bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Oral Bacterial Microbiome of Interdental Surfaces in Adolescents According to Carious Risk
Authors: Inquimbert Camille , Bourgeois Denis , Bravo Manuel , Viennot Stéphane , Tramini Paul , Llodra Juan Carlos , Molinari Nicolas , Dussart Claude , Giraudeau Nicolas , Carrouel Florence
Published: September 2019

Adolescence is closely associated with a high risk of caries. The identification of specific bacteria in an oral microniche, the interdental space of the molars, according to carious risk can facilitate the prediction of future caries and the anticipation of the progression or stabilization of caries in adolescents. A cross-sectional clinical study according to the bacteriological criteria of interdental healthy adolescents and carious risk factors—low and high—using a real-time polymerase chain reaction technique was conducted. The presence of 26 oral pathogens from the interdental microbiota of 50 adolescents aged 15 to 17 years were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Bacteria known to be cariogenic (Bifidobacterium dentium, Lactobacillus spp., Rothia dentocariosa, Streptococcus cristatus, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sobrinus, and Streptococcus wiggsiae) did not present differences in abundance according to carious risk. Periodontal bacteria from the red complex are positively correlated with carious risk. However, only 3 bacteria—S. sobrinus, E corrodens and T. forsythia—presented a significant increase in the highest group. Estimating the risk of caries associated with bacterial factors in interdental sites of molars in adolescents contributes to the better definition of carious risk status, periodicity and intensity of diagnostic, prevention and restorative services.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Disubstituted Pyrimidines as Selective 5-HT2C Agonists
Authors: Kim Juhyeon , Kim Yoon Jung , Londhe Ashwini M. , Pae Ae Nim , Choo Hyunah , Kim Hak Joong , Min Sun-Joon
Published: September 2019

Here, we describe the synthesis of disubstituted pyrimidine derivatives and their biological evaluation as selective 5-HT2C agonists. To improve selectivity for 5-HT2C over other subtypes, we synthesized two series of disubstituted pyrimidines with fluorophenylalkoxy groups at either the 5-position or 4-position and varying cyclic amines at the 2-position. The in vitro cell-based assay and binding assay identified compounds 10a and 10f as potent 5-HT2C agonists. Further studies on selectivity to 5-HT subtypes and drug-like properties indicated that 2,4-disubstituted pyrimidine 10a showed a highly agonistic effect on the 5-HT2C receptor, with excellent selectivity, as well as exceptional drug-like properties, including high plasma and microsomal stability, along with low CYP inhibition. Thus, pyrimidine 10a could be considered a viable lead compound as a 5-HT2C selective agonist.
Dynamic Macronutrient Meal-Equivalent Menu Method: Towards Individual Nutrition Intervention Programs
Authors: Limon-Miro Ana Teresa , Lopez-Teros Veronica , Astiazaran-Garcia Humberto
Published: September 2019

Nutrition interventions should reflect the state of the art in science and dietetics to meet each patient’s requirements. Incorporating new knowledge into individualized food-based nutrition interventions is a major challenge, and health care professionals constantly search for novel approaches through specific and standardized methods. The dynamic macronutrient meal-equivalent menu method involves individuals making informed food choices that match their requirements, schedule, and food availability and affinity, helping them maintain a sense of control and motivation to adhere to a nutrition intervention program. This protocol includes the steps required to prepare a nutrition plan containing equivalent meal options consistent with the patient’s needs and preferences. Standard food servings are planned according to population specific dietary guidelines and individual characteristics. Servings are distributed at required mealtimes, and are all equivalent in energy and macronutrient content, providing every patient with interchangeable choices within each mealtime. This empowers individuals to select foods in a guided format whilst adhering to a dietary plan. Acceptable variations for calculated energy and macronutrient content are as follows: protein ±1 g/day, fat ±1 g/day, carbohydrate ±2 g/day, and energy ±15 kcal/day. Following this method, health care professionals can develop individualized nutrition intervention programs that may improve patients’ adherence, nutritional status, and health.
Flower-Like MoSe2/MoO2 Composite with High Capacity and Long-Term Stability for Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Hao Qiuyan , Cui Guoliang , Zhao Yan , Bakenov Zhumabay
Published: September 2019

A simple method is developed for the preparation of MoSe2/MoO2 composite with a flower-like structure for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). MoSe2 could lead to fast and facile movement of Li+ due to its larger interlayer spacing. Meanwhile, MoO2 could protect the lamellar structure of MoSe2 from being destroyed in the charging/discharging processes to maintain the required active surface to electrolytes. In addition, the flower-like structure of the composite could effectively alleviate the volume expansion during charging/discharging. As LIBs are anode material, MoSe2/MoO2 composite demonstrates an excellent specific discharge capacity of 1042 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1, which is attributed to the synergistic effects of MoSe2 and MoO2 in the composite.
Bi-Ligand Modification of Nanoparticles: An Effective Tool for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectrometry in Salinated Environments
Authors: Tycova Anna , Kleparnik Karel , Foret Frantisek
Published: September 2019

Elimination of massive aggregation of nanoparticles in the sample of high ionic strength is a prerequisite for the sensitive analysis through a surface-enhanced Raman spectrometry (SERS). We present a system of silver colloid modification composed of two thiolated modifiers (3-mercaptopropionic acid and thiolated polyethylene glycol) both creating a strong Ag-S bond. At their optimal molar ratio, the polymer acts as a steric barrier preventing direct nanoparticle–nanoparticle interaction, while the low-molecular organic acid creates areas accessible for the analyte molecules. Thus, this approach is an excellent tool for sustaining both the colloidal stability and SERS sensitivity. The functionality of the system was demonstrated on the SERS analysis of myoglobin from a saline solution. The favorable creation of hot spots was achieved by laser-induced sintering.
Structure and Electronic Properties of InSb Nanowires Grown in Flexible Polycarbonate Membranes
Authors: Singh Abhay Pratap , Roccapriore Kevin , Algarni Zaina , Salloom Riyadh , Golden Teresa D. , Philipose U.
Published: September 2019

A dense array of vertically aligned indium antimonide (InSb) nanowires with high aspect ratio (diameter 150 nm, length 20 μ m) were grown in the pores of a track-etched polycarbonate membrane via a one-step electrochemical method. There are several reports on InSb nanowire growth in the pores of a mechanically rigid, nano-channel alumina template (NCA), where nanowire growth occurs in the pores of the NCA. This work on InSb nanowire growth in pores of track-etched polycarbonate (PC) membrane sheds light on the various factors that affect nucleation and nanowire growth. The average length and diameter of the as-grown nanowires was about 10 μ m and 150 nm, respectively. Two possible mechanisms accounting for two different morphologies of the as-grown nanowires are proposed. The polycrystallinity observed in some of the nanowires is explained using the 3D ‘nucleation-coalescence’ mechanism. On the other hand, single crystal nanowires with a high density of twin defects and stacking faults grow epitaxially by a two-dimensional (2D) nucleation/growth mechanism. To assess the electrical quality of the nanowires, two- and four-terminal devices were fabricated using a single InSb nanowire contacted by two Ni electrodes. It was found that, at low bias, the ohmic current is controlled by charge diffusion from the bulk contacts. On the other hand, at high bias, the effects of space charge limited current (SCLC) are evident in the current–voltage behavior, characteristic of transport through structures with reduced electrostatic screening. A cross-over from ohmic to SCLC occurs at about 0.14 V, yielding a free carrier concentration of the order of 10 14 cm − 3 .
Synergetic Effects of Silver Nanowires and Graphene Oxide on Thermal Conductivity of Epoxy Composites
Authors: Zhang Li , Zhu Wenfeng , Huang Ying , Qi Shuhua
Published: September 2019

One-dimensional silver nanowires (AgNWs) and two-dimensional graphene oxide (GO) were combined to construct a three-dimensional network structure. The AgNWs can effectively inhibit stacking of adjacent GO sheets by occupying regions between layers of GO. Moreover, the GO sheets embedded in the gaps of the AgNWs network increase the interfacial contact area between the AgNWs and the epoxy matrix, resulting in the formation of more efficient phonon transport channels. To prepare an epoxy-based thermal conductive composite, hybrid networks were fabricated and added to epoxy resin using a solution mixing method. Significant synergistic effects were observed between the AgNWs and GO sheets. The thermal conductivity of epoxy composites filled with 10 wt.% AgNW/GO hybrids was found to be 1.2 W/mK and the impact strength was 28.85 KJ/m2, which are higher than the corresponding values of composites containing AgNWs or GO sheets alone. Thus, the thermal conductivity and impact strength of the epoxy composites were improved. The additive effects are mainly owing to the improved interfacial contact between the hybrid fillers and the epoxy resin, resulting in a more efficient phonon transport network. The use of hybrid fillers with different structures is a simple and scalable strategy for manufacturing high-performance thermally conductive materials for electronic packaging.
New Insight on Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Activity of MoP2 from Theoretical Perspective
Authors: Gao Yuyue , Li Hongyan , Wang Jingyu , Ma Jianyi , Ren Haisheng
Published: September 2019

We systematically investigated the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of six facets of MoP 2 based on the periodic density functional theory (DFT). The calculated values of Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption ( Δ G H ) indicated that the (111) facet has a good HER activity for a large range of hydrogen coverages. The zigzagged patterns before 75% hydrogen coverage suggest a facilitation among Mo1, P1 and Mo2 sites, which are attributed to repeat occupancy sites of H atoms. From ab initial atomistic thermodynamics analysis of hydrogen coverage, we gained that the most stable coverage of hydrogen is 18.75% at 1 atm H 2 and 298 K. Finally, the doping effects on HER activity were investigated and found that catalytic performance can be improved by substituting P with an S or N atom, as well as substituting the Mo atom with an Fe atom, respectively. We hope this work can provide new insights on further understanding of HER for MoP 2 and give instructions for the experimental design and synthesis of transition metal phosphides (TMPs)-based high-performance catalysts.
A Multi-Year Examination of Gardening Experience and Fruit and Vegetable Intake During College
Authors: Staub Daniel , Colby Sarah E. , Olfert Melissa D. , Kattelmann Kendra , Zhou Wenjun , Horacek Tanya M. , Greene Geoffrey W. , Radosavljevic Ivana , Franzen-Castle Lisa , Mathews Anne E.
Published: September 2019

Gardening has been positively associated with fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption based on short-term studies among children, but long-term data among adolescents and young adults are lacking. This investigation sought to elucidate the association between gardening experience and FV intake among college students over a two-year period. Students (N = 593) from eight universities were assessed at the end of their freshman (Y1) and sophomore (Y2) years during the springs of 2016 and 2017, respectively. At each time point, participants completed the NCI FV Screener and questions related to gardening experience and FV-related attitudes and behaviors. Students were then categorized into four groups based on gardening experience: Gardened only during the first or second year (Y1 only and Y2 only gardeners), gardened both years (Y1+Y2 gardeners), and non-gardeners. While both Y1 only and Y1+Y2 gardeners reported significantly higher FV intake relative to non-gardeners at Y1 (2.3 ± 0.9 and 2.6 ± 0.7 versus 1.9 ± 0.6 cup equivalents (CE)/day, respectively; p < 0.01), only Y1+Y2 gardeners differed from non-gardeners at Y2 (2.4 ± 0.6 versus 1.8 ± 0.5 CE/day; p < 0.001). Additionally, Y1+Y2 gardeners reported more frequent engagement of several FV-related behaviors, including shopping at farmers’ markets, eating locally grown foods, and cooking from basic ingredients; and were five times more likely to have gardened during childhood (OR: 5.2, 95%, CI: 3.5–8.8; p < 0.001). Findings suggest that while isolated gardening experiences during college are associated with FV intake, reoccurring experience may be essential for sustained benefit.
Asymptomatic Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Preschool Children and Young Women Does Not Predict Iron Bioavailability from Iron-Fortified Foods
Authors: Buerkli Simone , Fatou Ndiaye Ndèye , Cercamondi Colin I. , Herter-Aeberli Isabelle , Moretti Diego , Zimmermann Michael B.
Published: September 2019

Helicobacter pylori infection is common in low-income countries. It has been associated with iron deficiency and reduced efficacy of iron supplementation. Whether H. pylori infection affects iron absorption from fortified and biofortified foods is unclear. Our objective was to assess whether asymptomatic H. pylori infection predicts dietary iron bioavailability in women and children, two main target groups of iron fortification programs. We did a pooled analysis of studies in women of reproductive age and preschool children that were conducted in Benin, Senegal and Haiti using stable iron isotope tracers to measure erythrocyte iron incorporation. We used mixed models to assess whether asymptomatic H. pylori infection predicted fractional iron absorption from ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate or NaFeEDTA, controlling for age, hemoglobin, iron status (serum ferritin), inflammation (C-reactive protein), and test meal. The analysis included 213 iron bioavailability measurements from 80 women and 235 measurements from 90 children; 51.3% of women and 54.4% of children were seropositive for H. pylori. In both women and children, hemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF), and C-reactive protein (CRP) did not differ between the seropositive and seronegative groups. Geometric mean (95% CI) fractional iron absorption (%), adjusted for SF, was 8.97% (7.64, 10.54) and 6.06% (4.80, 7.67) in H. pylori positive and negative women (p = 0.274), and 9.02% (7.68, 10.59) and 7.44% (6.01, 9.20) in H. pylori positive and negative children (p = 0.479). Our data suggest asymptomatic H. pylori infection does not predict fractional iron absorption from iron fortificants given to preschool children or young women in low-income settings.
Milk and Meat Allergens from Bos taurus β-Lactoglobulin, α-Casein, and Bovine Serum Albumin: An In-Vivo Study of the Immune Response in Mice
Authors: Fuc Ewa , Złotkowska Dagmara , Wróblewska Barbara
Published: September 2019

The mechanism of food allergy may vary. This study aimed to compare the effects of milk, yogurt, or beef meat supplementation on humoral and cellular immune responses in a mice model. Mice were divided into four groups: The “Milk group” was sensitized with a β-lactoglobulin (β-lg)/α-casein (α-CN) mixture and supplemented cow milk; the “Yogurt group” was sensitized with β-lg/α-CN and supplemented yogurt; the “Beef group” was immunized with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and supplemented beef meat; and the “PBS group” received PBS in all procedures. ELISA was used to measure humoral response, including: Total IgE, specific IgG, and IgA. Cellular response was determined by phenotyping lymphocyte from lymphoid tissue and measuring the Th1/Th2 cytokine concentration with flow cytometry. The qPCR method was used for quantification of the fecal microbiota. The results obtained revealed a lower IgE level for the Yogurt group than for the Milk one. In the Yogurt group, the contribution of regulatory T cells to MLN and PP was higher compared to the other groups. We confirmed that diet supplementation with yogurt modulates the immune response to the prime allergen, and changes the activity of serum antibodies to milk proteins and BSA. Based on a specific antibodies level, we cannot exclude the possibility of CMA mice reaction against BSA.
Obesity Stigma: Is the ‘Food Addiction’ Label Feeding the Problem?
Authors: Ruddock Helen K. , Orwin Michael , Boyland Emma J. , Evans Elizabeth H. , Hardman Charlotte A.
Published: September 2019

Obesity is often attributed to an addiction to high-calorie foods. However, the effect of “food addiction” explanations on weight-related stigma remains unclear. In two online studies, participants (n = 439, n = 523, respectively, recruited from separate samples) read a vignette about a target female who was described as ‘very overweight’. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three conditions which differed in the information provided in the vignette: (1) in the “medical condition”, the target had been diagnosed with food addiction by her doctor; (2) in the “self-diagnosed condition”, the target believed herself to be a food addict; (3) in the control condition, there was no reference to food addiction. Participants then completed questionnaires measuring target-specific stigma (i.e., stigma towards the female described in the vignette), general stigma towards obesity (both studies), addiction-like eating behavior and causal beliefs about addiction (Study 2 only). In Study 1, participants in the medical and self-diagnosed food addiction conditions demonstrated greater target-specific stigma relative to the control condition. In Study 2, participants in the medical condition had greater target-specific stigma than the control condition but only those with low levels of addiction-like eating behavior. There was no effect of condition on general weight-based stigma in either study. These findings suggest that the food addiction label may increase stigmatizing attitudes towards a person with obesity, particularly within individuals with low levels of addiction-like eating behavior.
Dietary Anthocyanins and Human Health
Authors: Blesso Christopher N.
Published: September 2019

Anthocyanins may contribute to the inverse relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and chronic disease. Anthocyanins are pigments found in plant structures that consist of an anthocyanidin (aglycone) attached to sugar moieties. Anthocyanins may be beneficial for health through effects on cellular antioxidant status and inflammation; however, their underlying mechanisms of action in their protection of chronic diseases are likely complex and require further elucidation. This Special Issue comprises 8 peer-reviewed papers (including 6 original research articles) which highlight the diverse bioactivities of anthocyanins and anthocyanin-rich foods in the protection against chronic disease.
SNP and Haplotype-Based Genomic Selection of Quantitative Traits in Eucalyptus globulus
Authors: Ballesta Paulina , Maldonado Carlos , Pérez-Rodríguez Paulino , Mora Freddy
Published: September 2019

Eucalyptus globulus (Labill.) is one of the most important cultivated eucalypts in temperate and subtropical regions and has been successfully subjected to intensive breeding. In this study, Bayesian genomic models that include the effects of haplotype and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were assessed to predict quantitative traits related to wood quality and tree growth in a 6-year-old breeding population. To this end, the following markers were considered: (a) ~14 K SNP markers (SNP), (b) ~3 K haplotypes (HAP), and (c) haplotypes and SNPs that were not assigned to a haplotype (HAP-SNP). Predictive ability values (PA) were dependent on the genomic prediction models and markers. On average, Bayesian ridge regression (BRR) and Bayes C had the highest PA for the majority of traits. Notably, genomic models that included the haplotype effect (either HAP or HAP-SNP) significantly increased the PA of low-heritability traits. For instance, BRR based on HAP had the highest PA (0.58) for stem straightness. Consistently, the heritability estimates from genomic models were higher than the pedigree-based estimates for these traits. The results provide additional perspectives for the implementation of genomic selection in Eucalyptus breeding programs, which could be especially beneficial for improving traits with low heritability.
Electrically Tunable Fresnel Lens in Twisted-Nematic Liquid Crystals Fabricated by a Sagnac Interferometer
Authors: Huang Bing-Yau , Lin Tsung-Hsien , Jhuang Tian-Yi , Kuo Chie-Tong
Published: September 2019

This paper presents an electrically tunable Fresnel lens in a twisted nematic liquid crystal cell fabricated by using a Sagnac interferometer. When the Fresnel-patterned green beam, formed by the Sagnac interferometer, is irradiated on the azo-dye doped liquid crystal mixture, the azo-dye molecules undergo trans–cis photoisomerization and then generate the photo-alignment effect in the bright (odd) zones. The director of the liquid crystal molecules in the odd zones reorients the direction perpendicular to the polarization direction of the linearly polarized green beam. The various structures of liquid crystals in the odd and even zones will result in a phase difference and thus, a Fresnel lens can be generated. The experimental results show that the proposed Fresnel lens has a high diffraction efficiency of 31.5% under an applied alternating-currents (AC) voltage. The focal length of the Fresnel lens can also be tuned by thermally erasing the photo-alignment effect of the azo dyes and rewriting by a different Fresnel-like pattern.
The Effect of Polydimethylsiloxane-Ethylcellulose Coating Blends on the Surface Characterization and Drug Release of Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Mesoporous Silica
Authors: Skwira Adrianna , Szewczyk Adrian , Prokopowicz Magdalena
Published: September 2019

In this study, we obtained novel solid films composed of ciprofloxacin-loaded mesoporous silica materials (CIP-loaded MCM-41) and polymer coating blends. Polymer coating blends were composed of ethylcellulose (EC) with various levels of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, 0, 1, 2% (v/v)). The solid films were prepared via the solvent-evaporation molding method and characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical profilometry, and wettability analyses. The solid-state of CIP present in the solid films was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The release profiles of CIP were examined as a function of PDMS content in solid films. The surface morphology analysis of solid films indicated the progressive increase in surface heterogeneity and roughness with increasing PDMS content. The contact angle study confirmed the hydrophobicity of all solid films and significant impact of both PDMS and CIP-loaded MCM-41 on surface wettability. DSC and XRD analysis confirmed the presence of amorphous/semi-crystalline CIP in solid films. The Fickian diffusion-controlled drug release was observed for the CIP-loaded MCM-41 coated with PDMS-free polymer blend, whereas zero-order drug release was noticed for the CIP-loaded MCM-41 coated with polymer blends enriched with PDMS. Both the release rate and initial burst of CIP decreased with increasing PDMS content.
Comparison of Methods for Modeling Fractional Cover Using Simulated Satellite Hyperspectral Imager Spectra
Authors: Dennison Philip E. , Qi Yi , Meerdink Susan K. , Kokaly Raymond F. , Thompson David R. , Daughtry Craig S. T. , Quemada Miguel , Roberts Dar A. , Gader Paul D. , Wetherley Erin B. , Numata Izaya , Roth Keely L.
Published: September 2019

Remotely sensed data can be used to model the fractional cover of green vegetation (GV), non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), and soil in natural and agricultural ecosystems. NPV and soil cover are difficult to estimate accurately since absorption by lignin, cellulose, and other organic molecules cannot be resolved by broadband multispectral data. A new generation of satellite hyperspectral imagers will provide contiguous narrowband coverage, enabling new, more accurate, and potentially global fractional cover products. We used six field spectroscopy datasets collected in prior experiments from sites with partial crop, grass, shrub, and low-stature resprouting tree cover to simulate satellite hyperspectral data, including sensor noise and atmospheric correction artifacts. The combined dataset was used to compare hyperspectral index-based and spectroscopic methods for estimating GV, NPV, and soil fractional cover. GV fractional cover was estimated most accurately. NPV and soil fractions were more difficult to estimate, with spectroscopic methods like partial least squares (PLS) regression, spectral feature analysis (SFA), and multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA) typically outperforming hyperspectral indices. Using an independent validation dataset, the lowest root mean squared error (RMSE) values were 0.115 for GV using either normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) or SFA, 0.164 for NPV using PLS, and 0.126 for soil using PLS. PLS also had the lowest RMSE averaged across all three cover types. This work highlights the need for more extensive and diverse fine spatial scale measurements of fractional cover, to improve methodologies for estimating cover in preparation for future hyperspectral global monitoring missions.
Evaluation of GPM IMERG V05B and TRMM 3B42V7 Precipitation Products over High Mountainous Tributaries in Lhasa with Dense Rain Gauges
Authors: Wang Shuhong , Liu Jintao , Wang Jiarong , Qiao Xiao , Zhang Jie
Published: September 2019

In most Asian high mountain areas, ground-based observations of precipitation are sparse. It is urgent to assess and apply satellite precipitation products (SPPs). In recent years, relatively dense rain gauges have been established in five tributaries in Lhasa. Therefore, based on high-density rain gauges, two SPPs (GPM IMERG V05B, TRMM 3B42V7) were evaluated at the grid, region, and time scales with different statistical indices in the five tributaries. Besides, the dependence of SPPs performances on the precipitation intensities, elevation, and slope was investigated. The results indicate that: (1) both 3B42V7 and IMERG showed similarly low correlation with rain gauges at daily scale and high correlation at monthly scale, but 3B42V7 tended to suffer from systematic overestimation of monthly precipitation; (2) IMERG product outperformed 3B42V7 except for obvious overestimation of trace precipitation (0.1~1 mm day−1) and underestimation of torrential precipitation (>50 mm day−1); (3) the precipitation over the five tributaries showed significant spatial variability with difference of characteristic values (e.g., average daily precipitation) more than 20% in some IMERG grids and most 3B42V7 grids; (4) elevation had an obvious effect on the accuracy of 3B42V7 and IMERG, and the accuracy of the two SPPs decreased significantly with the increase of elevation.
Star-Based Calibration of the Installation Between the Camera and Star Sensor of the Luojia 1-01 Satellite
Authors: Guan Zhichao , Jiang Yonghua , Wang Jingyin , Zhang Guo
Published: September 2019

Ground control points (GCPs) are generally used to calibrate the installation between the camera and star sensor of a satellite in orbit and improve the geometric positioning accuracy of the satellite. However, the use of GCPs for high-frequency calibration is difficult, and it is particularly difficult to acquire accurate GCPs for the image of a nightlight satellite. In this study, we developed a camera-star sensor installation calibration method that eliminates the need for GCPs. In the proposed method, the camera and star sensor lenses are simultaneously pointed at the star, and the camera-star sensor installation is accurately calibrated by processing the star map obtained by the camera and star sensors. Reference data such as road network and Moon position data were used to verify the proposed method and evaluate its positioning accuracy. The results of the application of the method to the positioning of the Luojia 1-01 satellite indicated an accuracy within 800 m, which is comparable with that of the traditional method.
Game Theoretic Solution for Power Management in IoT-Based Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Sohail Muhammad , Khan Shafiullah , Ahmad Rashid , Singh Dhananjay , Lloret Jaime
Published: September 2019

Internet of things (IoT) is a very important research area, having many applications such as smart cities, intelligent transportation system, tracing, and smart homes. The underlying technology for IoT are wireless sensor networks (WSN). The selection of cluster head (CH) is significant as a part of the WSN’s optimization in the context of energy consumption. In WSNs, the nodes operate on a very limited energy source, therefore, the routing protocols designed must meet the optimal utilization of energy consumption in such networks. Evolutionary games can be designed to meet this aspect by providing an adequately efficient CH selection mechanism. In such types of mechanisms, the network nodes are considered intelligent and independent to select their own strategies. However, the existing mechanisms do not consider a combination of many possible parameters associated with the smart nodes in WSNs, such as remaining energy, selfishness, hop-level, density, and degree of connectivity. In our work, we designed an evolutionary game-based approach for CH selection, combined with some vital parameters associated with sensor nodes and the entire networks. The nodes are assumed to be smart, therefore, the aspect of being selfish is also addressed in this work. The simulation results indicate that our work performs much better than typical evolutionary game-based approaches.
Cuvette-Type LSPR Sensor for Highly Sensitive Detection of Melamine in Infant Formulas
Authors: Oh Seo , Lee Min , Heo Nam , Kim Suji , Oh Jeong , Lee Yuseon , Jeon Eun , Moon Hyungsil , Kim Hyung , Park Tae , Moon Guiim , Chun Hyang , Huh Yun
Published: September 2019

The globalization of food distribution has made necessary to secure safe products to the general consumers through the rapid detection of harmful additives on the field. For this purpose, we developed a cuvette-type localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor that can be easily used by consumers with conventional ultraviolet-visible light spectrophotometer for in-situ measurements. Gold nanoparticles were uniformly deposited on a transparent substrate via a self-assembly method to obtain a plasmonically active chip, and the chemical receptor p-nitroaniline (p-NA) was functionalized to stabilize the device sensitivity under external temperature and pH conditions. The fabricated chip was fixed onto a support and combined with a cuvette-type LSPR sensor. To evaluate the applicability of this sensor on the field, sensitivity and quantitative analysis experiments were conducted onto melamine as a model sample from harmful food additives. Under optimal reaction condition (2 mM p-NA for 20 min), we achieved an excellent detection limit (0.01 ppb) and a dynamic range allowing quantitative analysis over a wide concentration range (0.1–1000 ppb) from commercially available milk powder samples.
Detection of Sleep Biosignals Using an Intelligent Mattress Based on Piezoelectric Ceramic Sensors
Authors: Peng Min , Ding Zhizhong , Wang Lusheng , Cheng Xusheng
Published: September 2019

Physiological information such as respiratory rate and heart rate in the sleep state can be used to evaluate the health condition of the sleeper. Traditional sleep monitoring systems need body contact and are intrusive, which limits their applicability. Thus, a comfortable sleep biosignals detection system with both high accuracy and low cost is important for health care. In this paper, we design a sleep biosignals detection system based on low-cost piezoelectric ceramic sensors. 18 piezoelectric ceramic sensors are deployed under the mattress to capture the pressure data. The appropriate sensor that captures respiration and heartbeat sensitively is selected by the proposed channel-selection algorithm. Then, we propose a dynamic smoothing algorithm to extract respiratory rate and heart rate using the selected data. The dynamic smoothing can separate heartbeat signals from respiratory signals with low complexity by dynamically choosing the smooth window, and it is suitable for real-time implementation in low-cost embedded systems. For comparison, wavelet analysis and ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) are performed in a personal computer (PC). Experimental results show that data collected by piezoelectric ceramic sensors can be used for respiratory-rate and heart-rate detection with high accuracy. In addition, the dynamic smoothing can achieve high accuracy close to wavelet analysis and EEMD, while it has much lower complexity.
Isolation and Maximisation of Extraction of Mangiferin from the Root of Salacia chinensis L.
Authors: Ngo Thanh V. , Scarlett Christopher J. , Bowyer Michael C. , Vuong Quan V.
Published: September 2019

Mangiferin has been reported to exhibit anti-viral, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective properties. This study aimed to develop an HPLC method to isolate mangiferin from Salacia chinensis L. root; investigate the impact of solvents on yield; optimise the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) technique; and compare mangiferin yield with continuously shaking extraction (CSE) and decoction techniques. The results showed that mangiferin, with a purity of over 88%, could be achieved by HPLC using a mixture of solvent A (water: acetonitrile: orthophosphoric acid, 96.8:3:0.2 (v/v/v)) and solvent B (acetonitrile). Solvent type significantly affected the extraction yield of mangiferin, and a mixture of acetone and water gave the highest extraction yield, as compared to other solvents or mixtures. UAE conditions, such as ultrasonic power, temperature, time and concentration of acetone significantly affected the extraction of mangiferin. Optimal UAE conditions were at an ultrasonic power of 250 W, temperature of 50 °C, acetone concentration of 40% and extraction time of 60 min. These optimal conditions could extract approximately 92 mg, whereas CSE and decoction only extracted 89.20 mg and 58.71 mg of mangiferin, respectively, from 1 g of S. chinensis root. Therefore, these UAE conditions are recommended for the extraction of mangiferin from S. chinensis root for further utilisation.
Application of Decision-Making Methods in Smart City Projects: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Tran Thi Hoang Giang , Dupont Laurent , Camargo Mauricio
Published: September 2019

In the current era, Smart City projects have to deal with big social, ecological, and technological challenges such as digitalization, pollution, democratic aspirations, more security, etc. The higher involvement of multi-stakeholders in the different phases of the projects is one strategy, enabling a variety of perspectives to be considered and thus to develop a shared vision of the city. Paradoxically, the dynamic and multiple natures of stakeholders appear to be a source of complication and uncertainty in the decision-making process. This study aims to provide a better understanding of this paradox and uses a systematic literature review methodology, as an original big data analysis, in order to investigate decision-making methods, enabling communication between multi-stakeholders, especially the involvement of citizens, into various phases of Smart City projects. Beginning with 606 papers, a bibliometric process led to the selection of 76 of these articles. Detailed analysis of these documents generated a general map for applying different decision-making methods at various levels of decision and implementation phases.
Passive Design Strategies for Residential Buildings in Different Spanish Climate Zones
Authors: Fernandez-Antolin Maria-Mar , del Río José , Costanzo Vincenzo , Nocera Francesco , Gonzalez-Lezcano Roberto-Alonso
Published: September 2019

The Passive House (PH) concept is considered an efficient strategy to reduce energy consumption in the building sector, where most of the energy is used for heating and cooling applications. For this reason, energy efficiency measures are increasingly implemented in the residential sector, which is the main responsible for such a consumption. The need for professionals dealing with energy issues, and particularly for architects during the early stages of their architectural design, is crucial when considering energy efficient buildings. Therefore, architects involved in the design and construction stages have key roles in the process of enhancing energy efficiency in buildings. This research work explores the energy efficiency and optimized architectural design for residential buildings located in different climate zones in Spain, with an emphasis on Building Performance Simulation (BPS) as the key tool for architects and other professionals. According to a parametric analysis performed using Design Builder, the following optimal configurations are found for typical residential building projects: North-to-South orientation in all the five climate zones, a maximum shape factor of 0.48, external walls complying with the maximum U-value prescribed by Spanish Building Technical Code (0.35 Wm−2K−1) and a Window-to-Wall Ratio of no more than 20%. In terms of solar reflectance, it is found that the use of light colors is better in hotter climate zones A4, B4, and C4, whereas the best option is using darker colors in the colder climate zones D3 and E1. These measures help reaching the energy demand thresholds set by the Passivhaus Standard in all climate zones except for those located in climates C4, D3 and E1, for which further passive design measures are needed.
Is Prolonging the Lifetime of Passive Durable Products a Low-Hanging Fruit of a Circular Economy? A Multiple Case Study
Authors: Kaddoura Mohamad , Kambanou Marianna Lena , Tillman Anne-Marie , Sakao Tomohiko
Published: September 2019

Extending the lifetime of passive products, i.e., products that do not consume materials or energy during the use phase, by implementing product-service systems (PSS) has a potential to reduce the environmental impact while being an attractive and straightforward measure for companies to implement. This research assesses the viability of introducing PSS for passive products, by documenting five real product cases of prolonging the lifetime through repair or refurbishment and by quantifying, through life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC), the change in environmental and economic outcome. The environmental impact (measured as global warming potential over the life cycle) was reduced for all cases because extraction and production dominated the impact. This reduction was 45–72% for most cases and mainly influenced by the number of reuses and the relative environmental burden of the components whose lifetime was prolonged. The costs for the company (measured as LCC from the manufacturer’s perspective) decreased too by 8–37%. The main reason that costs reduced less than the environmental impact is that some costs have no equivalent in LCA, e.g., administration and labor costs for services. The decreases in both LCA and LCC results, as well as the willingness of the companies to implement the changes, demonstrate that this measure can be financially attractive for companies to implement and effectively contribute to a circular economy.
Determinants of Adoption of Multiple Climate-Smart Adaptation Practices in Sudano-Sahelian Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Production Systems
Authors: Zampaligré Nouhoun , Fuchs Lisa Elena
Published: September 2019

To improve their ability to plan for and respond to potential negative impacts of climate shocks, such as droughts and dry spells, in the Sahelian agricultural production systems, many farmers have adopted diversified coping and adaptation strategies to secure their livelihoods. However, the scientific understanding of the key factors that determine the decisions that these pastoralist and agro-pastoralist households make, as well as the relation between existing human, social, natural, physical and financial assets and the adoption of adaptation practices at the household level has remained insufficient. Therefore, multivariate probit estimates were used to identify the key drivers of multiple adoption of climate-smart agro-pastoral adaptation practices in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso. The results indicated that respondent households adopted a combination of adaptation practices rather than a single practice. Most of these practices aimed at enhancing household food security and livelihoods. Regarding the variables that are related to the adoption of these adaptation practices overall, a few assets were found to contribute significantly to the decision to adopt the assessed adaption practices. These include the possession of household and farm assets and equipment, membership in associations and assistance from government, farming experience of the household head, access to credit, as well as ownership and size of farmland. In addition, access to climate and agronomic information, as well as a household’s location within a specifically dedicated pastoral zone, enhanced uptake of various adaptation practices in this study. Access to these assets and features hence plays a critical role in pastoralists’ and agro-pastoralists’ adaptive capacity. This study provides insights for policy makers in view of climate change adaptation and wider sustainable development planning in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Africa.
Foreign Monitoring and Predictability of Future Cash Flow
Authors: Lee Jaehong , Kim Eunsoo
Published: September 2019

A company’s sustainability is generally determined by whether it is able to create a positive long-term cash flow. This paper investigates whether the predictive ability of cash flows and earnings in forecasting future cash flows differs depending on the foreign investors’ ownership. Based on firms listed in the Korea Stock Exchange market from 2000 to 2017, we find that earnings and cash flow components of financial statements enhance the predictability of future cash flow in the Korean stock market. Conversely, foreign investors showed a tendency to decide on investments based on operating cash flow instead of earnings when predicting future cash flow. These findings indicate that reliability towards earnings may fall since foreign investors’ concerns are on the prospects of earnings management. These results were strengthened by the addition of several more analyses including cluster analyses, consideration of information asymmetry and the chaebol governance.
Sustainable Livelihood Capital and Strategy in Rural Tourism Households: A Seasonality Perspective
Authors: Su Zhen , Aaron Joshua R. , Guan Yang , Wang Hongchen
Published: September 2019

As an inherent characteristic and pervasive market phenomenon of the tourism industry, seasonality plays an important role in tourist business survivability and sustainability. It is also a significant factor for rural households involved in tourism as they plan their livelihood strategies around it. In this study, household surveys were conducted in The Beautiful South, an area for rural tourism in Guangxi of Southern China. We analyzed the livelihood capital and strategy of different household types in response to seasonal fluctuations in tourism by applying a mixed method that integrated livelihood capital index (LCI) evaluation and data envelopment analysis. The results indicate that LCI of tourism income-oriented households ranks second among the four types of households, while the LCI of tourism-engaged households in peak season performed better than that of those not engaged. However, the number of households participating in tourism nearly halved during the off season, and they are mainly diverted to temporary labor work, which may be one of the reasons for the low livelihood capital efficiency of tourism households. The implications of the findings and empirical solutions to mitigate the negative seasonal impact are discussed.
Corporate Environmental Disclosure in India: An Analysis of Multinational and Domestic Agrochemical Corporations
Authors: Jessop Anna , Wilson Nicole , Bardecki Michal , Searcy Cory
Published: September 2019

The existing corporate environmental disclosure (CED) research focuses primarily on large companies operating in a single jurisdiction, leaving a gap of knowledge regarding the subsidiary operations of multinational corporations. In this study, consolidated narrative interrogation (CONI) is used to quantify CEDs presented in annual and stand-alone sustainability reports published over a 15-year span between 2002 and 2016 by agrochemical companies operating in India. Results show that the diversity, the quantity, and the quality of CED vary significantly, but generally each of them has been improving over time—most notably following the revisions to the Companies Act in 2013. The study finds that the subsidiaries of multinational agrochemical corporations implemented CED practices more strongly associated with those of domestic companies than those found in the reports produced by their parent companies. The CED of both subsidiary and domestic companies appears to reflect concerns of local legitimacy.
Consumer Attitude, Concerns, and Brand Acceptance for the Vegetables Cultivated with Sustainable Plant Factory Production Systems
Authors: Huang Li-Chun
Published: September 2019

Plant factories are perceived as a sustainable agricultural production system, since they provide a cultivation environment for growing agricultural crops with less resource consumption and no pesticide use. However, as the industry and academic participants have been contributing in the development of plant factory technology, consumer acceptance for the crops cultivated from that technology remains unknown. Without consumer acceptance, all the costs spent in the research and development (RD) of plant factories cannot gain the profit. To address this deficiency, this study was aimed to: (1) investigate consumers’ attitudes, concerns and willingness to pay for the vegetables cultivated with plant factories, (2) explore the branding mode that is most effective for selling plant factory vegetables to consumers, and (3) determine the influence of consumers’ socio-demographics and vegetable purchase behavior for their willingness to pay for plant factory vegetables. With a modified strategy of multi-stage cluster sampling, a consumer survey was conducted and 390 valid questionnaires were obtained for statistical analysis. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistical analysis, analysis of variance, Duncan’s post hoc analysis, and regression analysis to meet the study objectives. The study results indicated that over half of the subjects appreciated the value of plant factory technology. However, as high as 64.4% of the subjects revealed concerns. Most of the concerns were about the issues of environmental pollution and food safety. It also showed that price played a decisive role for consumers’ purchase intentions to plant factory vegetables. Moreover, consumers were more willing to pay a higher price for the plant factory vegetables labeled with an allied brand of academic institutes and private corporations, compared with those labeled with other types of brand. Consumers who had higher income and/or consume more organic vegetables were also more willing to pay for the plant factory vegetables. The study findings help the industry participants to build up effective market strategies for selling the crops cultivated with sustainable plant factory systems.