bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrospinning of Polystyrene/Polyhydroxybutyrate Nanofibers Doped with Porphyrin and Graphene for Chemiresistor Gas Sensors
Authors: Avossa Joshua , Paolesse Roberto , Di Natale Corrado , Zampetti Emiliano , Bertoni Giovanni , De Cesare Fabrizio , Scarascia-Mugnozza Giuseppe , Macagnano Antonella
Published: February 2019

Structural and functional properties of polymer composites based on carbon nanomaterials are so attractive that they have become a big challenge in chemical sensors investigation. In the present study, a thin nanofibrous layer, comprising two insulating polymers (polystyrene (PS) and polyhydroxibutyrate (PHB)), a known percentage of nanofillers of mesoporous graphitized carbon (MGC) and a free-base tetraphenylporphyrin, was deposited onto an Interdigitated Electrode (IDE) by electrospinning technology. The potentials of the working temperature to drive both the sensitivity and the selectivity of the chemical sensor were studied and described. The effects of the porphyrin combination with the composite graphene–polymer system appeared evident when nanofibrous layers, with and without porphyrin, were compared for their morphology and electrical and sensing parameters. Porphyrin fibers appeared smoother and thinner and were more resistive at lower temperature, but became much more conductive when temperature increased to 60–70 °C. Both adsorption and diffusion of chemicals seemed ruled by porphyrin according its combination inside the composite fiber, since the response rates dramatically increased (toluene and acetic acid). Finally, the opposite effect of the working temperature on the sensitivity of the porphyrin-doped fibers (i.e., increasing) and the porphyrin-free fibers (i.e., decreasing) seemed further confirmation of the key role of such a macromolecule in the VOC (volatile organic compound) adsorption.
Reply: “Letter to the Editor Re: Billeaud et al. Nutrients 2018, 10, 690”
Authors: Billeaud Claude , Boué-Vaysse Carole , Couëdelo Leslie , Steenhout Philippe , Jaeger Jonathan , Cruz-Hernandez Cristina , Ameye Laurent , Rigo Jacques , Picaud Jean-Charles , Saliba Elie , Hays Nicholas P. , Destaillats Frédéric
Published: February 2019

We thank Bernard and colleagues for their careful reading and interest in our article Effects on Fatty Acid Metabolism of a New Powdered Human Milk Fortifier Containing Medium-Chain Triacylglycerols and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Preterm Infants [...]
Requirements of an Application to Monitor Diet, Physical Activity and Glucose Values in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: The Diameter
Authors: den Braber Niala , Vollenbroek-Hutten Miriam M. R. , Oosterwijk Milou M. , Gant Christina M. , Hagedoorn Ilse J. M. , van Beijnum Bert-Jan F. , Hermens Hermie J. , Laverman Gozewijn D.
Published: February 2019

Adherence to a healthy diet and regular physical activity are two important factors in sufficient type 2 diabetes mellitus management. It is recognized that the traditional treatment of outpatients does not meet the requirements for sufficient lifestyle management. It is hypothesised that a personalized diabetes management mHealth application can help. Such an application ideally measures food intake, physical activity, glucose values, and medication use, and then integrates this to provide patients and healthcare professionals insight in these factors, as well as the effect of lifestyle on glucose values in daily life. The lifestyle data can be used to give tailored coaching to improve adherence to lifestyle recommendations and medication use. This study describes the requirements for such an application: the Diameter. An iterative mixed method design approach is used that consists of a cohort study, pilot studies, literature search, and expert meetings. The requirements are defined according to the Function and events, Interactions and usability, Content and structure and Style and aesthetics (FICS) framework. This resulted in 81 requirements for the dietary (n = 37), activity and sedentary (n = 15), glycaemic (n = 12), and general (n = 17) parts. Although many applications are currently available, many of these requirements are not implemented. This stresses the need for the Diameter as a new personalized diabetes application.
Exclusive Enteral Nutrition: Clinical Effects and Changes in Mucosal Cytokine Profile in Pediatric New Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Rolandsdotter Helena , Jönsson-Videsäter Kerstin , L. Fagerberg Ulrika , Finkel Yigael , Eberhardson Michael
Published: February 2019

Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN) is the first-line treatment in children with Crohn’s disease (CD) for induction of remission. However, the mode of action remains conjectural. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the effect of EEN is paralleled by changes in the mucosal cytokine profiles (MCP). Twelve children with new onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) received induction treatment with a polymeric EEN. We assessed clinical, endoscopic and histologic scoring before and after EEN. Twelve colonic cytokines were analyzed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in six of the IBD patients at onset and after EEN as well as in six non-IBD control children at the diagnostic colonoscopy. Twelve children completed 6 weeks of EEN, except from one child who completed 4 weeks. At the control colonoscopy, 83% were in complete clinical remission. Changes were found in the MCPs of individual patients after EEN. In particular, children with IBD showed significantly higher values of Interleukin (IL)-12β (p = 0.008) and IL-23α (p = 0.02) compared to non-IBD controls at the diagnostic colonoscopy. Furthermore, an overall change in proinflammatory cytokines was noted in the IBD-group after treatment. Further studies are warranted to understand the role of EEN in MCP.
The Impact of Caffeine and Coffee on Human Health
Authors: Cornelis Marilyn C.
Published: February 2019

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world and is also a major source of caffeine for most populations [...]
Diurnal Patterns of Energy Intake Derived via Principal Component Analysis and Their Relationship with Adiposity Measures in Adolescents: Results from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey RP (2008–2012)
Authors: Palla Luigi , Almoosawi Suzana
Published: February 2019

Mounting evidence points towards the existence of an association between energy intake in the evening and an increased prevalence and risk of being overweight and of obesity. The present study aimed to describe diurnal eating patterns (DEP) in a nationally representative sample of UK adolescents and to relate the derived DEP to anthropometrical measures. Data from four-day food records of adolescents aged 11–18 years participating in the 2008–2012 UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (NDNS RP) was utilised. The DEP were derived using a principal component analysis on the correlation matrix. Three orthogonal diurnal patterns were interpretable as (i) a linear contrast (8% of total system variation) between breakfast and an earlier lunch vs. a later lunch, late dinner, and evening/night snack, renamed “phase shift” DEP; (ii) a linear contrast (6.0% of system variation) between midmorning snacks, late lunch, and early dinner vs. breakfast, early and late morning snacks, early lunch, midafternoon snacks, and late dinner, renamed “early eating and grazing” DEP; (iii) a linear contrast (6.0% of system variation) between late main meals vs. early main meals and night snacks which was renamed “early main meals and night snacks vs. late main meals” DEP. After the adjustment for confounders, every 1 unit increase in the “early main meals and night snacks vs. late main meals”’ DEP score was significantly associated with a 0.29 kg/m2 and 11.6 mm increase in Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference, respectively. There were no significant associations with the other two main DEPs. In conclusion, adolescents who tended to eat large early main meals and night snacks rather than slightly later main meals without night snacks had higher BMI and waist circumference. Further research is required to explore the determinants of DEP and to explore the impact of the context of eating and socioecological factors in the development of specific DEP.
1,4-Dihydropyridine Antihypertensive Drugs: Recent Advances in Photostabilization Strategies
Authors: De Luca Michele , Ioele Giuseppina , Ragno Gaetano
Published: February 2019

The 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) drugs are nowadays the most used drugs in the treatment of hypertension. However, all the structures in this series present a significant sensitivity to light, leading to the complete loss of pharmacological activity. This degradation is particularly evident in aqueous solution, so much so that almost all DHP drugs on the market are formulated in solid preparations, especially tablets. The first and main process of photodegradation consists in the aromatization of the dihydropyridine ring, after which secondary processes can take place on the various substituents. A potential danger can result from the formation of single oxygen and superoxide species that can in turn trigger phototoxic reactions. Several strategies for the photostabilisation of DHP drugs have been proposed in recent years, in particular with the aim to formulate these drugs in liquid preparations, as well as to limit any toxicity problems related to light degradation. This review summarizes and describes the main aspects of the studies conducted in recent years to obtain photostable formulations of DHP drugs.
AlphaGo, Locked Strategies, and Eco-Cognitive Openness
Authors: Magnani Lorenzo
Published: February 2019

Locked and unlocked strategies are at the center of this article, as ways of shedding new light on the cognitive aspects of deep learning machines. The character and the role of these cognitive strategies, which are occurring both in humans and in computational machines, is indeed strictly related to the generation of cognitive outputs, which range from weak to strong level of knowledge creativity. I maintain that these differences lead to important consequences when we analyze computational AI programs, such as AlphaGo, which aim at performing various kinds of abductive hypothetical reasoning. In these cases, the programs are characterized by locked abductive strategies: they deal with weak (even if sometimes amazing) kinds of hypothetical creative reasoning, because they are limited in what I call eco-cognitive openness, which instead qualifies human cognizers who are performing higher kinds of abductive creative reasoning, where cognitive strategies are instead unlocked.
RETRACTED: Morpho-Physiological and Proteomic Analyses of Eucalyptus camaldulensis as a Bioremediator in Copper-Polluted Soil in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alotaibi Modhi , Mohammed Afrah , Almutairi Taghreed , Elobeid Mudawi
Published: February 2019

The present investigation aimed to assess the impact of copper (Cu) stress on the physiological and proteomic behavior of Eucalyptus camaldulensis. E. camaldulensis is likely a potential phytoremediator in areas vulnerable to Cu contamination, such as the industrial areas of Riyadh. To realize this objective, young seedlings of E. camaldulensis were potted in an open area with soil comprised of clay and sand. Different doses of Cu (30, 50, and 100 µM) were applied to the plants as CuSO4·5H2O for 6 weeks. Plant growth was monitored during the Cu exposure period, and morphological and physiological indicators were measured once a week to determine the growth rates. A proteomics study was also conducted to find out the influence of Cu stress on proteins. Our results showed that growth was negatively affected by Cu treatment, particularly at the highest concentrations. Moreover, using a proteomic analysis showed 26 targets involved in protein expression. Elevated levels of Cu increased the expression of 11 proteins and decreased the expression of 15 proteins. Changes were detected in proteins involved in photosynthesis, translation, transcription, metabolism, and antioxidant enzymes. Our findings provided insights into the molecular mechanisms related to Cu stress, in addition to its influence on the morphological and physiological attributes of E. camaldulensis seedlings. This investigation aimed to characterize the mechanism behind the impact of Cu stress on the plant.
Profile Monitoring for Autocorrelated Reflow Processes with Small Samples
Authors: Fan Shu-Kai S. , Jen Chih-Hung , Lee Jai-Xhing
Published: February 2019

The methodology of profile monitoring combines both the model fitting and statistical process control (SPC) techniques. Over the past ten years, a variety of profile monitoring methods have been proposed and extensively investigated in terms of different process profiles. However, monitoring tasks still exhibit a primary problem in that the errors surrounding the functional relationship are frequently assumed to be independent within every single profile. However, the assumption of independence is an unrealistic assumption in many practical instances. In particular, within-profile autocorrelation often occurs in the profile data. To mitigate the within-profile autocorrelation, a monitoring method incorporating an autoregressive (AR)(1) model to cope with autocorrelation is proposed. In this paper, the reflow process with small samples in surface mount technology (SMT) is investigated. In Phase I, three different process models are compared in combination with the first-order autoregressive model, while an appropriate profile model is sought. The Hotelling T2 and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control charts are used together to monitor the parameter estimates (i.e., profile shape) and residuals (i.e., profile variability), respectively.
Biomaterial Implants in Abdominal Wall Hernia Repair: A Review on the Importance of the Peritoneal Interface
Authors: Gómez-Gil Verónica , Pascual Gemma , Bellón Juan M.
Published: February 2019

Biomaterials have long been used to repair defects in the clinical setting, which has led to the development of a wide variety of new materials tailored to specific therapeutic purposes. The efficiency in the repair of the defect and the safety of the different materials employed are determined not only by the nature and structure of their components, but also by the anatomical site where they will be located. Biomaterial implantation into the abdominal cavity in the form of a surgical mesh, such as in the case of abdominal hernia repair, involves the contact between the foreign material and the peritoneum. This review summarizes the different biomaterials currently available in hernia mesh repair and provides insights into a series of peculiarities that must be addressed when designing the optimal mesh to be used in this interface.
Saints, Hagiographers, and Religious Experience: The Case of Tukaram and Mahipati
Authors: Llewellyn J. E.
Published: February 2019

One of the most important developments in Hinduism in the Common Era has been the rise of devotionalism or bhakti. Though theologians and others have contributed to this development, the primary motive force behind it has been poets, who have composed songs celebrating their love for God, and sometimes lamenting their distance from Her. From early in their history, bhakti traditions have praised not only the various gods, but also the devotional poets as well. And so hagiographies have been written about the lives of those exceptional devotees. It could be argued that we find the religious experience of these devotees in their own compositions and in these hagiographies. This article will raise questions about the reliability of our access to the poets’ religious experience through these sources, taking as a test case the seventeenth century devotional poet Tukaram and the hagiographer Mahipati. Tukaram is a particularly apt case for a study of devotional poetry and hagiography as the means to access the religious experience of a Hindu saint, since scholars have argued that his works are unusual in the degree to which he reflects on his own life. We will see why, for reasons of textual history, and for more theoretical reasons, the experience of saints such as Tukaram must remain elusive.
Beyond Religious Rigidities: Religious Firmness and Religious Flexibility as Complementary Loyalties in Faith Transmission
Authors: Dollahite David C. , Marks Loren D. , Babcock Kate P. , Barrow Betsy H. , Rose Andrew H.
Published: February 2019

Research has found that intergenerational transmission of religiosity results in higher family functioning and improved family relationships. Yet the Pew Research Center found that 44% of Americans reported that they had left the religious affiliation of their childhood. And 78% of the expanding group of those who identify as religiously unaffiliated (“Nones”) reported that they were raised in “highly religious families.” We suggest that this may be, in part, associated with religious parents exercising excessive firmness with inadequate flexibility (rigidity). We used a multiphase, systematic, team-based process to code 8000+ pages of in-depth interviews from 198 Christian, Jewish, and Muslim families from 17 states in all 8 major religio-cultural regions of the United States. We framed firmness as mainly about loyalty to God and God’s purposes, and flexibility as mainly about loyalty to family members and their needs and circumstances. The reported findings provided a range of examples illustrating (a) religious firmness, (b) religious flexibility, as well as (c) efforts to balance and combine firmness and flexibility. We discuss conceptual and practical implications of treating firmness and flexibility as complementary loyalties in intergenerational faith transmission.
A Comparison of Robot Wrist Implementations for the iCub Humanoid †
Authors: Shah Divya , Wu Yuanqing , Scalzo Alessandro , Metta Giorgio , Parmiggiani Alberto
Published: February 2019

This article provides a detailed comparative analysis of five orientational, two degrees of freedom (DOF) mechanisms whose envisioned application is the wrist of the iCub humanoid robot. Firstly, the current iCub mk.2 wrist implementation is presented, and the desired design objectives are proposed. Prominent architectures from literature such as the spherical five-bar linkage and spherical six-bar linkage, the OmniWrist-III and the Quaternion joint mechanisms are modeled and analyzed for the said application. Finally, a detailed comparison of their workspace features is presented. The Quaternion joint mechanism emerges as a promising candidate from this study.
Separation and Recovery of Geophysical Signals Based on the Kalman Filter with GRACE Gravity Data
Authors: Wang Xiaolong , Luo Zhicai , Zhong Bo , Wu Yihao , Huang Zhengkai , Zhou Hao , Li Qiong
Published: February 2019

Monthly gravitational field solutions as spherical harmonic coefficients produced by the GRACE satellite mission require post-processing to reduce the effects of shortwave-length noises and north–south stripe errors. However, the spatial smoothing and de-striping filter commonly used in the post-processing step will either reduce spatial resolution or remove short-wavelength features of geophysical signals, mainly at high latitudes. Here, by using prior covariance information that reflects the spatial and temporal features of the geophysical signals and the correlated errors derived from the synthetic model, together with the covariance matrix of the formal errors for the monthly gravity spherical harmonic coefficients, we apply the Kalman filter to separate the geophysical signal from GRACE Level-2 data and simultaneously to estimate the correlated errors. By increasing the number of observations, the iterative process is applied to update the state vector and covariance in the Kalman filter because the prior information is not accurate. Due to the inevitable truncation error, multiple gridded-gain factors method considering different temporal frequencies has been developed to recover the geophysical signal. The results show that the Kalman filter can reduce the high-frequency noises and correlated errors remarkably. When compared with the commonly used filter, no spatial filter (such as Gaussian filter) is used in the Kalman filter. Therefore, the estimated signal preserves its natural resolution, and more detailed information is retained. It shows good consistency when compared with mascon solutions in both secular trend and annual amplitude.
Fusion of GNSS and Satellite Radar Interferometry: Determination of 3D Fine-Scale Map of Present-Day Surface Displacements in Italy as Expressions of Geodynamic Processes
Authors: Farolfi Gregorio , Piombino Aldo , Catani Filippo
Published: February 2019

We present a detailed map of ground movement in Italy derived from the combination of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometry. These techniques are two of the most used space geodetic techniques to study Earth surface deformation. The above techniques provide displacements with respect to different components of the ground point position; GNSSs use the geocentric International Terrestrial Reference System 1989 (ITRS89), whereas the satellite SAR interferometry components are identified by the Lines of Sight (LOSs) between a satellite and ground points. Moreover, SAR interferometry is a differential technique, and for that reason, displacements have no absolute reference datum. We performed datum alignment of InSAR products using precise velocity fields derived from GNSS permanent stations. The result is a coherent ground velocity field with detailed boundaries of velocity patterns that provide new information about the complex geodynamics involved on the Italian peninsula and about local movements.
NASA’s Early Adopter Program Links Satellite Data to Decision Making
Authors: Brown Molly , Escobar Vanessa
Published: February 2019

As the cost of satellite missions grow, government agencies are working to increase the relevance and usefulness of the Earth science data that they produce. The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) early adopter program seeks to formalize partnerships with users of data early within the satellite planning process to ensure the greatest value of the mission. Scientists who are designing the satellite observing system, those who are developing mission data products, and the community who will use them need to work together to determine how satellite data can better inform decision making. NASA is working to initiate engagement with data users much earlier in the satellite program life so that the user needs can be prioritized, continue to engage with users throughout the development cycle, and then include analysis on societal impact after nominal mission life. The Early Adopter Program allows for broad and early engagement with decision makers by encouraging individuals and institutions with clear uses of data to engage with the mission. Early adopters facilitate feedback on mission products during pre-launch and accelerate the utilization of these products post-launch. This paper provides background and detail on how NASA is working to engage with early adopters, describes the partnership between early adopters and NASA missions, and connects the program to improved societal impacts of its satellite missions.
Monte Carlo Analysis of Optical Interactions in Reflectance and Transmittance Finger Photoplethysmography
Authors: Chatterjee Subhasri , Kyriacou Panayiotis A.
Published: February 2019

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a non-invasive photometric technique that measures the volume changes in arterial blood. Recent studies have reported limitations in developing and optimising PPG-based sensing technologies due to unavailability of the fundamental information such as PPG-pathlength and penetration depth in a certain region of interest (ROI) in the human body. In this paper, a robust computational model of a dual wavelength PPG system was developed using Monte Carlo technique. A three-dimensional heterogeneous volume of a specific ROI (i.e., human finger) was exposed at the red (660 nm) and infrared (940 nm) wavelengths in the reflectance and transmittance modalities of PPG. The optical interactions with the individual pulsatile and non-pulsatile tissue-components were demonstrated and the optical parameters (e.g., pathlength, penetration depth, absorbance, reflectance and transmittance) were investigated. Results optimised the source-detector separation for a reflectance finger-PPG sensor. The analysis with the recorded absorbance, reflectance and transmittance confirmed the maximum and minimum impact of the dermis and bone tissue-layers, respectively, in the formation of a PPG signal. The results presented in the paper provide the necessary information to develop PPG-based transcutaneous sensors and to understand the origin of the ac and dc components of the PPG signal.
Cross-Device Computation Coordination for Mobile Collocated Interactions with Wearables
Authors: Yoon Hyoseok , Shin Choonsung
Published: February 2019

Mobile devices, wearables and Internet-of-Things are crammed into smaller form factors and batteries, yet they encounter demanding applications such as big data analysis, data mining, machine learning, augmented reality and virtual reality. To meet such high demands in the multi-device ecology, multiple devices should communicate collectively to share computation burdens and stay energy-efficient. In this paper, we present a cross-device computation coordination method for scenarios of mobile collocated interactions with wearables. We formally define a cross-device computation coordination problem and propose a method for solving this problem. Lastly, we demonstrate the feasibility of our approach through experiments and exemplar cases using 12 commercial Android devices with varying computation capabilities.
Ladies, Gentlemen and Guys: The Gender Politics of Politeness
Authors: Pelden Sonam , Reid Boyd Elizabeth , Grobbelaar Madalena , Adusei-Asante Kwadwo , Hopkins Lucy
Published: February 2019

Are there ladies and gentlemen in the 21st century? Do we need them? In the 20th century, lady became particularly unpopular with second wave feminists, who preferred ‘woman’. Gentleman was seen as similarly politically incorrect: class, race and culture bound. Following previous research on the word lady, we explore here some current evocations and debates around these words. We consider how the more casual, etymologically gendered term ‘guy’ has been utilized for men and women, and how it functions to reflect and obscure gender. While the return of the lady might be considered a consumer fad, a neo-conservative post-feminist backlash, or nostalgia for an elite ‘polite society’, it also offers an opportunity for a deeper discussion about civility as part of a broader conversation that is gaining impetus in the Western world. Politeness is personal and political. Whilst evidence for a comeback of the gentleman is limited, we critically consider the re-emergence of the lady as reflecting a deeper desire for applied sexual and social ethics. Such gender ethics have global, social and cultural ramifications that we ought not to underestimate. The desire for a culture of civility is gaining momentum as we are increasingly confronted with the violent consequences of a culture without it.
The Importance of Public Transport for Mobility and Everyday Activities among Rural Residents
Authors: Berg Jessica , Ihlström Jonas
Published: February 2019

A lack of transport opportunities has been shown to be a barrier for accessibility and social inclusion in contemporary society. In rural and sparsely populated areas, access to public transport is often poor compared to urban areas, leading to fewer possibilities to participate in normal relationships and activities among rural dwellers. Based on qualitative interviews with rural dwellers in Sweden, the aim of this study was to explore how access to transport can meet the needs of mobility and activity participation in everyday life and how different modes of transport are being used. The study has been permeated by the time-geographical perspective, which considers people’s use of time and space and the restrictions they face in order to carry out activities, including travel. The results show that travel by private car plays a central role in realizing everyday activities for rural dwellers, as well as a perception of the car as being the norm in contemporary society. Frequent car use is the consequence of a combination of time-space restrictions, habit, and a lack of services, activities, and public transport in rural areas. Poor public transport services limit children’s and adolescents’ independent mobility in particular. Further, the physical environment influences the ability to use public transport, for example if roads and bus stops are seen as unsafe. Based on the results of the study, several measures and improvements are proposed that could increase mobility and accessibility in rural areas and reduce car dependency.
Native History and Nation Building on Personal Online Platform: Implications in Hong Kong Context
Authors: Li Simin
Published: February 2019

Nationalism in the era of social media is more complex and presents new opportunities and challenges in different levels and contexts. Therefore, the paper hopes to contribute to understanding the roles of social media in identity presentation and formation in a transition society. Writing on Facebook is a civil practice. Thus, it chooses a typical and clear-cut Facebook fan page “Hong Kong National History” run by a nationalist and followed by over 5700 fans as a case study. Posts of the fan page are collected from 1 April to 31 December in 2017, and it analyzes the contents and forms of posts with content analysis. Then, the self-made digital publication “Hong Kong People’s History of the Thousand Years” attached to the fan page is analyzed with narrative analysis. Through the personal systematic discourses, this paper presents a special mode of user-generated content online and a civic Hong Kong story.
Nutritional Knowledge and Dietary Practice in Elite 24-Hour Ultramarathon Runners: A Brief Report
Authors: Citarella Roberto , Itani Leila , Intini Vito , Zucchinali Gregorio , Scevaroli Stefano , Kreidieh Dima , Tannir Hana , El Masri Dana , El Ghoch Marwan
Published: February 2019

Several factors contribute to athletes’ sporting performance and diet is a key component. Higher levels of nutritional knowledge seem to correlate with a higher quality of diet, but this remains poorly explored and findings are still not conclusive. The aim of our study was to assess nutritional knowledge and dietary adequacy, detecting any potential association between these two factors in elite 24-hour ultramarathon runners, a sport which seems to have been increasing in popularity over the last decade. Nutritional knowledge and Mediterranean dietary adequacy scores were assessed by means of validated questionnaires given to 10 elite ultramarathon runners (six males and four females) from the Italian Ultramarathon and Trail Association (IUTA). The overall nutritional knowledge in the entire sample of athletes seemed to be good, especially in terms of “dietary recommendations” and “nutrient sources” knowledge. However, females had higher total nutritional knowledge scores when compared to males. Finally, linear regression analysis showed that greater nutritional knowledge was positively associated with an increase in Mediterranean dietary adequacy scores (β = 1.27; 95% CI = 0.039–2.494; p = 0.045) after adjusting for level of education. Our findings provide evidence that higher nutritional knowledge is associated with better dietary practice in elite 24-hour ultramarathon runners. Future studies are needed to assess the usefulness of educational programs as a strategy to improve the adequacy of dietary intake in this specific population.
Emission Tax and Compensation Subsidy with Cross-Industry Pollution
Authors: Cheng Kuang-Feng , Tsai Chien-Shu , Hsu Chu-Chuan , Lin Szu-Chung , Tsai Ting-Chung , Lee Jen-Yao
Published: February 2019

This paper establishes a cross-industry pollution externality model. To explain a benevolent government, it may be possible to tax part of the welfare gains and use the revenue to compensate the affected polluted industry for the damage cost, thereby improving welfare. We show that the social welfare under emission tax with production subsidy is higher than the results of emission tax without production subsidy. The welfare of the polluted sector under emissions trading will be lower than the results of unbalanced budget environmental policy with subsidy. The welfare of the polluted labor union under lobby for compensation will be higher than the results of environmental policy with subsidy if the pollution damage and the weight on political contributions are sufficiently high.
Shades of Green: Life Cycle Assessment of a Urethane Methacrylate/Unsaturated Polyester Resin System for Composite Materials
Authors: Chard Jonathon M. , Basson Lauren , Creech Gavin , Jesson David A. , Smith Paul A.
Published: February 2019

Bio-derived fibres and resins are of increasing interest as alternatives to petrochemicals in the production of so-called environmentally friendly composite materials. However, whilst the majority of systems consider complete replacement, another route is to look at the constituents that are required to give certain properties, including the content of diluents; a third is to identify ‘hot spots’ in manufacturing. This paper considers these three possibilities in the context of the production of a resin system, and presents results from a life cycle assessment. The aim of this study was to make qualitative assertions based on quantitative estimates. The current work provides a practical assessment of the contribution of the manufacturing process of a multi-part resin formulation to a range of environmental impacts. As a part of this, a multi-stage methodology, the first of its kind, which is more relevant for the batch processes used to manufacture many structural thermosetting polymer systems, was developed. This was applied to a range of resins, some of which include bio-mass derived precursors. For the boundary conditions used, the indications are that the impacts due to taking the constituents and processing them to produce the resin system are insignificant compared with those due to producing the feedstocks in the first place. Surprisingly, whether the feedstocks were from fossil resources or were bioderived was of little significance. As a consequence of the analysis, it has been demonstrated that whilst a manufacturer can make significant savings through careful management of plant and the supporting energy mix, significant improvements to the environmental impacts of resin systems can be made through the choice of particular monomers.
Eating Well with Organic Food: Everyday (Non-Monetary) Strategies for a Change in Food Paradigms: Findings from Andalusia, Spain
Authors: Gallar Hernández David , Saracho-Domínguez Helena , Rivera-Ferré Marta , Vara-Sánchez Isabel
Published: February 2019

In the context of nutritional disaffection with a dominant food and agricultural system and the social questioning of everyday nutritional habits, we studied what Eating Well means to people and what role organic food plays in their lives. We conducted 11 discussion groups that were carried out in Andalusia, Spain; participants had different socio-demographic characteristics—they lived in either rural or urban areas, had different purchasing channels, and practiced varying degrees of organic food consumption. The investigation revealed (1) the motives and limitations for the consumption of organic foods, as perceived by the consumers of organic foods, and (2) the everyday strategies practiced to overcome these limitations. In both cases, this research transcends the classical analyses focused on the price of a product, when proposing a framework for alternative strategies that are based on the ordinary knowledge and practices of the consumers, by looking at consumption through an integrated lens that is rooted in the notion of what consumers consider to be Eating Well. This study shows that Eating Well—according to the criteria of the consumers and the implemented strategies—breaks from the dichotomous or exclusive focus on economic or ideological motives, and revalues feminine and rural knowledge and practices, for a comprehensive management of nutrition.
Effect of Freeze–Thaw Cycles on Phosphorus Fractions and Their Availability in Biochar-Amended Mollisols of Northeast China (Laboratory Experiment)
Authors: Han Ying , Chen Xiangwei , Choi Byoungkoo
Published: February 2019

Freeze–thaw cycles stimulate the release of available soil phosphorus (P) in winter, and biochar as a soil amendment could improve P availability. Nevertheless, it is unclear how freeze–thaw cycles and biochar amendment interact to affect the soil P fractions and their availability in winter, particularly under different soil water conditions. We simulateda freeze–thaw cycle experimentto assess the effects of three factors on soil P fractions: soil moisture content (22%, 31%, and 45%), frequencies of freeze–thaw cycles (0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 times) and biochar amendment (soil and biochar-amended soil). Modified Hedley sequential P fractionation was conducted to measure the soil P fractions. Increasing the number of freeze–thaw cycles increased soil labile P fractions in the soil with the lowest moisture content (22%). After biochar amendment, the content of labile P decreased as the number of freeze–thaw cycles increased. Biochar amendment enhanced P availability in Mollisols owing to the direct effect of NaOH-Po, which has a large direct path coefficient. Principal components analysis showed that moisture content was a major factor influencing the variation in the P fractions. The P fractions were separated by the interactive effects of biochar amendment and freeze–thaw cycles in soils with a higher moisture content (45%), indicating that the effects of freeze–thaw cycles on P availability appear to be more pronounced in biochar-amended Mollisols of higher water contents.
Ownership Reduction in State-Owned Enterprises and Corporate Social Responsibility: Perspective from Secondary Privatization in China
Authors: Khan Farman Ullah , Zhang Junrui , Usman Muhammad , Badulescu Alina , Sial Muhammad Safdar
Published: February 2019

As an emerging economy, China modernized its economy via split-share structure reform. This reform changed the nature of ownership in state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Following this reform, we investigated the research question concerning how reductions in state ownership affect the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of listed firms. This study tests the hypotheses using data of Chinese listed firms between 2010 and 2015. Applying multiple regressions, we found a negative association between state reductions and CSR performance. We contribute to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence that those firms which reduce state holdings are not taking CSR activities seriously. Our study also sheds light on the worthiness and prominent status of large state owners of SOEs, as they are more likely to engage in social activities. This study provides fruitful implications for policy-makers and practitioners about state holdings, which may either hinder or enhance the corporate social performance.
Spatial Competition in the Iowa Corn Market: Informing the Pricing Behavior of Corporate and Cooperative Grain Merchants
Authors: Grashuis Jasper
Published: February 2019

We study spatial competition in the agricultural input procurement sector by explaining variability in corn cash price offers from grain merchants in Iowa. While rail access, river access, size, and ethanol production exhibit the expected positive relationships to corn cash prices, the impact of ownership structure (corporate or cooperative) is complex. Taking distance-based and density-based approaches to spatial competition, we find corporate and cooperative grain merchants differ in their pricing behavior when confronted with spatial competitors. Consistent with theoretical expectations, cooperative grain merchants play a yardstick role in relation to both corporate and cooperative grain merchants.
Relationship between Motor Laterality and Aggressive Behavior in Sheepdogs
Authors: Siniscalchi Marcello , Bertino Daniele , d’Ingeo Serenella , Quaranta Angelo
Published: February 2019

Sheepdogs’ visuospatial abilities, their control of prey-driven behavior and their motor functions are essential characteristics for success in sheepdog trials. We investigated the influence of laterality on 15 sheepdogs’ (Canis familiaris) spontaneous turning motor pattern around a herd and on their behavior during the first encounter with sheep in a training session. The most relevant finding of this research was that the dogs displayed significantly more aggressive behavior toward the sheep when turning in a counterclockwise direction around the herd. Considering that in counterclockwise turns the sheep were in the dogs’ left visual hemifield, the high frequency of aggressions registered during counterclockwise turns suggests right hemisphere main activation. Overall, our results revealed the existence of a relationship between motor lateralization and aggressive behavior in dogs during sheepdog training and have practical implications for sheepdog training.
Continuous Wavelet Transform of Schwartz Tempered Distributions in S′ (

R
n

)
Authors: Pandey Jagdish Narayan , Maurya Jay Singh , Upadhyay Santosh Kumar , Srivastava Hari Mohan
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we define a continuous wavelet transform of a Schwartz tempered distribution f ∈ S ′ ( R n ) with wavelet kernel ψ ∈ S ( R n ) and derive the corresponding wavelet inversion formula interpreting convergence in the weak topology of S ′ ( R n ) . It turns out that the wavelet transform of a constant distribution is zero and our wavelet inversion formula is not true for constant distribution, but it is true for a non-constant distribution which is not equal to the sum of a non-constant distribution with a non-zero constant distribution.
Some Real-Life Applications of a Newly Constructed Derivative Free Iterative Scheme
Authors: Behl Ramandeep , Salimi M. , Ferrara M. , Sharifi S. , Alharbi Samaher Khalaf
Published: February 2019

In this study, we present a new higher-order scheme without memory for simple zeros which has two major advantages. The first one is that each member of our scheme is derivative free and the second one is that the present scheme is capable of producing many new optimal family of eighth-order methods from every 4-order optimal derivative free scheme (available in the literature) whose first substep employs a Steffensen or a Steffensen-like method. In addition, the theoretical and computational properties of the present scheme are fully investigated along with the main theorem, which demonstrates the convergence order and asymptotic error constant. Moreover, the effectiveness of our scheme is tested on several real-life problems like Van der Waal’s, fractional transformation in a chemical reactor, chemical engineering, adiabatic flame temperature, etc. In comparison with the existing robust techniques, the iterative methods in the new family perform better in the considered test examples. The study of dynamics on the proposed iterative methods also confirms this fact via basins of attraction applied to a number of test functions.
Time Series ARIMA Model for Prediction of Daily and Monthly Average Global Solar Radiation: The Case Study of Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Alsharif Mohammed H. , Younes Mohammad K. , Kim Jeong
Published: February 2019

Forecasting solar radiation has recently become the focus of numerous researchers due to the growing interest in green energy. This study aims to develop a seasonal auto-regressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model to predict the daily and monthly solar radiation in Seoul, South Korea based on the hourly solar radiation data obtained from the Korean Meteorological Administration over 37 years (1981–2017). The goodness of fit of the model was tested against standardized residuals, the autocorrelation function, and the partial autocorrelation function for residuals. Then, model performance was compared with Monte Carlo simulations by using root mean square errors and coefficient of determination (R2) for evaluation. In addition, forecasting was conducted by using the best models with historical data on average monthly and daily solar radiation. The contributions of this study can be summarized as follows: (i) a time series SARIMA model is implemented to forecast the daily and monthly solar radiation of Seoul, South Korea in consideration of the accuracy, suitability, adequacy, and timeliness of the collected data; (ii) the reliability, accuracy, suitability, and performance of the model are investigated relative to those of established tests, standardized residual, autocorrelation function (ACF), and partial autocorrelation function (PACF), and the results are compared with those forecasted by the Monte Carlo method; and (iii) the trend of monthly solar radiation in Seoul for the coming years is analyzed and compared on the basis of the solar radiation data obtained from KMS over 37 years. The results indicate that (1,1,2) the ARIMA model can be used to represent daily solar radiation, while the seasonal ARIMA (4,1,1) of 12 lags for both auto-regressive and moving average parts can be used to represent monthly solar radiation. According to the findings, the expected average monthly solar radiation ranges from 176 to 377 Wh/m2.
Explicit Integrator of Runge-Kutta Type for Direct Solution of u(4) = f(x, u, u′, u″)
Authors: Ghawadri Nizam , Senu Norazak , Adel Fawzi Firas , Ismail Fudziah , Ibrahim Zarina Bibi
Published: February 2019

The primary contribution of this work is to develop direct processes of explicit Runge-Kutta type (RKT) as solutions for any fourth-order ordinary differential equation (ODEs) of the structure u ( 4 ) = f ( x , u , u ′ , u ″ ) and denoted as RKTF method. We presented the associated B-series and quad-colored tree theory with the aim of deriving the prerequisites of the said order. Depending on the order conditions, the method with algebraic order four with a three-stage and order five with a four-stage denoted as RKTF4 and RKTF5 are discussed, respectively. Numerical outcomes are offered to interpret the accuracy and efficacy of the new techniques via comparisons with various currently available RK techniques after converting the problems into a system of first-order ODE systems. Application of the new methods in real-life problems in ship dynamics is discussed.
Model-Based Approach to Engineering Resilience in Multi-UAV Systems
Authors: Ordoukhanian Edwin , Madni Azad
Published: February 2019

Multi-UAV Operations are an area of great interest in government, industry, and research community. In multi-UAV operations, a group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are deployed to carry out missions such as search and rescue or disaster relief. As multi-UAV systems operate in an open operational environment, many disrupting events can occur. To this end, resilience of these systems is of great importance. The research performed and reported in this paper utilizes simulation-based research methodology and demonstrates that resilience of multi-UAV systems can be achieved by real-time evaluation of resilience alternatives during system operation. This evaluation is done using a dynamic utility function where priorities change as a function of context. Simulation results show that resilience response can in fact change depending on the context.