bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-Weighted Multilateration for Indoor Positioning Systems
Authors: Fornaser Alberto , Maule Luca , Luchetti Alessandro , Bosetti Paolo , De Cecco Mariolino
Published: February 2019

The paper proposes an improved method for calculating the position of a movable tag whose distance to a (redundant) set of fixed beacons is measured by some suitable physical principle (typically ultra wide band or ultrasound propagation). The method is based on the multilateration technique, where the contribution of each individual beacon is weighed on the basis of a recurring, self-supported calibration of the measurement repeatability of each beacon at a given distance range. The work outlines the method and its implementation, and shows the improvement in measurement quality with respect to the results of a commercial Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) system when tested on the same set of raw beacon-to-tag distances. Two versions of the algorithm are proposed: one-dimensional, or isotropic, and 3D. With respect to the standard approach, the isotropic solution managed to reduce the maximum localization error by around 25%, with a maximum error of 0.60 m, while the 3D version manages to improve even further the localization accuracy, with a maximum error of 0.45 m.
Microcomputed Tomography Evaluation of Root Dentin Caries Prevention by Topical Fluorides and Potassium Iodide
Authors: Zander Vernon , Chan Daniel , Sadr Alireza
Published: February 2019

The mineral content of dental hard tissues has traditionally been measured by destructive tests such as transverse microradiography. Microfocus X-ray computed tomography (micro CT) has enabled non-destructive 3D assessment of tooth demineralization. This study compared the preventive effects of silver diammine fluoride (SDF) and potassium iodide (KI) in comparison with fluoride varnish. SDF has been known to arrest caries but darkens the tooth. KI creates a precipitate with SDF that reduces the discoloration, but its effects on SDF efficacy in terms of preventing demineralization of at-risk root dentin surfaces is unknown. Bovine root dentin blocks were randomly distributed into four groups and subjected to a pretreatment in each group (n = 8); Control: deionized water (DIW); F-Varnish: 5% sodium fluoride varnish: 38% Saforide; SDF+KI: SDF followed by saturated solution of KI in DIW. The treated dentin was subjected to 8 cycles of demineralization (pH 5) for 14 h and remineralization in artificial saliva (pH 7) for 10 h. Specimens were then scanned for 12 min using micro CT at 73 KV and 1012 µA with 8.3 μm resolution. The 3D images were analyzed in Amira software to calculate lesion depth (LD), surface layer mineral density (SL) and mineral loss (ΔZ) for each specimen. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni posthoc showed that there was a statistically significant difference between Control and all three other groups for all parameters (P < 0.001), however, there was no statistical difference among F-Varnish, SDF and SDF+KI (P > 0.05). Single application of F-Varnish, SDF and SDF+KI showed comparable preventive effects against root dentin demineralization. Application of KI did not affect anti-demineralization properties of SDF in this study. Micro CT is a quick and effective method for objective and high-resolution characterization of dentin caries lesions.
Review of Fiber Optic Sensors for Structural Fire Engineering
Authors: Bao Yi , Huang Ying , Hoehler Matthew S. , Chen Genda
Published: February 2019

Reliable and accurate measurements of temperature and strain in structures subjected to fire can be difficult to obtain using traditional sensing technologies based on electrical signals. Fiber optic sensors, which are based on light signals, solve many of the problems of monitoring structures in high temperature environments; however, they present their own challenges. This paper, which is intended for structural engineers new to fiber optic sensors, reviews various fiber optic sensors that have been used to make measurements in structure fires, including the sensing principles, fabrication, key characteristics, and recently-reported applications. Three categories of fiber optic sensors are reviewed: Grating-based sensors, interferometer sensors, and distributed sensors.
Recognizing Physical Activity of Older People from Wearable Sensors and Inconsistent Data
Authors: Papagiannaki Aimilia , Zacharaki Evangelia I. , Kalouris Gerasimos , Kalogiannis Spyridon , Deltouzos Konstantinos , Ellul John , Megalooikonomou Vasileios
Published: February 2019

The physiological monitoring of older people using wearable sensors has shown great potential in improving their quality of life and preventing undesired events related to their health status. Nevertheless, creating robust predictive models from data collected unobtrusively in home environments can be challenging, especially for vulnerable ageing population. Under that premise, we propose an activity recognition scheme for older people exploiting feature extraction and machine learning, along with heuristic computational solutions to address the challenges due to inconsistent measurements in non-standardized environments. In addition, we compare the customized pipeline with deep learning architectures, such as convolutional neural networks, applied to raw sensor data without any pre- or post-processing adjustments. The results demonstrate that the generalizable deep architectures can compensate for inconsistencies during data acquisition providing a valuable alternative.
Deep Learning for Sensor-Based Rehabilitation Exercise Recognition and Evaluation
Authors: Zhu Zheng-An , Lu Yun-Chung , You Chih-Hsiang , Chiang Chen-Kuo
Published: February 2019

In this paper, a multipath convolutional neural network (MP-CNN) is proposed for rehabilitation exercise recognition using sensor data. It consists of two novel components: a dynamic convolutional neural network (D-CNN) and a state transition probability CNN (S-CNN). In the D-CNN, Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) are exploited to capture the distribution of sensor data for the body movements of the physical rehabilitation exercises. Then, the input signals and the GMMs are screened into different segments. These form multiple paths in the CNN. The S-CNN uses a modified Lempel–Ziv–Welch (LZW) algorithm to extract the transition probabilities of hidden states as discriminate features of different movements. Then, the D-CNN and the S-CNN are combined to build the MP-CNN. To evaluate the rehabilitation exercise, a special evaluation matrix is proposed along with the deep learning classifier to learn the general feature representation for each class of rehabilitation exercise at different levels. Then, for any rehabilitation exercise, it can be classified by the deep learning model and compared to the learned best features. The distance to the best feature is used as the score for the evaluation. We demonstrate our method with our collected dataset and several activity recognition datasets. The classification results are superior when compared to those obtained using other deep learning models, and the evaluation scores are effective for practical applications.
A Low-Power MEMS IDE Capacitor with Integrated Microhotplate: Application as Methanol Sensor using a Metal-Organic Framework Coating as Affinity Layer
Authors: Venkatesh Manjunath R. , Sachdeva Sumit , El Mansouri Brahim , Wei Jia , Bossche Andre , Bosma Duco , de Smet Louis C. P. M. , Sudhölter Ernst J. R. , Zhang Guo Qi
Published: February 2019

Capacitors made of interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) as a transducer platform for the sensing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have advantages due to their lower power operation and fabrication using standard micro-fabrication techniques. Integrating a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), such as a microhotplate with IDE capacitor, further allows study of the temperature-dependent sensing response of VOCs. In this paper, the design, fabrication, and characterization of a low-power MEMS microhotplate with IDE capacitor to study the temperature-dependent sensing response to methanol using Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8), a class of metal-organic framework (MOF), is presented. A Titanium nitride (TiN) microhotplate with aluminum IDEs suspended on a silicon nitride membrane is fabricated and characterized. The power consumption of the ZIF-8 MOF-coated device at an operating temperature of 50 ∘ C is 4.5 mW and at 200 ∘ C it is 26 mW. A calibration methodology for the effects of temperature of the isolation layer between the microhotplate electrodes and the capacitor IDEs is developed. The device coated with ZIF-8 MOF shows a response to methanol in the concentration range of 500 ppm to 7000 ppm. The detection limit of the sensor for methanol vapor at 20 ∘ C is 100 ppm. In situ study of sensing properties of ZIF-8 MOF to methanol in the temperature range from 20 ∘ C to 50 ∘ C using the integrated microhotplate and IDE capacitor is presented. The kinetics of temperature-dependent adsorption and desorption of methanol by ZIF-8 MOF are fitted with double-exponential models. With the increase in temperature from 20 ∘ C to 50 ∘ C, the response time for sensing of methanol vapor concentration of 5000 ppm decreases by 28%, whereas the recovery time decreases by 70%.
Liquefied Natural Gas as a New Hazard; Learning Processes in Norwegian Fire Brigades
Authors: Metallinou Maria-Monika
Published: February 2019

The innovation and utilization of new products leads to technological changes in contemporary societies and a need for the Fire Brigades (FBs) to update their expertise regarding the challenges these new products may represent. The present study examines learning processes for nine fire brigades in Norway, selected where Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities are in their jurisdiction and/or because they have handled LNG road accidents. The process of acquiring the necessary new knowledge and skills is researched inductively, and each FB is viewed as a unit in the Norwegian fire and rescue community, i.e., a multi-unit learning organization. Kolb’s learning cycle is used to discuss the findings. Large variations in learning processes were used in the different FBs, varying from short classroom courses held by external consultants to a series of learning episodes planned and directed by FB personnel. It was found that each FB focused locally and independently from other FBs when acquiring new knowledge. There was very limited knowledge transfer from FBs experienced with LNG facilities to “newcomers”. There is no established national knowledge-sharing network on LNG. There are, however, regional partner groups, mainly involving the FB and a distribution company, mentioned by all studied FBs to be the most important partner for learning. The inter-municipal committee against acute pollution (IUA) was the second most important learning cooperation partner. It was, however, discovered that LNG test releases gave rise to observations regarding the extension of the flammable cloud versus the visible cloud that was interpreted wrongly due to the lack of theoretical understanding of the influence of the air relative humidity. This was explained to one regional partner group that invited, and therefore asked, an academic about this issue during a training session. This partner group arranged demonstrations for all FBs involved along the path of LNG transport from the production site to their end-users. Surprisingly, there was very limited knowledge exchange between partner groups in different geographical regions, though one of these was certainly more knowledgeable. The present study revealed that knowledge sharing must be improved, at least when it comes to potential LNG incidents.
Exploring Women’s Experiences: Embodied Pathways and Influences for Exercise Participation
Authors: Clark Amy
Published: February 2019

It has been well-documented that women face pressures to conform to a slim, toned, and athletic body, becoming “tyrannised” by beauty ideals. Under these contemporary ideologies of perfectionism, women are placed under constant surveillance, evaluation and, objectification and are thus reduced to “being” their bodies. However, there is little known about the potential relationships between different types of exercise, body image, and exercise motivation. With this in mind, this paper contributes towards a small but developing body of research that utilises feminist phenomenology to reveal twelve women’s early embodied motivations for exercising and draws upon material gathered from a three-year ethnography into the embodied experiences of women in fitness cultures. This paper delves into the influences on their continued participation over time and explores how these experiences shape their understandings of the embodied self and the broader constructions of the gendered body. The discussion provided illuminates how early influences on exercise participation and how pressures on women to conform to dominant notions of the “feminine” body are imposed by structural, cultural, historical, and localised forces in ways that affect and shape future physical activity participation, and the physical cultures where these tensions are played out.
Effect of Thoracic Gas Volume Changes on Body Composition Assessed by Air Displacement Plethysmography after Rapid Weight Loss and Regain in Elite Collegiate Wrestlers
Authors: Kondo Emi , Shiose Keisuke , Yamada Yosuke , Osawa Takuya , Sagayama Hiroyuki , Motonaga Keiko , Ouchi Shiori , Kamei Akiko , Nakajima Kohei , Takahashi Hideyuki , Okamura Koji
Published: February 2019

We investigated the effect of rapid weight loss (RWL) and weight regain (WR) on thoracic gas volume (VTG) and body composition assessment using air displacement plethysmography (ADP) in male wrestlers. Eight male elite collegiate wrestlers completed a RWL regimen (6% of body mass) over a 53-h period, which was followed by a 13-h WR period. ADP was used at three time points (baseline (T1), post-RWL (T2) and post-WR (T3)) according to the manufacturer’s testing recommendations. The total body water and bone mineral content were estimated using the stable isotope dilution method and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, respectively, at the same time points. Body composition was assessed with two-component (2C) or four-component (4C) models using either the measured VTG (mVTG) or predicted VTG (pVTG). Measured VTG increased from T1 to T2 (0.36 ± 0.31 L, p < 0.05) and decreased from T2 to T3 (−0.29 ± 0.15 L, p < 0.01). However, the changes in fat mass and fat free mass, which were calculated by both 2C and 4C models, were not significantly different when compared between calculations using mVTG and those using pVTG. Our results indicate that VTG significantly changes during RWL and WR, but both measured and predicted VTG can be used to assess changes in body composition during RWL and WR.
Simulating Performance of CHIMERE on a Late Autumnal Dust Storm over Northern China
Authors: Ma Siqi , Zhang Xuelei , Gao Chao , Tong Quansong , Xiu Aijun , Zhao Hongmei , Zhang Shichun
Published: February 2019

The accurate forecasting of dust emission and transport is a societal demand worldwide as dust pollution is part of many health, economic, and environment issues, which significantly impact sustainable development. The dust forecasting ability of present air quality forecast systems is mainly focused on spring dust events in East Asia, but further improvement may be needed as there is still difficulty in forecasting autumn dust activities, such as failing to predict the serious dust storm that occurred on 25 to 26 November 2018. In this study, a state-of-the-art air quality model, CHIMERE, with three coupled dust schemes was introduced for the first time to simulate the dust emissions during this event to qualitatively and quantitatively validate its dust simulating performance over Northern China. The model results reported that two of the three dust schemes were able to capture the dust emission source located in Gansu Province and reproduce the easterly dust transport path, showing moderately close agreement in the horizontal and vertical distribution patterns with the ground-based and satellite observations. The simulated PM10 concentration had a better relationship with the observed values with a correlation coefficient up to 0.96, while it was lower in the transported areas. Meanwhile, the simulations also presented incorrect dust emission positions such as in areas between the Hulun Buir sandy land and Horqin sandy land. Our results indicate that CHIMERE exhibits reasonably good performance regarding its dust simulation and forecast ability over this area, and its application would help to improve the dust analysis and forecast abilities in Northern China.
Cattle Production for Exports in Water-Abundant Areas: The Case of Finland
Authors: Lehikoinen Elina , Parviainen Tuure , Helenius Juha , Jalava Mika , Salonen Arto O. , Kummu Matti
Published: February 2019

Water scarcity is a severe global threat, and it will only become more critical with a growing and wealthier population. Annually, considerable volumes of water are transferred virtually through the global food system to secure nations’ food supply and to diversify diets. Our objective is to assess, whether specializing water-intensive production for exports in areas with an abundance of natural resources, would contribute to globally resource-efficient food production. We calculated Finland’s virtual water net export potential (four scenarios) by reallocating the present underutilized agricultural land and combining that with a domestic diet change (three scenarios) to maximize the exports of cattle products. Assessed scenarios indicate that the greatest potential to net export virtual water (3.7 billion m3 year−1, 25-time increase to current) was achieved when local production was maximized with domestic and exported feed, and bovine meat consumption in Finland was replaced with a vegetarian substitute. This corresponds to annual virtual water consumption for food of about 3.6 million global citizens (assuming 1032 m3 cap−1 year−1). Therefore our results suggest, that optimizing water-intensive production to water-rich areas, has a significant impact on global water savings. In addition, increasing exports from such areas by decreasing the domestic demand for water-intensive products to meet the nutrition recommendation levels, saves water resources.
Image Processing for Sustainable Remodeling: Introduction to Real-time Quality Inspection System of External Wall Insulation Works
Authors: Cho Sang-Ho , Lee Kyung-Tae , Kim Se-Heon , Kim Ju-Hyung
Published: February 2019

The external wall insulation method was introduced to enhance the energy efficiency of existing buildings. It does not cause a decrease of inner space and costs less in comparison to methods that insert insulation panels inside walls. However, it has been reported that external wall insulation boards are disconnecting from walls due to malfunctions of the adhesive. This causes not only repair costs, but also serious injury to pedestrians. Separation problems occur when the bonded positions are incorrect and/or the total area and thickness of the adhesive is smaller than the required amount. A challenge is that these faults can hardly be inspected after installing boards. For this reason, a real-time inspection system is necessary to detect potential failure during adhesive works. Position, area and thickness are major aspects to inspect, and thus a method to process image data of these seems efficient. This paper presents a real-time quality inspection system introducing image processing technology to detect potential errors during adhesive works of external wall insulation, and it is predicted to contribute to achieving sustainable remodeling construction by reducing squandered material and labor costs. The system consists of a graphic data creation module to capture the results of adhesive works and a quality inspection module to judge the pass or fail of works according to an algorithm. A prototype is developed and validated against 100 panels with 800 adhesive points.
A Comparison of the Microbial Community and Functional Genes Present in Free-Living and Soil Particle-Attached Bacteria from an Aerobic Bioslurry Reactor Treating High-Molecular-Weight PAHs
Authors: Yu Chu-Chun , Chang Ting-Chieh , Liao Chien-Sen , Chang Yi-Tang
Published: February 2019

High-molecular-weight (HMW) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminate a wide range of ecosystems, including soils, groundwater, rivers and harbor sediments. The effective removal of HMW PAHs is a difficult challenge if a rapid remediation time and low economic cost are required. Bioremediation provides a cheap and eco-friendly cleanup strategy for the removal of HMW PAHs. Previous studies have focused on removal efficiency during PAHs bioremediation. In such studies, only limited research has targeted the bacterial communities and functional genes present in such bioremediation systems, specifically those of free-living (aqueous) bacteria and soil particle-attached bacteria present. In this study, a high-level of HMW PAH (1992 mg/kg pyrene) was bioremediated in an aerobic bioslurry reactor (ABR) for 42 days. The results showed a pseudo first order constant rate for pyrene biodegradation of 0.0696 day−1. The microbial communities forming free-living bacteria and soil-attached bacteria in the ABR were found to be different. An analysis of the aqueous samples identified free-living Mycobacterium spp., Pseudomonas putida, Rhodanobacter spp. and Burkholderia spp.; these organisms would seem to be involved in pyrene biodegradation. Various biointermediates, including phenanthrene, catechol, dibenzothiophene, 4,4′-bipyrimidine and cyclopentaphenanthrene, were identified and measured in the aqueous samples. When a similar approach was taken with the soil particle samples, most of the attached bacterial species did not seem to be involved in pyrene biodegradation. Furthermore, community level physiological profiling resulted in significantly different results for the aqueous and soil particle samples. Nevertheless, these two bacterial populations both showed positive signals for the presence of various dioxygenases, including PAHs-RHDα dioxygenases, riesk iron-sulfur motif dioxygenases and catechol 2,3-dioxygenases. The present findings provide a foundation that should help environmental engineers when designing future HMW PAH bioremediation systems that use the ABR approach.
How Investors Perceive Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation in Korea
Authors: Kim Sook Min , Kim Seon Mi , Lee Dong Heun , Yoo Seung Weon
Published: February 2019

Credible audit quality is a precondition for a firm’s sustainability. External auditors offer assurance with regard to the uncertain factors that can jeopardize a firm’s sustainability and provide audit opinions that help investors assess risk. After the global crisis and accounting scandals, mandatory audit firm rotation has been implemented globally. However, few studies have investigated either the cost or the benefit of mandatory audit firm rotation. Prior studies provide only indirect evidence on the effects of audit firm tenure on audit quality/perceived audit quality. By discussing prior arguments, we examine how investors perceive the implementation of mandatory audit firm rotation in Korea. Using a unique and direct setting to examine our research question, we analyze the relationship between firms with mandatorily switched audit firms and the cost of equity capital from 2006 to 2008. We find that the mandatory change in the auditors has a negative association with the cost of equity capital. The results are robust to using the arithmetic mean of the cost of equity capital, lagged control variables, and the manufacturing industry effect. The results indicate that investors perceive that mandatory audit firm rotation provides an environment for qualified audits by enhancing auditor independence and skepticism, and thus decreases the cost of equity capital. This study helps to improve our understanding of the impact of mandatory audit firm rotation the information risk evaluations and provides political implications for policy makers by showing the benefit of mandatory audit firm rotation.
The Green Bonds Premium Puzzle: The Role of Issuer Characteristics and Third-Party Verification
Authors: Bachelet Maria Jua , Becchetti Leonardo , Manfredonia Stefano
Published: February 2019

If we examine the characteristics of a sample of green bonds matched with their closest brown bond neighbors, we encounter a challenge. Green bonds have higher yields, lower variance, and are more liquid. The institutional/private issuer and the green third-party verification/non-verification breakdowns help explain this puzzle. Green bonds from institutional issuers have higher liquidity with respect to their brown bond correspondents and negative premia before correcting for their lower volatility. Green bonds from private issuers have much less favorable characteristics in terms of liquidity and volatility but have positive premia with respect to their brown correspondents, unless the private issuer commits to certify the “greenness” of the bond. An implication of our findings is that the issuer’s reputation or green third-party verifications are essential to reduce informational asymmetries, avoid suspicion of green (bond)-washing, and produce relatively more convenient financing conditions.
Reviewing Counterfactual Analyses to Assess Impacts of EU Rural Development Programmes: What Lessons Can Be Learned from the 2007–2013 Ex-Post Evaluations?
Authors: Castaño Javier , Blanco Maria , Martinez Pilar
Published: February 2019

Counterfactual analysis has been recommended as a means of assessing the impacts of European Rural Development Programmes (RDP) over recent years, although its application has been scarce to date. This paper examines the use of counterfactual analysis to assess socioeconomic impacts in a set of 2007–2013 ex-post evaluations. The analysis undertaken shows that a wide variety of counterfactual approaches have been applied, although certain barriers still remain to address the estimation of RDP impacts following the EU evaluation standards. Furthermore, we noted that impacts provided by individual RDP evaluations may hardly be aggregated, making it difficult to draw clear conclusions about the effectiveness of rural development policy at the EU level.
The Impact of Foreign and Indigenous Innovations on the Energy Intensity of China’s Industries
Authors: Chen Shuxing , Du Xiangyang , Huang Junbing , Huang Cheng
Published: February 2019

China’s industrial sectors have an approximate consumption amounting to 70% of the aggregate power of the entire country. Investigating the driving forces of the decline in the energy intensity is essential for accelerating China’s conversion into a low-carbon economy. Nowadays, there has been no agreement as yet when it comes to the impacts of China’s industrial sectors on energy intensity. The current research work studies the impacts of key driving forces, in particular foreign as well as indigenous innovations, on China’s industrial energy intensity in 34 industrial sectors between 2000 and 2010. Linear and nonlinear analysis methodologies are put to use. The linear empirical findings show that indigenous innovation primarily contributes to driving down the industrial energy intensity across the sampling duration. The foreign innovations, which take the shape of FDI as well as imports, are seen as benefiting the decline in industrial energy intensity; on the other hand, exports ramp up the industrial energy intensity. An additional investigation, on the basis of the panel threshold framework, indicates that the impact of foreign innovations by means of openness as well as industrial energy intensity has an association with the technological absorptive potential. The empirical evidence puts forward some pivotal inferences for policymakers with regard to China’s declining industrial energy intensity—for instance, exploitation of the maximum benefit associated with the technology spillovers; in addition, it is important to take into consideration the attributes and scenarios that impact industrial energy intensity.
Impact of Lean Manufacturing Practices on Firms’ Sustainable Performance: Lean Culture as a Moderator
Authors: Iranmanesh Mohammad , Zailani Suhaiza , Hyun Sunghyup Sean , Ali Mohd Helmi , Kim Kwangyong
Published: February 2019

Nowadays, manufacturing firms are pressured by governments, non-governmental organizations and customers to operate in a sustainable manner. Although lean practices may provide environmental, social, and financial benefits to firms, their effect on sustainable performance is ambiguous. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of lean manufacturing practices on firms’ environmental performance by considering lean culture as a moderator. Data were gathered through a survey of 187 manufacturing firms in Malaysia and were analyzed using the partial least squares technique. The results indicate that process and equipment, product design, supplier relationships, and customer relationships have a positive and significant effect on sustainable performance. It is also interesting to observe that lean culture positively moderated the effects of process and equipment and supplier relationships on sustainable performance. These results have important implications for enhancing the sustainable performance of manufacturing firms through lean manufacturing practices.
Environmental Factors and Sustainability of the Circular Economy Model at the European Union Level
Authors: Trica Carmen Lenuta , Banacu Cristian Silviu , Busu Mihail
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we develop a methodology for studying the sustainability of the circular economy model based on environmental factors. In open-end systems, waste is converted back to materials and objects through recycling; hence, a linear economy is transformed into a circular economy. Environmental factors support an argument for the sustainable implementation of a circular economy. As humans are producing and using more and more matter and energy for the economy, the environment and recycling become more and more important factors affecting public health. The aim of this study is to present the economic factors of the sustainable development of a circular economy, based on the findings of the economic literature in the field. Starting with the Mankiw–Romer–Weil model of economic growth based on resource productivity, environmental employment, recycling rate and environmental innovation, three statistical hypotheses were validated through a panel data model with the use of the statistical software EViews 9. An econometric analysis was performed for 27 European Union countries between 2007 and 2016. The results highlight that the extended Mankiw–Romer–Weil model is determined by resource productivity, environmental employment, recycling rate and environmental innovation. Investing in recycling infrastructure and innovative resources is essential for the econometric model presented in our analysis, which is in line with the aims of environmental protection and sustainable economic growth.
Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure and Performance: A Meta-Analytic Approach
Authors: Gallardo-Vázquez Dolores , Barroso-Méndez María J. , Pajuelo-Moreno María L. , Sánchez-Meca Julio
Published: February 2019

Currently, a lack of consensus exists in the literature on the link between performance and corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD). A meta-analysis was carried out to shed light on this controversial topic, using the ABI/Inform Complete and EconLit databases as search tools. To isolate articles with substantive, methodological relevance, various filters were used. In addition to other criteria, all articles had to contain certain keywords related to the study’s variables and at least one of the seven keywords indicating empirical data analysis. As a result of this procedure, the meta-analysis included only 95 articles. To process the sample, we employed the procedure developed by Hunter and Schmidt. The results show that the CSRD-performance relationship is not significant enough for practical purposes. However, an analysis of moderating variables revealed that the connection becomes of practical importance when moderated by three key variables: region, type of disclosure, and measures of organization size. This research’s findings make a significant contribution by clarifying the links between CSRD and performance and identifying which variables can explain the diverse results of previous research. Regarding limitations, the meta-analysis was subject to the availability of published research and included only studies that reported Pearson correlation coefficients and standardized beta coefficients.
Simulation Study for Semiconductor Manufacturing System: Dispatching Policies for a Wafer Test Facility
Authors: Yoon Hyun Joong , Chae Junjae
Published: February 2019

The manufacture of semiconductor products requires many dedicated steps, and these steps can be grouped into several major phases. One of the major steps found at the end of the wafer fabrication process is the electrical die sorting (EDS) test operation. This paper focuses on dispatching policies in an EDS test facility to reduce unnecessary work for the system. This allows the semiconductor manufacturing facility to achieve better overall efficiency, thereby contributing to sustainable manufacturing by reducing material movements, the use of testing machines, energy consumption, and so on. In the facility, wafer lots are processed on a series of workstations (cells), and the facility holds identical parallel machines. The wafers are moved by an automatic material handling system from cell to cell as well as within cells. We propose several scheduling policies consisting of intercell and intracell material movements for efficient system operation. For this, four intercell scheduling policies and two intracell scheduling policies are introduced, and the effects of combinations are tested and evaluated through simulation experiments to obtain performance measures such as cycle time and work in process. The most efficient results among the combinations are presented as a proposed scheduling policy for a given EDS test facility.
The Development Analysis of the Romanian Traditional Product Market Based on the Performance Model for Sustainable Economic Development
Authors: Stanciu Silvius , Zlati Monica Laura , Antohi Valentin Marian , Bichescu Cezar Ionut
Published: February 2019

This study aims at quantifying the degree of concentration of the traditional product market in Romania, and the sector’s productivity and the economic performance of the different categories of traditional products are assessed. This can highlight a correlation between the dynamics of traditional products and the regional development of the relevant markets in Romania. The second aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between the economic profitability of the traditional products and the sector’s sustainability. The third aim evaluates the relationship between the capital accumulations of specific companies and the evolution of their current assets. The information selected for the application was prospective (literature review, market observations, query, and data consolidation) and analytic revised (database analysis, hypothesis fixation, model conceptualization, model hypothesis testing, and conclusions to be drawn). The selected data were processed, aiming at developing a model for the sustainable development of the traditional products. The research information was collected based on the official registrations carried out between 2014 and 2018 by at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Romania. During this period, Romania developed the National Traditional Product Registry (NTPR), which comprises a database of 647 traditional products. The assessment of economic performance was achieved through calculated performance test by a new proposed statistical model, named ZML. ZML suggests a market concentration analysis as an alternative to the Gini Struck method. The impact of the research consisted of an evaluation of the economic performance of traditional Romanian products in sustainable development terms.
Clustering-Based Data Dissemination Protocol Using the Path Similarity for Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Seo MinSeok , Lee SeungGwan , Lee Sungwon
Published: February 2019

The VANET (Vehicle Ad Hoc Network) is gathering attention for autonomous vehicles and the MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Network) is attracting interest as well. Therefore, efforts have been made to overcome the challenges of the VANET in which the topology changes in real time and instability exists due to the difference in speed and physical phase. Particularly in the IoT era, the total amount of network nodes in addition to vehicle nodes is expected to increase dramatically. Therefore, a clustering algorithm for a mesh network capable of autonomous configuration is suitable for reducing the load of the central control device and data redundancy on the network, which is expected to increase as the IoT era progresses. However, since clustering algorithms based on the existing research have been developed for the current traffic situation, inefficiency is inevitable in the future autonomous navigation period in which traveling path prediction can be accurately performed. Therefore, this paper discusses a clustering algorithm and a data propagation algorithm between clusters using path information. The main content of this paper is as follows. First, we propose a clustering algorithm using path information and considering the existing research results. In the autonomous navigation period, if the path is predictable, the probability that the nodes in the same cluster are in the same block for a longer time than the conventional one can converge to 100%. Therefore, the survival time of the cluster can be dramatically improved. Second, we developed a data propagation algorithm that can increase the information propagation rate of the entire network using path information. The cluster temporarily stores the data to be disseminated and then disseminates it when it encounters another cluster of neighbors. Therefore, data can be disseminated even for noncontiguous clusters. To summarize, this paper proposes clustering-based data dissemination algorithms and protocols using vehicle pathways for autonomous navigation and compares them with clustering-based data dissemination algorithms using existing directions.
New Families of Three-Variable Polynomials Coupled with Well-Known Polynomials and Numbers
Authors: Kızılateş Can , Çekim Bayram , Tuğlu Naim , Kim Taekyun
Published: February 2019

In this paper, firstly the definitions of the families of three-variable polynomials with the new generalized polynomials related to the generating functions of the famous polynomials and numbers in literature are given. Then, the explicit representation and partial differential equations for new polynomials are derived. The special cases of our polynomials are given in tables. In the last section, the interesting applications of these polynomials are found.
Function and Role of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters as Receptors for 3D-Cry Toxins
Authors: Sato Ryoichi , Adegawa Satomi , Li Xiaoyi , Tanaka Shiho , Endo Haruka
Published: February 2019

When ABC transporter family C2 (ABCC2) and ABC transporter family B1 (ABCB1) were heterologously expressed in non-susceptible cultured cells, the cells swelled in response to Cry1A and Cry3 toxins, respectively. Consistent with the notion that 3D-Cry toxins form cation-permeable pores, Bombyx mori ABCC2 (BmABCC2) facilitated cation-permeable pore formation by Cry1A when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Furthermore, BmABCC2 had a high binding affinity (KD) to Cry1Aa of 3.1 × 10−10 M. These findings suggest that ABC transporters, including ABCC2 and ABCB1, are functional receptors for 3D-Cry toxins. In addition, the Cry2 toxins most distant from Cry1A toxins on the phylogenetic tree used ABC transporter A2 as a receptor. These data suggest that 3D-Cry toxins use ABC transporters as receptors. In terms of inducing cell swelling, ABCC2 has greater activity than cadherin-like receptor. The pore opening of ABC transporters was hypothesized to be linked to their receptor function, but this was repudiated by experiments using mutants deficient in export activity. The synergistic relationship between ABCC2 and cadherin-like receptor explains their ability to cause resistance in one species of insect.
Sphingomyelin Depletion from Plasma Membranes of Human Airway Epithelial Cells Completely Abrogates the Deleterious Actions of S. aureus Alpha-Toxin
Authors: Ziesemer Sabine , Möller Nils , Nitsch Andreas , Müller Christian , Beule Achim , Hildebrandt Jan-Peter
Published: February 2019

Interaction of Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin (hemolysin A, Hla) with eukaryotic cell membranes is mediated by proteinaceous receptors and certain lipid domains in host cell plasma membranes. Hla is secreted as a 33 kDa monomer that forms heptameric transmembrane pores whose action compromises maintenance of cell shape and epithelial tightness. It is not exactly known whether certain membrane lipid domains of host cells facilitate adhesion of Ha monomers, oligomerization, or pore formation. We used sphingomyelinase (hemolysin B, Hlb) expressed by some strains of staphylococci to pre-treat airway epithelial model cells in order to specifically decrease the sphingomyelin (SM) abundance in their plasma membranes. Such a pre-incubation exclusively removed SM from the plasma membrane lipid fraction. It abrogated the formation of heptamers and prevented the formation of functional transmembrane pores. Hla exposure of rHlb pre-treated cells did not result in increases in [Ca2+]i, did not induce any microscopically visible changes in cell shape or formation of paracellular gaps, and did not induce hypo-phosphorylation of the actin depolymerizing factor cofilin as usual. Removal of sphingomyelin from the plasma membranes of human airway epithelial cells completely abrogates the deleterious actions of Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin.
Augmentation of Saporin-Based Immunotoxins for Human Leukaemia and Lymphoma Cells by Triterpenoid Saponins: The Modifying Effects of Small Molecule Pharmacological Agents
Authors: Smith Wendy S. , Johnston David A. , Holmes Suzanne E. , Wensley Harrison J. , Flavell Sopsamorn U. , Flavell David J.
Published: February 2019

Triterpenoid saponins from Saponinum album (SA) significantly augment the cytotoxicity of saporin-based immunotoxins but the mechanism of augmentation is not fully understood. We investigated the effects of six small molecule pharmacological agents, which interfere with endocytic and other processes, on SA-mediated augmentation of saporin and saporin-based immunotoxins (ITs) directed against CD7, CD19, CD22 and CD38 on human lymphoma and leukaemia cell lines. Inhibition of clathrin-mediated endocytosis or endosomal acidification abolished the SA augmentation of saporin and of all four immunotoxins tested but the cytotoxicity of each IT or saporin alone was largely unaffected. The data support the hypothesis that endocytic processes are involved in the augmentative action of SA for saporin ITs targeted against a range of antigens expressed by leukaemia and lymphoma cells. In addition, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger tiron reduced the cytotoxicity of BU12-SAP and OKT10-SAP but had no effect on 4KB128-SAP or saporin cytotoxicity. Tiron also had no effect on SA-mediated augmentation of the saporin-based ITs or unconjugated saporin. These results suggest that ROS are not involved in the augmentation of saporin ITs and that ROS induction is target antigen-dependent and not directly due to the cytotoxic action of the toxin moiety.
The Diversified O-Superfamily in Californiconus californicus Presents a Conotoxin with Antimycobacterial Activity
Authors: Bernáldez-Sarabia Johanna , Figueroa-Montiel Andrea , Dueñas Salvador , Cervantes-Luévano Karla , Beltrán Jesús A. , Ortiz Ernesto , Jiménez Samanta , Possani Lourival D. , Paniagua-Solís Jorge F. , Gonzalez-Canudas Jorge , Licea-Navarro Alexei
Published: February 2019

Californiconus californicus, previously named Conus californicus, has always been considered a unique species within cone snails, because of its molecular, toxicological and morphological singularities; including the wide range of its diet, since it is capable of preying indifferently on fish, snails, octopus, shrimps, and worms. We report here a new cysteine pattern conotoxin assigned to the O1-superfamily capable of inhibiting the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The conotoxin was tested on a pathogen reference strain (H37Rv) and multidrug-resistant strains, having an inhibition effect on growth with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) range of 3.52–0.22 μM, similar concentrations to drugs used in clinics. The peptide was purified from the venom using reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), a partial sequence was constructed by Edman degradation, completed by RACE and confirmed with venom gland transcriptome. The 32-mer peptide containing eight cysteine residues was named O1_cal29b, according to the current nomenclature for this type of molecule. Moreover, transcriptomic analysis of O-superfamily toxins present in the venom gland of the snail allowed us to assign several signal peptides to O2 and O3 superfamilies not described before in C. californicus, with new conotoxins frameworks.
A Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism of αVβ3 Integrin Is Associated with the Andes Virus Infection Susceptibility
Authors: Martínez-Valdebenito Constanza , Angulo Jenniffer , Le Corre Nicole , Marco Claudia , Vial Cecilia , Miquel Juan Francisco , Cerda Jaime , Mertz Gregory , Vial Pablo , Lopez-Lastra Marcelo , Ferrés Marcela
Published: February 2019

The Andes Orthohantavirus (ANDV), which causes the hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, enters cells via integrins, and a change from leucine to proline at residue 33 in the PSI domain (L33P), impairs ANDV recognition. We assessed the association between this human polymorphism and ANDV infection. We defined susceptible and protective genotypes as “TT” (coding leucine) and “CC” (coding proline), respectively. TT was present at a rate of 89.2% (66/74) among the first cohort of ANDV cases and at 60% (63/105) among exposed close-household contacts, who remained uninfected (p < 0.05). The protective genotype (CC) was absent in all 85 ANDV cases, in both cohorts, and was present at 11.4% of the exposed close-household contacts who remained uninfected. Logistic regression modeling for risk of infection had an OR of 6.2–12.6 (p < 0.05) in the presence of TT and well-known ANDV risk activities. Moreover, an OR of 7.3 was obtained when the TT condition was analyzed for two groups exposed to the same environmental risk. Host genetic background was found to have an important role in ANDV infection susceptibility, in the studied population.