bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seroprevalence of ToRCH Pathogens in Southeast Asia
Authors: Fuchs Franziska E. , Pauly Maude , Black Antony P. , Hübschen Judith M.
Published: March 2021

ToRCH is the acronym for several pathogens associated with pregnancy complications and sequelae in the unborn or newborn child. Particularly primary infections during pregnancy are associated with increased risk. Seroprevalence data of ToRCH infections are important, especially in countries with weak disease surveillance systems, to estimate immunity and vaccination levels, as well as exposure rates and thus the risk of infection during pregnancy. A systematic literature search spanning a 30-year time period was conducted to identify serosurveys on ToRCH pathogens in Southeast Asia. The 96 identified studies showed that some pathogens were well studied, while only limited data were available for others. Studies from the better-developed countries of the region were more abundant. Moreover, seroprevalence data were often limited to a certain geographical region within the country or to certain cohorts, there was an evident lack of recent serosurveys, and the study quality was often not adequate. Well-designed and area-wide serosurveys of ToRCH pathogens are clearly warranted. If combined with risk factor analysis, these studies may guide the development and implementation of effective measures for infection prevention, especially during pregnancy. In addition, educational programs for health care workers and for pregnant women during antenatal care are urgently needed.
An Update on Wastewater Multi-Resistant Bacteria: Identification of Clinical Pathogens Such as Escherichia coli O25b:H4-B2-ST131-Producing CTX-M-15 ESBL and KPC-3 Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella oxytoca
Authors: Mesquita Elsa , Ribeiro Rita , Silva Carla J. C. , Alves Rita , Baptista Rita , Condinho Sílvia , Rosa Maria João , Perdigão João , Caneiras Cátia , Duarte Aida
Published: March 2021

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are significant reservoirs of bacterial resistance. This work aims to identify the determinants of resistance produced by Gram-negative bacteria in the influent and effluent of two WWTPs in Portugal. A total of 96 wastewater samples were obtained between 2016 and 2019. The numbers of total aerobic and fecal contamination bacteria were evaluated, and genomic features were searched by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). Enterobacteriaceae corresponded to 78.6% (n = 161) of the 205 isolates identified by 16sRNA. The most frequent isolates were Escherichia spp. (57.1%, n = 117), followed by Aeromonas spp. (16.1%, n = 33) and Klebsiella spp. (12.7%, n = 26). The remaining 29 isolates (14.1%) were distributed across 10 different genera. Among the 183 resistant genes detected, 54 isolates produced extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL), of which blaCTX-M-15 was predominant (37 isolates; 68.5%). A KPC-3 carbapenemase-producing K. oxytoca was identified (n = 1), with blaKPC-3 included in a transposon Tn4401 isoform b. A higher number of virulence genes (VG) (19 genes) was found in the E. coli 5301 (O25b-ST131-B2) isolate compared with a commensal E. coli 5281 (O25b-ST410-A) (six genes). Both shared five VG [Enterobactin; Aerobactin, CFA/1 (clade α); Type1 (clade γ1); Type IV]. In conclusion, this work highlights the role of relevant clinical bacteria in WWTPs, such as KPC-3-producing K. oxytoca, and, for the first time, a CTX-M-15-producing Ochromobactrum intermedium, a human opportunistic pathogen, and a SED-1-producing Citrobacter farmeri, an uncommon CTX-M-type extended-spectrum beta-lactamase.
Leishmaniasis in the United States: Emerging Issues in a Region of Low Endemicity
Authors: Curtin John M. , Aronson Naomi E.
Published: March 2021

Leishmaniasis, a chronic and persistent intracellular protozoal infection caused by many different species within the genus Leishmania, is an unfamiliar disease to most North American providers. Clinical presentations may include asymptomatic and symptomatic visceral leishmaniasis (so-called Kala-azar), as well as cutaneous or mucosal disease. Although cutaneous leishmaniasis (caused by Leishmania mexicana in the United States) is endemic in some southwest states, other causes for concern include reactivation of imported visceral leishmaniasis remotely in time from the initial infection, and the possible long-term complications of chronic inflammation from asymptomatic infection. Climate change, the identification of competent vectors and reservoirs, a highly mobile populace, significant population groups with proven exposure history, HIV, and widespread use of immunosuppressive medications and organ transplant all create the potential for increased frequency of leishmaniasis in the U.S. Together, these factors could contribute to leishmaniasis emerging as a health threat in the U.S., including the possibility of sustained autochthonous spread of newly introduced visceral disease. We summarize recent data examining the epidemiology and major risk factors for acquisition of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, with a special focus on implications for the United States, as well as discuss key emerging issues affecting the management of visceral leishmaniasis.
Quantitative in Situ X-ray Diffraction Analysis of Early Hydration of Belite-Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement at Various Defined Temperatures
Authors: Borštnar Maruša , Lengauer Christian L. , Dolenec Sabina
Published: March 2021

The influence of temperature on the early hydration of belite-calcium sulfoaluminate cements with two different calcium sulfate to calcium sulfoaluminate molar ratios was investigated. The phase composition and phase assemblage development of cements prepared using molar ratios of 1 and 2.5 were studied at 25, 40 and 60 °C by in situ X-ray powder diffraction. The Rietveld refinement method was used for quantification. The degree of hydration after 24 h was highest at ambient temperatures, but early hydration was significantly accelerated at elevated temperatures. These differences were more noticeable when we increased the temperature from 25 °C to 40 °C, than it was increased from 40 °C to 60 °C. The amount of calcium sulfate added controls the amount of the precipitated ettringite, namely, the amount of ettringite increased in the cement with a higher molar ratio. The results showed that temperature also affects full width at half maximum of ettringite peaks, which indicates a decrease in crystallite size of ettringite at elevated temperatures due to faster precipitation of ettringite. When using a calcium sulfate to calcium sulfoaluminate molar ratio of 1, higher d-values of ettringite peaks were observed at elevated temperatures, suggesting that more ions were released from the cement clinker at elevated temperatures, allowing a higher ion uptake in the ettringite structure. At a molar ratio of 2.5, less clinker is available in the cement, therefore these differences were not observed.
Research Progress toward Room Temperature Sodium Sulfur Batteries: A Review
Authors: Wang Yanjie , Zhang Yingjie , Cheng Hongyu , Ni Zhicong , Wang Ying , Xia Guanghui , Li Xue , Zeng Xiaoyuan
Published: March 2021

Lithium metal batteries have achieved large-scale application, but still have limitations such as poor safety performance and high cost, and limited lithium resources limit the production of lithium batteries. The construction of these devices is also hampered by limited lithium supplies. Therefore, it is particularly important to find alternative metals for lithium replacement. Sodium has the properties of rich in content, low cost and ability to provide high voltage, which makes it an ideal substitute for lithium. Sulfur-based materials have attributes of high energy density, high theoretical specific capacity and are easily oxidized. They may be used as cathodes matched with sodium anodes to form a sodium-sulfur battery. Traditional sodium-sulfur batteries are used at a temperature of about 300 °C. In order to solve problems associated with flammability, explosiveness and energy loss caused by high-temperature use conditions, most research is now focused on the development of room temperature sodium-sulfur batteries. Regardless of safety performance or energy storage performance, room temperature sodium-sulfur batteries have great potential as next-generation secondary batteries. This article summarizes the working principle and existing problems for room temperature sodium-sulfur battery, and summarizes the methods necessary to solve key scientific problems to improve the comprehensive energy storage performance of sodium-sulfur battery from four aspects: cathode, anode, electrolyte and separator.
Evaluation of a Model Photo-Caged Dehydropeptide as a Stimuli-Responsive Supramolecular Hydrogel
Authors: Jervis Peter J. , Hilliou Loic , Pereira Renato B. , Pereira David M. , Martins José A. , Ferreira Paula M. T.
Published: March 2021

Short peptides capped on the N-terminus with aromatic groups are often able to form supramolecular hydrogels, via self-assembly, in aqueous media. The rheological properties of these readily tunable hydrogels resemble those of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and therefore have potential for various biological applications, such as tissue engineering, biosensors, 3D bioprinting, drug delivery systems and wound dressings. We herein report a new photo-responsive supramolecular hydrogel based on a “caged” dehydropeptide (CNB-Phe-ΔPhe-OH 2), containing a photo-cleavable carboxy-2-nitrobenzyl (CNB) group. We have characterized this hydrogel using a range of techniques. Irradiation with UV light cleaves the pendant aromatic capping group, to liberate the corresponding uncaged model dehydropeptide (H-Phe-ΔPhe-OH 3), a process which was investigated by 1H NMR and HPLC studies. Crucially, this cleavage of the capping group is accompanied by dissolution of the hydrogel (studied visually and by fluorescence spectroscopy), as the delicate balance of intramolecular interactions within the hydrogel structure is disrupted. Hydrogels which can be disassembled non-invasively with temporal and spatial control have great potential for specialized on-demand drug release systems, wound dressing materials and various topical treatments. Both 2 and 3 were found to be non-cytotoxic to the human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT. The UV-responsive hydrogel system reported here is complementary to previously reported related UV-responsive systems, which are generally composed of peptides formed from canonical amino acids, which are susceptible to enzymatic proteolysis in vivo. This system is based on a dehydrodipeptide structure which is known to confer proteolytic resistance. We have investigated the ability of the photo-activated system to accelerate the release of the antibiotic, ciprofloxacin, as well as some other small model drug compounds. We have also conducted some initial studies towards skin-related applications. Moreover, this model system could potentially be adapted for on-demand “self-delivery”, through the uncaging of known biologically active dehydrodipeptides.
Green Electrospinning of Polymer Latexes: A Systematic Study of the Effect of Latex Properties on Fiber Morphology
Authors: Gonzalez Edurne , Barquero Aitor , Muñoz-Sanchez Belén , Paulis María , Leiza Jose Ramon
Published: March 2021

Green electrospinning is a relatively new promising technology in which a polymer (latex) can be spun from an aqueous dispersion with the help of a template polymer. This method is a green, clean and safe technology that is able to spin hydrophobic polymers using water as an electrospinning medium. In this article, a systematic study that investigates the influence of the template polymer molar mass, the total solids content of the initial dispersion and the particle/template ratio is presented. Furthermore, the influence of the surfactant used to stabilize the polymer particles, the surface functionality of the polymer particles and the use of a bimodal particle size distribution on the final fiber morphology is studied for the first time. In green electrospinning, the viscosity of the initial complex blend depends on the amount and molar mass of the template polymer but also on the total solids content of the dispersion to be spun. Thus, both parameters must be carefully taken into account in order to fine-tune the final fiber morphology. Additionally, the particle packing and the surface chemistry of the polymer particles also play an important role in the obtained nanofibers quality.
Suitability of Different Titanium Dioxide Nanotube Morphologies for Photocatalytic Water Treatment
Authors: Farrugia Clayton , Di Mauro Alessandro , Lia Frederick , Zammit Edwin , Rizzo Alex , Privitera Vittorio , Impellizzeri Giuliana , Buccheri Maria Antonietta , Rappazzo Giancarlo , Grech Maurice , Refalo Paul , Abela Stephen
Published: March 2021

Photocatalysis has long been touted as one of the most promising technologies for environmental remediation. The ability of photocatalysts to degrade a host of different pollutants, especially recalcitrant molecules, is certainly appealing. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been used extensively for this purpose. Anodic oxidation allows for the synthesis of a highly ordered nanotubular structure with a high degree of tunability. In this study, a series of TiO2 arrays were synthesised using different electrolytes and different potentials. Mixed anatase-rutile photocatalysts with excellent wettability were achieved with all the experimental iterations. Under UVA light, all the materials showed significant photoactivity towards different organic pollutants. The nanotubes synthesised in the ethylene glycol-based electrolyte exhibited the best performance, with near complete degradation of all the pollutants. The antibacterial activity of this same material was similarly high, with extremely low bacterial survival rates. Increasing the voltage resulted in wider and longer nanotubes, characteristics which increase the level of photocatalytic activity. The ease of synthesis coupled with the excellent activity makes this a viable material that can be used in flat-plate reactors and that is suitable for photocatalytic water treatment.
Guiding Chart for Initial Layer Choice with Nanoimprint Lithography
Authors: Mayer Andre , Scheer Hella-Christin
Published: March 2021

When nanoimprint serves as a lithography process, it is most attractive for the ability to overcome the typical residual layer remaining without the need for etching. Then, ‘partial cavity filling’ is an efficient strategy to provide a negligible residual layer. However, this strategy requires an adequate choice of the initial layer thickness to work without defects. To promote the application of this strategy we provide a ‘guiding chart’ for initial layer choice. Due to volume conservation of the imprint polymer this guiding chart has to consider the geometric parameters of the stamp, where the polymer fills the cavities only up to a certain height, building a meniscus at its top. Furthermore, defects that may develop during the imprint due to some instability of the polymer within the cavity have to be avoided; with nanoimprint, the main instabilities are caused by van der Waals forces, temperature gradients, and electrostatic fields. Moreover, practical aspects such as a minimum polymer height required for a subsequent etching of the substrate come into play. With periodic stamp structures the guiding chart provided will indicate a window for defect-free processing considering all these limitations. As some of the relevant factors are system-specific, the user has to construct his own guiding chart in praxis, tailor-made to his particular imprint situation. To facilitate this task, all theoretical results required are presented in a graphical form, so that the quantities required can simply be read from these graphs. By means of examples, the implications of the guiding chart with respect to the choice of the initial layer are discussed with typical imprint scenarios, nanoimprint at room temperature, at elevated temperature, and under electrostatic forces. With periodic structures, the guiding chart represents a powerful and straightforward tool to avoid defects in praxis, without in-depth knowledge of the underlying physics.
Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cohen Juliana F. W. , Hecht Amelie A. , McLoughlin Gabriella M. , Turner Lindsey , Schwartz Marlene B.
Published: March 2021

The school environment plays an important role in children’s diets and overall health, and policies for universal free school meals have the potential to contribute to positive child health outcomes. This systematic review evaluates studies examining the association between universal free school meals and students’ school meal participation rates, diets, attendance, academic performance, and Body Mass Index (BMI), as well as school finances. The search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A search for studies published in economically developed countries published through December 2020 was performed in PubMed, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Thomson Reuters’ Web of Science, and Academic Search Ultimate, followed by examining the references in the resultant literature. A total of 47 studies were identified and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was applied to assess bias. Nearly all studies examining universal free school meals found positive associations with school meal participation. Most studies examining universal free school meals that included free lunch found positive associations with diet quality, food security, and academic performance; however, the findings of studies examining only universal free breakfast were mixed. Research findings were similarly mixed when examining attendance as an outcome. Concerns about adverse outcomes on student BMI were not supported by the literature; in fact, several studies detected a potentially protective effect of universal free school meals on BMI. Research examining the impact of universal free meals on school finances was limited, but suggest that lower-income school districts in the U.S. may have positive financial outcomes from participation in universal free school meal provisions. Additionally, providing free meals to students may be associated with improved household incomes, particularly among lower-income families with children. Further research is needed to examine the financial implications of universal free meals for both school districts and families. Overall, universal free school meals may have multiple benefits for students and countries should consider universal free school meal provisions with strong nutrition guidelines. (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020221782).
Comparative Evaluation of Primary Stability between Different Diameters Multi-Scale Roughness Dental Implant by Solid Rigid Polyurethane Simulation
Authors: Tumedei Margherita , Petrini Morena , Cipollina Alessandro , Di Carmine Mariastella , Piattelli Adriano , Cucurullo Antonio , Iezzi Giovanna
Published: March 2021

Background: Implant primary stability is determined by screw characteristics and surgical procedure. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, on a polyurethane model, the insertion torque (IT), removal torque (RT), and resonance frequency analysis (RFA) of multi-scale roughness dental implants of different diameters. Methods: Two implant sizes were tested on two polyurethane blocks (20 pounds per cubic foot (PCF) and 30 PCF): 3.0 diameter and 13 mm length and 5.0 diameter and 13 mm length. The IT, RT, and RFA were assessed. Results: A significant difference of IT and RT was present in favor of wider implants at both polyurethane densities. No statistical difference was present between the 5.0 diameter and 3.0 diameter implants at both polyurethane densities. A statistically increased RFA was reported for 5.0 implant 30 PCF polyurethane blocks. Conclusions: Multi-scale roughness dental implants of both diameters showed high insertion torque and primary stability on polyurethane blocks, which is valuable for implant loading protocols.
Intra-Articular Slow-Release Triamcinolone Acetonide from Polyesteramide Microspheres as a Treatment for Osteoarthritis
Authors: Tellegen Anna , Beukers Martijn , Rudnik-Jansen Imke , van Klaveren Nicolien , How Kan Loi , Woike Nina , Mihov George , Thies Jens , Teske Erik , Creemers Laura , Tryfonidou Marianna , Meij Björn
Published: March 2021

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of pain and disability. Local corticosteroid injections are effective in treating OA pain and inflammation but are short-acting. Prolonged intra-articular (IA) corticosteroid exposure may even lead to cartilage deterioration. The aim of this prospective study was to assess safety and provide proof-of-concept of IA-applied biodegradable polyesteramide-based microspheres (PEAMs) gradually releasing triamcinolone acetonide (TA). Mimicking continuous exposure associated with local drug delivery in canine articular chondrocytes cultured in the continuous presence of TA tissue regeneration was not affected, whereas intermittent exposure reduced proteoglycan production. In this respect, TA-PEAMs administered IA in a proof-of-concept study in 12 client-owned dogs with established OA also showed safety by radiographic examination, without changes in OA severity and in glycosaminoglycan synovial fluid levels. Treatment also resulted in clinical improvement in 10 out of 11 dogs during the two-month follow-up period, which persisted in 6 out of 10 dogs after 6 months, based on objective gait analysis and owner questionnaires. Synovial prostaglandin E2, a pro-inflammatory marker, was decreased two months after treatment. This study showed safety and proof-of-concept of IA-administered TA-PEAMs in dogs with OA, as a first step towards translation into the veterinary and human clinic.
Pharmacokinetic Characterization of Supinoxin and Its Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling in Rats
Authors: Song Yoo-Kyung , Seol Yun-Hwan , Kim Min Ju , Jeong Jong-Woo , Choi Hae-In , Lee Seung-Won , Chae Yoon-Jee , Ahn Sunjoo , Gong Young-Dae , Lee Kyeong-Ryoon , Koo Tae-Sung
Published: March 2021

Supinoxin is a novel anticancer drug candidate targeting the Y593 phospho-p68 RNA helicase, by exhibiting antiproliferative activity and/or suppression of tumor growth. This study aimed to characterize the in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics of supinoxin and attempt physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling in rats. Supinoxin has good permeability, comparable to that of metoprolol (high permeability compound) in Caco-2 cells, with negligible net absorptive or secretory transport observed. After an intravenous injection at a dose range of 0.5–5 mg/kg, the terminal half-life (i.e., 2.54–2.80 h), systemic clearance (i.e., 691–865 mL/h/kg), and steady state volume of distribution (i.e., 2040–3500 mL/kg) of supinoxin remained unchanged, suggesting dose-independent (i.e., dose-proportional) pharmacokinetics for the dose ranges studied. After oral administration, supinoxin showed modest absorption with an absolute oral bioavailability of 56.9–57.4%. The fecal recovery following intravenous and oral administration was 16.5% and 46.8%, respectively, whereas the urinary recoveries in both administration routes were negligible. Supinoxin was mainly eliminated via NADPH-dependent phase I metabolism (i.e., 58.5% of total clearance), while UDPGA-dependent phase II metabolism appeared negligible in the rat liver microsome. Supinoxin was most abundantly distributed in the adipose tissue, gut, and liver among the nine major tissues studied (i.e., the brain, liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, spleen, gut, muscles, and adipose tissue), and the tissue exposure profiles of supinoxin were well predicted with physiologically based pharmacokinetics.
Current Condition of Pannonic Salt Steppes at Their Distribution Limit: What Do Indicator Species Reveal about Habitat Quality?
Authors: Dítě Zuzana , Šuvada Róbert , Tóth Tibor , Jun Pavol Eliáš , Píš Vladimír , Dítě Daniel
Published: March 2021

Little is known about the suite of ecological conditions under which characteristic species may continue to develop under the pressure of recent habitat deterioration. We aimed to determine the niche of three indicator species of the priority habitat Pannonic salt steppes and to find out how their vegetation composition, land use, and soil chemistry mirror the current condition of their typical habitat. A plot-based vegetation survey was conducted in degraded and in pristine (reference) inland salt steppes in East-Central Europe. We confirmed decreased habitat quality at their northern geographical limit. Most of the sites there showed a strong prevalence of generalists (e.g., Elytrigia repens) and lack of specialists, both resulting from lowered habitat extremity and inappropriate land use (abandonment). A small proportion of plots (19%) were in the same good condition as the reference vegetation in the central area. Soil analyses revealed that the studied halophytes are able to persist on desalinized soils if the land use is suitable. The occurrence of the annual Camphorosma annua (Amaranthaceae) was driven largely by abiotic stress; grazing alone is insufficient for its long-term persistence, while the perennial Artemisia santonicum (Asteraceae) and Tripolium pannonicum (Asteraceae) have higher survival chances as they are able to coexist with generalists. Overall habitat quality can be reliably determined from the analyzed ecological conditions of indicator species. The outcomes of the presented work are relevant for conservation practice and can serve as a quick tool for assessing the current stage of other grassland habitats.
Functionalized Biodegradable Polymers via Termination of Ring-Opening Polymerization by Acyl Chlorides
Authors: Nifant’ev Ilya , Shlyakhtin Andrey , Bagrov Vladimir , Shaputkin Evgeny , Tavtorkin Alexander , Ivchenko Pavel
Published: March 2021

Aliphatic polyesters are an important class of polymeric materials for biomedical applications due to their versatile and tunable chemistry, biocompatibility and biodegradability. A capability of direct bonding with biomedically significant molecules, provided by the presence of the reactive end functional groups (FGs), is highly desirable for prospective polymers. Among FGs, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl activated ester group (NHS) and maleimide fragment (MI) provide efficient covalent bonding with –NH– and –SH containing compounds. In our study, we found that NHS- and MI-derived acyl chlorides efficiently terminate living ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone, L-lactide, ethyl ethylene phosphonate and ethyl ethylene phosphate, catalyzed by 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy magnesium complex, with a formation of NHS- and MI-functionalized polymers at a high yields. Reactivity of these polymers towards amine- and thiol-containing model substrates in organic and aqueous media was also studied.
Experimental Study on the Effect of Basalt Fiber and Sodium Alginate in Polymer Concrete Exposed to Elevated Temperature
Authors: Mohammadyan-Yasouj Seyed Esmaeil , Ahangar Hossein Abbastabar , Oskoei Narges Ahevani , Shokravi Hoofar , Koloor Seyed Saeid Rahimian , Petrů Michal
Published: March 2021

Polymer concrete contains aggregates and a polymeric binder such as epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester, or normal epoxy mixture. Since polymer binders in polymer concrete are made of organic materials, they have a very low heat and fire resistance compared to minerals. This paper investigates the effect of basalt fibers (BF) and alginate on the compressive strength of polymer concrete. An extensive literature review was completed, then two experimental phases including the preliminary phase to set the appropriate mix design, and the main phase to investigate the compressive strength of samples after exposure to elevated temperatures of 100 °C, 150 °C, and 180 °C were conducted. The addition of BF and/or alginate decreases concrete compressive strength under room temperature, but the addition of BF and alginate each alone leads to compressive strength increase during exposure to heat and increase in the temperature to 180 °C showed almost positive on the compressive strength. The addition of BF and alginate both together increases the rate of strength growth of polymer concrete under heat from 100 °C to 180 °C. In conclusion, BF and alginate decrease the compressive strength of polymer concretes under room temperature, but they improve the resistance against raised temperatures.
The Challenge of the Urban Compact Form: Three-Dimensional Index Construction and Urban Land Surface Temperature Impacts
Authors: Yan Han , Wang Kai , Lin Tao , Zhang Guoqin , Sun Caige , Hu Xinyue , Ye Hong
Published: March 2021

Cities are growing higher and denser, and understanding and constructing the compact city form is of great importance to optimize sustainable urbanization. The two-dimensional (2D) urban compact form has been widely studied by previous researchers, while the driving mechanism of three-dimensional (3D) compact morphology, which reflects the reality of the urban environment has seldom been developed. In this study, land surface temperature (LST) was retrieved by using the mono-window algorithm method based on Landsat 8 images of Xiamen in South China, which were acquired respectively on 14 April, 15 August, 2 October, and 21 December in 2017, and 11 March in 2018. We then aimed to explore the driving mechanism of the 3D compact form on the urban heat environment (UHE) based on our developed 3D Compactness Index (VCI) and remote sensing, as well as Geo-Detector techniques. The results show that the 3D compact form can positively effect UHE better than individual urban form construction elements, as can the combination of the 2D compact form with building height. Individually, building density had a greater effect on UHE than that of building height. At the same time, an integration of building density and height showed an enhanced inter-effect on UHE. Moreover, we explore the temporal and spatial UHE heterogeneity with regards to 3D compact form across different seasons. We also investigate the UHE impacts discrepancy caused by different 3D compactness categories. This shows that increasing the 3D compactness of an urban community from 0.016 to 0.323 would increase the heat accumulation, which was, in terms of satellite derived LST, by 1.35 °C, suggesting that higher compact forms strengthen UHE. This study highlights the challenge of the urban 3D compact form in respect of its UHE impact. The related evaluation in this study would help shed light on urban form optimization.
Determining Long-Term Land Cover Dynamics in the South Baltic Coastal Zone from Historical Aerial Photographs
Authors: Giza Andrzej , Terefenko Paweł , Komorowski Tomasz , Czapliński Paweł
Published: March 2021

Coastal regions are dynamic environments that have been the main settlement destinations for human society development for centuries. Development by humans and environmental changes have resulted in intensive land cover transformation. However, detailed spatiotemporal analyses of such changes in the Polish Baltic coastal zone have not been given sufficient attention. The aim of the presented work is to fill this gap and, moreover, present a method for assessing indicators of changes in a coastal dune environment that could be an alternative for widely used morphological line indicators. To fulfill the main aim, spatial and temporal variations in the dune areas of the Pomeranian Bay coast (South Baltic Sea) were quantified using remote sensing data from the years 1938–2017, supervised classification, and a geographic information system post-classification change detection technique. Finally, a novel quantitative approach for coastal areas containing both sea and land surface sections was developed. The analysis revealed that for accumulative areas, a decrease in the land area occupied by water was typical, along with an increase in the surface area not covered by vegetation and a growth in the surface area occupied by vegetation. Furthermore, stabilized shores were subject to significant changes in tree cover area mainly at the expense of grass-covered terrains and simultaneous slight changes in the surface area occupied by water and the areas free of vegetation. The statistical analysis revealed six groups of characteristic shore evolutionary trends, of which three exhibited an erosive nature of changes. The methodology developed herein helps discover new possibilities for defining coastal zone dynamics and can be used as an alternative solution to methods only resorting to cross sections and line indicators. These results constitute an important step toward developing a predictive model of coastal land cover changes.
A Polymeric Bilayer Multi-Legged Soft Millirobot with Dual Actuation and Humidity Sensing
Authors: Tian Shidai , Li Shijie , Hu Yijie , Wang Wei , Yu Aifang , Wan Lingyu , Zhai Junyi
Published: March 2021

There are numerous works that report wirelessly controlling the locomotion of soft robots through a single actuation method of light or magnetism. However, coupling multiple driving modes to improve the mobility of robots is still in its infancy. Here, we present a soft multi-legged millirobot that can move, climb a slope, swim and detect a signal by near-infrared irradiation (NIR) light or magnetic field dual actuation. Due to the design of the feet structure, our soft millirobot incorporates the advantages of a single actuation mode of light or magnetism. Furthermore, it can execute a compulsory exercise to sense a signal and analyze the ambience fluctuation in a narrow place. This work provides a novel alternative for soft robots to achieve multimode actuation and signal sensing.
EEG-Based Sleep Staging Analysis with Functional Connectivity
Authors: Huang Hui , Zhang Jianhai , Zhu Li , Tang Jiajia , Lin Guang , Kong Wanzeng , Lei Xu , Zhu Lei
Published: March 2021

Sleep staging is important in sleep research since it is the basis for sleep evaluation and disease diagnosis. Related works have acquired many desirable outcomes. However, most of current studies focus on time-domain or frequency-domain measures as classification features using single or very few channels, which only obtain the local features but ignore the global information exchanging between different brain regions. Meanwhile, brain functional connectivity is considered to be closely related to brain activity and can be used to study the interaction relationship between brain areas. To explore the electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain mechanisms of sleep stages through functional connectivity, especially from different frequency bands, we applied phase-locked value (PLV) to build the functional connectivity network and analyze the brain interaction during sleep stages for different frequency bands. Then, we performed the feature-level, decision-level and hybrid fusion methods to discuss the performance of different frequency bands for sleep stages. The results show that (1) PLV increases in the lower frequency band (delta and alpha bands) and vice versa during different stages of non-rapid eye movement (NREM); (2) alpha band shows a better discriminative ability for sleeping stages; (3) the classification accuracy of feature-level fusion (six frequency bands) reaches 96.91% and 96.14% for intra-subject and inter-subjects respectively, which outperforms decision-level and hybrid fusion methods.
Impact Assessments of New Mobility Services: A Critical Review
Authors: Storme Tom , Casier Corneel , Azadi Hossein , Witlox Frank
Published: March 2021

Assessing the impact of new mobility systems (e.g., shared mobility services, mobility as a service (MaaS), and Mobihubs) in urban contexts remains a challenging endeavor due to the varying priorities (social, economic, and environmental) of different stakeholders and restricted and/or limited availability of data. In a broad sense, new mobility services (NMS) can be characterized as a way of optimizing the ownership and use of a variety of mobility resources, tailored to the needs of an entire (urban) community. In this context, providing an up-to-date and critical review on the impact of NMS is the main contribution and added value of this study. To this end, this study presents an in-depth review of NMS and their diverse features (e.g., car sharing, bike sharing, Mobihubs, etc.), as an alternative to privately-owned travel modes. By reviewing more than 100 relevant sources from academic journals (Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Web of Science) and media reports, this study explains the key elements on how to address the impact assessment of NMS in terms of social, environmental, and economic aspects of sustainable mobility services. This study concludes that the implementation of NMS offers the potential to promote efficiency, sustainability, social equity, and quality of life. The main findings of this study serve as a perfect starting point for mobility providers and policymakers who are concerned about the growing demands for clean and green cities.
Sustainable Buildings in Sustainable Cities: A Reciprocal Relation
Authors: Koutamanis Alexander
Published: March 2021

It appears that each discipline views cities differently, through different perspectives, abstractions and metaphors [...]
Agri-Food Markets towards Agroecology: Tensions and Compromises Faced by Small-Scale Farmers in Brazil and Chile
Authors: Muñoz Estevan Felipe Pizarro , Niederle Paulo André , de Gennaro Bernardo Corrado , Roselli Luigi
Published: March 2021

One of the main dilemmas faced by small-scale farmers’ movements advocating for agroecology in Latin America lies in the trade-offs between the economic opportunities arising from the organic food market expansion, and the political principles at the core of their action. To provide insights on this issue, a survey was performed in Brazil and Chile. Between March 2016 and December 2018, data were collected through direct and participant observation, documentary analysis, and interviews conducted to peasant organizations’ leaders, technicians and policymakers. In Brazil, the research focused on the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (The Landless Movement); while in Chile, due to the absence of such a national social movement, it considered a wider set of actors, including the Instituto Nacional de Desarrollo Agropecuario (National Institute for Agricultural Development). The results show how social movements are navigating between the mainstreaming pressures of the conventional markets, dominated by the leading agri-food corporations, and the political efforts they have been doing to build civic food markets as alternatives to conventionalization patterns. Finally, we argue that social scientists should better explain the tensions and compromises the social movements go through in order to coordinate different and complementary marketing strategies.
Research on Multi-Objective Optimization Model for Hybrid Energy System Considering Combination of Wind Power and Energy Storage
Authors: Wu Jing , Tan Zhongfu , Wang Keke , Liang Yi , Zhou Jinghan
Published: March 2021

With the development of renewable energy, the grid connection is faced with great pressure, for its generation uncertainty and fluctuation requires larger reserve capacity, and higher operation costs. Energy storage system, as a flexible unit in the energy system, can effectively share the reserve pressure of the system by charging and discharging behaviors. In order to further improve the renewable energy utilization, the combination of wind power and energy storage for hybrid energy system is proposed. On considering the power generation characteristics, the objective functions are maximizing the system revenue and minimizing the system energy loss. Combined with the robust optimization theory, the model is transformed and solved. The results show that the application of the energy storage will effectively promote the renewable energy consumption, and the combination of the wind power and energy storage will achieve more effective utilization of the night-time wind power and cut down the total system cost.
Pulsed Broad-Spectrum UV Light Effectively Inactivates SARS-CoV-2 on Multiple Surfaces and N95 Material
Authors: Jureka Alexander S. , Williams Caroline G. , Basler Christopher F.
Published: March 2021

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in an increased need for technologies capable of efficiently disinfecting public spaces as well as personal protective equipment. UV light disinfection is a well-established method for inactivating respiratory viruses. Here, we have determined that broad-spectrum, pulsed UV light is effective at inactivating SARS-CoV-2 on multiple surfaces in vitro. For hard, non-porous surfaces, we observed that SARS-CoV-2 was inactivated to undetectable levels on plastic and glass with a UV dose of 34.9 mJ/cm2 and stainless steel with a dose of 52.5 mJ/cm2. We also observed that broad-spectrum, pulsed UV light is effective at reducing SARS-CoV-2 on N95 respirator material to undetectable levels with a dose of 103 mJ/cm2. We included UV dosimeter cards that provide a colorimetric readout of UV dose and demonstrated their utility as a means to confirm desired levels of exposure were reached. Together, the results presented here demonstrate that broad-spectrum, pulsed UV light is an effective technology for the in vitro inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 on multiple surfaces.
Willingness of Taiwan’s Healthcare Workers and Outpatients to Vaccinate against COVID-19 during a Period without Community Outbreaks
Authors: Kukreti Shikha , Lu Mei-Yun , Lin Yi-Hsuan , Strong Carol , Lin Chung-Ying , Ko Nai-Ying , Chen Po-Lin , Ko Wen-Chien
Published: March 2021

To control the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), COVID-19 vaccination has been quickly developed. However, the COVID-19 pandemic will not be controlled if the COVID-19 vaccination uptake willingness is low. Therefore, the study aim was to explore the COVID-19 vaccination uptake willingness among the outpatient population and healthcare workers in Taiwan during the worldwide pandemic period without community outbreaks. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare workers (HCWs; n = 500; mean age = 32.96 years) of National Cheng Kung University Hospital (NCKUH) and outpatients (n = 238; mean age = 34.43 years) arriving at NCKUH. We used an online survey conducted between September 24 and 21 November 2020, for healthcare workers, and between 27 October and 31 December 2020, for the outpatient sample. Information regarding willingness to receive vaccination, willingness to rapid test, fear of COVID-19, risk perception, and preventive behaviors was collected in both samples; information regarding willingness to care for patients was collected in healthcare workers. Willingness to receive vaccination was the main variable in the present study; willingness to rapid test, willingness to care for patients, fear of COVID-19, risk perception, and preventive behaviors were the secondary variables in the study. The factors associated with vaccination willingness were identified through logistic regression analysis. The participants’ willingness to receive vaccination was low for both healthcare workers (23.4%) and the outpatient sample (30.7%). Similarly, their willingness to take rapid tests was low (23.6% for healthcare workers and 28.6% for outpatient sample). Risk perception (crude odds ratio (COR) = 1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03, 1.63), willingness to take rapid test (COR = 9.24; 95% CI = 5.76, 14.83), and preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors (COR = 2.32; 95% CI = 1.52, 3.56) were significant factors explaining the healthcare workers’ willingness to receive vaccination. Willingness to take a rapid test (COR = 8.91; 95% CI = 4.71, 16.87) and preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors (COR = 1.69; 95% CI = 1.09, 2.60) were significant factors explaining the outpatient sample’s willingness to receive vaccination. Willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19 among HCWs and outpatients is low due to the relatively safe status of COVID-19 infection in Taiwan. These findings can help policymakers advocate for the effectiveness of and provide transparent information on COVID-19 vaccination uptake in a country/region with a relatively safe COVID-19 outbreak status.
Design of a MATLAB HEC-RAS Interface to Test Advanced Control Strategies on Water Systems
Authors: Deshays Ronan , Segovia Pablo , Duviella Eric
Published: March 2021

The software package HEC-RAS (Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System) is widely used by the water engineering community to analyze hydraulic systems and perform development planning. Furthermore, it integrates a control module that allows implementing basic controllers. For more complex approaches, developers from the automatic control and artificial intelligence (AI) communities usually design, implement, and test new algorithms using dedicated software such as MATLAB. However, models of hydraulic systems employed in MATLAB are often very simple. The main objective of the paper is to design a simulation architecture by coupling HEC-RAS with MATLAB, thus improving the accuracy of the dynamics of the hydraulic systems considered in the control simulations. The main feature of the MATLAB HEC-RAS interface design is that it allows one to execute customized code at regular time intervals during the simulation. In this way, closed-loop control and optimization algorithms can be implemented and tested. Moreover, the generic interface allows for any configuration of hydrographical systems. The proposed interface is presented in this paper, and the performance of the approach is demonstrated considering two case studies of different nature.
A Proposal to Classify and Assess Ecological Status in Mediterranean Temporary Rivers: Research Insights to Solve Management Needs
Authors: Munné Antoni , Bonada Núria , Cid Núria , Gallart Francesc , Solà Carolina , Bardina Mònica , Rovira Albert , Sierra Clara , Soria Maria , Fortuño Pau , Llorens Pilar , Latron Jérôme , Estrela Teodoro , Fidalgo Arancha , Serrano Inmaculada , Jiménez Sara , Vega Rosa , Prat Narcís
Published: March 2021

The biomonitoring methods implemented by water authorities are mostly developed for perennial rivers, and do not apply to temporary rivers (TRs). We propose a new classification for TRs to better assess their ecological status. It arises from the LIFE+ TRivers project, which was conducted in the Catalan and the Júcar Mediterranean river basin districts (RBD). The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) provided two systems to set river types (systems A or B from Annex II), which have been officially used by water authorities across Europe to set “national river types” (NRTs). However, essential hydrological variables for TRs are largely omitted. NRTs established according to the WFD were compared with TR categories obtained by using a rainfall-runoff model, “natural flows prescribed regimes” (NFPRs), and with “aquatic phases regimes” (APRs) calculated by using TREHS software. The biological quality indices currently used in Spain, based on macroinvertebrates and diatoms (IBMWP, IMMI-T, and IPS), were compared with a “general degradation” gradient in order to analyze the two TR river classification procedures (NFPR and APR). The results showed that NRTs did not properly classify TRs, and that the APR classification identified ecologically meaningful categories, especially those related to stagnant phases. Four “management temporary river categories” based on APRs are proposed to be used for water managers to properly assess the ecological status of TRs.