance of the proposed system and designed a new backend nonlinear optimization framework. By minimizing the cost function formed by the pre-integrated IMU residuals and re-projection errors of points and lines in sliding windows, the state vector is optimized. The experiments evaluated on public datasets show that our system achieves higher accuracy and robustness on trajectories and in pose estimation compared with several state-of-the-art visual SLAM systems.
Smart Parking System with Dynamic Pricing, Edge-Cloud Computing and LoRa
Authors: Sarker Victor Kathan , Gia Tuan Nguyen , Ben Dhaou Imed , Westerlund Tomi
Published: August 2020

A rapidly growing number of vehicles in recent years cause long traffic jams and difficulty in the management of traffic in cities. One of the most significant reasons for increased traffic jams on the road is random parking in unauthorized and non-permitted places. In addition, managing of available parking places cannot achieve the expected reduction in traffic congestion related problems due to mismanagement, lack of real-time parking guidance to the drivers, and general ignorance. As the number of roads, highways and related resources has not increased significantly, a rising need for a smart, dynamic and effective parking solution is observed. Accordingly, with the use of multiple sensors, appropriate communication network and advanced processing capabilities of edge and cloud computing, a smart parking system can help manage parking effectively and make it easier for the vehicle owners. In this paper, we propose a multi-layer architecture for smart parking system consisting of multi-parametric parking slot sensor nodes, latest long-range low-power wireless communication technology and Edge-Cloud computation. The proposed system enables dynamic management of parking for large areas while providing useful information to the drivers about available parking locations and related services through near real-time monitoring of vehicles. Furthermore, we propose a dynamic pricing algorithm to yield maximum possible revenue for the parking authority and optimum parking slot availability for the drivers.
Enhancement of Diversity in Production and Applications Utilizing Electrolytically Polymerized Rubber Sensors with MCF: The Second Report on Various Engineering Applications
Authors: Shimada Kunio , Ikeda Ryo , Kikura Hiroshige , Takahashi Hideharu
Published: August 2020

We investigated the proposed hybrid skin (H-Skin) for the requirement of haptic sensibility in rubber using our proposed consummate fabrication process together with a multi-layered magnetic compound fluid (MCF) rubber and stocking-like porous rubber permeated by liquids, which was demonstrated in our previous report. The objective was to assess its applicability to sensing normal force and temperature, as well as fields dominated by shear force. For normal force, we investigated the piezo-electricity and electric current induced voltage, as well as the piezo-resistivity of the MCF rubber sensor under pressure. Additionally, we clarified the viability of measuring the softness and texture of materials using the MCF rubber sensor. For the shear motion, we clarified the characteristics of the friction coefficient using the MCF rubber sensor. The MCF rubber sensor can capture the reactions of paper, cloth, convex- and concave-shaped objects such as plant leaves and metal, and the skin of the human finger. Therefore, it is useful to investigate its texture and biological surfaces. Our obtained outstanding results indicated the feasibility of sensing the surface texture for any material in fields such as paper, fashion, apparel manufacturing, and cosmetic industries, which was impossible until now.
Physical Validation of a Residual Impedance Rejection Method during Ultra-Low Frequency Bio-Impedance Spectral Measurements
Authors: Vizvari Zoltan , Gyorfi Nina , Odry Akos , Sari Zoltan , Klincsik Mihaly , Gergics Marin , Kovacs Levente , Kovacs Anita , Pal Jozsef , Karadi Zoltan , Odry Peter , Toth Attila
Published: August 2020

Accurate and reliable measurement of the electrical impedance spectrum is an essential requirement in order to draw relevant conclusions in many fields and a variety of applications; in particular, for biological processes. Even in the state-of-the-art methods developed for this purpose, the accuracy and efficacy of impedance measurements are reduced in biological systems, due to the regular occurrence of parameters causing measurement errors such as residual impedance, parasitic capacitance, generator anomalies, and so on. Recent observations have reported the necessity of decreasing such inaccuracies whenever measurements are performed in the ultra-low frequency range, as the above-mentioned errors are almost entirely absent in such cases. The current research work proposes a method which can reject the anomalies listed above when measuring in the ultra-low frequency range, facilitating data collection at the same time. To demonstrate our hypothesis, originating from the consideration of the determinant role of the measuring frequency, a physical model is proposed to examine the effectiveness of our method by measuring across the commonly used vs. ultra-low frequency ranges. Validation measurements reflect that the range of frequencies and the accuracy is much greater than in state-of-the-art methods. Using the proposed new impedance examination technique, biological system characterization can be carried out more accurately.
A Sustainable Distributed Building Integrated Photo-Voltaic System Architecture with a Single Radial Movement Optimization Based MPPT Controller
Authors: Seyedmahmoudian Mehdi , Thirunavukkarasu Gokul Sidarth , Jamei Elmira , Soon Tey Kok , Horan Ben , Mekhilef Saad , Stojcevski Alex
Published: August 2020

The solar photo-voltaic systems control architecture has a substantial influence over the cost, efficiency, and accuracy of maximum power point tracking under partial shading conditions. In this paper, a novel distributed architecture of a building integrated photo-voltaic system equipped with a single maximum power point tracking controller is presented in order to address the drawbacks associated with respect to cost, complexity and efficiency of the existing photo-voltaic system architectures. In addition, a radial movement optimization based maximum power point tracking control algorithm is designed, developed, and validated using the proposed system architecture under five different partial shading conditions. The inferences obtained from the validation results of the proposed distributed system architecture indicated that cost was reduced by 75% when compared to the commonly used decentralised systems. The proposed distributed building integrated photo-voltaic system architecture is also more efficient, robust, reliable, and accurate.
Iron–Lysine Mediated Alleviation of Chromium Toxicity in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) Plants in Relation to Morpho-Physiological Traits and Iron Uptake When Irrigated with Tannery Wastewater
Authors: Zaheer Ihsan Elahi , Ali Shafaqat , Saleem Muhammad Hamzah , Noor Iqra , El-Esawi Mohamed A. , Hayat Kashif , Rizwan Muhammad , Abbas Zohaib , El-Sheikh Mohamed A. , Alyemeni Mohammed Nasser , Wijaya Leonard
Published: August 2020

Chromium (Cr) is among the most widespread toxic trace elements found in agricultural soils due to various anthropogenic activities. However, the role of micronutrient-amino chelates on reducing Cr toxicity in crop plants was recently introduced. In the current experiment, the exogenous application of micronutrients [iron (Fe)] chelated with amino acid [lysine (lys)] was examined, using an in vivo approach that involved plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments and gaseous exchange parameters, oxidative stress indicators and antioxidant response. The uptake and accumulation of Fe and Cr were determined under different levels of tannery wastewater (33, 66, 100%) used along with the exogenous supplementation of Fe-lys (5 mM) to Spinacia oleracea plants. Results revealed that tannery wastewater in the soil decreased plant growth and growth-related attributes, photosynthetic apparatus and Fe contents in different parts of the plants. In contrast, the addition of different levels of tannery wastewater to the soil significantly increased the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and electrolyte leakage (EL), which induced oxidative damage in the roots and leaves of S. oleracea plants. However, S. oleracea plants increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), which scavenge the over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cr toxicity can be overcome by the supplementation of Fe-lys, which significantly increased plant growth and biomass, improved photosynthetic machinery and increased the activities of different antioxidative enzymes, even in the plants grown under different levels of tannery wastewater in the soil. Furthermore, the supplementation of Fe-lys increased the contents of essential nutrients (Fe) and decreased the contents of Cr in all plant parts compared to the plants cultivated in tannery wastewater without application of Fe-lys. In conclusion, the application of Fe-lys is an innovative approach to mitigate Cr stress in spinach plants, which not only increased plant growth and biomass but also decreased the Cr contents in different plant organs.
The Effects of Morus alba L. Fortification on the Quality, Functional Properties and Sensory Attributes of Bread Stored under Refrigerated Conditions
Authors: Kobus-Cisowska Joanna , Dziedziński Marcin , Szymanowska Daria , Szczepaniak Oskar , Byczkiewicz Szymon , Telichowska Aleksandra , Szulc Piotr
Published: August 2020

Mulberry is one of the most beneficial plant of our planet for sustainable development. White mulberry (Morus alba L.) is widely recognized for its health-promoting properties. It is characterized by a high content of bioactive compounds, mainly flavonoids, and has a strong antioxidant effect, and thus can have a beneficial effect on health. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of freezing storage of bread with the addition of extract from mulberry leaves and fruits on the content of polyphenols, antioxidant activity and sensory properties. The stored bread with mulberry addition was characterized by high content of phenolic compounds, reducing and chelating activity and antiradical activity. The addition of mulberry had greater effect on the increase in the content of protocatechuic and chlorogenic acids, and isoquercetin among the flavonols. Bread enriched with mulberry was microbiologically clean and sensory accepted both after baking and after 30 days of storage under refrigerated conditions. White mulberry is a raw material which can be used as an addition to enrich refrigerated bread. The use of the extract and mulberry fruit to fortify bread is consistent with the principle of sustainable development due to the use of raw materials which are a good source of compounds contributing to the improvement of the well-being of the population.
Influence of ICTs on Math Teaching–Learning Processes and Their Connection to the Digital Gender Gap
Authors: Palomares-Ruiz Ascensión , Cebrián Antonio , López-Parra Emilio , García-Toledano Eduardo
Published: August 2020

This study presents research aimed at analyzing whether, in contrast with traditional methodologies, the usage of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the process of learning mathematics affects gender distinctions by affecting the low rate of matriculation of women into technological studies. The research was carried out by utilizing a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest procedure using a non-equivalent control group with traditional teaching methodology (textbook and usual drawing tools), and an experimental group, in which a classroom wiki and its digital equivalents were used in the Cabri, Geogebra, and Descartes programs. A quantifiable comparison of the effects on teaching was performed by assessing the strengths and weaknesses of employing ICTs. The results show a higher motivation in the experimental group, evident in their learning and their better marks compared to those of the control group. In addition, in the pretest and posttest, women’s marks were better than those of men. In conclusion, the transformation of the teaching–learning methodologies in mathematics is demanded with the use of programs such as Dynamic Geometry or Geogebra, which enable greater student involvement and more meaningful and relevant learning.
Influence of Accession of the Visegrad Group Countries to the EU on the Situation in Their Labour Markets
Authors: Bieszk-Stolorz Beata , Dmytrów Krzysztof
Published: August 2020

In 2004, ten new countries, including the Visegrad Group (V4) ones, accessed the European Union. These countries are ex-communist. They are still in the process of transition from a centrally planned to a free-market economy. It is interesting to check how their economies have changed after their accession to the EU. Reducing inequalities in labour markets is one of the aspects of sustainable development. The goal of this research is an assessment of the situation in the labour markets in the V4 countries with respect to the whole EU. The research was carried out on the data from Eurostat (2002–2019) and was conducted by means of the multidimensional scaling technique. Before joining the EU, the situation in the labour market in the V4 countries (excluding Czechia) was much worse than in most EU-member states. After joining the EU, the situation in these countries gradually improved. In 2019, the situation in the labour market in Czechia was one of the best in the EU and the remaining three V4 countries moved into the EU-average. The joining of the V4 countries to the EU had a positive impact on the situation in their labour markets.
On the Effect of Green Bonds on the Profitability and Credit Quality of Project Financing
Authors: Alonso-Conde Ana-Belén , Rojo-Suárez Javier
Published: August 2020

The relatively recent green bond market is increasingly attracting interest at the technical, regulatory, and academic research levels. Although a considerable body of research on green bonds focuses on the investor’s perspective, this study takes the perspective of a project finance sponsor to analyze whether there is a direct financial incentive for issuing green bonds in contrast to other types of financing. In order to measure the impact of green bond financing on the profitability and solvency of environmentally friendly investments, we study the sensitivity of the financial performance of a well-established project finance investment—the Sagunto regasification plant—to shifts in its financial structure. In particular, we develop a base case that allows us to study the impact of green financing compared to other financial structures typically used in project finance, under different scenarios. Our results show that in all cases, the internal rate of return (IRR) for shareholders is higher when green bonds instead of bank loans are issued to finance investments. Additionally, in the vast majority of the scenarios, green bond financing results in higher average debt service coverage ratios. Consequently, our results suggest that green bond financing constitutes a strong financial incentive for sponsors, which can help align their objectives with those of public authorities.
The Effectiveness of Biological Maturation and Lean Mass in Relation to Muscle Strength Performance in Elite Young Athletes
Authors: Almeida-Neto Paulo Francisco de , Matos Dihogo Gama de , Baxter-Jones Adam D. G. , Batista Gilmário Ricarte , Pinto Vanessa Carla Monteiro , Dantas Matheus , Aidar Felipe J. , Dantas Paulo Moreira Silva , Cabral Breno Guilherme de Araújo Tinoco
Published: August 2020

This study aimed to identify the interactional relationships between maturation (biological age (BA)) and lean mass on strength development in young athletes from different sports. Using a cross-sectional study design, a sample of 64 young athletes (rowers, swimmers, jiu-jitsu, volleyball, soccer and tennis players) of both sexes (13.6 ± 1.17 years) were recruited. Body composition was assessed using dual energy bone densitometry with X-ray source (DEXA). Strength of upper limbs (ULS), force hand grip (HG), vertical jump (VJ) and jump against movement (CMJ) were recorded. BA was estimated from anthropometrics. BA relationships were identified with upper limb strength in all athletes, and with the lower limb strength of tennis players, only (p < 0.05). An interaction effect between lean mass and BA was found (η2p = 0.753), as was a local effect within the regression models (ƒ2 ≥ 0.33). Athletes with a higher concentration of lean mass had superior upper and lower limb strength (p < 0.05). Lean mass showed a local effect (ƒ2) greater than that associated with BA. Although maturation is related to strength development, the strength of the relationship is mitigated by the accrual of lean mass. Specifically, the local effect of lean mass on muscle strength is broader than that of maturation, especially for lower limb strength.
Effect of Bactericides on Control of Acidification Pollution and Spontaneous Combustion of Coal Gangue Dumps in China and Its Mechanism
Authors: Hu Zhenqi , Zhu Qi , Xu Jingjing , Zhang Xue
Published: August 2020

Oxidation of pyrite in the coal gangue dumps usually results in acidification and spontaneous combustion, causing many environmental problems such as air, soil, and water pollution. The oxidizing bacteria exacerbate problems such as acidification, spontaneous combustion, and explosions. The bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was first separated and isolated from coal gangue samples. Bactericides such as Triclosan, Kathon (isothiazolinones), and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were selected for our study. Our findings indicated that the addition of bactericide effectively inhibited the oxidation of Fe2+, preventing pH decreases and oxidation-reduction potential increases. We also investigated the bactericidal mechanisms employed by the three bactericides against A. ferrooxidans by conducting a protein flocculation test, scanning electron microscopy, and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We found that the specific inhibitory activities of the three bactericides differed. Kathon treatment caused A. ferrooxidans to release small amounts of proteins and lipids. A. ferrooxidans treated with Triclosan released small amounts of lipids and large amounts of plasmas. SDS caused the bacteria to release a large amount of proteins and lipids and degraded the surface structure of the cells, resulting in altered cell morphology.
Life Cycle Analysis of a Game-Based Solution for Domestic Energy Saving
Authors: Gangolells Marta , Casals Miquel , Forcada Núria , Macarulla Marcel
Published: August 2020

ICT-based solutions are seen to be almost totally environmentally friendly, but game-based solutions for energy saving have not been explored yet. This paper describes a comprehensive analysis and an in-depth interpretation of the life cycle environmental impact of a game-based solution for domestic energy saving, developed and validated within the EU-funded Horizon 2020 project EnerGAware—Energy Game for Awareness of energy efficiency in social housing communities. Life cycle impacts were calculated with SimaPRO 8.5.2.0 using the ReCiPe 2016 v1.02 midpoint and endpoint methods and information contained within the Ecoinvent v3.4 database. Although the pre-competitive solution, directly arising from the research project, was found to have a relatively high environmental impact, its future exploitation, which mostly relies on existing infrastructure, was found to be highly competitive from an environmental perspective. The game will help reduce the life cycle impact of domestic energy consumption on damage to human health (3.68%), ecosystem quality (3.87%), and resource availability (4.81%). Most of the environmental impact of the market solution was found in the manufacturing phase (77.96–80.12%). Transport (8.86–7.57%), use (3.86–5.82%), and maintenance (7.24–7.54%) phases were found to contribute little to environmental impact. This research provides a useful reference for decision-making as it contributes to the environmental benchmarking of competing energy-saving strategies.
Cruise Travelers’ Service Perceptions: A Critical Content Analysis
Authors: Arasli Huseyin , Saydam Mehmet Bahri , Kilic Hasan
Published: August 2020

This paper examines the main elements of online reviews left by popular cruise ships’ travelers. The eight most popular cruise ships were selected. We aimed to pinpoint the service quality experiential perceptions of cruise travelers regarding their higher or lower value for money ratings. Leximancer 4.5 software was used to derive the linkage and co-occurrence between service concepts in the online narratives of 2000 guests from Cruisecritic.com. The evaluation showed 10 areas addressed by the descriptions of the cruise’s perceived quality. These are “ship,” “staff,” “food,” “entertainment,” “room,” “area,” “embarkation,” “excursion” “disembarkation,” and “port.” Furthermore, the results highlight themes like “ship,” “staff,” “food,” “entertainment,” “room,” and “area” as belonging to the high-satisfaction group (excellent/very good), while “embarkation,” “disembarkation,” “excursion,” and “port” belong to the low-satisfaction group (poor/terrible). The study offers useful insights into cruise travelers’ general perceived experience according to user-generated content, and enables the identification of the main themes associated with different satisfaction groups.
A Systematic Study on the Analysis of the Emission of CO, CO2 and HC for Four-Wheelers and Its Impact on the Sustainable Ecosystem
Authors: Sharma Rohit , Kumar Raghvendra , Singh Pradeep Kumar , Raboaca Maria Simona , Felseghi Raluca-Andreea
Published: August 2020

The urbanization in Delhi NCR has led to a rapid increase in the vehicle count concerning the rise in population and mobilization. The emissions from the vehicles are currently counted amongst the main sources of air pollution in Delhi. This affects the quality of air. The emission criterion of various pollutants that are emitted from vehicles is evaluated through various International models, which include various vehicles, their modes of pollutants emitted while driving and other factors that are affecting the weather. The approximate emission of pollutants such as Carbon Monoxide (CO) and/or Particulate Matter (PM), from a variety of vehicles and different fuel types, has undergone diurnal variation over the years, depending on the time of the day. This study presents the emission factor of gaseous pollutants Hydrocarbons (HC), Carbon Monoxides (CO) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) of 181 four-wheeler cars from different companies containing different types of fuels. The measurement of gaseous pollutants is performed for Delhi, the most polluted city in India. The various facts and data were calculated and analyzed with reference to the standard values set by the national schemes of the Pollution and Environment. Based on this statistical data obtained and analyzed, the scenarios regarding future vehicle growth rate and its impact on air quality are mentioned to overcome emission problems. Therefore, it is important to develop and deploy methods for obtaining real-world measurements of vehicle emissions, to estimate the pollutants. The analysis shows that few parameters need to be a concern for reducing the pollutants emission by vehicles. These major parameters are the high survival rates, decrease in annual mileage and major enforcement for three-to-five-year-old vehicles. This study shows that many old vehicles are used in different regions of the country, regardless of many notifications of banning old vehicles by the Government of India. These old vehicles are the major source of vehicle pollutants. The analysis stated that the diesel engine would emit less CO2/km than a petrol engine if having an almost similar engine capacity.
Impact of Artificial Intelligence Research on Politics of the European Union Member States: The Case Study of Portugal
Authors: Reis João , Santo Paula , Melão Nuno
Published: August 2020

Currently, artificial intelligence (AI) is at the center of academic and public debate. However, its implications on politics remain little understood. To understand the impact of the AI phenomenon on politics of the European Union (EU), we have carried out qualitative multimethod research by performing a systematic literature review and a case study. The first method was performed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), in order to report the state-of-the-art in the existing literature and explore the most relevant research areas. The second method contained contributions from experts in data science and AI of the Portuguese scientific community. The results showed that solutions such as intelligent decision support systems are improving the political decision-making process and impacting the Portuguese society at local, regional, and national levels. We also found that practitioners and scientists are currently shifting their interests from environmental and biological sciences to healthcare services, which is bringing new challenges in terms of protecting patient/citizen data and growing concerns about handling of critical information. Future research may focus on comparative studies with other EU States to obtain a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the AI phenomenon.
Deep-Learning-Based Stress-Ratio Prediction Model Using Virtual Reality with Electroencephalography Data
Authors: Ji Seung Yeul , Kang Se Yeon , Jun Han Jong
Published: August 2020

The Reich Chancellery, built by Albert Speer, was designed with an overwhelming ambience to represent the worldview of Hitler. The interior of the Reich Chancellery comprised high-ceiling and low-ceiling spaces. In this study, the change in a person’s emotions according to the ceiling height while moving was examined through brain wave experiments to understand the stress index for each building space. The Reich Chancellery was recreated through VR, and brain wave data collected per space were processed through a first and second analysis. In the first analysis, beta wave changes related to the stress index were calculated, and the space with the highest fluctuation was analyzed. In the second analysis, the correlation between 10 different types of brain waves and waveforms was analyzed; deep-learning algorithms were used to verify the accuracy and analyze spaces with a high stress index. Subsequently, a deep-learning platform for calculating such a value was developed. The results showed that the change in stress index scores was the highest when entering from the Mosaic Hall (15 m floor height) to the Führerbunker (3 m floor height), which had the largest floor height difference. Accordingly, a stress-ratio prediction model for selecting a space with a high stress level was established by monitoring the architectural space based on brain wave information in a VR space. In the architectural design process, the ratio can be used to reflect user sensibility in the design and improve the efficiency of the design process.
Autonomic Profile, Physical Activity, Body Mass Index and Academic Performance of School Students
Authors: Mendoza-Castejón Daniel , Clemente-Suárez Vicente Javier
Published: August 2020

The aim of this study was to analyze the autonomic modulation, physical activity, body mass index, and academic performance of preschool and school students by grade. Extracurricular physical activity, heart rate variability, body mass index, and objective and subjective academic performance were analyzed in 180 preschool and primary school students (7.91 ± 2.29 years). Significant lower heart rate and higher parasympathetic modulation were found in 10–12-year-old primary education students. The 8–9-year-old students obtained the worst results in English and in five of the subjective academic performance items. Students aged 10–12 years old presented the highest body composition values. No significant differences were found on the extracurricular physical activity by age. No correlation between autonomic profile, physical activity, and body composition with objective academic performance was found. Nerveless subjective academic performance perception of teachers presented a negative correlation with body composition and the parasympathetic modulation. School students presented an increased body mass index and parasympathetic modulation by age. Physical activity of all students, independently of the age, were lower than the official recommendations.
Effects of Yoga Practice on Personality, Body Image and Lactate. Pilot Study on a Group of Women from 40 Years
Authors: Coco Marinella , Buscemi Andrea , Sagone Elisabetta , Pellerone Monica , Ramaci Tiziana , Marchese Martina , Perciavalle Vincenzo , Perciavalle Valentina , Musumeci Giuseppe
Published: August 2020

Yoga techniques are increasingly popular all over the world. This discipline provides benefits both in relation to particular psychological disorders, such as anxiety disorders or those related to stress, but also in relation to certain clinical frameworks that involve significant life changes of people. Some studies have shown that this practice brings relevant benefits regarding cognitive functions such as memory and attention. The aim of this study was to verify, in women over 40 years of age, whether the practice of yoga can positively affect self-esteem, anxiety control, and body image. It was also intended to verify whether the potential beneficial effects of yoga are influenced by the personality’s profile of the individual who practices it. Results demonstrated comparable data on a high level of well-being and psychophysical balance for all samples involved. These results, therefore, confirm that the constantly practiced yogic technique affects the lifestyle of the subject by promoting the learning of effective methods for physical health and well-being.
An Acoustic Emission Technique for Crack Modes Classification in Concrete Structures
Authors: Tra Viet , Kim Jae-Young , Jeong Inkyu , Kim Jong-Myon
Published: August 2020

The purpose of this study is to characterize fracture modes in a concrete structure using an acoustic emission (AE) technique and a data-driven approach. To clarify the damage fracture process, the specimens, which are of reinforced concrete (RC) beams, undergo four-point bending tests. During bending tests, impulses occurring in the AE signals are automatically detected using a constant false-alarm rate (CFAR) algorithm. For each detected impulse, its acoustic emission parameters such as counts, duration, amplitude, risetime, energy, RA, AF are calculated and studied. The mean and standard deviation values of each of these parameters are computed in every 1-s AE signal and are considered as features demonstrating the damage status of concrete structures. The results revealed that as the damage level in concrete structures grows, these features also change accordingly which can be used to categorize the damage fracture stages. The study also carries out experiments to validate the efficiency of the proposed approaches in terms of visual and qualitative evaluations. Experimental results show that the proposed characterizing model is promising and outstanding with the classification performance in the experimental environment of over 82%.
The Use of Reflective Pedagogies in Sustainability Leadership Education—A Case Study
Authors: Ayers James , Bryant Jayne , Missimer Merlina
Published: August 2020

This study aims to examine the use of reflective pedagogies in sustainability leadership education by investigating two specific pedagogical tools—the Portfolio and Pod—employed by the Master’s in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability (MSLS) program at Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlskrona, Sweden. The study analyzed data gathered from student surveys, teacher interviews, and staff reflections to determine the benefits and challenges faced by students and staff in implementing and engaging with these pedagogical tools. Benefits include the provision of distinct structures to guide student reflection towards individual skill development and the use of collective reflection to encourage generative dialogue between students and staff. This holds benefits for collaboration, self-awareness, understanding of multiple perspectives, and creating self-directed graduates. Staff and students also, however, suggest a number of challenges. These include the ‘constrictive’ nature of guided reflection and the emotional and mental load faced by staff in hosting and holding students through often challenging personal reflective processes. For the potential of reflective pedagogies to be truly realized for Education for Sustainable Development in higher education institutions need to develop an understanding of the impacts that reflective pedagogies have on students and teachers and create institutional structures to support them.
High Academic Self-Efficacy and Dispositional Empathy in Future Teachers
Authors: Aparicio-Flores María Pilar , Esteve-Faubel José María , Esteve-Faubel Rosa Pilar , Álvarez-Teruel José Daniel
Published: August 2020

High perceived academic self-efficacy influences both subject performance and emotions of the subject. In turn, dispositional empathy implies a social and emotional adaptability towards the subject itself and those around them. This study aimed to analyze the differences in the mean dispositional empathy factors (i.e., perspective taking, fantasy, empathic concern and personal distress) between future teachers with high and low perceived academic self-efficacy, as well as the predictive capacity of dispositional empathy on high perceived academic self-efficacy, and the correlations between both dimensions. For this, a sample of 805 Spanish students of the Faculties of Education of the Universities of Alicante and Murcia was recruited. The Escala de Autoeficacia Percibida Específica de Situaciones Académicas was used to assess perceived academic self-efficacy and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index was used to analyze the dimensions of dispositional empathy. It was observed that high academic self-efficacy is more likely to present in people with a high level of perspective taking and fantasy (OR = 1.06 and 1.09, respectively) and less for those with personal discomfort (OR = 0.86). The other analyzes provided the same conclusions. In conclusion, it is important to develop perceived academic self-efficacy in undergraduates and future teachers due to the consequences that can lead to their classrooms.
Perceptions and Preconceptions about Chicken and Pork Meat: A Qualitative Exploratory Study of Argentine Consumers in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires
Authors: Damico Andrea Beatriz , Aulicino José María , Di Pasquale Jorgelina
Published: August 2020

In the past, the Argentine livestock production system was based on the extensive breeding that used pastures. However, technological progress and the use of land for soybean production are leading to a strong intensification of beef production, with a negative impact on the environment. According to FAO data, Argentina has the third highest meat consumption in the world, half of which is beef. A change in diet is a long and difficult process. The first step in favor of the environment could be the replacement of beef with other types of meat that have a lower impact on the environment, such as chicken and pork. The purpose of this study is to understand the causes limiting the preference for these alternatives and to identify useful tools to encourage their consumption. The results show that the interviewed Argentine consumers in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires have preconceptions about these two types of meat, such as the fact that hormones are still used in the chicken production system, that pork has higher cholesterol content than other meats, and that it carries diseases. These products are instead appreciated for their practicality of use, especially when purchased in portions, and they are not only tasty but also cheap.
Bacterivorous Nematodes Correlate with Soil Fertility and Improved Crop Production in an Organic Minimum Tillage System
Authors: Schmidt Jan H. , Hallmann Johannes , Finckh Maria R.
Published: August 2020

Reduced nutrient mineralization rates under minimum tillage are usually compensated by mineral fertilizer application. These, however, cannot be applied in organic farming systems. We hypothesized that an organic minimum tillage system based on frequent cover cropping and application of dead mulch would improve soil fertility and compensate for the potential negative effects of minimum tillage. Two long-term field experiments were set up in 2010 and 2011 to compare plowing versus minimum tillage including the application of transferred mulch. A second factor, the application of compost versus mineral potassium and phosphorus, was also compared. In 2019, soils were analyzed for soil pH, organic carbon, macro- and micronutrients, microbial biomass, microbial activity, and total nematode abundance. In addition, performance of pea in the same soils was determined under greenhouse conditions. Across both experiments, macronutrients (+52%), micronutrients (+11%), microbial biomass (+51%), microbial activity (+86%), and bacterivorous nematodes (+112%) increased in minimum tillage compared to the plow-based system. In the greenhouse, pea biomass was 45% higher in the soil that had been subjected to minimum tillage compared to the plow. In conclusion, soil fertility can be improved in organic minimum tillage systems, which include intensive cover cropping and the application of dead mulch, over plow-based systems.
Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Adaptation in Different Host Environments and Existence of Quasispecies
Authors: Helmová Renata , Hönig Václav , Tykalová Hana , Palus Martin , Bell-Sakyi Lesley , Grubhoffer Libor
Published: August 2020

A highly virulent strain (Hypr) of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was serially subcultured in the mammalian porcine kidney stable (PS) and Ixodes ricinus tick (IRE/CTVM19) cell lines, producing three viral variants. These variants exhibited distinct plaque sizes and virulence in a mouse model. Comparing the full-genome sequences of all variants, several nucleotide changes were identified in different genomic regions. Furthermore, different sequential variants were revealed to co-exist within one sample as quasispecies. Interestingly, the above-mentioned nucleotide changes found within the whole genome sequences of the new variants were present alongside the nucleotide sequence of the parental strain, which was represented as a minority quasispecies. These observations further imply that TBEV exists as a heterogeneous population that contains virus variants pre-adapted to reproduction in different environments, probably enabling virus survival in ticks and mammals.
Pestivirus K (Atypical Porcine Pestivirus): Update on the Virus, Viral Infection, and the Association with Congenital Tremor in Newborn Piglets
Authors: Dall Agnol Alais M. , Alfieri Alice F. , Alfieri Amauri A.
Published: August 2020

The atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) belongs to the species Pestivirus K of the genus Pestivirus and the family Flaviviridae, and it has been associated with congenital tremor (CT) type A-II in newborn piglets. Although APPV was discovered in 2015, evidence shows that APPV has circulated in pig herds for many years, at least since 1986. Due to the frequently reported outbreaks of CT on different continents, the importance of this virus for global pig production is notable. Since 2015, several studies have been conducted to clarify the association between APPV and CT. However, some findings regarding APPV infection and the measures taken to control and prevent the spread of this virus need to be contextualized to understand the infection better. This review attempts to highlight advances in the understanding of APPV associated with type A-II CT, such as etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and control and prevention measures, and also describes the pathophysiology of the infection and its consequences for pig production. Further research still needs to be conducted to elucidate the host’s immune response to APPV infection, the control and prevention of this infection, and the possible development of vaccines.
Paving the Way to Unveil the Diversity and Evolution of Phage Genomes
Authors: Reyes Alejandro , Vives Martha J.
Published: August 2020

Phage biology has been developing for the last hundred years, and the potential of phages as tools and treatments has been known since their early discovery. However, the lack of knowledge of the molecular mechanisms coded in phage genomes hindered the development of the field. With current molecular methods, the last decade has been a resurgence of the field. The Special Issue on “Diversity and Evolution of Phage Genomes” is a great example with its 17 manuscripts published. It covers some of the latest methods to sample and characterize environmental and host associated viromes, considering experimental biases and computational developments. Furthermore, the use of molecular tools coupled with traditional methods has allowed to isolate and characterize viruses from different hosts and environments with such diversity that even a new viral class is being proposed. The viruses described cover all different phage families and lifestyles. However, is not only about diversity; the molecular evolution is studied in a set of manuscripts looking at phage-host interactions and their capacity to uncover the frequency and type of mutations behind the bacterial resistance mechanisms and viral pathogenesis, and such methods are opening new ways into identifying potential receptors and characterizing the bacterial host range.
Two RSV Platforms for G, F, or G+F Proteins VLPs
Authors: Ha Binh , Yang Jie E. , Chen Xuemin , Jadhao Samadhan J. , Wright Elizabeth R. , Anderson Larry J.
Published: August 2020

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes substantial lower respiratory tract disease in children and at-risk adults. Though there are no effective anti-viral drugs for acute disease or licensed vaccines for RSV, palivizumab prophylaxis is available for some high risk infants. To support anti-viral and vaccine development efforts, we developed an RSV virus-like particle (VLP) platform to explore the role RSV F and G protein interactions in disease pathogenesis. Since VLPs are immunogenic and a proven platform for licensed human vaccines, we also considered these VLPs as potential vaccine candidates. We developed two RSV VLP platforms, M+P and M+M2-1 that had F and G, F and a G peptide, or a truncated F and G on their surface. Immunoblots of sucrose gradient purified particles showed co-expression of M, G, and F with both VLP platforms. Electron microscopy imaging and immunogold labeling confirmed VLP-like structures with surface exposed projections consistent with F and G proteins. In mice, the VLPs induced both anti-F and -G protein antibodies and, on challenge, reduced lung viral titer and inflammation. These data show that these RSV VLP platforms provide a tool to study the structure of F and G and their interactions and flexible platforms to develop VLP vaccines in which all components contribute to RSV-specific immune responses.