bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cell Suspensions of Cannabis sativa (var. Futura): Effect of Elicitation on Metabolite Content and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Gabotti Damiano , Locatelli Franca , Cusano Erica , Baldoni Elena , Genga Annamaria , Pucci Laura , Consonni Roberto , Mattana Monica
Published: November 2019

Cannabis sativa L. is one of the most-studied species for its phytochemistry due to the abundance of secondary metabolites, including cannabinoids, terpenes and phenolic compounds. In the last decade, fiber-type hemp varieties have received interest for the production of many specialized secondary metabolites derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway. The interest in these molecules is due to their antioxidant activity. Since secondary metabolite synthesis occurs at a very low level in plants, the aim of this study was to develop a strategy to increase the production of such compounds and to elucidate the biochemical pathways involved. Therefore, cell suspensions of industrial hemp (C. sativa L. var. Futura) were produced, and an advantageous elicitation strategy (methyl jasmonate, MeJA) in combination with precursor feeding (tyrosine, Tyr) was developed. The activity and expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) increased upon treatment. Through 1H-NMR analyses, some aromatic compounds were identified, including, for the first time, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (4-HPP) in addition to tyrosol. The 4-day MeJA+Tyr elicited samples showed a 51% increase in the in vitro assay (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) radical scavenging activity relative to the control and a 80% increase in the cellular antioxidant activity estimated on an ex vivo model of human erythrocytes. Our results outline the active metabolic pathways and the antioxidant properties of hemp cell extracts under the effect of specific elicitors.
Organocatalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Aldehydes to Maleimides and Nitroalkenes in Deep Eutectic Solvents
Authors: Torregrosa-Chinillach Alejandro , Sánchez-Laó Alba , Santagostino Elisa , Chinchilla Rafael
Published: November 2019

A chiral primary amine-salicylamide is used as an organocatalyst for the enantioselective conjugate addition of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes to maleimides and nitroalkenes. The reactions are performed in deep eutectic solvents as reaction media at room temperature, leading to the corresponding adducts with enantioselectivities up to 88% (for maleimides) and 80% (for nitroalkenes). Catalyst and solvent can be recovered and reused.
Ionothermal Synthesis of Cadmium Coordination Polymers: Ionic Liquid Effects on the Synthesis, Structural, and Thermal Characterization
Authors: PerezF Iñigo , S. Larrea Edurne , Bazán Begoña , Barandika Gotzone , Urtiaga M. Karmele , Arriortua Maria I.
Published: November 2019

Ionothermal synthesis is a little used method for the preparation of coordination polymers. By this method, two cadmium compounds were synthesized, 1, with formula Cd3(ox)F2(Ina)2 (Ina = isonicotinate) and 2, Cd(NO3)2(4,4′-Bpy) (4,4′-Bpy = 4,4′-Bipyridine). The modification of the reaction conditions has allowed to obtain 2 as a pure phase. The structure of both compounds was determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 is isostructural to the previously reported Cd2Zn(ox)(OH)2(Ina)2. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n and present a three-dimensional (3D) network, built-up from [Cd3(ox)F2]n2n+ layers, linked by isonicotinate ligands. Crystals of 2 are formed by twins of two components which are rotated ca. 180° to each other. This compound crystallizes in the triclinic P-1 space group and its structure can be describe as a two-dimensional (2D) 4 connected ‘sql’ net. The layers are composed by [Cd(NO3)2]n chains linked through 4,4′-Bpy ligands, and are pillared along the [011] direction. The thermal decomposition of 2 was studied by thermogravimetric and thermodiffractiometric techniques. The compound decomposes gradually starting from 160 °C, and due to heating, the structure suffers slight reversible changes in the bond distances and angles.
Cytotoxicity of Triterpene Seco-Acids from Betula pubescens Buds
Authors: Szoka Łukasz , Isidorov Valery , Nazaruk Jolanta , Stocki Marcin , Siergiejczyk Leszek
Published: November 2019

The present study investigated the magnitude and mechanism of the cytotoxic effect on selected cancer cell lines of 3,4-seco-urs-4(23),20(30)-dien-3-oic acid (1), 3,4-seco-olean-4(24)-en-19-oxo-3-oic acid (2), and 3,4-seco-urs-4(23),20(30)-dien-19-ol-3-oic acid (3) isolated from downy birch (Betula pubescens) buds by carbon dioxide supercritical fluid extraction and gradient column chromatography. Cell viability in six human cancer lines exposed to these compounds was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptosis was quantified by annexin V/propidium iodide staining of gastric cancer AGS and colorectal cancer DLD-1 cells. To evaluate the mechanism of apoptosis, the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was analyzed by Western blot. Compound 1 exhibited non-specific toxicity, while compounds 2 and 3 were specifically toxic to colon and stomach cancer cells. The toxicity of compounds 2 and 3 against these two cell lines was greater than for compound 1. Cleavage of caspase-8, -9, and -3 was found in AGS and DLD-1 cells treated with all three seco-acids, indicating the induction of apoptosis via extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. Therefore, triterpene seco-acids (1–3) decreased cell viability by apoptosis induction. AGS and DLD-1 cells were more susceptible to seco-acids with an oxidized C19 than normal fibroblasts. Hence, it made them a new group of triterpenes with potential anticancer activity.
Oxidized Dextran as a Macromolecular Crosslinker Stabilizes the Zein/Caseinate Nanocomplex for the Potential Oral Delivery of Curcumin
Authors: Rodriguez Nikolas J. , Hu Qiaobin , Luo Yangchao
Published: November 2019

In this study, we prepared complex nanoparticles from a combination of two proteins and one polysaccharide for the encapsulation and delivery of lipophilic bioactive compounds. Two proteins, zein and sodium caseinate (NaCas), provided a hydrophobic core for the encapsulation of a lipophilic compound (curcumin), while a polysaccharide dialdehyde, oxidized dextran, served as the coating material and macromolecular crosslinker to create covalent linkage with two proteins for stabilization purposes. The heating time and crosslinker concentration were optimized to achieve the desirable colloidal stability in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. Our results suggested that heating time played a more important role than the concentration of oxidized dextran. The optimized complex nanoparticles had a particle size of around 150 nm with a PDI < 0.1 and negative surface charge. Morphological observation by transmission electron microscopy revealed a spherical shape and uniform size distribution. Fourier transform infrared and fluorescence spectroscopies evidenced the formation of Schiff base complex, confirming the validity of covalent crosslinking. Furthermore, the complex nanoparticles demonstrated superior encapsulation properties for curcumin, showing an efficiency of >90% at 10% loading. A rather slow kinetic release profile of curcumin from complex nanoparticles was observed under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The complex nanoparticles prepared from zein, NaCas, and oxidized dextran hold promising potential for the oral delivery of lipophilic bioactive compounds.
Effects of Orally Consumed Rosa damascena Mill. Hydrosol on Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, Lens Enzymatic Activity, and Lens Pathology in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Demirbolat İlker , Ekinci Cansu , Nuhoğlu Fadime , Kartal Murat , Yıldız Pelin , Geçer Melin Özgün
Published: November 2019

Diabetes mellitus is a multisystemic metabolic disorder that may affect the eyes, kidneys, vessels, and heart. Chronic hyperglycemia causes non-enzymatic glycation of proteins and elevation of the polyol pathway resulting in oxidative stress that damages organs. The current study aimed to investigate the dose-dependent effects of orally consumed Rosa damascena Mill. hydrosol on hematology, clinical biochemistry, lens enzymatic activity, and lens pathology in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced into male Sprague–Dawley rats by intraperitoneal administration of STZ (40 mg/kg body weight). Rose hydrosols containing 1515 mg/L and 500 mg/L total volatiles (expressed as citronellol) were introduced to rats orally for 45 days. Consumption of 1515 mg/L volatile containing rose hydrosol successfully ameliorated hematologic, hepatic, and renal functions. Hydrosols also attenuated hyperglycemia and decreased the advanced glycation end-product formation in a dose-dependent manner. Rose hydrosol components significantly increased the lens enzymatic activities of glutathione peroxidase and decreased the activity of aldose reductase to prevent cataractogenesis. Histopathological examinations of rat lenses also indicated that increasing the dose of rose hydrosol had a protective effect on lenses in diabetic conditions. Additionally, in silico modeling of aldose reductase inhibition with rose hydrosol volatiles was carried out for extrapolating the current study to humans. The present results suggest that rose hydrosol exerts significant protective properties in diabetes mellitus and has no toxic effect on all studied systems in healthy test groups.
The Synthesis, Characterization, Cytotoxic Activity Assessment and Structure-Activity Relationship of 4-Aryl-6-(2,5-dichlorothiophen-3-yl)-2-methoxypyridine-3-carbonitriles
Authors: Al-Refai Mahmoud , Ibrahim Mohammad M. , Nurul Azmi Mohamad , Osman Hasnah , Abu Bakar Mohamad Hafizi , Geyer Armin
Published: November 2019

A series of 2-methoxypyridine-3-carbonitrile (5a–i)-bearing aryl substituents were successfully synthesized in good yields by the condensation of chalcones (4a–i) with malononitrile in basic medium. The condensation process, in most cases, offers a route to a variety of methoxypyridine derivatives (6a–g) as side products in poor yields. All new compounds were fully characterized using different spectroscopic methods. Mass ESI-HMRS measurements were also performed. Furthermore, these compounds were screened for their in vitro cytotoxicity activities against three cancer cell lines; namely, those of the liver (line HepG2), prostate (line DU145) and breast (line MBA-MB-231). The cytotoxicity assessment revealed that compounds 5d, 5g, 5h and 5i exhibit promising antiproliferative effects (IC50 1–5 µM) against those three cancer cell lines.
Determining the Potential of Haematococcus pluvialis Oleoresin as a Rich Source of Antioxidants
Authors: Ruiz-Domínguez Mari Carmen , Espinosa Carolina , Paredes Adrián , Palma Jenifer , Jaime Carolina , Vílchez Carlos , Cerezal Pedro
Published: November 2019

Haematococcus pluvialis is known to be a natural source of antioxidants for numerous applications. In this study, an oleoresin rich in carotenoids extracted by supercritical CO2 treatment of H. pluvialis was extensively characterized for its antioxidant capacity. Carotenoid content, fatty acid profile, total phenol content, antioxidant capacity, and viscosity of the oleoresin were determined with the aim of ascertaining the potential of the oleoresin in terms of its antioxidant content for food applications. The oleoresin contained 96.22 mg/g of total astaxanthin (which includes free astaxanthin and astaxanthin esters) and mostly included unsaturated fatty acids (~78% of total fatty acids). High total phenol content and ferric reducing antioxidant potential indicated high antioxidant capacity, but oxygen radical absorbance capacity was lower compared to the oleoresin samples obtained from other species. The oleoresin was a non-Newtonian fluid since it had shear-thinning (pseudoplastic) and shear-thickening (dilatant) flow. Therefore, the H. pluvialis oleoresin is a potential alternative in developing functional ingredients for designing healthy food products. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has reported an extensive characterization of the antioxidant properties of a microalgal oleoresin obtained by means of supercritical CO2 fluid extraction.
Cytotoxicity against HL60 Cells of Ficifolidione Derivatives with Methyl, n-Pentyl, and n-Heptyl Groups
Authors: Nishiwaki Hisashi , Ikari Megumi , Fujiwara Satomi , Nishi Kosuke , Sugahara Takuya , Akiyama Koichi , Yamauchi Satoshi
Published: November 2019

Ficifolidione, a natural insecticidal compound isolated from the essential oils of Myetaceae species, is a spiro phloroglucinol with an isobutyl group at the C-4 position. We found that ficifolidione showed cytotoxicity against cancer cells via apoptosis. Replacement of the isobutyl group by n-propyl group did not influence the potency, but the effect of the replacement of this group by a shorter or longer alkyl group on the biological activity remains unknown. In this study, ficifolidione derivatives with alkyl groups such as methyl, n-pentyl, and n-heptyl group—instead of the isobutyl group at the C-4 position—were synthesized to evaluate their cytotoxicity against the human promyelocytic leukaemia cell line HL60 and their insecticidal activity against mosquito larvae. The biological activities of their corresponding 4-epimers were also evaluated. As a result, the conversion of the isobutyl group to another alkyl group did not significantly influence the cytotoxicity or insecticidal activity. In HL60 cells treated with the n-heptyl-ficifolidione derivative, the activation of caspase 3/7 and the early stages of apoptosis were detected by using immunofluorescence and flow cytometric techniques, respectively, suggesting that the cytotoxicity should be induced by apoptosis even though the alkyl group was changed.
A Review on Electrical Conductivity of Nanoparticle-Enhanced Fluids
Authors: Minea Alina Adriana
Published: November 2019

This review discusses exclusively the recent research on electrical conductivity of nanofluids, correlations and mechanisms and aims to make an important step to fully understand the nanofluids behavior. Research on nanoparticle-enhanced fluids’ electrical conductivity is at its beginning at this moment and the augmentation mechanisms are not fully understood. Basically, the mechanisms for increasing the electrical conductivity are described as electric double layer influence and increased particles’ conductance. Another idea that has resulted from this review is that the stability of nanofluids can be described with the help of electrical conductivity tests, but more coordinated research is needed. The purpose of this article is not only to describe the aforementioned studies, but also to fully understand nanofluids’ behavior, and to assess and relate several experimental results on electrical conductivity. Concluding, this analysis has shown that a lot of research work is needed in the field of nanofluids’ electrical characterization and specific applications.
Effect of Increasing the Strength of Aluminum Matrix Nanocomposites Reinforced with Microadditions of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Coated with TiC Nanoparticles
Authors: Aborkin Artemiy , Khorkov Kirill , Prusov Evgeny , Ob’edkov Anatoly , Kremlev Kirill , Perezhogin Igor , Alymov Michail
Published: November 2019

Aluminum matrix composites reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are promising materials for applications in various high-tech industries. Control over the processes of interfacial interaction in Al/MWCNT composites is important to achieve a high level of mechanical properties. The present study describes the effects of coating MWCNTs with titanium carbide nanoparticles on the formation of mechanical properties and the evolution of the reinforcement structure in bulk aluminum matrix nanocomposites with low concentrations of MWCNTs under conditions of solid-phase consolidation of ball-milled powder mixtures. Using high-energy ball milling and uniaxial hot pressing, two types of bulk nanocomposites based on aluminum alloy AA5049 that were reinforced with microadditions of MWCNTs and MWCNTs coated with TiC nanoparticles were successfully produced. The microstructural and mechanical properties of the Al/MWCNT composites were investigated. The results showed that, on the one hand, the TiC nanoparticles on the surface of the MWCNT hybrid reinforcement reduced the damage of reinforcement under the intense exposure of milling bodies, and on the other hand, they reduced the contact area of the MWCNTs with the matrix material (acting as a barrier interface), which also locally inhibited the reaction between the matrix and the MWCNTs.
Impact of Co2+ Substitution on Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of CoxZn1-xFe2O4 Nanoparticles
Authors: Mohamed W. S. , Alzaid Meshal , S. M. Abdelbaky Mohammed , Amghouz Zakariae , García-Granda Santiago , M. Abu-Dief Ahmed
Published: November 2019

In the present work, we synthesized CoxZn1-xFe2O4 spinel ferrite nanoparticles (x= 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4) via the precipitation and hydrothermal-joint method. Structural parameters were cross-verified using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and electron microscopy-based techniques. The magnetic parameters were determined by means of vibrating sample magnetometry. The as-synthesized CoxZn1-xFe2O4 nanoparticles exhibit high phase purity with a single-phase cubic spinel-type structure of Zn-ferrite. The microstructural parameters of the samples were estimated by XRD line profile analysis using the Williamson–Hall approach. The calculated grain sizes from XRPD analysis for the synthesized samples ranged from 8.3 to 11.4 nm. The electron microscopy analysis revealed that the constituents of all powder samples are spherical nanoparticles with proportions highly dependent on the Co doping ratio. The CoxZn1-xFe2O4 spinel ferrite system exhibits paramagnetic, superparamagnetic and weak ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature depending on the Co2+ doping ratio, while ferromagnetic ordering with a clear hysteresis loop is observed at low temperatures (5K). We concluded that replacing Zn2+ ions with Co2+ ions changes both the structural and magnetic properties of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles.
Undigested Food and Gut Microbiota May Cooperate in the Pathogenesis of Neuroinflammatory Diseases: A Matter of Barriers and a Proposal on the Origin of Organ Specificity
Authors: Riccio Paolo , Rossano Rocco
Published: November 2019

As food is an active subject and may have anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory effects, dietary habits may modulate the low-grade neuroinflammation associated with chronic neurodegenerative diseases. Food is living matter different from us, but made of our own nature. Therefore, it is at the same time foreign to us (non-self), if not yet digested, and like us (self), after its complete digestion. To avoid the efflux of undigested food from the lumen, the intestinal barrier must remain intact. What and how much we eat shape the composition of gut microbiota. Gut dysbiosis, as a consequence of Western diets, leads to intestinal inflammation and a leaky intestinal barrier. The efflux of undigested food, microbes, endotoxins, as well as immune-competent cells and molecules, causes chronic systemic inflammation. Opening of the blood-brain barrier may trigger microglia and astrocytes and set up neuroinflammation. We suggest that what determines the organ specificity of the autoimmune-inflammatory process may depend on food antigens resembling proteins of the organ being attacked. This applies to the brain and neuroinflammatory diseases, as to other organs and other diseases, including cancer. Understanding the cooperation between microbiota and undigested food in inflammatory diseases may clarify organ specificity, allow the setting up of adequate experimental models of disease and develop targeted dietary interventions.
Commercial Snack Food and Beverage Consumption Prevalence among Children 6–59 Months in West Africa
Authors: Nordhagen Stella , Pries Alissa M. , Dissieka Romance
Published: November 2019

Consumption of commercial snack food and beverage products among infants, young, and school-aged children may have negative effects on child nutritional outcomes, as these foods are typically dense in energy but not in micronutrients. However, there is limited information available about the consumption of such snacks in low-income settings, particularly in Africa. We contribute to filling this gap using data from 11,537 children aged 6–59.9 months from four West African countries (i.e., Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, and Niger). We estimated the prevalence of commercial snack food and drink consumption and explored variations within the sample by age group, urban or rural residence, household wealth status, and caregiver educational attainment. The results show that 25.7% of children in Niger, 31.5% in Burkina Faso, 42.9% in Mali, and 45.4% in Cote d’Ivoire ate at least one commercial snack food or beverage in the prior 24 h. Consumption prevalence was significantly higher in urban areas than rural areas, among older children (ages 2–5 y) than those in the complementary feeding period (6–23.9 months), and among children in wealthier households. These relationships were confirmed via logistic regression. Our results confirm the widespread consumption of commercial snack foods and drinks by young children in West Africa, a finding with relevance for nutrition policy and programming.
Lithographic Mask Defects Analysis on an MMI 3 dB Splitter
Authors: Lourenço Paulo , Fantoni Alessandro , Costa João , Vieira Manuela
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we present a simulation study that intends to characterize the influence of defects introduced by manufacturing processes on the geometry of a semiconductor structure suitable to be used as a multimode interference (MMI) 3 dB power splitter. Consequently, these defects will represent refractive index fluctuations which, on their turn, will drastically affect the propagation conditions within the structure. Our simulations were conducted on a software platform that implements the Beam Propagation numerical method. This work supports the development of a biomedical plasmonic sensor, which is based on the coupling between propagating modes in a dielectric waveguide and the surface plasmon mode that is generated on an overlaid metallic thin film, and where the output readout is achieved through an a-Si:H photodiode. By using a multimode interference 1 × 2 power splitter, this sensor device can utilize the non-sensing arm as a reference one, greatly facilitating its calibration and enhancing its performance. As the spectral sensitivity of amorphous silicon is restricted to the visible range, this sensing device should be operating on a wavelength not higher than 700 nm; thus, a-SiNx has been the material hereby proposed for both waveguides and MMI power splitter.
Asparagine Synthesis during Tobacco Leaf Curing
Authors: Bovet Lucien , Cheval Cecilia , Hilfiker Aurore , Battey James , Langlet Delphine , Broye Herve , Schwaar Joanne , Ozelley Pierrick , Lang Gerhard , Bakaher Nicolas , Laparra Helene , Goepfert Simon
Published: November 2019

Senescence is a genetically controlled mechanism that modifies leaf chemistry. This involves significant changes in the accumulation of carbon- and nitrogen-containing compounds, including asparagine through the activity of asparagine synthetases. These enzymes are required for nitrogen re-assimilation and remobilization in plants; however, their mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we report how leaf curing—a senescence-induced process that allows tobacco leaves to dry out—modifies the asparagine metabolism. We show that leaf curing strongly alters the concentration of the four main amino acids, asparagine, glutamine, aspartate, and glutamate. We demonstrate that detached tobacco leaf or stalk curing has a different impact on the expression of asparagine synthetase genes and accumulation of asparagine. Additionally, we characterize the main asparagine synthetases involved in the production of asparagine during curing. The expression of ASN1 and ASN5 genes is upregulated during curing. The ASN1-RNAi and ASN5-RNAi tobacco plant lines display significant alterations in the accumulation of asparagine, glutamine, and aspartate relative to wild-type plants. These results support the idea that ASN1 and ASN5 are key regulators of asparagine metabolism during leaf curing.
Floral Organogenesis in Three Members of the Tribe Delphinieae (Ranunculaceae)
Authors: Chang Hongli , Downie Stephen R. , Peng Hongli , Sun Fengjie
Published: November 2019

Three species (Aconitum taipeicum, Delphinium giraldii, and Consolida ajacis) of the tribe Delphinieae (Ranunculaceae) were examined using scanning electron microscopy and histological methods. The results showed that members of Delphinieae differ from their polysymmetrical relatives by four unique features: (1) a spiral phyllotaxis of their perianth and stamens, and a series of carpels, which initiated superficially in a whorl-liked arrangement; (2) sepal 2 being the largest one among the five sepals and becoming helmet-shaped or having a spur; (3) petals 2 and 5 initiated adaxially of sepal 2 and also becoming spurred; and (4) the monosymmetry of the first flower becoming established when sepal 2 becomes the largest. Major differences among the species include the timing of development of the second series; the fusion of two petals into a single one in C. ajacis; and, during early developmental stages, the two young spurred petals giving rise to a stalk and two bulges in A. taipeicum, a single bulge in D. giraldii, or an arch blade in C. ajacis. The unequal growth of the perianth, together with the reduction and the rearrangement of the carpels, are critical in inducing the symmetrical transformation of the flowers.
Novel Parallel Heterogeneous Meta-Heuristic and Its Communication Strategies for the Prediction of Wind Power
Authors: Pan Jeng-Shyang , Hu Pei , Chu Shu-Chuan
Published: November 2019

Wind and other renewable energy protects the ecological environment and improves economic efficiency. However, it is difficult to accurately predict wind power because of the randomness and volatility of wind. This paper proposes a new parallel heterogeneous model to predict the wind power. Parallel meta-heuristic saves computation time and improves solution quality. Four communication strategies, which include ranking, combination, dynamic change and hybrid, are introduced to balance exploration and exploitation. The dynamic change strategy is to dynamically increase or decrease the members of subgroup to keep the diversity of the population. The benchmark functions show that the algorithms have excellent performance in exploration and exploitation. In the end, they are applied to successfully realize the prediction for wind power by training the parameters of the neural network.
Mapping the Publishing Challenges for an Open Access University Press
Authors: Taylor Megan
Published: November 2019

Managing a New University Press (NUP) is often a one-person operation and, with limits on time and resources, efficiency and effectiveness are key to having a successful production process and providing a high level of author, editor and reader services. This article looks at the challenges faced by open access (OA) university presses throughout the publishing journey and considers ways in which these challenges can be addressed. In particular, the article focuses on six key stages throughout the lifecycle of an open access publication: commissioning; review; production; discoverability; marketing; analytics. Approached from the point of view of the University of Huddersfield Press, this article also draws on discussions and experiences of other NUPs from community-led forums and events. By highlighting the issues faced, and the potential solutions to them, this research recognises the need for a tailored and formalised production workflow within NUPs and also provides guidance how to begin implementing possible solutions.
Vertical Migration of the Along-Slope Counter-Flow and Its Relation with the Kuroshio Intrusion off Northeastern Taiwan
Authors: He Yuanshou , Hu Po , Yin Yuqi , Liu Ze , Liu Yahao , Hou Yijun , Zhang Yuanzhi
Published: November 2019

Based on satellite and analysis data and in situ observations acquired during May 23, 2017 to May 19, 2018, the spatiotemporal variations of the along-slope counter-flow off northeastern Taiwan were investigated. It was observed that the along-slope counter-flow in the subsurface layer was uplifted and lowered significantly during the study period. The counter-flow was significantly uplifted (lowered) while the sea surface was during an interval of positive (negative) geostrophic velocity anomaly (GVA) curl. The vertical migration of the counter-flow was also found closely linked with the Kuroshio intrusion (KI) to the northeast of Taiwan. The depths of both the upper boundary and the axis of the counter-flow were found proportional to the KI variance along the western continental slope off northeastern Taiwan. More importantly, it was established that the variation of the KI to the northeast of Taiwan had better correlation with the counter-flow than the Kuroshio derived from altimetry data. Thus, further study of the variation and mechanism of the along-slope counter-flow is needed to improve the understanding and prediction of the KI in the area of northeastern Taiwan, as well as the biochemical systems and marine economy in the East China Sea in the future.
Using Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in 3D Modeling of Highways with Tree-Covered Roadsides to Estimate Sight Distance
Authors: Iglesias Luis , De Santos-Berbel César , Pascual Valero , Castro María
Published: November 2019

The safe and efficient operation of highways largely depends on the adequate provision of sight distance. Small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be utilized to efficiently complete data acquisition very soon after identifying an issue when searching for potential highway safety risks. A double grid flight is proposed to obtain an adequate three-dimensional (3D) recreation of the road environment, ensuring an unbiased sight distance output. Then, a dense cloud point is derived through a Structure from Motion Multi-View Stereo process. The point cloud is classified to produce both a terrain model, characterized by its resolution, and a 3D-object model, characterized by the maximum edge length of the entities. The resulting road environment model is utilized to calculate sight distance in a geographic information system. The results enabled the detection of accident-prone locations caused by sight distance limitations. Moreover, the impact of the 3D modeling parameters on the results was assessed.
An Adaptive UWB/MEMS-IMU Complementary Kalman Filter for Indoor Location in NLOS Environment
Authors: Liu Fei , Li Xin , Wang Jian , Zhang Jixian
Published: November 2019

High precision positioning of UWB (ultra-wideband) in NLOS (non-line-of-sight) environment is one of the hot issues in the direction of indoor positioning. In this paper, a method of using a complementary Kalman filter (CKF) to fuse and filter UWB and IMU (inertial measurement unit) data and track the errors of variables such as position, speed, and direction is presented. Based on the uncertainty of magnetometer and acceleration, the noise covariance matrix of magnetometer and accelerometer is calculated dynamically, and then the weight of magnetometer data is set adaptively to correct the directional error of gyroscope. Based on the uncertainty of UWB distance observations, the covariance matrix of UWB measurement noise is calculated dynamically, and then the weight of UWB data observations is set adaptively to correct the position error. The position, velocity and direction errors are corrected by the fusion of UWB and IMU. The experimental results show that the algorithm can reduce the gyroscope deviation with magnetic noise and motion noise, so that the orientation estimates can be improved, as well as the positioning accuracy can be increased with UWB ranging noise.
Low-Frequency Noise Evaluation on a Commercial Magnetoimpedance Sensor at Submillihertz Frequencies for Space Magnetic Field Detection
Authors: Wang Tao , Kang Chen , Chai Guozhi
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this study was to measure the low-frequency noise and basic performance of a commercial magnetoimpedance (MI) sensor at sub-millihertz frequencies for use in space missions. Normally, space missions require measuring very weak magnetic fields with a long integration time, such as the space gravitational wave detection mission requiring sub-millihertz frequencies. We set up a platform for measuring the performance on this MI sensor, including low-frequency noise, measurement limit, linearity, and temperature stability. The results show that the low-frequency noise of the MI sensor is below 10 nT/√Hz at 1 mHz and below 100 nT/√Hz at 0.1 mHz; its measurement limit is 600 pT. The MI sensor is characterized by high precision, small size, and low noise, demonstrating considerable potential for application in magnetically sensitive experiments requiring long integration time. This is an effect way to solve the problem that there is on one suitable magnetic sensor at space magnetic field detection, but the sensor requires improvements in temperature stability.
Performance Evaluation of Multi-UAV Network Applied to Scanning Rocket Impact Area
Authors: Silva Maurício R. , Souza Elitelma S. , Alsina Pablo J. , Leite Deyvid L. , Morais Mateus R. , Pereira Diego S. , Nascimento Luís B. P. , Medeiros Adelardo A. D. , Junior Francisco H. Cunha , Nogueira Marcelo B. , Albuquerque Glauberto L. A. , Dantas João B. D.
Published: November 2019

This paper presents a communication network for a squadron of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to be used in the scanning rocket impact area for Barreira do Inferno Launch Center—CLBI (Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil), aiming at detecting intruder boats. The main features of communication networks associated with multi-UAV systems are presented. This system sends information through Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN). After comparing and analyzing area scanning strategies, it presents the specification of a data communication network architecture for a squadron of UAVs within a sensor network using XBee Pro 900HP S3B modules. A brief description is made about the initial information from the construction of the system. The embedded hardware and the design procedure of a dedicated communication antenna to the XBee modules are presented. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture in terms of robustness and reliability, a set of experimental tests in different communication scenarios is carried out. Network management software is employed to measure the throughput, packet loss and other performance indicators in the communication links between the different network nodes. Experimental results allow verifying the quality and performance of the network nodes, as well as the reliability of the communication links, assessing signal received quality, range and latency.
Design and Validation of a Holographic Particle Counter
Authors: Brunnhofer Georg , Bergmann Alexander , Klug Andreas , Kraft Martin
Published: November 2019

An in-line holographic particle counter concept is presented and validated where multiple micrometer sized particles are detected in a three dimensional sampling volume, all at once. The proposed Particle Imaging Unit is capable of detecting holograms of particles which sizes are in the lower μ m- range. The detection and counting principle is based on common image processing techniques using a customized Hough Transform with a result directly relating to the particle number concentration in the recorded sampling volume. The proposed counting unit is mounted ontop of a Condensation Nucleus Magnifier for comparison with a commercial TSI-3775 Condensation Particle Counter (CPC). The concept does not only allow for a precise in-situ determination of low particle number concentrations but also enables easy upscaling to higher particle densities (e.g., > 30.000 # c c m ) through its linear expandability and option of cascading. The impact of coincidence at higher particle densities is shown and two coincidence correction approaches are presented where, at last, its analogy to the coincidence correction methods used in state-of-the-art CPCs is identified.
Robust Transmit Antenna Design for Performance Improvement of Cell-Edge Users: Approach of NOMA and Outage/Ergodic Capacity Analysis
Authors: Do Dinh-Thuan , Le Chi-Bao , Lee Byung Moo
Published: November 2019

In this investigation, a wireless sensor network using a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system is considered in two scenarios related to the number of serving access point/base stations, where two policies provide system performance improvement in two sensors (the near user and the far user). To improve performance efficiency, two robust transmit antenna strategies are designed related to the access point/base station (BS), namely (i) Transmit Antenna Selection (TAS) mode and (ii) two base station (TBS) approach to simultaneously serve NOMA users. First, the TAS scheme is implemented to provide suboptimal outage performance for such NOMA, in which BS equipped at least two antennas while NOMA users are equippeda single antenna. Secondly, the TBS scheme is conducted to enhance the outage performance, especially considering priority evaluation for the far user in user pairs. As an important result, such far users in two proposed schemes are studied by introducing the exact closed-form expression to examine outage behavior. Accordingly, the closed-form expressions regarding ergodic capacity can be further obtained. To corroborate the exactness of these metrics, Monte Carlo simulation is performed. In addition, the proposed schemes exhibit various performance evaluations accompanied by different related parameters such as power allocation factors, the number of transmit antenna, and transmit signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Indonesian Women in Public Service Leadership: A Rapid Review
Authors: McLaren Helen , Star Cassandra , Widianingsih Ida
Published: November 2019

Masculinist contours have legitimized male domination in Indonesia’s upper public service ranks. However, some women have managed to crack the glass ceiling. A systematic search was undertaken of seven academic databases and the Google Scholar search engine to identify facilitative features of women’s career advancement through Indonesia’s echelon ranks. Fourteen articles, representing nine studies, were identified. While policy initiatives exist to increase women’s representation and career advancement, studies consistently identified little application to practice. Patterns across the studies located women’s career advancement as an individual concern and showed that women wanting careers were expected to manage the double burden of productive and reproductive life, obtain permissions from husbands and extended family, and adopt masculine leadership traits to garner colleagues’ support. Barriers frequently outweigh opportunities for career advancement; these including entrenched homo-sociability asserting that men make better leaders. Consequently, the blocking of women’s opportunities invoked personal disappointments, resulting in women’s public denial of their leadership ambitions.
The Perception of Corporate Social Responsibility in Muslim Society: A Survey in Pakistan and Sudan
Authors: Chen Ziyu , Chen Shouming , Hussain Talib
Published: November 2019

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) concepts are spread out in different organizations and cultures. To comprehend the Muslim consumers’ perception of CSR, this study conducted a self-administered survey in two Muslim-culture-rich countries, Pakistan and Sudan. Combined with previous studies and Carroll’s pyramid of CSR, this study shows that Muslim consumers have more supportive responses toward CSR compared to consumers of Western, developed countries. The findings of the study also reveal that Carroll’s pyramid of responsibilities could be applied in the Muslim culture, as the relative importance placed by Muslim consumers on the four responsibilities of firms—economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic—is significantly different from that in Western, developed countries. These differences provide useful guidance for firms intending to use CSR for strategic purposes in Muslim countries. The reasons for these phenomena are also discussed.
Meta-Analysis of Price Premiums in Housing with Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)
Authors: Cespedes-Lopez Maria-Francisca , Mora-Garcia Raul-Tomas , Perez-Sanchez V. Raul , Perez-Sanchez Juan-Carlos
Published: November 2019

Studies have found that housing with energy performance certificates have a positive premium in sales price. However, other studies have obtained negative or unexpected results. The objective of this study is to determine whether or not housing with energy performance certificates (EPC) have positive premiums in the sales price. For this purpose, a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of prior studies were conducted in order to determine whether the existence of an EPC influences sales price. A total of 66 documents were examined, with a total of 173 sales registers. The impact of having or not having an EPC was analyzed for housing sales price premiums on a global level, as well as the premiums in Europe for each of the ABCDEFG qualification letters. The results suggest that: 1) Globally speaking, it is estimated that housing with an EPC has an overall price premium of 4.20%, on a continent level, with premiums of 5.36% being obtained in North America, 4.81% in Asia, and 2.32% in Europe; 2) in Europe, the results are not conclusive with regards to the ABCDEFG qualification, since there is no consensus as to the letter base to be used as a reference for comparisons, thereby generating small comparable samples.
Fuzzy Evaluation of Change Management Processes in the Context of Enterprise Sustainability
Authors: Vlasenko Tetiana , Hatsko Anatolii , Larina Tetiana , Hryn Yevhen , Streimikiene Dalia , Balezentis Tomas
Published: November 2019

Enterprise sustainability can only be ensured by taking into account the dynamics of the environment, which requires effective implementation of changes. Organizational change management is seen as the interaction of the groups of processes: direct implementation and the processes of managerial influence on their implementation. The article seeks to develop a framework for evaluation of change management processes based on the fuzzy logics. The expert analysis was carried out to develop fuzzy rules based on the linguistic terms (high, medium, and low). The database of rules for assigning an enterprise to the appropriate level of organizational change management has been developed (243 rules). The proposed model was applied to the case of Ukrainian agricultural machinery companies. The results allowed identifying the bottlenecks for the companies under analysis in seeking sustainable change management.
Economic, Social, and Environmental Impact of a Sustainable Fisheries Model in Spain
Authors: Cámara Angeles , Santero-Sánchez Rosa
Published: November 2019

In recent decades, fishing sustainability has been subject to intense international debate. Overfishing and contamination of the marine environment are elements that contribute to a reduction in fish stock and catches, often leading to declining income and employment, especially in rural areas. We present a sustainable fisheries model that promotes artisanal fishing while incorporating replacement rates of fish stock and actions that benefit the fishing industry. First, the sustainable fisheries model defines the guidelines and actions that may apply either together or independently, sequentially, or simultaneously, according to a defined budget. These concrete actions are quantified and incorporated into an environmentally extended input-output model to evaluate the economic impact on the Spanish fishing industry. The impact is complemented with an assessment of social impact (employment) and environmental impact (estimated reduction of CO2 emissions).
Challenges Presented in the Implementation of Sustainable Energy Management via ISO 50001:2011
Authors: Rampasso Izabela Simon , Melo Filho Geraldo Pereira , Anholon Rosley , de Araujo Robson Amarante , Alves Lima Gilson Brito , Perez Zotes Luis , Leal Filho Walter
Published: November 2019

Considering the importance of ISO 50001 in sustainable development, the objective of this research is to identify the challenges found by organizations during the implementation of ISO 50001:2011, according to the literature. To address this objective, a systematic search was conducted. Scientific papers from the following international databases were used: Science Direct, Emerald Insight, Scopus, Springer, Wiley, and Taylor and Francis. Permutations of the terms “ISO 50001” and “Challenges”, “Barriers”, “Lacks”, “Gaps”, “Obstacles”, “Problems”, and “Limitations” were searched. Following this strategy, 206 documents were found. After removing book chapters, articles from proceedings, duplicate articles, and articles that did not mention any challenge related to ISO 50001, 17 articles were left. Eleven challenges were found in these articles. The most cited challenges were: “Lack of Resources-Limitations (HR, Technologies, Infrastructure, Financial, Time)”, “Difficulty to determine the energy baseline and energy performance indicators”, “Human Resources deficiencies (competences, knowledges, and abilities)”, and “Lack of management support and/or commitment”. The challenges most cited shows the need for better planning before implementation as well as a comprehensive analysis of the organization’s requirements and features. The findings of this research show that this theme is still underexplored. The results presented can contribute to future industrial policies to potentialize countries’ economies.
A Cooperative Interdisciplinary Task Intervention with Undergraduate Nursing and Computer Engineering Students
Authors: Marqués-Sánchez Pilar , García-Rodríguez Isaías , Benítez-Andrades José Alberto , Portillo Mari Carmen , Pérez-Paniagua Javier , Reguera-García María Mercedes
Published: November 2019

This study proposed a collaborative methodology among university students in different grades in order to find sustainable strategies that are an added value for students, teachers, and society. In daily professional practice, different professionals must develop skills to collaborate and understand each other. For that reality to be sustainable, we believe that experiences must begin in the context of higher education. Social network analysis offers a new perspective on optimizing relationships between university students. The main goal of this study was to analyze students’ behavior in their networks following an educational intervention and the association with academic performance, resilience and engagement. This was a descriptive quasi-experimental study with pre–post measures of a cooperative interdisciplinary intervention. Participants comprised 50 nursing and computer engineering students. We measured help, friendship, and negative network centrality, engagement, resilience, and academic performance. No significant differences were observed between pre–post-intervention centrality measures in the negative network. However, the help and friendship networks presented statistically significant differences between inDegreeN, OutDegreeN and EigenvectorN on the one hand, and resilience and engagement—but not academic performance—on the other. Academic performance was solely associated with the team to which participants belonged. Cooperative interdisciplinary learning increased the number of ties and levels of prestige and influence among classmates. Further research is required in order to determine the influence of engagement and resilience on academic performance and the role of negative networks in network formation in education. This study provides important information for proposals on sustainable assessments in the field of higher education.