bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding e-Loyalty in Online Grocery Shopping
Authors: Azhar Kaukab Abid , Bashir Dr. Muhammad Adnan
Published: April 2019

Online grocery stores are becoming more popular than ever. As the number of consumers of online grocery stores increases, understanding e-loyalty in this context is pivotal. Despite its growing importance, e-loyalty in online grocery shopping is a less explored area in expanding e-commerce literature. The purpose of this research is to examine and understand the mediating role of e-satisfaction on e-loyalty in context of online grocery shopping. Predictors (convenience, merchandising, site design, and financial security) identified in Szymanski and Hise’s e-satisfaction model are used to further extend the model by examining their relationship with e-loyalty through mediation from e-satisfaction. The proposed model was tested on a sample of 351 online shoppers through the database of two large online grocery stores in Pakistan. The results were measured through regression analysis. Findings suggest that there is no significant relationship between any of the variables under study. Moreover, the mediating effect of e-satisfaction on e-loyalty was also not found. The results indicate significant contribution in three main areas: provides new insights for understanding e-loyalty, rejects Szymanski and Hise’s e-satisfaction model in the context of online grocery shopping, and validates findings of previous researchers who had suggested distinguish nature of online grocery shopping. Managers need to adopt different strategies for online grocery shopping due to the perishable and variable nature of the products. Some other variables can also be added to the model, such as e-trust and e-service quality, to further validate the research model.
The Role of Human Capital to the Improvement of Employee Performance in Fisheries Companies in North Sulawesi Province
Authors: Rumawas Wehelmina
Published: April 2019

The aim of study is to analyze and explain the influence of human capital on employee performance. In this study using human capital as an independent variable and employee performance as the dependent variable.

This study uses a survey method with a quantitative descriptive approach, the location of the research on Fisheries Companies in North Sulawesi Province.The sample in this study amounted to 152 respondents. To determine the sample, to be used area proportional random sampling technique. The data that has been netted with a questionnaire is then rated and tabulated for further analysis using multiple regression. The results of the study show that human capital through education level, work experience and competency variables have a positive and significant effect on employee performance.
Soil organic carbon stocks under different land uses in Chure region of Makawanpur district, Nepal
Authors: Ghimire P , Bhatta B , Pokhrel B , Kafle G , Paudel P
Published: April 2019

Soil C sequestration through enhanced land use is a good strategy to mitigate the increasing concentration of atmospheric CO2. A study was conducted in Chhatiwan VDC of Makawanpur District to compare soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks of four main land use types such as forest, degraded forest, Khet and Bari land. Stratified random sampling method was used for collecting soil samples. Organic carbon content was determined by Walkley and Black method. Total SOC stock of different types of land followed the order: as Forest (110.0 t ha-1) > Bari (96.5 t ha-1) > Khet (86.8 t ha-1) > Degraded land (72.0 t ha-1). The SOC% declined with soil depths. The SOC% at 0–20 cm depth was highest (1.26 %) that recorded in the forest soils and lowest (0.37%) at 80- 100cm depth in degraded forest land. Thus, the SOC stock varied with land use systems and soil depths. The study suggests a need for appropriate land use strategy and sustainable soil management practices to improve SOC stock.

SAARC J. Agri., 16(2): 13-23 (2018)
Assessment of carbon stock and nutrient contents in soils of Northern and Eastern piedmont plains of Bangladesh
Authors: Islam R , Rahman L , Islam D , Kashem A , Satter A , Bokhtiar SM , Hossain B , Rahman M
Published: April 2019

Under the changing climate documentation of soil carbon and nutrients is indispensable for sustainable crop production which is scarce in the agro-ecological zone (AEZ) of Northern and Eastern Piedmont Plains in Bangladesh. Therefore, the study was conducted collecting and analyzing a total of 240 soil samples considering 0-20 cm soil depth from two upazilas viz. Purbadhola and Akhaura under the mentioned AEZ to quantity carbon stock and nutrient contents of soils. Organic carbon stocks in soils of Purbadhola and Akhaura upazila were 45.97 and 97.04 Gg, respectively, while in the Northern and Eastern Piedmont Plains was 8.56 Tg. The soil pH was very strongly acidic to slightly acidic (4.4-5.8), organic carbon contents (0.53-1.31%) were very low to medium, while the overall soil fertility rated as very low to medium. Balanced fertilization using organic and inorganic sources in general and liming for upland crops might improve fertility and productive capacity of soils in the study area. The study opens up avenues to find out means and ways of increasing carbon contents in soils of Northern and Eastern Piedmont Plains and might help the policy makers to debate on future global carbon trading issues.

SAARC J. Agri., 16(2): 61-72 (2018)
Effects of micronutrient application on different attributes of potato in floodplain soils of Bangladesh
Authors: Sarker MMH , Moslehuddin AZM , Jahiruddin M , Islam MR
Published: April 2019

Different crops have variations in their responses to applied micronutrients in soil. A study was conducted on floodplain soil of Bangladesh to explore the response of potato to application of micronutrients in soil. The experimental site was located at farmers’ field in Chandina upazila under Cumilla district of Bangladesh covering the soils of Old Meghna Estuarine Floodplain (AEZ 19) during 2011-12. Randomized complete block design with 3 replications of each treatment was used in the experiment, where seven treatments including a control were tested. Additive element trial technique was followed while designing the treatments taking six micronutrients i. e. Zn, B, Cu, Mn, Fe and Mo at the rate of 3, 2, 2, 3, 5 and 1 kg ha-1, respectively. Macronutrients, such as N, P, K and S were applied at recommended rates to all plots. The highest tuber yield (28.7 t ha-1) was produced by the combined application of Zn and B. Only Zn application was sufficient to obtain the highest content of protein as well as content of almost all the nutrients in potato tuber. Antagonistic relation between Zn and P in soil-plant system was recorded in the study. Zinc and boron application influenced different growth and yield parameters of potato while the other four added micronutrients did not have any significant effect but combined application of Zn, B, Cu, Mn, Fe and Mo had beneficial role for better plant growth and production. Proper management of zinc and boron fertilizers including optimization of application rates of those nutrients can help to uphold the yield and quality of potato in floodplain soil.

SAARC J. Agri., 16(2): 97-108 (2018)
Survey on usage of medicinal plants: a case from Chitwan district of Nepal
Authors: Joshi A , Kalauni D , Bhattarai S
Published: April 2019

The aim of this study was to know the commonly available medicinal plants and to document their usages. Study was carried out around periphery of 'Gyaneswor Community Forest' of Bharatpur-16 of Chitwan district of Nepal. Altogether, forty household were selected by random sampling, and key informant interview was carried out with community forest personnel's and leading farmers. Most of the respondents of Bharatpur-16 were found to be dependent on medicinal plants for their primary health care. Because of no side effect, easy availability and cost effectiveness of medicinal plants, most people were found satisfied using it. However, the use of and preference for medicinal plant was found limited to minor diseases only. The findings of this study revealed that there are many medicinal plants in our periphery that can be used as an alternative for allopathic medicines, but they need to be systematically managed and conserved.

SAARC J. Agri., 16(2): 129-141 (2018
Study on the effect of insemination time on pregnancy rate of Bangladeshi buffalo in intensive farming
Authors: Hamid MA
Published: April 2019

The study was designed to evaluate the insemination time and pregnancy rate of Bangladeshi buffalo at Lal Teer Livestock Breeding and Research Farm, Bhaluka, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during January 2017 to June 2018. A total of 30 cyclic buffaloes were included in this study. The animals were inseminated under four different times, i.e. inseminated i) between 0-6 hours after seeing first sign of estrous, ii) between 6-12 hours after seeing first sign of estrous, iii) between 12-18 hours after seeing first sign of estrous and v) between 18-24 hours after seeing first sign of estrous. The pregnancies (positive or negative) were confirmed by rectal palpation and transrectal ultrasonography after 60 days of artificial insemination (AI). The total pregnant animals in this study were 40%. The highest pregnancy rate (60%) was observed in insemination between 12-18 hours after seeing first sign of estrous and the lowest pregnancy rate (0%) was observed in insemination between 0-6 hours after seeing first sign of estrous. The findings of the study suggest that, the conception rate of buffalo depend on the time of AI, detection of proper estrus symptoms and site of semen deposition.

SAARC J. Agri., 16(2): 143-152 (2018)
О решении уравнений интегральной модели пожара при его значительной продолжительности
Authors: Кузьмицкий Валерий
Published: April 2019

Проанализированы ведущие уравнения интегральной модели пожара для помещения при его значительной продолжительности. Отмечено, что экспоненциальная зависимость температуры от массы пожарной нагрузки, отнесенной к массе воздуха в помещении, m, используемая для начальной стадии пожара, дает слишком быстрый рост даже на этой стадии и не может быть экстраполирована на продолжительное время пожара – большее нескольких минут. Учет этого обстоятельства необходим, в частности, для моделирования динамики развития опасных факторов пожара в помещениях, смежных с помещением с пожаром. Уравнение для временной динамики относительной плотности газовой среды ρ/ρ0 сформулировано в терминах параметров m′, q и p, задающих скорость выгорания пожарной нагрузки, теплоту сгорания и комбинацию геометрических размеров проема и помещения, соответственно. Для его решения использована программа, написанная в системе Mathematica 9. Разработанная программа может служить основой для расчетов ОФП в горящем помещении, а также в помещениях, смежных с ним.
Оценка опасности Тетеринского водохранилища на реке Друть Круглянского района Могилевской области
Authors: Ивашечкин Владимир , Веременюк Валентин , Круглов Георгий , Линкевич Николай , Мурашко Ольга , Недашковская Ирина
Published: April 2019

В работе проведена оценка опасности перелива воды через гребень земляной плотины Тетеринского водохранилища на реке Друть Могилевской области при пропуске расхода половодья. Рассмотрен водохозяйственный расчет водохранилища при пропуске расходов половодья, основанный на дифференциальном уравнении баланса воды в водохранилище. Получено решение этого уравнения на ЭВМ, позволяющее сделать прогноз изменения уровня воды в водохранилище и получить гидрограф сбросных расходов. Полученные результаты подтвердили соответствие проектных решений современным нормативным требованиям и возможность использования этой методики для оценки переполнения водохранилищ при пропуске паводков и половодья. Показано, что Тетеринское водохранилище является потенциально опасным. Предложена методика определения уровней воды в водохранилище при пропуске половодья и паводка.
Методика оценки возможности приспособления инженерных сооружений для укрытия населения при чрезвычайных ситуациях
Authors: Безносик Евгений , Еремин Алексей
Published: April 2019

Разработана методика оценки возможности приспособления инженерных сооружений для укрытия населения при чрезвычайных ситуациях. Определены основные требования к выбору инженерного сооружения, мероприятия по приспособлению его под сооружение двойного назначения и требуемые защитные свойства. Приведен расчет возможности реализации объемно-планировочных решений при приспособлении сооружения для укрытия населения.
Inovasi Pelayanan Transportasi Publik Berbasis Teknologi Informasi
Authors: Nasikhah Mar Atun
Published: April 2019

Tuntutan masyarakat terhadap peningkatan pelayanan publik yang baik dan memuaskan menjadi salah satu kebutuhan yang harus dipenuhi oleh pemerintah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui inovasi pelayanan publik apa saja yang sudah diterapkan pada Stasiun Malang untuk menunjang semakin majunya perkembangan zaman yang identik dengan pemanfaatan teknologi informasi sebagai salah satu produk pelayanan publik. Masalah yang diteliti dalam penelitian ini adalah bagaimana peran pemerintah terhadap inovasi pelayanan publik berbasis teknologi informasi di Stasiun Malang, selain itu apa saja yang menjadi faktor pendukung dan faktor penghambat dalam inovasi pelayanan publik berbasis teknologi informasi di Stasiun Malang, serta bagaimana tanggapan masyarakat mengenai inovasi pelayanan publik berbasis teknologi informasi di Stasiun Malang. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif, karena diharapkan penelitian ini akan mendapatkan ketepatan bagaimana penerapan inovasi pelayanan transportasi publik berbasis teknologi informasi di Stasiun Malang, sehingga diperlukan observasi, wawancara maupun dokumentasi sebagai teknik pengumpulan data. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa inovasi pelayanan publik yang dihadirkan pada stasiun malang seperti : B2B (Business to Business) atau pembelian melalui Channel Eksternal, Reservasi Tiket Kereta Api H-90, CIC (Check In Center), Customer Care, Manajemen Komplain, dan Toilet Ramah Lingkungan, merupakan sebuah inovasi yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan masyarakat. Inovasi-inovasi tersebut akan memudahkan dan mempercepat masyarakat dalam melakukan proses pelayanan sehingga pelayanan menjadi lebih efektif dan efisien.
The Effects of Hypergravity on Xenopus Embryo Growth and Cardiac Hypertrophy
Authors: Duchman Bryce , Wiens Darrell
Published: April 2019

All life on earth has developed and evolved in a unity gravity (1G) environment. Any deviation below or above 1G could affect animal development, a period when much change occurs and sensitivity is high. We imposed simulated hypergravity through centrifugation and analyzed the effects on the overall body length and cardiac growth of Xenopus laevis embryos. We predicted that increased contractile force would be required from the heart to adequately circulate blood, dispersing nutrients, and that this would inhibit organism growth and possibly induce a state of hypertrophy. Embryos reaching gastrulation stage were exposed to a 7G or 1G (control) field via centrifugation for 96 hours. We then recorded behavior, mortality and took body length measurements. We found no significant differences in behavior or mortality, however, body length was significantly reduced by an average of 6.8% in the 7G group. We then fixed, embedded, sectioned and stained embryos in order to investigate the dimensions of cardiac tissue and of the cardiac region of the body using image analysis software. We found the 7G group had a significantly reduced average body cross-sectional area (-18%) and yet a significantly larger ventricular cross-sectional area (+36%) when compared to the 1G group. The average ratio of ventricle cross-sectional area to average body cross-sectional area was significantly higher in the 7G group when compared to the 1G. From these data, we conclude that hypergravity has a significant inhibitory impact on the Xenopus laevis embryo growth and causes a significant increase in ventricle size.
Diffusion of Water and Diatomic Oxygen in Poly(3-hexylthiophene) Melt: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study
Authors: Deitz Julia , Yimer Yeneneh , Tsige Mesfin
Published: April 2019

Diffusion behavior of water, diatomic oxygen, and a mixture of both into a poly(3-hexylthiophene)[P3HT] melt were investigated using Molecular Dynamics Simulation. Once simulations were complete, the data was analyzed to determine the diffusion coefficient of those molecules in P3HT using Fick’s law. The diffusion coefficient values were then plotted as a function of concentration and temperature to determine if trends existed. For both water and oxygen, no dependence was observed of the diffusion coefficient on concentration and temperature for the ranges studied. However, a variation in the diffusion coefficient on concentration was observed due to the expected inhomogeneity of the P3HT melt. In the presence of O2, the diffusion of H2O decreased significantly by a factor between four and five, while in the presence of H2O, the diffusion of O2 slightly decreased.
Measuring Potassium in Muscle Tissue Utilizing an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer Validation of an Adaptation for a Whole-body Potassium Counting Method
Authors: Horner Anthony , Clark Rose , LoRusso Stephen , Zovinka Edward
Published: April 2019

Potassium is a cation important for a properly functioning body. It is especially significant for nerves, kidneys, and muscles. The concentration of potassium ions in muscle tissue was determined using an atomic absorption spectrometer operating in emission mode. The meat samples were flash frozen using liquid nitrogen, further ground using a mortar and pestle and then digested by immersing the processed meat in a hydrochloric acid solution. The potassium concentrations in muscle tissue were found to range from 2.76 – 4.66 g K+/kg of beef sample.
A Student Approach to a Mathematical Simulation of a Racing Electric Vehicle
Authors: León-Cázares Fernando , Xoconostle-Luna Daniel
Published: April 2019

A program was developed using the software Mathematica to simulate the dynamical behavior of an electric racing car, an electrathon. In conjunction with experimental data it is focused to allow the Borregos-CEM Racing Team decide which settings have to be adjusted in order to increase the velocity of the racing car while decreasing its energy consumption, i.e. the current demanded to the batteries.

Keywords: Model, electric, racing, vehicle, dynamic, simulation, Electrathon
A Curve Satisfying K/T = s with constant K>0
Authors: Oh Yun Myung , Seo Ye Lim
Published: April 2019

In the present paper, we investigate a space curve in which the curvature is constant and the torsion is a linear function. The aim of this paper is to find an explicit formula for this space curve when the ratioof the torsion to the curvature is a linear function when the curvature is constant.

KEYWORDS: Space Curve, Curvature, Torsion, General Helix, Frenet Frame, Series Solution, Rectifying Curve
Unit Commitment Accommodating Large Scale Green Power
Authors: Ju Yuntao , Wang Jiankai , Ge Fuchao , Lin Yi , Dong Mingyu , Li Dezhi , Shi Kun , Zhang Haibo
Published: April 2019

As more clean energy sources contribute to the electrical grid, the stress on generation scheduling for peak-shaving increases. This is a concern in several provinces of China that have many nuclear power plants, such as Guangdong and Fujian. Studies on the unit commitment (UC) problem involving the characteristics of both wind and nuclear generation are urgently needed. This paper first describes a model of nuclear power and wind power for the UC problem, and then establishes an objective function for the total cost of nuclear and thermal power units, including the cost of fuel, start-stop and peak-shaving. The operating constraints of multiple generation unit types, the security constraints of the transmission line, and the influence of non-gauss wind power uncertainty on the spinning reserve capacity of the system are considered. Meanwhile, a model of an energy storage system (ESS) is introduced to smooth the wind power uncertainty. Due to the prediction error of wind power, the spinning reserve capacity of the system will be affected by the uncertainty. Over-provisioning of spinning reserve capacity is avoided by introducing chance constraints. This is followed by the design of a UC model applied to different power sources, such as nuclear power, thermal power, uncertain wind power, and ESS. Finally, the feasibility of the UC model in the scheduling of a multi-type generation unit is verified by the modified IEEE RTS 24-bus system accommodating large scale green generation units.
Pedestrian Flow Tracking and Statistics of Monocular Camera Based on Convolutional Neural Network and Kalman Filter
Authors: He Miao , Luo Haibo , Hui Bin , Chang Zheng
Published: April 2019

Pedestrian flow statistics and analysis in public places is an important means to ensure urban safety. However, in recent years, a video-based pedestrian flow statistics algorithm mainly relies on binocular vision or a vertical downward camera, which has serious limitations on the application scene and counting area, and cannot make use of the large number of monocular cameras in the city. To solve this problem, we propose a pedestrian flow statistics algorithm based on monocular camera. Firstly, a convolution neural network is used to detect the pedestrian targets. Then, with a Kalman filter, the motion models for the targets are established. Based on these motion models, data association algorithm completes target tracking. Finally, the pedestrian flow is counted by the pedestrian counting method based on virtual blocks. The algorithm is tested on real scenes and public data sets. The experimental results show that the algorithm has high accuracy and strong real-time performance, which verifies the reliability of the algorithm.
Acknowledging Uncertainty in Economic Forecasting. Some Insight from Confidence and Industrial Trend Surveys
Authors: López-Menéndez Ana Jesús , Pérez-Suárez Rigoberto
Published: April 2019

The role of uncertainty has become increasingly important in economic forecasting, due to both theoretical and empirical reasons. Although the traditional practice consisted of reporting point predictions without specifying the attached probabilities, uncertainty about the prospects deserves increasing attention, and recent literature has tried to quantify the level of uncertainty perceived by different economic agents, also examining its effects and determinants. In this context, the present paper aims to analyze the uncertainty in economic forecasting, paying attention to qualitative perceptions from confidence and industrial trend surveys and making use of the related ex-ante probabilities. With this objective, two entropy-based measures (Shannon’s and quadratic entropy) are computed, providing significant evidence about the perceived level of uncertainty. Our empirical findings show that survey’s respondents are able to distinguish between current and prospective uncertainty and between general and personal uncertainty. Furthermore, we find that uncertainty negatively affects economic growth.
Comparing Performance Metrics of Partial Aisle Containments in Hard Floor and Raised Floor Data Centers Using CFD
Authors: Wibron Emelie , Ljung Anna-Lena , Lundström T. Staffan
Published: April 2019

In data centers, efficient cooling systems are required to both keep the energy consumption as low as possible and to fulfill the temperature requirements. The aim of this work is to numerically investigate the effects of using partial aisle containment between the server racks for hard and raised floor configurations. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS CFX was used together with the Reynolds stress turbulence model to perform the simulations. Velocity measurements in a server room were used for validation. Boundary conditions and the load of each rack were also retrieved from the experimental facility, implying an uneven load between the racks. A combination of the performance metrics Rack Cooling Index (RCI), Return Temperature Index (RTI) and Capture Index (CI) were used to evaluate the performance of the cooling systems for two supply flow rates at a 100% and 50% of operating condition. Based on the combination of performance metrics, the airflow management was improved in the raised floor configurations. With the supply flow rate set to operating conditions, the RCI was 100% for both raised floor and hard floor setups. The top- or side-cover fully prevented recirculation for the raised floor configuration, while it reduced the recirculation for the hard floor configuration. However, the RTI was low, close to 40% in the hard floor case, indicating poor energy efficiency. With the supply flow rate decreasing with 50%, the RTI increased to above 80%. Recirculation of hot air was indicated for all the containments when the supply rate was 50%, but the values of RCI still indicated an acceptable performance of the cooling system.
Modeling and Testing Volatility Spillovers in Oil and Financial Markets for the USA, the UK, and China
Authors: Chang Chia-Lin , McAleer Michael , Tian Jiarong
Published: April 2019

The main purpose of the paper is to analyze the conditional correlations, conditional covariances, and co-volatility spillovers between international crude oil and associated financial markets. The prices of oil and its interactions with financial markets make it possible to determine the associated prices of financial derivatives, such as carbon emission prices. The approach taken in the paper is different from others in the literature; the purpose is to examine the usefulness of modeling and testing volatility spillovers in the oil and financial markets. The paper investigates co-volatility spillovers (namely, the delayed effect of a returns shock in one physical or financial asset on the subsequent volatility or co-volatility in another physical or financial asset) between the oil and financial markets. The oil industry has four major regions, namely North Sea, the USA, Middle East, and South-East Asia. Associated with these regions are two major financial centers, namely the UK and the USA. For these reasons, the data to be used are the returns on alternative crude oil markets, returns on crude oil derivatives, specifically futures, and stock index returns in the UK and the USA. Given the importance of the Chinese financial and economic systems, the paper also analyzes Chinese financial markets, where the data are more recent. The USA and China are the world’s two largest economies and the UK is the world’s sixth largest economy (and second in the existing EU) behind the USA, China, Japan, Germany, and India. Moreover, the USA and the UK are associated with WTI and Brent oil, respectively. One of the purposes of the paper is to examine how China might be different from the USA and the UK, which seems to be borne out in the empirical analysis. Based on the conditional covariances to test the co-volatility spillovers, dynamic hedging strategies will be suggested to analyze market fluctuations in crude oil prices and associated financial markets.
Application of a Superconducting Fault Current Limiter to Enhance the Low-Voltage Ride-Through Capability of Wind Turbine Generators
Authors: Lee Hyeong-Jin , Lim Sung-Hun , Kim Jae-Chul
Published: April 2019

The penetration of wind turbine generators onto the grid has grown worldwide at unprecedented rates in recent years. This raises the concern that the tripping of wind turbine generators could potentially cause system collapses. To alleviate these concerns, wind turbine generators need to maintain connection with the grid when a grid fault occurs. This has provoked many countries to adopt low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) for wind turbine generators. The LVRT is the capability of wind turbine generators to maintain connectivity during certain periods of voltage sag. The wind turbine generators should be connected to the grid to support fault recovery. Also, wind turbine generators must provide reactive power according to the grid voltage sag. Therefore, much research has been focused on enhancing LVRT capability. To enhance LVRT capability, this paper proposes the application of a superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) in the system. The fault current was suppressed and the voltage sag was improved through the application of the SFCL. By improving the voltage sag, the wind turbine generator and the grid were able to maintain a connection. However, suppression of the fault current can cause a problem in the overcurrent relay (OCR) trip time delay. The trip time delay was solved by OCR resetting. Through a power system computer-aided design/electromagnetic transients including DC (PSCAD/EMTDC), the enhancement of LVRT capability and improvement of the trip delay was confirmed.
Urban Wind Resource Assessment: A Case Study on Cape Town
Authors: Gough Matthew , Lotfi Mohamed , Castro Rui , Madhlopa Amos , Khan Azeem , Catalão João P. S.
Published: April 2019

As the demand for renewable energy sources energy grows worldwide, small-scale urban wind energy (UWE) has drawn attention as having the potential to significantly contribute to urban electricity demand with environmental and socio-economic benefits. However, there is currently a lack of academic research surrounding realizable UWE potential, especially in the South African context. This study used high-resolution annual wind speed measurements from six locations spanning Cape Town to quantify and analyze the city’s UWE potential. Two-parameter Weibull distributions were constructed for each location, and the annual energy production (AEP) was calculated considering the power curves of four commonly used small-scale wind turbines (SWTs). The two Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWTs) showed higher AEP and capacity factors than Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) ones. A diurnal analysis showed that, during summer, an SWT generates the majority of its electricity during the day, which resembles the typical South African electricity demand profile. However, during winter, the electricity is mainly generated in the early hours of the morning, which does not coincide with the typical load demand profile. Finally, the calculation of Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) showed that SWT generation is more expensive, given current electricity market conditions and SWT technology. The study provides a detailed, large-scale and complete assessment of UWE resources of Cape Town, South Africa, the first of its kind at the time of this work.
Evaluation of the Energy Supply Options of a Manufacturing Plant by the Application of the P-Graph Framework
Authors: Éles András , Halász László , Heckl István , Cabezas Heriberto
Published: April 2019

Industrial applications nowadays are facing the complexity of the problem of finding an optimal energy supply composition. Heating and electricity needs vary throughout a year and need to be addressed. There is usually power available from the market, but a company has other investment options to consider, such as solar power, or utilization of local biomass. Fixed and proportional investment and operational costs must be compared to long-term cost-efficiency. The P-Graph framework is an effective tool in the design and synthesis of process networks, and is capable of showing optimal decisions. In the present work, a new P-Graph model was implemented to address the synthesis of the energy supply options of a manufacturing plant in Hungary. Compared to the original approach, a multi-periodic scheme was applied for heating and electricity demands. Also, the pelletizer and biogas plant investments are modeled in the P-Graph with a new technique that better reflects equipment capacities and flexible input ratios. The best solutions in this case study in terms of total costs are listed. It can be concluded that a long-term investment horizon is needed for the incorporation of sustainable energy sources into the system to be cost-efficient.
Seasonal Variation of Captive Meagre Acoustic Signalling: A Manual and Automatic Recognition Approach
Authors: Vieira Manuel , Pereira Beatriz P. , Pousão-Ferreira Pedro , Fonseca Paulo J. , Amorim M. Clara P.
Published: April 2019

Many species rely on acoustic communication to fulfil several functions such as advertisement and mediation of social interactions (e.g., agonistic, mating). Therefore, fish calls can be an important source of information, e.g., to recognize reproductive periods or to assess fish welfare, and should be considered a potential non-intrusive tool in aquaculture management. Assessing fish acoustic activity, however, often requires long sound recordings. To analyse these long recordings automatic methods are invaluable tools to detect and extract the relevant biological information. Here we present a study to characterize meagre (Argyrosomus regius) acoustic activity during social contexts in captivity using an automatic pattern-recognition methodology based on the Hidden Markov Model. Calls produced by meagre during the breading season showed a richer repertoire than previously reported. Besides the dense choruses composed by grunts already known for this species, meagre emitted successive series of isolated pulses, audible as ‘knocks’. Grunts with a variable number of pulses were also registered. The overall acoustic activity was concurrent with the number of spawning events. A diel call rhythms exhibit peak of calling activity from 15:00 to midnight. In addition, grunt acoustic parameters varied significantly along the reproduction season. These results open the possibility to use the meagre vocal activity to predict breeding and approaching spawning periods in aquaculture management.
PMN-MDSCs Enhance CTC Metastatic Properties through Reciprocal Interactions via ROS/Notch/Nodal Signaling
Authors: Sprouse Marc L. , Welte Thomas , Boral Debasish , Liu Haowen N. , Yin Wei , Vishnoi Monika , Goswami-Sewell Debalina , Li Lili , Pei Guangsheng , Jia Peilin , Glitza-Oliva Isabella C. , Marchetti Dario
Published: April 2019

Intratumoral infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) is known to promote neoplastic growth by inhibiting the tumoricidal activity of T cells. However, direct interactions between patient-derived MDSCs and circulating tumors cells (CTCs) within the microenvironment of blood remain unexplored. Dissecting interplays between CTCs and circulatory MDSCs by heterotypic CTC/MDSC clustering is critical as a key mechanism to promote CTC survival and sustain the metastatic process. We characterized CTCs and polymorphonuclear-MDSCs (PMN-MDSCs) isolated in parallel from peripheral blood of metastatic melanoma and breast cancer patients by multi-parametric flow cytometry. Transplantation of both cell populations in the systemic circulation of mice revealed significantly enhanced dissemination and metastasis in mice co-injected with CTCs and PMN-MDSCs compared to mice injected with CTCs or MDSCs alone. Notably, CTC/PMN-MDSC clusters were detected in vitro and in vivo either in patients’ blood or by longitudinal monitoring of blood from animals. This was coupled with in vitro co-culturing of cell populations, demonstrating that CTCs formed physical clusters with PMN-MDSCs; and induced their pro-tumorigenic differentiation through paracrine Nodal signaling, augmenting the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by PMN-MDSCs. These findings were validated by detecting significantly higher Nodal and ROS levels in blood of cancer patients in the presence of naïve, heterotypic CTC/PMN-MDSC clusters. Augmented PMN-MDSC ROS upregulated Notch1 receptor expression in CTCs through the ROS-NRF2-ARE axis, thus priming CTCs to respond to ligand-mediated (Jagged1) Notch activation. Jagged1-expressing PMN-MDSCs contributed to enhanced Notch activation in CTCs by engagement of Notch1 receptor. The reciprocity of CTC/PMN-MDSC bi-directional paracrine interactions and signaling was functionally validated in inhibitor-based analyses, demonstrating that combined Nodal and ROS inhibition abrogated CTC/PMN-MDSC interactions and led to a reduction of CTC survival and proliferation. This study provides seminal evidence showing that PMN-MDSCs, additive to their immuno-suppressive roles, directly interact with CTCs and promote their dissemination and metastatic potency. Targeting CTC/PMN-MDSC heterotypic clusters and associated crosstalks can therefore represent a novel therapeutic avenue for limiting hematogenous spread of metastatic disease.
Flexicaulin A, An ent-Kaurane Diterpenoid, Activates p21 and Inhibits the Proliferation of Colorectal Carcinoma Cells through a Non-Apoptotic Mechanism
Authors: Xia Yixuan , Lam Chu Shing , Li Wanfei , Sarwar Md. Shahid , Liu Kanglun , Lee Kwan Ming , Zhang Hong-Jie , Tsang Siu Wai
Published: April 2019

Natural products, explicitly medicinal plants, are an important source of inspiration of antitumor drugs, because they contain astounding amounts of small molecules that possess diversifying chemical entities. For instance, Isodon (formerly Rabdosia), a genus of the Lamiaceae (formerly Labiatae) family, has been reported as a rich source of natural diterpenes. In the current study, we evaluated the in vitro anti-proliferative property of flexicaulin A (FA), an Isodon diterpenoid with an ent-kaurane structure, in human carcinoma cells, by means of cell viability assay, flow cytometric assessment, quantitative polymerase chain reaction array, Western blotting analysis, and staining experiments. Subsequently, we validated the in vivo antitumor efficacy of FA in a xenograft mouse model of colorectal carcinoma. From our experimental results, FA appears to be a potent antitumor molecule, since it significantly attenuated the proliferation of human colorectal carcinoma cells in vitro and restricted the growth of corresponsive xenograft tumors in vivo without causing any adverse effects. Regarding its molecular mechanism, FA considerably elevated the expression level of p21 and induced cell cycle arrest in the human colorectal carcinoma cells. While executing a non-apoptotic mechanism, we believe the antitumor potential of FA opens up new horizons for the therapy of colorectal malignancy.
CD20-Mimotope Peptides: A Model to Define the Molecular Basis of Epitope Spreading
Authors: Favoino Elvira , Prete Marcella , Catacchio Giacomo , Conteduca Giuseppina , Perosa Federico
Published: April 2019

Antigen-mimicking peptide (mimotope)-based vaccines are one of the most promising forms of active-immunotherapy. The main drawback of this approach is that it induces antibodies that react poorly with the nominal antigen. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular basis underlying the weak antibody response induced against the naïve protein after peptide vaccination. For this purpose, we analyzed the fine specificity of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) elicited with a 13-mer linear peptide, complementary to theantigen-combining site of the anti-CD20 mAb, Rituximab, in BALB/c mice. Anti-peptide mAb competed with Rituximab for peptide binding. Even so, they recognized a different antigenic motif from the one recognized by Rituximab. This explains their lack of reactivity with membrane (naïve) CD20. These data indicate that even on a short peptide the immunogenic and antigenic motifs may be different. These findings highlight an additional mechanism for epitope spreading and should be taken into account when designing peptides for vaccine purposes.
Long Noncoding RNA and Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer
Authors: Gugnoni Mila , Ciarrocchi Alessia
Published: April 2019

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a multistep process that allows epithelial cells to acquire mesenchymal properties. Fundamental in the early stages of embryonic development, this process is aberrantly activated in aggressive cancerous cells to gain motility and invasion capacity, thus promoting metastatic phenotypes. For this reason, EMT is a central topic in cancer research and its regulation by a plethora of mechanisms has been reported. Recently, genomic sequencing and functional genomic studies deepened our knowledge on the fundamental regulatory role of noncoding DNA. A large part of the genome is transcribed in an impressive number of noncoding RNAs. Among these, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to control several biological processes affecting gene expression at multiple levels from transcription to protein localization and stability. Up to now, more than 8000 lncRNAs were discovered as selectively expressed in cancer cells. Their elevated number and high expression specificity candidate these molecules as a valuable source of biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Rising evidence currently highlights a relevant function of lncRNAs on EMT regulation defining a new layer of involvement of these molecules in cancer biology. In this review we aim to summarize the findings on the role of lncRNAs on EMT regulation and to discuss their prospective potential value as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer.
Deep Learning-Based Landmark Detection for Mobile Robot Outdoor Localization
Authors: Nilwong Sivapong , Hossain Delowar , Kaneko Shin-ichiro , Capi Genci
Published: April 2019

Outdoor mobile robot applications generally implement Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for localization tasks. However, GPS accuracy in outdoor localization has less accuracy in different environmental conditions. This paper presents two outdoor localization methods based on deep learning and landmark detection. The first localization method is based on the Faster Regional-Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN) landmark detection in the captured image. Then, a feedforward neural network (FFNN) is trained to determine robot location coordinates and compass orientation from detected landmarks. The second localization employs a single convolutional neural network (CNN) to determine location and compass orientation from the whole image. The dataset consists of images, geolocation data and labeled bounding boxes to train and test two proposed localization methods. Results are illustrated with absolute errors from the comparisons between localization results and reference geolocation data in the dataset. The experimental results pointed both presented localization methods to be promising alternatives to GPS for outdoor localization.
Support-Material-Free Microfluidics on an Electrochemical Sensors Platform by Aerosol Jet Printing
Authors: Di Novo Nicolò Giuseppe , Cantù Edoardo , Tonello Sarah , Sardini Emilio , Serpelloni Mauro
Published: April 2019

Printed electronics have led to new possibilities in the detection and quantification of a wide range of molecules important for medical, biotechnological, and environmental fields. The integration with microfluidics is often adopted to avoid hand-deposition of little volumes of reagents and samples on miniaturized electrodes that strongly depend on operator’s skills. Here we report design, fabrication and test of an easy-to-use electrochemical sensor platform with microfluidics entirely realized with Aerosol Jet Printing (AJP). We printed a six-electrochemical-sensors platform with AJP and we explored the possibility to aerosol jet print directly on it a microfluidic structure without any support material. Thus, the sacrificial material removal and/or the assembly with sensors steps are avoided. The repeatability observed when printing both conductive and ultraviolet (UV)-curable polymer inks can be supported from the values of relative standard deviation of maximum 5% for thickness and 9% for line width. We designed the whole microfluidic platform to make the sample deposition (20 μL) independent from the operator. To validate the platform, we quantified glucose at different concentrations using a standard enzyme-mediated procedure. Both mediator and enzyme were directly aerosol jet printed on working electrodes (WEs), thus the proposed platform is entirely fabricated by AJP and ready to use. The chronoamperometric tests show limit of detection (LOD) = 2.4 mM and sensitivity = 2.2 ± 0.08 µA/mM confirming the effectiveness of mediator and enzyme directly aerosol jet printed to provide sensing in a clinically relevant range (3–10 mM). The average relative standard inter-platform deviation is about 8%. AJP technique can be used for fabricating a ready-to-use microfluidic device that does not need further processing after fabrication, but is promptly available for electrochemical sample analysis.
The Strain Transfer Mechanism of Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor for Extra Large Strain Monitoring
Authors: Sun Li , Li Chuang , Zhang Chunwei , Liang Tianqi , Zhao Zihao
Published: April 2019

This research focuses on a desensitization method to develop a wide-range FBG sensor for extra-large strain monitoring, which is an essential requirement in large scale infrastructures or for some special occasions. Under appropriate hypotheses, the strain transfer distribution of wide-range FBG sensor based on the shear-lag theory is conducted to improve the accuracy of extra-large strain measurements. It is also discussed how the elastic modulus of adhesive layer affects the strain transfer rate. Two prototypes in different monitoring ranges are designed and fabricated by two layers of steel pipe encapsulation. The presented theoretical model is verified by experimental results. Moreover, it is demonstrated that experimentation in regards to the calibration of the wide-range FBG sensor, improved the amplification coefficient up to 2.08 times and 3.88 times, respectively. The static errors are both calculated and analyzed in this experiment. The wide-range FBG strain sensor shows favourable linearity and stability, which is an excellent property of sensors for extra-large strain monitoring.
Wireless Middleware Solutions for Smart Water Metering
Authors: Alvisi Stefano , Casellato Francesco , Franchini Marco , Govoni Marco , Luciani Chiara , Poltronieri Filippo , Riberto Giulio , Stefanelli Cesare , Tortonesi Mauro
Published: April 2019

While smart metering applications have initially focused on energy and gas utility markets, water consumption has recently become the subject of increasing attention. Unfortunately, despite the large number of solutions available on the market, the lack of an open and widely accepted communication standard means that vendors typically propose proprietary data collection solutions whose adoption causes non-trivial problems to water utility companies in term of costs, vendor lock-in, and lack of control on the data collection infrastructure. There is the need for open and interoperable smart water metering solutions, capable of collecting data from the wide range of water meters on the market. This paper reports our experience in the development and field testing of a highly interoperable smart water metering solution, which we designed in collaboration with several water utility companies and which we deployed in Gorino Ferrarese, Italy, in collaboration with CADF (Consorzio Acque Delta Ferrarese), the water utility serving the city. At the core of our solution is SWaMM (Smart Water Metering Middleware), an interoperable wireless IoT middleware based on the Edge computing paradigm, which proved extremely effective in interfacing with several types of smart water meters operating with different protocols.