bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nickel-Based Alloy Dry Milling Process Induced Material Softening Effect
Authors: Zha Jun , Yuan Zelong , Zhang Hangcheng , Li Yipeng , Chen Yaolong
Published: August 2020

Improving the cutting efficiency is the major factor for improving the processing of nickel-based alloys. The novelty of this research is the calibrated SiAlON ceramic tool dry milling nickel-based alloy process. Firstly, the nickel-based alloy dry milling process was analyzed through the finite element method, and the required milling force and temperature were deduced. Then, several dry milling experiments were conducted with the milling temperature, and the milling force was monitored. The change in cutting speeds was from 400 m/min to 700 m/min. Experimental results verified the reduction of the dry milling force hypothesized by the simulation. The experiment also indicated that with a cut depth of 0.3 mm, cut width of 6 mm, and feed per tooth of 0.03 mm/z, when milling speed exceeded 527.52 m/min, the milling force began to decrease, and the milling temperature exceeded the nickel-based alloy softening temperature. This indicated that easy cutting could be realized under high-speed dry milling conditions. The interpolation curve about average temperature and average milling forces showed similarity to the tensile strength reduction with the rise of temperature.
Fabrication of Green Diatomite/Chitosan-Based Hybrid Foams with Dye Sorption Capacity
Authors: Galzerano Barbara , Cabello Carmen I. , Muñoz Mercedes , Buonocore Giovanna G. , Aprea Paolo , Liguori Barbara , Verdolotti Letizia
Published: August 2020

The latest tendency of the scientific community regards the development of different classes of green materials able to solve pollution problems caused by industrial and human activity. In this paper, chitosan and diatomite were used to produce a broad-spectrum hybrid adsorbent, either in powder or in monolithic form for environmental pollutant removal. Diatomite–chitosan-based powders and porous diatomite–chitosan hybrids were prepared and characterized by chemical-physical, thermal and morphological analysis. Moreover, their adsorbent capacity towards anionic dye (Indigo Carmine) was also evaluated. Obtained data showed that chitosan improves the adsorption capacity of both systems, increasing the uptake of dye in both diatomite–chitosan systems.
Biological Aging Modulates Cell Migration via Lamin A/C-Dependent Nuclear Motion
Authors: Park Jung-Won , Han Seong-Beom , Hah Jungwon , Lee Geonhui , Kim Jeong-Ki , Kim Soo Hyun , Kim Dong-Hwee
Published: August 2020

Aging is a progressive functional decline in organs and tissues over time and typically represents the accumulation of psychological and social changes in a human being. Diverse diseases, such as cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neurodegenerative disorders, are now understood to be caused by aging. While biological assessment of aging mainly focuses on the gradual changes that occur either on the molecular scale, for example, alteration of gene expression and epigenetic modification, or on larger scales, for example, changes in muscle strength and cardiac function, the mechanics that regulates the behavior of individual cells and interactions between the internal elements of cells, are largely missing. In this study, we show that the dynamic features of migrating cells across different human ages could help to establish the underlying mechanism of biological age-dependent cellular functional decline. To determine the relationship between cellular dynamics and human age, we identify the characteristic relationship between cell migration and nuclear motion which is tightly regulated by nucleus-bound cytoskeletal organization. This analysis demonstrates that actomyosin contractility-dependent nuclear motion plays a key role in cell migration. We anticipate this study to provide noble biophysical insights on biological aging in order to precisely diagnose age-related chronic diseases.
5′-Nor-3-Deaza-1′,6′-Isoneplanocin, the Synthesis and Antiviral Study
Authors: Chen Qi , Schneller Stewart W. , Liu Chong , Jones Kathryn L. , Singer Tyler
Published: August 2020

The arbocyclic nucleosides aristeromycin and neplanocin have been studied as a source for new antiviral agents. A convenient synthesis of C-5′-truncated 3-deaza-1′,6′-isoneplanocin, which combines the features of antiviral candidates 5′-noraristeromycin and 3-deaza-1′,6′-isoneplanocin is reported from (−)-cyclopentenone to give the two C-4′ epimers of 5′-nor-3-deaza isoneplanocin. Antiviral assays showed activity against the JC virus (EC50 = 1.12 µM for (4′R)-8; EC50 = 59.14 µM for (4′S)-7) and inactivity of both compounds against several DNA and RNA viruses. Both compounds lacked cytotoxicity.
Considerations for the Optimal Timing, Duration, Frequency, and Length of an Intermittent Fasting Regimen for Health Improvement
Authors: Horne Benjamin D.
Published: August 2020

Newer, better approaches to weight loss continue to spark the interest of vast numbers of people, especially in Western nations, as they search out solutions to increasingly elevated rates of obesity, the health consequences of that obesity, and the often unspoken but financially prescient cosmetic implications of obesity that drive the billion-dollar weight loss and diet control industry [...]
Influence of Maternal Age and Gestational Age on Breast Milk Antioxidants During the First Month of Lactation
Authors: Gila-Díaz Andrea , Herranz Carrillo Gloria , Cañas Silvia , Saenz de Pipaón Miguel , Martínez-Orgado José Antonio , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Pilar , López de Pablo Ángel Luis , Martin-Cabrejas María A. , Ramiro-Cortijo David , Arribas Silvia M.
Published: August 2020

Breast milk (BM) is beneficial due to its content in a wide range of different antioxidants, particularly relevant for preterm infants, who are at higher risk of oxidative stress. We hypothesize that BM antioxidants are adapted to gestational age and are negatively influenced by maternal age. Fifty breastfeeding women from two hospitals (Madrid, Spain) provided BM samples at days 7, 14 and 28 of lactation to assess total antioxidant capacity (ABTS), thiol groups, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities, lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA + 4-Hydroxy-Trans-2-Nonenal, HNE), protein oxidation (carbonyl groups) (spectrophotometry) and melatonin (ELISA). Mixed random-effects linear regression models were used to study the influence of maternal and gestational ages on BM antioxidants, adjusted by days of lactation. Regression models evidenced a negative association between maternal age and BM melatonin levels (β = −7.4 ± 2.5; p-value = 0.005); and a negative association between gestational age and BM total antioxidant capacity (β = −0.008 ± 0.003; p-value = 0.006), SOD activity (β = −0.002 ± 0.001; p-value = 0.043) and protein oxidation (β = −0.22 ± 0.07; p-value = 0.001). In conclusion, BM antioxidants are adapted to gestational age providing higher levels to infants with lower degree of maturation; maternal ageing has a negative influence on melatonin, a key antioxidant hormone.
Granulocytic Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Breast Milk (BM-MDSC) Correlate with Gestational Age and Postnatal Age and Are Influenced by Infant’s Sex
Authors: Köstlin-Gille Natascha , Flaig Lara-Antonia , Ginzel Marco , Arand Jörg , Poets Christian F. , Gille Christian
Published: August 2020

Background: Infections are the main cause of death in preterm infants. Causative agents often descend from the intestinal flora of the infected neonate, indicating insufficient protection by the mucosal barrier. Breast milk (BM) contains different subsets of immune cells. We recently showed that BM contains significant numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC)—immune cells that actively suppress pro-inflammatory immune responses—and hypothesized that the transfer of BM-MDSC may modulate the mucosal immunity of the newborn. Methods: Percentages of MDSC in the BM from mothers of 86 preterm infants between 23 + 0 and 36 + 6 weeks of gestation during their first five postnatal weeks were analyzed by flow cytometry and correlated with maternal and infant characteristics. Results: Percentages of BM-MDSC positively correlated with gestational age and postnatal age. The expression of activation markers on BM-MDSC did not change with gestational age, but it decreased with postnatal age. Mothers who received antepartum tocolytics had lower percentages of BM-MDSC, and infant’s sex strongly influenced percentages of BM-MDSC. Conclusion: Our results point toward a role of BM-MDSC for immune regulation in the neonatal gut, making them a potential target of immune-based therapies shortly after birth.
Effects of Dietary Glucose and Fructose on Copper, Iron, and Zinc Metabolism Parameters in Humans
Authors: Harder Nathaniel H. O. , Hieronimus Bettina , Stanhope Kimber L. , Shibata Noreene M. , Lee Vivien , Nunez Marinelle V. , Keim Nancy L. , Bremer Andrew , Havel Peter J. , Heffern Marie C. , Medici Valentina
Published: August 2020

Alterations of transition metal levels have been associated with obesity, hepatic steatosis, and metabolic syndrome in humans. Studies in animals indicate an association between dietary sugars and copper metabolism. Our group has conducted a study in which young adults consumed beverages sweetened with glucose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), or aspartame for two weeks and has reported that consumption of both fructose- and HFCS-sweetened beverages increased cardiovascular disease risk factors. Baseline and intervention serum samples from 107 participants of this study were measured for copper metabolism (copper, ceruloplasmin ferroxidase activity, ceruloplasmin protein), zinc levels, and iron metabolism (iron, ferritin, and transferrin) parameters. Fructose and/or glucose consumption were associated with decreased ceruloplasmin ferroxidase activity and serum copper and zinc concentrations. Ceruloplasmin protein levels did not change in response to intervention. The changes in copper concentrations were correlated with zinc, but not with iron. The decreases in copper, ceruloplasmin ferroxidase activity, ferritin, and transferrin were inversely associated with the increases in metabolic risk factors associated with sugar consumption, specifically, apolipoprotein CIII, triglycerides, or post-meal glucose, insulin, and lactate responses. These findings are the first evidence that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages can alter clinical parameters of transition metal metabolism in healthy subjects.
CRISPR/Cas9 Delivery Potentials in Alzheimer’s Disease Management: A Mini Review
Authors: Hanafy Amira Sayed , Schoch Susanne , Lamprecht Alf
Published: August 2020

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common dementia disorder. While genetic mutations account for only 1% of AD cases, sporadic AD resulting from a combination of genetic and risk factors constitutes >90% of the cases. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas9) is an impactful gene editing tool which identifies a targeted gene sequence, creating a double-stranded break followed by gene inactivation or correction. Although CRISPR/Cas9 can be utilized to irreversibly inactivate or correct faulty genes in AD, a safe and effective delivery system stands as a challenge against the translation of CRISPR therapeutics from bench to bedside. While viral vectors are efficient in CRISPR/Cas9 delivery, they might introduce fatal side effects and immune responses. As non-viral vectors offer a better safety profile, cost-effectiveness and versatility, they can be promising for the in vivo delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 therapeutics. In this minireview, we present an overview of viral and non-viral vector based CRISPR/Cas9 therapeutic strategies that are being evaluated on pre-clinical AD models. Other promising non-viral vectors that can be used for genome editing in AD, such as nanoparticles, nanoclews and microvesicles, are also discussed. Finally, we list the formulation and technical aspects that must be considered in order to develop a successful non-viral CRISPR/Cas9 delivery vehicle.
Novel In Vitro Investigational Methods for Modeling Skin Permeation: Skin PAMPA, Raman Mapping
Authors: Zsikó Stella , Csányi Erzsébet , Kovács Anita , Budai-Szűcs Mária , Gácsi Attila , Berkó Szilvia
Published: August 2020

The human skin is marked as a standard by the regulatory agencies in the permeation study of dermal formulations. Artificial membranes can substitute human skin to some extent. Academicians and pharmaceutical corporations are focusing their efforts on developing standardized protocols and safe, reliable options to substitute human skin for carrying out permeability studies. Our research aim was to study the applicability of new techniques in the case of different types of dermal formulations. The skin parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) method and Raman mapping were compared to the gold-standard Franz cell method. A hydrogel and two types of creams were investigated as the most generally used dermal preparations. The values of the diffused drug were closer to each other in PAMPA and Franz cell measurement. The diffused amount of drug showed the same order for the different formulations. These results correlate well with the results of Raman mapping. Our conclusions suggest that all early screening examinations can be performed with model tools such as skin PAMPA supplemented with methods like Raman mapping as a semi-quantitative method.
A Novel Oral Syringe for Dosing and Administration of Multiparticulate Formulations: Acceptability Study in Preschool and School Children
Authors: Katarzyna Hofmanová Justyna , Bennett Joanne , Coupe Alastair , A. Bartlett Jeremy , Monahan Andrew , Batchelor Hannah Katharine
Published: August 2020

The popularity of multiparticulate formulations (MPs) as a paediatric dosage form continues to increase. MPs comprise of multiple small units that are easy-to-swallow. Currently, MPs are commonly manufactured into unit doses that are either swallowed whole or opened prior to administration. While this is an acceptable approach, dosing is envisioned to be optimised with a “standard” paediatric device which can better harness the flexible dosing potential of MPs. We evaluated a novel oral syringe (SympfinyTM, HS Design, Morristown, NJ, USA) that is being developed as a tool to dispense and administer MPs to children. Forty children, 4–12 years old, received 0.5, 1.2, and 2.0 mL doses of placebo MPs using the oral syringe with spring water or a drink of choice to complete sample intake. Acceptability was recorded as those able to completely swallow the dose and participants also rated dose acceptability on a 5-point scale. The ability to completely swallow the dose decreased as dose volume increased; the smallest dose was completely swallowed by 87.5% (35/40) children, and 69.4% (27/39) of children confirmed their willingness to take the sample as a daily medicine. Larger doses, 1.2 and 2.0 mL, gave values of 55% and 57.5% for the doses completely swallowed and 58.8% and 51.72% for willingness to take the sample as a daily medicine, respectively. Use of a drink of choice showed no increase in swallowability as compared with water. The novel oral syringe being developed is an appropriate device for dispensing doses flexibly and administering neutral tasting MPs directly to the mouth in the lower dose range without the need for a co-administration vehicle in children aged 4–12 years.
Thin Porous Poly(ionic liquid) Coatings for Enhanced Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction
Authors: Patinha David J. S. , Wang Hong , Yuan Jiayin , Rocha Sílvia M. , Silvestre Armando J. D. , Marrucho Isabel M.
Published: August 2020

In this contribution, thin poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) coatings with a well-defined pore structure built up from interpolyelectrolyte complexation between a PIL and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were successfully used for enhanced solid phase microextraction (SPME). The introduction of porosity with tunable polarity through the highly versatile PIL chemistry clearly boosts the potential of SPME in the detection of compounds at rather low concentrations. This work will inspire researchers to further explore the potential of porous poly(ionic liquid) materials in sensing and separation applications.
Reconstructing Three Decades of Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Brazilian Biomes with Landsat Archive and Earth Engine
Authors: Souza Carlos M. , Z. Shimbo Julia , Rosa Marcos R. , Parente Leandro L. , A. Alencar Ane , Rudorff Bernardo F. T. , Hasenack Heinrich , Matsumoto Marcelo , G. Ferreira Laerte , Souza-Filho Pedro W. M. , de Oliveira Sergio W. , Rocha Washington F. , Fonseca Antônio V. , Marques Camila B. , Diniz Cesar G. , Costa Diego , Monteiro Dyeden , Rosa Eduardo R. , Vélez-Martin Eduardo , Weber Eliseu J. , Lenti Felipe E. B. , Paternost Fernando F. , Pareyn Frans G. C. , Siqueira João V. , Viera José L. , Neto Luiz C. Ferreira , Saraiva Marciano M. , Sales Marcio H. , Salgado Moises P. G. , Vasconcelos Rodrigo , Galano Soltan , Mesquita Vinicius V. , Azevedo Tasso
Published: August 2020

Brazil has a monitoring system to track annual forest conversion in the Amazon and most recently to monitor the Cerrado biome. However, there is still a gap of annual land use and land cover (LULC) information in all Brazilian biomes in the country. Existing countrywide efforts to map land use and land cover lack regularly updates and high spatial resolution time-series data to better understand historical land use and land cover dynamics, and the subsequent impacts in the country biomes. In this study, we described a novel approach and the results achieved by a multi-disciplinary network called MapBiomas to reconstruct annual land use and land cover information between 1985 and 2017 for Brazil, based on random forest applied to Landsat archive using Google Earth Engine. We mapped five major classes: forest, non-forest natural formation, farming, non-vegetated areas, and water. These classes were broken into two sub-classification levels leading to the most comprehensive and detailed mapping for the country at a 30 m pixel resolution. The average overall accuracy of the land use and land cover time-series, based on a stratified random sample of 75,000 pixel locations, was 89% ranging from 73 to 95% in the biomes. The 33 years of LULC change data series revealed that Brazil lost 71 Mha of natural vegetation, mostly to cattle ranching and agriculture activities. Pasture expanded by 46% from 1985 to 2017, and agriculture by 172%, mostly replacing old pasture fields. We also identified that 86 Mha of the converted native vegetation was undergoing some level of regrowth. Several applications of the MapBiomas dataset are underway, suggesting that reconstructing historical land use and land cover change maps is useful for advancing the science and to guide social, economic and environmental policy decision-making processes in Brazil.
Node-Based Optimization of GNSS Tomography with a Minimum Bounding Box Algorithm
Authors: Ding Nan , Yan Xiangrong , Zhang Shubi , Wu Suqin , Wang Xiaoming , Zhang Yu , Wang Yuchen , Liu Xin , Zhang Wenyuan , Holden Lucas , Zhang Kefei
Published: August 2020

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) tomography plays an important role in the monitoring and tracking of the tropospheric water vapor. In this study, a new approach for improving the node-based GNSS tomography is proposed, which makes a trade-off between the real observed region and the complexity of the discretization of the tomographic region. To obtain dynamically the approximate observed region, the convex hull algorithm and minimum bounding box algorithm are used at each tomographic epoch. This new approach can dynamically define the tomographic model for all types of study areas based on the GNSS data. The performance of the new approach is tested by comparing it against the common node-based GNSS tomographic approach. Test data in May 2015 are obtained from the Hong Kong GNSS network to build the tomographic models and the radiosonde data as a reference are used for validating the quality of the new approach. The experimental results show that the root-mean-square errors of the new approach, in most cases, have a 38 percent improvement and the values of standard deviation reduce to over 43 percent compared with the common approach. The results indicate that the new approach is applicable to the node-based GNSS tomography.
Burned Area Mapping Using Multi-Temporal Sentinel-2 Data by Applying the Relative Differenced Aerosol-Free Vegetation Index (RdAFRI)
Authors: Salvoldi Manuel , Siaki Gil , Sprintsin Michael , Karnieli Arnon
Published: August 2020

Assessing the development of wildfire scars during a period of consecutive active fires and smoke overcast is a challenge. The study was conducted during nine months when Israel experienced massive pyro-terrorism attacks of more than 1100 fires from the Gaza Strip. The current project strives at developing and using an advanced Earth observation approach for accurate post-fire spatial and temporal assessment shortly after the event ends while eliminating the influence of biomass burning smoke on the ground signal. For fulfilling this goal, the Aerosol-Free Vegetation Index (AFRI), which has a meaningful advantage in penetrating an opaque atmosphere influenced by biomass burning smoke, was used. On top of it, under clear sky conditions, the AFRI closely resembles the widely used Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and it retains the same level of index values under smoke. The relative differenced AFRI (RdAFRI) set of algorithms was implemented at the same procedure commonly used with the Relative differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (RdBRN). The algorithm was applied to 24 Sentinel-2 Level-2A images throughout the study period. While validating with ground observations, the RdAFRI-based algorithms produced an overall accuracy of 90%. Furthermore, the RdAFRI maps were smoother than the equivalent RdNBR, with noise levels two orders of magnitude lower than the latter. Consequently, applying the RdAFRI, it is possible to distinguish among four severity categories. However, due to different cloud cover on the two consecutive dates, an automatic determination of a threshold level was not possible. Therefore, two threshold levels were considered through visual inspection and manually assigned to each imaging date. The novel procedure enables calculating the spatio-temporal dynamics of the fire scars along with the statistics of the burned vegetation species within the study area.
Review: Cantilever-Based Sensors for High Speed Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Alunda Bernard Ouma , Lee Yong Joong
Published: August 2020

This review critically summarizes the recent advances of the microcantilever-based force sensors for atomic force microscope (AFM) applications. They are one the most common mechanical spring–mass systems and are extremely sensitive to changes in the resonant frequency, thus finding numerous applications especially for molecular sensing. Specifically, we comment on the latest progress in research on the deflection detection systems, fabrication, coating and functionalization of the microcantilevers and their application as bio- and chemical sensors. A trend on the recent breakthroughs on the study of biological samples using high-speed atomic force microscope is also reported in this review.
Analysis on the Radial Vibration of Longitudinally Polarized Radial Composite Tubular Transducer
Authors: Wang Xiaoyu , Lin Shuyu
Published: August 2020

The radial vibration of a radial composite tubular transducer with a large radiation range and power capacity is studied. The transducer is composed of a longitudinally polarized piezoelectric ceramic tube and a coaxial outer metal tube. Assuming that the longitudinal length is much larger than the radius, the electromechanical equivalent circuits of the radial vibration of a piezoelectric ceramic long tube and a metal long tube are derived and obtained for the first time following the plane strain theory. As per the condition of the continuous forces and displacements of two contact surfaces, the electromechanical equivalent circuit of the tubular transducer is obtained. The radial resonance/anti-resonance frequency equation and the expression of the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient are obtained. Then, the effects of the radial geometry dimension of the transducer on the vibration characteristics are analyzed. The theoretical resonance frequencies, anti-resonance frequencies, and the effective electromechanical coupling coefficients at the fundamental mode and the second mode are in good agreement with the finite element analysis (FEA) results. The study shows that when the overall size of the transducer is unchanged, as the proportion of piezoelectric ceramic increases, the radial resonance/anti-resonance frequency and the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient of the transducer at the fundamental mode and the second mode have certain characteristics. The radial composite tubular transducer is expected to be used in high-power ultrasonic wastewater treatment, ultrasonic degradation, and underwater acoustics, as well as other high-power ultrasonic fields.
Image Enhancement for Computational Integral Imaging Reconstruction via Four-Dimensional Image Structure
Authors: Bae Joungeun , Yoo Hoon
Published: August 2020

This paper describes the image enhancement of a computational integral imaging reconstruction method via reconstructing a four-dimensional (4-D) image structure. A computational reconstruction method for high-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) images is highly required in 3-D applications such as 3-D visualization and 3-D object recognition. To improve the visual quality of reconstructed images, we introduce an adjustable parameter to produce a group of 3-D images from a single elemental image array. The adjustable parameter controls overlapping in back projection with a transformation of cropping and translating elemental images. It turns out that the new parameter is an independent parameter from the reconstruction position to reconstruct a 4-D image structure with four axes of x, y, z, and k. The 4-D image structure of the proposed method provides more visual information than existing methods. Computer simulations and optical experiments are carried out to show the feasibility of the proposed method. The results indicate that our method enhances the image quality of 3-D images by providing a 4-D image structure with the adjustable parameter.
Investigation of Input and Output Energy for Wheat Production: A Comprehensive Study for Tehsil Mailsi (Pakistan)
Authors: Ashraf Muhammad N. , Mahmood Muhammad H. , Sultan Muhammad , Banaeian Narges , Usman Muhammad , Ibrahim Sobhy M. , Butt Muhammad U. B. U. , Waseem Muhammad , Ali Imran , Shakoor Aamir , Khan Zahid M.
Published: August 2020

The global increasing food demand can be met by efficient energy utilization in mechanized agricultural productions. In this study, input–output energy flow along with CO2 emissions for different wheat production cases (C-I to C-V) were investigated to identify the one that is most energy-efficient and environment-friendly case. Data and information about input and output sources were collected from farmers through questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Input and output sources were converted into energy units by energy equivalents while CO2 emissions were calculated by emission equivalents. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) was conducted to compare technical efficiencies of the developed cases for optimization of inputs in inefficient cases. Results revealed that case C-Ⅴ (higher inputs, larger fields, the tendency of higher fertilizer application and tillage operations) has the highest energy inputs and outputs than the rest of the cases. Moreover, it possesses the lowest energy use efficiency and energy productivity. The highest CO2 emissions (1548 kg-CO2/ha) referred to C-Ⅴ while lowest emissions per ton of grain yield were determined in C-Ⅳ (higher electricity water pumping, moderate energy input). The grain yield increases directly with input energy in most of the cases, but it does not guarantee the highest values for energy indices. C-Ⅲ (moderate irrigations, educated farmers, various fertilizer applications) was found as an optimum case because of higher energy indices like energy use efficiency of 4.4 and energy productivity of 153.94 kg/GJ. Optimum input and better management practices may enhance energy proficiency and limit the traditionally uncontrolled CO2 emissions from wheat production. Therefore, the agricultural practices performed in C-Ⅲ are recommended for efficient cultivation of wheat in the studied area.
Regionally Divergent Patterns in Factors Affecting Municipal Waste Production: The Polish Perspective
Authors: Antczak Elżbieta
Published: August 2020

This article attempts to identify factors impacting on the quantity of municipal waste in Polish 2478 communes (LAU-2), taking into account the variability of particular determinants’ influence depending on their regional diversification. The analysis covers the years 2005–2018. The dependent variable is the volume of municipal waste in kg per capita, whereas the group of determinants include: economic and human development, uncontrolled dumping sites, population density, population at the working age, migration, tourism, urbanization, dwellings and housing, retail sales, entities, education, and investments in waste management. The geographically weighted regression with spatial error term (GWR–SEM) was employed in this study. The model enabled not only the specification of the waste production determinants, but also the analysis of the variability in the strength and direction of dependencies occurring between the examined variables in individual communes. The results proved that the higher the level of education, the less waste is generated (in north-central Poland); the business entities and working-age population are crucial for the waste quantity in communes of eastern Poland; the factors most important to regional range affecting the waste quantity are urban and business development, and most important to strength are higher education and the share of working-age individuals.
Seasonal Assessment of Groundwater Contamination in Coal Mining Areas of Balochistan
Authors: Ayub Ayesha , Ahmad Sheikh Saeed
Published: August 2020

Balochistan is a semi-arid region. The assessment of water quality is very important, as the majority of people depend on groundwater for drinking purposes. The present study involves the quality assessment and mapping of drinking water in the five selected major coal mining sites in the four districts of Balochistan. A total of 50 samples were collected from these five coal mining sites in two seasons: i.e., summer and winter. A physicochemical analysis was carried out for groundwater samples: i.e., pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solid (TDS), CO3, HCO3-, Cl-, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, and Zn. Thematic maps were used to depict the spatial distribution of significant variables and were compared with WHO standards (2011) during both seasons. The majority of parameters crossed the safe permissible limit of WHO standards. The water quality index (WQI) was calculated for the whole monitoring data obtained from both seasons from the perspective of drinking water in each of the selected sites. Moreover, a principle component analysis (PCA) and correlation matrix was carried out for the data analysis in order to identify the source of pollution and correlation among the variables. The results suggested that the overall quality of water from the selected coal mining sites deteriorated due to the overexploitation of coal mines and mining activity. The current investigation provides a comprehensive picture of the current status of water quality in and around the selected coal mines of Balochistan.
Construction Aggregates and Environmental Policy Integration in a One-Party State: The Case of Hoa Binh, Vietnam
Authors: Schiappacasse Paulina , Müller Bernhard , Linh Le Thuy , Wirth Peter
Published: August 2020

In fast growing economies, rapid urbanization generates high demand for construction aggregates in the rural hinterland of cities. Their extraction often causes negative repercussions on the environment. In Vietnam, the central government has made strong efforts to incorporate environmental objectives in the aggregate mining sector, and, in a one-party state, it has powerful means to implement its policies. Nevertheless, adverse environmental effects of aggregate mining are visible throughout the country. Against this background, the purpose of this paper is to identify barriers for environmental policy integration in a one-party state. The aggregates industry in Hoa Binh Province, located in the hinterland of the fast growing capital Hanoi, is taken as a case. Methods of the study, which was conducted between 2015 and 2019, include literature review, document and data analysis, interviews, group discussions for information collection and validation of results, and site visits. Six environmental policy integration barriers are derived from the literature. They form the conceptual basis for explaining difficulties of environmental policy implementation and integration in the concrete case. The study demonstrates that the following factors provide a viable concept for analyzing deficits of environmental policy integration in a fast modernizing one-party state: (a) the prevalence of top-down approaches with insufficient trigger-down effects, (b) the predominance of socioeconomic over environmental objectives, (c) weak incentives to improve environmental performance, (d) fragmented environmental planning and implementation, (e) weak institutional control mechanisms on lower levels of government, and (f) compliance oriented public participation and deficient compensation mechanisms. These are potential entry points for coping with environmental challenges of growth oriented sector policies.
Sustainability Governance Mechanisms in Supply Chains: An Application in the Retail Sector
Authors: Morcillo-Bellido Jesús , Duran-Heras Alfonso
Published: August 2020

This study analyzes supply chain sustainability governance mechanisms, and their characterization, typology, adoption and relationship with the overall level of sustainability in the supply chain, and with the adopting firm’s competitive strategy. It is a case-based study conducted in the Spanish retail sector. A representative set of mechanisms is identified, and both their theoretical background and their degree of practical adoption is established. These mechanisms are then characterized in terms of several traits regarding either the mechanisms themselves or the way they are adopted both by the focal company (internal view) and by its suppliers (external view) in each of the cases. Results suggest that mechanisms might be classified into either ‘enablers’, which increasingly constitute a prerequisite for achieving acceptable levels of sustainability, and ‘differentiators’, which can potentially confer sustainable strategic advantages. Actually, achieving these advantages, however, seems contingent on the additional attainment of a comprehensive ‘depth’ in the implementation of an integrated set of mechanisms of both types, both internally within the focal company and throughout the whole supply chain, as measured by the traits proposed in the study. Furthermore, the concept of ‘circular improvement models’ for sustainable supply chains, akin to Total Quality Management models, is proposed by the authors. The resulting model encompassing enabling and differentiating governance mechanisms could guide the self-evaluation and improvement plans of companies aiming to improve their supply chains sustainability; further guidance on ‘deep adoption’ comprehensive strategies and on the potential for self-reinforcing continuous improvement in sustainability beyond a certain threshold are provided by the study’s conclusions.
A Novel Power Scheduling Mechanism for Islanded DC Microgrid Cluster
Authors: Wahid Abdul , Iqbal Javed , Qamar Affaq , Ahmed Salman , Basit Abdul , Ali Haider , Aldossary Omar M.
Published: August 2020

Extension of the main grid to remote areas is economically not feasible. To electrify remote areas, one of the best choices is to install Renewable Energy Sources (RES) as a distributed generation (DG) and thus form a microgrid (MG) in islanded (Stand-alone) mode. In islanded mode, the MG has no support from the national grid. Thus, the overloading of islanded DC MG can collapse DC bus voltage and cause fluctuation in the load. Therefore, the power sharing and the interconnection among the microgrid (MG) cluster are necessary for reliable operation. Many methods for power sharing also aim at minimizing circulating currents which cannot be avoided when every MG feeds their load locally. Therefore, the proper power balancing among generation, loads, and in between MG cluster is challenging in islanded topology. This paper presents an intelligent controller for power sharing among PV-based MG clusters with load management of connected load during power deficiency. The priority is given to the local critical load of each MG. The second priority is given to the remaining load of the respective MG. The least priority is given to the loads connected to the neighboring MGs. The results show that the power continuation to the power-deficient load has been maintained when another MG has surplus power. The circulating current losses between the MG cluster has been fully avoided during no power sharing.
Analysis of the Graovac–Pisanski Index of Some Polyhedral Graphs Based on Their Symmetry Group
Authors: Ghorbani Modjtaba , Hakimi-Nezhaad Mardjan , Dehmer Matthias , Li Xueliang
Published: August 2020

The Graovac–Pisanski (GP) index of a graph is a modified version of the Wiener index based on the distance between each vertex x and its image α(x), where α is an automorphism of graph. The aim of this paper is to compute the automorphism group of some classes of cubic polyhedral graphs and then we determine their Wiener index. In addition, we investigate the GP-index of these classes of graphs.
Role of Ergonomic Factors Affecting Production of Leather Garment-Based SMEs of India: Implications for Social Sustainability
Authors: Karuppiah Koppiahraj , Sankaranarayanan Bathrinath , Ali Syed Mithun , Kabir Golam
Published: August 2020

This paper aims to identify, evaluate, and measure the ergonomic factors hampering the production of leather garment-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Ergonomic problems faced by the workers largely impact the health of individuals and also the productivity of a firm. Based on experts’ opinions and a literature survey, three emerging categories—namely, occupational disease, personal factors, and the industrial environment—with a total of twenty factors were identified to examine symmetrical impact in five leather garment companies. In this research work, Cronbach’s α was evaluated to check the validity of the ergonomic factors identified through the literature survey. Then, using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP), the identified ergonomic factors were evaluated. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to validate the robustness of the results obtained using the integrated approach. Outdated machinery, vibration, operational setup, fatigue, and poor ventilation and lighting are the top five factors inducing ergonomic-related problems and hampering the production of the leather garment companies in India. These top ergonomic factors are the result of a failure in the provision of an ambient working environment. Providing ergonomically designed working environments may lower the occurrence of ergonomic problems. The findings of this study will assist industrial managers to enhance production rate and to progress towards social sustainability in Indian SMEs. The proposed symmetrical assessment in this study could also be considered as a benchmark for other companies in which human–machine interaction is significant.
Tracking Community Timing: Pattern and Determinants of Seasonality in Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Northern Florida
Authors: Quaglia Agustin I. , Blosser Erik M. , McGregor Bethany L. , Runkel Alfred E. , Sloyer Kristin E. , Erram Dinesh , Wisely Samantha M. , Burkett-Cadena Nathan D.
Published: August 2020

Community dynamics are embedded in hierarchical spatial–temporal scales that connect environmental drivers with species assembly processes. Culicoides species are hematophagous arthropod vectors of orbiviruses that impact wild and domestic ruminants. A better sense of Culicoides dynamics over time is important because sympatric species can lengthen the seasonality of virus transmission. We tested a putative departure from the four seasons calendar in the phenology of Culicoides and the vector subassemblage in the Florida panhandle. Two years of weekly abundance data, temporal scales, persistence and environmental thresholds were analyzed using a tripartite Culicoides β-diversity based modeling approach. Culicoides phenology followed a two-season regime and was explained by stream flow and temperature, but not rainfall. Species richness fit a nested pattern where the species recruitment was maximized during spring months. Midges were active year-round, and two suspected vectors species, Culicoides venustus and Culicoides stellifer, were able to sustain and connect the seasonal modules. Persistence suggests that Orbivirus maintenance does not rely on overwintering and that viruses are maintained year-round, with the seasonal dynamics resembling subtropical Culicoides communities with temporal-overlapping between multivoltine species. Viewing Culicoides-borne orbiviruses as a time-sensitive community-based issue, our results help to recommend when management operations should be delivered.
Physicochemical Differentiation of the Muskau Arch Pit Lakes in the Light of Long-Term Changes
Authors: Oszkinis-Golon Małgorzata , Frankowski Marcin , Jerzak Leszek , Pukacz Andrzej
Published: August 2020

Thirteen pit lakes of the Muskau Arch (Western Poland) were studied in the summer season of 2016. The lakes display great geomorphological and hydrochemical diversity. The aim of the study was to characterize temporal changes in the physicochemical conditions of the pit lakes over the last 30 years (1986–2016) and to determine the main factors influencing their evolution. All the lakes were characterized in terms of the same set of physicochemical parameters measured and used for comparative analysis with literature data from the years 1986 and 1992. The results showed significant temporal differentiation in terms of morphometric features and most of the physicochemical characteristics. pH, EC, Ca2+, Mg2+ and total Fe were among the most significantly differentiating parameters. A similar pattern of changes was found for most of the lakes, suggesting natural fluctuations. Despite the differences in values of thermal and oxygen profiles, there were also similarities in lake stratification. Additionally, meromictic conditions were found in 4 lakes. In some of the lakes a negative effect of neutralization and fertilization of the water was observed. Our results showed that the Muskau Arch lakes are subject to dynamic hydrogeological and hydrochemical changes. In addition to natural changes, human-caused transformations were among the key factors responsible for the differentiation of the physicochemical conditions.
A Scheme to Estimate Diurnal Cycle of Evapotranspiration from Geostationary Meteorological Satellite Observations
Authors: Lu Jing , Jia Li , Zheng Chaolei , Tang Ronglin , Jiang Yazhen
Published: August 2020

The diurnal cycle of evapotranspiration (ET) is significant in studying the dynamics of land–atmosphere interactions. The diurnal ET cycle can be considered as an indicator of dry/wet surface conditions. However, the accuracy of current models in estimating the diurnal ET cycle is generally low. This study developed an improved scheme to estimate the diurnal cycle of ET by solving the surface energy balance equation combined with simplified parameterization, with daily ET as the constraint. Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) land surface temperature, and longwave and shortwave radiation products were the primary inputs. Daily ET was from the remote sensing-based ETMonitor model. The estimated instantaneous (30 min) ET from the improved scheme outperformed the official MSG instantaneous ET product when compared with in situ half-hourly measurements at 35 flux sites from the FLUXNET2015 dataset, and was also comparable with European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA5 ET data, with an R2 of 0.617 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 65.8 W/m2 for the improved scheme. Results were largely improved compared with those without daily ET as the constraint. The improved method was stable for the estimation of ET’s diurnal cycle at the similar atmospheric conditions and the accuracy was comparative at different land cover surfaces. Errors in the input variables and the simplification of surface heat flux parameterization affected surface energy balance closure, which can lead to instability of the solution of constants in the simplified parameterization and further to the uncertainty of ET’s diurnal cycle estimation. Measurement errors, different source areas in measured variables, and inconsistent spatial representativeness between remote sensing and site measurements also impacted the evaluation.
A Model Tree Generator (MTG) Framework for Simulating Hydrologic Systems: Application to Reservoir Routing
Authors: Rahnamay Naeini Matin , Yang Tiantian , Tavakoly Ahmad , Analui Bita , AghaKouchak Amir , Hsu Kuo-lin , Sorooshian Soroosh
Published: August 2020

Data-driven algorithms have been widely used as effective tools to mimic hydrologic systems. Unlike black-box models, decision tree algorithms offer transparent representations of systems and reveal useful information about the underlying process. A popular class of decision tree models is model tree (MT), which is designed for predicting continuous variables. Most MT algorithms employ an exhaustive search mechanism and a pre-defined splitting criterion to generate a piecewise linear model. However, this approach is computationally intensive, and the selection of the splitting criterion can significantly affect the performance of the generated model. These drawbacks can limit the application of MTs to large datasets. To overcome these shortcomings, a new flexible Model Tree Generator (MTG) framework is introduced here. MTG is equipped with several modules to provide a flexible, efficient, and effective tool for generating MTs. The application of the algorithm is demonstrated through simulation of controlled discharge from several reservoirs across the Contiguous United States (CONUS).