bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dyes Adsorption Behavior of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Functionalized Polyoxometalate Hybrid
Authors: Li Jie , Si Chen , Zhao Haiyan , Meng Qingxi , Chang Bowen , Li Mingxue , Liu Hongling
Published: August 2019

The magnetic adsorbent, Fe3O4@[Ni(HL)2]2H2[P2Mo5O23]·2H2O (Fe3O4@1), is synthesized by employing the nanoparticles Fe3O4 and polyoxometalate hybrid 1. Zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) curves show that the blocking temperature of Fe3O4@1 was at 120 K. Studies of Fe3O4@1 removing cationic and anionic dyes from water have been explored. The characterization of Fe3O4@1, effects of critical factors such as dosage, the concentration of methylene blue (MB), pH, adsorption kinetics, isotherm, the removal selectivity of substrate and the reusability of Fe3O4@1 were assessed. The magnetic adsorbent displayed an outstanding removal activity for the cationic dye at a broad range of pH. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm models revealed that the adsorption process of Fe3O4@1 was mainly governed via chemisorption. The maximum capacity of Fe3O4@1 adsorbing substance was 41.91 mg g−1. Furthermore, Fe3O4@1 showed its high stability by remaining for seven runs of the adsorption-desorption process with an effective MB removal rate, and could also be developed as a valuable adsorbent for dyes elimination from aqueous system.
The Role of Active-Site Residues Phe98, His239, and Arg243 in DNA Binding and in the Catalysis of Human Uracil–DNA Glycosylase SMUG1
Authors: Iakovlev Danila A. , Alekseeva Irina V. , Vorobjev Yury N. , Kuznetsov Nikita A. , Fedorova Olga S.
Published: August 2019

Human SMUG1 (hSMUG1) hydrolyzes the N-glycosidic bond of uracil and some uracil lesions formed in the course of epigenetic regulation. Despite the functional importance of hSMUG1 in the DNA repair pathway, the damage recognition mechanism has been elusive to date. In the present study, our objective was to build a model structure of the enzyme–DNA complex of wild-type hSMUG1 and several hSMUG1 mutants containing substitution F98W, H239A, or R243A. Enzymatic activity of these mutant enzymes was examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the reaction product formation and pre-steady-state analysis of DNA conformational changes during enzyme–DNA complex formation. It was shown that substitutions F98W and H239A disrupt specific contacts generated by the respective wild-type residues, namely stacking with a flipped out Ura base in the damaged base-binding pocket or electrostatic interactions with DNA in cases of Phe98 and His239, respectively. A loss of the Arg side chain in the case of R243A reduced the rate of DNA bending and increased the enzyme turnover rate, indicating facilitation of the product release step.
DFT Investigations of the Vibrational Spectra and Translational Modes of Ice II
Authors: Cao Jing-Wen , Chen Jia-Yi , Qin Xiao-Ling , Zhu Xu-Liang , Jiang Lu , Gu Yue , Yu Xu-Hao , Zhang Peng
Published: August 2019

The vibrational spectrum of ice II was investigated using the CASTEP code based on first-principles density functional theory (DFT). Based on good agreement with inelastic neutron scattering (INS), infrared (IR), and Raman experimental data, we discuss the translation, libration, bending, and stretching band using normal modes analysis method. In the translation band, we found that the four-bond and two-bond molecular vibration modes constitute three main peaks in accordance with INS ranging from 117 to 318 cm−1. We also discovered that the lower frequencies are cluster vibrations that may overlap with acoustic phonons. Whale et al. found in ice XV that some intramolecular vibrational modes include many isolated-molecule stretches of only one O–H bond, whereas the other O–H bond does not vibrate. This phenomenon is very common in ice II, and we attribute it to local tetrahedral deformation. The pathway of combining normal mode analysis with experimental spectra leads to scientific assignments.
Impact of Carbohydrate Ingestion on Cognitive Flexibility and Cerebral Oxygenation during High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise: A Comparison between Maple Products and Usual Carbohydrate Solutions
Authors: Dupuy Olivier , Tremblay Jonathan
Published: August 2019

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of carbohydrate (CHO) drinks (6% per volume) sweetened with maple (syrup or sap) to a commercial sports drink, glucose, and a control solution (water) on cognitive flexibility during high-intensity intermittent exercise. Methods: Eighty-five active men completed six 3-min bouts at 95% of their maximal aerobic power on a stationary bike, with 3 min of passive rest between efforts. Subjects were randomly allocated to an ingestion condition. Following each exercise bout, subjects ingested 166 mL of the experimental solution, drinking a total of 1 L of the same solution throughout the experimentation. Cognitive flexibility was measured using reaction time and accuracy on the Stroop task. The cognitive task was performed a total of 10 times, including 15 and 30 min post-exercise. Glycemia and cerebral oxygenation were also measured at each time point. Statistical analyses were performed using a two-way ANOVA (Condition × Time) with repeated measures. Results: The ingestion of maple products and the commercial sports drink led to a lesser increase in glycemia than glucose ingestion. CHO ingestion, when compared to water, induced a slight reduction in reaction times on the cognitive task, especially in the switching trials. CHO ingestion had no impact on cerebral oxygenation. Conclusions: This study shows that CHO ingestion, regardless of its type, tends to improve cognitive performance throughout exercise, especially during difficult cognitive tasks.
Developing an Impedance Based Equation for Fat-Free Mass of Black Preadolescent South African Children
Authors: van Zyl Amanda , White Zelda , Ferreira Johan , Wenhold Friedeburg A. M.
Published: August 2019

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a practical alternative to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for determining body composition in children. Currently, there are no population specific equations available for predicting fat-free mass (FFM) in South African populations. We determined agreement between fat-free mass measured by DXA (FFMDXA) and FFM calculated from published multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance prediction equations (FFMBIA); and developed a new equation for predicting FFM for preadolescent black South African children. Cross-sectional data on a convenience sample of 84 children (mean age 8.5 ± 1.4 years; 44 {52%} girls) included body composition assessed using Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (FFMDXA) and impedance values obtained from the Seca mBCA 514 Medical Body Composition analyzer used to calculate FFM using 17 published prediction equations (FFMBIA). Only two equations yielded FFM estimates that were similar to the DXA readings (p > 0.05). According to the Bland–Altman analysis, the mean differences in FFM (kg) were 0.15 (LOA: −2.68; 2.37) and 0.01 (LOA: −2.68; 2.66). Our new prediction equation, F F M = 105.20 + 0.807 × S e x + 0.174 × W e i g h t + 0.01 × R e a c t a n c e + 15.71 × log ( R I ) , yielded an adjusted R2 = 0.9544. No statistical shrinkage was observed during cross-validation. A new equation enables the BIA-based prediction of FFM in the assessment of preadolescent black South African children.
Effects of Performance and Task Duration on Mental Workload during Working Memory Task
Authors: Khaksari Kosar , Condy Emma , Millerhagen John , Anderson Afrouz , Dashtestani Hadis , Gandjbakhche Amir
Published: August 2019

N-back is a working memory (WM) task to study mental workload on the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We assume that the subject’s performance and changes in mental workload over time depends on the length of the experiment. The performance of the participant can change positively due to the participant’s learning process or negatively because of objective mental fatigue and/or sleepiness. In this pilot study, we examined the PFC activation of 23 healthy subjects while they performed an N-back task with two different levels of task difficulty (2-, and 3-back). The hemodynamic responses were analyzed along with the behavioral data (correct answers). A comparison was done between the hemodynamic activation and behavioral data between the two different task levels and between the beginning and end of the 3-back task. Our results show that there is a significant difference between the two task levels, which is due to the difference in task complication. In addition, a significant difference was seen between the beginning and end of the 3-back task in both behavioral data and hemodynamics due to the subject’s learning process throughout the experiment.
Effects of Temperature on Seed Germination of Plantago lanceolata and Management in Carya illinoinensis Production
Authors: Grey Timothy L. , Eason Kayla M. , Wells Lenny , Basinger Nicholas T.
Published: August 2019

Plantago lanceolata L. (buckhorn plantain) is an encroaching winter weed described as one of the most successful noncultivated colonizing species around the world. Control of P. lanceolata in southeastern USA Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch production has not been studied, nor has the role of temperature on germination using a thermal gradient table. Seed of P. lanceolata collected from a Georgia C. illinoinensis grove were tested for the effects of temperature over time to establish differences in effects on germination using a thermal gradient table. Temperatures ranged from 13.5 to 30.5 °C for 288 h. Cumulative P. lanceolata seed germination was 66% occurring at 17.8 °C at 242 h. Over the 288 h experiment, maximum P. lanceolata germination was 27% occurring at 17.0 °C, 187 h after initiation. Control of P. lanceolata with residual herbicides, or in combination with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was evaluated in the interrow of C. illinoinensis groves containing Trifolium repens L., and in greenhouse experiments. Pre- and post-emergent herbicides included indaziflam, halosulfuron-methyl, and simazine applied alone, or in combination with 2,4-D in late autumn after P. lanceolata emergence in a C. illinoinensis grove. Indaziflam in combination with 2,4-D controlled P. lanceolata greater than 90% when applied in C. illinoinensis groves and greenhouse experiments. Halosulfuron-methyl and simazine applied alone, or in combination with 2,4-D, provided 67% or less P. lanceolata control in the grove experiments, and 83% or less in greenhouse experiments. Results suggested that herbicide applications should be made during the time when diurnal temperatures are between 15 and 30 °C, while abiding pre-harvest interval restrictions. Post- and pre-emergent herbicides may aid in controlling emerged weeds and reducing further weed emergence during the autumn of that year.
Addition of Graphite Filler to Enhance Electrical, Morphological, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties in Poly (Ethylene Terephthalate): Experimental Characterization and Material Modeling
Authors: Alshammari Basheer A. , Al-Mubaddel Fahad S. , Karim Mohammad Rezaul , Hossain Mokarram , Al-Mutairi Abdullah S. , Wilkinson Arthur N.
Published: August 2019

Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/graphite (PET/G) micro-composites were fabricated by the melt compounding method using a minilab extruder. The carbon fillers were found to act as nucleating agents for the PET matrix and hence accelerated crystallization and increased the degree of crystallinity. TGA showed that carbon fillers improved the resistance to thermal and thermo-oxidative degradation under both air and nitrogen atmospheres. However, a poor agreement was observed at higher loadings of the filler where the composites displayed reduced reinforcement efficiency. The results demonstrate that the addition of graphite at loading >14.5 wt.% made electrically conductive composites. It was calculated that the electric conductivities of PET/graphite micro-composites were enhanced, above the percolation threshold values by two orders of magnitudes compared to the PET matrix. The minimum value of conductivity required to avoid electrostatic charge application of an insulating polymer was achieved, just above the threshold values. The addition of graphite also improved thermal stability of PET, accelerated its crystallization process and increased the degree of crystallinity. Microscopic results exhibit no indication of aggregations at 2 wt.% graphite, whereas more agglomeration and rolling up could be seen as the graphite content was increased in the PET matrix (in particular, above the percolation threshold value). Furthermore, based on the mechanical experimental characterization of the PET/graphite micro-composites, a large deformation-based mathematical model is proposed for material behavior predictions. The model fits well the experimental data and predicts other mechanical data that are not included in the parameter identification.
Toughened Poly(lactic acid)/BEP Composites with Good Biodegradability and Cytocompatibility
Authors: Wang Qingguo , Li Yongxuan , Zhou Xue , Wang Tongyao , Qiu Liyan , Gu Yuanchun , Chang Jiabing
Published: August 2019

Using novel biodegradable elastomer particles (BEP) prepared by the technologies of melt polycondensation, emulsification, and irradiation vulcanization, we successfully prepared advanced poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/BEP composites with higher toughness, higher biodegradability, and better cytocompatibility than neat PLA by means of the melt blending technology. The experimental results revealed that the elongation at break of the PLA/BEP composites containing 8 parts per hundred rubber (phr) by weight BEP increased dramatically from 2.9% of neat PLA to 67.1%, and the notched impact strength increased from 3.01 to 7.24 kJ/m2. Meanwhile, the biodegradation rate of the PLA/BEP composites increased dramatically in both soil environment and lipase solution, and the crystallization rate and crystallinity of the PLA/BEP composites increased significantly compared to those of neat PLA. The methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay also showed that the viability of L929 cells in the presence of extracts of PLA/BEP composites was more than 75%, indicating that the PLA/BEP composites were not cytotoxic and had better cytocompatibility than neat PLA. Research on advanced PLA/BEP composites opens up new potential avenues for preparing advanced PLA products, especially for advanced biomedical materials.
Preparation of a Fast Water-Based UV Cured Polyurethane-Acrylate Wood Coating and the Effect of Coating Amount on the Surface Properties of Oak (Quercus alba L.)
Authors: Wang Jin , Wu Huagui , Liu Ru , Long Ling , Xu Jianfeng , Chen Minggui , Qiu Hongyun
Published: August 2019

A fast water-based ultraviolet light (UV) curing polyurethane-acrylate (PUA) wood coating was prepared in the laboratory, and applied on oak (Quercus alba L.) at different coating amounts. The PUA wood coating can be fast cured within 22 min, which highly improved the drying speed compared to normal water-based wood coatings (often higher than 35 min). The coating amounts affected the coating properties after curing on oak. With the increase of coating amount, the adhesion, hardness and gloss value of surface increased to different extents. Meanwhile, the surface of sample became smooth gradually because the voids of the oak were filled. Thus, higher coating amount resulted in better coating properties. However, no significant increase of penetration depth was found. During curing, the hydroxyl groups of the wood reacted with the coating. The optimal parameter in this study was the coating amount of 120 g/m2, where the adhesion reached 1 (with 0–5% cross-cut area of flaking along the edges), with the hardness of 2H and the gloss of 92.56°, which met the requirement of Chinese standard GB/T 18103–2013, and could be used for engineered wood flooring.
Determining Deformation Transition in Polyethylene under Tensile Loading
Authors: Tan Na , Jar P.-Y. Ben
Published: August 2019

The multi-relaxation (MR) test was developed based on the concept that stress relaxation behavior can be used to reflect the material state of polyethylene (PE) under tension. On the basis of this concept, critical stroke for the onset of plastic deformation in the crystalline phase, named the first critical stroke, was determined using the MR test. Results from wide angle X-ray scattering suggest that phase transformation occurred in the crystalline phase of PE after the specimen was stretched beyond the first critical stroke. In this work, the MR test was applied to six PEs of different mass densities to determine their first critical strokes and the corresponding total and quasi-static (QS) stress values. The results show that the first critical stroke had very similar values among the six PEs. More interestingly, the ratio of the QS stress at the first critical stroke to the yield stress from the standard tensile test showed little dependence on PE density. Therefore, it was possible to use the popular short-term tensile test to characterize the critical QS component of the applied stress to initiate plastic deformation in the crystalline phase, which is expected to play a significant role on the long-term, load-carrying applications of PE.
Impact of Natural Resource Rents and Institutional Quality on Human Capital: A Case Study of the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Aljarallah Ruba
Published: August 2019

For many years, the United Arab Emirates has been using its natural resource wealth to develop infrastructure and attain economic growth. Nevertheless, human capital theory stresses the importance of human capital to reach sustainability in the long-term. This study examines the impacts of natural resource rents and institutional quality on human capital by applying the cointegration and error correction model based on the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach. The study uses corruption and law and order as proxies for institutional quality. The results indicate that one percent increases in resource rents and corruption decrease the human capital by 0.16% and 0.14%, respectively, in the long-term. Moreover, in the short-term, the current corruption and lag of resource rents have significant negative impacts on human capital. However, law and order has a positive impact on human capital in both the short and long-term. Thus, this study suggests that there is an instant need to prioritize education to reach long-term sustainability.
Performance of the State-Of-The-Art Gridded Precipitation Products over Mountainous Terrain: A Regional Study over Austria
Authors: Sharifi Ehsan , Eitzinger Josef , Dorigo Wouter
Published: August 2019

During the last decade, satellite-based precipitation products have been believed to be a potential source for forcing inputs in hydro-meteorological and agricultural models, which are essential especially over the mountains area or in basins where ground gauges are generally sparse or nonexistent. This study comprehensively evaluates several newly released precipitation products, i.e., MSWEP-V2.2, IMERG-V05B, IMERG-V06A, IMERG-V05-RT, ERA5, and SM2RAIN-ASCAT, at daily and monthly time-scales over Austria. We show that all the examined products are able to reproduce the spatial precipitation distribution over the country. MSWEP, followed by IMERG-V05B and -V06A, show the strongest agreement with in situ observations and perform better than other products with respect to spatial patterns and statistical metrics. Both IMERG and ERA5 products seem to have systematic precipitation overestimation at the monthly time-scale. IMERG-V06A performs slightly better than IMERG-V05B. With respect to heavy precipitation (P > 10 mm/day), MSWEP compare to other products demonstrate advantages in detecting precipitation events with a higher spatial average of probability of detection (POD) and lower false alarm ratio (FAR) scores skill (0.74 and 0.28), while SM2RAIN and ERA5 reveal lower POD (0.35) and higher FAR (0.56) in this precipitation range in comparison with other products. However, the ERA5 and MSWEP indicate robust average POD and FAR values with respect to light/moderate precipitation (10 mm > P ≥ 0.1 mm) with 0.94 and 0.11, respectively. Such robustness of MSWEP may be rooted in applying the daily rain gauges in calibration processes. Moreover, although all products accurately map the spatial precipitation distribution they still have difficulty capturing the effects of topography on precipitation. The overall performance of the precipitation products was lower in the peripheries of the study area where most stations are situated in the mountainous area and was higher over the low altitude regions. However, according to our analysis of the considered products, MSWEP-V2.2, followed by IMERG-V06S and -V05B, are the most suitable for driving hydro-meteorological, agricultural, and other models over mountainous terrain.
Estimating Aboveground Biomass and Its Spatial Distribution in Coastal Wetlands Utilizing Planet Multispectral Imagery
Authors: Miller Gwen J. , Morris James T. , Wang Cuizhen
Published: August 2019

Coastal salt marshes are biologically productive ecosystems that generate and sequester significant quantities of organic matter. Plant biomass varies spatially within a salt marsh and it is tedious and often logistically impractical to quantify biomass from field measurements across an entire landscape. Satellite data are useful for estimating aboveground biomass, however, high-resolution data are needed to resolve the spatial details within a salt marsh. This study used 3-m resolution multispectral data provided by Planet to estimate aboveground biomass within two salt marshes, North Inlet-Winyah Bay (North Inlet) National Estuary Research Reserve, and Plum Island Ecosystems (PIE) Long-Term Ecological Research site. The Akaike information criterion analysis was performed to test the fidelity of several alternative models. A combination of the modified soil vegetation index 2 (MSAVI2) and the visible difference vegetation index (VDVI) gave the best fit to the square root-normalized biomass data collected in the field at North Inlet (Willmott’s index of agreement d = 0.74, RMSE = 223.38 g/m2, AICw = 0.3848). An acceptable model was not found among all models tested for PIE data, possibly because the sample size at PIE was too small, samples were collected over a limited vertical range, in a different season, and from areas with variable canopy architecture. For North Inlet, a model-derived landscape scale biomass map showed differences in biomass density among sites, years, and showed a robust relationship between elevation and biomass. The growth curve established in this study is particularly useful as an input for biogeomorphic models of marsh development. This study showed that, used in an appropriate model with calibration, Planet data are suitable for computing and mapping aboveground biomass at high resolution on a landscape scale, which is needed to better understand spatial and temporal trends in salt marsh primary production.
Phenotyping of Corn Plants Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Images
Authors: Su Wei , Zhang Mingzheng , Bian Dahong , Liu Zhe , Huang Jianxi , Wang Wei , Wu Jiayu , Guo Hao
Published: August 2019

Phenotyping provides important support for corn breeding. Unfortunately, the rapid detection of phenotypes has been the major limiting factor in estimating and predicting the outcomes of breeding programs. This study was focused on the potential of phenotyping to support corn breeding using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images, aiming at mining and deepening UAV techniques for comparing phenotypes and screening new corn varieties. Two geometric traits (plant height, canopy leaf area index (LAI)) and one lodging resistance trait (lodging area) were estimated in this study. It was found that stereoscopic and photogrammetric methods were promising ways to calculate a digital surface model (DSM) for estimating corn plant height from UAV images, with R2 = 0.7833 (p < 0.001) and a root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.1677. In addition to a height estimation, the height variation was analyzed for depicting and validating the corn canopy uniformity stability for different varieties. For the lodging area estimation, the normalized DSM (nDSM) method was more promising than the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) textural features method. The estimation error using the nDSM ranged from 0.8% to 5.3%, and the estimation error using the GLCM ranged from 10.0% to 16.2%. Associations between the height estimation and lodging area estimation were done to find the corn varieties with optimal plant heights and lodging resistance. For the LAI estimation, the physical radiative transfer PROSAIL model offered both an accurate and robust estimation performance both at the middle (R2 = 0.7490, RMSE = 0.3443) and later growing stages (R2 = 0.7450, RMSE = 0.3154). What was more exciting was that the estimated sequential time series LAIs revealed a corn variety with poor resistance to lodging in a study area of Baogaofeng Farm. Overall, UAVs appear to provide a promising method to support phenotyping for crop breeding, and the phenotyping of corn breeding in this study validated this application.
Clustering Coastal Land Use Sequence Patterns along the Sea–Land Direction: A Case Study in the Coastal Zone of Bohai Bay and the Yellow River Delta, China
Authors: Ding Zhi , Su Fenzhen , Zhang Junjue , Zhang Yu , Luo Shuchang , Tang Xuguang
Published: August 2019

Specific knowledge about the characteristics of coastal land use along the sea–land direction helps to better understand the spatial heterogeneity of coastal land use, which could offer scientific support for rational land management and the sustainable development of the coastal zone. However, the traditional methods including buffering or the regional method are hard to extract detailed spatial structure and location correlations of coastal land use along the sea–land direction. Therefore, we developed a model, called sequence–based clustering of coastal land use pattern (SCCLUP), to mine the coastal land use sequence patterns (CLUSPs) along the sea–land direction. As a case study in the major coastal zone of Bohai Bay and the Yellow River Delta from 1990 to 2010, we found that: (1) The land use showed a sequential distribution along the sea–land direction. And the land use closed to shoreline and inland boundary had relative stable sequential location along the sea–land direction. However, the middle land uses had dynamic sequential locations that led to multiple CLUSPs; (2) due to the increasing percent of construction land, the artificial level of CLUSPs was continuously increasing and new CLUSPs tended to distribute around port areas. Different CLUSPs with similar land use sequential relationships tended to have similar land use structure along the sea–land direction; (3) the land uses sequential location along the sea–land direction revealed the actual distance of land use to the shoreline and had a tight correlation with environmental factors (salinity, water, and landform). The land use with large increasing and wide adaptivity (like construction land) had a large impact on the changes of CLUSPs in the study area. Therefore, strong control should be provided for the excessive expansion of land use like construction land to limit the over changes in land use pattern along the sea–land direction. Additionally, the spatial heterogeneity of land use along the sea–land direction should be considered to a better understanding of anthropic impacts on the coastal zone.
Urban Expansion and the Loss of Prairie and Agricultural Lands: A Satellite Remote-Sensing-Based Analysis at a Sub-Watershed Scale
Authors: Zubair Opeyemi , Ji Wei , Festus Olusola
Published: August 2019

Prairies or grasslands together with areas designated as agricultural lands are one of the largest types of land cover and land use that exist today. While prairies provide habitat to a wide variety of animals and organisms, and agricultural lands support human populations, these lands, especially those in the immediate vicinities of large urban areas, are giving way to urbanization at alarming rates. In particular, prairies are often viewed as wastelands because their benefit to the effective functioning of the urban ecosystem is often not fully understood. On the other hand, many agricultural lands are being converted for several urban uses because of the high economic returns from their sale. In this study, we classified SPOT (Satellite Pour l’Observation de la Terre) satellite data of the study area using the supervised maximum likelihood classification approach in order to investigate the loss of prairies and agricultural lands due to urban expansion in six sub-watersheds in the Kansas City metropolitan area of the States of Kansas and Missouri in the U.S. Based on the classified maps, we computed the magnitude and rate of urban expansion, and the proportion of loss in prairies and agricultural lands that was a result of urban expansion. Results from the 22-year study revealed that in all six sub-watersheds, agricultural lands and grassland were depleted at alarming rates with no sustainable effort to conserve them. These results provide baseline information that can support a data-driven and sustainable path for urban expansion in the examined sub-watersheds.
Dynamic Feedback Analysis of Influencing Factors and Challenges of Dockless Bike-Sharing Sustainability in China
Authors: Yang Tianjian , Li Ye , Zhou Simin , Zhang Yu
Published: August 2019

Dockless bike-sharing programs (DBSPs) are typical representatives of the new era of the internet economy. These schemes alleviate urban traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and change people’s preferred travel modes, but they also suffer from a series of problems related to unsustainability. The sustainability performance of a DBSP is closely related to its influencing factors, which can be used to understand the main challenges of the program and consider what useful measures should be taken to overcome these issues. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the related factors that are critical to the sustainability of DBSPs from a systems-level perspective. In this paper, we explored publicly available data sources (i.e., literature, institutional reports, and announcements) to determine the intrinsic influencing factors and understand their interactions and feedback relationships. A taxonomy of the key challenges with respect to the fundamental pillars of DBSP sustainability (i.e., environment, society, and economy) was provided. System dynamics methodology was employed to map the critical factors and links in order to analyze the key challenges in facilitating the sustainability of DBSPs. Based on this approach, we put forward proposals to mitigate the severe challenges for governments and DBSP operators. The findings provide a theoretical basis and guiding role to develop improvement strategies for DBSP sustainability.
The Contribution of the Participatory Guarantee System in the Revival of Agroecological Principles in Southern Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Hirata Aloísia Rodrigues , Rocha Luiz Carlos Dias , Assis Thiago Rodrigo de Paula , Souza-Esquerdo Vanilde Ferreira de , Bergamasco Sonia Maria Pessoa Pereira
Published: August 2019

Market pressures generated by the demand for organic food have pushed farmers to turn away from agroecological principles, which leads to actions focused directly on the agricultural practices for production. The objective of this study was to analyze whether the methodology used by the Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) contributes to farmers’ appropriation of agroecological principles, understood here in their environmental, sociocultural, economic, and political dimensions. We analyzed the PGS-Sul de Minas, which was the first PGS founded in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil and includes 14 organizations and more than 200 families. Documentary analysis and participant observation were prioritized in data collection. The main results are the correlation between the practices used by the farmers in these organizations with the principles of agroecology. This is evident in aspects such as the encouragement of productive diversification, the construction of new marketing alternatives, the revival and use of heirloom seeds, the stimulation of women’s leadership, and places and policies that support and strengthen agroecology. The study found that the procedures adopted by the PGSs help strengthen agroecology and bring direct benefits to the farmers through revival and encouragement of agroecological principles.
Sustainability and Water Sensitive Cities: Analysis for Intermediary Cities in Andalusia
Authors: Bermejo-Martín Gustavo , Rodríguez-Monroy Carlos
Published: August 2019

There is currently a phenomenon of global urbanization, where in Europe intermediary cities play a major role by concentrating more than 40% of the European urban population. These types of cities have specific challenges regarding their sustainability and are key to meeting the objectives set out in the UN 2030 Agenda (United Nations, UN), due to their local character and proximity to the citizen. The intermediary cities of Andalusia in Spain, its urban sustainable development and its relationship with water are the object of analysis in this article. They are analyzed through the winning plans in the first call of the Spanish “Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategy ” (ISUDS). In this process, the citizens are the main actors through their participation in the elaboration of the ISUDS, in which they express the scope of the “hydrosocial contract ” of citizenship. The research presented in this article analyzes the latter through a methodological framework applied to the ISUDS, which shows the unequal interest of Andalusian intermediary cities when integrating water into their sustainable development. The article ends with a series of recommendations that make it possible to bring these cities closer to the “water sensitive cities ” stage.
Towards Zero Emissions Noosa
Authors: Anderson Carina , Passey Robert , De Valck Jeremy , Shah Rakibuzzaman
Published: August 2019

This paper reports on a case study of the community group Zero Emissions Noosa, whose goal is for 100% renewable electricity in the Noosa Shire (Queensland, Australia) by 2026. Described within this paper are the processes used by Zero Emissions Noosa to set up their zero emissions plan, involving community engagement and the use of an external consultant. The external consultant was employed to produce a detailed report outlining how to successfully achieve zero emissions from electricity in the Noosa Shire by 2026. This paper explains how and why the community engagement process used to produce the report was just as important as the outcomes of the report itself. Modeling was undertaken, and both detailed and contextual information was provided. Inclusion of the community in developing the scenario parameters for the modeling had a number of benefits including establishing the context within which their actions would occur and focusing their efforts on options that were technically feasible, financially viable and within their capabilities to implement. This provided a focal point for the community in calling meetings and contacting stakeholders. Rather than prescribing a particular course of action, it also resulted in a toolbox of options, a range of possible solutions that is flexible enough to fit into whatever actions are preferred by the community. The approach and outcomes discussed in this paper should, therefore, be useful to other communities with similar carbon emission reduction goals.
Microgrid Planning Considering the Supply Adequacy of Critical Loads under the Uncertain Formation of Sub-Microgrids
Authors: Wu Xiong , Shi Shuo , Wang Zhao
Published: August 2019

A microgrid can be partitioned into several autonomous sub-microgrids in case of multiple faults in natural disasters. How to guarantee the supply adequacy of critical loads in sub-microgrids is a problem that should be considered at the planning stage. This paper proposes a microgrid planning model considering the supply adequacy of critical loads under the uncertain formation of sub-microgrids. The proposed model minimizes the total cost during the project life, which includes the construction cost and operation cost for the candidate distributed energy resources (DERs). The supply adequacy of critical loads in sub-microgrids is taken into account in the model. As we only know the critical load areas, the locations of switches which divide the microgrid into sub-microgrids are unknown at the planning stage. Considering this uncertainty, the microgrid planning issue is finally formulated as a robust model against the worst formation of sub-microgrids. The developed model is tested on two systems: IEEE 33-bus and 123-bus distribution systems. Simulation indicates (1) the proposed method is more robust than deterministic strategy as critical load loss is intolerable in sub-microgrids; (2) the investment cost is the same with that of the deterministic case when the number of sub-microgrids is within two.
A Novel Composite Material for Foldable Building Envelopes
Authors: Rodonò Gianluca , Sapienza Vincenzo , Recca Giuseppe , Carbone Domenico Carmelo
Published: August 2019

Contemporary research is increasingly focused on studying buildings that either interact with environmental boundaries or adapt themselves to their users’ needs. In the current literature, this kind of ability is given different names: responsivity, adaptability, smartness. These are different ways to refer to a common concept, with subtle nuances. Foldable surfaces are one of the most interesting geometries able to give responsivity to building components, but often their production is complex and expensive. The aim of this research was the creation of a novel material that can provide lightweight solutions for foldable building envelopes. This composite material can be folded and unfolded easily, like a sheet of paper, but with a higher mechanical performance. It is made with the thermoplastic elastomer SEBS (styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene) as its matrix, as well as a fabric reinforcement. In this paper, following an introduction to this subject, the authors present the composite material’s production methods and its mechanical characterization.
Contextual Factors and Organizational Commitment: Examining the Mediating Role of Thriving at Work
Authors: Abid Ghulam , Contreras Francoise , Ahmed Saira , Qazi Tehmina
Published: August 2019

Thriving at work refers to a psychological experience of learning (cognitive dimension) and vitality (affective dimension) to the workplace. Based on the Social Exchange Theory and the Socially Embedded Model of thriving, the purpose of this research is to observe whether contextual variables such as fairness perception, trust, and managerial coaching are related to affective organizational commitment and to examine if thriving at work plays a mediating role in these proposed relationships. Data was collected in two waves over a one-month time period from 936 employees of diverse public and private sectors. Strong empirical evidence was found for all direct and indirect hypothesized relationships through Smart PLS 3.0 (SmartPLS GmbH, Bönningstedt, Germany, 2015). The implications of the findings are also discussed.
Training Entrepreneurial Competences with Open Innovation Paradigm in Higher Education
Authors: Iglesias-Sánchez Patricia P. , Jambrino-Maldonado Carmen , de las Heras-Pedrosa Carlos
Published: August 2019

This paper shows the effects of training entrepreneurial competences on employability in higher education. It identifies teaching methods that are more effective in order to improve entrepreneurial competences. These are hackathon, team building, role play, and practical cases with entrepreneurs at a Spanish university. In contrast to the methods shown in previous literature, a mixed-method is proposed. Firstly, a qualitative technique based on three focus groups with the participation of lecturers, students, and entrepreneurs are used. Additionally, a regression analysis seeks links between entrepreneurial intention and employability with entrepreneurial competences with 329 students. The findings show the direct effect on skills appreciated in companies, using collaborative and practical activities focusing on competency perspective. This research work provides a new approach to training entrepreneurial competences that demonstrates the main role of Open Innovation enhancing the main stakeholders’ motivation and improving their skills. Useful information is provided to design the academic syllabuses and improve the level of employability of university graduates.
Measuring Global Financial Linkages: A Network Entropy Approach
Authors: Lee Daeyup , Park Hail
Published: August 2019

This paper measures the diversity of highly-connected financial networks using network entropy, and policy-related findings emerge from this research. With respect to the time variation of network entropy, international diversification of the global financial network constructed from foreign claims of international banks has decreased since the financial crisis of 2007–2008, while foreign claims among 20 reporting countries have concentrated more on core countries, such as the US and UK, since 2009. This change is more vividly captured by network entropy due to an unprecedented drop in the measurement. The results suggest that network entropy has promising potential in the financial market.
The Effect of Rural Buildings on Landscape Fragmentation in Natura 2000 Sites: A Case Study in Sardinia
Authors: Ledda Antonio , Serra Vittorio , De Montis Andrea
Published: August 2019

Landscape fragmentation (LF) is the process where habitat patches tend to become smaller and more isolated over time. It is mainly due to human activities and affects habitats, biodiversity, ecosystem balance, and ecological networks. Transport and mobility infrastructures and urbanized areas—also in the form of suburban and rural sprawl—contribute to LF and can be localized close to (or included in) Natura 2000 sites (N2000 sites). N2000 sites are set according to the Habitats and Birds Directives and consist of special protection areas, sites of community importance, and special areas of conservation, where LF may threaten habitat quality and species survival and dispersal. Then, new rules and planning approaches are called for defining effective protection measures. The knowledge of the context appears to be a priority to achieve such aims. Therefore, this study focuses on LF in N2000 sites. We apply the rural buildings fragmentation index (RBFI) and the effective mesh density (Seff) in six landscape units in Sardinia (Italy). Then, we report on the least and the most fragmented N2000 sites and assess if there is correlation between RBFI and Seff. In this study, RBFI and Seff provide not trivial outcomes, as they are weakly and positively correlated.
Distribution of Toxinogenic Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus from Different Ecological Niches in Algeria
Authors: Mairi Assia , Touati Abdelaziz , Pantel Alix , Zenati Karima , Martinez Alex Yahiaoui , Dunyach-Remy Catherine , Sotto Albert , Lavigne Jean-Philippe
Published: August 2019

The diffusion of Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL)–positive methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a health problem in Algeria. The objectives of the study were to investigate the global distribution of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA isolates in different ecological niches in this country. In total, 2246 samples were collected from humans, livestock, wild animals, pets, food products and the aquatic environment, from 12 Algerian provinces. A total of 312 S. aureus were detected from 2446 samples (12.7%) in the screened niches. We observed the emergence of toxinogenic S. aureus representing 41% of the isolates. Among them, we noted the diffusion of ST80-IV CA-MRSA PVL + strains isolated in human, animals, and food and genetic diversity of MSSA PVL + isolates. This study suggests an alarming dissemination of MRSA-ST80 PVL + in both human and extra-human sources in Algeria. Moreover, MSSA may become a permanent reservoir of the PVL genes necessary for human infections.
Kerr Black Holes within a Modified Theory of Gravity
Authors: Hess Peter O. , López-Moreno Enrique
Published: August 2019

The Kerr black hole is studied within a modified theory of gravity, which adds the effects of vacuum fluctuations near a black hole. These vacuum fluctuations are treated as a dark energy. A parameter is introduced to account for these fluctuations. It is zero for the standard theory and acquires a maximal value, just before there would be no event horizon. The existence of an event horizon not only depends on the value of this parameter, but also on the spin of the black hole. In addition, we study the existence of a light-ring. We also elaborate on the relation of the appearance and vanishing of the event horizon and light-ring to phase transitions.
Phylodynamics of Influenza A/H1N1pdm09 in India Reveals Circulation Patterns and Increased Selection for Clade 6b Residues and Other High Mortality Mutants
Authors: Adam Dillon C. , Scotch Matthew , MacIntyre C Raina.
Published: August 2019

The clinical severity and observed case fatality ratio of influenza A/H1N1pdm09 in India, particularly in 2015 and 2017 far exceeds current global estimates. Reasons for these frequent and severe epidemic waves remain unclear. We used Bayesian phylodynamic methods to uncover possible genetic explanations for this, while also identifying the transmission dynamics of A/H1N1pdm09 between 2009 and 2017 to inform future public health interventions. We reveal a disproportionate selection at haemagglutinin residue positions associated with increased morbidity and mortality in India such as position 222 and clade 6B characteristic residues, relative to equivalent isolates circulating globally. We also identify for the first time, increased selection at position 186 as potentially explaining the severity of recent A/H1N1pdm09 epidemics in India. We reveal national routes of A/H1N1pdm09 transmission, identifying Maharashtra as the most important state for the spread throughout India, while quantifying climactic, ecological, and transport factors as drivers of within-country transmission. Together these results have important implications for future A/H1N1pdm09 surveillance and control within India, but also for epidemic and pandemic risk prediction around the world.
The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Viral Infection and Transmission
Authors: Urbanelli Lorena , Buratta Sandra , Tancini Brunella , Sagini Krizia , Delo Federica , Porcellati Serena , Emiliani Carla
Published: August 2019

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been found to be released by any type of cell and can be retrieved in every circulating body fluid, namely blood (plasma, serum), saliva, milk, and urine. EVs were initially considered a cellular garbage disposal tool, but later it became evident that they are involved in intercellular signaling. There is evidence that viruses can use EV endocytic routes to enter uninfected cells and hijack the EV secretory pathway to exit infected cells, thus illustrating that EVs and viruses share common cell entry and biogenesis mechanisms. Moreover, EVs play a role in immune response against viral pathogens. EVs incorporate and spread both viral and host factors, thereby prompting or inhibiting immune responses towards them via a multiplicity of mechanisms. The involvement of EVs in immune responses, and their potential use as agents modulating viral infection, will be examined. Although further studies are needed, the engineering of EVs could package viral elements or host factors selected for their immunostimulatory properties, to be used as vaccines or tolerogenic tools in autoimmune diseases.