bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing an Accurate and Fast Non-Destructive Single Leaf Area Model for Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl) Cultivars
Authors: Teobaldelli Maurizio , Rouphael Youssef , Fascella Giancarlo , Cristofori Valerio , Rivera Carlos Mario , Basile Boris
Published: July 2019

In this research, seven different models to predict leaf area (LA) of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl) were tested and evaluated. This species was chosen due to the relevant importance of its fruit as an appreciated early summer product and of its leaves and flower as a source of additional income within the nutraceutical and functional food markets. The analysis (calibration and validation) was made using a large dataset (2190) of leaf width (W), leaf length (L), and single LA collected in ten common loquat cultivars. During the analysis, the results obtained using one- and two-regressor models were also evaluated to assess the need for fast measurements against different levels of accuracy achieved during the final estimate. The analysis permitted to finally select two different models: 1) a model based on a single measurement and quadratic relationship between the single LA and W (R2 = 0.894; root mean squared error [RMSE] = 12.98) and another model 2) based, instead, on two measurements (L and W), and on the linear relationship between single LA and the product of L × W (R2 = 0.980; RMSE = 5.61). Both models were finally validated with an independent dataset (cultivar ‘Tanaka’) confirming the quality of fitting and accuracy already observed during the calibration phase. The analysis permitted to select two different models to be used according to the aims and accuracy required by the analysis. One, based on a single-regressor quadratic model and W (rather than L) as a proxy variable, is capable of obtaining a good quality of fitting of the single LA of loquat cultivars (R2 = 0.894; RMSE = 12.98), whereas, the other, a linear two-regressor (i.e., W and L) model, permitted to achieve the highest prediction (R2 = 0.980; RMSE = 5.61) of the observed variable, but double the time required for leaf measurement.
Multi-Target β-Protease Inhibitors from Andrographis paniculata: In Silico and In Vitro Studies
Authors: Panche Archana N , Chandra Sheela , Diwan AD
Published: July 2019

Natural products derived from plants play a vital role in the discovery of new drug candidates, and these are used for novel therapeutic drug development. Andrographis paniculata and Spilanthes paniculata are used extensively as medicinal herbs for the treatment of various ailments, and are reported to have neuroprotective properties. β-amyloid is a microscopic brain protein whose significant aggregation is detected in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains. The accumulation of β-amyloid disrupts cell communication and triggers inflammation by activating immune cells, leading to neuronal cell death and cognitive disabilities. The proteases acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and beta secretase-1 (BACE-1) have been reported to be correlated with the synthesis and growth of β-amyloid plaques in the brains of AD patients. In the present study, the phenolic compounds from A. paniculata and S. paniculata that have been reported in the literature were selected for the current investigation. Furthermore, we employed molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies of the phenolic compounds with the proteins AChE, BChE, and BACE-1 in order to evaluate the binding characteristics and identify potent anti-amyloid agents against the neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. In this investigation, we predicted three compounds from A. paniculata with maximum binding affinities with cholinesterases and BACE-1. The computational investigations predicted that these compounds follow the rule of five. We further evaluated these molecules for in vitro inhibition activity against all the enzymes. In the in vitro investigations, 3,4-di-o-caffeoylquinic acid (5281780), apigenin (5280443), and 7-o-methylwogonin (188316) were found to be strong inhibitors of AChE, BChE, and BACE-1. These findings suggest that these compounds can be potent multi-target inhibitors of the proteases that might cumulatively work and inhibit the initiation and formation of β-amyloid plaques, which is a prime cause of neurotoxicity and dementia. According to our knowledge, these findings are the first report on natural compounds isolated from A. paniculata as multi-target potent inhibitors and anti-amyloid agents.
Polylactide (PLA) and Its Blends with Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS): A Brief Review
Authors: Su Shen , Kopitzky Rodion , Tolga Sengül , Kabasci Stephan
Published: July 2019

Polylactide (PLA), poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and blends thereof have been researched in the last two decades due to their commercial availability and the upcoming requirements for using bio-based chemical building blocks. Blends consisting of PLA and PBS offer specific material properties. However, their thermodynamically favored biphasic composition often restricts their applications. Many approaches have been taken to achieve better compatibility for tailored and improved material properties. This review focuses on the modification of PLA/PBS blends in the timeframe from 2007 to early 2019. Firstly, neat polymers of PLA and PBS are introduced in respect of their origin, their chemical structure, thermal and mechanical properties. Secondly, recent studies for improving blend properties are reviewed mainly under the focus of the toughness modification using methods including simple blending, plasticization, reactive compatibilization, and copolymerization. Thirdly, we follow up by reviewing the effect of PBS addition, stereocomplexation, nucleation, and processing parameters on the crystallization of PLA. Next, the biodegradation and disintegration of PLA/PBS blends are summarized regarding the European and International Standards, influencing factors, and degradation mechanisms. Furthermore, the recycling and application potential of the blends are outlined.
pH Behavior of Polymer Complexes between Poly(carboxylic acids) and Poly(acrylamide derivatives) Using a Fluorescence Label Technique
Authors: Matsumura Yuriko , Iwai Kaoru
Published: July 2019

In order to clarify the local environment during interpolymer complex formation between poly(carboxylic acids) and poly(acrylamide derivatives) with different N-substitutions, a fluorescence label technique was used. 3-(2-propenyl)-9-(4-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl) phenanthrene (VDP) was used as an intramolecular fluorescence probe. All polymers were synthesized by free radical polymerization. Interpolymer complexation was monitored by charge transfer emission from the VDP unit. Both of the poly(carboxylic acids) formed interpolymer complexes with poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (polyDMAM). The micro-environments around the VDP unit in the acidic pH region for the poly(methacrylic acid) (polyMAAc) and polyDMAM mixed systems were more hydrophobic than those of the poly(acrylic acid) (polyAAc) and polyDMAM mixed systems, as the α-methyl group of the MAAc unit contributed to hydrophobicity around the polymer chain during hydrogen bond formation. This suggests that, when the poly(carboxylic acids) and poly(acrylamide derivatives) were mixed, with a subsequent decrease in the solution pH, a hydrogen bond was partially formed, following which the hydrophobicity of the micro-environment around the polymer chains was changed, resulting in the formation of interpolymer complexes. Moreover, the electron-donating ability of the carbonyl group in the poly(acrylamide derivatives) had an effect on complexation with poly(carboxylic acids).
Evaluation of Synoptic Snowfall on the Antarctic Ice Sheet Based on CloudSat, In-Situ Observations and Atmospheric Reanalysis Datasets
Authors: Liu Yihui , Li Fei , Hao Weifeng , Barriot Jean-Pierre , Wang Yetang
Published: July 2019

Snowfall data are vital in calculating the surface mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS), where in-situ and satellite measurements are sparse at synoptic timescales. CloudSat data are used to construct Antarctic snowfall data at synoptic timescales to compensate for the sparseness of synoptic snowfall data on the AIS and to better understand its surface mass balance. Synoptic CloudSat snowfall data are evaluated by comparison with daily snow accumulation measurements from ten automatic weather stations (AWSs) and the fifth generation of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts climate reanalysis (ERA5) snowfall. Synoptic snowfall data were constructed based on the CloudSat measurements within a radius of 1.41°. The results show that reconstructed CloudSat snowfall at daily and two-day resolutions cover about 28% and 29% of the area of the AIS, respectively. Daily CloudSat snowfall and AWS snow accumulation have similar trends at all stations. While influenced by stronger winds, >73.3% of extreme snow accumulation events correspond to snowfall at eight stations. Even if the CloudSat snowfall data have not been assimilated into the ERA5 dataset, the synoptic CloudSat snowfall data are almost identical to the daily ERA5 snowfall with only small biases (average root mean square error and mean absolute error < 3.9 mm/day). Agreement among the three datasets suggests that the CloudSat data can provide reliable synoptic snowfall data in most areas of the AIS. The ERA5 dataset captures a large number of extreme snowfall events at all AWSs, with capture rates varying from 56% to 88%. There are still high uncertainties in ERA5. Nevertheless, the result suggests that ERA5 can be used to represent actual snowfall events on the AIS at synoptic timescale.
Combing Triple-Part Features of Convolutional Neural Networks for Scene Classification in Remote Sensing
Authors: Huang Hong , Xu Kejie
Published: July 2019

High spatial resolution remote sensing (HSRRS) images contain complex geometrical structures and spatial patterns, and thus HSRRS scene classification has become a significant challenge in the remote sensing community. In recent years, convolutional neural network (CNN)-based methods have attracted tremendous attention and obtained excellent performance in scene classification. However, traditional CNN-based methods focus on processing original red-green-blue (RGB) image-based features or CNN-based single-layer features to achieve the scene representation, and ignore that texture images or each layer of CNNs contain discriminating information. To address the above-mentioned drawbacks, a CaffeNet-based method termed CTFCNN is proposed to effectively explore the discriminating ability of a pre-trained CNN in this paper. At first, the pretrained CNN model is employed as a feature extractor to obtain convolutional features from multiple layers, fully connected (FC) features, and local binary pattern (LBP)-based FC features. Then, a new improved bag-of-view-word (iBoVW) coding method is developed to represent the discriminating information from each convolutional layer. Finally, weighted concatenation is employed to combine different features for classification. Experiments on the UC-Merced dataset and Aerial Image Dataset (AID) demonstrate that the proposed CTFCNN method performs significantly better than some state-of-the-art methods, and the overall accuracy can reach 98.44% and 94.91%, respectively. This indicates that the proposed framework can provide a discriminating description for HSRRS images.
The Precipitation Structure of the Mediterranean Tropical-Like Cyclone Numa: Analysis of GPM Observations and Numerical Weather Prediction Model Simulations
Authors: Marra Anna Cinzia , Federico Stefano , Montopoli Mario , Avolio Elenio , Baldini Luca , Casella Daniele , D’Adderio Leo Pio , Dietrich Stefano , Sanò Paolo , Torcasio Rosa Claudia , Panegrossi Giulia
Published: July 2019

This study shows how satellite-based passive and active microwave (MW) sensors can be used in conjunction with high-resolution Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) simulations to provide insights of the precipitation structure of the tropical-like cyclone (TLC) Numa, which occurred on 15–19 November 2017. The goal of the paper is to characterize and monitor the precipitation at the different stages of its evolution from development to TLC phase, throughout the storm transition over the Mediterranean Sea. Observations by the NASA/JAXA Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory (GPM-CO) and by the GPM constellation of MW radiometers are used, in conjunction with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) simulations. The GPM-CO measurements are used to analyze the passive MW radiometric response to the microphysical structure of the storm, while the comparison between successive MW radiometer overpasses shows the evolution of Numa precipitation structure from its early development stage on the Ionian Sea into its TLC phase, as it persists over southern coast of Italy (Apulia region) for several hours. Measurements evidence stronger convective activity at the development phase compared to the TLC phase, when strengthening or weakening phases in the eye development, and the occurrence of warm rain processes in the areas surrounding the eye, are identified. The weak scattering and polarization signal at and above 89 GHz, the lack of scattering signal at 37 GHz, and the absence of electrical activity in correspondence of the rainbands during the TLC phase, indicate weak convection and the presence of supercooled cloud droplets at high levels. RAMS high-resolution simulations support what inferred from the observations, evidencing Numa TLC characteristics (closed circulation around a warm core, low vertical wind shear, intense surface winds, heavy precipitation), persisting for more than 24 h. Moreover, the implementation of DPR 3D reflectivity field in the RAMS data assimilation system shows a small (but non negligible) impact on the precipitation forecast over the sea up to a few hours after the DPR overpass.
Classifying Diverse Physical Activities Using “Smart Garments”
Authors: Mokhlespour Esfahani Mohammad Iman , Nussbaum Maury A.
Published: July 2019

Physical activities can have important impacts on human health. For example, a physically active lifestyle, which is one of the most important goals for overall health promotion, can diminish the risk for a range of physical disorders, as well as reducing health-related expenditures. Thus, a long-term goal is to detect different physical activities, and an important initial step toward this goal is the ability to classify such activities. A recent and promising technology to discriminate among diverse physical activities is the smart textile system (STS), which is becoming increasingly accepted as a low-cost activity monitoring tool for health promotion. Accordingly, our primary aim was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of using a novel STS to classify physical activities. Eleven participants completed a lab-based experiment to evaluate the accuracy of an STS that featured a smart undershirt (SUS) and commercially available smart socks (SSs) in discriminating several basic postures (sitting, standing, and lying down), as well as diverse activities requiring participants to walk and run at different speeds. We trained three classification methods—K-nearest neighbor, linear discriminant analysis, and artificial neural network—using data from each smart garment separately and in combination. Overall classification performance (global accuracy) was ~98%, which suggests that the STS was effective for discriminating diverse physical activities. We conclude that, overall, smart garments represent a promising area of research and a potential alternative for discriminating a range of physical activities, which can have positive implications for health promotion.
Zirconia-Based Ultra-Thin Compact Flexible CPW-Fed Slot Antenna for IoT
Authors: de Cos Gómez María Elena , Fernández Álvarez Humberto , Puerto Valcarce Blas , García González Cebrián , Olenick John , Las-Heras Andrés Fernando
Published: July 2019

An ultra-thin compact flexible CPW-fed slot monopole antenna suitable for the Internet of Things (IoT) applications was achieved as a result of exploring the use of Zirconia-based ENrG’s Thin E-Strate® for the antenna’s design. The electromagnetic characterization of the novel material at the frequency range of interest was analyzed. A comparison was made concerning the required dimensions and the simulation results regarding impedance matching and radiation properties, for three different dielectric substrates: Novel flexible ceramic (ENrG’s Thin E-Strate), rigid Arlon 25N, and flexible Polypropylene (PP). Two different metallization techniques—electrotextile-based and inkjet printing—were used in the fabrication of prototypes based on ENrG’s Thin E-Strate. Return losses measured results for the fabricated prototypes with both procedures was compared, as well as with simulation. The best prototype on the ENrG’s Thin E-Strate was compared with one on Arlon 25N, in terms of radiation properties in an anechoic chamber, and conclusions were drawn.
Uncertainties in Model-Based Diesel Particulate Filter Diagnostics Using a Soot Sensor
Authors: Kontses Dimitrios , Geivanidis Savas , Fragkiadoulakis Pavlos , Samaras Zissis
Published: July 2019

Monitoring the filtration efficiency of the diesel particulate filter (DPF), is a legislative requirement for minimizing particulate matter (PM) emissions from diesel engines of passenger cars and heavy-duty vehicles. To reach this target, on-board diagnostics (OBD) in real-time operation are required. Such systems in passenger cars are often utilizing a soot sensor, models for PM emissions simulation and algorithms for diagnosis. Their performance is associated with a series of challenges related to the accuracy and effectiveness of involved models, algorithms and hardware. This paper analyzes the main influencing factors and their impact on the effectiveness of the OBD system. The followed method comprised an error propagation analysis to quantify the error of detection during a New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). The results of the study regarding the performance of the OBD model showed that the total error of diagnosis is ±28%. This performance can be improved by increasing the sensor accuracy and the soot model, which can make the model appropriate for even tighter legislation limits and other approaches such as on-board monitoring (OBM).
Robust Multiple Servers Architecture Based Authentication Scheme Preserving Anonymity
Authors: Wang Huawei , Guo Dianli , Zhang Hua , Wen Qiaoyan
Published: July 2019

Recently, many dynamic ID based remote user authentication schemes using smart card have been proposed to improve the security in multiple servers architecture authentication systems. In 2017, Kumari and Om proposed an anonymous multi-server authenticated key agreement scheme, which is believed to be secure against a range of network attacks. Nevertheless, in this paper we reanalyze the security of their scheme, and show that the scheme is vulnerable to impersonation attack and server spoofing attack launched by any adversary without knowing any secret information of the victim users. In addition, their protocol fails to achieve the claimed user privacy protection. For handling these aforementioned shortcomings, we introduce a new biometric-based authentication scheme for multi-server architecture preserving user anonymity. Besides, Burrows—Abadi—Needham (BAN)-logic validated proof and discussion on possible attacks demonstrate the completeness and security of our scheme, respectively. Further, the comparisons in terms of security analysis and performance evaluation of several related protocols show that our proposal can provide stronger security without sacrificing efficiency.
Keeping Watch on Intangible Cultural Heritage: Live Transmission and Sustainable Development of Chinese Lacquer Art
Authors: Song Xiaoting , Yang Yongzhong , Yang Ruo , Shafi Mohsin
Published: July 2019

Countries all over the world have been constantly exploring ways to rescue and protect intangible cultural heritage. While learning from other countries’ protection measures, the Chinese government is also constantly exploring ways that conform to China’s national conditions. As China’s first batch of intangible cultural heritage, lacquer art boasts a brilliant history, but many people are not familiar with it today. Moreover, in the process of modernization, the lacquer art transmission is declining day by day, and it is facing unprecedented major crises such as loss and division of history into periods. Hence, it is essential to verify and reveal the challenges and dilemmas in the lacquer art transmission, and come up with corresponding protection measures around these problems. First of all, this research, through literature review, “horizontally” explores the current research status and the universal problems of lacquer art transmission from the macro level. With a view to make up for the deficiencies of the existing research and further supplement the empirical evidence, the current research, with the transmission of “Chengdu lacquer art” as an example and through in-depth interviews, tracks and investigates the whole process of transmission of Chengdu Lacquer Art Training Institute, and “vertically” analyzes the survival situation of lacquer art transmission and the core problems affecting transmission behaviors from the micro level. In the final conclusion, the research comes up with corresponding countermeasures and suggestions for the identified key problems, which is of significant reference value for facilitating the live transmission and sustainable development of Chinese lacquer art.
Collaborative Optimization of Emissions and Abatement Costs for Air Pollutants and Greenhouse Gases from the Perspective of Energy Structure: An Empirical Analysis in Tianjin
Authors: Zhang Xiaran , Rong Xiaoxia , Cai Meng , Meng Qingchun
Published: July 2019

Both air pollution and greenhouse effect have become important issues with regard to environmental protection both in China and across the world. Consumption of energy derived from coal, oil, and natural gas forms the main source of China’s major air pollutants, SO2 and NOX, as well as the major greenhouse gas CO2. The energy structure adjustment approach provides a sensible way, not only to achieve climate change mitigation and air pollutant reduction, but also to reduce abatement costs. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization method was adopted in order to analyze the collaborative optimization of emissions and abatement costs for both air pollutants and greenhouse gases. As a typical industrial city and economic center with fossil fuels as its main energy source, Tianjin of China is used as the research sample to prove that this method can mitigate air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions and reduce abatement costs. Through demonstration, the results show that the optimization method proposed can reduce SO2, NOX, and CO2 emissions by 27,000 tons, 33,000 tons, and 29,000 tons, respectively, and the abatement costs will be reduced by 620 million yuan by adjusting the energy structure of Tianjin. The proposed method also suggests that China can achieve reductions of abatement cost and greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions under the proposed energy structure. The results indicate that collaborative optimization would help China and other countries cope with climate change while improving domestic air quality.
Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste with Unconventional Co-Substrates for Stable Biogas Production at High Organic Loading Rates
Authors: Hegde Swati , Trabold Thomas A.
Published: July 2019

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is widely considered a more sustainable food waste management method than conventional technologies, such as landfilling and incineration. To improve economic performance while maintaining AD system stability at commercial scale, food waste is often co-digested with animal manure, but there is increasing interest in food waste-only digestion. We investigated the stability of anaerobic digestion with mixed cafeteria food waste (CFW) as the main substrate, combined in a semi-continuous mode with acid whey, waste bread, waste energy drinks, and soiled paper napkins as co-substrates. During digestion of CFW without any co-substrates, the maximum specific methane yield (SMY) was 363 mL gVS−1d−1 at organic loading rate (OLR) of 2.8 gVSL−1d−1, and reactor failure occurred at OLR of 3.5 gVSL−1d−1. Co-substrates of acid whey, waste energy drinks, and waste bread resulted in maximum SMY of 455, 453, and 479 mL gVS−1d−1, respectively, and it was possible to achieve stable digestion at OLR as high as 4.4 gVSL−1d−1. These results offer a potential approach to high organic loading rate digestion of food waste without using animal manure. Process optimization for the use of unconventional co-substrates may help enable deployment of anaerobic digesters for food waste management in urban and institutional applications and enable increased diversion of food waste from landfills in heavily populated regions.
Moving Towards Electrification of Workers’ Transportation: Identifying Key Motives for the Adoption of Electric Vans
Authors: Denstadli Jon Martin , Julsrud Tom Erik
Published: July 2019

The large-scale diffusion of low-emission vehicles is required to increase the sustainability of the transport system. Statistics show strong and continued growth in the sales of electric and other low-emission vehicles in the passenger car market. The commercial market, however, has thus far been a different story, despite the fact that vans and other utility vehicles constitute an increasing share of total road traffic and emissions. The present study investigates the potential for increasing the adoption of electric vans (e-vans) among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Data gathered in a web survey of 264 SME managers show that 25% of the managers expressed intentions to adopt e-vans within the next two years and another 27% within the next five years. Results from logistic regressions show that a combination of attributes related to the vehicle, the firm and the firm-environment relationships drives adoption intentions. Costs and vehicle reliability are typically important drivers of commercial vehicle purchases. E-vans, however, bring symbolic features into the decision process since they are seen as a measure to improve the green legitimacy of the enterprise. Various measures relevant to manufacturers/dealers and policy makers to stimulate the adoption of e-vans are discussed.
Towards Sustainable Urban Logistics: Creating Sustainable Urban Freight Transport on the Example of a Limited Accessibility Zone in Gdansk
Authors: Matusiewicz Maria
Published: July 2019

The purpose of the article is to identify the conditions for the implementation of deliveries in the Limited Accessibility Zone (LAZ) in Gdansk, based on interviews conducted among suppliers in October 2018. Another goal is to identify guidelines for the need to create a new transport policy for cities, which will be in line with sustainable urban logistics. The presented analysis is not an economic or technical analysis of an executive nature. It focuses on indicating the nature of the impact of factors conditioning further actions related to the discussed area. To define a sustainable urban logistics plan road map, the desk research method was used. It involved analyzing, verifying and merging existing data and information from the results of European projects. The paper can be used as a road map to proceed with planning urban logistics in the city and to create a document of Sustainable Urban Logistics Plan (SULP). This is the first study carried out in the LAZ of Gdansk since its introduction in 2014, therefore conclusions can be used by scientists and the creators of urban transport policy to create limited accessibility zones.
Science Mapping of the Global Knowledge Base on Microfinance: Influential Authors and Documents, 1989–2019
Authors: Zaby Simon
Published: July 2019

The use of microfinance in poverty alleviation and, by extension, as an instrument for sustainable social and economic development, represents a novel idea in sustainable finance. This study employed science mapping to examine 4049 Scopus-indexed documents explicitly concerned with microfinance. The goals of the review were to document the distribution of microfinance literature by type, volume, time, and geography, and to identify influential authors, articles, and a potential intellectual structure of this knowledge base. The first microfinance research was conducted in 1989, but the field attracted increased attention only after 2006, when the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus. This study does not find any single dominant school of thought in the field of microfinance, but rather identified three thematic research clusters: (1) a concentration on institutional aspects of microfinance, (2) scholars who used sophisticated research methods to evaluate the impact of microfinance, and (3) groundbreaking microfinance literature related to social justice more generally. As the first-ever, comprehensive bibliometric review of research on microfinance, this study provides benchmarks against which to assess the future evolution of this literature, a reference for scholars entering this domain, and targets for future development of this field of sustainability scholarship.
Environmental Management Practices within Agritourism Boarding Houses in Romania: A Qualitative Study Among Managers
Authors: Ispas Ana , Untaru Elena , Candrea Adina
Published: July 2019

Small accommodation businesses such as agritourism boarding houses (ATBHs) provide a large share of accommodating capacity in certain rural destinations. Despite their small accommodation capacity, ATBHs consume substantial quantities of water and energy; this consumption implies high environmental costs. The present study aims to explore opinions of ATBH owner-managers regarding water and energy consumption in their businesses, what motivates them to adopt environmental practices, and the specific saving measures used within the tourist accommodation units they manage. A qualitative research was conducted, using semi-structured interviews among 12 Romanian ATBH owner-managers. Data analysis revealed that the interviewed owner-managers understand the importance of natural resource conservation in tourist destinations but they are not willing or have insufficient financial, time, organizational resources, etc. to engage in serious water and energy saving initiatives. Moreover, most interviewed managers indicated that tourists cannot make a significant contribution to natural resources conservation in accommodation units and perceive water and energy saving systems as more effective than the environmental education of visitors in their facility. These findings may be useful to tourism policy-makers and environmental organizations in order to develop effective environmental strategies in ATBHs.
Molecular Biology-Based Analysis of the Interactive Effect of Nickel and Xanthates on Soil Bacterial Community Diversity and Structure
Authors: Bararunyeretse Prudence , Zhang Yan , Ji Hongbing
Published: July 2019

Metals and mineral flotation collector’s toxicity to the soil living system greatly compromise the sustainability of mining and ore processing. Their effects on the soil microbial community, the most active soil component, remain less understood and addressed particularly with regards to xanthates and their combination with metals. This study analyzed the interactive effects of Ni and xanthates, potassium ethyl xanthate and sodium isopropyl xanthate, on the soil bacterial community through an efficient molecular biology-based technique, the Miseq (Illumina). Both soil microbial community diversity and structure were more affected by xanthates than by Ni. The five most dominant phyla, representing 96.31% of the whole bacterial community, comprised Proteobacteria (54.16%), Firmicutes (17.51%), Actinobacteria (15.59%), Acidobacteria (4.87%), and Chloroflexi (4.16%). Different soil treatments exhibited greater difference in the species abundance/dominance than in the species numbers. Proteobacteria was the most dominant in the presence of xanthates, individually or in mixtures with nickel, while Firmicutes exhibited its highest proportion in the Ni/xanthate-treated samples. The most abundant and proportionally different bacterial species between different treatments were presented. The most abundant bacterial strains identified should be explored more for their potential application in biomining and for the prediction and biologically-based treatment and remediation of Ni and xanthate-contaminated systems.
Nonlinear Rayleigh Quotients and Nonlinear Spectral Theory
Authors: Chiappinelli Raffaele
Published: July 2019

We give a new and simplified definition of spectrumfor a nonlinear operator F acting in a real Banach space X, and study some of its features in terms of (qualitative and) quantitative properties of F such as the measure of noncompactness, α ( F ) , of F. Then, using as a main tool the Ekeland Variational Principle, we focus our attention on the spectral properties of F when F is a gradient operator in a real Hilbert space, and in particular on the role played by its Rayleigh quotient R ( F ) and by the best lower and upper bounds, m ( F ) and M ( F ) , of R ( F ) .
On the Assumption of the Independence of Thermodynamic Properties on the Gravitational Field
Authors: Corti David S.
Published: July 2019

A reversible cyclic process is analyzed in which the center of mass of an ideal gas is raised in a gravitational field during both an expansion phase and a subsequent contraction phase, with the gas returning to its initial height in a final step. When the properties of the gas are taken as uniform, the thermodynamic efficiency of this cycle is able to exceed that of a corresponding Carnot cycle, which is a violation of the second law of thermodynamics. The source of this discrepancy was previously claimed, when analyzing a similar heating and cooling of a sphere, to be the assumed independence of the internal energy on the gravitational field. However, this violation is only apparent since all of the effects of the gravitational field were not incorporated fully into the thermodynamic analysis of the cycle. When all the influences of the gravitational field are considered, no possible violation of the second law can occur. The evaluation of the entropy changes of the gas throughout the cycle also highlights other key inconsistencies that arise when the full effects of the gravitational field are neglected. As the analysis of the cycle provided here shows, the assumption of the independence of the internal energy, as well as other thermodynamic properties, on the gravitational field strength can still be invoked.
The ADP-Ribosylating Toxins of Salmonella
Authors: Cheng Rachel A. , Wiedmann Martin
Published: July 2019

A number of pathogenic bacteria utilize toxins to mediate disease in a susceptible host. The foodborne pathogen Salmonella is one of the most important and well-studied bacterial pathogens. Recently, whole genome sequence characterizations revealed the presence of multiple novel ADP-ribosylating toxins encoded by a variety of Salmonella serovars. In this review, we discuss both the classical (SpvB) and novel (typhoid toxin, ArtAB, and SboC/SeoC) ADP-ribosylating toxins of Salmonella, including the structure and function of these toxins and our current understanding of their contributions to virulence.
Multiverse Predictions for Habitability: Fraction of Life That Develops Intelligence
Authors: Sandora McCullen
Published: July 2019

Do mass extinctions affect the development of intelligence? If so, we may expect to be in a universe that is exceptionally placid. We consider the effects of impacts, supervolcanoes, global glaciations, and nearby gamma ray bursts, and how their rates depend on fundamental constants. It is interesting that despite the very disparate nature of these processes, each occurs on timescales of 100 Myr-Gyr. We argue that this is due to a selection effect that favors both tranquil locales within our universe, as well as tranquil universes. Taking gamma ray bursts to be the sole driver of mass extinctions is disfavored in multiverse scenarios, as the rate is much lower for different values of the fundamental constants. In contrast, geological causes of extinction are very compatible with the multiverse. Various frameworks for the effects of extinctions are investigated, and the intermediate disturbance hypothesis is found to be most compatible with the multiverse.
Revisiting Acoustics Education Using Mobile Devices to Learn Urban Acoustic Environments: Recent Issues on Current Devices and Applications
Authors: Sakagami Kimihiro , Satoh Fumiaki , Omoto Akira
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we revisit the acoustics education program using mobile devices to better understand urban environments. We begin with a summary of our past projects to demonstrate a model case of the concept. In these projects, the output was mainly supposed to be a noise map with measured sound pressure levels (SPLs) and sound spectra. This methodology can obviously be applied to larger-scale urban studies. Including measured sound spectra can be another advantage. Next, current problems in measurement accuracy due to recent device developments are explained and the required examinations are stated. Finally, the accuracy of the current versions of the applications as well as recently available devices are discussed. The results of this study provide information regarding the measurement accuracy of mobile devices, and some suggestions for their practical use are given, which are also useful for additional studies pertaining to the urban acoustic environment.
Long-Term Circulation of Atypical Porcine Pestivirus (APPV) within Switzerland
Authors: Kaufmann Cindy , Stalder Hanspeter , Sidler Xaver , Renzullo Sandra , Gurtner Corinne , Grahofer Alexander , Schweizer Matthias
Published: July 2019

In 2015, a new pestivirus was described in pig sera in the United States. This new “atypical porcine pestivirus” (APPV) was later associated with congenital tremor (CT) in newborn piglets. The virus appears to be distributed worldwide, but the limited knowledge of virus diversity and the use of various diagnostic tests prevent direct comparisons. Therefore, we developed an APPV-specific real-time RT-PCR assay in the 5′UTR of the viral genome to investigate both retro- and prospectively the strains present in Switzerland and their prevalence in domestic pigs. Overall, 1080 sera obtained between 1986 and 2018 were analyzed, revealing a virus prevalence of approximately 13% in pigs for slaughter, whereas it was less than 1% in breeding pigs. In the prospective study, APPV was also detected in piglets displaying CT. None of the samples could detect the Linda virus, which is another new pestivirus recently reported in Austria. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed a broad diversity of APP viruses in Switzerland that are considerably distinct from sequences reported from other isolates in Europe and overseas. This study indicates that APPV has already been widely circulating in Switzerland for many years, mainly in young animals, with 1986 being the earliest report of APPV worldwide.
The Humoral Immune Response Against the gB Vaccine: Lessons Learnt from Protection in Solid Organ Transplantation
Authors: Gomes Ariane C. , Griffiths Paul D. , Reeves Matthew B.
Published: July 2019

Human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) is considered to be the highest priority for vaccine development. This view is underscored by the significant morbidity associated with congenital hCMV infection and viraemia in transplant patients. Although a number of vaccines have been trialed, none have been licensed. The hCMV vaccine candidate that has performed best in clinical trials to date is the recombinant glycoprotein B (gB) vaccine that has demonstrated protection, ranging from a 43% to 50% efficacy in three independent phase II trials. In this review, we focus on data from the phase II trial performed in solid organ transplant patients and the outcomes of follow-up studies attempting to identify immunological and mechanistic correlates of protection associated with this vaccine strategy. We relate this to other vaccine studies of gB as well as other vaccine strategies to determine areas of commonality and divergence. Finally, through the review, we discuss the unique challenges and opportunities presented with vaccine studies in transplant populations with recommendations that could empower subsequent trials.
ANALISIS DAN PERANCANGAN SISTEM PAKAR DIAGNOSA PENYAKIT TANAMAN SAWIT PADA PT. ANDALAN ALAM SUMATRA MENGGUNAKAN METODE FORWARD CHAINING
Authors: Kurniawansyah Kevin , Assegaff Setiawan
Published: July 2019

Palm oil is one of the plantations that are often attacked by disease. The disease of this planting plants isspread rapidly, so it must be in the culprit. To know the oil palm plant disease or not to be diagnosed tothe symptoms found in the field. At PT Andalan Alam Sumatra there are still many obstacles in perosesdiagnosis of oil palm disease, while the constraint that occurs is the lack of knowledge of employees ofpalm oil disease, still need help from plantation managers in diagnosing disease. Peroses diagnostics willbe hampered when plantation managers are not in place or being out of service, this also greatly burdenthe work of a planter manager. Because of peroses peroses diagnosis of palm oil disease disease perosesdisease prevention also become obstructed. As a result, palm oil disease spreads and disrupts theproductivity of oil palms, causing death in palm oil. Therefore it is necessary media that can helpovercome this as for medianya system of plant disease diagnosis by applying Forward Chaining method.This expert system of plant disease diagnosis using object-based modeling techniques to describe theanalysis and system design, namely in the form of use case diagrams, class diagrams, and activitydiagrams. The output of this research is the design of prototype system Analysis And Design ExpertSystem Diagnosis Disease Palm Plant At PT. Andalan Alam Sumatra With Forward Chaining Method
ALTERAÇÕES NO PAPANICOLAU E O SEGUIMENTO DAS ORIENTAÇÕES PROFISSIONAIS
Authors: Carvalho Vanessa Franco de , Kerber Nalu Pereira da Costa , Souza Catharine Silva de , Pinheiro Taimara Martins , Do Monte Aline Rodrigues , Costa Melissa Guterres
Published: July 2019

O objetivo deste estudo é conhecer as dificuldades/facilidades enfrentadas pelas mulheres que apresentaram algum tipo de alteração no exame Papanicolau para seguir as orientações indicadas pelos profissionais de saúde. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório qualitativo realizado na cidade do Rio Grande - RS. Os sujeitos foram 52 mulheres que apresentaram alterações no Exame Papanicolau realizado pelo Sistema Único de Saúde, durante o ano de 2010 e o primeiro semestre de 2011. Os resultados foram divididos em três categorias: elementos facilitadores do seguimento das orientações; elementos dificultadores do seguimento das orientações; e dificuldades referentes ao desconhecimento da necessidade de acompanhamento contínuo. Conclui-se que as dificuldades elencadas pelas mulheres ocorreram em relação ao agendamento da consulta de retorno, dos exames e de cirurgia e ao número insuficiente de profissionais. Percebeu-se a importância do acolhimento da mulher pelos profissionais de saúde, com orientações claras e objetivas.
GRUPO DE CESSAÇÃO DE TABAGISMO NA ATENÇÃO PRIMÁRIA À SAÚDE: EXPERIÊNCIA DE UMA UNIDADE DE SAÚDE DE PORTO ALEGRE/RS
Authors: Krinski Bruna Maria , Demétrio Faustino-Silva Daniel , Schneider Margaret
Published: July 2019

Objetivo: avaliar a frequência e tempo de cessação de tabaco em usuários que realizaram o Grupo de Cessação de Tabagismo em uma Unidade de Saúde de Porto Alegre/RS. Métodos: um estudo transversal, quantitativo, analítico através da aplicação de um questionário com ex-participantes dos Grupos de Cessação de Tabagismo realizados entre 2011-2014 da Unidade de Saúde SESC, Porto Alegre/RS. A entrevista foi composta por duas partes: a primeira com dados pessoais e socioeconômicos (sexo, idade, idade no momento do grupo, quantas pessoas moram na mesma casa, a renda total da casa), e a segunda sobre a cessação do tabagismo (se parou de fumar com o grupo, se voltou a fumar, se participou dos 4 encontros do grupo, pontos positivos e negativos do grupo). Resultados: trinta e oito pacientes foram entrevistados, 52,6% deles pararam de fumar com a ajuda do Grupo de Cessação, destes 50% segue sem fumar e 100% deles participaram dos 4 encontros preconizados pelo INCA, essencial na cessação (p=0,001). Dos demais que não pararam de fumar (47,4%), apenas 33,3% participaram dos 4 encontros, 60,5% da amostra total usou algum tipo de medicamento e a diferença entre o índice de Fagerström entre o grupo que parou de fumar e o que não parou não foi significativo. Dos pontos positivos do Grupo, a troca de experiências entre os membros foi o mais relevante enquanto que no fato negativo a curta duração do grupo e a falta de um grupo de manutenção tiveram destaque. Conclusões: podemos concluir que o Grupo de Cessação de Tabagismo da Unidade Sesc, na forma como ele está estruturado tem auxiliado os pacientes na cessação, uma vez que mais da metade dos participantes pararam de fumar. A participação nos 4 encontros do Grupo mostrou ser mais eficaz que o uso dos medicamentos. Algumas modificações podem ser feitas para que cada vez mais os usuários consigam alcançar o objetivo esperado, sendo o Grupo de Manutenção uma estratégia possível para aumentar o tempo de cessação, auxiliando na recaída.
INTEGRAÇÃO ENSINO SERVIÇO: PERCEPÇÃO DE AGENTES COMUNITÁRIOS DE SAÚDE SOBRE CAPACITAÇÃO
Authors: FORTE FRANKLIN DELANO SOARES , De Sousa Emerson Tavares , Maia Fabiana Barros Marinho , Sousa Ailma de Sousa Barbosa Barbosa , Freitas Claudia Helena Soares de Morais
Published: July 2019

O objetivo do estudo foi conhecer a percepção dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde sobre capacitações desenvolvidas por estudantes e professores de um curso de odontologia do nordeste do Brasil. É um estudo com abordagem qualitativa em que se utilizou a técnica do grupo focal e para interpretação dos dados, a análise de conteúdo. Nas capacitações foi possível identificar a existência prévia do entendimento sobre a saúde bucal, evidenciando necessidade de ações no sentido de ampliar e ressignificar olhares. A visão de atenção integral, não meramente clínica, foi um ponto marcante, demonstrado em falas que retratam a importância dos equipamentos sociais existentes e da execução de atividades. Os agentes comunitários de saúde relataram que as ações em parceria com a universidade são importantes para a ampliação das atividades desenvolvidas. Percebe-se que as capacitações foram espaço de diálogo que geram reflexos no processo de trabalho dos agentes, apontando caminhos possíveis para serem trilhados.
O ACESSO DO IDOSO NA ATENÇÃO PRIMÁRIA À SAÚDE: ESTUDO DE TENDÊNCIAS EM TESES E DISSERTAÇÕES BRASILEIRAS.
Authors: Silva Kauana Flores da , Pucci Vanessa Rodrigues , Weiller Teresinha Heck , Concatto Marcelo Endrigo Peres , Mayer Bárbara Letícia Dudel
Published: July 2019

O presente estudo tem o objetivo de identificar as contribuições do conhecimento científico produzido, em teses e dissertações brasileiras, sobre o acesso dos idosos na Atenção Primária à Saúde. Trata-se de uma revisão narrativa de literatura realizada durante o mês de junho de 2015 no Banco de Teses da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior e nos catálogos de teses e dissertações da Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem/Centro de Estudos e Pesquisas em Enfermagem. Para a análise dos dados utilizou-se análise de conteúdo. Como resultados emergiram as categorias direcionadas ao acesso e qualidade de vida e ao acesso e integralidade da atenção. Percebeu-se que há mais dificuldades do que facilidades no acesso do idoso na Atenção Primária à Saúde.Descritores: Atenção Primária à Saúde. Idoso. Acesso aos Serviços de Saúde.