bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alkaloids with Anti-Onchocercal Activity from Voacanga africana Stapf (Apocynaceae): Identification and Molecular Modeling
Authors: Babiaka Smith B. , Simoben Conrad V. , Abuga Kennedy O. , Mbah James A. , Karpoormath Rajshekhar , Ongarora Dennis , Mugo Hannington , Monya Elvis , Cho-Ngwa Fidelis , Sippl Wolfgang , Loveridge Edric Joel , Ntie-Kang Fidele
Published: December 2020

A new iboga-vobasine-type isomeric bisindole alkaloid named voacamine A (1), along with eight known compounds—voacangine (2), voacristine (3), coronaridine (4), tabernanthine (5), iboxygaine (6), voacamine (7), voacorine (8) and conoduramine (9)—were isolated from the stem bark of Voacangaafricana. The structures of the compounds were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 were found to inhibit the motility of both the microfilariae (Mf) and adult male worms of Onchocerca ochengi, in a dose-dependent manner, but were only moderately active on the adult female worms upon biochemical assessment at 30 μM drug concentrations. The IC50 values of the isolates are 2.49–5.49 µM for microfilariae and 3.45–17.87 µM for adult males. Homology modeling was used to generate a 3D model of the O. ochengi thioredoxin reductase target and docking simulation, followed by molecular dynamics and binding free energy calculations attempted to offer an explanation of the anti-onchocercal structure–activity relationship (SAR) of the isolated compounds. These alkaloids are new potential leads for the development of antifilarial drugs. The results of this study validate the traditional use of V. africana in the treatment of human onchocerciasis.
Effects of Maternal Fiber Intake on Intestinal Morphology, Bacterial Profile and Proteome of Newborns Using Pig as Model
Authors: He Ying , Peng Xie , Liu Yang , Wu Qing , Zhou Qiang , Hu Liang , Fang Zhengfeng , Lin Yan , Xu Shengyu , Feng Bin , Li Jian , Zhuo Yong , Wu De , Che Lianqiang
Published: December 2020

Dietary fiber intake during pregnancy may improve offspring intestinal development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal high fiber intake during late gestation on intestinal morphology, microbiota, and intestinal proteome of newborn piglets. Sixteen sows were randomly allocated into two groups receiving the control diet (CD) and high-fiber diet (HFD) from day 90 of gestation to farrowing. Newborn piglets were selected from each litter, named as CON and Fiber group, respectively. Maternal high fiber intake did not markedly improve the birth weight, but increased the body length, the ileal crypt depth and colonic acetate level. In addition, maternal high fiber intake increased the -diversity indices (Observed species, Simpson, and ACE), and the abundance of Acidobacteria and Bacteroidetes at phylum level, significantly increased the abundance of Bradyrhizobium and Phyllobacterium at genus level in the colon of newborn piglets. Moreover, maternal high fiber intake markedly altered the ileal proteome, increasing the abundances of proteins associated with oxidative status, energy metabolism, and immune and inflammatory responses, and decreasing abundances of proteins related to cellular apoptosis, cell structure, and motility. These findings indicated that maternal high fiber intake could alter intestinal morphology, along with the altered intestinal microbiota composition and proteome of offspring.
Organic Solution Advanced Spray-Dried Microparticulate/Nanoparticulate Dry Powders of Lactomorphin for Respiratory Delivery: Physicochemical Characterization, In Vitro Aerosol Dispersion, and Cellular Studies
Authors: Alabsi Wafaa , Al-Obeidi Fahad A. , Polt Robin , Mansour Heidi M.
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to formulate Lactomorphin (MMP2200) in its pure state as spray-dried(SD) powders, and with the excipient Trehalose as co-spray-dried(co-SD) powders; for intranasal and deep lung administration with Dry Powder Inhalers (DPI). Lactomorphin is a glycopeptide which was developed for the control of moderate to severe pain. Particles were rationally designed and produced by advanced spray drying particle engineering in a closed mode from a dilute organic solution. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization using different analytical techniques was carried out to analyze the particle size, particle morphology, particle surface morphology, solid-state transitions, crystallinity/non-crystallinity, and residual water content. The particle chemical composition was confirmed using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and Confocal Raman Microscopy (CRM) confirmed the particles’ chemical homogeneity. The solubility and Partition coefficient (LogP) of Lactomorphin were determined by the analytical and computational methodology and revealed the hydrophilicity of Lactomorphin. A thermal degradation study was performed by exposing samples of solid-state Lactomorphin to a high temperature (62 °C) combined with zero relative humidity (RH) and to a high temperature (62 °C) combined with a high RH (75%) to evaluate the stability of Lactomorphin under these two different conditions. The solid-state processed particles exhibited excellent aerosol dispersion performance with an FDA-approved human DPI device to reach lower airways. The cell viability resazurin assay showed that Lactomorphin is safe up to 1000 μg/mL on nasal epithelium cells, lung cells, endothelial, and astrocyte brain cells.
Multiple Filamentation Effects on THz Radiation Pattern from Laser Plasma in Air
Authors: Ushakov Aleksandr , Chizhov Pavel , Bukin Vladimir , Shipilo Daniil , Panov Nikolay , Kosareva Olga , Garnov Sergey
Published: December 2020

An experimental study of few filaments interaction impact on the terahertz radiation pattern has demonstrated that interaction of two close propagating beams leads to formation of a superfilament-like structure with on-axis terahertz yield. Mutual delay between two beamlets tilts the output intensity front of THz emission.
Factors Influencing Genomic Prediction Accuracies of Tropical Maize Resistance to Fall Armyworm and Weevils
Authors: Badji Arfang , Machida Lewis , Kwemoi Daniel Bomet , Kumi Frank , Okii Dennis , Mwila Natasha , Agbahoungba Symphorien , Ibanda Angele , Bararyenya Astere , Nghituwamhata Selma Ndapewa , Odong Thomas , Wasswa Peter , Otim Michael , Ochwo-Ssemakula Mildred , Talwana Herbert , Asea Godfrey , Kyamanywa Samuel , Rubaihayo Patrick
Published: December 2020

Genomic selection (GS) can accelerate variety improvement when training set (TS) size and its relationship with the breeding set (BS) are optimized for prediction accuracies (PAs) of genomic prediction (GP) models. Sixteen GP algorithms were run on phenotypic best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs) and estimators (BLUEs) of resistance to both fall armyworm (FAW) and maize weevil (MW) in a tropical maize panel. For MW resistance, 37% of the panel was the TS, and the BS was the remainder, whilst for FAW, random-based training sets (RBTS) and pedigree-based training sets (PBTSs) were designed. PAs achieved with BLUPs varied from 0.66 to 0.82 for MW-resistance traits, and for FAW resistance, 0.694 to 0.714 for RBTS of 37%, and 0.843 to 0.844 for RBTS of 85%, and these were at least two-fold those from BLUEs. For PBTS, FAW resistance PAs were generally higher than those for RBTS, except for one dataset. GP models generally showed similar PAs across individual traits whilst the TS designation was determinant, since a positive correlation (R = 0.92***) between TS size and PAs was observed for RBTS, and for the PBTS, it was negative (R = 0.44**). This study pioneered the use of GS for maize resistance to insect pests in sub-Saharan Africa.
Phytochemicals and Biological Activity of Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile)
Authors: Murthy Hosakatte Niranjana , Yadav Guggalada Govardhana , Dewir Yaser Hassan , Ibrahim Abdullah
Published: December 2020

Many underutilized tree species are good sources of food, fodder and possible therapeutic agents. Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family and is popularly known as “desert date”, reflecting its edible fruits. This tree grows naturally in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Local inhabitants use fruits, leaves, roots, stem and root bark of the species for the treatment of various ailments. Several research studies demonstrate that extracts and phytochemicals isolated from desert date display antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective and molluscicidal activities. Mesocarp of fruits, seeds, leaves, stem and root bark are rich sources of saponins. These tissues are also rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids and polysterols. Some constituents show antioxidant, anticancer and antidiabetic properties. The objective of this review is to summarize studies on diverse bioactive compounds and the beneficial properties of B. aegyptiaca.
A Quest for Mechanisms of Plant Root Exudation Brings New Results and Models, 300 Years after Hales
Authors: Volkov Vadim , Schwenke Heiner
Published: December 2020

The review summarizes some of our current knowledge on the phenomenon of exudation from the cut surface of detached roots with emphasis on results that were mostly established over the last fifty years. The phenomenon is quantitatively documented in the 18th century (by Hales in 1727). By the 19th century, theories mainly ascribed exudation to the secretion of living root cells. The 20th century favored the osmometer model of root exudation. Nevertheless, growing insights into the mechanisms of water transport and new or rediscovered observations stimulated the quest for a more adequate exudation model. The historical overview shows how understanding of exudation changed with time following experimental opportunities and novel ideas from different areas of knowledge. Later theories included cytoskeleton-dependent micro-pulsations of turgor in root cells to explain the observed water exudation. Recent progress in experimental biomedicine led to detailed study of channels and transporters for ion transport via cellular membranes and to the discovery of aquaporins. These universal molecular entities have been incorporated to the more complex models of water transport via plant roots. A new set of ideas and explanations was based on cellular osmoregulation by mechanosensitive ion channels. Thermodynamic calculations predicted the possibility of water transport against osmotic forces based on co-transport of water with ions via cation-chloride cotransporters. Recent observations of rhizodermis exudation, exudation of roots without an external aqueous medium, segments cut from roots, pulses of exudation, a phase shifting of water uptake and exudation, and of effects of physiologically active compounds (like ion channel blockers, metabolic agents, and cytoskeletal agents) will likely refine our understanding of the phenomenon. So far, it seems that more than one mechanism is responsible for root pressure and root exudation, processes which are important for refilling of embolized xylem vessels. However, recent advances in ion and water transport research at the molecular level suggest potential future directions to understanding of root exudation and new models awaiting experimental testing.
Conducting Polymers in the Design of Biosensors and Biofuel Cells
Authors: Ramanavicius Simonas , Ramanavicius Arunas
Published: December 2020

Fast and sensitive determination of biologically active compounds is very important in biomedical diagnostics, the food and beverage industry, and environmental analysis. In this review, the most promising directions in analytical application of conducting polymers (CPs) are outlined. Up to now polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) are the most frequently used CPs in the design of sensors and biosensors; therefore, in this review, main attention is paid to these conducting polymers. The most popular polymerization methods applied for the formation of conducting polymer layers are discussed. The applicability of polypyrrole-based functional layers in the design of electrochemical biosensors and biofuel cells is highlighted. Some signal transduction mechanisms in CP-based sensors and biosensors are discussed. Biocompatibility-related aspects of some conducting polymers are overviewed and some insights into the application of CP-based coatings for the design of implantable sensors and biofuel cells are addressed. New trends and perspectives in the development of sensors based on CPs and their composites with other materials are discussed.
Adsorption of Tetracycline and Sulfadiazine onto Three Different Bioadsorbents in Binary Competitive Systems
Authors: Cela-Dablanca Raquel , Conde-Cid Manuel , Ferreira-Coelho Gustavo , Arias-Estévez Manuel , Fernández-Calviño David , Núñez-Delgado Avelino , Fernández-Sanjurjo María J. , Álvarez-Rodríguez Esperanza
Published: December 2020

Different antibiotics contained in manure, slurry, wastewater or sewage sludge are spread into the environment. The harmful effects of these antibiotics could be minimized by means of immobilization onto bioadsorbent materials. This work investigates the competitive adsorption/desorption of tetracycline (TC) and sulfadiazine (SDZ) onto pine bark, oak ash and mussel shell. The study was carried out using batch-type experiments in binary systems (with both antibiotics present simultaneously), adding 5 equal concentrations of the antibiotics (between 1 and 50 µmol L−1). The adsorption percentages were higher for TC (close to 100% onto pine bark and oak ash, and between 40 and 85% onto mussel shell) than for SDZ (75–100% onto pine bark, and generally less than 10% on oak ash and mussel shell). Pine bark performed as the best adsorbent since TC adsorption remained close to 100% throughout the entire concentration range tested, while it was between 75 and 100% for SDZ. Desorption was always higher for SDZ than for TC. The results of this study could be useful to design practices to protected environmental compartments receiving discharges that simultaneously contain the two antibiotics here evaluated, and therefore could be relevant in terms of protection of the environment and public health.
Degradation of 2,4-Dichlorophenol by Ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic Acid-Modified Photo-Fenton System: Effects of Chemical Compounds Present in Natural Waters
Authors: Huang Wenyu , Huang Ying , Wang Shuangfei , Lin Hongfei , Mailhot Gilles
Published: December 2020

This paper describes a study of the treatment of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) with an ethylenediamine-N,N′-disuccinic-acid (EDDS)-modified photo-Fenton system in ultrapure water and different natural waters. The results showed that the EDDS-modified photo-Fenton system is adequate for 2,4-DCP degradation. Compared with a medium containing a single organic pollutant, the removal of pollutants in a more complex medium consisting of two organic compounds is slower by around 25 to 50% as a function of the organic pollutant. Moreover, 2,4-DCP can be further effectively degraded in the presence of organic materials and various inorganic ions. However, the photodegradation of 2,4-DCP in different natural waters, including natural lake water, effluent from domestic sewage treatment plants, and secondary effluent from pulp and paper mill wastewaters, is inhibited. Chemical compounds present in natural waters have different influences on the degradation of 2,4-DCP by adopting the EDDS-modified photo-Fenton system. In any case, the results obtained in this work show that the EDDS-modified photo-Fenton system can effectively degrade pollutants in a natural water body, which makes it a promising technology for treating pollutants in natural water bodies.
Multiscale Convolutional and Recurrent Neural Network for Quality Prediction of Continuous Casting Slabs
Authors: Wu Xing , Jin Hanlu , Ye Xueming , Wang Jianjia , Lei Zuosheng , Liu Ying , Wang Jie , Guo Yike
Published: December 2020

Quality prediction in the continuous casting process is of great significance to the quality improvement of casting slabs. Due to the uncertainty and nonlinear relationship between the quality of continuous casting slabs (CCSs) and various factors, reliable prediction of CCS quality poses a challenge to the steel industry. However, traditional prediction models based on domain knowledge and expertise are difficult to adapt to the changes in multiple operating conditions and raw materials from various enterprises. To meet the challenge, we propose a framework with a multiscale convolutional and recurrent neural network (MCRNN) for reliable CCS quality prediction. The proposed framework outperforms conventional time series classification methods with better feature representation since the input is transformed at different scales and frequencies, which captures both long-term trends and short-term changes in time series. Moreover, we generate different category distributions based on the random undersampling (RUS) method to mitigate the impact of the skewed data distribution due to the natural imbalance of continuous casting data. The experimental results and comprehensive comparison with the state-of-the-art methods show the superiority of the proposed MCRNN framework, which has not only satisfactory prediction performance but also good potential to improve continuous casting process understanding and CCS quality.
Drone-Based Tracking of the Fine-Scale Movement of a Coastal Stingray (Bathytoshia brevicaudata)
Authors: Oleksyn Semonn , Tosetto Louise , Raoult Vincent , Williamson Jane E.
Published: December 2020

Coastal ecosystems are under threat from a range of anthropogenic impacts that disrupt habitat connectivity and the ability for animals to move within them. Understanding fine-scale animal movement provides insight into how animals are responding to these pressures, and underpins effective ecological management and conservation strategies. This study used drones to investigate the drivers of the fine-scale movement of rays in coastal estuaries using the short-tail stingray (Bathytoshia brevicaudata) as a model species. Smaller rays swam with more regular bursts of speed and greater sinuosity than larger individuals, indicating that rays of different sizes alter their fine-scale movement behavior to maintain energetic efficiency. Rays were less likely to spend time resting and swam faster on the high tide compared to the outgoing tide. They were also more likely to exhibit bursts of speed at noon (11 am to 1 pm) than at other times of day. Body size, tide and time of day all influenced ray movement. Understanding the ecological variables that influence the fine-scale movement of rays and the potential for human activities to alter natural behaviors is integral to the implementation of effective management strategies for this group of animals and their ecosystems.
Rock Location and Property Analysis of Lunar Regolith at Chang’E-4 Landing Site Based on Local Correlation and Semblance Analysis
Authors: Song Hanjie , Li Chao , Zhang Jinhai , Wu Xing , Liu Yang , Zou Yongliao
Published: December 2020

The Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) onboard the Yutu-2 rover from China’s Chang’E-4 (CE-4) mission is used to probe the subsurface structure and the near-surface stratigraphic structure of the lunar regolith on the farside of the Moon. Structural analysis of regolith could provide abundant information on the formation and evolution of the Moon, in which the rock location and property analysis are the key procedures during the interpretation of LPR data. The subsurface velocity of electromagnetic waves is a vital parameter for stratigraphic division, rock location estimates, and calculating the rock properties in the interpretation of LPR data. In this paper, we propose a procedure that combines the regolith rock extraction technique based on local correlation between the two sets of LPR high-frequency channel data and the common offset semblance analysis to determine the velocity from LPR diffraction hyperbola. We consider the heterogeneity of the regolith and derive the relative permittivity distribution based on the rock extraction and semblance analysis. The numerical simulation results show that the procedure is able to obtain the high-precision position and properties of the rock. Furthermore, we apply this procedure to CE-4 LPR data and obtain preferable estimations of the rock locations and the properties of the lunar subsurface regolith.
Salt Marsh Elevation Limit Determined after Subsidence from Hydrologic Change and Hydrocarbon Extraction
Authors: Turner R. Eugene , Mo Yu
Published: December 2020

Levee construction aboveground and hydrocarbon removal from belowground in coastal wetlands can create hydrologic changes that increase plant stress through flooding. But the significance of the subsidence they cause individually or in combination is contested. This study untangled them to demonstrate elevational limits of salt marshes by studying dredged and natural waterways in two salt marshes in Louisiana, USA. The areas had a homogenous plant cover before drilling for oil and gas extraction peaked in the 1960s, and now are a mixed network of natural waterways and dredged canals used to drill wells with an average drill date of 1965.8 ± 2.7 (µ ± 1 SEM; n = 18) and well depth of 4661.0 m ± 56.6 (µ ± 1 SEM; n = 18). Aerial imagery was used to document how canals widened to become 2 to 4 times larger than their original construction width at the high production site and 50% larger at the low production site, whereas increases at the nearby natural channels were much less. Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) measurements at the high production site from 2002 showed that the marsh surface near wells subsided by 34 cm compared to undredged sites. Elevation in marshes at producing and dry wells were equal at the low production site, but high production well locations were even lower than at dry wells. An elevation vs. percent open water curve developed from these data overlapped with an independent analysis of a brackish marsh. A relative subsidence rate between 7.4 to 10.4 mm y−1 transformed these salt marshes to an open water habitat within a few decades. The local creation of accommodation space through hydrocarbon removal and leveed wetlands is a parsimonious explanation for the spatial and temporal land loss rates on this deltaic coast over the last 80 years of oil and gas exploration. Substantial losses from the accelerating rates of sea level rise are indicated to occur before 2050.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Vegetation Cover Change in a Large Ephemeral River: Multi-Sensor Fusion of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Landsat Imagery
Authors: Morgan Bryn E. , Chipman Jonathan W. , Bolger Douglas T. , Dietrich James T.
Published: December 2020

Ephemeral rivers in arid regions act as linear oases, where corridors of vegetation supported by accessible groundwater and intermittent surface flows provide biological refugia in water-limited landscapes. The ecological and hydrological dynamics of these systems are poorly understood compared to perennial systems and subject to wide variation over space and time. This study used imagery obtained from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to enhance satellite data, which were then used to quantify change in woody vegetation cover along the ephemeral Kuiseb River in the Namib Desert over a 35-year period. Ultra-high resolution UAV imagery collected in 2016 was used to derive a model of fractional vegetation cover from five spectral vegetation indices, calculated from a contemporaneous Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) image. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) provided the linear best-fit relationship for calculating fractional cover; the model derived from the two 2016 datasets was subsequently applied to 24 intercalibrated Landsat images to calculate fractional vegetation cover for the Kuiseb extending back to 1984. Overall vegetation cover increased by 33% between 1984 and 2019, with the most highly vegetated reach of the river exhibiting the greatest positive change. This reach corresponds with the terminal alluvial zone, where most flood deposition occurs. The spatial and temporal trends discovered highlight the need for long-term monitoring of ephemeral ecosystems and demonstrate the efficacy of a multi-sensor approach to time series analysis using a UAV platform.
Recognizing Context-Aware Human Sociability Patterns Using Pervasive Monitoring for Supporting Mental Health Professionals
Authors: de Moura Ivan Rodrigues , Teles Ariel Soares , Endler Markus , Coutinho Luciano Reis , da Silva e Silva Francisco José
Published: December 2020

Traditionally, mental health specialists monitor their patients’ social behavior by applying subjective self-report questionnaires in face-to-face meetings. Usually, the application of the self-report questionnaire is limited by cognitive biases (e.g., memory bias and social desirability). As an alternative, we present a solution to detect context-aware sociability patterns and behavioral changes based on social situations inferred from ubiquitous device data. This solution does not focus on the diagnosis of mental states, but works on identifying situations of interest to specialized professionals. The proposed solution consists of an algorithm based on frequent pattern mining and complex event processing to detect periods of the day in which the individual usually socializes. Social routine recognition is performed under different context conditions to differentiate abnormal social behaviors from the variation of usual social habits. The proposed solution also can detect abnormal behavior and routine changes. This solution uses fuzzy logic to model the knowledge of the mental health specialist necessary to identify the occurrence of behavioral change. Evaluation results show that the prediction performance of the identified context-aware sociability patterns has strong positive relation (Pearson’s correlation coefficient >70%) with individuals’ social routine. Finally, the evaluation conducted recognized that the proposed solution leading to the identification of abnormal social behaviors and social routine changes consistently.
How Does Retail Engage Consumers in Sustainable Consumption? A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Bălan Carmen
Published: December 2020

The academic literature on consumer engagement and sustainable consumption has developed gradually over the last two decades. The body of knowledge related to the role of food and non-food retailers in this context, however, is only beginning to develop. The purpose of this systematic review is to analyse the existing literature on how retailers fulfil their role in engaging consumers in sustainable consumption. The need for a study with this purpose is proven by the fact that academic literature lacks a systematic review on this topic, despite the ascending trend in the number of published articles in the field. This systematic review is based on a five-step process to ensure quality, replicability, transparency, and reliable conclusions. The reviewed articles were published relatively recently in academic journals from different domains. This review identified seven distinct types of retail marketing interventions (involvement of retailers in marketing actions with the aim to engage consumers in sustainable consumption), 30 types of retail marketing mechanisms (consisting in marketing strategies, techniques, tools, and channels used by retailers), and 14 distinct types of consumer engagement in sustainable consumption patterns. The review suggests an agenda for further research and identifies practical implications for retail management.
Analysis on the Agricultural Green Production Efficiency and Driving Factors of Urban Agglomerations in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River
Authors: Wang Lei , Qi Zengrui , Pang Qinghua , Xiang Yibo , Sun Yanli
Published: December 2020

As one of the main grain-producing areas in China, urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River plays an important role in the development of agricultural production for China’s grain supply. The existing studies about agricultural production efficiency lack of regional coordination analysis at both macro and micro levels, and only few studies consider the impact of agricultural production environment pollution and other undesirable outputs. Based on the input–output index system of agricultural green production, Slacks-based model (SBM) was adopted to measure the agricultural green production efficiency of 31 prefecture level cities in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River from 2008 to 2018, and the Tobit model of panel fixed effect was used to analyze the driving effect of external factors that affect the agricultural green production efficiency of urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. At the same time, the research methods at both macro and micro levels provide ideas for the research of transregional production efficiency. The results showed that: (1) the agricultural green production efficiency of urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze river is relatively low, with 2009 and 2013 as the inflection points, showing a stable trend of rise and decline; (2) The green agricultural production efficiency of urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River presents the spatial distribution characteristics of “high in the west and low in the east”. The regional efficiency difference is obvious, the gap gradually expands, develops from the equilibrium to the polarization; (3) Urbanization development and government intervention has a significant restraining effect on the improvement of agricultural green production efficiency, and opening to the outside world produces a remarkable influence on the improvement of agricultural green production efficiency, however, economic development and industrial structure have little impact on the improvement of agricultural green production efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to increase investment in technological innovation, promote agricultural transformation and upgrading, promote rational factors allocation and promote coordinated development of agriculture based on regional production differences.
Looking for Answers to Food Loss and Waste Management in Spain from a Holistic Nutritional and Economic Approach
Authors: Laso Jara , Campos Cristina , Fernández-Ríos Ana , Hoehn Daniel , del Río Andrea , Ruiz-Salmón Israel , Cristobal Jorge , Quiñones Ainoa , Amo-Setién Francisco José , del Carmen Ortego María , Tezanos Sergio , Abajas Rebeca , Bala Alba , Fullana-i-Palmer Pere , Puig Rita , Margallo María , Aldaco Rubén , Abejón Ricardo
Published: December 2020

The generation of food loss and waste (FLW) is a global problem for worldwide politics. About one-third of the food produced ends up in the rubbish before it is consumed. For this reason, it is essential to design and implement new strategies along the food supply chain (FSC) with the aim of reducing this FLW at each stage. However, not only mass quantification should be considered, but also economic and nutritional performance. The novelty of this study is the definition of a methodology based on the “distance to target” approach by means of multi-objective optimization to evaluate the economic and nutritional cost produced by this FLW. This methodology was applied to the Spanish food basket in 2015. The results revealed that 80% of the total FLW generated in economic and nutritional terms is concentrated in the agricultural production (53.3%) and consumption (26.3%) stages. In the first stages of the FSC, fruits (Dn eq.= 0.7), cereals (Dn eq.= 0.61), and vegetables (Dn eq.= 0.57) were the furthest from the distance target due to the great amount of FLW generated. Moreover, according to the normalized weighted distances obtained from the minimization of economic and nutritional cost, pulses (Dn eq. = 0.05–0.03) and eggs (Dn eq. = 0.02) were the more efficient food categories. The methodology described in this study proposes a single index to quantify the economic and nutritional cost of different food categories to facilitate the decision-making process. This index makes possible the definition of reduction strategies focused on specific food categories and depending on the FSC stage.
Exercise Addiction and Satisfaction of Fitness Center Users as Precursors to the Intention of Continuing to Engage in Physical Activity
Authors: Fernández-Martínez Antonio , Murillo-Lorente Víctor , Sarmiento Alberto , Álvarez-Medina Javier , Nuviala Alberto
Published: December 2020

Exercise addiction occurs when a person engages in excessive physical activity until they lose control. Among individuals attending fitness centers, the risk of developing exercise addiction has been estimated to be close to 10%. The objective of this study was to determine whether exercise addiction may be an antecedent of satisfaction with the service received and/or of the intention of continuing to partake in leisure-time physical activity at fitness centers in a direct or indirect manner. A total of 361 individuals (29.05 ± 11.40 years old) who were physically active at Spanish fitness centers were asked to respond to a questionnaire on exercise addiction, satisfaction with the sports service, and their intention to continue to engage in physical activity. A multi-group analysis was conducted to check for differences in relationships by sex. The results show the relationships between addiction, satisfaction, and intention to continue physical activity. The standardized values display differences between men and women, with women exhibiting the highest values for the relationships between addiction and the rest of the constructs. Satisfaction with the sports service is a mediator in the relationship between exercise addiction and intention to engage in leisure-time physical activity.
A Profile of Organic Food Consumers—Serbia Case-Study
Authors: Radojević Vuk , Tomaš Simin Mirela , Glavaš Trbić Danica , Milić Dragan
Published: December 2020

In this paper, the authors analyze products from the organic farming system from consumption and consumers. The research aimed to determine the characteristics of the Serbian organic market, discover attitudes, practices, and features of different organic food consumers and identify factors that influence organic products’ purchase. This was done following the theoretical framework of green marketing, which refers to the holistic management process responsible for identifying, anticipating, and satisfying customers and society’s needs for profitably and sustainability. The research for this study was conducted in Novi Sad and Belgrade in late 2015 and early 2016. The sample included 496 respondents over 18 years of age, varying levels of education, marital status, and other sociodemographic characteristics. The sample was divided into three internally homogeneous yet mutually heterogeneous clusters according to three criteria: factors that generally influence their food purchasing decisions, their opinions regarding characteristics of food products and their eating habits, and their sociodemographic characteristics. The analysis shows that organic consumers can be divided into three clusters with corresponding components related to aspects of products that are sold in the Serbian market. In Cluster 1, respondents who assign the least importance to whether they eat “healthy” products and to the number of calories in those products are presented. Cluster 2 respondents care most about what they consume, and in Cluster 3, respondents assign importance to eat “healthy” food. The findings of this study show that the decision whether to buy organic products or not is predominantly determined by the price and quality of products (which is also related to the socio-economic characteristics of consumers) so that eco-marketing should therefore be more directed towards those consumers who are already “more environmentally and health-conscious”, because in this way, the desired results of improving the domestic market of organic products will be achieved.
Reviving a Neglected Crop: A Case Study on Lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus subsp. culinaris) Cultivation in Germany
Authors: Reif Theresa M. , Zikeli Sabine , Rieps Ann-Marleen , Lang Carina P. , Hartung Jens , Gruber Sabine
Published: December 2020

Cultivation of lentils had ended by mid-20th century in Germany, but a revival was initiated in the first decade of this millennium in Southwest Germany. However, knowledge of lentil cultivation was almost lost, and today’s yields are still low. To gain an overview of current farm practices and of factors that can help lentil cultivation thrive, 25 lentil farmers (21 organic, 4 conventional) from SW Germany answered questionnaires for agronomic data on lentil cultivation in the years 2015, 2016, and 2017. Eleven farmers took part in additional semi-structured interviews about their motivation and the most important factors (economic, ecological, and social) that encouraged them to grow lentils. Neither the lentil variety (Anicia, Späth’s Alblinse I and II), nor the companion crop for the usual mixed cropping (spring barley, oat, and camelina), significantly influenced lentil yield. If lentil cultivation is to further expand, data from more farmers could be evaluated and factors that contribute to crop thriving analyzed more clearly. The cultivation techniques currently practiced are diverse, and lentils integrate well into existing structures. Farmers appear motivated to grow lentils by good examples of colleagues, by availability of marketing channels, and by the desire to promote lentils’ ecological and social benefits.
Agrivoltaics Align with Green New Deal Goals While Supporting Investment in the US’ Rural Economy
Authors: Proctor Kyle , Murthy Ganti , Higgins Chad
Published: December 2020

Agrivoltaic systems combine solar photovoltaic energy production with agriculture to improve land-use efficiency. We provide an upper-bound reduced-order cost estimate for widespread implementation of Agrivoltaic systems in the United States. We find that 20% of the US’ total electricity generation can be met with Agrivoltaic systems if less than 1% of the annual US budget is invested into rural infrastructure. Simultaneously, Agrivoltaic systems align well with existing Green New Deal goals. Widescale installation of Agrivoltaic systems can lead to a carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction equivalent to removing 71,000 cars from the road annually and the creation of over 100,000 jobs in rural communities. Agrivoltaics provide a rare chance for true synergy: more food, more energy, lower water demand, lower carbon emissions, and more prosperous rural communities.
An Evaluation of Green Ryokans through a Tourism Accommodation Survey and Customer-Satisfaction-Related CASBEE–IPA after COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Cai Gangwei , Hong Yan , Xu Lei , Gao Weijun , Wang Ka , Chi Xiaoting
Published: December 2020

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became significant to study how to improve the customer satisfaction for Japanese tourist accommodations for restart and recovery in the future, and in preparation for the 2021 Japan Olympics. Therefore, the current paper attempts to evaluate ryokans through descriptive statistics from a tourism accommodation survey and customer-satisfaction-related comprehensive assessment system for built environment efficiency (CASBEE) importance–performance analysis (IPA). Through three progressive studies, three findings were obtained: (1) ryokans are more flexible than hotels, have strong anti-risk capabilities, and have received more and more attention from tourists and support from the Japanese government; (2) improvement strategies for customer satisfaction after COVID-19 were provided from IPA; and (3) a dynamic evaluation model of green ryokans was discussed and may be employed in other countries and regions experiencing the same situation.
Effect of Protected Areas on Human Populations in the Context of Colombian Armed Conflict, 2005–2018
Authors: Rodríguez-Díaz Roberto , Colino-Rabanal Víctor Javier , Gutierrez-López Alejandra , Blanco-Villegas María José
Published: December 2020

It is widely recognised that conservation policies in protected areas must also favour the development and viability of human populations. Although much research has focused on economic consequences, understanding the real impact of conservation on local populations requires a more holistic standpoint. Using quasi-experimental matching methods and a diachronic perspective, the biodemographic and socio-economic effects of Colombia’s National Natural Parks (NNPs) were evaluated (all in a context of internal conflict and post-conflict). The analyses were made for the set of NNPs and then grouped into four natural regions (Andes, Caribbean, Amazon-Orinoquía and Pacific) and two conflict intensities. Differences were found mainly for NNPs with low-intensity conflict, but only for biodemographic variables, not for socio-economic ones. Starting from a situation of disadvantage, a relative improvement in the conditions of the NNP municipalities was observed throughout the 13-year period in relation to the control group. Results should be taken with caution due to the conflict situation, but the lack of correlation between biodemographic and socio-economic aspects highlights the need to include more complex approaches in protected area management policies.
Landscape Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment Based on Multi-Scenario Simulations: A Case Study of Yancheng Coastal Wetland, China
Authors: Tian Peng , Cao Luodan , Li Jialin , Pu Ruiliang , Gong Hongbo , Li Changda
Published: December 2020

Carrying out coastal wetland landscape simulations and current and future ecological risk assessments is conducive to formulating policies for coastal wetland landscape planning and promoting the coordinated development of the social economy and ecological environment. This study used the Cellular Automaton (CA)-Markov model to simulate the landscape data of the study area under different scenarios in 2021 and 2025, and built an ecological risk assessment (ERS) index model to analyze the differences of spatio-temporal characteristics of ecological risks. The results showed that: (1) The test accuracy of the CA–Markov model was 0.9562 after passing through the consistency test. The spatial distribution data of landscapes under current utilization scenarios (CUSs), natural development scenarios (NDSs), and ecological protection scenarios (EPSs) were gained through simulations. (2) During 1991–2025, the landscape types of Yancheng coastal wetlands undertake complicated transfers and have vast transfer regions. Under CUSs and NDSs, a large number of natural wetlands are transferred to artificial wetlands. Under EPSs, the area of artificial wetlands declines and artificial wetlands are mainly transferred to natural wetlands. (3) The ecological risk of Yancheng Coastal Wetland increases, accompanied with significant spatial heterogeneity, which is manifested as low in the north area and high in the south area, and there exist some differences between sea areas and land areas. Ecological risk levels transfer violently.
A Multi-Scale Residual Attention Network for Retinal Vessel Segmentation
Authors: Jiang Yun , Yao Huixia , Wu Chao , Liu Wenhuan
Published: December 2020

Accurate segmentation of retinal blood vessels is a key step in the diagnosis of fundus diseases, among which cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are the main diseases that cause blindness. Most segmentation methods based on deep convolutional neural networks can effectively extract features. However, convolution and pooling operations also filter out some useful information, and the final segmented retinal vessels have problems such as low classification accuracy. In this paper, we propose a multi-scale residual attention network called MRA-UNet. Multi-scale inputs enable the network to learn features at different scales, which increases the robustness of the network. In the encoding phase, we reduce the negative influence of the background and eliminate noise by using the residual attention module. We use the bottom reconstruction module to aggregate the feature information under different receptive fields, so that the model can extract the information of different thicknesses of blood vessels. Finally, the spatial activation module is used to process the up-sampled image to further increase the difference between blood vessels and background, which promotes the recovery of small blood vessels at the edges. Our method was verified on the DRIVE, CHASE, and STARE datasets. Respectively, the segmentation accuracy rates reached 96.98%, 97.58%, and 97.63%; the specificity reached 98.28%, 98.54%, and 98.73%; and the F-measure scores reached 82.93%, 81.27%, and 84.22%. We compared the experimental results with some state-of-art methods, such as U-Net, R2U-Net, and AG-UNet in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F-measure, and AUCROC. Particularly, MRA-UNet outperformed U-Net by 1.51%, 3.44%, and 0.49% on DRIVE, CHASE, and STARE datasets, respectively.
Qualitative Investigation of Hamiltonian Systems by Application of Skew-Symmetric Differential Forms
Authors: Petrova Ludmila
Published: December 2020

In the present paper, a role of Hamiltonian systems in mathematical and physical formalisms is considered with the help of skew-symmetric differential forms. In classical mechanics the Hamiltonian system is realized from the Euler–Lagrange equation as the integrability condition of the Euler-Lagrange equation and discloses specific features of Lagrange formalism. In the theory of differential equations, the Hamiltonian systems reveals canonical relations that define the integrability conditions of differential equations. The Hamiltonian systems, as a self-independent equations, are an example of dynamic systems that describe a behavior of dynamical systems in phase space. The connection of the Hamiltonian systems with differential equations and dynamical systems point to the fact that dynamical systems can be generated by differential equations. Under the investigation of Hamiltonian systems, in addition to exterior skew-symmetric differential forms it is suggested to use the skew-symmetric differential forms that are defined on a nonintegrable manifolds and possess a nontraditional mathematical apparatus, such as degenerate transformations and transitions from nonintegrable manifold to integral structures.
Advances in Colorimetric Strategies for Mycotoxins Detection: Toward Rapid Industrial Monitoring
Authors: Majdinasab Marjan , Ben Aissa Sondes , Marty Jean Louis
Published: December 2020

Mycotoxins contamination is a global public health concern. Therefore, highly sensitive and selective techniques are needed for their on-site monitoring. Several approaches are conceivable for mycotoxins analysis, among which colorimetric methods are the most attractive for commercialization purposes thanks to their visual read-out, easy operation, cost-effectiveness, and rapid response. This review covers the latest achievements in the last five years for the development of colorimetric methods specific to mycotoxins analysis, with a particular emphasis on their potential for large-scale applications in food industries. Gathering all types of (bio)receptors, main colorimetric methods are critically discussed, including enzyme-linked assays, lateral flow-assays, microfluidic devices, and homogenous in-solution strategies. This special focus on colorimetry as a versatile transduction method for mycotoxins analysis is comprehensively reviewed for the first time.