bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon Monoxide in Meat and Fish Packaging: Advantages and Limits
Authors: Djenane Djamel , Roncalés Pedro
Published: January 2018

Due to increased demands for greater expectation in relation to quality, convenience, safety and extended shelf-life, combined with growing demand from retailers for cost-effective extensions of fresh muscle foods’ shelf-life, the food packaging industry quickly developed to meet these expectations. During the last few decades, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of foods has been a promising area of research, but much remains to be known regarding the use of unconventional gases such carbon monoxide (CO). The use of CO for meat and seafood packaging is not allowed in most countries due to the potential toxic effect, and its use is controversial in some countries. The commercial application of CO in food packaging was not then considered feasible because of possible environmental hazards for workers. CO has previously been reported to mask muscle foods’ spoilage, and this was the primary concern raised for the prohibition, as this may mislead consumers. This review was undertaken to present the most comprehensive and current overview of the widely-available, scattered information about the use of CO in the preservation of muscle foods. The advantages of CO and its industrial limits are presented and discussed. The most recent literature on the consumer safety issues related to the use of CO and consumer acceptance of CO especially in meat packaging systems were also discussed. Recommendations and future prospects were addressed for food industries, consumers and regulators on what would be a “best practice” in the use of CO in food packaging. All this promotes high ethical standards in commercial communications by means of effective regulation, for the benefit of consumers and businesses in the world, and this implies that industrialized countries and members of their regulatory agencies must develop a coherent and robust systems of regulation and control that can respond effectively to new challenges.
Landslide Event on 24 June in Sichuan Province, China: Preliminary Investigation and Analysis
Authors: Meng Wanlin , Xu Yeshuang , Cheng Wen-Chieh , Arulrajah Arul
Published: January 2018

This paper reports on a massive landslide event, in which 8 million cubic meters of earth and rocks slid down from the top of a mountain in the village of Xinmo, located in the county of Maoxian, in the province of Sichuan, China, on 24 June 2017. This landslide resulted in 10 fatalities and 73 people were reported as missing. This paper details the preliminary investigation, the joint-force rescue activity, and the analysis of the nearby topography, rainfall, and seismic fracture zone. The combined effects of large amounts of rainwater, steep topography, deep-seated sliding interface, and significant altitude difference between the highest point of the mountain and the Xinmo villagers’ houses are considered as the main influencing factor that triggered this landslide event. To develop geological disaster-prone areas in the future, four main recommendations to reduce casualties and environmental impacts are provided in this paper.
A Novel Approach to Transforming Smoking Cessation Practice for Pregnant Aboriginal Women and Girls Living in the Pilbara
Authors: Wyndow Paula , Walker Roz , Reibel Tracy
Published: January 2018

Tobacco smoking during pregnancy contributes to a range of adverse perinatal outcomes; but is a potentially modifiable behavior. In Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women face a range of barriers that hinder; rather than support smoking cessation. Few smoking cessation programs consider the broader social determinants of women’s lives; the gendered nature of these or the complexities which impinge on behavior change in the presence of social and economic disadvantage and substantial individual and intergenerational trauma. Drawing on the salient gender and trauma-informed literature this paper describes the rationale underpinning formative research which will inform the design of a localized, culturally meaningful smoking cessation program for Aboriginal women living in the Hedland and Western Desert communities of the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia. We contend that a women-centered, trauma-informed approach to smoking cessation has much to offer those seeking to address this critical public health issue
Physical Activity, a Critical Exposure Factor of Environmental Pollution in Children and Adolescents Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Dong Jingmei , Zhang Su , Xia Li , Yu Yi , Hu Shuangshuang , Sun Jingyu , Zhou Ping , Chen Peijie
Published: January 2018

It is an extremely urgent problem that physical fitness promotion must face not only the increasing air pollution but also the decline of physical activity level of children and adolescents worldwide at present, which is the major reason that forms an inactive lifestyle and does harm to adolescents’ health. Thus, it is necessary to focus on the exposure factor in environmental health risk assessment (EHRA) which conducts supervision of environmental pollution and survey of adolescents’ activity patterns according to the harmful characteristics of air pollutant and relationship between dose and response. Some countries, such as USA, Canada and Australia, regard both respiratory rate and physical activity pattern as main exposure factors for adolescents in both air pollution health risk assessment and exercise risk assessment to forecast a safe exposing condition of pollutant for adolescents while they are doing exercise outdoors. In addition, it suggests that the testing indexes and testing methods of these two exposure factors, such as investigating the time of daily physical activity, strength, and characteristic of frequency, help to set up the quantitative relationship between environmental pollution index and the time, strength, frequency of daily activities, and formulate children’s and adolescents’ activity instructions under different levels of environmental pollutions. As smog becomes increasingly serious at present, it is meaningful to take physical activity as a critical composition of exposure factor and establish physical activity guideline, so as to reduce the risk of air pollution, and promote physical health of children and adolescents effectively.
Study on Urban Heat Island Intensity Level Identification Based on an Improved Restricted Boltzmann Machine
Authors: Zhang Yang , Jiang Ping , Zhang Hongyan , Cheng Peng
Published: January 2018

Thermal infrared remote sensing has become one of the main technology methods used for urban heat island research. When applying urban land surface temperature inversion of the thermal infrared band, problems with intensity level division arise because the method is subjective. However, this method is one of the few that performs heat island intensity level identification. This paper will build an intensity level identifier for an urban heat island, by using weak supervision and thought-based learning in an improved, restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM) model. The identifier automatically initializes the annotation and optimizes the model parameters sequentially until the target identifier is completed. The algorithm needs very little information about the weak labeling of the target training sample and generates an urban heat island intensity spatial distribution map. This study can provide reliable decision-making support for urban ecological planning and effective protection of urban ecological security. The experimental results showed the following: (1) The heat island effect in Wuhan is existent and intense. Heat island areas are widely distributed. The largest heat island area is in Wuhan, followed by the sub-green island. The total area encompassed by heat island and strong island levels accounts for 54.16% of the land in Wuhan. (2) Partially based on improved RBM identification, this method meets the research demands of determining the spatial distribution characteristics of the internal heat island effect; its identification accuracy is superior to that of comparable methods.
Crosstalk of PmCBFs and PmDAMs Based on the Changes of Phytohormones under Seasonal Cold Stress in the Stem of Prunus mume
Authors: Zhao Kai , Zhou Yuzhen , Li Yushu , Zhuo Xiaokang , Ahmad Sagheer , Han Yu , Yong Xue , Zhang Qixiang
Published: January 2018

Plants facing the seasonal variations always need a growth restraining mechanism when temperatures turn down. C-repeat binding factor (CBF) genes work essentially in the cold perception. Despite lots of researches on CBFs, the multiple crosstalk is still interesting on their interaction with hormones and dormancy-associated MADS (DAM) genes in the growth and dormancy control. Therefore, this study highlights roles of PmCBFs in cold-induced dormancy from different orgens. And a sense-response relationship between PmCBFs and PmDAMs is exhibited in this process, jointly regulated by six PmCBFs and PmDAM4–6. Meantime, GA3 and ABA showed negative and positive correlation with PmCBFs expression levels, respectively. We also find a high correlation between IAA and PmDAM1–3. Finally, we display the interaction mode of PmCBFs and PmDAMs, especially PmCBF1-PmDAM1. These results can disclose another view of molecular mechanism in plant growth between cold-response pathway and dormancy regulation together with genes and hormones.
Melanins in Fossil Animals: Is It Possible to Infer Life History Traits from the Coloration of Extinct Species?
Authors: Negro Juan , Finlayson Clive , Galván Ismael
Published: January 2018

Paleo-colour scientists have recently made the transition from describing melanin-based colouration in fossil specimens to inferring life-history traits of the species involved. Two such cases correspond to counter-shaded dinosaurs: dark-coloured due to melanins dorsally, and light-coloured ventrally. We believe that colour reconstruction of fossils based on the shape of preserved microstructures—the majority of paleo-colour studies involve melanin granules—is not without risks. In addition, animals with contrasting dorso-ventral colouration may be under different selection pressures beyond the need for camouflage, including, for instance, visual communication or ultraviolet (UV) protection. Melanin production is costly, and animals may invest less in areas of the integument where pigments are less needed. In addition, melanocytes exposed to UV radiation produce more melanin than unexposed melanocytes. Pigment economization may thus explain the colour pattern of some counter-shaded animals, including extinct species. Even in well-studied extant species, their diversity of hues and patterns is far from being understood; inferring colours and their functions in species only known from one or few specimens from the fossil record should be exerted with special prudence.
GC-MS Metabolomics to Evaluate the Composition of Plant Cuticular Waxes for Four Triticum aestivum Cultivars
Authors: Lavergne Florent , Broeckling Corey , Cockrell Darren , Haley Scott , Peairs Frank , Jahn Courtney , Heuberger Adam
Published: January 2018

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important food crop, and biotic and abiotic stresses significantly impact grain yield. Wheat leaf and stem surface waxes are associated with traits of biological importance, including stress resistance. Past studies have characterized the composition of wheat cuticular waxes, however protocols can be relatively low-throughput and narrow in the range of metabolites detected. Here, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolomics methods were utilized to provide a comprehensive characterization of the chemical composition of cuticular waxes in wheat leaves and stems. Further, waxes from four wheat cultivars were assayed to evaluate the potential for GC-MS metabolomics to describe wax composition attributed to differences in wheat genotype. A total of 263 putative compounds were detected and included 58 wax compounds that can be classified (e.g., alkanes and fatty acids). Many of the detected wax metabolites have known associations to important biological functions. Principal component analysis and ANOVA were used to evaluate metabolite distribution, which was attributed to both tissue type (leaf, stem) and cultivar differences. Leaves contained more primary alcohols than stems such as 6-methylheptacosan-1-ol and octacosan-1-ol. The metabolite data were validated using scanning electron microscopy of epicuticular wax crystals which detected wax tubules and platelets. Conan was the only cultivar to display alcohol-associated platelet-shaped crystals on its abaxial leaf surface. Taken together, application of GC-MS metabolomics enabled the characterization of cuticular wax content in wheat tissues and provided relative quantitative comparisons among sample types, thus contributing to the understanding of wax composition associated with important phenotypic traits in a major crop.
Selective Blockade of the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor mGluR5 Protects Mouse Livers in In Vitro and Ex Vivo Models of Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Ferrigno Andrea , Berardo Clarissa , Di Pasqua Laura , Siciliano Veronica , Richelmi Plinio , Nicoletti Ferdinando , Vairetti Mariapia
Published: January 2018

2-Methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP), a negative allosteric modulator of the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) 5, protects hepatocytes from ischemic injury. In astrocytes and microglia, MPEP depletes ATP. These findings seem to be self-contradictory, since ATP depletion is a fundamental stressor in ischemia. This study attempted to reconstruct the mechanism of MPEP-mediated ATP depletion and the consequences of ATP depletion on protection against ischemic injury. We compared the effects of MPEP and other mGluR5 negative modulators on ATP concentration when measured in rat hepatocytes and acellular solutions. We also evaluated the effects of mGluR5 blockade on viability in rat hepatocytes exposed to hypoxia. Furthermore, we studied the effects of MPEP treatment on mouse livers subjected to cold ischemia and warm ischemia reperfusion. We found that MPEP and 3-[(2-methyl-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)ethynyl]pyridine (MTEP) deplete ATP in hepatocytes and acellular solutions, unlike fenobam. This finding suggests that mGluR5s may not be involved, contrary to previous reports. MPEP, as well as MTEP and fenobam, improved hypoxic hepatocyte viability, suggesting that protection against ischemic injury is independent of ATP depletion. Significantly, MPEP protected mouse livers in two different ex vivo models of ischemia reperfusion injury, suggesting its possible protective deployment in the treatment of hepatic inflammatory conditions.
Biotherapeutic Effect of Gingival Stem Cells Conditioned Medium in Bone Tissue Restoration
Authors: Diomede Francesca , Gugliandolo Agnese , Scionti Domenico , Merciaro Ilaria , Cavalcanti Marcos , Mazzon Emanuela , Trubiani Oriana
Published: January 2018

Bone tissue engineering is one of the main branches of regenerative medicine. In this field, the use of a scaffold, which supported bone development, in combination with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), has promised better outcomes for bone regeneration. In particular, human gingival mesenchymal stem cells (hGMSCs) may present advantages compared to other MSCs, including the easier isolation. However, MSCs’ secretome has attracted much attention for its potential use in tissue regeneration, such as conditioned medium (CM) that contains different soluble factors proved to be useful for the regenerative purposes. In this study, we evaluated the osteogenic capacity of a poly-(lactide) (3D-PLA) scaffold enriched with hGMSCs and hGMSCs derived CM and its ability to regenerate bone defects in rat calvarias. 3D-PLA alone, 3D-PLA + CM or 3D-PLA + hGMSCs with/without CM were implanted in Wistar male rats subjected to calvarial defects. We observed that 3D-PLA scaffold enriched with hGMSCs and CM showed a better osteogenic capacity, being able to repair the calvarial defect as revealed in vivo by morphological evaluation. Moreover, transcriptomic analysis in vitro revealed the upregulation of genes involved in ossification and regulation of ossification in the 3D-PLA + CM + hGMSCs group. All of these results indicate the great osteogenic ability of 3D-PLA + CM + hGMSCs supporting its use in bone regenerative medicine, in particular in the repair of cranial bone defects. Especially, hGMSCs derived CM played a key role in the induction of the osteogenic process and in bone regeneration.
Involvement of Bradykinin B2 Receptor in Pathological Vascularization in Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy in Mice and Rabbit Cornea
Authors: Terzuoli Erika , Morbidelli Lucia , Nannelli Ginevra , Giachetti Antonio , Donnini Sandra , Ziche Marina
Published: January 2018

The identification of components of the kallikrein–kinin system in the vitreous from patients with microvascular retinal diseases suggests that bradykinin (BK) signaling may contribute to pathogenesis of retinal vascular complications. BK receptor 2 (B2R) signaling has been implicated in both pro-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effects promoted by BK. Here, we investigated the role of BK/B2R signaling in the retinal neovascularization in the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model. Blockade of B2R signaling by the antagonist fasitibant delayed retinal vascularization in mouse pups, indicating that the retinal endothelium is a target of the BK/B2R system. In the rabbit cornea assay, a model of pathological neoangiogenesis, the B2 agonist kallidin induced vessel sprouting and promoted cornea opacity, a sign of edema and tissue inflammation. In agreement with these results, in the OIR model, a blockade of B2R signaling significantly reduced retinal neovascularization, as determined by the area of retinal tufts, and, in the retinal vessel, it also reduced vascular endothelial growth factor and fibroblast growth factor-2 expression. All together, these findings show that B2R blockade reduces retinal neovascularization and inhibits the expression of proangiogenic and pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that targeting B2R signaling may be an effective strategy for treating ischemic retinopathy.
Characterization of Different Cable Ferrite Materials to Reduce the Electromagnetic Noise in the 2–150 kHz Frequency Range
Authors: Suarez Adrian , Victoria Jorge , Alcarria Antonio , Torres Jose , Martinez Pedro , Martos Julio , Soret Jesus , Garcia-Olcina Raimundo , Muetsch Steffen
Published: January 2018

The gap of standardization for conducted and field coupled electromagnetic interferences (EMI) in the 2–150 kHz frequency range can lead to Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) problems. This is caused by power systems such as Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controlled rectifiers, photovoltaic inverters or charging battery units in electric vehicles. This is a very important frequency spectral due to interferences generated in a wide range of devices and, specifically, communication problems in the new technologies and devices incorporated to the traditional grid to convert it into a Smart Grid. Consequently, it is necessary to provide new solutions to attenuate this kind of interference, which involves finding new materials that are able to filter the electromagnetic noise. This contribution is focused on characterizing the performance of a novel material based on nanocrystalline and comparing it to most common material compositions such as MnZn and NiZn. This research is carried out from the point of view of the manufacturing process, magnetic properties and EMI suppression ability. This last item is carried out through two analysis procedures: a theoretical method by determining the attenuation ratio by measuring impedance parameter and proposing a new empirical technique based on measuring directly the insertion loss parameter. Therefore, the main aim of this characterization process is to determine the performance of nanocrystalline compared to traditional cable ferrite compositions to reduce the interferences in this controversial frequency range. From the results obtained, it is possible to deduce that nanocrystalline cable ferrite provides the best performance to filter the electromagnetic noise in the 2–150 kHz frequency range.
On the Ageing of High Energy Lithium-Ion Batteries—Comprehensive Electrochemical Diffusivity Studies of Harvested Nickel Manganese Cobalt Electrodes
Authors: Capron Odile , Gopalakrishnan Rahul , Jaguemont Joris , Van Den Bossche Peter , Omar Noshin , Van Mierlo Joeri
Published: January 2018

This paper examines the impact of the characterisation technique considered for the determination of the

L

i
+

solid state diffusion coefficient in uncycled as in cycled Nickel Manganese Cobalt oxide (NMC) electrodes. As major characterisation techniques, Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic Intermittent Titration Technique (GITT) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) were systematically investigated.

L

i
+

diffusion coefficients during the lithiation process of the uncycled and cycled electrodes determined by CV at 3.71 V are shown to be equal to

3.48
×

10

−
10

cm

2

·s

−
1

and

1.56
×

10

−
10

cm

2

·s

−
1

, respectively. The dependency of the

L

i
+

diffusion with the lithium content in the electrodes is further studied in this paper with GITT and EIS. Diffusion coefficients calculated by GITT and EIS characterisations are shown to be in the range between

1.76
×

10

−
15

cm

2

·s

−
1

and

4.06
×

10

−
12

cm

2

·s

−
1

, while demonstrating the same decreasing trend with the lithiation process of the electrodes. For both electrode types, diffusion coefficients calculated by CV show greater values compared to those determined by GITT and EIS. With ageing, CV and EIS techniques lead to diffusion coefficients in the electrodes at 3.71 V that are decreasing, in contrast to GITT for which results indicate increasing diffusion coefficient. After long-term cycling, ratios of the diffusion coefficients determined by GITT compared to CV become more significant with an increase about 1 order of magnitude, while no significant variation is seen between the diffusion coefficients calculated from EIS in comparison to CV.
A Novel Ruthenium-Decorating Polyoxomolybdate Cs3Na6H[MoVI14RuIV2O50(OH)2]·24H2O: An Active Heterogeneous Oxidation Catalyst for Alcohols
Authors: Wan Rong , Xu Qiaofei , Han Mengdan , Ma Pengtao , Zhang Chao , Niu Jingyang , Wang Jingping
Published: January 2018

The first example of wholly inorganic ruthenium-containing polyoxomolybdate Cs3Na6H[MoVI14RuIV2O50(OH)2]·24H2O (1) was isolated and systematically characterized by element analysis, infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 is composed of an unprecedented {Mo14}-type isopolymolybdate with a di-ruthenium core precisely encapsulated in its center, exhibiting a three-tiered ladder-like structure. The title compound can act as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst in the transformation of 1-phenylethanol to acetophenone. This catalyst is also capable of being recycled and reused for at least ten cycles with its activity being retained under the optimal conditions.
Storage and Dissipation of Energy in Prabhakar Viscoelasticity
Authors: Colombaro Ivano , Giusti Andrea , Vitali Silvia
Published: January 2018

In this paper, after a brief review of the physical notion of quality factor in viscoelasticity, we present a complete discussion of the attenuation processes emerging in the Maxwell–Prabhakar model, recently developed by Giusti and Colombaro. Then, taking profit of some illuminating plots, we discuss some potential connections between the presented model and the modern mathematical modelling of seismic processes.
Numerical Solution of Fractional Differential Equations: A Survey and a Software Tutorial
Authors: Garrappa Roberto
Published: January 2018

Solving differential equations of fractional (i.e., non-integer) order in an accurate, reliable and efficient way is much more difficult than in the standard integer-order case; moreover, the majority of the computational tools do not provide built-in functions for this kind of problem. In this paper, we review two of the most effective families of numerical methods for fractional-order problems, and we discuss some of the major computational issues such as the efficient treatment of the persistent memory term and the solution of the nonlinear systems involved in implicit methods. We present therefore a set of MATLAB routines specifically devised for solving three families of fractional-order problems: fractional differential equations (FDEs) (also for the non-scalar case), multi-order systems (MOSs) of FDEs and multi-term FDEs (also for the non-scalar case); some examples are provided to illustrate the use of the routines.
Protective Effect of Meretrix meretrix Oligopeptides on High-Fat-Diet-Induced Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice
Authors: Huang Fangfang , Wang Jiajia , Yu Fangmiao , Tang Yunping , Ding Guofang , Yang Zuisu , Sun Yu
Published: January 2018

The present study investigated the effects of MMO (Meretrix meretrix oligopeptides) on mice fed a high-fat diet. Mice were fed either a normal control diet (NC) or a high-fat diet (HFD) without or with MMO (50 mg/kg or 250 mg/kg) for four weeks. Levels of ALT, AST, liver tissue GSH-Px, and SOD activities, MDA levels were measured using commercially available kits; HE staining was performed to analyze pathologic changes of the liver; a TEM assay was performed to measure the ultrastructural alterations of the mitochondria, and Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of gene proteins related to lipid metabolism, inflammation, and liver apoptosis. After six weeks, body weight, ALT, AST, and MDA levels were significantly increased, and GSH-Px levels and SOD activities were significantly decreased in the HFD control group compared with the NC group. Consumption of the HFD compared with the NC caused fatty liver abnormal mitochondria with loss of cristae, intramitochondrial granules, and a swollen and rarefied matrix. Administration of MMO significantly decreased body weight gain, and ALT, AST, and MDA levels; increased SOD activity and GSH-Px levels; alleviated fatty liver steatosis; decreased the early apoptosis population; downregulated SREBP-1c, Bax, Caspase-9, Caspase-3, TNF-α, and NF-κB protein levels; and upregulated PPAR-α, Bcl-2, and AMPK-α, compared with the HFD control group. MMO exhibited protective effects in mice with NAFLD by regulating the NF-κB anti-inflammation signaling pathways to inhibit inflammation, regulate AMPK-α, PPAR-α and SREBP-1c to improve lipid metabolism disorder, and regulate Bcl-2/Bax anti-apoptosis signaling pathways to prevent liver cell apoptosis. These results suggest that dietary supplementation with MMO ameliorates high-fat-diet-induced NAFLD.
Mechanical Alloying and Hot Pressing of Ti-Zr-Si-B Powder Mixtures
Authors: Rossi Bertoli Isadora , Moreira Ferreira Lucas , Xavier de Freitas Bruno , Angelo Nunes Carlos , Saraiva Ramos Alfeu , Filgueira Marcello , Dos Santos Claudinei , Coaglia Trindade Ramos Erika
Published: January 2018

This work discusses microstructure evolution during ball milling and hot pressing of Ti-xZr-10Si-5B (x = 2 and 5 at. %) and Ti-xZr-20Si-10B (x = 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 at. %) powder mixtures. Mechanical alloying was carried out in a ball mill using stainless steel balls and vials, 300 rpm and a ball-to-powder ratio of 10:1. Powders milled for 600 min were then hot-pressed (25 MPa) under vacuum at 1100 °C for 60 min. As-milled and hot-pressed samples were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Peaks of Si and Zr disappeared in powders milled for 60 and 180 min, respectively, while the lattice parameters and cell volume of α-Ti were varied during ball milling up to 300 min indicating that supersaturated solid solutions were achieved. Ti6Si2B dissolving up to 10 at. % Zr was found in microstructure of hot-pressed Ti-xZr-10Si-5B (x = 2 and 5 at. %) and Ti-xZr-20Si-10B (x = 2, 5, 7 and 10 at. %) alloys. The amount of TiB and Ti5Si3 was preferentially increased whereas the Ti3Si formed in microstructure of the hot-pressed Ti-15Zr-20Si-5B and Ti-20Zr-20Si-10B alloys.
Bottom-up Synthesis of Porous NiMo Alloy for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Hu Kailong , Jeong Samuel , Wakisaka Mitsuru , Fujita Jun-ichi , Ito Yoshikazu
Published: January 2018

Bottom-up synthesis of porous NiMo alloy reduced by NiMoO4 nanofibers was systematically investigated to fabricate non-noble metal porous electrodes for hydrogen production. The different annealing temperatures of NiMoO4 nanofibers under hydrogen atmosphere reveal that the 950 °C annealing temperature is key for producing bicontinuous porous NiMo alloy without oxide phases. The porous NiMo alloy acts as a cathode in electrical water splitting, which demonstrates not only almost identical catalytic activity with commercial Pt/C in 1.0 M KOH solution, but also superb stability for 12 days at an electrode potential of −200 mV vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE).
Global Metabolomics of the Placenta Reveals Distinct Metabolic Profiles between Maternal and Fetal Placental Tissues Following Delivery in Non-Labored Women
Authors: Walejko Jacquelyn , Chelliah Anushka , Keller-Wood Maureen , Gregg Anthony , Edison Arthur
Published: January 2018

We evaluated the metabolic alterations in maternal and fetal placental tissues from non-labored women undergoing cesarean section using samples collected from 5 min to 24 h following delivery. Using 1H-NMR, we identified 14 metabolites that significantly differed between maternal and fetal placental tissues (FDR-corrected p-value < 0.05), with 12 metabolites elevated in the maternal tissue, reflecting the flux of these metabolites from mother to fetus. In the maternal tissue, 4 metabolites were significantly altered at 15 min, 10 metabolites at 30 min, and 16 metabolites at 1 h postdelivery, while 11 metabolites remained stable over 24 h. In contrast, in the fetal placenta tissue, 1 metabolite was significantly altered at 15 min, 2 metabolites at 30 min, and 4 metabolites at 1 h postdelivery, while 22 metabolites remained stable over 24 h. Our study provides information on the metabolic profiles of maternal and fetal placental tissues delivered by cesarean section and reveals that there are different metabolic alterations in the maternal and fetal tissues of the placenta following delivery.
Thermoreversibly Cross-Linked EPM Rubber Nanocomposites with Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Polgar Lorenzo , Criscitiello Francesco , Van Essen Machiel , Araya-Hermosilla Rodrigo , Migliore Nicola , Lenti Mattia , Raffa Patrizio , Picchioni Francesco , Pucci Andrea
Published: January 2018

Conductive rubber nanocomposites were prepared by dispersing conductive nanotubes (CNT) in thermoreversibly cross-linked ethylene propylene rubbers grafted with furan groups (EPM-g-furan) rubbers. Their features were studied with a strong focus on conductive and mechanical properties relevant for strain-sensor applications. The Diels-Alder chemistry used for thermoreversible cross-linking allows for the preparation of fully recyclable, homogeneous, and conductive nanocomposites. CNT modified with compatible furan groups provided nanocomposites with a relatively large tensile strength and small elongation at break. High and low sensitivity deformation experiments of nanocomposites with 5 wt % CNT (at the percolation threshold) displayed an initially linear sensitivity to deformation. Notably, only fresh samples displayed a linear response of their electrical resistivity to deformations as the resistance variation collapsed already after one cycle of elongation. Notwithstanding this mediocre performance as a strain sensor, the advantages of using thermoreversible chemistry in a conductive rubber nanocomposite were highlighted by demonstrating crack-healing by welding due to the joule effect on the surface and the bulk of the material. This will open up new technological opportunities for the design of novel strain-sensors based on recyclable rubbers.
Coffee Intake Decreases Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis on Prospective Cohort Studies
Authors: Lafranconi Alessandra , Micek Agnieszka , De Paoli Paolo , Bimonte Sabrina , Rossi Paola , Quagliariello Vincenzo , Berretta Massimiliano
Published: January 2018

Aim: A dose-response meta-analysis was conducted in order to summarize the evidence from prospective cohort studies regarding the association between coffee intake and breast cancer risk. Methods: A systematic search was performed in electronic databases up to March 2017 to identify relevant studies; risk estimates were retrieved from the studies and linear and non-linear dose-response analysis modelled by restricted cubic splines was conducted. A stratified and subgroup analysis by menopausal and estrogen/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) status, smoking status and body mass index (BMI) were performed in order to detect potential confounders. Results: A total of 21 prospective studies were selected either for dose-response, the highest versus lowest category of consumption or subgroup analysis. The dose-response analysis of 13 prospective studies showed no significant association between coffee consumption and breast cancer risk in the non-linear model. However, an inverse relationship has been found when the analysis was restricted to post-menopausal women. Consumption of four cups of coffee per day was associated with a 10% reduction in postmenopausal cancer risk (relative risk, RR 0.90; 95% confidence interval, CI 0.82 to 0.99). Subgroup analyses showed consistent results for all potential confounding factors examined. Conclusions: Findings from this meta-analysis may support the hypothesis that coffee consumption is associated with decreased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.
X-Ray Diffraction under Extreme Conditions at the Advanced Light Source
Authors: Stan Camelia , Beavers Christine , Kunz Martin , Tamura Nobumichi
Published: January 2018

The more than a century-old technique of X-ray diffraction in either angle or energy dispersive mode has been used to probe materials’ microstructure in a number of ways, including phase identification, stress measurements, structure solutions, and the determination of physical properties such as compressibility and phase transition boundaries. The study of high-pressure and high-temperature materials has strongly benefitted from this technique when combined with the high brilliance source provided by third generation synchrotron facilities, such as the Advanced Light Source (ALS) (Berkeley, CA, USA). Here we present a brief review of recent work at this facility in the field of X-ray diffraction under extreme conditions, including an overview of diamond anvil cells, X-ray diffraction, and a summary of three beamline capabilities conducting X-ray diffraction high-pressure research in the diamond anvil cell.
Comparison of Three Methods for Estimating GPS Multipath Repeat Time
Authors: Wang Minghua , Wang Jiexian , Dong Danan , Li Haojun , Han Ling , Chen Wen
Published: January 2018

Sidereal filtering is an effective method for mitigating multipath error in static GPS positioning. Using accurate estimates of multipath repeat time (MRT) in sidereal filtering can further improve the performance of the filter. There are three commonly used methods for estimating the MRT: Orbit Repeat Time Method (ORTM), Aspect Repeat Time Adjustment (ARTA), and Residual Correlation Method (RCM). This study utilizes advanced sidereal filtering (ASF) adopting the MRT estimates derived by the three methods to mitigate the multipath in observation domain, then evaluates the three methods in term of multipath reduction in both coordinate and observation domain. Normally, the differences between the MRT estimates from the three methods are less than 1.2 s on average. The three methods are basically identical in multipath reduction, with RCM being slightly better than the other two methods, whereas for a satellite affected by orbit maneuver (satellite number 13 in this study), the MRT estimated by the three methods differ by up to tens of seconds, and the RCM- and ARTA-derived MRT estimates are better than ORTM-derived ones for ASF multipath reduction. The RCM shows a slight advantage in multipath mitigation, while ORTM is the one of lowest computation and ARTA is the optimal one for real-time ASF. Thus, the best MRT estimation method for practical applications depends on which criterion overweighs the others.
Soil Organic Carbon Estimation in Croplands by Hyperspectral Remote APEX Data Using the LUCAS Topsoil Database
Authors: Castaldi Fabio , Chabrillat Sabine , Jones Arwyn , Vreys Kristin , Bomans Bart , Van Wesemael Bas
Published: January 2018

The most commonly used approach to estimate soil variables from remote-sensing data entails time-consuming and expensive data collection including chemical and physical laboratory analysis. Large spectral libraries could be exploited to decrease the effort of soil variable estimation and obtain more widely applicable models. We investigated the feasibility of a new approach, referred to as bottom-up, to provide soil organic carbon (SOC) maps of bare cropland fields over a large area without recourse to chemical analyses, employing both the pan-European topsoil database from the Land Use/Cover Area frame statistical Survey (LUCAS) and Airborne Prism Experiment (APEX) hyperspectral airborne data. This approach was tested in two areas having different soil characteristics: the loam belt in Belgium, and the Gutland–Oesling region in Luxembourg. Partial least square regression (PLSR) models were used in each study area to estimate SOC content, using both bottom-up and traditional approaches. The PLSR model’s accuracy was tested on an independent validation dataset. Both approaches provide SOC maps having a satisfactory level of accuracy (RMSE = 1.5–4.9 g·kg−1; ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) = 1.4–1.7) and the inter-comparison did not show differences in terms of RMSE and RPD either in the loam belt or in Luxembourg. Thus, the bottom-up approach based on APEX data provided high-resolution SOC maps over two large areas showing the within- and between-field SOC variability.
Perception of User Criteria in the Context of Sustainability of Modern Methods of Construction Based on Wood
Authors: Švajlenka Jozef , Kozlovská Mária
Published: January 2018

Recent developments in the construction industry have brought more efficient and sustainable technologies, technological procedures, and materials. An example of this are modern methods of construction, which offer larger production volumes with a higher quality and shorter procurement time. The goal of those methods is to improve construction sustainability through quality improvement, customer satisfaction, shortened construction time, and reduced environmental impact. The main goal of this research is to demonstrate, by means of theoretical assumptions, surveys, and analyses, the sustainability of modern methods of construction based on wood. The work focuses on identifying the user criteria for construction sustainability. Selected user criteria of construction sustainability are applied in a socio-economic survey whose purpose is to determine how users perceive the efficiency of selected construction systems. We evaluate certain user parameters in the context of sustainability by relying on the users of buildings (family houses) which have already been built and compare the results with declared design parameters.
A Sustainable Historic Waterfront Revitalization Decision Support Tool for Attracting Tourists
Authors: Keyvanfar Ali , Shafaghat Arezou , Mohamad Sapura , Abdullahi Mu’azu , Ahmad Hamidah , Mohd Derus Nurul , Khorami Majid
Published: January 2018

Waterfront revitalization would be an effective strategy to preserve heritages, conserve the contaminated or abandoned site and inspire the identity and authenticity. However, there is no decision support tool to quantify and evaluate the sustainability accreditation of waterfronts in tourism attraction. This research aimed to identify the most potential waterfront typology in tourism attraction and develop the waterfront sustainable revitalization (SWR) index assessment model. The SWR index can assist policy makers and urban developers to analyze the heritage waterfronts using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The research found out the historic waterfront has the highest potential in tourism attraction among other typologies. And, pollution moderator is mostly important sub-criterion in tourism absorption (WC2.2 = 0.1294); followed by Identity (WC1.2 = 0.1272) and Safety and well-being (WC1.3 = 0.1043). The SWR index can be applied in any waterfronts in heritage cities around the world, while this research implemented it as a case study in Bandar Maharani, Muar, Malaysia. It resulted Bandar Maharani was ranked as grade C; means, usable waterfront to which extent environmental, social and physical revitalization are needed. The SWR index can be coupled with other decision-making methods in future, to reduce its inconsistencies and increasing accuracy.
Czech Machinery Cluster and Its Role in Sustainable Development of Moravian-Silesian Enterprises during the Post-Transformation Era
Authors: Suchacek Jan , Stverkova Hana , Kasik Josef
Published: January 2018

The paper intends to contribute to the field of geographical economics by an extensive questionnaire survey carried out in Moravian-Silesian region, which represents one of territories of traditional industry in the Czech Republic. The purpose of this paper is to analyse and assess the co-operation among enterprises, educational institutions, and public administration from the perspective of sustainability in the Moravian-Silesian region during its post-transformation era. The article deals specifically with the Czech machinery cluster. The research question that lies behind the survey is as follows: Is the co-operation of entities present in the Czech machinery cluster beneficial to the parties involved? The contribution of the paper is in uncovering the role of this cluster in the sustainable development of Moravian-Silesian enterprises during post-transformation period. Since the Moravian-Silesian region is a typical old industrial region, which moreover underwent a difficult transformation process, there are numerous peculiarities in functioning of its enterprises. Machinery was traditionally one of the supportive pillars of regional industry and it is not surprising that the machinery cluster was created as the first one. Yet, regional characteristics lie behind specific trajectories towards economic sustainability. The above ways toward economic sustainability differ markedly from the concepts that are in vogue in developed western territories.
Adapting Bioretention Construction Details to Local Practices in Finland
Authors: Tahvonen Outi
Published: January 2018

Bioretention is a method of storm water management that includes several processes following the natural hydrological cycle. Bioretention, or variations of it, include rain gardens and bioswales, infiltrates, filtrates, evapotranspirates, and help to store and manage storm water run-off. A bioretention cell retains water, removes pollutants, and provides water elements for urban green areas. Although bioretention is a promising method for multifunctional storm water management, its construction details should not be copied from other climatic areas. A direct application may dismiss local conditions, materials, and construction practices. This study aimed to adapt construction details for bioretention to Finnish local practices and conditions and to formulate bioretention constructions that balance water, soil, and vegetation. First, construction details were reviewed, then local adaptations were applied, and finally, the application and two variations of growing media in two construction depths were tested in a test field in Southern Finland. Sandy growing media allowed the efficient retention of water during the first year, but failed to provide vital growth. The use of topsoil and compost in the growing media improved growth, but held high electrical conductivity after infiltration. All the experimental cells in the test field showed activity during the melting periods, both during winter and spring. If bioretention plays a multifunctional role in urban design and engineered ecology, the design parameters should not only focus on storm water quantity, but also on quality management and vegetation growth.
Migrating towards Using Electric Vehicles in Campus-Proposed Methods for Fleet Optimization
Authors: Yoon Taekwan , Cherry Christopher
Published: January 2018

Managing a fleet efficiently to address demand within cost constraints is a challenge. Mismatched fleet size and demand can create suboptimal budget allocations and inconvenience users. To address this problem, many studies have been conducted around heterogeneous fleet optimization. That research has not included an examination of different vehicle types with travel distance constraints. This study focuses on optimizing the University of Tennessee (UT) motor pool which has a heterogeneous fleet that includes electric vehicles (EVs) with a travel distance and recharge time constraint. After assessing UT motor pool trip patterns as a case study, a queuing model was used to estimate the maximum number of each vehicle type needed to minimize the expected customer wait time to near zero. The break-even point is used for the optimization model to constrain the minimum number of years that electric vehicles should be operated under the no-subsidy assumption. The results show that the fleet has surplus vehicles. In addition to reducing the number of vehicles, total fleet costs could be minimized by using electric vehicles for all trips less than 100 miles. The models are flexible and can be applied and help fleet managers make decisions about fleet size and EV adoption.
Inelastic Supply of Fossil Energy and Competing Environmental Regulatory Policies
Authors: Hong Sungwan , Sim Seung-Gyu
Published: January 2018

The inelastic supply of fossil energy in the international input market precipitates failure of Pigouvian taxation consequent to competition among governments, as imposition of an environmental tax increases (decreases) the marginal cost of domestic (foreign) firms. This paper demonstrates that unless the supply of fossil energy is perfectly elastic, cap-and-trade outperforms Pigouvian taxation in terms of the domestic welfare of adopting countries, and global welfare is maximized when all countries implement the alternative scheme. We further demonstrate that the linkage of permit markets, when the energy supply is sufficiently inelastic, improves global welfare.