bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Functioning, Physical Fitness, and Game Performance in a Sample of Adolescent Soccer Players
Authors: Sabarit Alejandro , Reigal Rafael E. , Morillo-Baro Juan P. , Juárez-Ruiz de Mier Rocío , Franquelo Auxiliadora , Hernández-Mendo Antonio , Falcó Coral , Morales-Sánchez Verónica
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between cognitive functioning, physical fitness, and game performance in a sample of adolescent soccer players. Eighty-five boys from a soccer team in Rincon de la Victoria (Malaga, Spain), aged between 12 and 16 years, participated in the study. The D2 and Global-Local Attention (GLA) tests were used to evaluate selective and divided attention, respectively, and the Coding and Symbol Search tests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) were used for processing speed. To analyze physical fitness, the standing long jump test, speed test, and Course-Navette test of the Alpha-Fitness battery were used. Finally, the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) was used to analyze sports performance in three vs. three small-sided games. The analyses showed that cognitive functioning was related to game performance. The results obtained suggest the importance of cognitive functions for performance in this sport.
Pathways to Urban Sustainability: An Investigation of the Economic Potential of Untreated Household Solid Waste (HSW) in the City of São Paulo
Authors: Slomski Vilma Geni , Silva Lima Ivan Carlos , Slomski Valmor , Slavov Tiago
Published: June 2020

The depletion of natural resources, the useful life of landfill sites, and the amount of garbage accumulating all challenge public policy to manage urban solid waste. We identified the economic potential for unused solid waste (HSW) in São Paulo in 2018 to be USD 637,633,836.04 through descriptive quantitative research and documentary analysis in the collected data. This amount comes from five sources, with the majority coming from internalizing private cost credits (45.58%), followed by recycling (42.21%), carbon credits (5.46%), refuse-derived fuel (3.77%), and organic compounds (2.98%). This potential assumes the implantation of waste sorting plants that generate jobs, reduce public expenses, and provide environmental benefits such as forest protection, water, and minerals. The environmentally adequate final destination of HSW constitutes an economic and socio-environmental measure that enables the reverse logistics of the business sector and urban sustainability. Consequently, the economic potential of HSW, generated from its sorting and marketing, could provide a positive contribution with the mitigation of environmental impacts, in addition to income generation and social inclusion.
COVID-19 Pandemic Response in Japan: What Is behind the Initial Flattening of the Curve?
Authors: Tashiro Ai , Shaw Rajib
Published: June 2020

The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged in December 2019 and became a global pandemic in March 2020. The unprecedented speed of SARS-CoV2 spread, the high infection rate among the aged population, and the collapse of healthcare systems in several countries have made COVID-19 the worst “modern” pandemic. Despite its proximity to China, a large aged population, and a high urban density, Japan has mitigated successfully the initial catastrophic impacts of COVID-19. This paper analyzed the key policy measures undertaken in Japan and suggests that Japan’s culture, healthcare system, sanitation, immunity, and food habits, along with citizens’ behavior, are the possible reasons for the successful flattening of the curve. Although additional disease peaks may occur, and a consequent increase in the number of affected individuals, a combination of policy, good governance, a healthy society, and good citizen behaviors’ should be sufficient to provide enough time for the health care system to cope with them. Cluster approach, science-based decision making, and scenario planning were some of the key policy decisions taken by the government. Based on the lessons from Japan, this paper suggests the importance of an ecosystem-based lifestyle as a potential way to cope with pandemic events.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Proves that Manila Clam Farming (Ruditapes Philippinarum) is a Fully Sustainable Aquaculture Practice and a Carbon Sink
Authors: Turolla Edoardo , Castaldelli Giuseppe , Fano Elisa Anna , Tamburini Elena
Published: June 2020

Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum, Adams and Reeve, 1850) farming is a quantitatively important and valuable form of aquaculture production worldwide but, to our best knowledge, no life cycle assessments (LCA) have been undertaken on it. However, being a filter feeder and producing a thick shell during the growing cycle, the capacity of Manila clam to remove nutrients, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous from the marine environment potentially has some positive effects on the environment. This study was performed in the Sacca di Goro lagoon, located in the southernmost part of the Po River Delta, in the northwestern Adriatic Sea. The LCA of clam farming from a cradle-to-gate perspective have been carried out, including the production stages as seed procuring, sowing, harvesting, depuration and packaging to obtain 1 ton of fresh ready-to-sell clams. The results show that area preparation, fuel combustion and plastic bags were the main contributors to the environmental impacts. The potential capability as a carbon sink of 1 ton of clams has been calculated and the effects on eutrophication reduction by fixing nitrogen and phosphorous in shells, with a net sequestration of 444.55 kg of CO2, 1.54 kg of N and 0.31 kg of P per year.
A Coronavirus (COVID-19) Triage Framework for (Sub)National Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Programs
Authors: Baxter David , Casady Carter B.
Published: June 2020

Around the world, countries are struggling to address the immediate and long-term impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on their (sub)national public–private partnership (PPP) programs. Burdened with the real possibility of widespread project failures and constrained budgets, governments are searching for ways to prioritize projects in need of relief and bolster post-pandemic recovery plans. To meet this need, this article conceptualizes a triage system for PPP programs based on five categories: (1) projects without a need for economic stimulus (blue); (2) projects experiencing minor economic/financial losses (green); (3) projects needing temporary/stop-gap support or restructuring (yellow); (4) projects unable to survive without significant economic relief (red); and (5) projects that cannot survive, even with government intervention (black). This research also stresses the importance of launching and sustaining a crisis command center to support PPP triage decisions and encourages PPP stakeholders to collectively craft win–win solutions for post-pandemic recovery efforts.
Sustaining Innovation through Joining Global Supply Chain Networks: The Case of Manufacturing Firms in Thailand
Authors: Kimseng Tieng , Javed Amna , Jeenanunta Chawalit , Kohda Youji
Published: June 2020

Joining global supply chain networks helps firms to enhance innovation performance as firms need to satisfy various standard requirements from overseas customers. From the global value chain theory, there is no evidence on what types of supply chain ownership structures help firms to achieve more innovation. This deficiency led us to investigate types of supply chain ownership structures, i.e., Pure Domestic Chain, Pure Joint Venture (JV) Chain, Pure Multinational Corporation (MNC) Chain, Export Chain, and Import Chain, that can help firms to achieve more innovation. One-way ANOVA is used to analyze 856 responses collected from the Thai manufacturing industry during 2012–2017. The results indicate that firms in the Pure MNC Chain have the highest levels of product and process innovation. There is less innovation for the Pure JV Chain, Export Chain, Import Chain, and Pure Domestic Chain, in decreasing order. This means that firms in global supply chain networks tend to have better innovation performance than firms in local supply chain networks. The innovation capabilities of local firms can be enhanced through knowledge transfer and knowledge co-creation by joining global supply chain networks.
Energy and Environmental Comparison between a Concrete Wall with and without a Living Green Wall: A Case Study in Mexicali, Mexico
Authors: Campos-Osorio Angeles , Santillán-Soto Néstor , García-Cueto O. Rafael , Lambert-Arista Alejandro A. , Bojórquez-Morales Gonzalo
Published: June 2020

In cities with dry arid climate, air conditioning (AC) equipment is necessary for thermal comfort in indoor spaces. The use of this equipment generates an increase in electricity consumption and an increment in CO₂ emissions to the environment; thus, one way to mitigate these negative effects is the Living Green Wall (LGW). The objective of this research is to assess the decrease in thermal gain, energy benefits, and estimate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are not emitted by the use of the LGW. Measurements of heat flux, solar radiation, and temperatures were made on a concrete wall and another with an LGW in a west-facing building in the city of Mexicali, Mexico. The results indicate that it is possible to reduce 49% of the heat flow through the wall, which reduces the thermal load 102,212 Btu/h to the indoor space, implying the additional work of 8.53 tons of AC. This excess equals 985.6 kWh of electrical energy and generates a total of 697 kg of CO₂ emissions during the warm season. It is concluded that shading with an LWG becomes a very influential element to mitigate the heat fluxes towards the indoor spaces.
Growth Strategy of a Rural Business School: Sustainable Implementation of Online Studies
Authors: Bertheussen Bernt Arne
Published: June 2020

This case study, which uses interventionist action research methodology, first describes key elements of the online business model which was implemented at a business school in Arctic Norway. The aim of the business model intervention was to create a growth in student influx. Next, the study examines the actual impact of the intervention in terms of number of online applicants over the last decade. The findings show that the online courses hit a “nerve” in the Norwegian market for higher education as now more than a thousand students, scattered all over the country, apply for admission. Thereafter, the study investigates why students choose to study online. The results disclose that the main motive for choosing online studies is that they better meet students’ needs for different types of study flexibility. Finally, this research explores whether online studies cannibalizes the traditional campus model in a non-sustainable way. The findings show that online and traditional campus studies do not compete, but instead complement each other as they attract different target groups of students. Online studies serve as an essential channel for lifelong learning as the students were mainly well-educated women who worked full-time or part-time. Finally, strategic insights from the process of launching sustainable online studies by a rural business school are discussed.
Emerging Concerns about Microplastic Pollution on Groundwater in South Korea
Authors: Kim Heejung , Lee Jin-Yong
Published: June 2020

If human history has thus far been divided into the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age, then modern times can be considered the Plastic Age [...]
Does Massive Placement of Bicycles Win the Market for the Bicycle-Sharing Company in China?
Authors: Zhao Jialing , Wang Hongwei , Huang Yuxin , Meng Yuan
Published: June 2020

The rise of bicycle-sharing stimulated companies’ investment in a large number of bicycles in the market. However, it is important to balance the massive placement of bicycles in the market and the company’s sustainable development. This paper is motivated to identify a strategic balance between market expansion and the sustainable development of the company. Based on the information asymmetry and evolutionary game theory, a tripartite game model was established for the government, enterprise, and consumer. This study identified five evolutionary stability strategies (ESSs) of these three parties under specific conditions by analyzing their decision-making behavior. The results indicated that the number of bicycles in the market placed by a bicycle-sharing enterprise was not directly proportional to its profit. The quantity of bicycles needed on the market was influenced by the government and consumers. It also found that government regulation plays a dominant role in the development of the bicycle-sharing company regarding the number of bicycles needed in the market.
A Newly Hybrid Method Based on Cuckoo Search and Sunflower Optimization for Optimal Power Flow Problem
Authors: Duong Thanh Long , Nguyen Ngoc Anh , Nguyen Thuan Thanh
Published: June 2020

The paper proposes a new hybrid method based on cuckoo search (CSA) and sunflower optimization (SFO) approach (called HCSA-SFO) for improving the performance of solutions in the optimization power system operation problem. In the power system, the optimal power flow (OPF) problem is one of the important factors which usually minimizes total cost and total active power losses while satisfying all constraints of the output power of generators, the voltage at buses, power flow on branches, the capacity of capacitor banks and steps of transformer taps. HCSA-SFO utilizes the mutation and selection mechanism in the SFO algorithm to replace the Lévy flights function in CSA. Hence, this makes HCSA-SFO avoid the fixed step size in the CSA from that can reduce run time and improve the quality of solution for the HCSA-SFO algorithm in the OPF problem. The proposed hybrid technique is simulated on the 30-buses and 118-buses systems. The obtained simulation results from the suggested technique are compared to many other approaches. The result comparisons in different cases showed that the suggested HCSA-SFO can achieve a better result than many other optimization approaches. Therefore, the suggested HCSA-SFO is also an effective approach for dealing with the OPF problem.
Organizational Resource and Innovativeness to Sustainable Design Outsourcing Service
Authors: Hong Kunyoung , Kim Boyoung
Published: June 2020

Design firms have been changing to become innovation consulting agencies, while business companies are improving their use of design innovation capacity for innovative problem-solving approaches. This study aims to identify how the organizational resource components of design firms affect the competitiveness of design outsourcing through the medium of absorptive capacity, innovation capacity, and design innovativeness. To do this, a total of 389 surveys from employees of design firms of seven regions in Korea were collected and analyzed. The analysis results show that tangible and human resource have a significant impact on absorptive capacity and innovation capacity, and intangible resource do the same on absorptive capacity. It was found that intangible resource would not have a significant impact on innovation capacity. This indicates that design firms should also prioritize fostering creative talent and strengthening financial and physical support for organizational activities. In addition, this study confirmed that enhanced absorptive capacity within the organization has a positive effect on the design innovativeness, and that the resource and capacity management of design firms are important to improve design innovativeness and outsourcing competitiveness.
Corporate Citizenship: Structuring the Research Field
Authors: Kruggel Alexander , Tiberius Victor , Fabro Manuela
Published: June 2020

Corporate citizenship, which is firms’ societal engagement beyond customer and shareholder interests, is a prominent topic in management practice and has led to extensive research. This increased interest resulted in a complex and fragmented scholarly literature. In order to structure and map the field quantitatively, we conducted a temporal analysis of publications and citations, an analysis of the productivity of involved disciplines, an analysis of the productivity of publication forms including journal impact factors, an author productivity and citation analysis, a co-author analysis, an article citation analysis, an article co-citation analysis, and a keyword co-occurrence analysis. Results of these bibliometric analyses show that corporate citizenship research seems to have been in a phase of stagnation since 2014 and shows a rather low degree of interdisciplinarity. Papers are predominantly published in high impact journals. Authors show little collaboration with other researchers. Current research relates to other business ethics topics, addresses philosophical foundations, and starts to relate to human resource management and organization studies.
Indicators for the Smart Development of Villages and Neighbourhoods in Baltic Sea Coastal Areas
Authors: Kalinka Maris , Geipele Sanda , Pudzis Edgars , Lazdins Andrejs , Krutova Una , Holms Jurijs
Published: June 2020

A formal village/neighbourhood planning process is typically focused on three planning levels (national, regional and local) and is usually linked with administrative units of the territory (state, region or municipality). The local planning level (village or neighbourhood) “pocket plan” is a development challenge for spatial planners. The small coastal village Tuja in Latvia was taken as a pilot territory for “pocket planning” due to the unique location; biodiversity and ecosystems; significant natural, cultural, economic and social values; specific interests; and the needs of the involved local society. All these factors create a dynamic flow of data and information. Geographic information systems (GIS) are widely used as planning support systems. GISs for pocket plans must accommodate the special needs of communities in villages and neighbourhoods. Ensuring the availability of information in dynamic real time is an opportunity to build both community integration in specific environments and to understand the future plans of the territory. Access to a WEB-GIS (internet GIS) provides possibilities for every person with a mobile phone to use and update information. Static and statistical information is generally used for spatial planning. For pocket plans, the data and information flow has to be dynamic and has to interact with non-professional users. The special wishes and needs of every member of a community must be accommodated by a pocket plan for the well-being of the people and the sustainability of the surrounding territory. Small territory planning involves a very narrow circle of individuals or communities that identify spatial development needs for the future, which includes the socio-economic, cultural, historical, environmental and climate change scenarios. In order to assess the development opportunities and needs of such areas, the detection, accumulation and monitoring of reliable data is necessary. Methodically derived data (facts) provide objectivity and transparency. Currently, as information between the present and the past is able to circulate very fast, analysis of the current situation to forecast the future and show different constructed realities (scenarios) using a GIS is necessary. Therefore, to explore and determine a local needs-based and smart spatial planning approach, we must identify indicators that can be used for the short-term and long-term analysis of specific territories in coastal areas.
Attitudes of Polish Entrepreneurs towards 65+ Knowledge Workers in the Context of Their Pro-Social Attitude and Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Authors: Bartkowiak Grażyna , Krugiełka Agnieszka , Dachowski Ryszard , Gałek Katarzyna , Kostrzewa-Demczuk Paulina
Published: June 2020

In this article, we examine the issue of Polish entrepreneurs’ attitudes towards knowledge workers above the age of 65 in the context of pro-social and citizenship behavior. The article was written as part of the diversity management paradigm. Firstly, it presents the existing literature on the subject, and then, we present our analysis on the results of a longitudinal study conducted among 93 entrepreneurs, owners, and co-owners of small and medium enterprises, during 2014 and 2019. During this time, legal regulation took place twice, extending and then shortening the period of obligatory work enabling employees to acquire the right to retire. The study was carried out using a specially developed questionnaire, whose reliability met the requirements of methodological correctness and two other research tools. Positive, neutral and negative attitudes were identified among entrepreneurs’ attitudes towards knowledge workers aged 65+. The research results show a correlation between the attitudes of entrepreneurs in 2014 and 2019, stabilization of these attitudes (in relation positive, neutral and negative attitudes), and their particularly significant relationship with organization-oriented citizenship behavior.
Sustainability of Railway Undertaking Services with Lean Philosophy in Risk Management—Case Study
Authors: Nedeliakova Eva , Hudakova Maria , Masar Matej , Lizbetinova Lenka , Stasiak-Betlejewska Renata , Šulko Peter
Published: June 2020

The sustainability of services in undertakings which operate in railway passenger transport is closely connected with efforts to provide high-quality and time-acceptable services to the customer, to achieve lean processes, to standardise work processes, to eliminate wastage and to avoid those activities which do not add any value. Considering its ecological nature and big volume of passenger transport, railway passenger transport represents an irreplaceable sustainable system for the future. These facts and the entry of new railway carriers into this system highlight the importance of managing risks in a progressive way. This article focuses on the options of risk management when versatile and flexible tools, such as Lean tools, are set correctly. The aim of this article is to introduce a proposal for the application and a specific application of Lean philosophy in risk management which impacts train delays in railway passenger transport. From the point of view of quantitative data analysis, multiple mathematical-statistical tests have been used to assess data (e.g., Anderson–Darling test, Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Jarque–Bera test, two-tailed test, Grubbs’s test and Thompson Tau test). Also, descriptive statistics and ANOVA test (Analysis of Variance) have been applied in the process of evaluating the monitored attributes. In order to assess the data dependency, Chi-Square Test and a correlation analysis have been applied. The research outcomes focus on highlighting the need for a systematic approach for train delays and to avoid delays through risk management. The case study applies selected Lean methods to monitor train delays in selected stations within the main railway corridor of the Slovak Republic for the period from 2015 to 2018. In 2019, the results were processed and created a basis for proposing a unique software tool like an aid for risk management in the case of train delays using Lean philosophy. The flexible software includes the participation of employees, and at the same time, it respects the needs of customers. The research results provide grounds for further study of risks in a challenging environment of railway undertakings, with different types of trains, railway stations as well as entire railway networks. The processed results of the article represent valuable material for railway undertakings not only in Slovakia but also for railway organisations in V4 countries.
Mapping Master Students’ Processes of Problem Solving and Learning in Groups in Sustainability Education
Authors: Oxenswärdh Anette , Persson-Fischier Ulrika
Published: June 2020

Sustainability challenges in tourism are widely discussed. There is a huge need for education in the field of destination development. Students require appropriate problem-solving skills. This article examines the master’s course in destination development at Uppsala University, Campus Gotland, with the aim of increasing students’ skills in solving sustainability problems. The course took place in the spring semester of 2020 with the main goal of improving students’ skills in formulating and solving sustainable challenges in groups. This was achieved by activating the heterogeneity of the group, seeking relevant information and facts, and organising and carrying out the task with a design-thinking methodology. Students were provided with real problems or challenges by tourist companies, authorities and other interest groups on the island of Gotland. The purpose of this study is to describe the group of students as well as joint learning processes and knowledge needed in the work towards sustainable solutions. The major implication of the study is that the course gave the students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of both the barriers and benefits of working with heterogeneous groups. Furthermore, the study revealed a number of factors that all organisations would need to take into account in order to improve the effectiveness of their work towards sustainable solutions.
A Serious Board Game to Analyze Socio-Ecological Dynamics towards Collaboration in Agriculture
Authors: Orduña Alegría María Elena , Schütze Niels , Zipper Samuel C.
Published: June 2020

Climate change exacerbates water scarcity and associated conflicts over water resources. To address said conflicts and achieve sustainable use of water resources in agriculture, further development of socio-ecological adaptations are required. In this study, we evaluate the ability of MAHIZ, a serious board game, to analyze socio-hydrological dynamics related to irrigated agriculture. Gameplay involves the player’s decision-making with associated impacts on water resources and crop productivity in diverse climate and policy scenarios. We evaluated MAHIZ as (1) an innovative science communication and sustainability education approach, and (2) a data collection method to inform socio-hydrological theory and models. Analysis of 35 recorded game sessions demonstrated that MAHIZ is an effective education tool about the tragedy of commons in agrohydrology and was able to identify important decision-making processes and associations between critical social parameters (e.g., communication, trust, competence) and the evolution of collective action. MAHIZ has an open game design, so the approach can be adapted for both scientific insight and outreach.
Evaluation of Cost Competitiveness of Electric Vehicles in Malaysia Using Life Cycle Cost Analysis Approach
Authors: Mustapa Siti Indati , Ayodele Bamidele Victor , Mohamad Ishak Waznatol Widad , Ayodele Freida Ozavize
Published: June 2020

The need to mitigate CO2 emissions from the transportation sector has necessitated the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and other forms of alternative vehicles. Despite the global rise of EVs demand as a complementary means of green transportations, the level of adoption in Malaysia is still not encouraging. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the cost competitiveness of EVs in comparison with Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and an Internal Combustion Vehicle (ICV) based on Malaysia scenarios. Using the existing data in Malaysia, life cost analysis (LCC) of two EVs was computed and compared with HEVs and ICVs. The study shows that Nissan leaf and BMW i3s EVs with LCC of $1.75 and $2.5 per km are not cost-competitive based on prevalent data available in Malaysia compared to the HEVs and ICV. Based on the sensitivity analysis, changes in the components of the operating costs significantly influence the accumulated cost of ownership of the EVs whereas the cost of ownership of the HEVs and ICVs did not experience any significant influence. The findings from this study could serve as bases for policymakers to formulate appropriate policies and strategies to improve the competitiveness of EVs in Malaysia.
Multi-Evolutionary Game Research on Heavy Metal Pollution Control in Soil: Based on a Third-Party Perspective
Authors: Xu Songtao , Zhou Zhifang , Liu Ke
Published: June 2020

The introduction of third-party governance models for the treatment of soil heavy metal pollution has promoted the marketization, professionalization, and efficiency of pollution treatment, but also can result in distortions of relevant stakeholder relationships and conflicts of interest. The game relationship among the government, soil-polluting companies, and third-party governance companies may solve the practical dilemma of comprehensive management of soil heavy metal pollution and establish a good cooperative mechanism. We constructed a three-party evolutionary game model to analyze the interaction mechanism of each agent’s strategy choice as well as the evolution of each agent’s strategy choice under different parameter trends and simulation analyses. The research showed that the amount of fines and supervision costs, rent-seeking costs and governance costs, and government subsidies and rent-seeking benefits were key factors affecting the evolution and stability strategies of government departments, soil-polluting companies, and third-party governance companies. By cooperating with third-party governance companies, the government can effectively suppress the improper behavior of soil-polluting companies. The conclusions of the study are helpful to broaden the research boundary of soil heavy metal pollution treatment and provide theoretical guidance for the treatment of soil heavy metal pollution in China.
The Challenge of Teaching Mobile Journalism through MOOCs: A Case Study
Authors: Cervi Laura , Pérez Tornero José Manuel , Tejedor Santiago
Published: June 2020

Smartphones have become a key social tool: They have changed the way people consume, receive and produce information, providing potentially anyone with the opportunity to create and share content through a variety of platforms. The use of smartphones for gathering, producing, editing and disseminating news gave birth to a new journalistic practice, mobile journalism. Incorporating mobile journalism is, thus, the current challenge for journalism educators. Our article aims at discovering whether new models of education, such as massive online courses, can help mobile journalism training. The research focuses on the first pilot project of a massive open online courses (MOOC) on mobile journalism, the Y-NEX MOOC. By assessing structure, functioning and participants’ opinion, the objective is to discover if MOOCs prove to be useful tools in mobile journalism training. Results show that this model of distance open learning can be helpful for mobile journalism training, providing some recommendations for improvement.
Picture Fuzzy ARAS Method for Freight Distribution Concept Selection
Authors: Jovčić Stefan , Simić Vladimir , Průša Petr , Dobrodolac Momčilo
Published: June 2020

Companies can perform their freight distribution in three different ways. The first concept, the in-house concept, represents the use of a company’s own resources and knowledge to organize transportation from the production to retailers or from the warehouse to customers. The opposite concept is to outsource distribution activities by hiring third-party logistics providers. The third concept represents a combination of the previous two. Although the arguments in favor of outsourcing can be found in the literature, an appropriate selection of a freight distribution concept is specific for each company and depends on many evaluation criteria and their symmetrical roles. This paper presents a methodology that can be used by companies that need to choose their freight distribution concept. An advanced extension of the Additive Ratio ASsessment (ARAS) method is developed to solve the freight distribution concept selection problem. To illustrate the implementation of the proposed methodology, a tire manufacturing company from the Czech Republic is taken as a case study. However, the proposed picture fuzzy ARAS method is general and can be used by any other company. To validate the novel picture fuzzy ARAS method, a comparative analysis with the nine existing state-of-the-art picture fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods is provided.
A Note on the Degenerate Poly-Cauchy Polynomials and Numbers of the Second Kind
Authors: Kim Hye Kyung , Jang Lee-Chae
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we consider the degenerate Cauchy numbers of the second kind were defined by Kim (2015). By using modified polyexponential functions, first introduced by Kim-Kim (2019), we define the degenerate poly-Cauchy polynomials and numbers of the second kind and investigate some identities and relationship between various polynomials and the degenerate poly-Cauchy polynomials of the second kind. Using this as a basis of further research, we define the degenerate unipoly-Cauchy polynomials of the second kind and illustrate their important identities.
Scattered Data Interpolation Using Quartic Triangular Patch for Shape-Preserving Interpolation and Comparison with Mesh-Free Methods
Authors: Abdul Karim Samsul Ariffin Abdul , Saaban Azizan , Nguyen Van Thien
Published: June 2020

Scattered data interpolation is important in sciences, engineering, and medical-based problems. Quartic Bézier triangular patches with 15 control points (ordinates) can also be used for scattered data interpolation. However, this method has a weakness; that is, in order to achieve C 1 continuity, the three inner points can only be determined using an optimization method. Thus, we cannot obtain the exact Bézier ordinates, and the quartic scheme is global and not local. Therefore, the quartic Bézier triangular has received less attention. In this work, we use Zhu and Han’s quartic spline with ten control points (ordinates). Since there are only ten control points (as for cubic Bézier triangular cases), all control points can be determined exactly, and the optimization problem can be avoided. This will improve the presentation of the surface, and the process to construct the scattered surface is local. We also apply the proposed scheme for the purpose of positivity-preserving scattered data interpolation. The sufficient conditions for the positivity of the quartic triangular patches are derived on seven ordinates. We obtain nonlinear equations that can be solved using the regula-falsi method. To produce the interpolated surface for scattered data, we employ four stages of an algorithm: (a) triangulate the scattered data using Delaunay triangulation; (b) assign the first derivative at the respective data; (c) form a triangular surface via convex combination from three local schemes with C 1 continuity along all adjacent triangles; and (d) construct the scattered data surface using the proposed quartic spline. Numerical results, including some comparisons with some existing mesh-free schemes, are presented in detail. Overall, the proposed quartic triangular spline scheme gives good results in terms of a higher coefficient of determination (R2) and smaller maximum error (Max Error), requires about 12.5% of the CPU time of the quartic Bézier triangular, and is on par with Shepard triangular-based schemes. Therefore, the proposed scheme is significant for use in visualizing large and irregular scattered data sets. Finally, we tested the proposed positivity-preserving interpolation scheme to visualize coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Malaysia.
Exact Solutions and Conservation Laws of Time-Fractional Levi Equation
Authors: Feng Wei
Published: June 2020

Exact solutions were derived for a time-fractional Levi equation with Riemann–Liouville fractional derivative. The methods involve, first, the reduction of the time-fractional Levi equation to fractional ordinary differential equations with Erdélyi-Kober fractional differential operator with respect to point symmetry groups, and second, use of the invariant subspace to reduce the time-fractional Levi equation into a system of fractional ordinary differential equations, which were solved by the symmetry group method. The obtained explicit solutions have interesting analytic behaviors connected with blow-up and dispersion. The conservation laws generated by the point symmetries of the time-fractional Levi equation are shown via nonlinear self-adjointness method.
Improved Antithrombotic Activity and Diminished Bleeding Side Effect of a PEGylated αIIbβ3 Antagonist, Disintegrin
Authors: Kuo Yu-Ju , Chang Yao Tsung , Chung Ching-Hu , Chuang Woei-Jer , Huang Tur-Fu
Published: June 2020

Polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG), or PEGylation of polypeptides improves protein drug stability by decreasing degradation and reducing renal clearance. To produce a pharmaceutical disintegrin derivative, the N-terminal PEGylation technique was used to modify the disintegrin derivative [KGDRR]trimucrin for favorable safety, pharmacokinetic profiles, and antithrombotic efficacy. We compared intact [KGDRR]trimucrin (RR) and PEGylated KGDRR (PEG-RR) by in vitro and in vivo systems for their antithrombotic activities. The activity of platelet aggregation inhibition and the bleeding tendency side effect were also investigated. PEG-RR exhibited optimal potency in inhibiting platelet aggregation of human/mouse platelet-rich plasma activated by collagen or ADP with a lower IC50 than the intact derivative RR. In the illumination-induced mesenteric venous thrombosis model, RR and PEG-RR efficaciously prevented occlusive thrombosis in a dose-dependent manner. In rotational thromboelastometry assay, PEG-RR did not induce hypocoagulation in human whole blood even given at a higher concentration (30 μg/mL), while RR slightly prolonged clotting time. However, RR and PEG-RR were not associated with severe thrombocytopenia or bleeding in FcγRIIa-transgenic mice at equally efficacious antithrombotic dosages. We also found the in vivo half-life of PEGylation was longer than RR (RR: 15.65 h vs. PEG-RR: 20.45 h). In conclusion, injectable PEG-RR with prolonged half-life and decreased bleeding risk is a safer anti-thrombotic agent for long-acting treatment of thrombus diseases.
The Efficacy of Hydrogen Peroxide in Mitigating Cyanobacterial Blooms and Altering Microbial Communities across Four Lakes in NY, USA
Authors: Lusty Mark W. , Gobler Christopher J.
Published: June 2020

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been proposed as an agent to mitigate toxic cyanobacterial blooms due to the heightened sensitivity of cyanobacteria to reactive oxygen species relative to eukaryotic organisms. Here, experiments were conducted using water from four diverse, eutrophic lake ecosystems to study the effects of H2O2 on cyanobacteria and non-target members of the microbial community. H2O2 was administered at 4 µg L−1 and a combination of fluorometry, microscopy, flow cytometry, and high throughput DNA sequencing were used to quantify the effects on eukaryotic and prokaryotic plankton communities. The addition of H2O2 resulted in a significant reduction in cyanobacteria levels in nearly all experiments (10 of 11), reducing their relative abundance from, on average, 85% to 29% of the total phytoplankton community with Planktothrix being highly sensitive, Microcystis being moderately sensitive, and Cylindrospermopsis being most resistant. Concurrently, eukaryotic algal levels increased in 75% of experiments. The bacterial phyla Actinobacteria, cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia were most negatively impacted by H2O2, with Actinobacteria being the most sensitive. The ability of H2O2 to reduce, but not fully eliminate, cyanobacteria from the eutrophic water bodies studied here suggests it may not be an ideal mitigation approach in high biomass ecosystems.
Early Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in Hungary and Post-Lockdown Scenarios
Authors: Röst Gergely , Bartha Ferenc A. , Bogya Norbert , Boldog Péter , Dénes Attila , Ferenci Tamás , Horváth Krisztina J. , Juhász Attila , Nagy Csilla , Tekeli Tamás , Vizi Zsolt , Oroszi Beatrix
Published: June 2020

COVID-19 epidemic has been suppressed in Hungary due to timely non-pharmaceutical interventions, prompting a considerable reduction in the number of contacts and transmission of the virus. This strategy was effective in preventing epidemic growth and reducing the incidence of COVID-19 to low levels. In this report, we present the first epidemiological and statistical analysis of the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hungary. Then, we establish an age-structured compartmental model to explore alternative post-lockdown scenarios. We incorporate various factors, such as age-specific measures, seasonal effects, and spatial heterogeneity to project the possible peak size and disease burden of a COVID-19 epidemic wave after the current measures are relaxed.
Bioinformatics Pipeline for Human Papillomavirus Short Read Genomic Sequences Classification Using Support Vector Machine
Authors: Lomsadze Alexandre , Li Tengguo , Rajeevan Mangalathu S. , Unger Elizabeth R. , Borodovsky Mark
Published: June 2020

We recently developed a test based on the Agilent SureSelect target enrichment system capturing genomic fragments from 191 human papillomaviruses (HPV) types for Illumina sequencing. This enriched whole genome sequencing (eWGS) assay provides an approach to identify all HPV types in a sample. Here we present a machine learning algorithm that calls HPV types based on the eWGS output. The algorithm based on the support vector machine (SVM) technique was trained on eWGS data from 122 control samples with known HPV types. The new algorithm demonstrated good performance in HPV type detection for designed samples with 25 or greater HPV plasmid copies per sample. We compared the results of HPV typing made by the new algorithm for 261 residual epidemiologic samples with the results of the typing delivered by the standard HPV Linear Array (LA). The agreement between methods (97.4%) was substantial (kappa = 0.783). However, the new algorithm identified additionally 428 instances of HPV types not detectable by the LA assay by design. Overall, we have demonstrated that the bioinformatics pipeline is an accurate tool for calling HPV types by analyzing data generated by eWGS processing of DNA fragments extracted from control and epidemiological samples.
HIV-1 Persistence and Chronic Induction of Innate Immune Responses in Macrophages
Authors: Akiyama Hisashi , Gummuluru Suryaram
Published: June 2020

A hallmark of HIV-1 infection is chronic inflammation, which plays a significant role in disease pathogenesis. Acute HIV infection induces robust inflammatory responses, which are insufficient to prevent or eliminate virus in mucosal tissues. While establishment of viral set-point is coincident with downregulation of acute innate responses, systemic inflammatory responses persist during the course of chronic HIV infection. Since the introduction of combination antiviral therapy (cART), most HIV-1+ individuals can suppress viremia under detection levels for decades. However, chronic immune activation persists and has been postulated to cause HIV associated non-AIDS complications (HANA). Importantly, inflammatory cytokines and activation markers associated with macrophages are strongly and selectively correlated with the incidence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), cardiovascular dysfunctions (CVD) and other HANA conditions. In this review, we discuss the roles of macrophages in facilitating viral persistence and contributing to generation of persistent inflammatory responses.
Lagging Immune Response to Haemophilus influenzae Serotype b (Hib) Conjugate Vaccine after the Primary Vaccination with Hib of Infants in The Netherlands
Authors: Schouls Leo , Schot Corrie , de Voer Richarda M. , van der Klis Fiona , Knol Mirjam , Tcherniaeva Irina , Berbers Guy
Published: June 2020

In 1993, a Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) conjugate vaccine was introduced in the Dutch national immunization program, resulting in a sharp decrease in invasive Hib disease. We used a population-based set of serum samples collected in The Netherlands in 2006–2007 (Pienter-II, 5696 sera) to assess the concentration of antibodies to the capsular polysaccharide of Hib, and compared the results with those obtained from a similar set collected in 1995–1996 (Pienter-I, 7837 sera). Post-primary vaccination serum samples from children aged 6–11 months from the Pienter-II study contained approximately 4-fold lower anti-Hib antibody concentrations than samples from children from the Pienter-I study. No such difference was found in post-booster samples from children older than 11 months of age. In Pienter-II, the proportion of children aged 6–11 months with anti-Hib antibody concentrations below the putative protective concentration of 0.15 µg/mL was 30%, which is significantly higher than in the Pienter-I study (12%). Fewer children in the Pienter-II group developed antibodies able to kill Hib in a serum bactericidal assay compared to the Pienter-I children. The cause of the lagged response in Pienter-II children remain uncertain, but lack of natural boosting, interference by the acellular pertussis vaccine, combining vaccines and acceleration of the schedule may have contributed.
Duration of Cellular and Humoral Responses after Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Healthy Female Adults with or without Prior Type 16 and/or 18 Exposure
Authors: Lai Lilin , Ault Kevin , Rouphael Nadine , Beck Allison , Domjahn Briyana , Xu Yongxian , Anderson Evan J. , Cheng Andrew , Nakamura Aya , Hoagland Rebecca J. , Kelley Colleen , Edupuganti Srilatha , Mask Karen , Nesin Mirjana , Unger Elizabeth R. , Panicker Gitika , David Hagit , Mulligan Mark J.
Published: June 2020

Human papillomavirus virus (HPV) vaccines aim to provide durable protection and are ideal to study the association of cellular with humoral responses. We assessed the duration and characteristics of immune responses provided by the quadrivalent HPV (4vHPV) vaccine in healthy female adults with or without prior exposure with type 16 and 18 HPV. In a prospective cohort, vaccine naïve females received three doses of 4vHPV vaccine and were followed for two years to assess cellular (intracellular cytokine staining, proliferation and B cell ELISpot assays) and humoral (multiplex L1/L2 viral-like particles (VLP) and M4 ELISAs) responses. Frequencies of vaccine-specific CD4+ T cells correlated with antibody responses. Higher HPV antibody titers were found at all time points in participants previously exposed to HPV, except for anti-HPV-18 at Day 187 (one week post the third vaccination). Retrospective cohorts enrolled females who had previously received two or three 4vHPV doses and tested antibody titers by M4 ELISA and pseudovirion neutralization assay along with memory B cells (MBCs). Almost all women enrolled in a retrospective cohort with two prior doses and all women enrolled in a retrospective cohort with three prior doses had sustained antibody and memory responses. Our findings indicate that HPV vaccination induces a long-lasting, robust cellular and humoral immune responses.
An Approach for Estimating the Reliability of IGBT Power Modules in Electrified Vehicle Traction Inverters
Authors: Kundu Animesh , Balamurali Aiswarya , Korta Philip , Iyer K. Lakshmi Varaha , Kar Narayan C.
Published: June 2020

The reliability analysis of traction inverters is of great interest due to the use of new semi-conductor devices and inverter topologies in electric vehicles (EVs). Switching devices in the inverter are the most vulnerable component due to the electrical, thermal and mechanical stresses based on various driving conditions. Accurate stress analysis of power module is imperative for development of compact high-performance inverter designs with enhanced reliability. Therefore, this paper presents an inverter reliability estimation approach using an enhanced power loss model developed considering dynamic and transient influence of power semi-conductors. The temperature variation tracking has been improved by incorporating power module component parameters in an LPTN model of the inverter. A 100 kW EV grade traction inverter is used to validate the developed mathematical models towards estimating the inverter performance and subsequently, predicting the remaining useful lifetime of the inverter against two commonly used drive cycles.