bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Warming and Intensification of the Kuroshio Extension, 1999–2013
Authors: Wang You-Lin , Wu Chau-Ron
Published: January 2019

The Pacific climate regime has anomalous warm and cool periods every decade associated with atmospheric circulation changes, which are known to have modulated the tropical and subtropical Pacific during the recent Pacific hiatus regime (1999–2013). However, the influence of the hiatus regime on the Kuroshio Extension (KE) remains unclear. Here, we show that the KE jet underwent enhanced warming (increased 1–1.5 °C), intensification (8–19%) and northward migration (0.5–1°). The KE jet became more perturbed in the upstream region (increased by 70%, west of 146°E) but became stable downstream (perturbation decreased 5–11%, east of 146°E). A poleward shift of the mid-latitude jet stream and weakened Aleutian Low (AL) contributed to the northward migration and intensification of the KE jet, respectively. The weakened AL was associated with negative wind stress curl (WSC) in the eastern Pacific, and this WSC generated an underlying positive sea surface height anomaly that propagated westward, intensifying the KE jet when it reached the KE region. Since the recent Pacific hiatus regime ended after 2013, these changes of the KE jet may reverse during the ongoing warming regime.
Satellite-Based Spatiotemporal Trends of Canopy Urban Heat Islands and Associated Drivers in China’s 32 Major Cities
Authors: Li Long , Zha Yong
Published: January 2019

The urban heat island (UHI) effect, in which urbanized areas tend to have warmer conditions compared to their rural surroundings, has drawn increasing attention in recent years. Using ground-based and satellite remote sensing data, we present a method to quantify the spatial pattern and diurnal and seasonal variations in canopy layer heat islands (CLHIs) in China’s 32 major cities during 2009 and investigate their relationships with built-up intensity (BI), nighttime lights, vegetation activity, surface albedo, and surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII). The results show that both the annual daytime and nighttime CLHI intensities (CLHIIs) were positive ranging from 0.2 °C to 2.2 °C and from 0.3 °C to 2.4 °C for these major cities, respectively. Higher CLHIIs were observed in the night, especially for northern parts of China. Along urban–rural gradients, the CLHI effect had an exponential decay shape and differed greatly by season. The CLHII distribution correlated positively and significantly to BI and nighttime lights. Vegetation activity was negatively correlated with the CLHII and more strongly in summer. Surface albedo showed an extremely weak correlation with the CLHII. In addition, CLHII had a strong correlation with SUHII. The annual daytime SUHII was 1.2 ± 1.1 °C (mean ± standard deviation) with 0.40 °C (95% confidence interval 0.36 to 0.44 °C) of annual daytime CLHII. The annual nighttime SUHII was 2.0 ± 0.8 °C with 1.04 °C (0.99 to 1.09 °C) of annual nighttime CLHII. Our results suggest that, reducing built-up intensity and anthropogenic heat emissions and increasing urban vegetation provide a co-benefit of mitigating SUHI and CLHI effects.
Efficient Lazy Theta* Path Planning over a Sparse Grid to Explore Large 3D Volumes with a Multirotor UAV
Authors: Faria Margarida , Marín Ricardo , Popović Marija , Maza Ivan , Viguria Antidio
Published: January 2019

Exploring large, unknown, and unstructured environments is challenging for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), but they are valuable tools to inspect large structures safely and efficiently. The Lazy Theta* path-planning algorithm is revisited and adapted to generate paths fast enough to be used in real time and outdoors in large 3D scenarios. In real unknown scenarios, a given minimum safety distance to the nearest obstacle or unknown space should be observed, increasing the associated obstacle detection queries, and creating a bottleneck in the path-planning algorithm. We have reduced the dimension of the problem by considering geometrical properties to speed up these computations. On the other hand, we have also applied a non-regular grid representation of the world to increase the performance of the path-planning algorithm. In particular, a sparse resolution grid in the form of an octree is used, organizing the measurements spatially, merging voxels when they are of the same state. Additionally, the number of neighbors is trimmed to match the sparse tree to reduce the number of obstacle detection queries. The development methodology adopted was Test-Driven Development (TDD) and the outcome was evaluated in real outdoors flights with a multirotor UAV. In the results, the performance shows over 90 percent decrease in overall path generation computation time. Furthermore, our approach scales well with the safety distance increases.
Evaluation of a Piezo-Actuated Sensor for Monitoring Elastic Variations of Its Support with Impedance-Based Measurements
Authors: Tinoco Hector A. , Cardona Carlos I. , Peña Fabio M. , Gomez Juan P. , Roldan-Restrepo Samuel I. , Velasco-Mejia Maria A. , Barco Daniel R.
Published: January 2019

This study exposes the assessment of a piezo-actuated sensor for monitoring elastic variations (change in Young’s modulus) of a host structure in which it is attached. The host structure is monitored through a coupling interface connected to the piezo-actuated device. Two coupling interfaces were considered (an aluminum cone and a human tooth) for the experimental tests. Three different materials (aluminum, bronze and steel) were prepared to emulate the elastic changes in the support, keeping the geometry as a fixed parameter. The piezo device was characterized from velocity frequency response functions in pursuance to understand how vibration modes stimulate the electrical resistance through electrical resonance peaks of the sensor. An impedance-based analysis (1–20 kHz) was performed to correlate elastic variations with indexes based on root mean square deviation (RMSD) for two observation windows (9.3 to 9.7 kHz and 11.1 to 11.5 kHz). Results show that imposed elastic variations were detected and quantified with the electrical resistance measurements. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the sensitivity of the device was influenced by the type of coupling interface since the cone was more sensitive than the tooth in both observation windows. As a final consideration, results suggest that bio-structures (fruits and bone, among others) could be studied since these can modify naturally its elastic properties.
Equivalence of Open-Loop and Closed-Loop Operation of SAW Resonators and Delay Lines
Authors: Durdaut Phillip , Höft Michael , Friedt Jean-Michel , Rubiola Enrico
Published: January 2019

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors in the form of two-port resonators or delay lines are widely used in various fields of application. The readout of such sensors is achieved by electronic systems operating either in an open-loop or in a closed-loop configuration. The mode of operation of the sensor system is usually chosen based on requirements like, e.g., bandwidth, dynamic range, linearity, costs, and immunity against environmental influences. Because the limit of detection (LOD) at the output of a sensor system is often one of the most important figures of merit, both readout structures, i.e., open-loop and closed-loop systems, are analyzed in terms of the minimum achievable LOD. Based on a comprehensive phase noise analysis of these structures for both resonant sensors and delay line sensors, expressions for the various limits of detection are derived. Under generally valid conditions, the equivalence of open-loop and closed-loop operation is shown for both types of sensors. These results are not only valid for SAW devices, but are also applicable to all kinds of phase-sensitive sensors.
An Appraisal of Lung Nodules Automatic Classification Algorithms for CT Images
Authors: Wang Xinqi , Mao Keming , Wang Lizhe , Yang Peiyi , Lu Duo , He Ping
Published: January 2019

Lung cancer is one of the most deadly diseases around the world representing about 26% of all cancers in 2017. The five-year cure rate is only 18% despite great progress in recent diagnosis and treatment. Before diagnosis, lung nodule classification is a key step, especially since automatic classification can help clinicians by providing a valuable opinion. Modern computer vision and machine learning technologies allow very fast and reliable CT image classification. This research area has become very hot for its high efficiency and labor saving. The paper aims to draw a systematic review of the state of the art of automatic classification of lung nodules. This research paper covers published works selected from the Web of Science, IEEEXplore, and DBLP databases up to June 2018. Each paper is critically reviewed based on objective, methodology, research dataset, and performance evaluation. Mainstream algorithms are conveyed and generic structures are summarized. Our work reveals that lung nodule classification based on deep learning becomes dominant for its excellent performance. It is concluded that the consistency of the research objective and integration of data deserves more attention. Moreover, collaborative works among developers, clinicians, and other parties should be strengthened.
Fuzzy Logic-Based Geographic Routing Protocol for Dynamic Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Hu Xing , Ma Linhua , Ding Yongqiang , Xu Jin , Li Yan , Ma Shiping
Published: January 2019

The geographic routing protocol only requires the location information of local nodes for routing decisions, and is considered very efficient in multi-hop wireless sensor networks. However, in dynamic wireless sensor networks, it increases the routing overhead while obtaining the location information of destination nodes by using a location server algorithm. In addition, the routing void problem and location inaccuracy problem also occur in geographic routing. To solve these problems, a novel fuzzy logic-based geographic routing protocol (FLGR) is proposed. The selection criteria and parameters for the assessment of the next forwarding node are also proposed. In FLGR protocol, the next forward node can be selected based on the fuzzy location region of the destination node. Finally, the feasibility of the FLGR forwarding mode is verified and the performance of FLGR protocol is analyzed via simulation. Simulation results show that the proposed FLGR forwarding mode can effectively avoid the routing void problem. Compared with existing protocols, the FLGR protocol has lower routing overhead, and a higher packet delivery rate in a sparse network.
A Survey of Energy-Efficient Communication Protocols with QoS Guarantees in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks
Authors: Li Shu , Kim Jeong Geun , Han Doo Hee , Lee Kye San
Published: January 2019

In recent years, wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs) have emerged as a prominent technique for delivering multimedia information such as still images and videos. Being under the great spotlight of research communities, however, multimedia delivery over resource- constraint WMSNs poses great challenges, especially in terms of energy efficiency and quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees. In this paper, recent developments in techniques for designing highly energy-efficient and QoS-capable WMSNs are surveyed. We first study the unique characteristics and the relevantly imposed requirements of WMSNs. For each requirement we also summarize their existing solutions. Then we review recent research efforts on energy-efficient and QoS-aware communication protocols, including MAC protocols, with a focus on their prioritization and service differentiation mechanisms and disjoint multipath routing protocols.
Correlation between the Fluctuations in Worldwide Seismicity and Atmospheric Carbon Pollution
Authors: Carpinteri Alberto , Niccolini Gianni
Published: January 2019

The crucial stages in the geochemical evolution of the Earth’s crust, ocean, and atmosphere could be explained by the assumed low-energy nuclear reactions (LENR) that are triggered by seismic activity. LENR result in the fission of medium-weight elements accompanied by neutron emissions, involving Fe and Ni as starting elements, and C, N, O as resultants. Geochemical data and experimental evidences support the LENR hypothesis. A spectral analysis of the period 1955-2013 shows common cycles between interannual changes in atmospheric CO2 growth rate and global seismic-moment release, whereas the trending behavior of the atmospheric CO2 was in response to the anthropogenic emissions. Assuming a correlation between such seismic and atmospheric fluctuations, the latter could be explained by cycles of worldwide seismicity, which would trigger massively LENR in the Earth’s Crust. In this framework, LENR from active faults could be considered as a relevant cause of carbon formation and degassing of freshly-formed CO2 during seismic activity. However, further studies are necessary to validate the present hypothesis which, at the present time, mainly aims to stimulate debate on the models which regulates atmospheric CO2.
Fundamental Properties of Packing Materials for Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Hanai Toshihiko
Published: January 2019

The high performance of chemically-modified silica gel packing materials is based on the utilization of pure silica gels. Earlier silica gels used to be made from inorganic silica; however, nowadays, silica gels are made from organic silanes. The surface smoothness and lack of trace metals of new silica gels permits easy surface modifications (chemical reactions) and improves the reproducibility and stability. Sharpening peak symmetry is based on developing better surface modification methods (silylation). Typical examples can be found in the chromatography of amitriptyline for silanol testing and that of quinizarin for trace metal testing. These test compounds were selected and demonstrated sensitive results in the measurement of trace amounts of either silanol or trace metals. Here, we demonstrate the three-dimensional model chemical structures of bonded-phase silica gels with surface electron density for easy understanding of the molecular interaction sites with analytes. Furthermore, a quantitative explanation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic liquid chromatographies was provided. The synthesis methods of superficially porous silica gels and their modified products were introduced.
Risk Transmission between Chinese and U.S. Agricultural Commodity Futures Markets—A CoVaR Approach
Authors: Ke Yangmin , Li Chongguang , McKenzie Andrew M. , Liu Ping
Published: January 2019

Commodity futures markets play an important role, through risk management and price discovery, in helping firms make sustainable production and marketing decisions. An important related issue is how pricing signals between futures exchanges impact traders’ risk. We address this issue by shedding light on risk transmission between the most mature (U.S.) and the fastest growing (Chinese) commodity futures markets. Gaining greater insight of risk transmission between these key markets is vitally important to firms engaged in the efficient and sustainable trade of commodities needed to feed the world. We examine the risk transmission between Chinese and U.S. agricultural futures markets for soybean, corn, and sugar with a Copula based conditional value at risk (CoVaR) approach. We find significant upside, and to a lesser extent downside risk transmission, between Chinese and U.S. markets. We confirm the dominant pricing role of U.S. agricultural futures markets while acknowledging the increasing price discovery role performed by Chinese markets. Our results highlight that soybean markets exhibit greater risk transmission than sugar and corn markets. We argue that our findings may be explained by Chinese government policy intervention, and by the large role played by U.S. firms in the underlying cash commodity markets–both in terms of production and trade.
Demographic Transitions and Socioeconomic Development in Italy, 1862–2009: A Brief Overview
Authors: Salvati Luca , Carlucci Margherita , Serra Pere , Zambon Ilaria
Published: January 2019

The present study investigates long-term population dynamics in Italy, 1862–2009, in light of Demographic Transitions (DTs). Under the assumption that DTs are multidimensional processes of change involving several aspects, including population structure and dynamics, an exploratory analysis was carried out in this study to verify temporal coherency of 15 indicators in Italy, identifying homogeneous time periods with distinct demographic characteristics. Indicators’ trends were identified using a multivariate statistical approach. The results of this study allow empirical testing of the assumption of temporal coherence between different aspects of a long-term DT, distinguishing distinctive population dynamics and the differential impact on population structure over two centuries. After a relatively long period of demographic stability, the time window encompassing the two World Wars—approximately between 1921 and 1951—was identified as a primary turning point of population dynamics in Italy; a second turning point was estimated at the beginning of the 1970s. These time intervals may represent conditions of dynamic equilibrium between demographic and socioeconomic contexts, highlighting latent system transitions. The study concludes by outlining the importance of a more effective integration of demographic transition theories into a broader sustainability framework, and implementing a diachronic analysis of political, economic, and social forces associated with population dynamics in both advanced economies and emerging countries.
Affordability Assessment of Energy-Efficient Building Construction in Italy
Authors: Manganelli Benedetto , Morano Pierluigi , Tajani Francesco , Salvo Francesca
Published: January 2019

This research tries to investigate, in the current condition of the Italian real estate market, the economic advantage of investing in energy retrofitting of existing buildings or in expenditure aimed at obtaining higher energy performances in the construction phase of new buildings. A cost-benefit analysis is developed referring to the construction industry entrepreneur. Firstly, the increase in value due to a different measurement of the energy performance of new buildings or newly redeveloped residential buildings is achieved through an innovative statistical approach. Energy performance is measured by taking as a reference the category of energy certification, as required by European legislation. In the estimate of the contribution, the measurement of energy performance, expressed on an ordinal scale, is treated as a categorical variable in the implementation of an iterative regression model, called the alternating least squares model. Afterwards, this contribution is compared to the cost of sustainable building, trying to define a percentage increase in cost compared to a minimum condition according to different and increasing levels of energy performance. In the developed case studies, the comparison between likely benefits and investment spending showed that the entrepreneur would have no convenience at an expense for energy retrofitting while obtaining a positive balance in the construction phase of new buildings. The financial advantage grows if the investment is aimed at achieving the best energy performance and in areas where the price level of the real estate market is lower. The finding can be used as a guide for construction industry investors to make decisions in energy-efficient residential buildings production or transformation.
An Optimal Load Disaggregation Method Based on Power Consumption Pattern for Low Sampling Data
Authors: Wang Huijuan , Yang Wenrong , Chen Tingyu , Yang Qingxin
Published: January 2019

In recent years, Smart Grids have been developing globally. Since smart meters only acquire low-frequency data, non-intrusive load monitoring technology using the signature extracted from high-frequency data needs an additional measurement device to be installed, so it is not suitable for promotion to the smart grid environment. However, methods using low-frequency features are poorly-suited when several appliances are switched on at the same time, or devices with similar power values are used. In response to these problems, this paper proposes a load disaggregation method based on the power consumption patterns of appliances, combining an improved mathematical optimization model and optimized bird swarm algorithm (OBSA) for load disaggregation. Experiments show that the method can effectively identify the operating states of appliances, and deal with situations in which multiple instruments have similar power characteristics or are simultaneously switching. The performance comparison proves that the improved model is more efficient than the traditional active and reactive power (PQ) optimization model in load disaggregation performance and computation time, and also verifies the robustness of the proposed method and the convergence of OBSA. As an inexpensive method without extra measurement hardware installed, the process is suitable for large-scale applications in smart grids.
GIS Analysis of Land-Use Change in Threatened Landscapes by Xylella fastidiosa
Authors: Maggiore Giuseppe , Semeraro Teodoro , Aretano Roberta , De Bellis Luigi , Luvisi Andrea
Published: January 2019

Land-use/land-cover analysis using Geographic Information System (GIS) application can describe and quantify the transformation of the landscape, evaluating the effectiveness of municipal planning in driving urban expansion. This approach was applied in the municipality of Spongano (Salento, South Italy) in order to evaluate the spatial heterogeneity and the transformations of the land use/land cover from 1988 to 2016. This approach was also used to examine the spread of Xylella fastidiosa, which is a plant pathogen of global importance that is reshaping the Salento landscape. The land-use maps are based on the CORINE Land Cover project classification, while the topological consistency was verified through field surveys. A change detection analysis was carried out using the land-use maps of 1988 and 2016. The most extensive land-use class is olive groves (34–36%), followed by non-irrigated arable lands and shrub and/or herbaceous vegetation associations. The main transition of land involved non-irrigated arable lands, which lost 76 ha and 23 ha to shrub and olive areas, respectively. Meanwhile, the artificial surfaces class doubled its extension, which involved mainly the transition from shrub and heterogeneous agricultural areas. However, the olive groves class is threatened by the dramatic phytosanitary condition of the area, indicating a compromised agroecosystem, which is causing a de facto transition into unproductive areas. The results highlight the inconsistency between what was planned by the urban plan in the past and how the landscape of Spongano has been changed over time. This evidence suggests that it is necessary to develop a plan based on learning by doing, in order to shape and adapt the processes of territorial transformation to the unpredictability of the ecologic, social, and economic systems, as well as ensure that these processes are always focused on environmental issues.
About the Triggering of UN Sustainable Development Goals and Regenerative Sustainability in Higher Education
Authors: Sonetti Giulia , Brown Martin , Naboni Emanuele
Published: January 2019

Humans are at the center of global climate change: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are igniting sustainability with proactive, global, social goals, moving us away from the Brundtland paradigm ‘do nothing today to compromise tomorrows generation’. This promotes a regenerative shift in the sustainability concept, no longer only considering resources and energy, but also significant human-centric attributes. Despite this, precise ecological and sustainable attitudes have little prognostic value regarding final related individual human behavior. The global cultural challenge, dominated by technological innovations and business imperatives, alongside the mirroring technological fallacy and lack of ethical reasoning, makes the role of small actions, at individual and at academic scale even harder. This paper outlines the context in which universities can collaborate and contribute to triggering sustainability values, attitudes, and behavior within future regenerative societies. This contribution consists in three main areas: the first analyzes the issue of sustainability transitions at the individual scale, where influencing factors and value–behavior links are presented as reviewed from a number of multi and transdisciplinary scholars’ works. The second part enlarges the picture to the global dimension, tracing the ideological steps of our current environmental crisis, from the differences in prevailing western and eastern values, tradition, and perspectives, to the technological fallacy and the power of the narratives of changes. Finally, the task of our role as academics in the emerging ‘integrative humanities’ science is outlined with education promoted as an essential driver in moving from sustainability to regenerative paradigms.
Data Analysis of Shipment for Textiles and Apparel from Logistics Warehouse to Store Considering Disposal Risk
Authors: Tanaka Rina , Ishigaki Aya , Suzuki Tomomichi , Hamada Masato , Kawai Wataru
Published: January 2019

Given the rapid diversification of products in the textile and apparel industry, manufacturers face significant new challenges in production. The life cycle of apparel products has contracted and is now, generally, a several-week season, during which time a majority of products are supposed to be sold. Products that do not sell well may be sold at a price lower than the fixed price, and products that do not sell at all within the sales period may eventually become forced disposal. This creates long-term management and environmental problems. In practice, shipping personnel determine when to ship products to stores after reviewing product sales information. However, they may not schedule or structure these shipments properly because they cannot effectively monitor sales for a large number of products. In this paper, shipment is considered to reduce the risk of product disposal on the premise of selling at a fixed price. Although shipment quantities are determined by various factors, we only consider the change in inventory at the logistics warehouse, since it is difficult to incorporate all factors into the analysis. From cluster analysis, it is found that shipping personnel should recognize a policy to sell products gradually over time. Furthermore, to reduce the risk of disposal, we forecast the inventory from conditional probability and are able to extract products out of a standard grouping using past data.
Information Disclosure Ranking, Industry Production Market Competition, and Mispricing: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Wang Bing , Xu Si , Ho Kung-Cheng , Jiang I-Ming , Huang Hung-Yi
Published: January 2019

Improving the transparency of corporate information disclosure is a key principle of corporate governance in Taiwan. This study uses the information disclosure assessment system established by the information disclosure and transparency ranking system to explore whether information transparency can reduce the degree of mispricing. The study uses the data of 10,686 listed companies in Taiwan for the period from 2005 to 2014. We find that a higher information disclosure ranking (IDR) of rated companies corresponds to a more substantial reduction in the degree of mispricing. Moreover, we discover that product market competition affects mispricing in that smaller degrees of mispricing reflect greater exclusivity; this suggests that lower industry transaction and competition costs lead to less substantial mispricing. Finally, we observe that the effect of information disclosure score on the degree of mispricing is lower in more exclusive industries. Furthermore, a regression process using instrumental variables reveals that IDRs have the significant effect of reducing the degree of mispricing.
Study of Multiple Land Use Planning Based on the Coordinated Development of Wetland Farmland: A Case Study of Fuyuan City, China
Authors: Zhu Bingmiao , Zhu Xun , Zhang Ran , Zhao Xiaolong
Published: January 2019

Fuyuan City is located in the black soil region of northeast China. Its fertile soil and flat terrain provide a reliable guarantee for the scale, intensification, and standardization of farmland. A large amount of land resources that can be used for the national food base has been developed, and the contradiction between the need for wetland protection and arable land development has become increasingly prominent. Based on the remote sensing data of 2000, 2005, and 2010, this paper simulates the future land use/land cover changes structure in Fuyuan City based on the Markov Chain model. According to the characteristics of Fuyuan City’s structure, economy, society, and natural environment, within the overall planning of the city, we explore three scenarios: business-as-usual scenarios, farmland conservation scenarios, and wetland conservation scenarios. The results revealed the following: (1) Under the business-as-usual scenario, the rapid development of Fuyuan City showed the characteristics of the continued expansion of urban area and the reduction of farmland and wetland area in 2020 compared with 2010. (2) Under farmland conservation scenarios, farmland was well protected and stable, while construction land expansion was restricted. (3) Under wetland conservation scenarios, wetland increased dramatically, which mainly derived from farmland, grassland, and unused land. According to the result, optimized countermeasures are proposed to balance the coordinated development of farmland and wetlands, to deepen the multiperiod planning of land use in Fuyuan City and to provide data support and a basis for decision-making.
Dynamic Feedback Analysis of Influencing Factors of Existing Building Energy-Saving Renovation Market Based on System Dynamics in China
Authors: Guo Handing , Qiao Wanzhen , Liu Jiren
Published: January 2019

Existing buildings energy-saving renovation is an important means to cope with global warming and an essential component of achieving China’s energy conservation and pollution emissions reduction strategy goals. The development of the energy-saving renovation market is closely related to its influencing factors, which determine the reasons and conditions for the development of the system; therefore, it is necessary to study the influencing factors of energy-saving transformations. System dynamics was applied to explore the feedback relationship between the service subsystem, the demand market subsystem, and the market regulation subsystem. Analysis was performed for the intrinsic influencing factors of the development of the existing building energy-saving renovation market and the interaction law of feedback relationship. This paper discusses the basic characteristics of government incentives, Energy Service Company (ESCO) technology innovation, ESCO’s revenue, and owner’s awareness to promote the development of the existing building energy-saving renovation market. Base on those, it puts forward suggestions for promoting the market development of existing buildings energy-saving reconstruction. The findings provided a theoretical basis and guiding role for the Chinese government to formulate support policies for existing building energy-saving renovation. At the same time, it also provides reference for other countries to develop existing buildings energy-saving renovation market.
Secondary Development and Application of Bio-Inspired Isolation System
Authors: Zhang Quanwu , Shi Zhiguo , Shan Jiazeng , Shi Weixing
Published: January 2019

Near-fault pulse motions will cause excessive and much larger base displacement in traditional isolated structures than common earthquake motions. The new isolation system inspired by the “sacrificial bonds and hidden length” biomechanics of an abalone shell can control the base displacement efficiently and reach almost the same vibration isolation efficiency as a semi-active control system. The current research is confined to the lumped mass model and cannot uncover the exact performance of isolators and structures in practical applications. A user subroutine is developed based on the interface of UEL in Abaqus. Subsequent verification has been done in both the lumped mass model and 3D complex model with Abaqus, Matlab/Simulink, and SAP2000. It can be revealed from the comparative results that the calculation accuracy of the secondary developed user subroutine can meet the demand of design and research.
The Role of Service Providers’ Resilience in Buffering the Negative Impact of Customer Incivility on Service Recovery Performance
Authors: Sommovigo Valentina , Setti Ilaria , Argentero Piergiorgio
Published: January 2019

In the service sector, customer-related social stressors may weaken employees’ well-being, impairing job-related outcomes. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources theory and on the psychology of sustainability, fostering personal resources become critical to encourage service providers who can effectively manage such job demands. This study investigated how customer-related social stressors and customer orientation influence service recovery performance and whether resilience buffers the negative effects of customer incivility on service recovery performance. One hundred and fifty-seven Italian customer-contact employees completed a questionnaire analyzing customer incivility, customer-related social stressors, resilience, customer orientation, and service recovery performance. Regression analyses and SEMs were conducted. Although all customer-related social stressors indirectly and negatively influenced service recovery performance by increasing burnout symptoms, customer incivility only exerted a direct and detrimental impact on service recovery performance. Customer orientation was directly and positively associated with service recovery performance. Highly resilient employees were less affected by variations in service recovery performance across customer incivility levels. Within the psychology of sustainability framework, promoting resilient workplaces is crucial to foster healthy and sustainable work settings. Service organizations can greatly benefit from providing their employees with psychological resilience training programs, cultivating high customer-oriented attitudes through mentoring sessions, and hiring highly customer-oriented and resilient employees for customer-contact occupations.
Evaluation of Building Energy and Daylight Performance of Electrochromic Glazing for Optimal Control in Three Different Climate Zones
Authors: Oh Myunghwan , Jang Minsu , Moon Jaesik , Roh Seungjun
Published: January 2019

The objective of this paper is to analyze the control conditions of the transmittance rate, and determine the conditions that are most optimal with respect to building energy and daylight performance in three climate conditions: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (hot climate); Inchon, South Korea (hot and cold climate); and Moscow, Russia (cold climate). The analysis was based on the electrochromic glass developed by a research team. Electrochromic glass is a next generation solar control glass that can control the transmittance of the glass itself. Therefore, proper control methods are essential for rational use of this electrochromic glass. To properly control electrochromic glass, daylight performance must be considered, along with building energy (heating, cooling, and lighting). If only building energy is considered, transmittance needs to be lowered during the summer season and increased during the winter season. Controlling electrochromic glass transmittance with such a method would not improve the satisfaction of users and occupants of a building due to the resulting glare. In addition to energy reduction, the basic function of solar control glass is to prevent glare. Therefore, in this study, we develop the Energy and Daylight Performance Index (EDPI) using, to evaluate the combined building energy and daylight performance and deduce the optimal control method for electrochromic glass. In addition, optimal control conditions for the three different climatic regions were obtained. Limitations of this study were that the scope was restricted to the eastern climate region, and that the building analysis model was limited to one climate region. It is expected that the optimal control method could be used as an initial database in the development of a electrochromic glass control system.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Sustainability in 2018
Authors:   Sustainability Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
X-ray Absorption under Operating Conditions for Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells Electrocatalysts: The Case of LSCF/YSZ
Authors: Giannici Francesco , Gregori Giuliano , Longo Alessandro , Chiara Alessandro , Maier Joachim , Martorana Antonino
Published: January 2019

We describe a novel electrochemical cell for X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) experiments during electrical polarization suitable for high-temperature materials such as those used in solid oxide fuel cells. A half-cell LSCF/YSZ was then investigated under cathodic and anodic conditions (850 °C and applied electrical bias ranging from +1 V to −1 V in air). The in situ XAS measurements allowed us to follow the LSCF degradation into simple oxides. The rapid deterioration of LSCF is ascribed to the formation of excess of oxygen vacancies leading to the collapse of the mixed perovskite structure.
Joint Node Selection and Resource Allocation for Task Offloading in Scalable Vehicle-Assisted Multi-Access Edge Computing
Authors: Pham Xuan-Qui , Nguyen Tien-Dung , Nguyen VanDung , Huh Eui-Nam
Published: January 2019

The resource limitation of multi-access edge computing (MEC) is one of the major issues in order to provide low-latency high-reliability computing services for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Moreover, with the steep rise of task requests from IoT devices, the requirement of computation tasks needs dynamic scalability while using the potential of offloading tasks to mobile volunteer nodes (MVNs). We, therefore, propose a scalable vehicle-assisted MEC (SVMEC) paradigm, which cannot only relieve the resource limitation of MEC but also enhance the scalability of computing services for IoT devices and reduce the cost of using computing resources. In the SVMEC paradigm, a MEC provider can execute its users’ tasks by choosing one of three ways: (i) Do itself on local MEC, (ii) offload to the remote cloud, and (iii) offload to the MVNs. We formulate the problem of joint node selection and resource allocation as a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) problem, whose major objective is to minimize the total computation overhead in terms of the weighted-sum of task completion time and monetary cost for using computing resources. In order to solve it, we adopt alternative optimization techniques by decomposing the original problem into two sub-problems: Resource allocation sub-problem and node selection sub-problem. Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed scheme outperforms the existing schemes in terms of the total computation overhead.
Common Fixed Point Results for Fuzzy Mappings on Complex-Valued Metric Spaces with Homotopy Results
Authors: Humaira  , Sarwar Muhammad , Kumam Poom
Published: January 2019

Owing to the notion of a complex-valued metric space, we prove fixed point results, which generalize some common fixed point results under contractive condition for rational expression in the context of complex-valued metric spaces. In application, we present a homotopy result to apply the results obtained herein.
Harmonic Superspace Approach to the Effective Action in Six-Dimensional Supersymmetric Gauge Theories
Authors: Buchbinder Ioseph , Ivanov Evgeny , Merzlikin Boris , Stepanyantz Konstantin
Published: January 2019

We review the recent progress in studying the quantum structure of 6 D , N = ( 1 , 0 ) , and N = ( 1 , 1 ) supersymmetric gauge theories formulated through unconstrained harmonic superfields. The harmonic superfield approach allows one to carry out the quantization and calculations of the quantum corrections in a manifestly N = ( 1 , 0 ) supersymmetric way. The quantum effective action is constructed with the help of the background field method that secures the manifest gauge invariance of the results. Although the theories under consideration are not renormalizable, the extended supersymmetry essentially improves the ultraviolet behavior of the lowest-order loops. The N = ( 1 , 1 ) supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory turns out to be finite in the one-loop approximation in the minimal gauge. Furthermore, some two-loop divergences are shown to be absent in this theory. Analysis of the divergences is performed both in terms of harmonic supergraphs and by the manifestly gauge covariant superfield proper-time method. The finite one-loop leading low-energy effective action is calculated and analyzed. Furthermore, in the Abelian case, we discuss the gauge dependence of the quantum corrections and present its precise form for the one-loop divergent part of the effective action.
Grape Seed Proanthocyanidin Extract Alleviates AflatoxinB1-Induced Immunotoxicity and Oxidative Stress via Modulation of NF-κB and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways in Broilers
Authors: Rajput Shahid Ali , Sun Lvhui , Zhang Ni-Ya , Khalil Mahmoud Mohamed , Ling Zhao , Chong Li , Wang Shuai , Rajput Imran Rashid , Bloch Dost Muhammad , Khan Farhan Anwar , Shaukat Aftab , Qi Desheng
Published: January 2019

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a widely spread mycotoxin contaminates food and feed, causing severe oxidative stress damages and immunotoxicity. Grape seed proanthocyanidin (GSPE), a natural antioxidant with wide range of pharmacological and medicinal properties. The goal of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of GSPE against AFB1-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative stress via NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling pathways in broiler chickens. For the experiment, 240 one-day old Cobb chicks were allocated into four dietary treatment groups of six replicates (10 birds per replicate): 1. Basal diet (control); 2. Basal diet + AFB1 1mg/kg contaminated corn (AFB1); 3. Basal diet + GSPE 250 mg/kg (GSPE); 4. Basal diet + AFB1 1 mg/kg + GSPE 250 mg/kg (AFB1 + GSPE). The results showed that GSPE significantly decreased serum inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-10, and IL-6 induced by AFB1. Similarly, GSPE + AFB1 treated group revealed a significant decrease in mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-6) in the splenic tissue compared to the AFB1 treatment group. In addition, western blotting results manifested that GSPE treatment normalized the phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa B (p65) and the degradation of IκBα protein induced by AFB1. Furthermore, GSPE enhanced the antioxidant defense system through activating the nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor (Nrf2) signaling pathway. The mRNA and protein expression level of Nrf2 and its down streaming associated genes were noted up-regulated by the addition of GSPE, and down-regulated in the AFB1 group. Taken together, GSPE alleviates AFB1-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative damage by inhibiting the NF-κB and activating the Nrf2 signaling pathways in broiler chickens. Conclusively, our results suggest that GSPE could be considered as a potential natural agent for the prevention of AFB1-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative damage.
The Impact of Dietary Grape Seed Meal on Healthy and Aflatoxin B1 Afflicted Microbiota of Pigs after Weaning
Authors: Grosu Iulian A. , Pistol Gina C. , Taranu Ionelia , Marin Daniela E.
Published: January 2019

The study investigated the effect of grape seed (GS) meal, aflatoxin (AFB1), or their combination on the large intestine microbiota of weanling piglets. Twenty-four piglets were allocated into four groups based on diet composition: (1) Control group; (2) AFB1 (320 g/kg feed) group; (3) GS group (8% inclusion in the diet); (4) AFB1 + GS group. After 30 days of experiment, the colon content was used for microbiota analyses; after isolation of total bacterial genomic DNA, V3/V4 regions of the 16S rRNA amplicons were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The raw sequences were analyzed using the v.1.9.1 QIIME pipeline software. 157 numbers of OTUs were identified among all four dietary groups with 26 of them being prevalent above 0.05% in the total relative abundance. GS and AFB1 increase the relative abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, while decreasing the Firmicutes abundance in a synergic manner as compared with the individual treatments. An additive or synergistic action of the two treatments was identified for Lactobacillus, Prevotella and Campylobacter, while rather an antagonistic effect was observed on Lachnospira. The action mechanisms of aflatoxin B1 and grape seed meal that drive the large intestine microbiota to these changes are not known and need further investigations.
Combining a Fusion Inhibitory Peptide Targeting the MERS-CoV S2 Protein HR1 Domain and a Neutralizing Antibody Specific for the S1 Protein Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) Showed Potent Synergism against Pseudotyped MERS-CoV with or without Mutations in RBD
Authors: Wang Cong , Hua Chen , Xia Shuai , Li Weihua , Lu Lu , Jiang Shibo
Published: January 2019

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has continuously posed a threat to public health worldwide, yet no therapeutics or vaccines are currently available to prevent or treat MERS-CoV infection. We previously identified a fusion inhibitory peptide (HR2P-M2) targeting the MERS-CoV S2 protein HR1 domain and a highly potent neutralizing monoclonal antibody (m336) specific to the S1 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD). However, m336 was found to have reduced efficacy against MERS-CoV strains with mutations in RBD, and HR2P-M2 showed low potency, thus limiting the clinical application of each when administered separately. However, we herein report that the combination of m336 and HR2P-M2 exhibited potent synergism in inhibiting MERS-CoV S protein-mediated cell–cell fusion and infection by MERS-CoV pseudoviruses with or without mutations in the RBD, resulting in the enhancement of antiviral activity in contrast to either one administered alone. Thus, this combinatorial strategy could be used in clinics for the urgent treatment of MERS-CoV-infected patients.
Cytokine Signature Associated with Disease Severity in Dengue
Authors: Patro A. Raj Kumar , Mohanty Sriprasad , Prusty Birendra K. , Singh Diwakar K. , Gaikwad Sagar , Saswat Tanuja , Chattopadhyay Soma , Das Bidyut K. , Tripathy Rina , Ravindran Balachandran
Published: January 2019

Dengue is the most rapidly spreading viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitos. The pathogenesis of dengue is still unclear; although host immune responses and virus serotypes have been proposed to contribute to disease severity. In this study, we examined the circulating dengue virus (DENV) and measured plasma levels of inflammatory mediators. Ninety-eight patients during a dengue outbreak in eastern India in 2016 were included in the study. The presence of DENV was demonstrated by detecting NS1 antigen; IgM capture ELISA and serotypes were discriminated by type-specific RT-PCR and/or sequencing. Plasma samples were assayed for 41-plex cytokine/chemokines using multiplex Luminex assay. Eighty-five (87%) samples were positive by NS1/IgM capture ELISA/RT-PCR. All four serotypes of DENV were detected in this outbreak, with DENV-2 as the predominant type, seen in 55% of cases. Mixed infections were seen in 39% of subjects. Among the host inflammatory biomarkers, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-15, IL-8, MCP-1, IL-6, MIP-1β, and TNF-α levels were significantly increased in dengue with and without warning signs, in severe dengue patients in comparison to healthy controls. Four cytokines IFN-γ, GM-CSF, IL-10, and MIP-1β correlated significantly with disease severity and could serve as potential predictor for disease severity. Information on the host biomarkers and the dengue serotype may help guide in optimizing effective intervention strategies.