bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Does Energy Misallocation Affect Carbon Emission Efficiency in China? An Empirical Study Based on the Spatial Econometric Model
Authors: Chu Xiaoxiao , Geng Hong , Guo Wen
Published: April 2019

As an essential factor of production, energy is receiving increased attention. Yet, other than some fundamental policy suggestions towards China’s energy issues, there have been very few investigations into energy misallocation so far. The measurements of energy misallocation index and carbon emission efficiency were made based on the panel data from 30 provinces in China. To empirically study the impact of energy misallocation on carbon emission efficiency, a spatial econometric model was built. It is found that during the survey period, there was a certain degree of energy misallocation in all regions of China, and the differences between the regions were obvious. There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the impact of energy misallocation and carbon emission efficiency in which intensified allocation distortion accelerates the arrival of the critical point that is not conducive to energy conservation and emission reduction. The results viewed by regions show that due to a low degree o*f misallocation, the impact of carbon emission efficiency in the east region is positive, while that of the central and west regions are mostly negative. Accordingly, it is necessary to accelerate the marketization process of the energy market and improve the ecological quality.
Comparison of Assessment Systems for Green Building and Green Civil Infrastructure
Authors: Liu Tai-Yi , Chen Po-Han , Chou Nelson N. S.
Published: April 2019

The assessment systems for green building have been developed and implemented for decades. Well-known systems include the U.S. system LEED, the U.K. system BREEAM, the Canadian system GB tools, and the Japanese system CASBEE. These systems will be discussed and compared together with Taiwan’s EEWH system. Each assessment system may contain a different set of evaluation items to evaluate the sustainability level of a building project. Contrarily, the assessment system for green civil infrastructure projects is rarely discussed and developed globally. In Taiwan, studies have been conducted to develop a new assessment system with some reasonable key indicators and evaluation items, serving as the tool to evaluate the sustainability level of a green civil infrastructure project. In this paper, the authors studied and summarized different key indicators and evaluation items, and made comparisons among some major assessment systems for both green building and green civil infrastructure projects. Based on the comparison of the various assessment systems, it is found that greenery, recycling of materials, water conservation, carbon emission reduction, and energy saving are considered in both green building and green civil infrastructure assessment systems. Nevertheless, external building structure, energy consumption, healthy air and temperature, illumination of the indoor environment, rainwater recycling, and underground reservoirs are considered only in green building assessments, but not in green civil infrastructure assessments. Moreover, durability, benefits, landscape, humanities, culture, and creativity, which are discussed adequately in green civil infrastructure assessments, are not highlighted in green building assessments. In addition, two construction projects in Taiwan, one green building project and one green civil infrastructure project, are presented to exemplify sustainability practices and assessments.
Overview of Solid Backfilling Technology Based on Coal-Waste Underground Separation in China
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Zhang Jixiong , Wu Zhongya , Chen Yang
Published: April 2019

China is the world’s largest coal producer country. However, large-scale coal mining has led to severe environmental pollution issues such as surface subsidence and gangue piling up. The gangue discharging amount has ranked the first in the world and coal mine enterprises are facing enormous discharging reduction pressure. This paper summarizes the research progress of the solid backfilling mining technology and then illustrates the realistic demands and significance of implementing underground coal-waste separation. It also focuses on the technical principles, systems and key equipment of the common underground coal-waste separation methods, such as the selective crushing method, the dense medium shallow groove method, the vibro-assisted jigging method and full-size water separation method and ray identification method. In addition, the selection steps of underground coal-waste separation method, the design process of large section separation chamber and the design principle of separation and backfilling system are proposed, finally, the mining-separating-backfilling + X for coal mining is put forward. By combining the technology of mining-separating-backfilling with other technologies, such as gob-side entry retaining with non-pillar mining, gas extraction, solid waste treatment, water protection mining, mining under buildings, railways and water bodies, the integrated mining methods, mining-separating-backfilling + setting pillars, gas drainage, treatment, protection and prevention methods are formed. It also introduced the ‘mining-separating-backfilling + gas extraction’ technology’s whole idea, system arrangement, separation equipment and practical engineering application effects based on the specific engineering case of pingmei no. 12 coal mine. The results indicate that the integration of underground coal-waste separation and solid backfilling technology could achieve gangue discharging reduction, underground washing and surface subsidence control. It is effective at realizing green mining.
Big Data-Based Evaluation of Urban Parks: A Chinese Case Study
Authors: Xu Zening , Gao Xiaolu , Wang Zhiqiang , Fan Jie
Published: April 2019

Urban parks play a key role in urban sustainable development. This paper proposes a method for the evaluation of public parks from the perspective of accessibility and quality. The method includes the data extraction of urban park locations and the delineation of urban built-up areas. The processing of urban park data not only involves the extraction from digital maps, but also the classification of urban parks using a semi-automated model in ArcGIS. The urban area is identified using the Point of Interest (POI) data in digital maps, taking economic and human activities into consideration. The service area and its overlapped time is included in the evaluation indicators. With a clear definition of park and urban built-up area, the evaluation result of urban parks is of great comparability. Taking China as an example, the quality of urban parks in 273 prefecture-level cities has been evaluated. The results show that the average service coverage of urban parks in Chinese cities is 64.8%, and that there are significant disparities between cities with different population sizes and locations. The results suggest the necessity to improve public parks in small-and-medium sized cities and inland areas to strengthen the coordination of urbanization and regional development.
Protection of Design in the Textile Industry in Order to Improve the Economic Aspect of Sustainable Development of Serbia—Comparative Overview of the Laws of the European Union and Croatia
Authors: Ljubojev Nadežda , Dukić-Mijatović Marijana , Zakin Kavalić Mila , Stanisavljev Sanja , Cvijić Mirjana
Published: April 2019

The authors analyze the protection of industrial design in Serbia, with a comparative overview of the rights of the European Union (EU) and Croatia in industrial property law. In addition to the protection of registered design, the protection of unregistered design within the framework of industrial design rights is characteristic of the EU. The unregistered design is acquired without a formal registration procedure, an appropriate disclosure of public design in the EU area. Based on analogy, an initial premise can be established, whereby, after Serbia’s entering into the EU, as well as after joining the EU, physical and legal persons from Serbia will have at their disposal several different forms of industrial design protection and unregistered community design. This form of design protection can be significant for the fashion industry in Serbia characterized by a constant dynamic design change.
A Study on Changes to the Form of Children’s Playgrounds in Japan by Analyzing the JILA Selected Works of Landscape Architecture
Authors: Qin Qing , Nakamura Kazuhiko W. , Yamamoto Kiyotatsu , Shimomura Akio
Published: April 2019

The aim of this study is to present the varieties of changes to children’s playgrounds over the past 26 years, depicting the stages of the design process in designing playgrounds based on an adult perspective to encourage children to play more in today’s changing society. Fourteen Japanese selected works from 1992 (first issue) to 2018 (the latest issue) were chosen for analysis. By analyzing the titles, descriptions, ichnographies, photos, and critical design reviews, the form of and changes to children’s playgrounds are revealed in this paper. Results show the quantitative trends and qualitative changing patterns related to children’s play. Daily physical playing was considered crucial in the first decade of the 1900s. In the 2000s, natural education activities were given more importance, while in recent years exercise play and variety of play have been given more attention. According to the results, we have to consider not only the richness of daily playing facilities, but also the broader aspect of playability, more than just including natural elements into designs, or increasing the variety of play styles. The different ways children enjoy play and the future design trends are also discussed in the last part of the article. Changes corresponding to the improvement of technology should be made to make playgrounds more attractive for children. This study could serve as a design reference for professionals.
Signaling Trustworthiness to Stakeholders: International vs. Domestic Entrepreneurs
Authors: Virues Carmen , Velez Maria , Sanchez Jose M.
Published: April 2019

This study focuses on how domestic and international entrepreneurs convince stakeholders that they are trustworthy. Drawing on the signaling theory, this paper explores how both types of entrepreneurs send signals, displaying a specific behavioral pattern, in order to communicate information regarding their abilities, benevolence, and integrity. Thus, it analyzes whether international and domestic entrepreneurs signal, in a similar manner, their trustworthiness. Likewise, it explores whether there are differences depending on the stakeholder type and setting. We analyzed 16 different case studies, focusing on the point of view of the entrepreneur, suggesting a specific common set of relevant trustworthy antecedents, such as motives, alignment, interpersonal, functional, and specific competences. Our results identify two trustworthy patterns that show varying signals sent across stakeholders by each entrepreneur type. Our approach allows for identifying specific behavioral schemes for each stakeholder group.
The Influence of Digestate on the Static Strength of Spring Rapeseeds (Brassica napus var. arvensis)
Authors: Przywara Artur , Kachel Magdalena , Koszel Milan , Leszczyński Norbert , Kraszkiewicz Artur , Anifantis Alexandros Sotirios
Published: April 2019

Biogas production occurs during methane fermentation from organic substrates and the mass remaining after fermentation, containing organic matter and valuable minerals having regard to plant nutrition, forms the digestate, which could be useful for fertilizing purposes and very beneficial in the case of the fertilization of rapeseeds. This paper focuses on the use of two forms of fertilization of rapeseeds—digestate and mineral fertilizers—in order to reduce the compressive strength of rapeseeds. The object presents results of compressive strength tests of three rape varieties (Bios, Feliks, Markus). The uniaxial compression tests between two parallel planes were made using a Zwick/Roell Z005 testing machine. Comparative analyses for the analyzed variables were carried out applying parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. On the basis of the conducted research, it was found that the distribution of the increase in the force crushing Bios and Feliks rapeseed varieties in both forms of cultivation was proportional to the increase in their mass. However, with a relatively comparable mass of Bios cv. seeds, in the case of the digestate use, a stronger correlation was found between the seed pressing force and its mass than for the multi-component fertilizer, understanding the need to apply more force to crush the seeds for this form of cultivation. In the conducted tests, the average size of rapeseed diameters of all varieties and forms of cultivation ranged from 1.81–1.95 mm, which indicates their good suitability for industrial purposes.
Hardware-Based Adaptive Terrain Mesh Using Temporal Coherence for Real-Time Landscape Visualization
Authors: Lee Eun-Seok , Shin Byeong-Seok
Published: April 2019

In general, changes in society or the environment are expected depending on changes in terrain. The faster and more accurately these terrain changes can be observed, the faster and more accurately predictions can be made. Recently, three-dimensional (3D) terrain visualization programs, such as flight simulation, allow for interaction with various datasets to predict ecosystem influences in real time. Elaborate terrain data require a very large capacity. To render these large terrain data, the computing power of graphics devices cannot always satisfy the real-time conditions. Consequently, a large number of graphics devices in computing systems need to be replaced on a periodic basis. As the industry evolves, the replacement cycle of graphic devices shortens. To solve this problem, we present a novel acceleration approach for generating an adaptive terrain mesh using temporal coherence. By using our method, it is possible to prevent artifacts such as frame drop or screen flickering due to lack of computing power of the GPU in a specific viewing condition. Instead of generating the new terrain mesh on every frame, our method reuses the detail level of terrain mesh that was used in a previous frame. Therefore, it can maintain the frame coherency and improve the rendering speed. This allows the proposed method to more quickly provide more detailed information about the terrain to predict environmental changes more accurately on existing equipment. Thus, the proposed method can reduce the need to frequently replace GPUs. The proposed method can guarantee sufficient performance even with a resilient graphic device and can effectively slow down the replacement period of existing equipment.
Effect of Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio, Temperature, and Inoculum Source on Hydrogen Production from Dark Codigestion of Fruit Peels and Sewage Sludge
Authors: Reyna-Gómez Lirio María , Molina-Guerrero Carlos Eduardo , Alfaro Juan Manuel , Suárez Vázquez Santiago Iván , Robledo-Olivo Armando , Cruz-López Arquímedes
Published: April 2019

This paper studies the use of fruit peel biomass and waste sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Mexico as an alternative way of generating renewable energy. Using a Plackett–Burman experimental design, we investigated the effects of temperature, inoculum source, and the C/N (Carbon/Nitrogen) ratio on dark fermentation (DF). The results indicate that it is possible to produce hydrogen using fruit peels codigested with sewage sludge. By adjusting the C/N ratio in response to the physicochemical characterization of the substrates, it was revealed that the quantities of carbohydrates and nitrogen were sufficient for the occurrence of the fermentation process with biogas production greater than 2221 ± 5.8 mL L−1Reactor and hydrogen selectivity of 23% (366 ± 1 mL H2·L−1Reactor) at the central point. The kinetic parameters (Hmax= 86.6 mL·L−1, Rm = 2.6 mL L−1 h−1, and λ = 1.95 h) were calculated using the modified Gompertz model. The quantification of soluble metabolites, such as acetic acid (3600 mg L−1) and ethyl alcohol (3.4 ± 0.25% v/v), confirmed the presence of acetogenesis in the generation of hydrogen.
Analysis of Sustainable Transport for Smart Cities
Authors: Bamwesigye Dastan , Hlavackova Petra
Published: April 2019

For decades, transportation has been considered as a link to all aspects of life worldwide. In this case, the world’s natural environment, social well-being and economic development all usually depend on transportation systems. In most cases, safe, clean, sustainable and equitable transport systems help countries, especially in cities and urban centers, to thrive. However, a wide range of research shows that transportation systems in most of the cities and urban areas are unsustainable. In fact, some of these transportation systems are considered to be a threat to the environmental, social and economical aspects of future generations. In this perspective, therefore, changing such trends in transportation requires the collaboration of various stakeholders at regional, national and international levels. In this paper, therefore, a wide range of definitions of sustainable transport are discussed. More so, some of the aspects of smart transport for modern cities such as cycling and the role of women in sustainable transport were explored. With the aim of getting to the core of the subject, cases of women in bicycle transport, especially in the Netherlands and Germany compared to Kenya and Uganda are equally elucidated. Although not fully outlined, the idea of smart cities and sustainable transport have heterogeneous characteristics globally as discussed herein.
Biting the Bullet: Dealing with the Annual Hunger Gap in the Alaotra, Madagascar
Authors: Stoudmann Natasha , Reibelt Lena M. , Kull Christian A. , Garcia Claude A. , Randriamalala Mirana , Waeber Patrick O.
Published: April 2019

The hunger gap (the annual period of hardship when most crops are growing but not yet ready for harvest) remains a reality for many smallholder farmers throughout the globe. With a population largely relying on agriculture, and high poverty and malnutrition rates continuously afflicting the country, farmers in Madagascar are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of the hunger gap, further putting pressure on already fragile ecosystems. Using a case study in the Alaotra region, we examine the seasonal trends of climate and agricultural resource dynamics, as well as characterize farmers’ experiences of and strategies used in response to the hunger gap, in order to assess how conservation may better consider the hunger gap to align its objectives with local needs. Results show that farmers are vulnerable to climatic events during a large part of the year, exacerbating the impacts of the hunger gap. The hunger gap appears to have varying degrees of impact on communities around Lake Alaotra, linked to factors such as road quality and agrarian structures—for example, land tenure and size of parcels—contributing to growing environmental degradation. We end by discussing various past and present responses aimed at improving the resilience of farmers of the Alaotra region, including improved accessibility, agricultural intensification, and conservation agriculture.
A Multi-Objective Programming Approach to Design Feeder Bus Route for High-Speed Rail Stations
Authors: Guo Xiaole , Song Rui , He Shiwei , Hao Sijia , Zheng Lijie , Jin Guowei
Published: April 2019

The quality of route design can greatly affect the operational efficiency of feeder bus service for high-speed rail stations. A bi-objective optimization formulation is established to consider the trade-off between two conflicting optimization objectives, namely maximizing the travel demand that can be served and minimizing the feeder bus route length. The Pareto optimal solutions of the discrete mathematical formulation are generated by the exact ε-constraint method. We test the proposed approach with a numerical example on an actual size scale. The results indicate that the computational efficiency of the solution approach is encouraging, and a series of route design plans and location stop plans are generated simultaneously in a short time. A numerical example also shows that as the passengers’ maximum acceptable walking distance increases, more travel demand can be served when the route length does not change much. Benefits brought by increasing feeder bus route length are analyzed and the robustness of obtained solutions is verified. The comparison of our approach and an existing approach is also presented to demonstrate that our approach can generate better solutions.
Extended Nonstandard Neutrosophic Logic, Set, and Probability Based on Extended Nonstandard Analysis
Authors: Smarandache Florentin
Published: April 2019

We extend for the second time the nonstandard analysis by adding the left monad closed to the right, and right monad closed to the left, while besides the pierced binad (we introduced in 1998) we add now the unpierced binad—all these in order to close the newly extended nonstandard space under nonstandard addition, nonstandard subtraction, nonstandard multiplication, nonstandard division, and nonstandard power operations. Then, we extend the Nonstandard Neutrosophic Logic, Nonstandard Neutrosophic Set, and Nonstandard Probability on this Extended Nonstandard Analysis space, and we prove that it is a nonstandard neutrosophic lattice of first type (endowed with a nonstandard neutrosophic partial order) as well as a nonstandard neutrosophic lattice of second type (as algebraic structure, endowed with two binary neutrosophic laws: infN and supN). Many theorems, new terms introduced, better notations for monads and binads, and examples of nonstandard neutrosophic operations are given.
Testing Predictions of the Quantum Landscape Multiverse 3: The Hilltop Inflationary Potential
Authors: Di Valentino Eleonora , Mersini-Houghton Laura
Published: April 2019

Here we test the predictions of the theory of the origin of the universe from the landscape multiverse, against the 2015 Planck data, for the case of the Hilltop class of inflationary models, for p = 4 and p = 6 . By considering the quantum entanglement correction of the multiverse, we can place just a lower limit on the local ’SUSY-breaking’ scale, respectively b > 8.7 × 10 6 G e V at 95 % c.l. and b > 1.3 × 10 8 G e V at 95 % c.l. from Planck TT+lowP, so the case with multiverse correction is statistically indistinguishable from the case with an unmodified inflation. We find that the series of anomalies predicted by the quantum landscape multiverse for the allowed range of b, is consistent with Planck’s tests of the anomalies. In addition, the friction between the two cosmological probes of the Hubble parameter and with the weak lensing experiments goes away for a particular subset, the p = 6 case of Hilltop models.
Fluorescence Spectroscopic Investigation of Competitive Interactions between Quercetin and Aflatoxin B1 for Binding to Human Serum Albumin
Authors: Tan Hongxia , Chen Lu , Ma Liang , Liu Shuang , Zhou Hongyuan , Zhang Yuhao , Guo Ting , Liu Wei , Dai Hongjie , Yu Yong
Published: April 2019

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a highly toxic mycotoxin found worldwide in cereals, food, and animal feeds. AFB1 binds to human serum albumin (HSA) with high affinity. In previous experiments, it has been revealed that reducing the binding rate of AFB1 with HSA could speed up the elimination rate of AFB1. Therefore, we examined the ability of quercetin to compete with AFB1 for binding HSA by fluorescence spectroscopy, synchronous spectroscopy, ultrafiltration studies, etc. It was shown that AFB1 and quercetin bind to HSA in the same Sudlow site I (subdomain IIA), and the binding constant (Ka) of the quercetin-HSA complex is significantly stronger than the complex of AFB1-HSA. Our data in this experiment showed that quercetin is able to remove the AFB1 from HSA and reduce its bound fraction. This exploratory work may be of significance for studies in the future regarding decreasing its bound fraction and then increasing its elimination rate for detoxification. This exploratory study may initiate future epidemiological research designs to obtain further in vivo evidence of the long-term (potential protective) effects of competing substances on human patients.
Fumonisin Production by Fusarium verticillioides in Maize Genotypes Cultivated in Different Environments
Authors: Rosa Junior Oelton , Dalcin Mateus , Nascimento Vitor , Haesbaert Fernando , Ferreira Talita , Fidelis Rodrigo , Sarmento Renato , Aguiar Raimundo , Oliveira Eugenio , Santos Gil
Published: April 2019

Fumonisins are mycotoxins (MTs) produced mainly by the fungus Fusarium verticillioides, the main pathogens of maize which cause ear rot. The aim of this work was to evaluate some factors that may lead to high fumonisin production by F. verticillioides in maize grains, correlating the pathogen inoculation method with different genotypes grown in four Brazilian states. Experiments were conducted in 2015–2016 in maize crops from experimental maize fields located in four distinct states of Brazil. Results showed that contamination by fumonisin mycotoxins occurred even on symptomatic or asymptomatic grains. In all municipalities, the samples showed levels of fumonisin B1 that were higher than would be tolerable for the human consumption of corn products (the current tolerance limit for fumonisin is 1.5 μg g−1). High severity of grains infected with F. verticillioides does not always show high concentrations of fumonisins. Environments with higher temperatures may influence the production of high concentrations of fumonisin in maize hybrids. Spray inoculation methods and inoculation at the center of spikes did not influence fumonisin concentrations. Results showed that the hybrids P3630H, P32R48 and P3250 presented higher disease severity, as well as higher mycotoxin levels in the studied locations with higher temperatures.
Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Effects of Peptides from Venom of Social Wasp and Scorpion on Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: das Neves Rogério Coutinho , Mortari Márcia Renata , Schwartz Elisabeth Ferroni , Kipnis André , Junqueira-Kipnis Ana Paula
Published: April 2019

Intravascular stent infection is a rare complication with a high morbidity and high mortality; bacteria from the hospital environment form biofilms and are often multidrug-resistant (MDR). Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been considered as alternatives to bacterial infection treatment. We analyzed the formation of the bacterial biofilm on the vascular stents and also tested the inhibition of this biofilm by AMPs to be used as treatment or coating. Antimicrobial activity and antibiofilm were tested with wasp (Agelaia-MPI, Polybia-MPII, Polydim-I) and scorpion (Con10 and NDBP5.8) AMPs against Acinetobacter baumannii clinical strains. A. baumannii formed a biofilm on the vascular stent. Agelaia-MPI and Polybia-MPII inhibited biofilm formation with bacterial cell wall degradation. Coating biofilms with polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) and Agelaia-MPI reduced 90% of A. baumannii adhesion on stents. The wasp AMPs Agelaia-MPI and Polybia-MPII had better action against MDR A. baumannii adherence and biofilm formation on vascular stents, preventing its formation and treating mature biofilm when compared to the other tested peptides.
Paediatric Salmonellosis—Differences between Tropical and Sub-Tropical Regions of Queensland, Australia
Authors: Berger Daria , Smith Felicity , Sabesan Vana , Huynh Aimee , Norton Robert
Published: April 2019

Salmonellosis is an important cause of morbidity in tropical regions.This study aims to describe the epidemiology of non-typhoidal Salmonellae (NTS) in children presenting to public hospitals in Queensland, Australia, over the past 20 years, with a focus on differences between tropical and sub-tropical zones in the region. This is a retrospective and descriptive cohort study of 8162 NTS positive samples collected in 0–17-year-olds from the Queensland public hospital pathology database (Auslab) over a 20-year period from 1997 to 2016. There were 2951 (36.2%) positive NTS samples collected in tropical zones and 5211 (63.8%) in the sub-tropical zones of Queensland, with a total of 8162 over the region. The tropical zone contributed a disproportionately higher number of positive NTS samples by population sub-analysis. Of the specimens collected, 7421 (90.92%) were faecal, 505 (6.2%) blood, 161 (1.97%) urine, 13 (0.16%) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and 62 of other origin. Other categories of specimen types isolated include swab, fluid, aspirate, lavage, bone, tissue, isolate and pus, and these were not included in sub-analysis. The most commonly identified serovars were Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Virchow and Salmonella Saintpaul. This is the first and largest study that emphasises the high burden of invasive and non-invasive NTS infections resulting in hospital presentations in the paediatric population of tropical north Queensland, compared to the sub-tropics.
Thermodynamic Geometry of Yang–Mills Vacua
Authors: Bellucci Stefano , Tiwari Bhupendra Nath
Published: April 2019

We study vacuum fluctuation properties of an ensemble of S U ( N ) gauge theory configurations, in the limit of many colors, viz. N c → ∞ , and explore the statistical nature of the topological susceptibility by analyzing its critical behavior at a non-zero-vacuum parameter θ and temperature T. We find that the system undergoes a vacuum phase transition at the chiral symmetry restoration temperature as well as at an absolute value of θ . On the other hand, the long-range correlation length solely depends on θ for the theories with critical exponent e = 2 or T = T d + 1 , where T d is the decoherence temperature. Furthermore, it is worth noticing that the unit-critical exponent vacuum configuration corresponds to a non-interacting statistical basis pertaining to a constant mass of η ′ .
Drivers of Change in Urban Growth Patterns: A Transport Perspective from Perth, Western Australia
Authors: Kelobonye Keone , Xia Jianhong Cecilia , Swapan Mohammad Shahidul Hasan , McCarney Gary , Zhou Heng
Published: April 2019

The evolution of urban form is a slow and complex process driven by various factors which influence its pattern of occurrence (time, shape and directions) over time. Given the ever-increasing demand for urban expansion, and its negative effects on travel efficiency and environmental quality, it is imperative to understand the driving forces behind this complex process. This study investigates the role played by transport developments in the expansion of Perth’s urban footprint. Since transport developments are influenced by prevailing economic developments and planning regulations, our analysis starts by deconstructing a timeline of milestones under these three themes, from an urban land development perspective. An overview of the eras of transport evolution is provided, and we discuss the pattern of urban form changes as they relate to these transport advancements. The paper ends by mapping and quantifying changes in Perth’s urban land over the past five decades. The results show that transport had a strong influence on the pattern of urban expansion for a long time, but that trend has now been reversed. Rail constructions have been playing catch-up to residential expansion since the late twentieth century. Meanwhile, the rate of urban expansion has gone down in the twenty-first century, as the city goes for compact growth.
Mechanism of Action of Methotrexate Against Zika Virus
Authors: Beck Sungjun , Zhu Zhe , Oliveira Michelli F. , Smith Davey M. , Rich Jeremy N. , Bernatchez Jean A. , Siqueira-Neto Jair L.
Published: April 2019

Zika virus (ZIKV), which is associated with microcephaly in infants and Guillain-Barré syndrome, reemerged as a serious public health threat in Latin America in recent years. Previous high-throughput screening (HTS) campaigns have revealed several potential hit molecules against ZIKV, including methotrexate (MTX), which is clinically used as an anti-cancer chemotherapy and anti-rheumatoid agent. We studied the mechanism of action of MTX against ZIKV in relation to its inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) in vitro using Vero and human neural stem cells (hNSCs). As expected, an antiviral effect for MTX against ZIKV was observed, showing up to 10-fold decrease in virus titer during MTX treatment. We also observed that addition of leucovorin (a downstream metabolite of DHFR pathway) rescued the ZIKV replication impaired by MTX treatment in ZIKV-infected cells, explaining the antiviral effect of MTX through inhibition of DHFR. We also found that addition of adenosine to ZIKV-infected cells was able to rescue ZIKV replication inhibited by MTX, suggesting that restriction of de novo synthesis adenosine triphosphate (ATP) pools suppresses viral replication. These results confirm that the DHFR pathway can be targeted to inhibit replication of ZIKV, similar to other published results showing this effect in related flaviviruses.
Dew Yield and Its Influencing Factors at the Western Edge of Gurbantunggut Desert, China
Authors: Jia Zhifeng , Zhao Zhiqiang , Zhang Qianyi , Wu Weichen
Published: April 2019

Dew is a significant water resource in arid desert areas. However, information regarding dew is scarce because it is difficult to measure due to the harsh environment of locations such as Gurbantunggut Desert, China. In this study, a non-destructive field experiment was conducted from 2015 to 2018 at a desert test station located in the western edge of the Gurbantunggut Desert, using a calibrated leaf wetness sensor (LWS) to measure dew yield. The results are as follows: (1) Dew formed after sunset with the atmospheric temperature gradually dropping and evaporated after sunrise with the temperature increasing in the second morning. (2) Dew was featured as ‘high frequency and low yield’. The average daily dew yield during dew days was 0.10 mm with a daily maximum of 0.62 mm, while dew days accounted for 44% of the total monitoring days, with a monthly maximum of 25 days. Compared with rainfall, dew days were two times as frequent as rainy days, while the average annual dewfall (12.21 mm) was about 1/11th of the average annual rainfall (134.6 mm), which indicates the dew contribution to regional water balance is about 9%. (3) March–April and October–November are the main periods of dew occurrence in this region because accumulated snow begins to melt slowly in March–April, providing sufficient vapor for dew formation, and the air temperature difference between day and night in October–November is the highest in the year, meaning that the temperature drops rapidly at night, making it easier to reach the dewpoint for vapor condensation. (4) Daily dew yield (D) was positively correlated to relative humidity (RH) and the difference between soil temperature at 10 cm below the ground and surface soil temperature (Tss), and negatively correlated to wind speed (V), air temperature (Ta), surface soil temperature (Ts), cloud cover (N), dewpoint temperature (Td) and the difference between air temperature and dewpoint temperature (Tad). It should be noted that the measured values of all factors above were the average value of the overnight period. The multivariate regression equation, D = −0.705 + 0.011 × RH − 0.006 × N − 0.01 × V, can estimate the daily dew yield with the thresholds of the parameters, i.e., RH > 70%, N < 7 (oktas) and V < 6 m/s.
The Characterization of Microbial Communities Response to Shallow Groundwater Contamination in Typical Piedmont Region of Taihang Mountains in the North China Plain
Authors: He Ze , Ning Zhuo , Yang Mingnan , Huang Guanxing , Cui Haiwei , Wang Huiwei , Sun Jichao
Published: April 2019

Regional-scale nitrate and organic contaminants in the shallow groundwater were investigated in the Piedmont region of Taihang Mountains (PRTM), but the information of the microbial communities is limited. However, microorganisms provide a dominated contribution to indicate and degrade the contaminants in the aquifer. Therefore, this study investigates the microbial diversity and contamination microbial indicators of groundwater samples with different contaminated types to better understand the contamination in the PRTM. Seventy-six samples were collected between two rivers in the Tang-Dasha River Basin covering 4000 km2 in the PRTM. High-throughput sequencing was employed to determine the samples’ DNA sequences. The samples were divided into four groups: background (B), nitrate contamination (N), organic contamination (O) and organic-nitrate contamination (O_N) based on the cumulative probability distribution and the Chinese groundwater standard levels of NO3−, COD and DO concentrations. Then, the microbial diversity and contamination microbial indicators were studied in the four groups. The results showed that the O group exhibited lower diversity than other groups. Bacteria detected in these four groups covered 531 families, 987 genera, and 1881 species. Taxonomic assignment analysis indicated that Rhodobacter, Vogesella, Sphingobium dominated in the O_N group, N group, and O group, and accounted for 18.05%, 17.74%, 16.45% in each group at genus level, respectively. Furthermore, these three genera were identified as contamination microbial indicators to the three types of contamination, respectively. The results provide a potential molecular microbiological method to identity contamination in shallow groundwater, and established a strong foundation for further investigation and remediation in the PRTM.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration on Green Infrastructure for Urban Watershed Management: An Ohio Case Study
Authors: Shifflett Shawn Dayson , Newcomer-Johnson Tammy , Yess Tanner , Jacobs Scott
Published: April 2019

Many older Midwestern cities of the United States are challenged by costly aging water infrastructure while working to revitalize urban areas. These cities developed much of their water infrastructure before the Clean Water Act became law and have struggled to mitigate contaminant loading to surface waters. An increasingly common approach to resolving these challenges is the integration of green infrastructure with gray infrastructure improvements to manage point and non-point source pollution. Stakeholder engagement and collaboration during green infrastructure planning can help address impairments and promote community involvement through the revitalization process. Mill Creek watershed in Cincinnati, OH, USA has seen improvement in watershed integrity indicators after being impaired for many decades by flashy hydrology, combined sewer overflows, and water quality degradation. A workshop was conducted to examine how integrated green and gray infrastructure has contributed to improvements in Mill Creek over the past several decades. This effort sought to examine internal and external factors that influence a multi-stakeholder watershed approach to planning, implementing, and evaluating green infrastructure techniques. Community investment and physical infrastructure, access to datasets, and skills and knowledge exchange were essential in improving use attainment in the Mill Creek. Strategic placement of green infrastructure has the potential to maximize water quality benefits and ecosystem services. However, green infrastructure deployment has been more opportunistic due to the diversity of stakeholder and decision maker interests. Future work should consider collaborative approaches to address scaling challenges and workforce development to maximize green infrastructure benefits.
Estimates of Tillage and Rainfall Effects on Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in a Small Central European Agricultural Catchment
Authors: Zumr David , Jeřábek Jakub , Klípa Vladimír , Dohnal Michal , Sněhota Michal
Published: April 2019

In arable land, topsoil is exposed to structural changes during each growing season due to agricultural management, climate, the kinetic energy of rainfall, crop and root growth. The shape, size, and spatial distributions of soil aggregates are considerably altered during the season and thus affect water infiltration and the soil moisture regime. Agricultural topsoils are prone to soil compaction and surface sealing which result in soil structure degradation and disconnection of preferential pathways. To study topsoil infiltration properties over time, near-saturated hydraulic conductivity of topsoil was repeatedly assessed in a catchment in central Bohemia (Czech Republic) during three consecutive growing seasons, using a recently developed automated tension minidisk infiltrometer (MultiDisk). Seasonal variability of soil bulk density and saturated water content was observed as topsoil consolidated between seedbed preparations. Topsoil unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was lower in spring and increased in the summer months during two seasons, and the opposite trend was observed during one season. Temporal unsaturated hydraulic conductivity variability was higher than spatial variability. Cumulative kinetic energy of rainfall, causing a seasonal decrease in soil macroporosity and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, was not a statistically significant predictor.
Sensitivity of Storm-Induced Hazards in a Highly Curvilinear Coastline to Changing Storm Directions. The Tordera Delta Case (NW Mediterranean)
Authors: Sanuy Marc , Jiménez Jose A.
Published: April 2019

Extreme coastal storms, especially when incident in areas with densely urbanized coastlines, are one of the most damaging forms of natural disasters. The main hazards originating from coastal storms are inundation and erosion, and their magnitude and extent needs to be accurately assessed for effective management of coastal risk. The use of state-of-art morphodynamic process-based models is becoming standard, with most being applied to straight coastlines with gentle slopes. In this study, the XBeach model is used to assess the coastal response of a curvilinear sensitive deltaic coast with coarse sediment and steep slopes (intermediate-reflective conditions). The tested hypothesis is that changes in wave direction may cause large variations in the magnitude of storm-induced hazards. The model is tested against field data available for the Sant Esteve Storm (December 2008), obtaining an overall BSS (Brier Skill Score) score on the emerged morphological response of 0.68. Later, the 2008 event is used as baseline scenario to create synthetic events covering the range from NE to S. The obtained results show that storm-induced hazards along a highly curvilinear coast are very sensitive to changes in wave direction. Therefore, even under climate scenarios of relatively steady storminess, a potential shift in wave direction may significantly change hazard conditions and thus, need to be accounted for in robust damage risk assessments.
Dissolved and Particulate Organic Carbon in Icelandic Proglacial Streams: A First Estimate
Authors: Chifflard Peter , Fasching Christina , Reiss Martin , Ditzel Lukas , Boodoo Kyle S.
Published: April 2019

Here for the first time, we analyze the concentration of dissolved (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC), as well as its optical properties (absorbance and fluorescence) from several proglacial streams across Iceland, the location of Europe’s largest non-polar ice cap. We found high spatial variability of DOC concentrations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition during peak melt, sampling 13 proglacial streams draining the 5 main Icelandic glaciers. Although glacial-derived organic matter (OM) was dominated by proteinaceous florescence, organic matter composition was variable among glaciers, often exhibiting relatively higher aromatic content and increased humification (based on absorbance and fluorescence measurements) closer to the glacier terminus, modulated by the presence of glacial lakes. Additional sampling locations the in flow path of the river Hvitá revealed that while POC concentrations decreased downstream, DOC concentrations and the autochthonous fraction of OM increased, suggesting the reworking of the organic carbon by microbial communities, with likely implications for downstream ecosystems as glaciers continue to melt. Based on our measured DOC concentrations ranging from 0.11 mg·L−1 to 0.94 mg·L−1, we estimate a potential annual carbon release of 0.008 ± 0.002 Tg·C·yr−1 from Icelandic glaciers. This non-conservative first estimate serves to highlight the potentially significant contribution of Icelandic pro-glacial streams to the global carbon cycle and the need for the quantification and determination of the spatio-temporal variation of DOC and POC fluxes and their respective drivers, particularly in light of increased rates of melting due to recent trends in climatic warming.
Diethylene Glycol-Assisted Organized TiO2 Nanostructures for Photocatalytic Wastewater Treatment Ceramic Membranes
Authors: Ahmad Rizwan , Kim Jin Kyu , Kim Jong Hak , Kim Jeonghwan
Published: April 2019

A high-performance photocatalytic ceramic membrane was developed by direct growth of a TiO2 structure on a macroporous alumina support using a hydrothermal method. The morphological nanostructure of TiO2 on the support was successfully controlled via the interaction between the TiO2 precursor and a capping agent, diethylene glycol (DEG). The growth of anatase TiO2 nanorods was observed both on the membrane surface and pore walls. The well-organized nanorods TiO2 reduced the perturbation of the alumina support, thus controlling the hydrolysis rate of the TiO2 precursor and reducing membrane fouling. However, a decrease in the amount of the DEG capping agent significantly reduced membrane permeability, owing to the formation of nonporous clusters of TiO2 on the support. Distribution of the organized TiO2 nanorods on the support was very effective for the improvement of the organic removal efficiency and antifouling under ultraviolet illumination. The TiO2 nanostructure associated with the reactive crystalline phase, rather than the amount of layered TiO2 formed on the support, which was found to be the key to controlling photocatalytic membrane reactivity. These experimental findings would provide a new approach for the development of efficacious photocatalytic membranes with improved performance for wastewater treatment.
How far do we agree on the quality of translation?
Authors: Kunilovskaya Maria
Published: April 2019

The article aims to describe the inter-rater reliability of translation quality assessment (TQA) in translator training, calculated as a measure of raters’ agreement either on the number of points awarded to each translation under a holistic rating scale or the types and number of translation mistakes marked by raters in the same translations. We analyze three different samples of student translations assessed by several different panels of raters who used different methods of assessment and draw conclusions about statistical reliability of real-life TQA results in general and objective trends in this essentially subjective activity in particular. We also try to define the more objective data as regards error-analysis based TQA and suggest an approach to rank error-marked translations which can be used for subsequent relative grading in translator training.