bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Liquid Flow Meter by Fiber-Optic Sensing of Heat Propagation
Authors: Jderu Alin , Soto Marcelo A. , Enachescu Marius , Ziegler Dominik
Published: January 2021

Monitoring fluid flow rates is imperative for a variety of industries including biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, the food industry, and the oil and gas industries. We propose a flow meter that, unlike turbine or pressure-based sensors, is not flow intrusive, requires zero maintenance, has low risk of clogging, and is compatible with harsh conditions. Using optical fiber sensing, we monitor the temperature distribution along a fluid conduit. Pulsed heat injection locally elevates the fluid’s temperature, and from the propagation velocity of the heat downstream, the fluid’s velocity is determined. The method is experimentally validated for water and ethanol using optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR) with millimetric spatial resolution over a 1.2 m-long conduit. Results demonstrate that such sensing yields accurate data with a linear response. By changing the optical fiber interrogation to time-domain distributed sensing approaches, the proposed technique can be scaled to cover sensing ranges of several tens of kilometers. On the other extreme, miniaturization for instance by using integrated optical waveguides could potentially bring this flow monitoring technique to microfluidic systems or open future avenues for novel “lab-in-a-fiber” technologies with biomedical applications.
Improving Real-Time Hand Gesture Recognition with Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Benitez-Garcia Gibran , Prudente-Tixteco Lidia , Castro-Madrid Luis Carlos , Toscano-Medina Rocio , Olivares-Mercado Jesus , Sanchez-Perez Gabriel , Villalba Luis Javier Garcia
Published: January 2021

Hand gesture recognition (HGR) takes a central role in human–computer interaction, covering a wide range of applications in the automotive sector, consumer electronics, home automation, and others. In recent years, accurate and efficient deep learning models have been proposed for real-time applications. However, the most accurate approaches tend to employ multiple modalities derived from RGB input frames, such as optical flow. This practice limits real-time performance due to intense extra computational cost. In this paper, we avoid the optical flow computation by proposing a real-time hand gesture recognition method based on RGB frames combined with hand segmentation masks. We employ a light-weight semantic segmentation method (FASSD-Net) to boost the accuracy of two efficient HGR methods: Temporal Segment Networks (TSN) and Temporal Shift Modules (TSM). We demonstrate the efficiency of the proposal on our IPN Hand dataset, which includes thirteen different gestures focused on interaction with touchless screens. The experimental results show that our approach significantly overcomes the accuracy of the original TSN and TSM algorithms by keeping real-time performance.
Politics, Power, and Influence: Defense Industries in the Post-Cold War
Authors: Reis João Carlos Gonçalves dos
Published: January 2021

The post-Cold War era is placing the defense industry at a crossroads. If, on the one hand, it is under great pressure to guarantee warlike efforts around the world, with tight budgets and uncertain lead-times, on the other hand, it is seen as a central instrument for national sovereignty and foreign policy. The purpose of this research is to report the state-of-the-art of the existing literature and explore the most relevant research areas in order to provide the conceptual basis for further empirical research. To do so, this study uses a preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA), which is an adequate technique as it allows one to discover concepts, ideas, and debates about the defense industry. The results evidenced three different approaches to the defense industry—integration, autarky, and domination. In that regard, we present several case studies in which the defense industry is used as an instrument of foreign policy or national sovereignty. Future studies may focus on empirical research to validate the theoretical findings or to identify variables that lead some defense industries to seek synergies, resorting to mergers and acquisitions, while other defense companies prefer to obtain State funds.
Spatial Accessibility to Local Public Services in an Unequal Place: An Analysis from Patterns of Residential Segregation in the Metropolitan Area of Santiago, Chile
Authors: Cortés Yasna
Published: January 2021

The study of the relationship between the provision of local public services and residential segregation is critical when it might be the social manifestation of spatial income inequality. This paper analyzes how the spatial accessibility to local public services is distributed equitably among different social and economic groups in the Metropolitan Area of Santiago (MR), Chile. To accomplish this objective, I use accessibility measures to local public services such as transportation, public education, healthcare, kindergartens, parks, fire and police stations, cultural infrastructure, and information about housing prices and exempted housing units from local taxes by block, as well as quantile regressions and bivariate Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA). The main results confirm the accessibility to local public services is unequally distributed among residents. However, it affects more low-income groups who are suffering from significant deficits in the provision of local public services. In this scenario, poor residents face a double disadvantage due to their social exclusion from urban systems and their limited access to essential services such as education, healthcare, or transportation. In particular, I found that social residential segregation might be reinforced by insufficient access to local infrastructure that the most impoverished population should assume.
Exploring Impact of Surrounding Service Facilities on Urban Vibrancy Using Tencent Location-Aware Data: A Case of Guangzhou
Authors: Zhang Xucai , Sun Yeran , Chan Ting On , Huang Ying , Zheng Anyao , Liu Zhang
Published: January 2021

Urban vibrancy contributes towards a successful city and high-quality life for people as one of its vital elements. Therefore, the association between service facilities and vibrancy is crucial for urban managers to understand and improve city construction. Moreover, the rapid development of information and communications technology (ICT) allows researchers to easily and quickly collect a large volume of real-time data generated by people in daily life. In this study, against the background of emerging multi-source big data, we utilized Tencent location data as a proxy for 24-h vibrancy and adopted point-of-interest (POI) data to represent service facilities. An analysis framework integrated with ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) models is proposed to explore the spatiotemporal relationships between urban vibrancy and POI-based variables. Empirical results show that (1) spatiotemporal variations exist in the impact of service facilities on urban vibrancy across Guangzhou, China; and (2) GTWR models exhibit a higher degree of explanatory capacity on vibrancy than the OLS models. In addition, our results can assist urban planners to understand spatiotemporal patterns of urban vibrancy in a refined resolution, and to optimize the resource allocation and functional configuration of the city.
Evaluation of Zero-Valent Iron for Pb(II) Contaminated Soil Remediation: From the Analysis of Experimental Mechanism Hybird with Carbon Emission Assessment
Authors: Sun Junfang , Tian Angran , Feng Zheyuan , Zhang Yu , Jiang Feiyang , Tang Qiang
Published: January 2021

Carbon emission is one of the main causes of global climate change, thus it is necessary to choose a low-carbon method in the contaminated soil remediation. This paper studies the adsorption ability of ZVI on Pb(II) contaminated soils under different working conditions. The removal efficiency of Pb(II) was 98% because of the suitable ZVI dosage, log reaction time and low initial solution concentration. The whole balancing process was much fast according to the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isothermal model. Moreover, sequential extraction procedure (SEP) showed Pb(II) was transformed from Fe/Mn oxides-bound form to residual form in Pb(II) contaminated soils. From scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method (BET) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, it was confirmed that zero-valent iron (ZVI) stabilizes Pb(II) pollutants mostly through the combination of chemical adsorption and physical adsorption. The economic and carbon emission assessments were used to compare the cost and carbon emissions of different methods. The results show that ZVI adsorption has excellent economic benefits and low carbon emission.
Life Cycle Assessment Framework for Embodied Environmental Impacts of Building Construction Systems
Authors: Abouhamad Mona , Abu-Hamd Metwally
Published: January 2021

This paper develops a life cycle assessment framework for embodied environmental impacts of building construction systems. The framework is intended to be used early in the design stage to assist decision making in identifying sources of higher embodied impacts and in selecting sustainable design alternatives. The framework covers commonly used building construction systems such as reinforced concrete construction (RCC), hot-rolled steel construction (HRS), and light steel construction (LSC). The system boundary is defined for the framework from cradle-to-grave plus recycling and reuse possibilities. Building Information Modeling (BIM) and life cycle assessment are integrated in the developed framework to evaluate life cycle embodied energy and embodied greenhouse emissions of design options. The life cycle inventory data used to develop the framework were extracted from BIM models for the building material quantities, verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for the material production stage, and the design of construction operations for the construction and end-of-life stages. Application of the developed framework to a case study of a university building revealed the following results. The material production stage had the highest contribution to embodied impacts, reaching about 90%. Compared with the conventional RCC construction system, the HRS construction system had 41% more life cycle embodied energy, while the LSC construction system had 34% less life cycle embodied energy. When each system was credited with the net benefits resulting from possible recycling/reuse beyond building life, the HRS construction system had 10% less life cycle embodied energy, while the LSC construction system had 68% less life cycle embodied energy. Similarly, the HRS construction system had 29% less life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while the LSC construction system had 62% less life cycle GHG emissions. Sustainability assessment results showed that the RCC construction system received zero Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credit points, the HRS construction system received three LEED credit points, while the LSC construction system received five LEED credit points.
Evaluation of Climate Change Impacts on the Potential Distribution of Styrax sumatrana in North Sumatra, Indonesia
Authors: Saputra Muhammad Hadi , Lee Han Soo
Published: January 2021

This study aims to assess the impact of climate change on the distribution of Styrax sumatrana in North Sumatra by applying the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model with biophysical factors (elevation, slope, aspect, and soil), climatic factors (19 bioclimate data sets for 2050 and 2070), and anthropogenic factors (land use land cover (LULC) changes in 2050 and 2070). The future climate data retrieved and used are the output of four climate models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), namely, the CCSM4, CNRM-CM5, MIROC5, and MRI-CGCM3 models, under the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. The MaxEnt modelling results showed the importance of the mean temperature of the coldest quarter and the LULC variables. Styrax sumatrana rely on environmental conditions with air temperatures ranging from 13 to 19 °C. The potentially suitable land types for Styrax sumatrana are shrubs, gardens, and forests. The future predictions show that the suitable habitat for Styrax sumatrana is predicted to decrease to 3.87% in 2050 and to 3.54% in 2070 under the RCP4.5 scenario. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, the suitable area is predicted to decrease to 3.04% in 2050 and to 1.36% in 2070, respectively. The degradation of the suitable area is mainly due to increasing temperature and deforestation in future predictions. The modelling results illustrate that the suitable habitats of Styrax sumatrana are likely to be reduced under future climate change scenarios or lost in 2070 under the RCP8.5 scenario. The potential future extinction of this species should alert authorities to formulate conservation strategies. Results also demonstrated key variables that should be used for formulating ex situ conservation strategies.
Market Integration and Regional Green Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China’s Province-Level Data
Authors: Hou Shiying , Song Liangrong
Published: January 2021

The development of market integration has an important effect on regional green total factor productivity (GTFP). Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2008 to 2017, this paper studies the spatial effect and transmission mechanism of market integration on regional green total factor productivity by calculating the Malmquist–Luenburger index and using spatial econometric models. It was found that market integration can promote the improvement of regional green total factor productivity. This positive effect is not only directly reflected in the region, it also indirectly promotes the growth of GTFP in nearby regions. In addition, market integration has shown significant positive effects on efficiency improvement and technological progress, and market integration has affected regional green total factor productivity through them. The above conclusions are of great significance for China to develop a green economy and promote high-quality economic transformation.
Frost Resistance of Alkali-Activated Concrete—An Important Pillar of Their Sustainability
Authors: Bilek Vlastimil , Sucharda Oldrich , Bujdos David
Published: January 2021

Sustainable development of concrete construction requires sustainable materials or sustainable binders. Specifically, alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are an interesting and wide group of materials. They have good strengths and are considered environmentally friendly materials because secondary materials are consumed during the preparation of AAMs. The durability of AAMs is also excellent. One of the most important parts of durability is frost resistance. The frost resistance of alkali-activated materials is usually very good. However, some studies showed opposite properties and poor frost resistance. The reason for this may be a different composition of the activator. The content of alkalis is often considered the main characteristic of alkali-activated materials. However, SiO2 content can play an important role too. This paper discusses the different results for the mechanical properties and frost resistance of different compositions of alkali activators made of sodium water glass with a silicate modulus modified with potassium hydroxide. The role of the activator content and the water-to-cement ratio in this phenomenon is discussed. The results of this article show that the strengths of AAMs are significantly affected by the curing method. Water curing reduced some of the strength of the specimens compared to foil-covered specimens. Frost resistance depends on the method of curing and on the composition of the activator; some concretes with high strengths showed very low frost resistance.
Housing Design and Mobility Convenience—The Case of Sweden
Authors: Gunnarsson-Östling Ulrika
Published: January 2021

A parking space is the beginning and the end of every car journey. Policies aimed at parking spaces are, thus, an effective way of affecting car travel. Policies regarding parking typically mean setting minimum parking requirements to meet the peak demand for parking. However, in several Swedish cities, as well as around Europe, attempts are made to lower the number of parking places. One way is to build homes without parking places for cars and pilot projects with zero-parking have started to materialize. This paper looks into the academic literature in the field of design and architecture to see how parking issues are dealt with. It also looks into ongoing practice by studying three pilot projects in Sweden that challenge the dominant parking norm by planning and building for a new normal—mobility convenience and zero parking. Both the literature and the cases point to little knowledge in the field. However, high demands on “creative mobility solutions” are placed on housing projects without parking places for cars. Even if the effects of sustainability are still unknown, zero parking pilot projects can narrate the possibility of another future—a future with mobility convenience instead of parking convenience.
Estimating the Price Elasticity of Train Travel Demand and Its Variation Rules and Application in Energy Used and CO2 Emissions
Authors: Zeng Youzhi , Ran Bin , Zhang Ning , Yang Xiaobao
Published: January 2021

Investigation shows that train travel has a lower pollution impact on the environment than flight travel or car travel. A stated preferences (SP) survey can effectively obtain the data of the commuter’s response to the hypothetical train price changes beyond the scope of previous observations. To this end, based on SP survey, we estimate the price elasticity of train travel demand and analyze its variation rules. It is shown that: (1) the own-price elasticities of demand are −1.049028 during peak period and −1.090438 during off-peak period, respectively; (2) the cross-price elasticities of demand are 0.001280 for train and air and 0.001156 for train and car during peak period; and 0.001350 for train and air and 0.001230 for train and car during off-peak period; (3) the own and cross-price elasticities of demand during off-peak period are bigger than the ones during peak period; (4) when the influence factors’ influence degree is 3 or 5, the own and cross-price elasticities of demand are largest; when the influence degree is 1, the own and cross-price elasticities of demand are smallest. A result application example shows that the elasticities obtained from this paper could be used to reduce energy used and CO2 emissions effectively.
Discarded Cathode Ray Tube Glass as an Alternative for Aggregate in a Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer
Authors: Wielgus Natalia , Górski Marcin , Kubica Jan
Published: January 2021

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) glass belongs to the group of wastes which are hard to be recycled due to their toxic metals content. Geopolymers are relatively new environmentally friendly materials which allow for the use of different types of wastes within their matrix. The following paper combines both issues and presents a new geopolymer mixture containing discarded CRT glass as a replacement for an aggregate. The main goal of the paper is to describe the basic mechanical behavior of the new type of metakaolin-based geopolymer and to discuss different factors influencing it. After the preliminary research, the mixture containing 50% of CRT glass was chosen for further tests. However, according to results, CRT glass content has no evident influence on flexural or compressive strength. Summarizing the second part of the research, it was decided that the following parameters are optimal from the mechanical, economic and environmental points of view: metakaolin to CRT glass ratio 1:1 (by mass), CRT glass of size up to 4 mm, curing at the room temperature, sodium hydroxide concentration 10 mol/L. According to the authors, the presented geopolymer is a promising building material. Further tests shall be done to describe new material more precisely.
Under Frequency Protection Enhancement of an Islanded Active Distribution Network Using a Virtual Inertia-Controlled-Battery Energy Storage System
Authors: Hongesombut Komsan , Punyakunlaset Suphicha , Romphochai Sillawat
Published: January 2021

When an islanding condition caused by an unintentional single-line to ground fault occurs in an active distribution network with distributed generation, the frequency stability and protection issues remain challenging. Therefore, this paper presents the under frequency protection enhancement of the active distribution network using a virtual inertia-controlled-battery energy storage system to improve the frequency stability under the islanding condition caused by unintentional faults. The virtual inertia control is designed based on the direct and quadrature axis-controlled battery energy storage system to generate the virtual inertia power, compensating the system’s inertia to enhance the stability margin. The proposed method is verified by the simulation results that reveal the frequency stability performance and the under-frequency load shedding enhancement of the study active distribution network in Thailand. The study is divided into two cases: the normal control parameters and the parameter uncertainty scenarios, compared with a power-frequency droop control. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed virtual inertia control can effectively improve the frequency and transient stabilities in the islanding condition, diminishing the number of loads disconnected by the proposed under-frequency load shedding scheme.
Flame Retardance and Char Analysis of an Eco-Friendly Polyurethane Hyperbranched Hybrid Using the Sol–Gel Method
Authors: Shen Ming-Yuan , Kuan Chen-Feng , Kuan Hsu-Chiang , Ke Cing-Yu , Chiang Chin-Lung
Published: January 2021

This study used the sol–gel method to synthesize a non-halogenated, hyperbranched flame retardant containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon (HBNPSi), which was then added to a polyurethane (PU) matrix to form an organic–inorganic hybrid material. Using 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of P- and Si-mapping, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, this study determined the organic and inorganic dispersity, morphology, and flame retardance mechanism of the hybrid material. The condensation density of the hybrid material PU/HBNPSi was found to be 74.4%. High condensation density indicates a dense network structure of the material. The P- and Si-mapping showed that adding inorganic additives in quantities of either 20% or 40% results in homogeneous dispersion of the inorganic fillers in the polymer matrix without agglomeration, indicating that the organic and inorganic phases had excellent compatibility. In the burning test, adding HBNPSi to PU made the material pass the UL-94 test at the V2 level, unlike the pristine PU, which did not meet the standard. The results demonstrate that after non-halogenated flame retardant was added to PU, the material’s flammability and dripping were lower, thereby proving that flame retardants containing elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon exert an excellent flame-retardant synergistic effect.
The Impact of Technological Capability on Financial Performance in the Semiconductor Industry
Authors: Park Jun Hong , Chung Hyunseog , Kim Ki Hong , Kim Jin Ju , Lee Chulung
Published: January 2021

The modern semiconductor industry is going through rapid changes as new markets and technologies appear. In this paper, such technology-intensive firms’ relationship between technological capability and financial performance is analyzed with regression analysis. Revenue and market capitalization are used as dependent variables. For the independent variables, the technological intensity, technological diversity, technological asset, and technological efficiency are used. The analysis results revealed different effects of technological capability on financial performance. Also, regression analysis is conducted by dividing firms into high and low groups based on technological asset and technological efficiency, and the analysis result revealed different effects of technological intensity and technological diversity on financial performance. For technological asset, the financial performance in the high group is affected more by technological intensity, and the financial performance in the low group is affected more by technological diversity. For technological efficiency, only the financial performance in the high group is affected by technological intensity. Although both groups’ financial performance is somewhat affected by technological diversity, there was no statistically significant differences between the groups. By separating the effect of technological capability on financial performance, this research can provide more detailed analysis results compared to previous literature and the methods of managing technological capability for semiconductor firms.
Applying a Comprehensive Action Determination Model to Examine the Recycling Behavior of Taipei City Residents
Authors: Fang Wei-Ta , Huang Mei-Hsuan , Cheng Bai-You , Chiu Rong-Jeo , Chiang Yi-Te , Hsu Chun-Wei , Ng Eric
Published: January 2021

With the occurrence of rapid global economic growth concerns about waste and its related effects on the environment are on the rise. There has been an increasing focus towards sustainable development and waste recycling as part of environmental sustainability strategies, and the encouraging of recycling behavior has received considerable attention from various environmental stakeholders. While numerous studies have used grounded theories such as the theory of planned behaviors and the norm activation model to examine environmental behaviors, a lack of consideration of other important variables in these studies has been revealed. This study aimed to address this gap by adopting the comprehensive action determination model, which comprises a wider group of influencing variables related to norms, intentions, situations, and habits. This model was tested using structural equation modelling with a sample of 386 valid questionnaires collected from Taipei City residents in the domain of recycling behaviors. Results indicated that awareness had a positive influence on personal norms towards recycling behaviors; social norms had a positive influence on personal norms towards recycling behaviors; attitudes had a positive influence on recycling intentions; social norms had a positive influence on recycling intentions; personal norms had a positive influence on recycling intentions; perceived behavior control had a positive influence on recycling intentions; recycling intentions had a positive influence on recycling behavior; and recycling habits had a positive influence on recycling behavior. However, findings did not support the positive impact of perceived behavioral control on recycling behavior.
Estimating Public Bicycle Trip Characteristics with Consideration of Built Environment Data
Authors: Zhao De , Ong Ghim Ping , Wang Wei , Zhou Wei
Published: January 2021

A reliable estimation of public bicycle trip characteristics, especially trip distribution and duration, can help decision-makers plan for the relevant transport infrastructures and assist operators in addressing issues related to bicycle imbalance. Past research studies have attempted to understand the relationship between public bicycle trip generation, trip attraction and factors such as built environment, weather, population density, etc. However, these studies typically did not include trip distribution, duration, and detailed information on the built environment. This paper aims to estimate public bicycle daily trip characteristics, i.e., trip generation, trip attraction, trip distribution, and duration using points of interest and smart card data from Nanjing, China. Negative binomial regression models were developed to examine the effect of built environment on public bicycle usage. Totally fifteen types of points of interest (POIs) data are investigated and factors such as residence, employment, entertainment, and metro station are found to be statistically significant. The results showed that 300 m buffer POIs of residence, employment, entertainment, restaurant, bus stop, metro station, amenity, and school have significantly positive effects on public bicycle generation and attraction, while, counterintuitively, 300 m buffer POIs of shopping, parks, attractions, sports, and hospital have significantly negative effects. Specifically, an increase of 1% in the trip distance leads to a 2.36% decrease in the origin-destination (OD) trips or a 0.54% increase of the trip duration. We also found that a 1% increase in the number of other nearby stations can help reduce 0.19% of the OD trips. The results from this paper can offer useful insights to operators in better estimating public bicycle usage and providing reliable services that can improve ridership.
A Novel Global Sensitivity Measure Based on Probability Weighted Moments
Authors: Song Shufang , Wang Lu
Published: January 2021

Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) is a useful tool to evaluate the influence of input variables in the whole distribution range. Variance-based methods and moment-independent methods are widely studied and popular GSA techniques despite their several shortcomings. Since probability weighted moments (PWMs) include more information than classical moments and can be accurately estimated from small samples, a novel global sensitivity measure based on PWMs is proposed. Then, two methods are introduced to estimate the proposed measure, i.e., double-loop-repeated-set numerical estimation and double-loop-single-set numerical estimation. Several numerical and engineering examples are used to show its advantages.
Electrospun VDF-TeFE Scaffolds Modified by Copper and Titanium in Magnetron Plasma and Their Antibacterial Activity against MRSA
Authors: Badaraev Arsalan D. , Lerner Marat I. , Sidelev Dmitrii V. , Bolbasov Evgeny N. , Tverdokhlebov Sergei I.
Published: January 2021

Copolymer solution of vinylidene fluoride with tetrafluoroethylene (VDF-TeFE) was used for electrospinning of fluoropolymer scaffolds. Magnetron co-sputtering of titanium and copper targets in the argon atmosphere was used for VDF-TeFE scaffolds modification. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that scaffolds have a nonwoven structure with mean fiber diameter 0.77 ± 0.40 μm, mean porosity 58 ± 7%. The wetting angle of the original (unmodified) hydrophobic fluoropolymer scaffold after modification by titanium begins to possess hydrophilic properties. VDF-TeFE scaffold modification by titanium/copper leads to the appearance of strong antibacterial properties. The obtained fluoropolymer samples can be successfully used in tissue engineering.
Using Cholinesterases and Immobilized Luminescent Photobacteria for the Express-Analysis of Mycotoxins and Estimating the Efficiency of Their Enzymatic Hydrolysis
Authors: Efremenko Elena , Maslova Olga , Stepanov Nikolay , Ismailov Anvar
Published: January 2021

Novel sensitive analytical agents that can be used for simple, affordable, and rapid analysis of mycotoxins are urgently needed in scientific practice, especially for the screening of perspective bio-destructors of the toxic contaminants. We compared the characteristics of a rapid quantitative analysis of different mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, ochratoxin A, patulin, sterigmatocystin, and zearalenone) using acetyl-, butyrylcholinesterases and photobacterial strains of luminescent cells in the current study. The best bioindicators in terms of sensitivity and working range (μg/mL) were determined as follows: Photobacterium sp. 17 cells for analysis of deoxynivalenol (0.8–89) and patulin (0.2–32); Photobacterium sp. 9.2 cells for analysis of ochratoxin A (0.4–72) and zearalenone (0.2–32); acetylcholinesterase for analysis of sterigmatocystin (0.12–219). The cells were found to be more sensitive than enzymes. The assayed strains of photobacterial cells ensured 44%–83% lower limit of detection for deoxynivalenol and sterigmatocystin as compared to the previously known data for immobilized luminescent cells, and the range of working concentrations was extended by a factor of 1.5–3.5. Calibration curves for the quantitative determination of patulin using immobilized photobacteria were presented in this work for the first time. This calibration was applied to estimate the enzyme efficiency for hydrolyzing mycotoxins using zearalenone and His6-tagged organophosphorus hydrolase as examples.
Low Dose Coagulant and Local Soil Ballast Effectively Remove Cyanobacteria (Microcystis) from Tropical Lake Water without Cell Damage
Authors: Thongdam Somjate , Kuster Anthony C. , Huser Brian J. , Kuster Anootnara T.
Published: January 2021

The combination of a low dose of coagulant with a ballast, also known as “flock and sink,” has been proposed as a lake restoration and cyanobacteria bloom management strategy. The effectiveness of this technique using aluminum sulfate (alum) as a coagulant and a local soil (LS) from Thailand as a ballast in eutrophic water dominated by positively buoyant Microcystis colonies collected from a tropical lake was investigated by measuring changes in chlorophyll-a (chl-a), pH, and zeta potential. Cell integrity was also evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that alum alone could reduce chl-a (up to 60% to 83%) at doses (higher than 3 to 6 mg Al/L) dependent on the initial pH (7.6 to 8.2) and initial chl-a concentration (138 to 615 µg/L) of the lake water but resulted in morphological changes to cellular structure and generally required a dose that reduced pH to <7. LS ballast alone was able to reduce chl-a concentrations (up to 26% at highest dose of 400 mg/L) and caused no significant changes to pH or zeta potential. Combining a low dose of alum (2 mg Al/L) with some amount of LS ballast (50 to 400 mg/L) created an interaction effect that resulted in 81 to 88% reduction in chl-a without changes to zeta potential or morphological changes to cellular structure. Flock and sink may serve a niche role in lake restoration when positively buoyant cyanobacteria are present in the water column during time of treatment. This research showed that an 800% increase in ballast dose resulted in about an 8% reduction in chl-a when combined with 2 mg Al/L of alum. Therefore, it is recommended that ballast dose should be determined by considering its phosphorus sorption capacity and the potentially releasable phosphorus in the lake sediment in order to realize long-term reductions in sediment nutrient release.
Flow Resistance in Open Channel Due to Vegetation at Reach Scale: A Review
Authors: D’Ippolito Antonino , Calomino Francesco , Alfonsi Giancarlo , Lauria Agostino
Published: January 2021

Vegetation on the banks and flooding areas of watercourses significantly affects energy losses. To take the latter into account, computational models make use of resistance coefficients based on the evaluation of bed and walls roughness besides the resistance to flow offered by vegetation. This paper, after summarizing the classical approaches based on descriptions and pictures, considers the recent advancements related to the analytical methods relative both to rigid and flexible vegetation. In particular, emergent rigid vegetation is first analyzed by focusing on the methods for determining the drag coefficient, then submerged rigid vegetation is analyzed, highlighting briefly the principles on which the different models are based and recalling the comparisons made in the literature. Then, the models used in the case of both emergent and submerged rigid vegetation are highlighted. As to flexible vegetation, the paper reminds first the flow conditions that cause the vegetation to lay on the channel bed, and then the classical resistance laws that were developed for the design of irrigation canals. The most recent developments in the case of submerged and emergent flexible vegetation are then presented. Since turbulence studies should be considered as the basis of flow resistance, even though the path toward practical use is still long, the new developments in the field of 3D numerical methods are briefly reviewed, presently used to assess the characteristics of turbulence and the transport of sediments and pollutants. The use of remote sensing to map riparian vegetation and estimating biomechanical parameters is briefly analyzed. Finally, some applications are presented, aimed at highlighting, in real cases, the influence exerted by vegetation on water depth and maintenance interventions.
Eco-Driving for Different Electric Powertrain Topologies Considering Motor Efficiency
Authors: Koch Alexander , Bürchner Tim , Herrmann Thomas , Lienkamp Markus
Published: January 2021

Electrification and automatization may change the environmental impact of vehicles. Current eco-driving approaches for electric vehicles fit the electric power of the motor by quadratic functions and are limited to powertrains with one motor and single-speed transmission or use computationally expensive algorithms. This paper proposes an online nonlinear algorithm, which handles the non-convex power demand of electric motors. Therefore, this algorithm allows the simultaneous optimization of speed profile and powertrain operation for electric vehicles with multiple motors and multiple gears. We compare different powertrain topologies in a free-flow scenario and a car-following scenario. Dynamic Programming validates the proposed algorithm. Optimal speed profiles alter for different powertrain topologies. Powertrains with multiple gears and motors require less energy during eco-driving. Furthermore, the powertrain-dependent correlations between jerk restriction and energy consumption are shown.
Modeling and Experimental Investigation of Thermal Comfort and Energy Consumption in a Battery Electric Bus
Authors: Cigarini Francesco , Fay Tu-Anh , Artemenko Nikolay , Göhlich Dietmar
Published: January 2021

In battery electric buses (e-buses), the substantial energy consumption of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can cause significant reductions of the available travel range. Additionally, HVAC systems are often operated at higher levels than what required for the thermal comfort of the passengers. Therefore, this paper proposes a method to experimentally investigate the influence of the HVAC system on the energy consumption and thermal comfort in a 12m e-bus. An appropriate thermal comfort model is identified and the required climatic input parameters are selected and measured with self-developed sensor stations. The energy consumption of the e-bus, the state of charge (SoC) of the battery and the available travel range are measured by an embedded data logger. Climatic measurements are then performed with heating on and off on a Berlin bus line in winter conditions. The results show that the energy consumption of the e-bus is increased by a factor of 1.9 with heating on, while both the SoC and travel range are reduced accordingly. Comparing the thermal comfort with heating on and off, a decrease from “comfortable” to “slightly uncomfortable but acceptable” is observed.
EFFECT OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND JUST IN TIME ON PRODUCTION COST EFFICIENCY IN PT SEMEN PADANG
Authors: Dewi Mike Kusuma , Meirina Elsa
Published: January 2021

The application of Total Quality Management (TQM) is closely related to the quality of existing resources in the company. TQM provides a foundation for quality management and is an alternative in ensuring customer satisfaction, as well as Just In Time (JIT) which is a comprehensive and comprehensive production system. inventory management system where raw materials are purchased and produced as much as needed and used at the right time in every production process. In this study, the authors will examine the effect of TQM and JIT in efficiency of production costs at the manufacturing company PT Semen Padang in period 2016-2019. The data collection method was carried out by distributing questionnaires to each unit manager at PT Semen Padang which included managers of the accounting unit, human resource unit and production unit. The sampling technique used purposive sampling method and there were 67 samples. The analytical method used is to use the classical assumption test. Data analysis was also performed using the multiple regresion method with the SPSS Ver.16 application Based on the results of the hypothesis testing, it shows that Total Quality Management (TQM) has a positive effect on cost efficiency and Just In Time (JIT) has a positive effect on cost efficiency.
Sphingolipids and Kidney Disease: Possible Role of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)
Authors: Yokota Rodrigo , Bhunu Benjamin , Toba Hiroe , Intapad Suttira
Published: January 2021

Sphingolipids are now considered not only as constitutional components of the cellular membrane but also as essential bioactive factors regulating development and physiologic functions. Ceramide is a vital intermediate of sphingolipid metabolism, synthesized by de novo and salvage pathways, producing multiple types of sphingolipids and their metabolites. Although mutations in gene-encoding enzymes regulating sphingolipid synthesis and metabolism cause distinct diseases, an abnormal sphingolipid metabolism contributes to various pathologic conditions, including kidney diseases. Excessive accumulation of glycosphingolipids and promotion of the ceramide salvage and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) pathways are found in the damaged kidney. Acceleration of the sphingosine kinase/S1P/S1P receptor (SphK/S1P/S1PR) axis plays a central role in deteriorating kidney functions. The SphK/S1P/S1PR signaling impairment is also found during pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). This mini-review discusses the current state of knowledge regarding the role of sphingolipid metabolism on kidney diseases, and the possible involvement of preeclampsia and IUGR conditions.
Research Contributions of Universities of Kerala in the field of Malayalam
Authors: Suguna L S
Published: January 2021

India has very various research opportunities in every field, and there are quite a fine number of research institutes in India. Research is artistic and orderly work undertaken to increase the knowledge of humans, culture, and society, and the use of this stock of information to devise new applications. Universities of Kerala offers top educational courses at Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Ph.D. level. A candidate can practice a Ph.D. at the Universities of Kerala in either a Full-Time method of study or Part-Time manner of study. This paper aims to investigate 525 doctoral dissertations in the field of Malayalam from the Universities of Kerala till the last decade.
Bibliometric Study of World COVID-19 Publication Output
Authors: Kappi Mallikarjun , Chaman Sab M , Sankrappa Biradar Balabhim , Bagalkoti Vitthal T.
Published: January 2021

The COVID-19 outbreak originating in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, coincided with chunky, the period of mass migration for the annual Spring Festival. To contain its spread, China adopted unprecedented nationwide interventions on January 23, 2020. These policies included large-scale quarantine, strict controls on travel, and extensive monitoring of suspected cases. However, it is unknown whether these policies have had an impact on the epidemic. We sought to show how these control measures impacted the containment of the epidemic. Web of Science database was searched on September 10, 2020, for COVID-19 publications published between 2019 to 2020. It was performed on the same day to avoid the possible bias from an update on the database because the metrics are changing over time. All publication types were considered; however, publications as errata were excluded. Analysis parameters include a year of publication, publication type, patterns of international collaboration, research institutions, journals, impact factor, h-index, language, and times cited. A total of 17,133 COVID-19 research publications were published across the world. The (COVID-19) associated publications were originated from 25 countries/ territories, indicating the international spread of Corona virus COVID-19 research. The USA was the largest contributor, with 4767 (27.823%) articles published, followed by Peoples R China (2747 (16.033%)) articles.
Adjustment of New Boarders in Boys’ and Girls’ Hostel of Gangadhar Meher University
Authors: Biswal Dharitri , Sahu Sanjaya , Sahoo Suruchi
Published: January 2021

The well-adjusted students have a greater probability of being integrated and balanced personality, socially familiar, cheerful and wholesome life, and environmentally dynamic. They require adjusting in various aspects, viz, home adjustment, health adjustment, social adjustment, emotional adjustment, and educational adjustment. In this increasing suicide rate and conflicts in society, students’ adjustment in educational institutions and hostels is a noticeable area to be studied because students are considered as one of the important tenets of future human resources. A hostel is a place where students live in a supervised environment. Hostel life has a great impact on the academic achievement and health status of the students. Therefore, here an attempt was made to study the home, social, health, emotional, and educational adjustment of new boarders in boys’ and girls’ hostel of Gangadhar Meher University, Sambalpur. A total sample of 120 newly enrolled undergraduate students was taken randomly, out of which 60 boys and 60 girls from GM University hostels were selected. For this study, a descriptive survey method was employed by the researcher. The ‘Adjustment Inventory for college students’ developed by A.K.P.Sinha and R.P.Singh was used by the researcher to collect data. The collected data were analyzed and interpreted by using the “t” test. The findings revealed that no significant difference was found in home and health adjustment of the new boarders of boys’ and girls’ hostel. In contrast, a significant difference was found in social, emotional, and educational adjustment.
PROTRÉPTICO DE ARISTÓTELES, O HORTÊNSIO DE CÍCERO E A REFERÊNCIA DE SANTO AGOSTINHO ÀS ILHAS DOS BEM-AVENTURADOS NO LIVRO DE TRINITATE
Authors: Gutiérrez Jorge Luís
Published: January 2021

No capítulo 9 do livro XIV de sua obra De Trinitate, Santo Agostinho tem como propósito responder à pergunta se as virtudes desaparecerão na vida futura. Responde que é uma questão controversa saber se as virtudes, que alimentam uma vida reta nesta existência de adversidade, deixarão de existir após termos sidos conduzidos à vida eterna, pois lá não precisaremos delas. Agostinho entende a vida eterna como a vida junto a Deus, portanto, uma vida de felicidade plena. Para exemplificar essa situação, ele cita o texto do Hortênsio no qual se fala da Ilha dos Bem-Aventurados, que na mitologia grega corresponde a um lugar de felicidade e de recompensa, equivalente aos Campos Elíseos; no caso de Agostinho, trata-se do Paraíso ou Éden dos cristãos. Ele conclui que na outra vida não precisaremos das quatro virtudes cardinais. Elas serão somente uma fraca lembrança deixada em nossa alma quando passamos por este mundo. O que Agostinho não sabia é que a citação do Hortênsio era, de fato, uma citação do Protréptico de Aristóteles.
PROBLEMA DO MAL
Authors: Da Silva Jefferson , Maciel Nahur Marcius Tadeu
Published: January 2021

Este artigo busca refletir sobre o problema do mal no pensamento de Agostinho (354-430) e no pensamento do filósofo francês Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005). Pensadores de épocas completamente distintas abordam em suas obras o problema do mal que sempre foi um desafio, tanto para a filosofia quanto para a teologia. Qual a origem do mal? Como teólogo e pastor de um povo, Agostinho responderá ao problema do mal baseado nas Sagradas Escrituras. Quanto a Ricoeur, sem a pretensão de a uma resposta para a origem do mal, convida seu leitor para seguir o caminho da reflexão, da prática e da espiritualização.