bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison and Identification of the Aroma-Active Compounds in the Root of Angelica dahurica
Authors: Hu Die , Guo Junrui , Li Ting , Zhao Mu , Zou Tingting , Song Huanlu , Alim Aygul
Published: November 2019

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME), purge and trap (P&T), stir bar sportive extraction (SBSE), and dynamic headspace sampling (DHS) were applied to extract, separate and analyze the volatile compounds in the roots of Hangbaizhi, Qibaizhi, and Bobaizhi and the GC-O-MS/MS (AEDA) was utilized for the quantification of key aroma compounds. Totals of 52, 54, and 43 aroma-active compounds extracted from the three samples by the four extraction methods were identified. Among these methods, the SPME effectively extracted the aroma compounds from the A. dahurica. Thus, using the SPME methods for quantitative analysis based on external standards and subsequent dilution analyses, totals of 20, 21, and 17 aroma compounds were detected in the three samples by the sniffing test, and sensory evaluations indicated that the aromas of A. dahurica included herb, spice, and woody. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the three kinds A. dahurica formed three separate groups, and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) showed that caryophyllene, (−)-β-elemene, nonanal, and β-pinene played an important role in the classification of A. dahurica.
Matrix Metalloproteinase Triple-Helical Peptide Inhibitors: Potential Cross-Reactivity with Caspase-11
Authors: Knapinska Anna M. , Hart Melissa , Drotleff Gary , Fields Gregg B.
Published: November 2019

Triple-helical peptide inhibitors (THPIs) of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have recently been demonstrated to be effective in a variety of animal models of disease, coincidental with knockout studies. However, passenger mutations have been described in MMP knockout mice that impact the activity of other proteins, including caspase-11. Thus, it is possible that the results observed with THPIs may be based on inhibition of caspase-11, not MMPs. The present study evaluated whether THPIs were cross-reactive with caspase-11. Two different THPIs were tested, one that is known to inhibit MMP-1 and MMP-8 (GlyΨ{PO2H-CH2}Ile-His-Lys-Gln THPI) and one that is selective for MMP-2 and MMP-9 (α1(V)GlyΨ{PO2H-CH2}Val [mep14,32,Flp15,33] THPI). No inhibition of caspase-11 was observed with GlyΨ{PO2H–CH2}Ile–His–Lys–Gln THPI, even at an inhibitor concentration of 5 μM, while 5 μM α1(V)GlyΨ{PO2H-CH2}Val [mep14,32,Flp15,33] THPI exhibited 40% inhibition of caspase-11. Further testing of GlyΨ{PO2H-CH2}Ile-His-Lys-Gln THPI revealed nM inhibition of MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-13. Thus, the effectiveness of GlyΨ{PO2H-CH2}Ile-His-Lys-Gln THPI observed in a sepsis animal model may not be due to caspase-11 inhibition, but may be due to broader MMP inhibition than previously thought.
Path Integral Calculation of the Hydrogen/Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effect in Monoamine Oxidase A-Catalyzed Decomposition of Benzylamine
Authors: Brela Mateusz Z. , Prah Alja , Boczar Marek , Stare Jernej , Mavri Janez
Published: November 2019

Monoamine oxidase A (MAO A) is a well-known enzyme responsible for the oxidative deamination of several important monoaminergic neurotransmitters. The rate-limiting step of amine decomposition is hydride anion transfer from the substrate α–CH2 group to the N5 atom of the flavin cofactor moiety. In this work, we focus on MAO A-catalyzed benzylamine decomposition in order to elucidate nuclear quantum effects through the calculation of the hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) kinetic isotope effect. The rate-limiting step of the reaction was simulated using a multiscale approach at the empirical valence bond (EVB) level. We applied path integral quantization using the quantum classical path method (QCP) for the substrate benzylamine as well as the MAO cofactor flavin adenine dinucleotide. The calculated H/D kinetic isotope effect of 6.5 ± 1.4 is in reasonable agreement with the available experimental values.
Facile Preparation of Pd/UiO-66-v for the Conversion of Furfuryl Alcohol to Tetrahydrofurfuryl Alcohol under Mild Conditions in Water
Authors: Yang Yanliang , Deng Dongsheng , Sui Dong , Xie Yanfu , Li Dongmi , Duan Ying
Published: November 2019

The hydrogenation of furan ring in the biomass-derived furans is of great importance for the conversion of biomass to valuable chemicals. Fabrication of high activity and selectivity catalyst for this hydrogenation under mild conditions was one of the focuses of this research. In this manuscript, UiO-66-v, in which vinyl bonded to the benzene ring, was first prepared. Then, the uniformly distributed vinyl was used as the reductant for the preparation of Pd/UiO-66-v. The catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric, N2 physical adsorption/desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometer elemental mappings, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy to find the Pd/UiO-66-v had a narrow palladium nanoparticles size of 3–5 nm and maintained the structure and thermal stability of UiO-66-v. The Pd/UiO-66-v was used for the hydrogenation of furfuryl alcohol to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol in water. 99% conversion of furfuryl alcohol was obtained with 90% selectivity to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol after reacted at 0.5 MPa H2, 303 K for 12 h. The Pd/UiO-66-v was proved to be effective for the hydrogenation of furan ring in furans and could be used for at least five times.
Simultaneous Removal and Recovery of Metal Ions and Dyes from Wastewater through Montmorillonite Clay Mineral
Authors: Parisi Filippo , Lazzara Giuseppe , Merli Marcello , Milioto Stefana , Princivalle Francesco , Sciascia Luciana
Published: November 2019

The main objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of Montmorillonite nanoclay (Mt), readily and inexpensively available, for the simultaneous adsorption (and removal) of two classes of pollutants: metal ions and dyes. The attention was focused on two “model” pollutants: Ce(III) and crystal violet (CV). The choice is due to the fact that they are widespread in wastewaters of various origins. These characteristics, together with their effect on human health, make them ideal for studies on water remediation. Moreover, when separated from wastewater, they can be recycled individually in industrial production with no or simple treatment. Clay/pollutant hybrids were prepared under different pH conditions and characterized through the construction of the adsorption isotherms and powder X-ray diffraction. The adsorption behavior of the two contaminants was revealed to be significantly different: the Langmuir model reproduces the adsorption isotherm of Ce(III) better, thus indicating that the clay offers a unique adsorption site to the metal ions, while the Freundlich model proved to be the most reliable for the uptake of CV which implies heterogeneity of adsorption sites. Moreover, metal ions do not adsorb at all under acidic conditions, whereas the dye is able to adsorb under all the investigated conditions. The possibility to modulate the adsorption features by simply changing the pH conditions was successfully employed to develop an efficient protocol for the removal and separation of the different components from aqueous solutions mimicking wastewaters.
An Nd3+-Sensitized Upconversion Fluorescent Sensor for Epirubicin Detection
Authors: Mo Jingwen , Shen Long , Xu Qian , Zeng Jiaying , Sha Jingjie , Hu Tao , Bi Kedong , Chen Yunfei
Published: November 2019

We describe here an Nd3+-sensitized upconversion fluorescent sensor for epirubicin (EPI) detection in aqueous solutions under 808 nm laser excitation. The upconversion fluorescence of nanoparticles is effectively quenched in the presence of EPI via a fluorescence resonance energy transfer mechanism. The dynamic quenching constant was 2.10 × 104 M−1. Normalized fluorescence intensity increased linearly as the EPI concentration was raised from 0.09 μM to 189.66 μM and the fluorometric detection limit was 0.05 μM. The sensing method was simple, fast, and low-cost and was able to be applied to determine the levels of EPI in urine with spike recoveries from 97.5% to 102.6%. Another important feature of the proposed fluorescent sensor is that it holds a promising potential for in vivo imaging and detection due to its distinctive properties such as weak autofluorescence, low heating effect, and high light penetration depth.
The Electronic and Optical Properties of InSe-GeTe Heterobilayer via Applying Biaxial Strain
Authors: Yang Guofeng , Sun Rui , Gu Yan , Xie Feng , Ding Yu , Zhang Xiumei , Wang Yueke , Hua Bin , Ni Xianfeng , Fan Qian , Gu Xing
Published: November 2019

A comprehensive insight into the electronic and optical properties of small-lattice-mismatched InSe-GeTe heterobilayer (HBL) is performed based on the density functional theory (DFT) with van der Waals corrections from first-principles perspective. The optimization of most stable geometric stacking mode for the InSe-GeTe HBL is demonstrated. In addition, it is found that the InSe-GeTe HBL forms a type-II heterostructure of staggered-gap band alignment, resulting in an indirect band gap of 0.78 eV, which could be employed as a separator for electron-hole pairs. Moreover, the influence of biaxial strain on the electronic and optical properties of the InSe-GeTe HBL are systematically explored by calculating the band structures, density of states (PDOS), electron density differences, and optical absorption spectra of InSe-GeTe HBL under compressive and tensile biaxial strains. The results indicate that the electronic structures and optical performance of InSe-GeTe HBL could be modulated by changing the biaxial strain conveniently. Our findings provide new opportunities for the novel InSe-GeTe HBL to be applied in the electronic and optoelectronic fields.
Exploration of Chitinous Scaffold-Based Interfaces for Glucose Sensing Assemblies
Authors: Bagal-Kestwal Dipali R. , Chiang Been-Huang
Published: November 2019

The nanomaterial-integrated chitinous polymers have promoted the technological advancements in personal health care apparatus, particularly for enzyme-based devices like the glucometer. Chitin and chitosan, being natural biopolymers, have attracted great attention in the field of biocatalysts engineering. Their remarkable tunable properties have been explored for enhancing enzyme performance and biosensor advancements. Currently, incorporation of nanomaterials in chitin and chitosan-based biosensors are also widely exploited for enzyme stability and interference-free detection. Therefore, in this review, we focus on various innovative multi-faceted strategies used for the fabrication of biological assemblies using chitinous biomaterial interface. We aim to summarize the current development on chitin/chitosan and their nano-architecture scaffolds for interdisciplinary biosensor research, especially for analytes like glucose. This review article will be useful for understanding the overall multifunctional aspects and progress of chitin and chitosan-based polysaccharides in the food, biomedical, pharmaceutical, environmental, and other diverse applications.
Globalizing Extraction and Indigenous Rights in the Russian Arctic: The Enduring Role of the State in Natural Resource Governance
Authors: Tulaeva Svetlana A. , Tysiachniouk Maria S. , Henry Laura A. , Horowitz Leah S.
Published: November 2019

The governance of extractive industries has become increasingly globalized. International conventions and multi-stakeholder institutions set out rules and standards on a range of issues, such as environmental protection, human rights, and Indigenous rights. Companies’ compliance with these global rules may minimize risks for investors and shareholders, while offering people at sites of extraction more leverage. Although the Russian state retains a significant stake in the oil and gas industries, Russian oil and gas companies have globalized as well, receiving foreign investment, participating in global supply chains, and signing on to global agreements. We investigate how this global engagement has affected Nenets Indigenous communities in Yamal, an oil- and gas-rich region in the Russian Arctic, by analyzing Indigenous protests and benefit-sharing arrangements. Contrary to expectations, we find that Nenets Indigenous communities have not been empowered by international governance measures, and also struggle to use domestic laws to resolve problems. In Russia, the state continues to play a significant role in determining outcomes for Indigenous communities, in part by working with Indigenous associations that are state allies. We conclude that governance generating networks in the region are under-developed.
Satellite Altimetry and Tide Gauge Observed Teleconnections between Long-Term Sea Level Variability in the U.S. East Coast and the North Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Xu Qing , Tu Kai , Cheng Yongcun , Wang Weiping , Jia Yongjun , Ye Xiaomin
Published: November 2019

Rising sea levels amplify the threat and magnitude of storm surges in coastal areas. The U.S. east coast region north of Cape Hatteras has shown a significant sea level rise acceleration and is believed to be a “hot-spot” for accelerating tidal flooding. To better understand the forcing mechanism of long-term regional sea level change, in order to more efficiently implement local sea level rise adaptation and mitigation measures, this work investigated the teleconnections between low-frequency sea level variability in the coastal region north of Cape Hatteras and the subpolar/tropical North Atlantic Ocean by using tide gauge measurements, satellite altimetry data and a sea level reconstruction dataset. The correlation analysis demonstrates that the tide-gauge measured sea level variability in the area north of Cape Hatteras is highly and positively correlated with that observed by satellite altimetry in the subpolar and tropical North Atlantic between 1993 and 2002. Over the following decade (2003–2012), the phase of the teleconnection in the subpolar region was reversed and the spatio-temporal correlation in the tropical North Atlantic was enhanced. Furthermore, the positive correlation in the region north of Cape Hatteras’s near shore area is strengthened, while the negative correlation in the Gulf Stream front region is weakened. The North Atlantic Oscillation and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, which affect variations of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and Gulf Stream, were shown to have significant impacts on the decadal changes of the teleconnections. Coherent with satellite altimetry data, the reconstructed sea level dataset in the 20th century exhibits similar spatial correlation patterns with the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, North Atlantic Oscillation and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation indices.
Surface Deformation from Sentinel-1A InSAR: Relation to Seasonal Groundwater Extraction and Rainfall in Central Taiwan
Authors: Yang Yi-Jie , Hwang Cheinway , Hung Wei-Chia , Fuhrmann Thomas , Chen Yi-An , Wei Shiang-Hung
Published: November 2019

Extracting groundwater for agricultural, aquacultural, and industrial use in central Taiwan has caused large-scale land subsidence that poses a threat to the operation of the Taiwan High Speed Railway near Yunlin County. We detected Yunlin subsidence using the Sentinel-1A Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) by the Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) method from April 2016 to April 2017. We calibrated the initial InSAR-derived displacement rates using GPS measurements and reduced the velocity difference between the two sensors from 15.0 to 8.5 mm/a. In Yunlin’s severe subsidence regions, cumulative displacements from InSAR and GPS showed that the dry-season subsidence contributed 60%–74% of the annual subsidence. The InSAR-derived vertical velocities matched the velocities from leveling to better than 10 mm/a. In regions with few leveling measurements, InSAR increased the spatial resolution of the vertical velocity field and identified two previously unknown subsidence spots over an industrial zone and steel factory. Annual significant subsidence areas (subsidence rate > 30 mm/a) from leveling from 2011 to 2017 increased with the declining dry-season rainfalls, suggesting that the dry-season rainfall was the deciding factor for land subsidence. A severe drought in 2015 (an El Niño year) dramatically increased the significant subsidence area to 659 km2. Both InSAR and leveling detected similarly significant subsidence areas in 2017, showing that InSAR was an effective technique for assessing whether a subsidence mitigation measure worked. The newly opened Hushan Reservoir can supply surface water during dry seasons and droughts to counter rain shortage and can thereby potentially reduce land subsidence caused by groundwater extraction.
A Composite Method for Predicting Local Accuracies in Remotely Sensed Land-Cover Change Using Largely Non-Collocated Sample Data
Authors: Mei Yingying , Zhang Jingxiong , Zhang Wangle , Liu Fengzhu
Published: November 2019

As in conventional error matrix-based accuracy assessments, collocated reference sample data are often used for characterizing per-pixel (local) accuracies in land-cover change maps so that local accuracy predictions can be made using direct methods. In that way, correctness in “from-to” change categorization at sample pixels is assessed and modeled directly. To circumvent the issue of reference sample data being non-collocated, as is often the case for sample data collected independently for mono-temporal reference land-cover labeling or those added necessarily to reflect landscape changes, the PXCOV (Product rule with adjustment for cross-COVariance between single-date classification correctness) method was developed previously. However, the use of PXCOV becomes complicated when few or no collocated sample data are available and cross-validation cokriging, a procedure involving non-trivial geostatistical modeling, has to be incurred for estimation of cross-correlation. To overcome PXCOV’s lack of practicality when using mostly non-collocated sample data, this paper presents a simple alternative. It is furnished through stratified approximation of cross-correlation and features combined use of minimum and multiplication operators. Specifically, in this composite method (named Fuzzy+Product), minimum operator (resembling fuzzy set “min” operator and thus named Fuzzy) is applied over no-change pixels stratum where maximum correlation is assumed, while multiplication operator (i.e., product rule named Product) is applied for change pixels stratum where cross-correlation is assumed negligible (i.e., minimum correlation), without having to run cross-validation cokriging as in PXCOV. Studies were undertaken to test the proposed method based on datasets collected previously concerning GlobeLand30 2000 and 2010 land-cover at five sites in China. For each site, five model-training samples (being mostly non-collocated) of equal sizes and one independent model-testing sample (collocated) were used. Logistic regression models fitted with relevant sample data were applied to predict local accuracies in single-date classifications using selected map class occurrence pattern indices quantified in optimized moving windows. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic was used for evaluating alternative methods. Empirical results confirmed that method Fuzzy+Product is more accurate than both Fuzzy and Product in general and there are no statistically significant differences between it and PXCOV. This indicates Fuzzy+Product being a method of relative simplicity but reasonable accuracy when reference data are non-collocated or mostly so. Its value is likely best manifested when local and global accuracy characterization in multi-temporal change information (discrete and fractional) is concerned.
Refinement of Landslide Susceptibility Map Using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry in Areas of Intense Mining Activities in the Karst Region of Southwest China
Authors: Shen Chaoyong , Feng Zhongke , Xie Chou , Fang Haoran , Zhao Binbin , Ou Wenhao , Zhu Yu , Wang Kai , Li Hongwei , Bai Honglin , Mannan Abdul , Chen Panpan
Published: November 2019

Incremental vertical ground movements due to coal mining can increase landslide susceptibility greatly in a short time and have thus triggered a large number of geological disasters, especially in the Karst Region, where a lot of steep slopes are on fractured rocks. Therefore, the landslide susceptibility maps (LSM) in Karst Region should be updated regularly. This paper presents an efficient methodology to update and refine LSM by using Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) data directly. First, an original LSM was produced by using a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm, and the distribution of coal mining was considered a crucial factor to generate the LSM. Then, the Permanent Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PSInSAR) technique was implemented to retrieve displacement time-series. Finally, the landslide displacement map, produced by the PSInSAR analysis, was projected to the direction of the steepest slope and resampled to the same cell in the LSM, to update the original LSM. This methodology is illustrated with the case study of Bijie in the Karst Region of Southwest China, wherein the ascending RADARSAT-2 and descending Sentinel-1 datasets are processed for the period of 2017–2019. The results show that the susceptibility degree increased in 56.41 km2 of the study area, and 80 percent of the increased susceptibility degree was caused by coal mining. The comparison between original and refined LSM in two specific areas revealed that the proposed method can produce more-reliable landslide susceptibility maps in areas of intense mining activities in the Karst Region.
Characterisation of Sand Accumulations in Wadi Fatmah and Wadi Ash Shumaysi, KSA, Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing Imagery
Authors: Hermas ElSayed , Alharbi Omar , Alqurashi Abdullah , Niang Abdoul Jelil , Al-Ghamdi Khalid , Al-Mutiry Motirh , Farghaly Abudeif
Published: November 2019

The study area has three sand accumulations: Two in Wadi Fatmah and one in Wadi Ash Shumaysi, midwest of Saudi Arabia. The spatial extents of these sand accumulations have significantly increased over the last few decades. Multi-source satellite imagery, such as CORONA (1967, 1972), SPOT 5 (2013), LandSat TM (1986), and LandSat 8 OLI (2013), enabled monitoring and analysis of the interplay between the changes in the anthropogenic activities and spatial expansion of the areas of sand accumulation. The main driving force of the spatial expansion could be strongly linked to extensive changes in the anthropogenic regimes in the middle zone of Wadi Fatmah and its surrounding landforms and mountain masses. In this context, the once dominant agricultural lands of the middle zone of Wadi Fatmah have been transformed into abandoned agricultural areas. Extensive off-road driving has resulted in soil degradation. Excavation and mining activities for urban spatial expansion are widespread over the valley floor, the adjacent bajada, and the mountain blocks. These anthropogenic activities have remarkably induced strong wind erosion of the soil in severe arid conditions in the middle zone of Wadi Fatmah and Wadi Ash Shumaysi. Wind erosion has eventually produced a sufficient sand budget to be transported into the areas of sand accumulation. The primary consequence of the excess sand budget has been an increase in the spatial extents and dune migration rates of sand accumulations in the study area. However, this increase varies from one sand accumulation to another. In this study, we used multi-source remote sensing imagery and the state-of-the-art COSI-Corr technology to characterize sand accumulations in the study area and to determine the spatio-temporal changes in both the spatial extents and the dune migration rates. The mean annual migration rates of sand dunes in the three sand accumulations ranged from 5.5 and 7.2 to 8.6 m/yr. Analysis of the spatial extent and migration rates of sand accumulations indicates that the study area may have experienced desertification in response to changes in the anthropogenic regimes through the last few decades.
Active SLAM for Autonomous Underwater Exploration
Authors: Palomeras Narcís , Carreras Marc , Andrade-Cetto Juan
Published: November 2019

Exploration of a complex underwater environment without an a priori map is beyond the state of the art for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Despite several efforts regarding simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) and view planning, there is no exploration framework, tailored to underwater vehicles, that faces exploration combining mapping, active localization, and view planning in a unified way. We propose an exploration framework, based on an active SLAM strategy, that combines three main elements: a view planner, an iterative closest point algorithm (ICP)-based pose-graph SLAM algorithm, and an action selection mechanism that makes use of the joint map and state entropy reduction. To demonstrate the benefits of the active SLAM strategy, several tests were conducted with the Girona 500 AUV, both in simulation and in the real world. The article shows how the proposed framework makes it possible to plan exploratory trajectories that keep the vehicle’s uncertainty bounded; thus, creating more consistent maps.
Self-Training Classification Framework with Spatial-Contextual Information for Local Climate Zones
Authors: Zhao Nan , Ma Ailong , Zhong Yanfei , Zhao Ji , Cao Liqin
Published: November 2019

Local climate zones (LCZ) have become a generic criterion for climate analysis among global cities, as they can describe not only the urban climate but also the morphology inside the city. LCZ mapping based on the remote sensing classification method is a fundamental task, and the protocol proposed by the World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools (WUDAPT) project, which consists of random forest classification and filter-based spatial smoothing, is the most common approach. However, the classification and spatial smoothing lack a unified framework, which causes the appearance of small, isolated areas in the LCZ maps. In this paper, a spatial-contextual information-based self-training classification framework (SCSF) is proposed to solve this LCZ classification problem. In SCSF, conditional random field (CRF) is used to integrate the classification and spatial smoothing processing into one model and a self-training method is adopted, considering that the lack of sufficient expert-labeled training samples is always a big issue, especially for the complex LCZ scheme. Moreover, in the unary potentials of CRF modeling, pseudo-label selection using a self-training process is used to train the classifier, which fuses the regional spatial information through segmentation and the local neighborhood information through moving windows to provide a more reliable probabilistic classification map. In the pairwise potential function, SCSF can effectively improve the classification accuracy by integrating the spatial-contextual information through CRF. The experimental results prove that the proposed framework is efficient when compared to the traditional mapping product of WUDAPT in LCZ classification.
Face Detection Ensemble with Methods Using Depth Information to Filter False Positives
Authors: Nanni Loris , Brahnam Sheryl , Lumini Alessandra
Published: November 2019

A fundamental problem in computer vision is face detection. In this paper, an experimentally derived ensemble made by a set of six face detectors is presented that maximizes the number of true positives while simultaneously reducing the number of false positives produced by the ensemble. False positives are removed using different filtering steps based primarily on the characteristics of the depth map related to the subwindows of the whole image that contain candidate faces. A new filtering approach based on processing the image with different wavelets is also proposed here. The experimental results show that the applied filtering steps used in our best ensemble reduce the number of false positives without decreasing the detection rate. This finding is validated on a combined dataset composed of four others for a total of 549 images, including 614 upright frontal faces acquired in unconstrained environments. The dataset provides both 2D and depth data. For further validation, the proposed ensemble is tested on the well-known BioID benchmark dataset, where it obtains a 100% detection rate with an acceptable number of false positives.
The Spillover Effect of Geotagged Tweets as a Measure of Ambient Population for Theft Crime
Authors: Lan Minxuan , Liu Lin , Hernandez Andres , Liu Weiyi , Zhou Hanlin , Wang Zengli
Published: November 2019

As a measurement of the residential population, the Census population ignores the mobility of the people. This weakness may be alleviated by the use of ambient population, derived from social media data such as tweets. This research aims to examine the degree in which geotagged tweets, in contrast to the Census population, can explain crime. In addition, the mobility of Twitter users suggests that tweets as the ambient population may have a spillover effect on the neighboring areas. Based on a yearlong geotagged tweets dataset, negative binomial regression models are used to test the impact of tweets derived ambient population, as well as its possible spillover effect on theft crimes. Results show: (1) Tweets count is a viable replacement of the Census population for spatial theft pattern analysis; (2) tweets count as a measure of the ambient population shows a significant spillover effect on thefts, while such spillover effect does not exist for the Census population; (3) the combination of tweets and its spatial lag outperforms the Census population in theft crime analyses. Therefore, the spillover effect of the tweets derived ambient population should be considered in future crime analyses. This finding may be applicable to other social media data as well.
Influence of Surface Water Bodies on the Land Surface Temperature of Bangladesh
Authors: Khan Najeebullah , Shahid Shamsuddin , Chung Eun-Sung , Kim Sungkon , Ali Rawshan
Published: November 2019

Recent climate change has resulted in the reduction of several surface water bodies (SWBs) all around the globe. These SWBs, such as streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, reservoirs, and creeks have a positive impact on the cooling of the surrounding climate and, therefore, reduction in SWBs can contribute to the rise of land surface temperature (LST). This study presents the impact of SWBs on the LST across Bangladesh to quantify their roles in the rapid temperature rise of Bangladesh. The moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) LST and water mask data of Bangladesh for the period 2000–2015 are used for this purpose. Influences of topography and geography on LST were first removed, and then regression analysis was conducted to quantify the impact of SWBs on the LST. The non-parametric Mann–Kendall (MK) test was used to assess the changes in LST and SWBs. The results revealed that SWBs were reduced from 11,379 km2 in 2000 to 9657 km2 in 2015. The trend analysis showed that changes in SWBs have reduced significantly at a 90% level of confidence, which contributed to the acceleration of LST rise in the country due to global warming. The spatial analysis during the specific years showed that an increase in LST can be seen with the reduction of SWBs. Furthermore, the reduction of 100 m2 of SWBs can reduce the LST of the surrounding regions from −1.2 to −2.2 °C.
Local Action with a Global Vision: The Transformative Potential of Food Social Enterprises in Australia
Authors: Canal Vieira Leticia , Serrao-Neumann Silvia , Howes Michael
Published: November 2019

There is an urgent need to make food systems more sustainable and resilient. Such a transformation goes beyond technological innovation and requires economic and social change. Research interest in the transformative potential of community level action has increased. Food social enterprises often operate at the community level and consist of not-for-profit organisations that aim to make a positive contribution to social justice and environmental sustainability. The question addressed in this paper is whether these social enterprises are limited to isolated improvements or have the capacity to transform food systems more widely. This paper uses a multi-dimensional framework (involving the social setting, operational models, governance, and institutional context) to analyse the transformative potential of eight food social enterprises in the Australian cities of Brisbane and Melbourne. The analysis indicates that these enterprises create social networks, pursue agendas aligned with a global vision of transformation, and include a diversity of stakeholders. Their operational models are consistent with the goals of environmental sustainability and social justice. Their governance involves equality, transparency, and flexibility. In the institutional context, support from public policy is limited and there is a need to improve their engagement with governmental actors. While food social enterprises are well placed in the quest to make food systems more consistent with ecological dynamics and social justice, they need to engage in greater advocacy for institutional change in order to maximise their transformative potential.
Attitudes and Perceptions of Employees toward Corporate Social Responsibility in Western Balkan Countries: Importance and Relevance for Sustainable Development
Authors: Melovic Boban , Milovic Nikola , Backovic-Vulic Tamara , Dudic Branislav , Bajzik Peter
Published: November 2019

The aim of this paper is to identify the factors that influence employees’ attitudes and perceptions of corporate social responsibilities (CSR), as well as to discuss if there are some significant differences in the application of CSR in the analyzed Western Balkan countries, especially in terms of public and private sector affiliation. This is the first academic survey which examined the employees’ attitudes and perceptions of CSR integrally in five Western Balkan countries. Multivariate factor analysis was applied to data collected from 2410 employees in the analyzed countries. In order to test additionally the results obtained by factor analysis, the Structural Equation Model (SEM) was applied. The results of the research, obtained by multivariate factor analysis and SEM model, show that the largest percentage of employees believe that the CSR concept enables the generating of new values and success of the company, as well as welfare for the whole society. Additionally, companies are increasingly recognizing the strategic importance of CSR for the sustainability of their business, as well as the importance of development of sustainable practices in the environment. Based on the results of the research, the authors found out that there were significant differences in the understanding and acceptance of CSR in the analyzed countries, while there were significantly smaller differences between the private and public sectors. The results of the research may serve as a guide for managers when making decisions about implementing the strategy and future activities regarding CSR.
Investigation of High-Efficiency Iterative ILU Preconditioner Algorithm for Partial-Differential Equation Systems
Authors: Fan Yan-Hong , Wang Ling-Hui , Jia You , Li Xing-Guo , Yang Xue-Xia , Chen Chih-Cheng
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we investigate an iterative incomplete lower and upper (ILU) factorization preconditioner for partial-differential equation systems. We discretize the partial-differential equations into linear equation systems. An iterative scheme of linear systems is used. The ILU preconditioners of linear systems are performed on the different computation nodes of multi-central processing unit (CPU) cores. Firstly, the preconditioner of general tridiagonal matrix equations is tested on supercomputers. Then, the effects of partial-differential equation systems on the speedup of parallel multiprocessors are examined. The numerical results estimate that the parallel efficiency is higher than in other algorithms.
Simulating a Watershed-Scale Strategy to Mitigate Drought, Flooding, and Sediment Transport in Drylands
Authors: Maxwell Connie M. , Langarudi Saeed P. , Fernald Alexander G.
Published: November 2019

Drylands today are facing a landscape-scale water storage problem. Throughout the increasingly arid Southwest of the United States, vegetation loss in upland watersheds is leading to floods that scour soils and transport sediment that clogs downstream riparian areas and agricultural infrastructure. The resulting higher flow energies and diminished capacity to infiltrate flood flows are depleting soil water storage across the landscape, negatively impacting agriculture and ecosystems. Land and water managers face challenges to reverse the trends due to the complex interacting social and biogeophysical root causes. Presented here is an integrative system dynamics model that simulates innovative and transformative management scenarios. These scenarios include the natural and hydro-social processes and feedback dynamics critical for achieving long-term mitigation of droughts, flooding, and sediment transport. This model is a component of the Flood Flow Connectivity to the Landscape framework, which integrates spatial and hydrologic process models. Scenarios of support and collaboration for land management innovations are simulated to connect flood flow to the floodplains throughout the watershed to replenish soil storage and shallow groundwater aquifers across regional scales. The results reveal the management policy levers and trade-off balances critical for restoring management and water storage capacity to the system for long-term resilience.
The Pattern of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Outbreaks in South Asia
Authors: Chowdhury Sukanta , Hossain Mohammad Enayet , Ghosh Probir Kumar , Ghosh Sumon , Hossain Muhammad Belal , Beard Cindy , Rahman Mahmudur , Rahman Mohammed Ziaur
Published: November 2019

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has caused severe illnesses in poultry and in humans. More than 15,000 outbreaks in domestic birds from 2005 to 2018 and 861 human cases from 2003 to 2019 were reported across the world to OIE (Office International des Epizooties) and WHO (World Health Organization), respectively. We reviewed and summarized the spatial and temporal distribution of HPAI outbreaks in South Asia. During January 2006 to June 2019, a total of 1063 H5N1 outbreaks in birds and 12 human cases for H5N1 infection were reported to OIE and WHO, respectively. H5N1 outbreaks were detected more in the winter season than the summer season (RR 5.11, 95% CI: 4.28–6.1). Commercial poultry were three times more likely to be infected with H5N1 than backyard poultry (RR 3.47, 95% CI: 2.99–4.01). The highest number of H5N1 outbreaks was reported in 2008, and the smallest numbers were reported in 2014 and 2015. Multiple subtypes of avian influenza viruses and multiple clades of H5N1 virus were detected. Early detection and reporting of HPAI viruses are needed to control and eliminate HPAI in South Asia.
Yersinia Phages and Food Safety
Authors: Leon-Velarde Carlos G. , Jun Jin Woo , Skurnik Mikael
Published: November 2019

One of the human- and animal-pathogenic species in genus Yersinia is Yersinia enterocolitica, a food-borne zoonotic pathogen that causes enteric infections, mesenteric lymphadenitis, and sometimes sequelae such as reactive arthritis and erythema nodosum. Y. enterocolitica is able to proliferate at 4 °C, making it dangerous if contaminated food products are stored under refrigeration. The most common source of Y. enterocolitica is raw pork meat. Microbiological detection of the bacteria from food products is hampered by its slow growth rate as other bacteria overgrow it. Bacteriophages can be exploited in several ways to increase food safety with regards to contamination by Y. enterocolitica. For example, Yersinia phages could be useful in keeping the contamination of food products under control, or, alternatively, the specificity of the phages could be exploited in developing rapid and sensitive diagnostic tools for the identification of the bacteria in food products. In this review, we will discuss the present state of the research on these topics.
Measles Virus Infection and Immunity in a Suboptimal Vaccination Coverage Setting
Authors: Pacenti Monia , Maione Nataskya , Lavezzo Enrico , Franchin Elisa , Dal Bello Federico , Gottardello Lorena , Barzon Luisa
Published: November 2019

Despite efforts to improve surveillance and vaccination coverage, measles virus (MeV) continues to cause outbreaks also in high-income countries. As the reference laboratory of the Veneto Region, Italy, we analyzed changes in population immunity, described measles outbreaks, investigated MeV genetic diversity, and evaluated cross-protection of measles vaccination against MeV epidemic strains. Like most European areas, the Veneto Region has suboptimal measles vaccination coverage and is facing a growing public mistrust of vaccination. A progressive decline of measles vaccine uptake was observed during the last decade in the Veneto Region, leading to immunity gaps in children and young adults. Measles outbreaks were caused by the same MeV genotype B3, D4, and D8 strains that were circulating in other European countries. Eleven cases of measles were observed in immunized subjects. These cases were not associated with particular MeV genotypes nor with mutations in epitopes recognized by neutralizing antibodies. Accordingly, sera from fully vaccinated subjects cross-neutralized epidemic MeV strains, including the genotypes B3, D4, and D8, with the same high efficiency demonstrated against the vaccine strain. In fully vaccinated subjects, high MeV IgG antibody titers persisted up to 30 years following vaccination. These results support the use of the current measles-containing vaccines and strategies to strengthen vaccination.
Selective Persistence of HPV Cross-Neutralising Antibodies following Reduced-Dose HPV Vaccine Schedules
Authors: Toh Zheng Quan , Kosasih Jennie , Russell Fiona M. , Reyburn Rita , Fong James , Tuivaga Evelyn , Ratu Felisita T. , Nguyen Cattram D. , Matanitobua Silivia , Do Lien Anh Ha , Menheniott Trevelyan , Frazer Ian H. , Garland Suzanne M. , Mulholland Edward Kim , Licciardi Paul V.
Published: November 2019

The duration of cross-neutralising antibody responses (cross-NAb) following HPV immunisation is unknown. We compared cross-NAb responses in cohort of girls who were either unimmunised or had received immunisation with one, two or three doses of 4vHPV (Gardasil®, Merck Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA) six years earlier, before and one month after a booster dose of 2vHPV (Cervarix®, GSK, Brentford, UK). NAb to potentially cross-reactive HPV genotypes 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58 were measured using a HPV pseudovirion-based neutralisation assay. Girls who had previously received at least one dose of 4vHPV had significantly higher NAb titres for HPV31 when compared with unimmunised girls, whereas no difference in NAb titre was observed for four other genotypes (33, 45, 52 and 58). Following a single further immunisation with 2vHPV, NAb titres to each of the five tested HPV genotypes were comparable for girls who previously received one, two or three doses of 4vHPV, and were significantly higher than for previously unimmunised girls. Immunisation with one, two or three doses of 4vHPV induced NAb to HPV31 that persisted for six years, but there was no persistence of NAb to HPV33, 45, 52 or 58. Our results suggest that one or two doses of 4vHPV may provide long-term protection against HPV31.
Anthropic and Meteorological Controls on the Origin and Quality of Water at a Bank Filtration Site in Canada
Authors: Masse-Dufresne Janie , Baudron Paul , Barbecot Florent , Patenaude Marc , Pontoreau Coralie , Proteau-Bédard Francis , Menou Matthieu , Pasquier Philippe , Veuille Sabine , Barbeau Benoit
Published: November 2019

At many bank filtration (BF) sites, mixing ratios between the contributing sources of water are typically regarded as values with no temporal variation, even though hydraulic conditions and pumping regimes can be transient. This study illustrates how anthropic and meteorological forcings influence the origin of the water of a BF system that interacts with two lakes (named A and B). The development of a time-varying binary mixing model based on electrical conductivity (EC) allowed the estimation of mixing ratios over a year. A sensitivity analysis quantified the importance of considering the temporal variability of the end-members for reliable results. The model revealed that the contribution from Lake A may vary from 0% to 100%. At the wells that were operated continuously at >1000 m3/day, the contribution from Lake A stabilized between 54% and 78%. On the other hand, intermittent and occasional pumping regimes caused the mixing ratios to be controlled by indirect anthropic and/or meteorological forcing. The flow conditions have implications for the quality of the bank filtrate, as highlighted via the spatiotemporal variability of total Fe and Mn concentrations. We therefore propose guidelines for rapid decision-making regarding the origin and quality of the pumped drinking water.
Experimental and Numerical Study on Water Filling and Air Expelling Process in a Pipe with Multiple Air Valves under Water Slow Filling Condition
Authors: Liu Jintao , Xu Di , Zhang Shaohui , Bai Meijian
Published: November 2019

This paper investigates the physical processes involved in the water filling and air expelling process of a pipe with multiple air valves under water slow filling condition, and develops a fully coupledwater–air two-phase stratified numerical model for simulating the process. In this model, the Saint-Venant equations and the Vertical Average Navier–Stokes equations (VANS) are respectively applied to describe the water and air in pipe, and the air valve model is introduced into the VANS equations of air as the source term. The finite-volume method and implicit dual time-stepping method (IDTS) with two-order accuracy are simultaneously used to solve this numerical model to realize the full coupling between water and air movement. Then, the model is validated by using the experimental data of the pressure evolution in pipe and the air velocity evolution of air valves, which respectively characterize the water filling and air expelling process. The results show that the model performs well in capturing the physical processes, and a reasonable agreement is obtained between numerical and experimental results. This agreement demonstrates that the proposed model in this paper offers a practical method for simulating water filling and air expelling process in a pipe with multiple air valves under water slow filling condition.