bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Steam Deactivation Severity of ZSM-5 Additives on LPG Olefins Production in the FCC Process
Authors: Gusev Andrey A. , Psarras Antonios C. , Triantafyllidis Konstantinos S. , Lappas Angelos A. , Diddams Paul A.
Published: October 2017

ZSM-5-containing catalytic additives are widely used in oil refineries to boost light olefin production and improve gasoline octanes in the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) process. Under the hydrothermal conditions present in the FCC regenerator (typically >700 °C and >8% steam), FCC catalysts and additives are subject to deactivation. Zeolites (e.g., Rare Earth USY in the base catalyst and ZSM-5 in Olefins boosting additives) are prone to dealumination and partial structural collapse, thereby losing activity, micropore surface area, and undergoing changes in selectivity. Fresh catalyst and additives are added at appropriate respective levels to the FCC unit on a daily basis to maintain overall targeted steady-state (equilibrated) activity and selectivity. To mimic this process under accelerated laboratory conditions, a commercial P/ZSM-5 additive was hydrothermally equilibrated via a steaming process at two temperatures: 788 °C and 815 °C to simulate moderate and more severe equilibration industrial conditions, respectively. n-Dodecane was used as probe molecule and feed for micro-activity cracking testing at 560 °C to determine the activity and product selectivity of fresh and equilibrated P-doped ZSM-5 additives. The fresh/calcined P/ZSM-5 additive was very active in C12 cracking while steaming limited its activity, i.e., at catalyst-to-feed (C/F) ratio of 1, about 70% and 30% conversion was obtained with the fresh and steamed additives, respectively. A greater activity drop was observed upon increasing the hydrothermal deactivation severity due to gradual decrease of total acidity and microporosity of the additives. However, this change in severity did not result in any selectivity changes for the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) olefins as the nature (Brønsted-to-Lewis ratio) of the acid/active sites was not significantly altered upon steaming. Steam deactivation of ZSM-5 had also no significant effect on aromatics formation which was enhanced at higher conversion levels. Coke remained low with both fresh and steam-deactivated P/ZSM-5 additives.
The Regulatory Mechanism of MLT/MT1 Signaling on the Growth of Antler Mesenchymal Cells
Authors: Yang Feifei , He Changjiu , Sun Xuyang , Wang Jing , Luo Can , Liu Guoshi , Yang Liguo , Xiong Jiajun , Huo Lijun
Published: October 2017

Melatonin (MLT) plays an important role in regulating the physiological cycle of seasonal breeding animals. Melatonin receptor I (MT1) is effectively expressed in the cambium layer of deer antler. However, the function and metabolic mechanism of MLT/MT1 signaling in the mesenchymal cells of sika deer remain to be further elucidated. In this work, we detected the effects of MLT/MT1 signaling on mesenchymal cells proliferation and the interaction between MLT/MT1 and IGF1/IGF1-R signaling. The results show that (1) deer antler mesenchymal cells actually express MT1; (2) exogenous melatonin significantly promotes mesenchymal cells proliferation, while MT1 knock-down significantly impairs the positive effects of melatonin; and (3) melatonin significantly enhanced IGF1/IGF1-R signaling, as both the expression of IGF1 and IGF-1R increased, while MT1 knock-down significantly decreased IGF1-R expression and IGF1 synthesis. In summary, these data verified that MLT/MT1 signaling plays a crucial role in antler mesenchymal proliferation, which may be mediated by IGF1/IGF1-R.
Ureidopyrazine Derivatives: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation as Anti-Infectives and Abiotic Elicitors
Authors: Bouz Ghada , Juhás Martin , Niklová Pavlína , Janďourek Ondřej , Paterová Pavla , Janoušek Jiří , Tůmová Lenka , Kovalíková Zuzana , Kastner Petr , Doležal Martin , Zitko Jan
Published: October 2017

Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has become a frequently deadly infection due to increasing antimicrobial resistance. This serious issue has driven efforts worldwide to discover new drugs effective against Mtb. One research area is the synthesis and evaluation of pyrazinamide derivatives as potential anti-TB drugs. In this paper we report the synthesis and biological evaluations of a series of ureidopyrazines. Compounds were synthesized by reacting alkyl/aryl isocyanates with aminopyrazine or with propyl 5-aminopyrazine-2-carboxylate. Reactions were performed in pressurized vials using a CEM Discover microwave reactor with a focused field. Purity and chemical structures of products were assessed, and the final compounds were tested in vitro for their antimycobacterial, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Propyl 5-(3-phenylureido)pyrazine-2-carboxylate (compound 4, MICMtb = 1.56 μg/mL, 5.19 μM) and propyl 5-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)ureido)pyrazine-2-carboxylate (compound 6, MICMtb = 6.25 μg/mL, 18.91 μM) had high antimycobacterial activity against Mtb H37Rv with no in vitro cytotoxicity on HepG2 cell line. Therefore 4 and 6 are suitable for further structural modifications that might improve their biological activity and physicochemical properties. Based on the structural similarity to 1-(2-chloropyridin-4-yl)-3-phenylurea, a known plant growth regulator, two selected compounds were evaluated for similar activity as abiotic elicitors.
Evaluation of the Effects of Nanoparticle Mixtures on Brassica Seed Germination and Bacterial Bioluminescence Activity Based on the Theory of Probability
Authors: Ko Kyung-Seok , Koh Dong-Chan , Kong In
Published: October 2017

Effects of binary mixtures of six metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs; 54 combinations) on the activities of seed germination and bacterial bioluminescence were investigated using the theory of probability. The observed toxicities of various NPs combinations were compared with the theoretically expected toxicities, calculated based on individual NPs toxicities. Different sensitivities were observed depending on the concentrations and the types of NPs. The synergistic mode (67%; observed toxicity greater than expected toxicity) was predominantly observed in the bioluminescence test, whereas both synergistic (47%) and additive (50%) modes were prevalent in the activity of seed germination. With regard to overall analysis, a slightly high percentage (56%) of the synergistic mode of action was (30 out of 54 binary mixture combinations; p < 0.0392) observed. These results suggest that the exposure of an NPs mixture in the environment may lead to a similar or higher toxicity level than the sum of its constituent NPs would suggest. In addition, one organism for assessment did not always show same results as those from a different assessment. Therefore, combining results of different organisms exposed to a wide range of concentrations of binary mixture will more properly predict and evaluate the expected ecotoxicity of pollutants on environments.
The Impact of a Weight Loss Intervention on Diet Quality and Eating Behaviours in People with Obesity and COPD
Authors: McLoughlin Rebecca , McDonald Vanessa , Gibson Peter , Scott Hayley , Hensley Michael , MacDonald-Wicks Lesley , Wood Lisa
Published: October 2017

There is a paucity of evidence to guide clinicians about appropriate management strategies for people with obesity and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). We have recently published results from the first weight loss intervention in adults (>18 years) with obesity (body mass index; BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and COPD, using a low-calorie diet coupled with a partial meal replacement plan and resistance exercise training, which resulted in a 6.4% reduction in weight while maintaining skeletal muscle mass and improving health status. This sub-study aims to evaluate the intervention by (a) examining changes in dietary intake and nutritional biomarkers and (b) examining predictors of weight loss. Dietary intake was evaluated using four-day food diaries, and analysis of plasma fatty acids and plasma carotenoids as biomarkers of dietary fat intake and fruit and vegetable intake, respectively. Twenty-eight obese COPD subjects (n = 17 males, n = 11 females) with a mean (standard deviation; SD) age of 67.6 (6.3) years completed the 12-week weight loss intervention. Pre-intervention, mean (SD) BMI was 36.3 (4.6) kg/m2. Micronutrient intake improved from pre- to post-intervention, with the percentage of subjects meeting the Nutrient Reference Values increased for all micronutrients. Post-intervention, significant decreases in total (p = 0.009) and saturated fat intake (p = 0.037), and corresponding decreases in total (p = 0.007) and saturated plasma fatty acids (p = 0.003) were observed. There was a trend towards higher total carotenoids post-intervention (p = 0.078). Older age (p = 0.025), higher pre-intervention uncontrolled eating (p < 0.001) and plasma carotenoids (p = 0.009) predicted weight loss. This demonstrates the efficacy of a weight loss intervention in improving diet quality of obese COPD adults.
Zinc Supplementation Improves Glucose Homeostasis in High Fat-Fed Mice by Enhancing Pancreatic β-Cell Function
Authors: Cooper-Capetini Vinícius , De Vasconcelos Diogo , Martins Amanda , Hirabara Sandro , Donato Jr. José , Carpinelli Angelo , Abdulkader Fernando
Published: October 2017

Zinc is an essential component of the insulin granule and it possibly modulates insulin secretion and signaling. Since insulin resistance is a hallmark in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, this study aimed at investigating if zinc supplementation is able to improve glucose tolerance and β-cell function in a model of insulin resistance. Male C57BL/6 mice were distributed in four groups according to the diet: normal fat (NF); normal fat supplemented with ZnCl2 (NFZ); high-fat (HF); and, high-fat chow supplemented with ZnCl2 (HFZ). Intraperitoneal glucose (ipGTT) and insulin (ipITT) tolerance, glycemia, insulinemia, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-β were determined after 15 weeks in each diet. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) was investigated in isolated islets. The insulin effect on glucose uptake, metabolism, and signaling was investigated in soleus muscle. ZnCl2 did not affect body mass or insulin sensitivity as assessed by ipITT, HOMA-IR, muscle glucose metabolism, and Akt and GSK3-β phosphorylation. However, glucose tolerance, HOMA-β, and GSIS were significantly improved by ZnCl2 supplementation. Therefore, ZnCl2 supplementation improves glucose homeostasis in high fat-fed mice by a mechanism that enhances β-cell function, rather than whole-body or muscle insulin sensitivity.
The Prevalence and Predictors of Dietary Supplement Use in the Australian Population
Authors: O’Brien Stacey , Malacova Eva , Sherriff Jill , Black Lucinda
Published: October 2017

Current dietary supplement use in Australia is not well described. We investigated the prevalence and predictors of supplement use in the Australian population (n = 19,257) using data from the 2014–2015 National Health Survey. We reported the prevalence of supplement use by sex and age group and investigated the independent predictors of supplement use in adults, adolescents, and children using multiple logistic regression models. A total of 43.2% of adults (34.9% of males, 50.3% of females), 20.1% of adolescents (19.7% of males, 20.6% of females), and 23.5% of children (24.4% of males, 22.5% of females) used at least one dietary supplement in the previous two weeks. The most commonly used supplements were multivitamins and/or multiminerals and fish oil preparations. In adults, independent predictors of supplement use included being female, increasing age, being born outside Australia and other main English-speaking countries, having a higher education level, having a healthy BMI compared to those who were obese, being physically active, and being a non-smoker. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed investigation of dietary supplement use in a nationally-representative sample of the Australian population. Future studies investigating the contribution of supplements to overall dietary intakes of vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids are warranted.
Association between Diet Quality and Adiposity in the Atlantic PATH Cohort
Authors: DeClercq Vanessa , Cui Yunsong , Forbes Cynthia , Grandy Scott , Keats Melanie , Parker Louise , Sweeney Ellen , Yu Zhijie , Dummer Trevor
Published: October 2017

The aim of this study was to examine diet quality among participants in the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (PATH) cohort and to assess the association with adiposity. Data were collected from participants (n = 23,768) aged 35–69 years that were residents of the Atlantic Canadian provinces. Both measured and self-reported data were used to examine adiposity (including body mass index (BMI), abdominal obesity, waist-to-hip ratio and fat mass) and food frequency questionnaires were used to assess diet quality. Overall, diet quality was statistically different among provinces. Of concern, participants across all the provinces reported consuming only 1–2 servings of vegetables and 1–2 servings fruit per day. However, participants also reported some healthy dietary choices such as consuming more servings of whole grains than refined grains, and eating at fast food restaurants ≤1 per month. Significant differences in BMI, body weight, percentage body fat, and fat mass index were also observed among provinces. Adiposity measures were positively associated with consumption of meat/poultry, fish, snack food, sweeteners, diet soft drinks, and frequenting fast food restaurants, and inversely associated with consumption of whole grains and green tea. Although all four provinces are in the Atlantic region, diet quality vary greatly among provinces and are associated with adiposity.
Leucine-Enriched Essential Amino Acids Augment Muscle Glycogen Content in Rats Seven Days after Eccentric Contraction
Authors: Kato Hiroyuki , Miura Kyoko , Suzuki Katsuya , Bannai Makoto
Published: October 2017

Eccentric contractions induce muscle damage, which impairs recovery of glycogen and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) content over several days. Leucine-enriched essential amino acids (LEAAs) enhance the recovery in muscles that are damaged after eccentric contractions. However, the role of LEAAs in this process remains unclear. We evaluated the content in glycogen and high energy phosphates molecules (phosphocreatine (PCr), adenosine di-phosphate (ADP) and ATP) in rats that were following electrically stimulated eccentric contractions. Muscle glycogen content decreased immediately after the contraction and remained low for the first three days after the stimulation, but increased seven days after the eccentric contraction. LEAAs administration did not change muscle glycogen content during the first three days after the contraction. Interestingly, however, it induced a further increase in muscle glycogen seven days after the stimulation. Contrarily, ATP content decreased immediately after the eccentric contraction, and remained lower for up to seven days after. Additionally, LEAAs administration did not affect the ATP content over the experimental period. Finally, ADP and PCr levels did not significantly change after the contractions or LEAA administration. LEAAs modulate the recovery of glycogen content in muscle after damage-inducing exercise.
Effects of Reorientation of Graphene Platelets (GPLs) on Young’s Modulus of Polymer Nanocomposites under Uni-Axial Stretching
Authors: Feng Chuang , Wang Yu , Kitipornchai Sritawat , Yang Jie
Published: October 2017

The orientation of reinforcement fillers in composites plays a vital role in their mechanical properties. This paper employs the Mori–Tanaka micromechanics model, incorporating the effect of stretching-induced reorientation of graphene platelets (GPL), to predict Young’s modulus of GPL/polymer nanocomposites. Subjected to uni-axial stretching, dispersion of GPLs is described by an orientation distribution function (ODF) in terms of a stretching strain and two Euler angles. The ODF shows that GPLs tend to realign along the stretching direction. Such realignment is enhanced at a higher Poisson’s ratio and under a larger stretching strain. It is found that the out-of-plane Young’s modulus of GPL nanofillers has a limited effect on the overall Young’s modulus of the composites. With an increase in stretching strain and GPL concentration, Young’s modulus increases in the stretching direction while it decreases in the transverse direction. A larger aspect-ratio of GPLs with fewer layers is preferred for enhancing Young’s modulus in the stretching direction, but it is unfavorable in the transverse direction. Moreover, Young’s moduli in both longitudinal and transverse directions are more sensitive to the reorientation of smaller-sized GPLs with a greater concentration in the composites.
Fifty Years of Hydrosilylation in Polymer Science: A Review of Current Trends of Low-Cost Transition-Metal and Metal-Free Catalysts, Non-Thermally Triggered Hydrosilylation Reactions, and Industrial Applications
Authors: Hofmann Robin , Vlatković Matea , Wiesbrock Frank
Published: October 2017

Hydrosilylation reactions, the (commonly) anti-Markovnikov additions of silanes to unsaturated bonds present in compounds such as alkenes and alkynes, offer numerous unique and advantageous properties for the preparation of polymeric materials, such as high yields and stereoselectivity. These reactions require to be catalyzed, for which platinum compounds were used in the initial stages. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of hydrosilylations in polymer science and, concomitantly, five decades of continuously growing research, hydrosilylation reactions have advanced to a level that renders them predestined for transfer into commercial products on the large scale. Facing this potential transfer, this review addresses and discusses selected current trends of the scientific research in the area, namely low-cost transition metal catalysts (focusing on iron, cobalt, and nickel complexes), metal-free catalysts, non-thermally triggered hydrosilylation reactions (highlighting stimuli such as (UV-)light), and (potential) industrial applications (highlighting the catalysts used and products manufactured). This review focuses on the hydrosilylation reactions involving alkene reactants.
Facile Synthesis of Polyaniline Nanotubes Using Self-Assembly Method Based on the Hydrogen Bonding: Mechanism and Application in Gas Sensing
Authors: Yin Changqing , Gao Lei , Zhou Fei , Duan Guotao
Published: October 2017

Based on hydrogen bonding, the highly uniform polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes were synthesized by self-assembly method using citric acid (CA) as the dopant and the structure-directing agent by optimizing the molar ratio of CA to aniline monomer (Ani). Synthesis conditions like reaction temperature and mechanical stirring were considered to explore the effects of hydrogen bonding on the morphologies. The effects of CA on the final morphology of the products were also investigated. The as-synthesized CA doped polyaniline (PANI) nanomaterials were further deposited on the plate electrodes for the test of gas sensing performance to ammonia (NH3). The sensitivity to various concentrations of NH3, the repeatability, and the stability of the sensors were also tested and analyzed. As a result, it was found that the PANI nanomaterial synthesized at the CA/Ani molar ratio of 0.5 has highly uniform tubular morphology and shows the best sensing performance to NH3. It makes the PANI nanotubes a promising material for high performance gas sensing to NH3.
Surface and Protein Adsorption Properties of 316L Stainless Steel Modified with Polycaprolactone Film
Authors: Chang Shih-Hang , Hsiao Yuan-Chien
Published: October 2017

The surface and protein adsorption properties of 316L stainless steel (316L SS) modified with polycaprolactone (PCL) films are systematically investigated. The wettability of the PCL films was comparable to that of bare 316L SS because the rough surface morphology of the PCL films counteracts their hydrophobicity. Surface modification with PCL film significantly improves the corrosion resistance of the 316L SS because PCL is insulating in nature. A coating of PCL film effectively reduces the amount of adhered bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the surface of 316L SS in a bicinchoninic acid protein assay. PCL is both biodegradable and biocompatible, suggesting the potential for the surface modification of implants used in human bodies; in these applications, excellent corrosion resistance and anticoagulant properties are necessary.
Optional Defaultable Markets
Authors: Abdelghani Mohamed , Melnikov Alexander
Published: October 2017

The paper deals with defaultable markets, one of the main research areas of mathematical finance. It proposes a new approach to the theory of such markets using techniques from the calculus of optional stochastic processes on unusual probability spaces, which was not presented before. The paper is a foundation paper and contains a number of fundamental results on modeling of defaultable markets, pricing and hedging of defaultable claims and results on the probability of default under such conditions. Moreover, several important examples are presented: a new pricing formula for a defaultable bond and a new pricing formula for credit default swap. Furthermore, some results on the absence of arbitrage for markets on unusual probability spaces and markets with default are also provided.
Assessment of the Hydro-Ecological Impacts of the Three Gorges Dam on China’s Largest Freshwater Lake
Authors: Wu Guiping , Liu Yuanbo
Published: October 2017

The Three Gorges Dam (TGD) has received increasing attention with respect to its potential effects on downstream hydro-ecosystems. Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake downstream of the TGD, and it is not immune to these impacts. Here, we combine hydrological observations, remote sensing, a geographic information system (GIS), and landscape ecology technology to investigate the variability and spatial pattern of the hydro-ecological alterations to Poyang Lake induced by the operation of the TGD. It was found that the TGD caused significant hydro-ecological alterations across the Poyang Lake wetland. Specifically, the TGD operation altered the seasonal inundation pattern of Poyang Lake and significantly reduced the monthly inundation frequencies (IFs), which were especially notable (~30–40%) from September to November. Spatially, the declining IFs led to an increase in the mudflat area that is suitable for the growth of vegetation. The vegetation area increased by 58.82 km2 and 463.73 km2 in the low- and high-water season, respectively, with the most significant changes occurring in the estuary delta of the Ganjiang and Raohe rivers. The results also indicated that the changes in the inundation pattern and floodplain vegetation have profoundly altered the structure and composition of the wetland, which has resulted in increased landscape diversity and a gradual increase in the complexity of the ecosystem composition under the influence of regulation of the TGD. Such results are of great importance for policymakers, as they may provide a reference for wetland water resource planning and landscape restoration in an operational dam environment.
Mapping Water Quality Parameters with Sentinel-3 Ocean and Land Colour Instrument imagery in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Toming Kaire , Kutser Tiit , Uiboupin Rivo , Arikas Age , Vahter Kaimo , Paavel Birgot
Published: October 2017

The launch of Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) on board Sentinel-3A in 2016 is the beginning of a new era in long time, continuous, high frequency water quality monitoring of coastal waters. Therefore, there is a strong need to validate the OLCI products to be sure that the technical capabilities provided will be used in the best possible way in water quality monitoring and research. The Baltic Sea is an optically complex waterbody where many ocean colour products, performing well in other waterbodies, fail. We tested the performance of standard Case-2 Regional/Coast Colour (C2RCC) processing chain in retrieving water reflectance, inherent optical properties (IOPs), and water quality parameters such as chlorophyll a, total suspended matter (TSM) and coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the Baltic Sea. The reflectance spectra produced by the C2RCC are realistic in both shape and magnitude. However, the IOPs, and consequently the water quality parameters estimated by the C2RCC, did not have correlation with in situ data. On the other hand, some tested empirical remote sensing algorithms performed well in retrieving chlorophyll a, TSM, CDOM and Secchi depth from the reflectance produced by the C2RCC. This suggests that the atmospheric correction part of the processor performs relatively well while IOP retrieval part of the neural network needs extensive training with actual IOP data before it can produce reasonable estimates for the Baltic Sea.
The Methane Isotopologues by Solar Occultation (MISO) Nanosatellite Mission: Spectral Channel Optimization and Early Performance Analysis
Authors: Weidmann Damien , Hoffmann Alex , Macleod Neil , Middleton Kevin , Kurtz Joe , Barraclough Simon , Griffin Doug
Published: October 2017

MISO is an in-orbit demonstration mission that focuses on improving the representation of the methane distribution throughout the upper troposphere and stratosphere, to complement and augment the nadir- and zenith-looking methane observing system for a better understanding of the methane budget. MISO also aims to raise to space mission readiness the concept of laser heterodyne spectro-radiometry (LHR) and associated miniaturization technologies, through demonstration of Doppler-limited atmospheric transmittance spectroscopy of methane from a nanosatellite platform suitable for future constellation deployment. The instrumental and engineering approach to MISO is briefly presented to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the mission. LHR operates using narrow spectral coverage (<1 cm−1) focusing on a few carefully chosen individual ro-vibrational transitions. A line-by-line spectral channel selection methodology is developed and used to optimize spectral channel selection relevant to methane isotopologue sounding from co-registered thermal infrared and short-wave infrared LHR. One of the selected windows is then used to carry out a first performance analysis of methane retrievals based on measurement noise propagation. This preliminary analysis of a single observation demonstrates an ideal instrumental precision of <1% for altitudes in the range 8–20 km, <5% for 20–30 km and <10% up to 37 km on a single isotopologue profile, which leaves a significant reserve for real-world error budget degradation and bodes well for the mission feasibility. MISO could realistically demonstrate methane limb sounding at Doppler-limited spectral resolution, even from a cost-effective 6 dm3 nanosatellite.
Nonnegative Matrix Factorization With Data-Guided Constraints For Hyperspectral Unmixing
Authors: Huang Risheng , Li Xiaorun , Zhao Liaoying
Published: October 2017

Hyperspectral unmixing aims to estimate a set of endmembers and corresponding abundances in pixels. Nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) and its extensions with various constraints have been widely applied to hyperspectral unmixing. L 1 / 2 and L 2 regularizers can be added to NMF to enforce sparseness and evenness, respectively. In practice, a region in a hyperspectral image may possess different sparsity levels across locations. The problem remains as to how to impose constraints accordingly when the level of sparsity varies. We propose a novel nonnegative matrix factorization with data-guided constraints (DGC-NMF). The DGC-NMF imposes on the unknown abundance vector of each pixel with either an L 1 / 2 constraint or an L 2 constraint according to its estimated mixture level. Experiments on the synthetic data and real hyperspectral data validate the proposed algorithm.
Usability Study to Assess the IGBP Land Cover Classification for Singapore
Authors: Sidhu Nanki , Pebesma Edzer , Wang Yi-Chen
Published: October 2017

Our research focuses on assessing the usability of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) classification scheme provided in the MODIS MCD12Q1-1 dataset for assessing the land cover of the city-state, Singapore. We conducted a user study with responses from 33 users by providing them with Google Earth images from different parts of Singapore, asking survey-takers to classify these images according to their understanding by the IGBP definitions provided. We also conducted interviews with experts from major governmental agencies working with satellite imagery, which highlighted the need for a detailed land classification for Singapore. In addition to the qualitative analysis of the IGBP land classification scheme, we carried out a validation of the MCD12Q1-1 remote sensing product against SPOT-5 imagery for our study area. The user study revealed that survey-takers were able to correctly classify urban areas, as well as densely forested areas. Misclassifications between Cropland and Mixed Forest classes were highest and were attributed by users to the broad terminology of the IGBP of the two land cover class definitions. For the accuracy assessment, we obtained validation points using weighted and unweighted stratified sampling. The overall classification accuracy for all 17 IGBP land classes is 62%. Upon selecting only the four most occurring IGBP land classes in Singapore, the classification accuracy improved to 71%. Validation of the MCD12Q1-1 against ground truth for Singapore revealed less-common land classes that may be of importance in a global context but are sources of error when the same product is applied at a smaller scale. Combining the user study with the accuracy assessment gives a comprehensive overview of the challenges associated with using global-level land cover data to derive localized land cover information specifically for smaller land masses like Singapore.
Agricultural Soil Spectral Response and Properties Assessment: Effects of Measurement Protocol and Data Mining Technique
Authors: Gholizadeh Asa , Carmon Nimrod , Klement Aleš , Ben-Dor Eyal , Borůvka Luboš
Published: October 2017

Soil spectroscopy has shown to be a fast, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, non-destructive, reproducible and repeatable analytical technique. Soil components, as well as types of instruments, protocols, sampling methods, sample preparation, spectral acquisition techniques and analytical algorithms have a combined influence on the final performance. Therefore, it is important to characterize these differences and to introduce an effective approach in order to minimize the technical factors that alter reflectance spectra and consequent prediction. To quantify this alteration, a joint project between Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CULS) and Tel-Aviv University (TAU) was conducted to estimate Cox, pH-H2O, pH-KCl and selected forms of Fe and Mn. Two different soil spectral measurement protocols and two data mining techniques were used to examine seventy-eight soil samples from five agricultural areas in different parts of the Czech Republic. Spectral measurements at both laboratories were made using different ASD spectroradiometers. The CULS protocol was based on employing a contact probe (CP) spectral measurement scheme, while the TAU protocol was carried out using a CP measurement method, accompanied with the internal soil standard (ISS) procedure. Two spectral datasets, acquired from different protocols, were both analyzed using partial least square regression (PLSR) technique as well as the PARACUDA II®, a new data mining engine for optimizing PLSR models. The results showed that spectra based on the CULS setup (non-ISS) demonstrated significantly higher albedo intensity and reflectance values relative to the TAU setup with ISS. However, the majority of statistics using the TAU protocol was not noticeably better than the CULS spectra. The paper also highlighted that under both measurement protocols, the PARACUDA II® engine proved to be a powerful tool for providing better results than PLSR. Such initiative is not only a way to unlock current limitations of soil spectroscopy, but also offers considerable efficiency and cost- and time-saving possibilities, which lead to further improvements in prediction performance of spectral models.
Vis-NIR Spectroscopy and PLS Regression with Waveband Selection for Estimating the Total C and N of Paddy Soils in Madagascar
Authors: Kawamura Kensuke , Tsujimoto Yasuhiro , Rabenarivo Michel , Asai Hidetoshi , Andriamananjara Andry , Rakotoson Tovohery
Published: October 2017

Visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy with partial least squares (PLS) regression is a quick, cost-effective, and promising technology for predicting soil properties. The advantage of PLS regression is that all available wavebands can be incorporated in the model, while earlier studies indicate that PLS models include redundant wavelengths, and selecting specific wavebands can refine PLS analyses. This study evaluated the performance of PLS regression with waveband selection using Vis-NIR reflectance spectra to estimate the total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) in soils collected mainly from the surface of upland and lowland rice fields in Madagascar (n = 59; after outliers were removed). We used iterative stepwise elimination-based PLS (ISE-PLS) to estimate soil TC and TN and compared the predictive ability with standard full-spectrum PLS (FS-PLS). The predictive abilities were assessed using the coefficient of determination (R2), the root mean squared error of cross-validation (RMSECV), and the residual predictive deviation (RPD). Overall, ISE-PLS using first derivative reflectance (FDR) showed a better predictive accuracy than ISE-PLS for both TC (R2 = 0.972, RMSECV = 0.194, RPD = 5.995) and TN (R2 = 0.949, RMSECV = 0.019, RPD = 4.416) in the soil of Madagascar. The important wavebands for estimating TC (12.59% of all wavebands) and TN (3.55% of all wavebands) were selected from all 2001 wavebands over the 400–2400 nm range using ISE-PLS. These findings suggest that ISE-PLS based on Vis-NIR diffuse reflectance spectra can be used to estimate soil TC and TN contents in Madagascar with an improved predictive accuracy.
Silicon Nanocrystals with pH-Sensitive Tunable Light Emission from Violet to Blue-Green
Authors: Wang Jing , Guo Junhong , Chen Jing
Published: October 2017

We fabricated a silicon nanocrystal (NC) suspension with visible, continuous, tunable light emission with pH sensitivity from violet to blue-green. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern analysis exhibit the highly crystalline nanoparticles of silicon. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra at different pH values, such as 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, reveal the origins of light emission from the silicon NC suspension, which includes both the quantum confinement effect and surface bonding. The quantum confinement effect dominates the PL origins of silicon NCs, especially determining the tunability and the emission range of PL, while the surface bonding regulates the maximum peak center, full width at half maximum (FWHM), and offsets of PL peaks in response to the changing pH value. The peak fitting of PLE curves reveals one of the divided PLE peaks shifts towards a shorter wavelength when the pH value increases, which implies correspondence with the surface bonding between silicon NCs and hydrogen atoms or hydroxyl groups. The consequent detailed analysis of the PL spectra indicates that the surface bonding results in the transforming of the PL curves towards longer wavelengths with the increasing pH values, which is defined as the pH sensitivity of PL. These results suggest that the present silicon NCs with pH-sensitive tunable light emission could find promising potential applications as optical sources, bio-sensors, etc.
Flexible Sensors for Pressure Therapy: Effect of Substrate Curvature and Stiffness on Sensor Performance
Authors: Khodasevych Iryna , Parmar Suresh , Troynikov Olga
Published: October 2017

Flexible pressure sensors are increasingly being used in medical and non-medical applications, and particularly in innovative health monitoring. Their efficacy in medical applications such as compression therapy depends on the accuracy and repeatability of their output, which in turn depend on factors such as sensor type, shape, pressure range, and conformability of the sensor to the body surface. Numerous researchers have examined the effects of sensor type and shape, but little information is available on the effect of human body parameters such as support surfaces’ curvature and the stiffness of soft tissues on pressure sensing performance. We investigated the effects of body parameters on the performance of pressure sensors using a custom-made human-leg-like test setup. Pressure sensing parameters such as accuracy, drift and repeatability were determined in both static (eight hours continuous pressure) and dynamic (10 cycles of pressure application of 30 s duration) testing conditions. The testing was performed with a focus on compression therapy application for venous leg ulcer treatments, and was conducted in a low-pressure range of 20–70 mmHg. Commercially available sensors manufactured by Peratech and Sensitronics were used under various loading conditions to determine the influence of stiffness and curvature. Flat rigid, flat soft silicone and three cylindrical silicone surfaces of radii of curvature of 3.5 cm, 5.5 cm and 6.5 cm were used as substrates under the sensors. The Peratech sensor averaged 94% accuracy for both static and dynamic measurements on all substrates; the Sensitronics sensor averaged 88% accuracy. The Peratech sensor displayed moderate variations and the Sensitronics sensor large variations in output pressure readings depending on the underlying test surface, both of which were reduced markedly by individual pressure calibration for surface type. Sensor choice and need for calibration to surface type are important considerations for their application in healthcare monitoring.
Investigation of Temperature Sensitivity of a Polymer-Overlaid Microfiber Mach-Zehnder Interferometer
Authors: Han Young-Geun
Published: October 2017

The temperature sensitivity of the free spectral range (FSR) for a polymer-overlaid microfiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The waist diameter of the optical microfiber can be controlled to alter the thermal expansion and optic properties of the polymer-coated MZI. Inserting an optical microfiber with a strong evanescent field into the MZI, a low index polymer with high thermal characteristics is deposited on the surface of the microfibers to realize a polymer-overlaid microfiber MZI. It was found that the thermal expansion factor in the proposed MZI plays an important role in the temperature sensitivity of the FSR. The temperature sensitivity of the polymer-overlaid microfiber MZI is improved, which is measured to be −8.29 nm/°C at 25 °C. The optical transmission spectrum of the polymer-overlaid microfiber MZI is converted to the spatial frequency spectrum via fast Fourier transform. The temperature sensitivity of the spatial frequency in the proposed polymer-overlaid MZI is estimated to be 18.31 pm−1 °C−1, which is 17 times higher than that of the microfiber MZI without polymer coating (1.04 pm−1 °C−1).
Stable and Fast-Response Capacitive Humidity Sensors Based on a ZnO Nanopowder/PVP-RGO Multilayer
Authors: Yang Hui , Ye Qiangqiang , Zeng Ruixue , Zhang Junkai , Yue Lei , Xu Ming , Qiu Zhi-Jun , Wu Dongping
Published: October 2017

In this paper, capacitive-type humidity sensors were prepared by sequentially drop-coating the aqueous suspensions of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanopowders and polyvinyl pyrrolidone–reduced graphene oxide (PVP-RGO) nanocomposites onto interdigitated electrodes. Significant improvements in both sensitivity and linearity were achieved for the ZnO/PVP-RGO sensors compared with the PVP-RGO/ZnO, PVP-RGO, and ZnO counterparts. Moreover, the produced ZnO/PVP-RGO sensors exhibited rather small hysteresis, fast response-recovery time, and long-term stability. Based on morphological and structural analyses, it can be inferred that the excellent humidity sensing properties of the ZnO/PVP-RGO sensors may be attributed to the high surface-to-volume ratio of the multilayer structure and the supporting roles of the PVP-RGO nanocomposites. The results in this work hence provide adequate guidelines for designing high-performance humidity sensors that make use of the multilayer structure of semiconductor oxide materials and PVP-RGO nanocomposites.
Development of a Telemetric, Miniaturized Electrochemical Amperometric Analyzer
Authors: Jung Jaehyo , Lee Jihoon , Shin Siho , Kim Youn
Published: October 2017

In this research, we developed a portable, three-electrode electrochemical amperometric analyzer that can transmit data to a PC or a tablet via Bluetooth communication. We performed experiments using an indium tin oxide (ITO) glass electrode to confirm the performance and reliability of the analyzer. The proposed analyzer uses a current-to-voltage (I/V) converter to convert the current generated by the reduction-oxidation (redox) reaction of the buffer solution to a voltage signal. This signal is then digitized by the processor. The configuration of the power and ground of the printed circuit board (PCB) layer is divided into digital and analog parts to minimize the noise interference of each part. The proposed analyzer occupies an area of 5.9 × 3.25 cm2 with a current resolution of 0.4 nA. A potential of 0~2.1 V can be applied between the working and the counter electrodes. The results of this study showed the accuracy of the proposed analyzer by measuring the Ruthenium(III) chloride ( Ru III ) concentration in 10 mM phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution with a pH of 7.4. The measured data can be transmitted to a PC or a mobile such as a smartphone or a tablet PC using the included Bluetooth module. The proposed analyzer uses a 3.7 V, 120 mAh lithium polymer battery and can be operated for 60 min when fully charged, including data processing and wireless communication.
A Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Model for Sustainability Risk Evaluation of PPP Projects
Authors: Bai Libiao , Li Yi , Du Qiang , Xu Yadan
Published: October 2017

Evaluating the sustainability risk level of public–private partnership (PPP) projects can reduce project risk incidents and achieve the sustainable development of the organization. However, the existing studies about PPP projects risk management mainly focus on exploring the impact of financial and revenue risks but ignore the sustainability risks, causing the concept of “sustainability” to be missing while evaluating the risk level of PPP projects. To evaluate the sustainability risk level and achieve the most important objective of providing a reference for the public and private sectors when making decisions on PPP project management, this paper constructs a factor system of sustainability risk of PPP projects based on an extensive literature review and develops a mathematical model based on the methods of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model (FCEM) and failure mode, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) for evaluating the sustainability risk level of PPP projects. In addition, this paper conducts computational experiment based on a questionnaire survey to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of this proposed model. The results suggest that this model is reasonable for evaluating the sustainability risk level of PPP projects. To our knowledge, this paper is the first study to evaluate the sustainability risk of PPP projects, which would not only enrich the theories of project risk management, but also serve as a reference for the public and private sectors for the sustainable planning and development. Keywords: sustainability risk eva
Using Deep Learning Techniques to Forecast Environmental Consumption Level
Authors: Lee Donghyun , Kang Suna , Shin Jungwoo
Published: October 2017

Artificial intelligence is a promising futuristic concept in the field of science and technology, and is widely used in new industries. The deep-learning technology leads to performance enhancement and generalization of artificial intelligence technology. The global leader in the field of information technology has declared its intention to utilize the deep-learning technology to solve environmental problems such as climate change, but few environmental applications have so far been developed. This study uses deep-learning technologies in the environmental field to predict the status of pro-environmental consumption. We predicted the pro-environmental consumption index based on Google search query data, using a recurrent neural network (RNN) model. To verify the accuracy of the index, we compared the prediction accuracy of the RNN model with that of the ordinary least square and artificial neural network models. The RNN model predicts the pro-environmental consumption index better than any other model. We expect the RNN model to perform still better in a big data environment because the deep-learning technologies would be increasingly sophisticated as the volume of data grows. Moreover, the framework of this study could be useful in environmental forecasting to prevent damage caused by climate change.
Environmental Indicators for the Evaluation of Wood Products in Consideration of Site-Dependent Aspects: A Review and Integrated Approach
Authors: May Nadine , Guenther Edeltraud , Haller Peer
Published: October 2017

On the way towards a more biobased economy, the sustainable use of global wood resources remains a challenge as several trade-offs arise, e.g., from an increased energetic use of wood, an increased use of innovative but probably less recyclable wood composites, or from the need to conserve other forest ecosystem services. The aim of this study is to identify existing environmental indicators and methods for an evaluation of the sustainability of wood products in consideration of all life cycle stages, site-dependent aspects and later use in corporate decision-making. We chose a systematic literature review to answer the research questions explicitly and comprehensively. Qualitative content analysis was used to code indicators and scientific methods according to the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework. The sample (N = 118) is characterized by a high number of life cycle assessment (LCA) case studies. In 51% of all studies, the study authors use a combination of different methods. A total of 78 indicators and 20 site-dependent aspects could be identified in the sample. The study findings represent a first step towards a holistic environmental assessment of wood products.