bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gold Nanoparticles and Graphene Oxide Flakes Synergistic Partaking in Cytosolic Bactericidal Augmentation: Role of ROS and NOX2 Activity
Authors: Al Rugaie Osamah , Jabir Majid , Kadhim Rua , Karsh Esraa , Sulaiman Ghassan M. , Mohammed Salman A. A. , Khan Riaz A. , Mohammed Hamdoon A.
Published: January 2021

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and graphene oxide flakes (GOFs) exerted significantly (p < 0.0001) supportive roles on the phagocytosis bioactivity of the immune cells of phagocytic nature against the Gram-positive and Gram-negative human pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Under experimental conditions, upon bacterial exposure, the combined GNPs and GOFs induced significant clearance of bacteria through phagosome maturation (p < 0.0001) from time-points of 6 to 30 min and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS, p < 0.0001) through the NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2, p < 0.0001)-based feedback mechanism. The effects of the combined presence of GNPs and GOFs on phagocytosis (p < 0.0001) suggested a synergistic action underway, also achieved through elevated signal transduction activity in the bone-marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM, p < 0.0001). The current study demonstrated that GNPs’ and GOFs’ bactericidal assisting potentials could be considered an effective and alternative strategy for treating infections from both positive and negative bacterial strains.
Intake of Lactobacillus delbrueckii (pExu:hsp65) Prevents the Inflammation and the Disorganization of the Intestinal Mucosa in a Mouse Model of Mucositis
Authors: Barroso Fernanda Alvarenga Lima , de Jesus Luís Cláudio Lima , de Castro Camila Prosperi , Batista Viviane Lima , Ferreira Ênio , Fernandes Renata Salgado , de Barros André Luís Branco , Leclerq Sophie Yvette , Azevedo Vasco , Mancha-Agresti Pamela , Drumond Mariana Martins
Published: January 2021

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an antineoplastic drug that causes, as a side effect, intestinal mucositis, acute inflammation in the small bowel. The Heat Shock Protein (Hsp) are highly expressed in inflammatory conditions, developing an important role in immune modulation. Thus, they are potential candidates for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In the mucositis mouse model, the present study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effect of oral administration of milk fermented by Lactobacillus delbrueckii CIDCA 133 (pExu:hsp65), a recombinant strain. This approach showed increased levels of sIgA in the intestinal fluid, reducing inflammatory infiltrate and intestinal permeability. Additionally, the histological score was improved. Protection was associated with a reduction in the gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Tnf, Il6, Il12, and Il1b, and an increase in Il10, Muc2, and claudin 1 (Cldn1) and 2 (Cldn2) gene expression in ileum tissue. These findings are corroborated with the increased number of goblet cells, the electronic microscopy images, and the reduction of intestinal permeability. The administration of milk fermented by this recombinant probiotic strain was also able to reverse the high levels of gene expression of Tlrs caused by the 5-FU. Thus, the rCIDCA 133:Hsp65 strain was revealed to be a promising preventive strategy for small bowel inflammation.
The Inhibitory Effect of Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue on White Clover Can Be Alleviated by Glomus mosseae Instead of Rhizobia
Authors: Liu Jinming , Ge Xiaoyu , Fan Xiaowen , Liu Hui , Gao Yubao , Ren Anzhi
Published: January 2021

In artificial ecosystems, mixed planting of gramineous and leguminous plants can have obvious advantages and is very common. Due to their improved growth performances and stress tolerance, endophyte-infected grasses are considered to be ideal plant species for grasslands. However, endophytic fungi can inhibit the growth of neighboring nonhost leguminous plants. In this study, we chose endophyte-infected and endophyte-free tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum Darbyshire ex. Schreb.) and clover (Trifolium repens) as the experimental materials to explore whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobium can alleviate the inhibitory effect of endophyte infection on clover. The results showed that endophytic fungi significantly reduced clover biomass. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation significantly increased the biomass of clover in both endophyte-infected tall fescue/clover and endophyte-free tall fescue/clover systems but the beneficial contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was more obvious in the endophyte-infected tall fescue/clover system. Rhizobia inoculation could alleviate the detrimental effect of tall fescue on the growth of clover but did not alleviate the detrimental effect of endophyte infection on the growth of clover.
Dietary Organic Acids Modulate Gut Microbiota and Improve Growth Performance of Nursery Pigs
Authors: Wei Xiaoyuan , Bottoms Kristopher A. , Stein Hans H. , Blavi Laia , Bradley Casey L. , Bergstrom Jon , Knapp Joshua , Story Robert , Maxwell Charles , Tsai Tsungcheng , Zhao Jiangchao
Published: January 2021

Feed additives have been suggested to improve animal growth performance through modulating the gut microbiota. The hypothesis of this study was that the combination of two organic acids would exert synergistic effects on the growth performance and gut microbiota of weaning pigs. To test this hypothesis, we followed 398 weaning pigs from two university experiment stations (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and University of Arkansas (UA)) to determine the effects of increasing levels (0%, 0.035%, 0.070%, and 0.105%) of sodium butyrate combined with 0.5% benzoic acid on the growth performance of nursery pigs. At the UA, an additional negative control diet was included and the gut microbiota analysis was carried out. At both universities, increasing levels of sodium butyrate in a diet containing 0.5% benzoic acid improved growth performance, which reached a plateau in the pigs fed 0.035% (SBA0.035) or 0.070% (SBA0.070) butyrate. Gut microbiota analysis revealed that pigs fed the SBA0.035 diet had more diverse microbiota and contained more potentially beneficial bacteria such as Oscillospira, Blautia, and Turicibacter and reduced levels of Veillonella and Sarcina. Results of the present study indicated that the inclusion of sodium butyrate at moderate levels in a diet containing 0.5% benzoic acid improved growth performance of weaning pigs and established potential health benefits on gut microbiota.
A Combined Experimental and Computational Study of Chrysanthemin as a Pigment for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Ndiaye Atoumane , Dioum Alle , Oprea Corneliu I. , Dumbrava Anca , Lungu Jeanina , Georgescu Adrian , Moscalu Florin , Gîrţu Mihai A. , Beye Aboubaker Chedikh , Youm Issakha
Published: January 2021

The theoretical study of chrysanthemin (cyanidin 3-glucoside) as a pigment for TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was performed with the GAUSSSIAN 09 simulation. The electronic spectra of neutral and anionic chrysanthemin molecules were calculated by density functional theory with B3LYP functional and DGDZVP basis set. A better energy level alignment was found for partially deprotonated molecules of chrysanthemin, with the excited photoelectron having enough energy in order to be transferred to the conduction band of TiO2 semiconductor in DSSCs. In addition, we used the raw aqueous extracts of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) calyces as the source of chrysanthemin and the extracts with various pH values were tested in DSSCs. The extracts and photosensitized semiconductor layers were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, and DSSCs based on raw extracts were characterized by current density-voltage measurements.
Anti-Inflammatory Action and Mechanisms of Resveratrol
Authors: Meng Tiantian , Xiao Dingfu , Muhammed Arowolo , Deng Juying , Chen Liang , He Jianhua
Published: January 2021

Resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihy- droxystilbene), a natural phytoalexin polyphenol, exhibits anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. This phytoalexin is well-absorbed and rapidly and extensively metabolized in the body. Inflammation is an adaptive response, which could be triggered by various danger signals, such as invasion by microorganisms or tissue injury. In this review, the anti-inflammatory activity and the mechanism of resveratrol modulates the inflammatory response are examined. Multiple experimental studies that illustrate regulatory mechanisms and the immunomodulatory function of resveratrol both in vivo and in vitro. The data acquired from those studies are discussed.
Classification of Congeneric and QSAR of Homologous Antileukemic S–Alkylcysteine Ketones
Authors: Castellano Gloria , León Adela , Torrens Francisco
Published: January 2021

Based on a set of six vector properties, the partial correlation diagram is calculated for a set of 28 S-alkylcysteine diazomethyl- and chloromethyl-ketone derivatives. Those with the greatest antileukemic activity in the same class correspond to high partial correlations. A periodic classification is performed based on information entropy. The first four characteristics denote the group, and the last two indicate the period. Compounds in the same period and, especially, group present similar properties. The most active substances are situated at the bottom right. Nine classes are distinguished. The principal component analysis of the homologous compounds shows five subclasses included in the periodic classification. Linear fits of both antileukemic activities and stability are good. They are in agreement with the principal component analysis. The variables that appear in the models are those that show positive loading in the principal component analysis. The most important properties to explain the antileukemic activities (50% inhibitory concentration Molt-3 T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia minus the logarithm of 50% inhibitory concentration Nalm-6 B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia and stability k) are ACD logD, surface tension and number of violations of Lipinski’s rule of five. After leave-m-out cross-validation, the most predictive model for cysteine diazomethyl- and chloromethyl-ketone derivatives is provided.
Oleuropein-Laded Ufasomes Improve the Nutraceutical Efficacy
Authors: Cristiano Maria Chiara , Froiio Francesca , Mancuso Antonia , Cosco Donato , Dini Luciana , Di Marzio Luisa , Fresta Massimo , Paolino Donatella
Published: January 2021

Ufasomes are unsaturated fatty acid liposomes made up of oleic and linoleic acids, natural components required in various biological processes. This kind of nanocarrier is characterized by a simple and dynamic structure and is able to improve the bioavailability of unsaturated fatty acids. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate ufasomes as natural compound delivery systems to deliver oleuropein and improve its antioxidant activity. Oleuropein is a phenolic compound mainly present in olives and olive oil, with several biological properties, such as the antioxidant activity. However, to improve their biological activity, antioxidant compounds should be able to cross cell membranes and uniformly incorporate in cells. Because of the great similarity between their constituents and cell membranes, ufasomes could be advantageous carriers for oleuropein delivery. The physico-chemical characteristics of ufasomes were investigated. A regular shape was shown by transmission electron microscopy studies, while the mean sizes were dependent on the ufasomes composition. In vitro studies highlighted that empty ufasomes did not lead to cell mortality at the tested concentrations and a good carrier internalization in CaCo-2 cells, further studies in vitro studies demonstrated that oleuropein-loaded ufasomes were able to enhance the antioxidant activity of the free active substance making this carrier a suitable one for nutraceutical application.
Nanostructured TiO2 and PEDOT Electrodes with Photovoltaic Application
Authors: Mauricio Ramírez Andrés , Cattin Linda , Bernède Jean-Christian , Díaz Fernando Raúl , Gacitúa Manuel Alejandro , del Valle María Angélica
Published: January 2021

In this work, nanostructured TiO2 and poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) layers were electrochemically prepared over transparent electrodes. Morphological characterization evidenced the presence of nanostructures as planed with 50-nm-wide TiO2 rod formations followed by 30-nm-wide PEDOT wires. Different characterizations were made to the deposits, establishing their composition and optic properties of the deposits. Finally, photovoltaic cells were prepared using this modified electrode, proving that the presence of PEDOT nanowires in the cell achieves almost double the efficiency of its bulk analogue.
Physicochemical Properties and Effects of Honeys on Key Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Cholesterol Homeostasis in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Nguyen Huong Thi Lan , Kasapis Stefan , Mantri Nitin
Published: January 2021

Manuka honey and newly developed honeys (arjuna, guggul, jiaogulan and olive) were examined for their physicochemical, biochemical properties and effects on oxidative stress and cholesterol homeostasis in fatty acid-induced HepG2 cells. The honeys exhibited standard moisture content (<20%), electrical conductivity (<0.8 mS/cm), acidic pH, and monosaccharides (>60%), except olive honey (<60% total monosaccharides). They all expressed non-Newtonian behavior and 05 typical regions of the FTIR spectra as those of natural ones. Guggul and arjuna, manuka honeys showed the highest phenolic contents, correlating with their significant antioxidant activities. Arjuna, guggul and manuka honeys demonstrated the agreement of total cholesterol reduction and the transcriptional levels of AMPK, SREBP2, HCMGR, LDLR, LXRα. Jiaogulan honey showed the least antioxidant content and activity, but it was the most cytotoxic. Both jiaogulan and olive honeys modulated the tested gene in the pattern that should lead to a lower TC content, but this reduction did not occur after 24 h. All 2% concentrations of tested honeys elicited a clearer effect on NQO1 gene expression. In conclusion, the new honeys complied with international norms for natural honeys and we provide partial evidence for the protective effects of manuka, arjuna and guggul honeys amongst the tested ones on key biomarkers of oxidative stress and cholesterol homeostasis, pending further studies to better understand their modes of action.
Evaluation of Direct and Cell-Mediated Lactoferrin Gene Therapy for the Maxillofacial Area Abscesses in Rats
Authors: Agatieva Elima , Ksembaev Said , Sokolov Mikhail , Markosyan Vage , Gazizov Ilnaz , Tsyplakov Dmitry , Shmarov Maxim , Tutykhina Irina , Naroditsky Boris , Logunov Denis , Pozdeev Oskar , Morozova Lidiya , Yapparova Kamilya , Islamov Rustem
Published: January 2021

Resistance to antibacterial therapy requires the discovery of new methods for the treatment of infectious diseases. Lactoferrin (LTF) is a well-known naïve first-line defense protein. In the present study, we suggested the use of an adenoviral vector (Ad5) carrying the human gene encoding LTF for direct and cell-mediated gene therapy of maxillofacial area phlegmon in rats. Abscesses were developed by injection of the purulent peritoneal exudate in the molar region of the medial surface of the mandible. At 3–4 days after phlegmon maturation, all rats received ceftriaxone and afterward were subcutaneously injected around the phlegmon with: (1) Ad5 carrying reporter gfp gene encoding green fluorescent protein (Ad5-GFP control group), (2) Ad5 carrying LTF gene (Ad5-LTF group), (3) human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (UCBC) transduced with Ad5-GFP (UCBC + Ad5-GFP group), and (4) UCBC transduced with Ad5-LTF (UCBC + Ad5-LTF group). Control rats developed symptoms considered to be related to systemic inflammation and were euthanized at 4–5 days from the beginning of the treatment. Rats from therapeutic groups demonstrated wound healing and recovery from the fifth to seventh day based on the type of therapy. Histological investigation of cervical lymph nodes revealed purulent lymphadenitis in control rats and activated lymphatic tissue in rats from the UCBC + Ad5-LTF group. Our results propose that both approaches of LTF gene delivery are efficient for maxillofacial area phlegmon recovery in rats. However, earlier wound healing and better outcomes in cervical lymph node remodeling in the UCBC + Ad5-LTF group, as well as the lack of direct exposure of the viral vector to the organism, which may cause toxic and immunogenic effects, suggest the benefit of cell-mediated gene therapy.
FOSquare: A Novel Optical HPC Interconnect Network Architecture Based on Fast Optical Switches with Distributed Optical Flow Control
Authors: Yan Fulong , Yuan Changshun , Li Chao , Deng Xiong
Published: January 2021

Interconnecting networks adopting Fast Optical Switches (FOS) can achieve high bandwidth, low latency, and low power consumption. We propose and demonstrate a novel interconnecting topology based on FOS (FOSquare) with distributed fast flow control which is suitable for HPC infrastructures. We also present an Optimized Mapping (OPM) algorithm that maps the most communication-related processes inside a rack. We numerically investigate and compare the network performance of FOSquare with Leaf-Spine under real traffic traces collected by running multiple applications (CG, MG, MILC, and MINI_MD) in an HPC infrastructure. The numerical results show that the FOSquare can reduce >10% latency with respect to Leaf-Spine under the scenario of 16 available cores.
Intraspecific Variability Largely Affects the Leaf Metabolomics Response to Isosmotic Macrocation Variations in Two Divergent Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Varieties
Authors: Corrado Giandomenico , Lucini Luigi , Miras-Moreno Begoña , Zhang Leilei , El-Nakhel Christophe , Colla Giuseppe , Rouphael Youssef
Published: January 2021

Mineral elements are essential for plant growth and development and strongly affect crop yield and quality. To cope with an everchanging environment, plants have developed specific responses to combined nutrient variations. In this work, we investigated the effects of multifactorial treatments with three macrocations (K, Ca, and Mg) on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) varieties that strongly diverge in leaf pigmentation (full red or green). Specifically, we monitored main leaf parameters and metabolomics profiles of hydroponically grown plants fed with isosmotic nutrient solutions that have different proportions of macroelements. The result revealed a high biochemical plasticity of lettuce, significantly affected by the genotype, the nutrient solution, and their interaction. Our work also provided evidence and insights into the different intraspecific responses to multifactorial variation of macrocations, with two varieties having distinct strategies to metabolically respond to nutrient variation. Overall, plant adaptive mechanisms increased the phytochemical diversity between the varieties both among and within the main classes of plant secondary metabolites. Finally, our work also implies that the interaction of a pre-existing phytochemical diversity with the management of multiple mineral elements can offer added health-related benefits to the edible product specific to the variety.
Effect of Thermal Processing on Flow Properties and Stability of Thickened Fluid Matrices Formulated by Tapioca Starch, Hydroxyl Distarch Phosphate (E-1442), and Xanthan Gum Associating Dysphagia-Friendly Potential
Authors: Yang Huaiwen , Lin Yuhsien
Published: January 2021

The flow behavior of the administrated fluid matrices demands careful assessments for stability when consumed by individuals with dysphagia. In the present study, we incorporated tapioca starch (TS), hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HDP), and xanthan gum (XG) as thickeners into different nectars (300 ± 20 mPa.s) undergoing thermal processing and evaluated their stability. The thickened nectars presented better water holding and oil binding capacities at 25 °C than 4 °C, and the nectars with TS provided the best results for both capacities as well as the highest solubility index and swelling power (p < 0.05). All prepared nectars appeared to be shear-thinning fluids with yield stress closely fitting the power law and Casson models. XG-containing nectars presented a higher yield stress and consistency index. Matrices thickened by HDP exhibited a higher viscoelastic property compared to those thickened by TS during thermal processing. TS nectars presented viscous behavior, whereas HDP and XG nectars presented elastic behavior at 80 °C processing. The 3 min thermal processing HDP nectars remained stable and met dysphagia-friendly requirements under 4 °C storage for 28 days, regardless of the type of fluid base (distilled water, sport drink, or orange juice). The employed thickeners present adequate physicochemical properties to be potentially utilized for producing dysphagia-friendly formulations.
Correction: Zheng, L., et al. PBN11-8, a Cytotoxic Polypeptide Purified from Marine Bacillus, Suppresses Invasion and Migration of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Targeting Focal Adhesion Kinase Pathways. Polymers 2018, 10, 1043
Authors: Zheng Lanhong , Zhu Xiangjie , Yang Kangli , Zhu Meihong , Farooqi Ammad , Kang Daole , Sun Mi , Xu Yixin , Lin Xiukun , Feng Yingang , Liang Fangfang , Zhang Fuming , Linhardt Robert
Published: January 2021

The authors wish to make a change to the published paper [...]
The Effect of Carbonyl and Hydroxyl Compounds on Swelling Factor, Interfacial Tension, and Viscosity in CO2 Injection: A Case Study on Aromatic Oils
Authors: Permadi Asep Kurnia , Pratama Egi Adrian , Hakim Andri Luthfi Lukman , Abdassah Doddy
Published: January 2021

A factor influencing the effectiveness of CO2 injection is miscibility. Besides the miscible injection, CO2 may also contribute to oil recovery improvement by immiscible injection through modifying several properties such as oil swelling, viscosity reduction, and the lowering of interfacial tension (IFT). Moreover, CO2 immiscible injection performance is also expected to be improved by adding some solvent. However, there are a lack of studies identifying the roles of solvent in assisting CO2 injection through observing those properties simultaneously. This paper explains the effects of CO2–carbonyl and CO2–hydroxyl compounds mixture injection on those properties, and also the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) experimentally by using VIPS (refers to viscosity, interfacial tension, pressure–volume, and swelling) apparatus, which has a capability of measuring those properties simultaneously within a closed system. Higher swelling factor, lower viscosity, IFT and MMP are observed from a CO2–propanone/acetone mixture injection. The role of propanone and ethanol is more significant in Sample A1, which has higher molecular weight (MW) of C7+ and lower composition of C1–C4, than that in the other Sample A9. The solvents accelerate the ways in which CO2 dissolves and extracts oil, especially the extraction of the heavier component left in the swelling cell.
Cold Plasma Deposition of Polymeric Nanoprotrusion, Nanoparticles, and Nanofilm Structures on a Slide Glass Surface
Authors: Yi Sun-Woo , Yu In-Keun , Kim Woon-Jung , Choi Seong-Ho
Published: January 2021

In this study, we coated the surface of glass slides with nanoprotrusion, nanoparticles, and nanofilm structures by one-step plasma deposition of three vinyl monomers. Three functional vinyl monomers with symmetrical polarity sites were used: methyl methacrylate (MMA), trifluoro methylmethacrylate (TFMA), and trimethylsilyl methyl methacrylate (TSMA). The TSMA/MMA (80/20, mol-%) nanoprotrusion-coated surface of slide glass was superhydrophobic, with a 153° contact angle. We also evaluated the transmittance (%) of the slide glass with nanoprotrusions in the infrared (IR) (940 nm), ultraviolet (365 nm) and visible light (380–700 nm) regions. The obtained nanoprotrusion structure surface of slide glass created by plasma deposition transmits more than 90% of visible light.
Mapping Frozen Ground in the Qilian Mountains in 2004–2019 Using Google Earth Engine Cloud Computing
Authors: Qi Yuan , Li Shiwei , Ran Youhua , Wang Hongwei , Wu Jichun , Lian Xihong , Luo Dongliang
Published: January 2021

The permafrost in the Qilian Mountains (QLMs), the northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, changed dramatically in the context of climate warming and increasing anthropogenic activities, which poses significant influences on the stability of the ecosystem, water resources, and greenhouse gas cycles. Yet, the characteristics of the frozen ground in the QLMs are largely unclear regarding the spatial distribution of active layer thickness (ALT), the maximum frozen soil depth (MFSD), and the temperature at the top of the permafrost or the bottom of the MFSD (TTOP). In this study, we simulated the dynamics of the ALT, TTOP, and MFSD in the QLMs in 2004–2019 in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. The widely-adopted Stefan Equation and TTOP model were modified to integrate with the moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature (LST) in GEE. The N-factors, the ratio of near-surface air to ground surface freezing and thawing indices, were assigned to the freezing and thawing indices derived with MODIS LST in considerations of the fractional vegetation cover derived from MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The results showed that the GEE platform and remote sensing imagery stored in Google cloud could be quickly and effectively applied to obtain the spatial and temporal variation of permafrost distribution. The area with TTOP < 0 °C is 8.4 × 104 km2 (excluding glaciers and lakes) and accounts for 46.6% of the whole QLMs, the regional mean ALT is 2.43 ± 0.44 m, while the regional mean MFSD is 2.54 ± 0.45 m. The TTOP and ALT increase with the decrease of elevation from the sources of the sub-watersheds to middle and lower reaches. There is a strong correlation between TTOP and elevation (slope = −1.76 °C km−1, p < 0.001). During 2004–2019, the area of permafrost decreased by 20% at an average rate of 0.074 × 104 km2·yr−1. The regional mean MFSD decreased by 0.1 m at a rate of 0.63 cm·yr−1, while the regional mean ALT showed an exception of a decreasing trend from 2.61 ± 0.45 m during 2004–2005 to 2.49 ± 0.4 m during 2011–2015. Permafrost loss in the QLMs in 2004–2019 was accelerated in comparison with that in the past several decades. Compared with published permafrost maps, this study shows better calculation results of frozen ground in the QLMs.
Microstrip Resonant Sensor for Differentiation of Components in Vapor Mixtures
Authors: Slobodian Petr , Riha Pavel , Olejnik Robert , Matyas Jiri , Slobodian Rostislav
Published: January 2021

A novel microstrip resonant vapor sensor made from a conductive multiwalled carbon nanotubes/ethylene-octene copolymer composite, of which its sensing properties were distinctively altered by vapor polarity, was developed for the detection of organic vapors. The alteration resulted from the modified composite electronic impedance due to the penetration of the vapors into the copolymer matrix, which subsequently swelled, increased the distances between the carbon nanotubes, and disrupted the conducting paths. This in turn modified the reflection coefficient frequency spectra. Since both the spectra and magnitudes of the reflection coefficients at the resonant frequencies of tested vapors were distinct, a combination of these parameters was used to identify the occurrence of a particular vapor or to differentiate components of vapor mixtures. Thus, one multivariate MWCNT/copolymer microstrip resonant sensor superseded an array of selective sensors.
Partnership towards Synergistic Municipal Solid Waste Management Services in a Coastal Tourism Sub-Region
Authors: Jotaworn Surasak , Nitivattananon Vilas , Kusakabe Kyoko , Xue Wenchao
Published: January 2021

Solid waste generated on land could potentially contribute continuously to marine waste, with current municipal solid waste management (MSWM) focusing on human-related activities as the main source. While there has been challenges and opportunities in the MSWM’s partnership in the growing waste generation for the coastal tourism area, the aim of this study is to explore public and private sectors as the key players to identify challenges, opportunities, and need for further analysis of the synergistic MSWM services in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Thailand. A mixed-method approach was adopted, including primary data collected through semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys. Content analysis, descriptive statistics, and chi-square tests were applied. The results show that the public sector has different MSWM strategies—with public-private partnership (PPP) and without PPP, with many challenges in the EEC region—while the private sector has a lot of potential for MSWM effectiveness. The synergistic opportunities from both sectors can therefore be considered for possible integration into four aspects: challenging synergies within the public sector, potential synergies via the private sector, synergies with a cross-sectoral partnership, and synergies through other types of partnership. Additionally, a synergic partnership was another appropriate approach for MSWM services enhancement.
A Secured Privacy-Preserving Multi-Level Blockchain Framework for Cluster Based VANET
Authors: Akhter A. F. M. Suaib , Ahmed Mohiuddin , Shah A. F. M. Shahen , Anwar Adnan , Zengin Ahmet
Published: January 2021

Existing research shows that Cluster-based Medium Access Control (CB-MAC) protocols perform well in controlling and managing Vehicular Ad hoc Network (VANET), but requires ensuring improved security and privacy preserving authentication mechanism. To this end, we propose a multi-level blockchain-based privacy-preserving authentication protocol. The paper thoroughly explains the formation of the authentication centers, vehicles registration, and key generation processes. In the proposed architecture, a global authentication center (GAC) is responsible for storing all vehicle information, while Local Authentication Center (LAC) maintains a blockchain to enable quick handover between internal clusters of vehicle. We also propose a modified control packet format of IEEE 802.11 standards to remove the shortcomings of the traditional MAC protocols. Moreover, cluster formation, membership and cluster-head selection, and merging and leaving processes are implemented while considering the safety and non-safety message transmission to increase the performance. All blockchain communication is performed using high speed 5G internet while encrypted information is transmitted while using the RSA-1024 digital signature algorithm for improved security, integrity, and confidentiality. Our proof-of-concept implements the authentication schema while considering multiple virtual machines. With detailed experiments, we show that the proposed method is more efficient in terms of time and storage when compared to the existing methods. Besides, numerical analysis shows that the proposed transmission protocols outperform traditional MAC and benchmark methods in terms of throughput, delay, and packet dropping rate.
Urban Ecosystem-Level Biomimicry and Regenerative Design: Linking Ecosystem Functioning and Urban Built Environments
Authors: Blanco Eduardo , Pedersen Zari Maibritt , Raskin Kalina , Clergeau Philippe
Published: January 2021

By 2050, 68% of the world’s population will likely live in cities. Human settlements depend on resources, benefits, and services from ecosystems, but they also tend to deplete ecosystem health. To address this situation, a new urban design and planning approach is emerging. Based on regenerative design, ecosystem-level biomimicry, and ecosystem services theories, it proposes designing projects that reconnect urban space to natural ecosystems and regenerate whole socio-ecosystems, contributing to ecosystem health and ecosystem services production. In this paper, we review ecosystems as models for urban design and review recent research on ecosystem services production. We also examine two illustrative case studies using this approach: Lavasa Hill in India and Lloyd Crossing in the U.S.A. With increasing conceptualisation and application, we argue that the approach contributes positive impacts to socio-ecosystems and enables scale jumping of regenerative practices at the urban scale. However, ecosystem-level biomimicry practices in urban design to create regenerative impact still lack crucial integrated knowledge on ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services productions, making it less effective than potentially it could be. We identify crucial gaps in knowledge where further research is needed and pose further relevant research questions to make ecosystem-level biomimicry approaches aiming for regenerative impact more effective.
Climate Variability and Transnational Migration: A Dyadic Analysis
Authors: Bakaki Zorzeta
Published: January 2021

This research builds upon and extends earlier research by studying whether people leave their homes and migrate to other states due to weather changes associated with climate variability. In particular, I examine how push and pull factors jointly influence emigration. Empirically, the theoretical arguments are analysed quantitatively with time-series cross-section data on transnational migration since the 1960s. The results suggest that climate indicators are strongly and robustly associated with transnational migration. The dyadic nature of the analysis allows for a close examination of patterns across pairs of countries by clearly distinguishing between “source” and “destination.” Controlling for unobserved influences via country and year fixed effects, as well as a series of robustness checks, further increases the confidence in this finding. This research substantially improves our understanding of climate-induced migration and emphasizes that it is, in fact, a global phenomenon.
The Nature of the Technosols on the Waste from Nickel Production
Authors: Michaeli Eva , Solár Vladimír , Maxin Matúš , Vilček Jozef , Boltižiar Martin
Published: January 2021

The aim of the study was to investigate the properties of the metallurgical sludge—waste from nickel production—on the landfill of a former nickel plant in Sereď, Slovakia, in relation to the technosols soil group. The sludge is a loose material which is a toxic industrial technological anthropogenic sediment of an unnatural black colour which originated from the crushing, washing, and leaching of poor iron–nickel lateritic ore in ammoniac solution and other caustics substances. The terrain reconnaissance enabled us to identify the points for the location of the probes. Here we dug seven probes and took 17 samples. In the samples the pH levels, the content of heavy metal and iron TOC, IC, C, and N, and the C:N ratio were determined. This study provides substantial empirical data on the properties of the metallurgical sludge. The results of the analyses clearly demonstrate that the sludge is a strongly alkaline material and contains toxic amounts of heavy metals (Cr, Ni). It is an artefact whose properties are unfavourable to living organisms and their communities. On the basis of the results of the probes analysis we identified the nature of the technosols on the given locality.
Delineating an Integrated Ecological and Cultural Corridor Network: A Case Study in Beijing, China
Authors: Li Yanyan , Wang Xinhao , Dong Xiaofeng
Published: January 2021

This study shows that an integrated ecological and cultural corridor network can help guide city development strategies to better preserve ecological and cultural assets. Traditionally, protection zones and suitable development areas are often identified by separately considering natural elements of the ecosystem and elements of cultural significance. To achieve the purpose of cohesively protecting areas of ecological and/or cultural significance, we have developed a corridor-based spatial framework by integrating ecological and cultural assets. Ecological sources are identified by combining protection prioritization, nature reserves, and water bodies. Ecological corridors are delineated by using the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model on a resistance surface constructed from land-use data to connect ecological sources. Ecologically important areas are then delineated by creating a 5-km buffer zone from ecological sources and ecological corridors. Cultural corridors are historical routes and rivers surrounded by abundant cultural nodes. Like ecologically important areas, culturally important areas are delineated by creating a 5-km buffer zone from cultural corridors. Comprehensive regions are the overlap of ecologically and culturally important areas. Finally, the integrated network connects all comprehensive regions following ecological corridors and cultural corridors in such a way that the largest number of ecological sources and cultural nodes are reached. We applied this framework in Beijing, China, and the results show that there are 2011 km2 of ecological sources, 30 ecological corridors, 423 cultural nodes, seven cultural corridors, and 10 comprehensive regions covering 2916 km2 in the integrated network. The framework adds new insights to the methodology of considering ecological and cultural assets together in developing protection and development strategies.
What Do We Know about Bullying in Schoolchildren with Disabilities? A Systematic Review of Recent Work
Authors: Falla Daniel , Sánchez Sergio , Casas José A.
Published: January 2021

Bullying is a serious problem that particularly affects schoolchildren with disabilities. However, studies in this group have been carried out on smaller cohorts and the results obtained are, therefore, less representative and sometimes inconclusive. The purpose of this paper is to perform a systematic review of the work carried out in recent years, including the analysis of several variables related to the sample, the methodology applied and the type of bullying. The guidelines set down by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement were followed in three phases. The total sample consisted of 55 children who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The results reveal that half the studies were conducted in cohorts of less than 250 schoolchildren and drew no distinctions between the different types of disabilities. Furthermore, there is no consensus regarding the methodology used, and no specialized instruments were used. Hardly any specific interventions have been performed into the type of bullying investigated, in which victimization is the predominant mode. We concluded that there is an urgent need to increase the number of studies, including a larger number of individuals and using specialized instruments, in order to obtain more solid results. Such studies will allow us to create specific prevention and intervention programs to address the bullying of schoolchildren with disabilities.
New Housing Complexes in Post-Industrial Areas in City Centres in Poland Versus Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection—With a Particular Focus on Cracow
Authors: Gyurkovich Mateusz , Gyurkovich Jacek
Published: January 2021

The cityscape changes constantly, reflecting the socio-economic conditions of a given urbanised area—both globally and in any given country. Post-industrial buildings and complexes have been its important elements since the nineteenth century. At present, many of them are undergoing adaptive reuse. The oldest, which are parts of post-industrial heritage and define the local identity, are now located in city centres. Some are revitalised and often adapted into multi-family housing. This paper fills a gap in the research on revitalised areas in Polish city centres, especially the ones converted into housing. It notes the links between these projects with elements of urban green-blue infrastructure, as well as the methods of protection of the reused postindustrial heritage. Studies from 2000–2020 on Polish multi-family housing architecture prove that the quality of buildings and semi-public green spaces is becoming increasingly important to developers and buyers. Properly used and exposed post-industrial heritage can contribute to raising the attractiveness of such spaces. In combination with city greenery systems, they can form attractive townscape sequences, as proven by Cracow cases. The paper’s conclusions indicate that the preservation and exposition of post-industrial heritage in newly built housing complexes is affected by numerous factors. The most important of these are legal determinants based on both state-level and local law. Economic factors also play a major role, as they directly affect projects. The skills and talent of designers who can create unique proposals that expose surviving relicts and a given place’s genius loci even in the most restrictive of economic and legal conditions, are also not without significance.
Permeability and Strength of Pervious Concrete According to Aggregate Size and Blocking Material
Authors: Hung Vu Viet , Seo Soo-Yeon , Kim Hyun-Woo , Lee Gun-Cheol
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this study is to identify the differences in porosity and permeability coefficients when the mixing ratio of aggregates is different and to present the mixing ratio satisfying the strength requirement of compressive specified in a specification of Korea. Three mix ratios were suggested by considering various aggregate sizes and three cylinders were made for each ratio. The porosities of those cylinders were evaluated through the compression and water permeability test, measuring the weight of specimens in underwater and analysis of the pictured Computed Tomography (CT) image. Experiments have shown that it is best to mix 50% for 5–10 mm aggregates, 45% for 2–5 mm aggregates, and 5% for sand in terms of strength and permeability. In addition, as the proportion of fine aggregates increased, the porosity and permeability decreased. Moreover, the effectiveness of maintenance method was also examined in this study.
Economic Analysis of a Transport Company in the Aspect of Car Vehicle Operation
Authors: Rykała Magdalena , Rykała Łukasz
Published: January 2021

The article describes the issues of transport of bulk materials. The knowledge of this process has a key impact on the rational planning of transport tasks. It is necessary to have knowledge about the transport services market and the competition that exists in it. In order to achieve a competitive advantage on the market, enterprises should analyze data on the implementation of transport tasks on an ongoing basis. It is also important that the costs incurred from the conducted activity are minimized, while increasing the quality of services and taking into account the sustainable development of the enterprise. The study analyzes data from a few selected motor vehicles in the period of 3 years of operation, coming from an enterprise specializing in the transport of bulk materials. Moreover, a global sensitivity analysis was performed based on a neural model describing the impact of the analyzed factors on the company’s profit. The results show that the most important factors influencing the company’s profit are the fuel consumption of individual vehicles, the driver (driving style) and the month (average temperature, weather conditions).
Young Consumers’ Intention to Participate in the Sharing Economy: An Integrated Model
Authors: Martínez-González José Alberto , Parra-López Eduardo , Barrientos-Báez Almudena
Published: January 2021

This paper aims to analyze the external and internal drivers of young consumers’ intention to participate in the sharing economy in tourism. From previous findings, a causal model (PLS) is designed to generate an integrated, practical, and novel structural model that significantly predicts the intention to participate. The model, consisting of nine dimensions, includes consumers’ external and internal variables. Separately, these variables have all been considered relevant in the literature, though they have not been studied jointly before. The descriptive results show the excellent attitude and predisposition of young people toward the tourism sharing economy, which facilitates their participation. Through the model, the importance of all internal and external consumer variables in the formation of intention are proven; however, attitude and social norm are most notable among them. Trust is also a critical variable that serves as the link between internal and external variables. The study provides managers of sharing economy platforms with knowledge to encourage young consumers’ participation in a communication and market orientation context. The generational approach (Generation Z) used also allows the conclusions and implications to be transferred to other regions and sectors.
Evaluating the Coding Performance of 360° Image Projection Formats Using Objective Quality Metrics
Authors: Hussain Ikram , Kwon Oh-Jin , Choi Seungcheol
Published: January 2021

Recently, 360° content has emerged as a new method for offering real-life interaction. Ultra-high resolution 360° content is mapped to the two-dimensional plane to adjust to the input of existing generic coding standards for transmission. Many formats have been proposed, and tremendous work is being done to investigate 360° videos in the Joint Video Exploration Team using projection-based coding. However, the standardization activities for quality assessment of 360° images are limited. In this study, we evaluate the coding performance of various projection formats, including recently-proposed formats adapting to the input of JPEG and JPEG 2000 content. We present an overview of the nine state-of-the-art formats considered in the evaluation. We also propose an evaluation framework for reducing the bias toward the native equi-rectangular (ERP) format. We consider the downsampled ERP image as the ground truth image. Firstly, format conversions are applied to the ERP image. Secondly, each converted image is subjected to the JPEG and JPEG 2000 image coding standards, then decoded and converted back to the downsampled ERP to find the coding gain of each format. The quality metrics designed for 360° content and conventional 2D metrics have been used for both end-to-end distortion measurement and codec level, in two subsampling modes, i.e., YUV (4:2:0 and 4:4:4). Our evaluation results prove that the hybrid equi-angular format and equatorial cylindrical format achieve better coding performance among the compared formats. Our work presents evidence to find the coding gain of these formats over ERP, which is useful for identifying the best image format for a future standard.