bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implantable Magnetic Resonance Wireless Power Transfer System Based on 3D Flexible Coils
Authors: Xu Dongdong , Zhang Qian , Li Xiuhan
Published: May 2020

A magnetic resonance wireless power transfer system based on flexible 3D dual-coil is proposed and implemented in this paper. Firstly, a magnetic coupling resonant circuit model based on dual-coil is established, and the analysis indicates that enlarging the coil inductance and quality factor can effectively improve the transfer efficiency and performance. The coil parametric model is created by HFSS (High Frequency Structure Simulator), the effects of structural parameters on the coil inductance and quality factor are analyzed, and the optimized coil structure parameters are determined. To achieve maximum power transfer, the coupled resonant model after impedance matching is established and simulated in HFSS, and S11 reaches −30 dB at 13.56 MHz. Considering the radiation on human tissues, the SAR (Special Absorption Rate) value is evaluated simultaneously. To confirm the validity of the proposed prototype, the efficient wireless power transfer system composed of two flexible and biocompatible coils with 10 mm radius has been verified by the experimental measurements, and measure results show that the output power is 70 mW, when the transfer distance is 6 mm, the input power is 200 mW, and the maximum transfer efficiency is 35%.
Entrepreneurial University: Catalyst for Regional Sustainable Development
Authors: Brătucu Gabriel , Lixăndroiu Radu Constantin , Constantin Cristinel Petrișor , Tecău Alina Simona , Chițu Ioana Bianca , Trifan Adrian
Published: May 2020

The purpose of this paper was to identify collaboration opportunities between one of the most important universities in Romania and companies with production activity within the development region in which this university operates. In order to attain this goal, a survey was conducted to identify the needs of consultancy, expertise, and services for companies that operate in the Centru Development Region of Romania (RO12) and to evaluate the extent to which they are interested in cooperation with Transilvania University of Brasov. In this respect, 3506 companies were included in a panel and their managers were invited to take part in the survey. Finally, a sample of 457 companies was obtained. According to the survey results, the most used consulting services by these companies were the economic and financial ones, but the percentage of companies that have benefited from these services is low. The percentage of interviewed companies that have benefited so far from the consultancy offered by Transilvania University of Brasov is much lower (3.9%). Starting from the research results we proposed an entrepreneurial pilot model for online data analysis, based on the Tableau Public v. 2019.3 software, meant to help companies to do better promotion in order to develop their markets.
CSR and Brand Resonance: The Mediating Role of Brand Love and Involvement
Authors: Kim Kyung-Min , Nobi Benjamin , Kim Taewan
Published: May 2020

This article examines brand love and brand involvement to explain the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity of a firm and brand resonance. Previous studies have only considered the loyalty dimension of the resonance model regarding the relationship between a firm’s CSR activity and brand attitudes. To have a clearer understanding of the relationship between ethicality and consumer attitudes, we consider the other aspects of customer attitudes—attitudinal attachment, sense of community, and active engagement which are encapsulated in the brand resonance model. Therefore, two studies are conducted in this research to test the hypothesized relationships using a PROCESS bootstrapping method. Results from the two studies provide evidence of the mediational role of brand love and involvement in the relationship between perceived ethicality and brand resonance. Whether a firm engages in an ethical or a philanthropic action, a sense of brand love, and involvement with the brand is evoked which subsequently affects consumers’ attitude towards the brand.
How to Retain Global Talent? Economic and Social Integration of Chinese Students in Finland
Authors: Li Hanwei
Published: May 2020

Global talent is the key resource for today’s knowledge-based society and sustainable economic development, and an increasing number of countries are aiming to not only train but also to retain international students as a potential supply of highly skilled labor in innovative fields. This article explores ways to retain international students as global talent through an empirical study on mainland Chinese students’ integration into Finland as an example. Based on data obtained through semi-structured interviews with 30 Chinese students, this research identified a number of individual and societal factors that contribute to their difficulties with economic and social integration. The findings demonstrate the complexities of the language barrier faced by Chinese students in non-Anglophone country contexts, and the important interplay between students’ social and economic integration. The host environment (nation-states and organizations) also plays a vital role in creating a more open and multicultural environment to enhance the capacity of such young people to integrate and innovate. This paper concludes with a number of proposals for individuals, organizations (including higher education institutions (HEIs), and nation-states to consider for innovating their policies and measures to better integrate global talent.
First Train Timetabling for Urban Rail Transit Networks with Maximum Passenger Transfer Satisfaction
Authors: Li Xuan , Yamamoto Toshiyuki , Yan Tao , Lu Lili , Ye Xiaofei
Published: May 2020

This paper proposes a novel model to optimize the first train timetables for urban rail transit networks, with the goal of maximizing passengers’ transfer waiting time satisfaction. To build up the relationship of transfer waiting time and passenger satisfaction, a reference-based piecewise function is formulated with the consideration of passengers’ expectations, tolerances and dissatisfaction on “just miss”. In order to determine the parameters of zero waiting satisfaction rating, the most comfortable waiting time, and the maximum tolerable waiting time in time satisfaction function, a stated preference survey is conducted in rail transit transfer stations in Shanghai. An artificial bee colony algorithm is developed to solve the timetabling model. Through a real-world case study on Shanghai’s urban rail transit network and comparison with the results of minimizing the total transfer time, we demonstrate that our approach performs better in decreasing extremely long wait and “just miss” events and increasing the number of passengers with a relatively comfortable waiting time in [31s, 5min). Finally, four practical suggestions are proposed for urban rail transit network operations.
Active Disturbance Rejection Control of Boiler Forced Draft System: A Data-Driven Practice
Authors: Wang Qianchao , Xu Hongcan , Pan Lei , Sun Li
Published: May 2020

Boiler forced draft systems play a critical role in maintaining power plant safety and efficiency. However, their control is notoriously intractable in terms of modelling difficulty, multiple disturbances and severe noise. To this end, this paper develops a data-driven paradigm by combining some popular data analytics methods in both modelling and control. First, singular value decomposition (SVD) is utilized for data classification, which further cooperates with back propagation (BP) neural network to de-noise the measurements. Second, prediction error method (PEM) is used to analyze the historical data and identify the dynamic model, whose responses agree well with the actual plant data. Third, by estimating the lumped disturbances via the real-time data, active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) is employed to control the forced draft system, whose stability is analyzed in the frequency domain. Simulation results demonstrate the efficiency and superiority of the proposed method over proportional-integral-differential (PID) controller and model predictive controller, depicting a promising prospect in the future industry practice.
Knowledge Economy Indicators and Their Impact on the Sustainable Competitiveness of the EU Countries
Authors: Širá Elena , Vavrek Roman , Kravčáková Vozárová Ivana , Kotulič Rastislav
Published: May 2020

In today’s turbulent world influenced by globalization, knowledge is becoming a key factor in the market. Every economy, if it wants to be successful and competitive, must pay more attention to knowledge and its creation, transfer, and preservation. In this respect, it is a key element in ensuring a country’s sustainable position in a competitive environment. Based on this, we set out the main idea of the article as follows: increased emphasis on the factors of a knowledge-based economy affects the growth of the country’s competitiveness, which contributes to its better sustainability. To verify the idea, we used a multi-criteria evaluation of countries by the TOPSIS method and a subsequent regression model. We examined developments in the EU countries over a period of 11 years in selected indicators typical for the knowledge economies, in the area of competitiveness. Finally, we examined the sustainability of EU countries. Based on the findings of these methods, we identified the leading country—Sweden—in the field of knowledge economy, competitiveness, and sustainability.
Practical Wisdom for Sustainable Management and Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Cugueró-Escofet Natàlia , Rosanas Josep M.
Published: May 2020

Practical wisdom (“phronēsis”) is an Aristotelian concept that has been incorporated into management research to a considerable extent in the last 20–30 years. This paper attempts to show how practical wisdom is necessary as a type of situational knowledge that is required for most management decisions to be sustainable. We start reviewing the types of knowledge necessary in decision-making, and we emphasize “practical wisdom” as the kind of knowledge that is particular and subjective, is acquired through practice, and is transmitted by example. We relate the concept of practical wisdom with the Hayek concept of knowledge of time and place, the Polanyi concept of tacit knowledge, and Nonaka’s knowledge management. We conclude that in most management decisions, phronēsis is required and, thus, is necessary to increase sustainability in terms of effectively sharing knowledge and acquiring virtues to improve managerial decision-making. Not considering phronēsis has bad implications for management as it can lead to unsustainable and poor decisions, for instance, in main areas of management control such as pricing policies, budgeting, balanced scorecards, transfer pricing, and goal setting. Along with the intellectual virtue of practical wisdom we conclude that moral virtues, specifically justice, should be the complement that guides organizational objectives.
Determinants of Energy-Based CO2 Emissions in Ethiopia: A Decomposition Analysis from 1990 to 2017
Authors: Taka Gideon Nkam , Huong Ta Thi , Shah Izhar Hussain , Park Hung-Suck
Published: May 2020

Ethiopia, among the fastest growing economies worldwide, is witnessing rapid urbanization and industrialization that is fueled by greater energy consumption and high levels of CO2 emissions. Currently, Ethiopia is the third largest CO2 emitter in East Africa, yet no comprehensive study has characterized the major drivers of economy-wide CO2 emissions. This paper examines the energy-related CO2 emissions in Ethiopia, and their driving forces between 1990 and 2017 using Kaya identity combined with Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition approach. Main findings reveal that energy-based CO2 emissions have been strongly driven by the economic effect (52%), population effect (43%), and fossil fuel mix effect (40%) while the role of emission intensity effect (14%) was less pronounced during the study period. At the same time, energy intensity improvements have slowed down the growth of CO2 emissions by 49% indicating significant progress towards reduced energy per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) during 1990-2017. Nonetheless, for Ethiopia to achieve its 2030 targets of low-carbon economy, further improvements through reduced emission intensity (in the industrial sector) and fossil fuel share (in the national energy mix) are recommended. Energy intensity could be further improved by technological innovation and promotion of energy-frugal industries.
Toward Sustainable Development: Decoupling the High Ecological Footprint from Human Society Development: A Case Study of Hong Kong
Authors: Shi Xiangyun , Matsui Takanori , Machimura Takashi , Gan Xiaoyu , Hu Ang
Published: May 2020

As a global financial center and one of the world’s first-tier cities, Hong Kong is committed to sustainable development and it expects to become the most sustainable city in Asia. With this in mind, this paper evaluates the level of sustainable development in Hong Kong considering the factors of ecological footprint, biocapacity, and the human development index (HDI) from 1995 to 2016, in order to make policy recommendations for transforming Hong Kong into a more sustainable city. Between 1995 and 2016, a period during which the HDI rose, the per capita ecological footprint of Hong Kong increased from 4.842 gha to 6.223 gha. Moreover, fossil energy consumption had a crucial impact on the city’s ecological footprint, whereas the biocapacity of Hong Kong declined gradually. By contrast, Singapore, a city-state with an area similar to Hong Kong’s, presented the opposite situation—the HDI increased while the ecological footprint decreased. We performed a further comparative analysis and a SWOT analysis of Singapore and Hong Kong to elaborate on how to decouple the large ecological footprint from human society development. Concluding that the focus must be on energy consumption, reduction of the human activities’ negative impacts on marine environment, citizens and government, we provide policy suggestions for transforming toward a “high HDI and low footprint” sustainable development society in Hong Kong.
Relationship between Consumer Motivation and the Gastronomic Experience of Olive Oil Tourism in Spain
Authors: Moral-Cuadra Salvador , Acero de la Cruz Raquel , Rueda López Ramón , Salinas Cuadrado Enrique
Published: May 2020

The rise of new tourist typologies as a result of the change in the motivations of tourists and the increasingly active awareness of the environment are making these new tourist activities more sustainable. The development of typologies such as oleotourism or, more globally, gastronomic tourism is formed as an engine of socio-economic development wherever it is inserted, being even more important and decisive if it develops in rural areas. This study is based on a model of structural equations based on minimum partial squares. A sample size of 414 surveys was used, all of which were collected in the oil mills and museums of the towns of Baena, Cabra, Luque and Montilla, all of which belong to the province of Córdoba, Spain. This study develops a model based on motivations and gastronomic experience resulting from the development of oleotourism in the rural areas of the province of Córdoba (Spain). Among the most noteworthy results it is worth highlighting the positive influence of motivations on the gastronomic experience of tourists. In addition, the predictive relevance of the model is demonstrated.
A Human Rights-Based Approach in Implementing Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) for Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam
Authors: Do Doanh-Ngan-Mac , Hoang Linh-Khanh , Le Cuong-Minh , Tran Trung
Published: May 2020

Seventeen sustainable development goals (SDG) by the United Nations in its 2030 Agenda have been nationalized and implemented in Vietnam. One of the country’s priorities is making educational provision accessible to all of its residents, especially for marginalized groups, while enforcing their human rights. In this context, this article examines the implementation of SDG4 (quality education) in combination with the practice of human rights for ethnic minorities in Vietnam. With access to jurisprudence, this research provides a detailed assessment of the compatibility between SDG targets and the legal rights to education of ethnic minorities. Additionally, this research employs an exploratory method to investigate the four major conditions for the implementation of quality education for ethnic minorities, namely legal–political, economic, socio-cultural factors, and participation pride. We also investigate three main barriers that hinder SDG4 implementation and human rights practices, namely child labor, language, and gender inequality. The contribution of this study is necessary for establishing more informed strategies and policies towards sustainable development in education for multi-ethnic countries.
Exploring How Teachers Diagnose Student Conceptions about the Cycle of Matter
Authors: Hoppe Tobias , Renkl Alexander , Seidel Tina , Rettig Stephanie , Rieß Werner
Published: May 2020

Students need an understanding of ecosystem properties and functions to face global issues related to ecological crises and to grasp the challenges and necessary actions associated with the Sustainable Development Goals 12–15. When addressing complex ecological constructs, such as material cycles, diagnosing students’ pre-existing conceptions about such matters is crucial for making decisions about appropriate teaching strategies. In this study, we explored pre-service teachers’ (n = 63) and in-service teachers’ (n = 14) diagnostic skills in the context of education for sustainable development. To assess diagnostic skills, we showed teachers video-based clips from science lessons in which students express their alternative conceptions about material cycles. We found that teachers are generally able to notice students’ comments indicating their conceptions about ecological concepts that are relevant for sustainable development. However, the teachers had difficulties in interpreting the students’ comments correctly. This difficulty is a barrier to create effective lessons. Moreover, we identified teacher characteristics that could influence diagnostic skills. Our findings are discussed in the context of the role of diagnostic skills when teaching sustainable development goals. Finally, we present considerations on how teachers’ diagnostic skills could be promoted.
What is the Redline Water Withdrawal for Crop Production in China?—Projection to 2030 Derived from the Past Twenty-Year Trajectory
Authors: Huang Feng , Li Baoguo
Published: May 2020

The Chinese government set up a redline for water resources in 2011, mandating water withdrawals and management criteria to the year 2030. ‘How much water is required to produce sufficient crop to feed a 1.6 billion population in 2030?’ becomes a crucial question to be addressed. The objectives of this study are to: (1) document crop water use and productivity from 1998 to 2017 and (2) define the redline water withdrawal for crop use (REWCU) to 2030. The study inversely inferred REWCU from broadly-defined available water for crop use (BAWCU) and associated parameters. Of all BAWCU, 66.3% had been consumed by crops, in which rainfall-derived water consumption accounted for 71.7% of it, while the irrigation-derived water consumption represented the remaining 28.2%. Of all the rainfall that was available for crop use, 72.1%, or the rainfall depletion rate, had been actually consumed by crop evapotranspiration (ET). Likewise, 55.2%, or the irrigation depletion rate, had been consumed by crops. Crop water productivity (CWP) measured by crop yield per unit ET was computed for six major crop categories. Five broad scenarios have been formulated—business as usual, optimistic, deliberative optimistic, pessimistic, and deliberative pessimistic—under lower, higher, and average population and crop projections, respectively. The projected REWCU was 4166.30 × 108 m3, and the projected agricultural water withdrawal was 4629.22 × 108 m3 to 2030, representing 66.1% of the projected nationwide redline total water withdrawal (RETWW) of 7000 × 108 m3. The study used CWP and BAWCU to inversely infer REWCU since they reflect diverse biophysical and management factors and can be used as reliable proxies. Both methodology and research results may offer references and support when making nation- and region-wide water-for-food decisions by crop and water administrations.
Dual-Frequency Programmed Harmonics Modulation-based Simultaneous Wireless Information and Power Transfer System via a Common Resonance Link
Authors: Wu Jie , Zhang Hengyi , Gao Pengfei , Dou Zhifeng , Jin Nan , Snášel Václav
Published: May 2020

Most simultaneous wireless information and power transmission (SWIPT) systems currently operate at a single frequency, where the power and information transmission affect the resonance state of each other. This paper proposes a structure using dual-frequency programmed harmonics modulation (DFPHM). The primary-side inverter outputs a dual-frequency (DF) wave containing the power transmission and information transmission frequencies, while the DF wave is coupled to the secondary side through a common inductive link. After the power and information are transmitted to the secondary side, they are demodulated in different branches. Wave trappers are designed on each branch to reduce the interference of information transmission on power transmission. There is no tight coupling transformer in the system to inject information, so the system order is not high. Experiments verified that the proposed structure based on DFPHM is effective.
The Evaluation and Promotion Path of Green Innovation Performance in Chinese Pollution-Intensive Industry
Authors: Wang Caiming , Li Jian
Published: May 2020

Innovation driven green development has become the key to realizing the transformation and upgrading of pollution-intensive industries and the improvement of economic quality and efficiency in the new era. Based on the identification of pollution-intensive industries, this study evaluated the green innovation performance of Chinese pollution-intensive industry from 2014 to 2018 from two dimensions of transformation efficiency (static) and productivity (dynamic) using the SBM-Undesirable model and the Malmquist–Luenberger productivity index. The results found that: First, there is still a potential for 21.7% improvement in the transformation efficiency of green innovation in pollution-intensive industries, the productivity is increasing and presents a dynamic evolution characteristic of “Λ” shape and industry heterogeneity exists in both the transformation efficiency and productivity. Second, if energy conservation and pollution emissions reduction are not considered, the transformation efficiency of green innovation will be underestimated by 6.3 percentage points and the productivity overestimated by 1.3 percentage points. Finally, pollution-intensive industries can improve green innovation performance from three paths: Unilateral, stepping and jumping. Based on the research conclusions, to better promote the green transformation of Chinese pollution-intensive industries, we recommend increased investment in scientific research to promote the application and promotion of green technologies; strengthen the level of supervision and management to flexibly make use of environmental regulations; and change the concept of policy implementation to explore the diversity and complementarity of green innovation policies.
Genetic Relationships and Reproductive Traits of Romanian Populations of Silver Fir (Abies alba): Implications for the Sustainable Management of Local Populations
Authors: Todea Morar Irina Maria , Rensen Stephanie , Vilanova Santiago , Boscaiu Monica , Holonec Liviu , Sestras Adriana F. , Vicente Oscar , Prohens Jaime , Sestras Radu E. , Plazas Mariola
Published: May 2020

Assessment of the diversity of reproductive traits and genetic variation is of great relevance to the conservation of genetic resources and management of silver fir (Abies alba) populations. We have evaluated reproductive characteristics associated with female cones and seed morphology, as well as seed germination after subjecting seeds to five storage methods, in nine Romanian populations of A. alba. The genetic diversity of the populations was assessed with 12 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. We detected significant differences between populations for all reproductive traits and considerable differences in seed germination and storage methods; seed storage in wet sand was the method resulting in the highest germination in all populations. Genomic SSRs (gSSRs) were more informative on average than expressed sequence tag SSRs (EST-SSRs) in the populations studied. The nine populations were genetically diverse, with an average number of alleles (N) per SSR locus between 3.50 and 4.83. The observed heterozygosity (Ho) in the nine populations was always lower than the expected heterozygosity (He), which resulted in values of the inbreeding coefficient (Fis) between 0.261 and 0.709. Genetic distances between populations ranged between 0.077 and 0.410. The cluster analysis based on genetic distances did not group accessions according to their geographical proximity, and despite a positive trend, the correlation between geographic and genetic distances was non-significant. The results of an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that only 9.1% of the total molecular variance is attributable to differences between populations. This low degree of genetic differentiation between populations is confirmed by the intermingling of individuals of different populations in a principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). We found evidence of a positive relationship between He and germination, as well as a negative one between Fis and germination, suggesting that populations with low diversity and high consanguinity may have a reduced fitness and long-term viability. The results are relevant for the conservation and management of local genetic resources and populations, as well as for reforestation programmes of silver fir.
Population and Economic Projections in the Yangtze River Basin Based on Shared Socioeconomic Pathways
Authors: Zhu Min , Zhang Zengxin , Zhu Bin , Kong Rui , Zhang Fengying , Tian Jiaxi , Jiang Tong
Published: May 2020

The shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) were designed to project future socioeconomic developments as they might unfold in the absence of explicit additional policies and measures to limit climate forcing or to enhance adaptive capacity. Based on the sixth national population census and the third economic census data of China in 2010, this paper projects the population and economic conditions of the Yangtze River basin from 2010 to 2100 under the SSPs. The results showed that: (1) the population growth rate in most areas of the Yangtze River basin will decrease from 2021 to 2100. The population of the eastern Sichuan Province will decrease obviously, while it will increase obviously in Shanghai during this period. The population of the Yangtze River basin will decline from 2010 to 2100 under the SSPs except for SSP3; (2) The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in most regions will increase by more than CNY 30 billion (Chinese Yuan) compared with 2010 and the total GDP will continue to rise after 2020; (3) The population of the three major urban agglomerations will decrease from 2020 to 2100. However, the GDP of the three major urban agglomerations will increase year by year, among which the YRDUA (Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration) has obvious economic advantages. The GDP growth rate will maintain above 6% in 2020 under different SSPs, and then the growth rate will slow down or stall, even with negative growth in SSP1 and SSP4; (4) The GDP Per of the Yangtze River basin shows growth under different SSPs and it will maintain a growth rate of 6–9% until 2020. While the average annual growth rate of the SSP5 will be about 2.56% at the end of the 21st century, and it will remain at about 1% under other scenarios. This paper provides a scientific basis for the study of future population and socioeconomic changes and climate predictions for quantifying disaster risks.
Cohomology of Lie Superalgebras
Authors: Alvarez María Alejandra , Rosales-Gómez Javier
Published: May 2020

In this paper we compute the Betti numbers for complex nilpotent Lie superalgebras of dimension ≤ 5 .
Regression Tree Model for Predicting Game Scores for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association
Authors: Huang Mei-Ling , Lin Yi-Jung
Published: May 2020

Data mining is becoming increasingly used in sports. Sport data analyses help fans to understand games and teams’ results. Information provided by such analyses is useful for game lovers. Specifically, the information can help fans to predict which team will win a game. Many scholars have devoted attention to predicting the results of various sporting events. In addition to predicting wins and losses, scholars have explored team scores. Most studies on score prediction have used linear regression models to predict the scores of ball games; nevertheless, studies have yet to use regression tree models to predict basketball scores. Therefore, the present study analyzed game data of the Golden State Warriors and their opponents in the 2017–2018 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Strong and weak symmetry requirements were identified for each team. We developed a regression tree model for score prediction. After predicting the scores of each player on two teams, we summed and compared the predicted total scores to obtain the predicted results (lose or win) of the team of interest. The results of this study revealed that the regression tree model can effectively predict the score of each player and the total score of the team. The model achieved a predictive accuracy of 87.5%.
Occurrence of Microplastic Pollution at Oyster Reefs and Other Coastal Sites in the Mississippi Sound, USA: Impacts of Freshwater Inflows from Flooding
Authors: Scircle Austin , Cizdziel James V. , Tisinger Louis , Anumol Tarun , Robey Darren
Published: May 2020

Much of the seafood that humans consume comes from estuaries and coastal areas where microplastics (MPs) accumulate, due in part to continual input and degradation of plastic litter from rivers and runoff. As filter feeders, oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are especially vulnerable to MP pollution. In this study, we assessed MP pollution in water at oyster reefs along the Mississippi Gulf Coast when: (1) historic flooding of the Mississippi River caused the Bonnet Carré Spillway to remain open for a record period of time causing major freshwater intrusion to the area and deleterious impacts on the species and (2) the spillway was closed, and normal salinity conditions resumed. Microplastics (~25 µm–5 mm) were isolated using a single-pot method, preparing samples in the same vessel (Mason jars) used for their collection right up until the MPs were transferred onto filters for analyses. The MPs were quantified using Nile Red fluorescence detection and identified using laser direct infrared (LDIR) analysis. Concentrations ranged from ~12 to 381 particles/L and tended to decrease at sites impacted by major freshwater intrusion. With the spillway open, average MP concentrations were positively correlated with salinity (r = 0.87, p = 0.05) for sites with three or more samples examined. However, the dilution effect on MP abundances was temporary, and oyster yields suffered from the extended periods of lower salinity. There were no significant changes in the relative distribution of MPs during freshwater intrusions; most of the MPs (>50%) were in the lower size fraction (~25–90 µm) and consisted mostly of fragments (~84%), followed by fibers (~11%) and beads (~5%). The most prevalent plastic was polyester, followed by acrylates/polyurethanes, polyamide, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyacetal. Overall, this work provides much-needed empirical data on the abundances, morphologies, and types of MPs that oysters are exposed to in the Mississippi Sound, although how much of these MPs are ingested and their impacts on the organisms deserves further scrutiny. This paper is believed to be the first major application of LDIR to the analysis of MPs in natural waters.
Classical and Alternative Activation of Rat Microglia Treated with Ultrapure Porphyromonas gingivalis Lipopolysaccharide In Vitro
Authors: Memedovski Zylfi , Czerwonka Evan , Han Jin , Mayer Joshua , Luce Margaret , Klemm Lucas C. , Hall Mary L. , Mayer Alejandro M. S.
Published: May 2020

The possible relationship between periodontal disease resulting from the infection of gingival tissue by the Gram-negative bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) and the development of neuroinflammation remains under investigation. Recently, P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was reported in the human brain, thus suggesting it might activate brain microglia, a cell type participating in neuroinflammation. We tested the hypothesis of whether in vitro exposure to ultrapure P. gingivalis LPS may result in classical and alternative activation phenotypes of rat microglia, with the concomitant release of cytokines and chemokines, as well as superoxide anion (O2−), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), and matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9). After an 18-h exposure of microglia to P. gingivalis LPS, the concentration-dependent responses were the following: 0.1–100 ng/mL P. gingivalis LPS increased O2− generation, with reduced inflammatory mediator generation; 1000–10,000 ng/mL P. gingivalis LPS generated MMP-9, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α/CCL3), macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2/CXCL2) release and significant O2− generation; 100,000 ng/mL P. gingivalis LPS sustained O2− production, maintained MMP-9, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) release, and triggered elevated levels of MIP-1α/CCL3, MIP-2/CXCL2, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant 1 (CINC-1/CXCL-1), with a very low release of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). Although P. gingivalis LPS was less potent than Escherichia coli (E. coli) LPS in stimulating TXB2, MMP-9, IL-6 and interleukin 10 (IL-10) generation, we observed that it appeared more efficacious in enhancing the release of O2−, TNF-α, MIP-1α/CCL3, MIP-2/CXCL2 and CINC-1/CXCL-1. Our results provide support to our research hypothesis because an 18-h in vitro stimulation with ultrapure P. gingivalis LPS resulted in the classical and alternative activation of rat brain microglia and the concomitant release of cytokines and chemokines.
Behavioral, Physiological, Demographic and Ecological Impacts of Hematophagous and Endoparasitic Insects on an Arctic Ungulate
Authors: Joly Kyle , Couriot Ophélie , Cameron Matthew D. , Gurarie Eliezer
Published: May 2020

Animals that deliver a toxic secretion through a wound or to the body surface without a wound are considered venomous and toxungenous, respectively. Hematophagous insects, such as mosquitoes (Aedes spp.), meet the criteria for venomous, and some endoparasitic insects, such as warble flies (Hypoderma tarandi), satisfy the definition for toxungenous. The impacts of these insects on their hosts are wide ranging. In the Arctic, their primary host is the most abundant ungulate, the caribou (Rangifer tarandus). The most conspicuous impacts of these insects on caribou are behavioral. Caribou increase their movements during peak insect harassment, evading and running away from these parasites. These behavioral responses scale up to physiological effects as caribou move to less productive habitats to reduce harassment which increases energetic costs due to locomotion, reduces nutrient intake due to less time spent foraging, and can lead to poorer physiological condition. Reduced physiological condition can lead to lower reproductive output and even higher mortality rates, with the potential to ultimately affect caribou demographics. Caribou affect all trophic levels in the Arctic and the processes that connect them, thus altering caribou demographics could impact the ecology of the region. Broadening the definitions of venomous and toxungenous animals to include hematophagous and endoparasitic insects should not only generate productive collaborations among toxinologists and parasitologists, but will also lead to a deeper understanding of the ecology of toxic secretions and their widespread influence.
Delayed Release of Intracellular Microcystin Following Partial Oxidation of Cultured and Naturally Occurring Cyanobacteria
Authors: Greenstein Katherine E. , Zamyadi Arash , Glover Caitlin M. , Adams Craig , Rosenfeldt Erik , Wert Eric C.
Published: May 2020

Oxidation processes can provide an effective barrier to eliminate cyanotoxins by damaging cyanobacteria cell membranes, releasing intracellular cyanotoxins, and subsequently oxidizing these toxins (now in extracellular form) based on published reaction kinetics. In this work, cyanobacteria cells from two natural blooms (from the United States and Canada) and a laboratory-cultured Microcystis aeruginosa strain were treated with chlorine, monochloramine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, and potassium permanganate. The release of microcystin was measured immediately after oxidation (t ≤ 20 min), and following oxidant residual quenching (stagnation times = 96 or 168 h). Oxidant exposures (CT) were determined resulting in complete release of intracellular microcystin following chlorine (21 mg-min/L), chloramine (72 mg-min/L), chlorine dioxide (58 mg-min/L), ozone (4.1 mg-min/L), and permanganate (391 mg-min/L). Required oxidant exposures using indigenous cells were greater than lab-cultured Microcystis. Following partial oxidation of cells (oxidant exposures ≤ CT values cited above), additional intracellular microcystin and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were released while the samples remained stagnant in the absence of an oxidant (>96 h after quenching). The delayed release of microcystin from partially oxidized cells has implications for drinking water treatment as these cells may be retained on a filter surface or in solids and continue to slowly release cyanotoxins and other metabolites into the finished water.
Drug Resistance Prediction Using Deep Learning Techniques on HIV-1 Sequence Data
Authors: Steiner Margaret C. , Gibson Keylie M. , Crandall Keith A.
Published: May 2020

The fast replication rate and lack of repair mechanisms of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) contribute to its high mutation frequency, with some mutations resulting in the evolution of resistance to antiretroviral therapies (ART). As such, studying HIV drug resistance allows for real-time evaluation of evolutionary mechanisms. Characterizing the biological process of drug resistance is also critically important for sustained effectiveness of ART. Investigating the link between “black box” deep learning methods applied to this problem and evolutionary principles governing drug resistance has been overlooked to date. Here, we utilized publicly available HIV-1 sequence data and drug resistance assay results for 18 ART drugs to evaluate the performance of three architectures (multilayer perceptron, bidirectional recurrent neural network, and convolutional neural network) for drug resistance prediction, jointly with biological analysis. We identified convolutional neural networks as the best performing architecture and displayed a correspondence between the importance of biologically relevant features in the classifier and overall performance. Our results suggest that the high classification performance of deep learning models is indeed dependent on drug resistance mutations (DRMs). These models heavily weighted several features that are not known DRM locations, indicating the utility of model interpretability to address causal relationships in viral genotype-phenotype data.
An Elvitegravir Nanoformulation Crosses the Blood–Brain Barrier and Suppresses HIV-1 Replication in Microglia
Authors: Gong Yuqing , Zhi Kaining , Nagesh Prashanth K. B. , Sinha Namita , Chowdhury Pallabita , Chen Hao , Gorantla Santhi , Yallapu Murali M. , Kumar Santosh
Published: May 2020

Even with an efficient combination of antiretroviral therapy (ART), which significantly decreases viral load in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-positive individuals, the occurrence of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) still exists. Microglia have been shown to have a significant role in HIV-1 replication in the brain and in subsequent HAND pathogenesis. However, due to the limited ability of ART drugs to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) after systemic administration, in addition to efflux transporter expression on microglia, the efficacy of ART drugs for viral suppression in microglia is suboptimal. Previously, we developed novel poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based elvitegravir nanoparticles (PLGA-EVG NPs), which showed improved BBB penetration in vitro and improved viral suppression in HIV-1-infected primary macrophages, after crossing an in vitro BBB model. Our objective in the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of our PLGA-EVG NPs in an important central nervous system (CNS) HIV-1 reservoir, i.e., microglia. In this study, we evaluated the cyto-compatibility of the PLGA-EVG NPs in microglia, using an XTT (2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) assay and cellular morphology observation. We also studied the endocytosis pathway and the subcellular localization of PLGA NPs in microglia, using various endocytosis inhibitors and subcellular localization markers. We determined the ability of PLGA-EVG NPs to suppress HIV-1 replication in microglia, after crossing an in vitro BBB model. We also studied the drug levels in mouse plasma and brain tissue, using immunodeficient NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice, and performed a pilot study, to evaluate the efficacy of PLGA-EVG NPs on viral suppression in the CNS, using an HIV-1 encephalitic (HIVE) mouse model. From our results, the PLGA-EVG NPs showed ~100% biocompatibility with microglia, as compared to control cells. The internalization of PLGA NPs in microglia occurred through caveolae-/clathrin-mediated endocytosis. PLGA NPs can also escape from endo-lysosomal compartments and deliver the therapeutics to cells efficiently. More importantly, the PLGA-EVG NPs were able to show ~25% more viral suppression in HIV-1-infected human-monocyte-derived microglia-like cells after crossing the in vitro BBB compared to the EVG native drug, without altering BBB integrity. PLGA-EVG NPs also showed a ~two-fold higher level in mouse brain and a trend of decreasing CNS HIV-1 viral load in HIV-1-infected mice. Overall, these results help us to create a safe and efficient drug delivery method to target HIV-1 reservoirs in the CNS, for potential clinical use.
A Zero-Liquid Discharge Model for a Transient Solar-Powered Desalination System for Greenhouse
Authors: Akrami Mohammad , Salah Alaa , Dibaj Mahdieh , Porcheron Maxime , Javadi Akbar , Farmani Raziyeh , Fath Hassan , Negm Abdelazim
Published: May 2020

The need for sustainable desalination arises from fast-occurring global warming and intensifying droughts due to increasing temperatures, particularly in the Middle East and North African (MENA) regions. Lack of water resources has meant that the countries in these regions have had to desalinate seawater through different sustainable technologies for food supplies and agricultural products. Greenhouses (GH) are used to protect crops from harsh climates, creating a controlled environment requiring less water. In order to have a sustainable resilient GH, a zero-liquid-discharge system (ZLD) was developed by using solar still (SS) desalination techniques, humidification-dehumidification (HDH), and rainwater harvesting. An experiment was designed and carried out by designing and manufacturing a wick type solar still, together with an HDH system, implemented into a GH. Using a pyrometer, the solar intensity was recorded, while the microclimate conditions (temperature and relative humidity) of the GH were also monitored. The GH model was tested in the UK and was shown to be a successful standalone model, providing its water requirements. In the UK, for one solar still with a surface area of 0.72 m2, maximum amount of 58 mL of distilled water was achieved per day. In Egypt, a maximum amount of 1090 mL water was collected per day, from each solar still. This difference is mainly due to the differences in the solar radiation intensity and duration in addition to the temperature variance. While dehumidification generated 7 L of distilled water, rainwater harvesting was added as another solution to the greenhouse in the UK, harvested a maximum of 7 L per day from one side (half the area of the greenhouse roof). This helped to compensate for the less distilled water from the solar stills. The results for the developed greenhouses showed how GHs in countries with different weather conditions could be standalone systems for their agricultural water requirement.
Hydrochemical Characteristics and Ion Sources of Precipitation in the Upper Reaches of the Shiyang River, China
Authors: Zhang Zhiyuan , Jia Wenxiong , Zhu Guofeng , Ma Xinggang , Xu Xiuting , Yuan Ruifeng , Shi Yang , Yang Le , Xiong Hui
Published: May 2020

The Shiyang River Basin is located at the edge of the monsoon wind system of South and Southeast Asia. The hydrochemical characteristics of precipitation are influenced by both monsoon and arid regions. The regression analysis method, comparative analysis, neutralization factor (NF), enrichment factor (EF) and HYSPLIT4 were used to analyze the precipitation samples collected from the upper reaches of the Shiyang River from October 2016 to October 2017. In order to study the hydrochemical characteristics and ion sources of precipitation in this basin. The results, as discussed in this paper, show that the precipitation in the upper reaches of the Shiyang River is mildly alkaline all year round while the neutralization ability of Ca2+ and NH4+ in precipitation is strong. The ion concentration was higher in the dry season than that in the wet season, but the concentration of NH4+ was higher in summer. Furthermore, as the altitude increased, the electrical conductivity (EC) of the precipitation decreased gradually. Influenced by precipitation and rainy days, the wet deposition of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) was higher in the wet season than that during the dry season, and the wet deposition gradually increased with the elevation. In precipitation, the earth’s crust is a major source of Ca2+, K+ and Mg2+, the ocean is a major source of Cl−, the ocean and the earth’s crust are the sources of Na+, human activities are the main sources of SO42−, NO3− and NH4+, the amount of F− is very small, its sources are natural and human activities. Water vapor in precipitation mainly comes from westerly air mass circulation and monsoon circulation while the particles come mainly from the earth’s crust.
The Water Framework Directive and Agricultural Diffuse Pollution: Fighting a Running Battle?
Authors: Wiering Mark , Boezeman Daan , Crabbé Ann
Published: May 2020

In order to provide a common ground for the Special Issue ‘Water quality and agricultural diffuse pollution in light of the EU Water Framework Directive,’ this review sets out to provide a concise overview of the academic literature on two topics. First, we review the issues in the governance literature on the ‘wicked problem’ of diffuse agricultural sources focussing on three principles: (1) fragmentation and the distribution of power to address diffuse sources, (2) the problem of source-oriented and effect-oriented measures, and (3) contested knowledge for policies for diffuse sources. Second, we briefly sketch the literature on policy instruments and confront that with the scholarly understanding of addressing diffuse agricultural sources under the Water Framework Directive (WFD).