bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Interactions between Folic Acid Supplementation and One Carbon Metabolism Gene Variants on Small-for-Gestational-Age Births in the Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) Cohort Study
Authors: Bulloch Rhodi E. , Wall Clare R. , McCowan Lesley M. E. , Taylor Rennae S. , Roberts Claire T. , Thompson John M. D.
Published: June 2020

Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) is associated with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Our aim was to investigate gene-nutrient interactions between maternal one-carbon single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and folic acid supplement (FAS) use, and their association with SGA. Nulliparous New Zealand women with singleton pregnancy were recruited as part of the Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints prospective cohort study. Data on FAS use was collected via face-to-face interview at 15 weeks’ gestation; participants were followed prospectively and birth outcome data collected within 72 h of delivery. Participants were genotyped for MTHFR 677, MTHFR 1298, MTHFD1 1958, MTR 2756, MTRR 66 and TCN2 776 SNPs. Genotype data for at least one SNP was available for 1873 (93%) of eligible participants. Analysis showed a significant SNP-FAS interaction for MTHFR 1298 (p = 0.020), MTHFR 677 (p = 0.019) and TCN2 776 (p = 0.017) in relation to SGA: MTHFR 1298 CC variant non-FAS users had an increased likelihood [Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.91 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.52, 5.60] compared with wild-type (MTHFR 1298 AA) FAS users. MTHFR 677 variant allele carrier (MTHFR 677 CT + MTHFR 677 TT) non-FAS users had an increased likelihood [OR = 1.87 (95% CI = 1.21, 2.88)] compared to wild-type (MTHFR 677 CC) FAS users. TCN2 776 variant (TCN2 776 GG) non-FAS users had an increased likelihood [OR = 2.16 (95% CI = 1.26, 3.71)] compared with wild type homozygote + heterozygote (TCN2 776 CC + TCN2 776 CG) FAS users. No significant interactions were observed for MTHFD1 1958, MTR 2756 or MTRR 66 (p > 0.05). We observed an overall pattern of FAS attenuating differences in the likelihood of SGA seen between genotype groups in FAS non-users. Future research should focus on how intake of other one-carbon nutrients might mediate these gene-nutrient interactions.
Further Evidence of Benefits to Mood and Working Memory from Lipidated Curcumin in Healthy Older People: A 12-Week, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Partial Replication Study
Authors: Cox Katherine H. M. , White David J. , Pipingas Andrew , Poorun Kaylass , Scholey Andrew
Published: June 2020

Curcumin (a flavonoid isolated from turmeric) affects several processes involved in neurocognitive aging. We have previously reported that short term (4-weeks) administration of a highly bioavailable curcumin preparation (Longvida©) improved working memory and reduced fatigue and stress reactivity in a healthy older cohort. The present trial (ACTRN12616000484448) was a partial replication study, evaluating similar effects at 4 and 12-weeks Longvida© supplementation. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-groups trial was conducted. Eighty participants aged 50–80 years (mean = 68.1, SD = 6.34) were randomised to receive Longvida© (400 mg daily containing 80 mg curcumin) or a matching placebo. Assessment took place at baseline then following 4 and 12 weeks treatment. Outcome measures included cognitive performance, mood and biomarkers. Compared with placebo, curcumin was associated with several significant effects. These included better working memory performance at 12-weeks (Serial Threes, Serial Sevens and performance on a virtual Morris Water Maze), and lower fatigue scores on the Profile of Mood States (POMS) at both 4 and 12-weeks, and of tension, anger, confusion and total mood disturbance at 4-weeks only. The curcumin group had significantly elevated blood glucose. These results confirm that Longvida© improves aspects of mood and working memory in a healthy older cohort. The pattern of results is consistent with improvements in hippocampal function and may hold promise for alleviating cognitive decline in some populations.
Weight Status, Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and Physical Fitness in Spanish Children and Adolescents: The Active Health Study
Authors: Manzano-Carrasco Samuel , Felipe Jose Luis , Sanchez-Sanchez Javier , Hernandez-Martin Antonio , Gallardo Leonor , Garcia-Unanue Jorge
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in body composition and physical fitness according to the weight status (normoweight, overweight and obese) and the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD; low, medium or high), in physically active children and adolescents. Furthermore, this study also analyzed the relationship between body composition and physical fitness with Body Mass Index (BMI), fat mass and the level of adherence to the MD. In total, 1676 participants aged 6–17 from different municipal sports schools participated in this cross-sectional study. Data on adherence to the MD (a KIDMED questionnaire), anthropometric measurements, body composition and physical fitness parameters (the 20-m shuttle run test and muscular strength) were collected. A total of 43.5% of the sample were presented as overweight and obese, and only 35.7% had high or optimal adherence to the MD. The results revealed that a normoweight status was associated with greater cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.05; ES: 0.50 to 0.67) and lower-body muscular strength (p < 0.05; ES: 0.58 to 1.10). The overweight group showed more significant results than the other groups in handgrip strength (p < 0.01). Greater adherence to the MD in this population indicated better physical fitness, but only in boys. It is concluded that normoweight status and optimal adherence to the MD in children and adolescents are associated with health benefits, which are significant in the body composition and the effect on physical fitness.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Adolescent Girls towards Reducing Malnutrition in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, Nigeria: Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Charles Shapu Ruth , Ismail Suriani , Ahmad Norliza , Ying Lim Poh , Abubakar Njodi Ibrahim
Published: June 2020

Addressing the gap in knowledge, attitude, and practice among adolescent girls are important as malnutrition has a negative effect on their future generation. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of adolescent girls towards reducing malnutrition in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, Nigeria. This was a school-based cross-sectional study conducted among 612 adolescent girls (10 to 19 years old). KoBo collect toolbox was used for the data collection between 3 June and 31 July 2019. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of knowledge, attitude, and practice towards reducing malnutrition. The majority of respondents (451, 80.2%; 322, 57.3%) had poor knowledge and attitude towards reducing malnutrition respectively, 278 (49.5%) had poor practice towards reducing malnutrition. Schooling (GGSS; p = 0.022; Shehu Garbai; p = 0.003) was a significant predictor of knowledge. Religion (p = 0.023), information (p < 0.001) and motivation (p < 0.001) were significant predictors of attitude. School (GGSS; p < 0.001; GGC; p < 0.001; Shehu garbai; p < 0.001; Bulabulin; p = 0.030; Zajeri day; p = 0.049), education of father (p = 0.001), information (p = 0.026) and behavioral skill (p = 0.019) were significant predictors of practice. There is a need to focus on both school-based and community-based health education intervention to address the poor knowledge, attitude, and practice among adolescent girls for a healthier future.
Association between Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index and Skeletal Muscle Mass Index with Bone Mineral Density in Post-Menopausal Women Who Have Undergone Total Thyroidectomy
Authors: Chiu Tai-Hua , Chen Szu-Chia , Yu Hui-Chen , Hsu Jui-Sheng , Shih Ming-Chen , Jiang He-Jiun , Hsu Wei-Hao , Lee Mei-Yueh
Published: June 2020

Background: Osteoporosis is highly prevalent in postmenopausal women and may result in fractures and disabilities. Total thyroidectomy has also been associated with loss of bone mass. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate associations among nutritional status, skeletal muscle index and markers of bone turnover to bone mineral density in postmenopausal women who had undergone total thyroidectomy. Methods: Fifty postmenopausal women who had undergone total thyroidectomy were included. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) was calculated using baseline body weight and serum albumin level. Skeletal muscle mass index was calculated as the appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) divided by the height squared and assessed using DXA. Results. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that a low GNRI was significantly associated with low lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) and T-score, and that a low ASM/height2 was significantly associated with low femoral neck BMD and T-score. A low vitamin D level was significantly associated with low femoral neck BMD and T-score and low total hip BMD and T-score. A high bone alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level was significantly associated with low femoral neck T-score and low total hip BMD and T-score. A low insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was significantly associated with low total hip BMD and T-score. Conclusion: In the postmenopausal women who had undergone total thyroidectomy in this study, BMD was positively associated with GNRI, skeletal muscle mass index, and levels of vitamin D and serum IGF-1, and inversely associated with bone ALP level. Nutritional status, skeletal muscle mass index and bone turnover biomarkers can be used to early identify patients with a high risk of osteoporosis in this high-risk group.
Cationic Dendrimer G2-S16 Inhibits Herpes Simplex Type 2 Infection and Protects Mice Vaginal Microbiome
Authors: Guerrero-Beltrán Carlos , Garcia-Heredia Inmaculada , Ceña-Diez Rafael , Rodriguez-Izquierdo Ignacio , Serramía María Jesús , Martinez-Hernandez Francisco , Lluesma-Gomez Mónica , Martinez-Garcia Manuel , Muñoz-Fernández María Ángeles
Published: June 2020

The G2-S16 polyanionic carbosilane dendrimer is a promising microbicide that inhibits HSV-2 infection in vitro and in vivo in mice models. This G2-S16 dendrimer inhibits HSV-2 infection even in the presence of semen. Murine models, such as BALB/c female mice, are generally used to characterize host-pathogen interactions within the vaginal tract. However, the composition of endogenous vaginal flora remains largely undefined with modern microbiome analyses. It is important to note that the G2-S16 dendrimer does not change healthy mouse vaginal microbiome where Pseudomonas (10.2–79.1%) and Janthinobacterium (0.7–13%) are the more abundant genera. The HSV-2 vaginally infected female mice showed a significant microbiome alteration because an increase of Staphylococcus (up to 98.8%) and Escherichia (30.76%) levels were observed becoming these bacteria the predominant genera. BALB/c female mice vaginally-treated with the G2-S16 dendrimer and infected with the HSV-2 maintained a healthy vaginal microbiome similar to uninfected female mice. Summarizing, the G2-S16 polyanionic carbosilane dendrimer inhibits the HSV-2 infection in the presence of semen and prevents the alteration of mice female vaginal microbiome.
Phytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activities of Teucrium polium and Thymus decussatus Essential Oils Extracted Using Hydrodistillation and Microwave-Assisted Techniques
Authors: Saleh Ibrahim , Abd-ElGawad Ahmed , El Gendy Abd El-Nasser , Abd El Aty Abeer , Mohamed Tarik , Kassem Hazem , Aldosri Fahd , Elshamy Abdelsamed , Hegazy Mohamed-Elamir F.
Published: June 2020

Essential oils (EOs) have been described as promising eco-friendly secondary products of aromatic plants with several biological activities. The present study aimed to characterize the chemical composition and explore phytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of Teucrium polium and Thymus decussatus EOs extracted using hydrodistillation (HD) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) methods. Twenty-seven and twenty-eight compounds were identified from HD and MAE extracted EOs of T. polium, respectively. The oxygenated sesquiterpenes (57.68%) were characterized as the main components of the hydrodistilled EO with a prominence of 6-epi-shyobunol (33.00%), while sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (54.48%) were the main components of the MAE method, with a prominence of delta-cadinene (25.13%). Eighteen and nineteen compounds, were characterized in T. decussatus EOs extracted using HD and MAE methods, respectively, and oxygenated monoterpenes represented the main components of both EOs with carvacrol (94.40% and 75.91%, respectively) as the main compound. The EOs extracted using the MAE method were slightly more phytotoxic than those extracted using the HD method. The T. decussatus EO extracted using the MAE method showed a higher inhibitory effect than T. polium by 16-, 32-, and 24-fold, regarding seed germination, shoot, and root growth of lettuce, respectively. Moreover, EOs extracted by HD method showed a similar pattern with 16-, 28-, and 14-fold effects. Both T. decussatus EOs exhibited potent inhibitory effect against all tested bacteria with an inhibition zone of 34–39 mm and the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.49, 0.98, and 1.95 μg/mL against Aspergillus niger, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. However, the EOs of T. polium showed weak antibacterial activity and no antifungal effect. Further studies are needed for the characterization of bioactive major compounds, either singular or synergistic, at field scale and to determine their modes of action and safety.
Ultra-High Through-Cure of (Meth)Acrylate Copolymers via Photofrontal Polymerization
Authors: Ebner Catharina , Mitterer Julia , Eigruber Paul , Stieger Sebastian , Riess Gisbert , Kern Wolfgang
Published: June 2020

Photopolymerization offers substantial advantages in terms of time, temperature, energy consumption, and spatial control of the initiation. The application however is strongly limited due to the constrained penetration of light into thick films. Strategies to overcome the problem of limited curing depth, as well as to improve the curing of shadow areas, involve dual curing, frontal polymerization, and upconversion of particles. Whereas excellent results have been accomplished applying photofrontal polymerization on a theoretical level, few studies report on practical applications achieving high curing depth within short time. This study aims to investigate the potential of photofrontal polymerization, performed only with photoinitiator and light, for the fast and easy production of several-centimeter-thick (meth)acrylic layers. Monomer/ initiator systems were evaluated with respect to their optical density as well as photobleaching behavior. Moreover, depth-dependent polymerization was studied in specimens of varying monomer ratio and photoinitiator concentration. When an ideal photoinitiator concentration was selected, curing up to 52 mm in depth was accomplished within minutes.
System Performance and Process Capability in Additive Manufacturing: Quality Control for Polymer Jetting
Authors: Udroiu Razvan , Braga Ion Cristian
Published: June 2020

Polymer-based additive manufacturing (AM) gathers a great deal of interest with regard to standardization and implementation in mass production. A new methodology for the system and process capabilities analysis in additive manufacturing, using statistical quality tools for production management, is proposed. A large sample of small specimens of circular shape was manufactured of photopolymer resins using polymer jetting (PolyJet) technology. Two critical geometrical features of the specimen were investigated. The variability of the measurement system was determined by Gage repeatability and reproducibility (Gage R&R) methodology. Machine and process capabilities were performed in relation to the defined tolerance limits and the results were analyzed based on the requirements from the statistical process control. The results showed that the EDEN 350 system capability and PolyJet process capability enables obtaining capability indices over 1.67 within the capable tolerance interval of 0.22 mm. Furthermore, PolyJet technology depositing thin layers of resins droplets of 0.016 mm allows for manufacturing in a short time of a high volume of parts for mass production with a tolerance matching the ISO 286 IT9 grade for radial dimension and IT10 grade for linear dimensions on the Z-axis, respectively. Using microscopy analysis some results were explained and validated from the capability study.
Optimization and Selection of Maintenance Policies in an Electrical Gas Turbine Generator Based on the Hybrid Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) Model
Authors: Alrifaey Moath , Sai Hong Tang , As’arry Azizan , Elianddy Supeni Eris , Ang Chun Kit
Published: June 2020

The electrical generation industry is looking for techniques to precisely determine the proper maintenance policy and schedule of their assets. Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) is a methodology for choosing what maintenance activities have to be performed to keep the asset working within its designed function. Current developments in RCM models are struggling to solve the drawbacks of traditional RCM with regards to optimization and strategy selection; for instance, traditional RCM handles each failure mode individually with a simple yes or no safety question in which question has the possibility of major error and missing the effect of a combinational failure mode. Hence, in the present study, a hybrid RCM model was proposed to fill these gaps and find the optimal maintenance policies and scheduling by a combination of hybrid linguistic-failure mode and effect analysis (HL-FMEA), the co-evolutionary multi-objective particle swarm optimization (CMPSO) algorithm, an analytic network process (ANP), and developed maintenance decision tree (DMDT). To demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiencies of the proposed RCM model, a case study on the maintenance of an electrical generator was conducted at a Yemeni oil and gas processing plant. The results confirm that, compared with previous studies, the proposed model gave the optimal maintenance policies and scheduling for the electrical generator in a well-structured plan, economically and effectively.
A Bank Salvage Model by Impulse Stochastic Controls
Authors: Cordoni Francesco Giuseppe , Di Persio Luca , Jiang Yilun
Published: June 2020

The present paper is devoted to the study of a bank salvage model with a finite time horizon that is subjected to stochastic impulse controls. In our model, the bank’s default time is a completely inaccessible random quantity generating its own filtration, then reflecting the unpredictability of the event itself. In this framework the main goal is to minimize the total cost of the central controller, which can inject capitals to save the bank from default. We address the latter task, showing that the corresponding quasi-variational inequality (QVI) admits a unique viscosity solution—Lipschitz continuous in space and Hölder continuous in time. Furthermore, under mild assumptions on the dynamics the smooth-fit W l o c ( 1 , 2 ) , p property is achieved for any 1 < p < + ∞ .
Ship Recognition from Chaff Clouds with Sophisticated Polarimetric Decomposition
Authors: Li Yongzhen , Quan Sinong , Xiang Deliang , Wang Wei , Hu Canbin , Liu Yemin , Wang Xuesong
Published: June 2020

Ship recognition from chaff cloud jamming is challenging since they have similar dimensions and radar cross sections. In this paper, a polarimetric recognition technique with sophisticated polarimetric decomposition is proposed. To this end, a seven-component model-based decomposition is first put forward by integrating three sophisticated scattering models, thus the dominant and local scattering of ships can be characterized accurately. According to the derived scattering contributions, a robust discrimination feature is then designed based on the concept of contrast and suppression. Coupled with the average scattering angle estimated from eigen-based decomposition, the constructed feature vector is inputted into the support vector machine and the recognition is finally fulfilled. The proposed method is tested on simulated and real polarimetric radar data and the results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves the highest recognition rate of over 98%, which outperforms the state-of-the-art methods.
Recent Shrinkage and Fragmentation of Bluegrass Landscape in Kentucky
Authors: Tao Bo , Yang Yanjun , Yang Jia , Smith Ray , Fox James , Ruane Alex C. , Liu Jinze , Ren Wei
Published: June 2020

The Bluegrass Region is an area in north-central Kentucky with unique natural and cultural significance, which possesses some of the most fertile soils in the world. Over recent decades, land use and land cover changes have threatened the protection of the unique natural, scenic, and historic resources in this region. In this study, we applied a fragmentation model and a set of landscape metrics together with the satellite-derived USDA Cropland Data Layer to examine the shrinkage and fragmentation of grassland in the Bluegrass Region, Kentucky during 2008–2018. Our results showed that recent land use change across the Bluegrass Region is characterized by grassland decline, cropland expansion, forest spread, and suburban sprawl. The grassland area decreased by 14.4%, with an interior (or intact) grassland shrinkage of 5%, during the study period. Land conversion from grassland to other land cover types has been widespread, with major grassland shrinkage occurring in the west and northeast of the Outer Bluegrass Region and relatively minor grassland conversion in the Inner Bluegrass Region. The number of patches increased from 108,338 to 126,874. The effective mesh size, which represents the degree of landscape fragmentation in a system, decreased from 6629.84 to 1816.58 for the entire Bluegrass Region. This study is the first attempt to quantify recent grassland shrinkage and fragmentation in the Bluegrass Region. Therefore, we call for more intensive monitoring and further conservation efforts to preserve the ecosystem services provided by the Bluegrass Region, which has both local and regional implications for climate mitigation, carbon sequestration, diversity conservation, and culture protection.
Using ICESat-2 to Estimate and Map Forest Aboveground Biomass: A First Example
Authors: Narine Lana L. , Popescu Sorin C. , Malambo Lonesome
Published: June 2020

National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) provides rich insights over the Earth’s surface through elevation data collected by its Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) since its launch in September 2018. While this mission is primarily aimed at capturing ice measurements, ICESat-2 also provides data over vegetated areas, offering the capability to gain insights into ecosystem structure and the potential to contribute to the sustainable management of forests. This study involved an examination of the utility of ICESat-2 for estimating forest aboveground biomass (AGB). The objectives of this study were to: (1) investigate the use of canopy metrics for estimating AGB, using data extracted from an ICESat-2 transect over forests in south-east Texas; (2) compare the accuracy for estimating AGB using data from the strong beam and weak beam; and (3) upscale predicted AGB estimates using variables from Landsat multispectral imagery and land cover and canopy cover maps, to generate a 30 m spatial resolution AGB map. Methods previously developed with simulated ICESat-2 data over Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF) in southeast Texas were adapted using actual data from an adjacent ICESat-2 transect over similar vegetation conditions. Custom noise filtering and photon classification algorithms were applied to ICESat-2’s geolocated photon data (ATL03) for one beam pair, consisting of a strong and weak beam, and canopy height estimates were retrieved. Canopy height parameters were extracted from 100 m segments in the along-track direction for estimating AGB, using regression analysis. ICESat-2-derived AGB estimates were then extrapolated to develop a 30 m AGB map for the study area, using vegetation indices from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), National Land Cover Database (NLCD) landcover and canopy cover, with random forests (RF). The AGB estimation models used few canopy parameters and suggest the possibility for applying well-developed methods for modeling AGB with airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) data, using processed ICESat-2 data. The final regression model achieved a R2 and root mean square error (RMSE) value of 0.62 and 24.63 Mg/ha for estimating AGB and RF model evaluation with a separate test set yielded a R2 of 0.58 and RMSE of 23.89 Mg/ha. Findings provide an initial look at the ability of ICESat-2 to estimate AGB and serve as a basis for further upscaling efforts.
An FPGA Based Tracking Implementation for Parkinson’s Patients
Authors: Conti Giuseppe , Quintana Marcos , Malagón Pedro , Jiménez David
Published: June 2020

This paper presents a study on the optimization of the tracking system designed for patients with Parkinson’s disease tested at a day hospital center. The work performed significantly improves the efficiency of the computer vision based system in terms of energy consumption and hardware requirements. More specifically, it optimizes the performances of the background subtraction by segmenting every frame previously characterized by a Gaussian mixture model (GMM). This module is the most demanding part in terms of computation resources, and therefore, this paper proposes a method for its implementation by means of a low-cost development board based on Zynq XC7Z020 SoC (system on chip). The platform used is the ZedBoard, which combines an ARM Processor unit and a FPGA. It achieves real-time performance and low power consumption while performing the target request accurately. The results and achievements of this study, validated in real medical settings, are discussed and analyzed within.
Applications of Graphene-Based Materials in Sensors
Authors: Hernaez Miguel
Published: June 2020

This Special Issue compiles a set of innovative developments on the use of graphene-based materials in the fabrication of sensors. In particular, these contributions report original studies on a wide variety of sensors, such as gas sensors for NO2 or NH3 detection, antibody biosensors or mass sensors. All these devices have one point in common: they have been built using graphene-based materials like graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, inkject printing graphene, graphene-based composite sponges, graphene screen-printed electrodes or graphene quantum dots.
Efficient Traffic Engineering in an NFV Enabled IoT System
Authors: Nguyen Thi-Thuy-Lien , Pham Tuan-Minh
Published: June 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) is increasingly creating new market possibilities in several industries’ sectors such as smart homes, smart manufacturing, and smart cities, to link the digital and physical worlds. A key challenge in an IoT system is to ensure network performance and cost-efficiency when a plethora of data is generated and proliferated. The adoption of Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technologies within an IoT environment enables a new approach of providing services in a more agile and cost-efficient way. We address the problem of traffic engineering with multiple paths for an NFV enabled IoT system (vIoT), taking into account the fluctuation of traffic volume in various time periods. We first formulate the problem as a mixed linear integer programming model for finding the optimal solution of link-weight configuration and traffic engineering. We then develop heuristic algorithms for a vIoT system with a large number of devices. Our solution enables a controller to adjust a link weight system and update a flow table at an NFV switch for directing IoT traffic through a service function chain in a vIoT system. The evaluation results under both synthetic and real-world datasets of network traffic and topologies show that our approach to traffic engineering with multiple paths remarkably improves several performance metrics for a vIoT system.
Analysis of Received Signal Strength Quantization in Fingerprinting Localization
Authors: Khandker Syed , Torres-Sospedra Joaquín , Ristaniemi Tapani
Published: June 2020

In recent times, Received Signal Strength (RSS)-based Wi-Fi fingerprinting localization has become one of the most promising techniques for indoor localization. The primary aim of RSS is to check the quality of the signal to determine the coverage and the quality of service. Therefore, fine-resolution RSS is needed, which is generally expressed by 1-dBm granularity. However, we found that, for fingerprinting localization, fine-granular RSS is unnecessary. A coarse-granular RSS can yield the same positioning accuracy. In this paper, we propose quantization for only the effective portion of the signal strength for fingerprinting localization. We found that, if a quantized RSS fingerprint can carry the major characteristics of a radio environment, it is sufficient for localization. Five publicly open fingerprinting databases with four different quantization strategies were used to evaluate the study. The proposed method can help to simplify the hardware configuration, enhance security, and save approximately 40–60% storage space and data traffic.
Global and Local Attention-Based Free-Form Image Inpainting
Authors: Uddin S. M. Nadim , Jung Yong Ju
Published: June 2020

Deep-learning-based image inpainting methods have shown significant promise in both rectangular and irregular holes. However, the inpainting of irregular holes presents numerous challenges owing to uncertainties in their shapes and locations. When depending solely on convolutional neural network (CNN) or adversarial supervision, plausible inpainting results cannot be guaranteed because irregular holes need attention-based guidance for retrieving information for content generation. In this paper, we propose two new attention mechanisms, namely a mask pruning-based global attention module and a global and local attention module to obtain global dependency information and the local similarity information among the features for refined results. The proposed method is evaluated using state-of-the-art methods, and the experimental results show that our method outperforms the existing methods in both quantitative and qualitative measures.
A New Sustainable Geotechnical Reinforcement System from Old Tires: Experimental Evaluation by Pullout Tests
Authors: Hidalgo César Augusto , Bustamante-Hernández Juan José
Published: June 2020

The tires used constitute an environmental problem that remains unsolved. It is observed that the automotive fleet and therefore the generation of tires increases year after year, so the recovery and reuse processes are insufficient. For several years, the reuse of tires as materials in the construction has been considered, and several techniques have been developed for the construction of retaining walls and road reinforcement. However, to date, their use remains sporadic. This article presents the theoretical and experimental evaluation of a new geotechnical reinforcement system from used tires. This system, suitable for the construction of containment structures and the reinforcement of roads, is characterized by the conformation of cells that do not require other elements apart from the tires and the filling material. A mathematical model was developed to describe the behavior of the system and pullout tests were carried out for validation. The tests were performed with different tire and compacted granular material with different energies. The results allow validating the theoretical model by showing an increase in pullout resistance with the density and number of tires in the arrangement. It is observed that the coincidence between the model and the tests improves as the stiffness of the soil increases, being the degree of compaction fundamental for the operation.
Utilization of Coal Gangue Aggregate for Railway Roadbed Construction in Practice
Authors: Li Linhao , Long Guangcheng , Bai Chaoneng , Ma Kunlin , Wang Meng , Zhang Sheng
Published: June 2020

As a massive solid waste, the high value-added utilization of coal gangue has received more and more attention in China. This study focuses on the utilization of coal gangue aggregate in railway engineering for coal transportation passage. Coal gangue aggregate was employed as high-grade railway subgrade filler andprepared concrete for roadbed drainage (named coal gangue roadbed protecting concrete—CGRPC). First, the basic properties of coal gangue such as particle size distribution, ignition loss, strength change under water softening, and compression performance were measured. Then, the technology to use coal gangue as filler in railway subgrade was put forward based on a real engineering application with the Jingang coal-carrying railway special line. Field tests showed that the coal gangue roadbed had excellent performance. The dynamic stiffness expressed as K30 was more 130 MPa/m, which meets the requirement for high-speed railway roadbeds. The distribution of vertical earth pressure according to the backfill depth showed a linear growing tendency. Finally, the technical and economic benefits of using coal gangue railway roadbeds were analyzed. The application of coal gangue near the railway line not only solved the problem of aggregate shortage in engineering construction, but it also consumes the coal gangue waste and leads to huge social benefits.
The Impact of Training on Druze Entrepreneurs’ Attitudes Towards and Intended Behaviors Regarding Local Sustainability Governance: A Field Experiment at the Mount Carmel Biosphere Reserve
Authors: Beeri Itai , Gottlieb Dan , Izhaki Ido , Eshet Tzipi , Cohen Noam
Published: June 2020

This article expands our understanding of biosphere reserve management by exploring the effect of green business-guidance training. Biosphere reserves promote conservation while enabling sustainable use by local communities, in keeping with the notion of local sustainability governance. In practice, however, many local communities regard biosphere reserves as an obstacle to their economic growth and prosperity, resulting in active resistance to them. Given this complexity, we ask whether green business-guidance training changes entrepreneurs’ attitudes towards and intended behaviors regarding local sustainability governance. To test this question empirically, we used action research and designed a before-and-after field experiment in the Mount Carmel Biosphere Reserve in Israel. Our findings suggest that green business-guidance training has a significant positive effect on entrepreneurs’ attitudes towards and intended behaviors regarding local sustainability governance and that biosphere reserve managements can improve local sustainability governance performance via training. We discuss our findings and suggest new paths for research in theory and practice.
Limits of Tilapia Aquaculture for Rural Livelihoods in Solomon Islands
Authors: Harohau Daykin , Blythe Jessica , Sheaves Marcus , Diedrich Amy
Published: June 2020

Increasing pressure on coastal fisheries poses serious threats to local livelihoods and the food security of Pacific Islanders. In response, governments and development agencies have explored tilapia pond aquaculture as an alternative fish production source. Yet, evidence to date on the impact of tilapia aquaculture on rural livelihoods has been inconclusive. Drawing on the sustainable livelihood framework, we analysed the contribution of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) aquaculture to the livelihood assets and outcomes of 40 rural farmers in Solomon Islands. First, results showed that 53% of tilapia farmers were satisfied with tilapia aquaculture’s contribution to their human and social assets, while only 28% and 13% were satisfied with its contribution to their physical and financial assets, respectively. Tilapia aquaculture’s contribution to farmers’ natural assets was also limited. Second, and most importantly, there was an insignificant contribution of tilapia aquaculture to food and income security. Our results demonstrate that tilapia farmers rarely consumed tilapia, with only two of the 40 households having consumed tilapia in the seven days prior the interview. Moreover, only eight tilapia farmers sold their tilapia, which contributed 0.002–0.5% of their total weekly revenue. We argue the limited contribution of tilapia aquaculture to food and income stems from the low productivity of the available tilapia species and the low local demand for tilapia at rural markets. Given the current context of declining coastal fisheries and food insecurity concerns in rural Pacific Islands, it is unlikely that the current form of Mozambique tilapia aquaculture will be able to achieve its objective of addressing food and income security as a complement to coastal fisheries.
A Relational Approach to Studying Collective Action in Dairy Cooperatives Producing Mountain Cheeses in the Alps: The Case of the Primiero Cooperative in the Eastern Italians Alps
Authors: Pachoud Carine , Delay Etienne , Da Re Riccardo , Ramanzin Maurizio , Sturaro Enrico
Published: June 2020

Compared with more productive areas, mountain areas are at risk of being marginalized, particularly in the agri-food sector. To circumvent price competition, local actors in the mountains can develop specialized local products, which depends on their capacity to act collectively. Collective action, however, is complex and needs to be better understood if it is to steer initiatives towards success. This article sets out a relational approach to studying collective action in a dairy cooperative located in a mountain area: The Primiero cooperative in the Italian Alps. The common pool resources and territorial proximity frameworks were combined in a social network analysis of advice interactions among producer members, and an analysis of trust and conflict among members and between members and other actors involved in the value chain. The results show that the success of collective action can be explained by various complementary factors. Firstly, members had dense relationships, with high levels of trust and reciprocity, while the president had the role of prestige-based leader. Nonetheless, the analysis also highlighted conflicts related to the production levels of “traditional” and “intensive” producers, although members demonstrated a high capacity to resolve conflicts by creating their own rules to control further intensification. Socio-economic status did not appear to play a role in advice relationships, showing that the members interact horizontally. However, the results show that the geographical isolation of some members tended to inhibit their commitment to the collective dynamics. At a higher level, trust toward other actors involved in the value chain plays a central role in carrying out joint projects to develop and promote cheese.
Cyberbullying in Adolescents from Ecuador and Spain: Prevalence and Differences in Gender, School Year and Ethnic-Cultural Background
Authors: Calmaestra Juan , Rodríguez-Hidalgo Antonio J. , Mero-Delgado Oswaldo , Solera Eva
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study is to discover the prevalence of cyberbullying among adolescents from Ecuador and Spain, and identify any differences by gender, school year, and ethnic-cultural background. A culturally-diverse group of 33,303 adolescents took part in the study (Ecuador = 10,918; Spain = 22,385). Our results show that in Ecuador, one in four, and in Spain, one in five teenagers were involved in cyberbullying. In both countries, teenagers in the higher school years were more commonly involved. Significant differences in gender and role of involvement were detected in both countries. In Ecuador, no differences were noted between the different ethnic-cultural groups as regards to the roles of involvement in cyberbullying. However, in Spain, these differences do exist. In this paper, these findings are discussed, and proposals for how to prevent cyberbullying are given.
A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Electronic Retail of Household Products
Authors: Matuštík Jan , Kočí Vladimír
Published: June 2020

Electronic shopping is getting more and more popular, and it is not only clothes and electronics that people buy online, but groceries and household products too. Based on real-life data from a major cosmetics and household products retailer in the Czech Republic, this study set to assess the life cycle environmental impact of parcel delivery. Two archetype parcels containing common household and hygiene products were designed and packed in two distinct ways, and the environmental impact was quantified using the Life Cycle Assessment method. It showed that it is environmentally beneficial to use plastic cushions to insulate the goods instead of paper. However, the most important process contributing to the environmental burden was found to be electricity consumption in the logistics center. Hence, the importance of energy efficiency and efficient space utilization was demonstrated on alternative scenarios. Since the cardboard box the goods are packed in turned out to be another important contributor, an alternative scenario was designed where a reusable plastic crate was used instead. Even though the scenario was based on several simplistic assumptions, it showed a clear potential to be environmentally beneficial. In the study, contribution of other processes was scrutinized, as well as sensitivity to variation of parameters, e.g. transportation distances. The main scientific contribution of this work is to show the importance of logistics and distribution of products to end customers in the rapidly developing field of electronic retail of household products.
Spatio-Temporal Trends of E-Bike Sharing System Deployment: A Review in Europe, North America and Asia
Authors: Galatoulas Nikolaos-Fivos , Genikomsakis Konstantinos N. , Ioakimidis Christos S.
Published: June 2020

Recent data on conventional bike and/or electric bike (e-bike) sharing systems reveal that more than 2900 systems are operating in cities worldwide, indicating the increased adoption of this alternative mode of transportation. Addressing the existing gap in the literature regarding the deployment of e-bike sharing systems (e-BSSs) in particular, this paper reviews their spatio-temporal characteristics, and attempts to (a) map the worldwide distribution of e-BSSs, (b) identify temporal trends in terms of annual growth/expansion of e-BSS deployment worldwide and (c) explore the spatial characteristics of the recorded growth, in terms of adoption on a country scale, population coverage and type of system/initial fleet sizes. To that end, it examines the patterns identified from the global to the country level, based on data collected from an online source of BSS information worldwide. A comparative analysis is performed with a focus on Europe, North America and Asia, providing insights on the growth rate of the specific bikesharing market segment. Although the dockless e-BSS has been only within three years of competition with station-based implementations, it shows a rapid integration to the overall technology diffusion trend, while it is more established in Asia and North America in comparison with Europe and launches with larger fleet sizes.
On M-Polynomials of Dunbar Graphs in Social Networks
Authors: Acharjee Santanu , Bora Bijit , Dunbar Robin I. M.
Published: June 2020

Topological indices describe mathematical invariants of molecules in mathematical chemistry. M-polynomials of chemical graph theory have freedom about the nature of molecular graphs and they play a role as another topological invariant. Social networks can be both cyclic and acyclic in nature. We develop a novel application of M-polynomials, the ( m , n , r ) -agent recruitment graph where n > 1 , to study the relationship between the Dunbar graphs of social networks and the small-world phenomenon. We show that the small-world effects are only possible if everyone uses the full range of their network when selecting steps in the small-world chain. Topological indices may provide valuable insights into the structure and dynamics of social network graphs because they incorporate an important element of the dynamical transitivity of such graphs.
Preparation of a Zirconia-Based Ceramic Membrane and Its Application for Drinking Water Treatment
Authors: Boussemghoune Mohamed , Chikhi Mustapha , Balaska Fouzia , Ozay Yasin , Dizge Nadir , Kebabi Brahim
Published: June 2020

This work concerns the preparation of a mineral membrane by the slip casting method based on zirconium oxide (ZrO2) and kaolin. The membrane support is produced from a mixture of clay (kaolin) and calcium carbonate (calcite) powders using heat treatment (sintering). Membrane and support characterization were performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Raman Spectroscopy. The prepared mineral membrane was tested to treat drinking water obtained from different zones of the El Athmania (Algeria) water station (raw, coagulated, decanted, and bio filtered water). Experimental parameters such as permeate flux, turbidity, and total coliforms were monitored. The results showed that the mineral membrane was mainly composed of SiO2 and Al2O3 and the outer surface, which represented the membrane support, was much more porous than the inner surface where the membrane was deposited. The permeate flux of the raw water decreased with filtration time, due to a rejection of the organic matters contained in the raw water. Moreover, the absence of total coliforms in the filtrate and the increase in concentration in the concentrate indicate that the prepared mineral membrane can be used for drinking water treatment.
Investigation of Snake Robot Locomotion Possibilities in a Pipe
Authors: Virgala Ivan , Kelemen Michal , Božek Pavol , Bobovský Zdenko , Hagara Martin , Prada Erik , Oščádal Petr , Varga Martin
Published: June 2020

This paper analyzed the locomotion of a snake robot in narrow spaces such as a pipe or channel. We developed a unique experimental snake robot with one revolute and one linear joint on each module, with the ability to perform planar motion. The designed locomotion pattern was simulated in MATLAB R2015b and subsequently verified by the experimental snake robot. The locomotion of the developed snake robot was also experimentally analyzed on dry and viscous surfaces. The paper further describes the investigation of locomotion stability by three symmetrical curves used to anchor static modules between the walls of the pipe. The stability was experimentally analyzed by digital image correlation using a Q-450 Dantec Dynamics high-speed correlation system. The paper presents some input symmetrical elements of locomotion and describes their influence on the results of locomotion. The results of simulations and experiments show possibilities of snake robot locomotion in a pipe.
Optimal Perturbation Iteration Method for Solving Fractional Model of Damped Burgers’ Equation
Authors: Deniz Sinan , Konuralp Ali , De la Sen Mnauel
Published: June 2020

The newly constructed optimal perturbation iteration procedure with Laplace transform is applied to obtain the new approximate semi-analytical solutions of the fractional type of damped Burgers’ equation. The classical damped Burgers’ equation is remodeled to fractional differential form via the Atangana–Baleanu fractional derivatives described with the help of the Mittag–Leffler function. To display the efficiency of the proposed optimal perturbation iteration technique, an extended example is deeply analyzed.