bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Environmental Performance Analysis of Cement Production with CO2 Capture and Storage Technology in a Life-Cycle Perspective
Authors: An Jing , Middleton Richard S. , Li Yingnan
Published: May 2019

Cement manufacturing is one of the most energy and CO2 intensive industries. With the growth of cement production, CO2 emissions are increasing rapidly too. Carbon capture and storage is the most feasible new technology option to reduce CO2 emissions in the cement industry. More research on environmental impacts is required to provide the theoretical basis for the implementation of carbon capture and storage in cement production. In this paper, GaBi software and scenario analysis were employed to quantitatively analyze and compare the environmental impacts of cement production with and without carbon capture and storage technology, from the perspective of a life-cycle assessment; aiming to promote sustainable development of the cement industry. Results of two carbon capture and storage scenarios show decreases in the impacts of global warming potential and some environmental impacts. However, other scenarios show a significant increase in other environmental impacts. In particular, post-combustion carbon capture technology can bring a more pronounced increase in toxicity potential. Therefore, effective measures must be taken into account to reduce the impact of toxicity when carbon capture and storage is employed in cement production. CO2 transport and storage account for only a small proportion of environmental impacts. For post-combustion carbon capture, most of the environmental impacts come from the unit of combined heat and power and carbon capture, with the background production of MonoEthanolAmine contributing significantly. In combined heat and power plants, natural gas is more advantageous than a 10% coal-saving, and thermal efficiency is a key parameter affecting the environmental impacts. Future research should focus on exploring cleaner and effective absorbents or seeking the alternative fuel in combined heat and power plants for post-combustion carbon capture. If the power industry is the first to deploy carbon capture and storage, oxy-combustion carbon capture is an excellent choice for the cement industry.
Assessment of Sustainable Development of the Performance of Higher Education Credentials in the Transitive Labor Market
Authors: Memon Aftab Ahmed , Liu Zhimin
Published: May 2019

Given the transitive challenges in the labor market, education can provide a sustainable developmental map for worldwide economic prosperity. Deep understanding of the dynamics of human capital, reflecting earnings aspirations in the labor market, indicates the need for policy makers to monitor and modify pedagogical curricula to meet the supply/demand of markets based on scientific evidence. In this study, we propose a methodology based on a household integrated economic survey (HIES) and, using different models, assess the impact of attained education and returns on the practical utility of skills within the context of a transitive labor market. We observe that effort levels are snowballing and rejection rates are declining for people with higher education (HE), whereas wage offers decline for people with low education (LE). Our results reveal significant differences in the supply/demand factors of both the public and private markets’ one-shot and continual affiliations. We conclude the impact of sheepskin effects and the implication of our findings.
Virtual Reality-Based Ergonomic Modeling and Evaluation Framework for Nuclear Power Plant Operation and Control
Authors: Lee Hyunsoo , Cha Woo Chang
Published: May 2019

The purpose of this study is to introduce a new and efficient virtual model-based ergonomic simulation framework utilizing recent anthropometric data for a digitalized main control room in an advanced nuclear power plant. The system interface of the main control room has been undergoing digitalization via various information and control consoles. Console operators often face human–computer interactive problems due to inappropriate console design. Computational models with a process of visual perception and variables of anthropometric data are developed for designing and evaluating operator consoles with the requirements of human factor guidelines. From the 3D computational model and simulation application, console dimensions and a designing test module, which would be used for designing suitable consoles with safety concerns in a nuclear plant, are proposed. To efficiently carry out console design and evaluation feedback, an intelligent design review system comprising a virtual modeling and simulation framework is developed. The proposed automated and virtual design review system provides console design efficiency and evaluation effectiveness. This study may influence methods of employing suitable design concepts with various anthropometric data in many areas with safety concerns and may show a feasible solution to designing and evaluating the main control room.
Evaluation of the Development Capability of the New Energy Vehicle Industry: An Empirical Study from China
Authors: Meng Fansheng , Jin Xiaoye
Published: May 2019

In order to alleviate the pressures of environmental pollution and the energy crisis, and to lay out and capture huge emerging markets as soon as possible, all countries in the world are vigorously developing new energy vehicles (NEVs). This paper analyzes the factors influencing the development capability of the NEV industry from the aspects of autonomy, controllability, and stability, and constructs an evaluation index system. Based on the improved entropy method and the catastrophe progression method, we establish an evaluation model for the development capability of China’s NEV industry and comprehensively evaluate the development capability of 15 new energy auto companies. An empirical analysis finds that the outlook for the overall development capability of China’s NEV industry is not optimistic, and there is a big gap in the industry, lacking core technology and independent innovation capability. We propose countermeasures such as increasing research and development (R&D) investment and innovation, and improving policy support.
A Systematic Review of Digital Behaviour Change Interventions for More Sustainable Food Consumption
Authors: Hedin Björn , Katzeff Cecilia , Eriksson Elina , Pargman Daniel
Published: May 2019

Food production and consumption present major sustainability challenges, and finding ways to reduce the environmental impact of food, for example through behavioural changes by consumers, is becoming increasingly important. In recent years, digital interventions have become important tools to change behaviours in many areas. In this review, we evaluate the status of current scientific knowledge of digital behaviour change interventions for sustainable food consumption practices. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist for how to conduct systematic reviews, we searched multiple databases for papers containing terms related to food, sustainability and digital behaviour change interventions. Only studies where the digital interventions were actually implemented and evaluated from a behaviour change perspective were included, resulting in 15 primary studies in the final review. The quality of the studies was evaluated from a behaviour change perspective, and the approaches used were categorised using two intervention frameworks, the Behaviour Change Wheel and the Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy v1. The results show that all of the included studies had major quality issues when evaluated from a behaviour change perspective. This means that we could not find any evidence regarding whether the digital behaviour change interventions examined worked or not. Most studies further lacked theoretical grounding or a clear approach to how or why they should be effective for behaviour change for more sustainable food consumption practices. Our main recommendation for future research in the field is to expand from the current exploratory phase to conducting scientifically rigorous studies of higher quality, more thoroughly grounded in behaviour change theory and methods. Furthermore, based on our study, we suggest changes to the Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy v1.
An Improved Mathematical Model for Green Lock Scheduling Problem of the Three Gorges Dam
Authors: Zhao Xu , Lin Qianjun , Yu Hao
Published: May 2019

In recent years, the environmental pollutions at the Three Gorges Dam have become an increasingly concerning issue of the Chinese government. One of the most significant environmental problems is the carbon emissions from the lockage operations at the two ship locks of the Three Gorges Dam. Currently, due to the large amount of vessels passing through the dam, there is always a long queue of vessels on both sides and the average waiting time is long. This has further lead to an increased amount of fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop a decision-support model for a better navigation scheduling and planning of the lockage operations at the Three Gorges Dam. This paper proposed an improved mixed integer non-linear programming model for the green lock scheduling problem at the Three Gorges Dam. The model aims at minimizing the carbon emissions and the waiting time in the lockage process through scheduling the vessels in a fairer and more efficient manner. Moreover, a greedy particle swarm optimization (G-PSO) algorithm is developed to solve the complex optimization problem. The proposed mathematical model and algorithm are validated through a numerical experiment. The result shows that it may lead to a significant reduction on carbon emissions by giving a specified speed to each vessel with a pre-optimized sequence. Meanwhile, the fairness and efficiency of the lockage process may also be improved.
The Importance of Packaging Functions for Food Waste of Different Products in Households
Authors: Wikström Fredrik , Williams Helén , Trischler Jakob , Rowe Zane
Published: May 2019

The United Nations sustainability goal SDG 12.3 is to reduce the amount of food that is wasted by half, due to environmental and social reasons. This paper aims to analyse the most important packaging functions that affect food waste in households for different products, as the reason for wastage can be expected to differ between different products. The reasons for food wastage of different categories and products have been compiled through literature studies, and possible improvements of packaging functions to reduce food waste have been identified. In addition, an expert workshop judged the most important packaging functions to reduce food waste for a number of products. They also discussed the obstacles and possibilities to realise the packaging improvements. This study confirms that how packaging functions influence food waste on the product level is a highly unexplored question. Most likely, there is high potential to reduce food waste through better adaptions of packaging functions to user needs and habits. Both the literature study and the expert workshop show that less food per pack and better information regarding food safety and storage have high potential to reduce food waste, but also that product specific considerations are necessary.
The Role of Labor Unions in Corporate Transparency: Focusing on the Role of Governance in Auditor Change Process
Authors: Cho Eun Jung , Chung Ju Ryum , Lee Ho-Young
Published: May 2019

This study investigates how the presence and power of labor unions are associated with auditor replacement, more specifically, external auditor tenure and the direction of auditor change. External auditor tenure and direction have been of great interest to stakeholders, as they are very likely associated with the financial reporting quality and corporate transparency, crucial factors for sustainable business. We are focusing on the role of the labor union, one of the key stakeholders involved in corporate governance and transparent operations, in external auditor selection processes. During the annual wage bargaining process, labor unions that rely on financial information face information asymmetry because financial statements are provided by the management. Therefore, labor unions have a high demand for independent and capable external auditors. This demand is likely to shorten auditor tenure and/or prompt changes to higher-quality auditors. Using a sample of 4568 firm-years listed in the Korean stock markets for the period of 2005 to 2008, we find evidence that the presence and power of labor unions significantly decrease external auditor tenure. We also find that the direction of auditor changes with the presence and power of labor unions is likely from non-industry specialist auditors to industry specialist auditors. This study contributes to the extant literature by extending the previous research on auditor selection and the governance role of labor unions.
Valuing Agricultural Landscape: Lithuanian Case Study Using a Contingent Valuation Method
Authors: Novikova Anastasija , Rocchi Lucia , Vaznonis Bernardas
Published: May 2019

This study analyses Lithuanian residents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the agricultural landscape in Lithuania. Since it is a part of the European Union, the agriculture is supported by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). According to CAP, agri-environmental schemes focus on the maintenance and improvement of agricultural landscape. Under these measures, Lithuanian farmers receive payments for the creation of agricultural landscape services. Therefore, understanding the demand of such agricultural landscape services, as received by the society, may help policymakers better allocate the funds. The present study has revealed that Lithuanian residents are concerned about the maintenance and preservation of the agricultural landscape. Moreover, they demand provision of the agricultural landscape services. Application of the contingent valuation method has shown that the median WTP of 23.59 €/year per family for agricultural landscape services, which is influenced by socioeconomic characteristics. The findings of the present study provide quantitative information about the demand for agricultural landscape services, which could be used to improve the agri-environmental policy, substantiating the internalization of positive and negative externalities (e.g., agricultural landscape services) to the performance of farmers.
Investigating Students’ Sustainability Awareness and the Curriculum of Technology Education in Pakistan
Authors: Malik Muhammad Noman , Khan Huma Hayat , Chofreh Abdoulmohammad Gholamzadeh , Goni Feybi Ariani , Klemeš Jiří Jaromír , Alotaibi Youseef
Published: May 2019

Various fields of manufacturing, management, and business, including technology education, software development, and information communication technology (ICT), have espoused sustainability concepts. Including sustainability concepts in technology, education can help students learn how to implement the dimensions of sustainability (economic, social, and environmental). Lack of awareness and education regarding sustainability among students can impact their competence to incorporate sustainability into technology development. Thus, the development of student competence across the curriculum of technology education for sustainability is crucial. This research aims to explore student competence development in technology education (IT, computer science, and software development) through investigating their awareness of sustainability, and to investigate how much sustainability is infused across the technology education curriculum. The case study for this research is taken from a very populous and developing country—Pakistan. First, an in-depth survey of higher education students is conducted to investigate their awareness level of sustainability. Second, qualitative document analysis is conducted, where the standard curriculum for technology education is taken and analyzed for its provision towards sustainability. A total of 159 students from various public-sector universities of Pakistan reported their awareness towards sustainability. The results show that 71% of them are unaware of the term sustainability in their respective fields, only 17% students know the basic definition of sustainability, and 12% of students have just an idea of how sustainability is related to technology education. It is also observed that the current curriculum of technology education does not sufficiently cover specific subjects or topics that can help students understand the concepts of sustainability. This study highlights the gaps in the offered curriculum for building the desired competence of students in technology education.
The Development of the Athens Water Supply System and Inferences for Optimizing the Scale of Water Infrastructures
Authors: Sargentis G.-Fivos , Ioannidis Romanos , Karakatsanis Georgios , Sigourou Stavroula , Lagaros Nikos D. , Koutsoyiannis Demetris
Published: May 2019

Modern organized societies require robust infrastructures, among which hydraulic projects, such as water supply and drainage systems, are most important, particularly in water-scarce areas. Athens is a unique example because it is a big city (population 3.7 million) located in a very dry area. In order to support the development of the city, large hydraulic projects had to be constructed during its history and, as a result, Athens currently has one of the largest water supply systems in the world. Could Athenians choose smaller scale infrastructures instead? Analyzing social, technical and economical historical data, we can see that large capital investments were required. In order to evaluate these investments this paper presents a technical summary of the development. An economic analysis displays historical values of these investments in present monetary values. The cost of existing infrastructure is compared to the cost of constructing smaller reservoirs and a model is created to correlate the price of water and the cost of water storage with the size of reservoirs. In particular, if more and smaller reservoirs were built instead of the large existing ones, the cost of the water would significantly increase, as illustrated by modelling the cost using local data.
Self-Organisation in Urban Community Gardens: Autogestion, Motivations, and the Role of Communication
Authors: Yap Christopher
Published: May 2019

Urban gardens are continuously negotiated, contested, and remade. One of the primary ways that these spaces are negotiated is through the ways that communities self-organise to manage them. Drawing on critical urban scholarship, this article explores the ways in which the dynamics of self-organisation in urban gardens both shape and are shaped by the spatial development of the sites. Reflecting on two cycles of participatory video-making with urban gardeners in Seville, Spain, the article specifically examines how the motivations of the gardeners and the issue of communication influence the dynamic relationship between self-organisation and the spatial development of gardens.
The Evaluation of the Contractor’s Risk in Implementing the Investment Projects in Construction by Using the Verbal Analysis Methods
Authors: Shevchenko Galina , Ustinovichius Leonas , Walasek Dariusz
Published: May 2019

The growth of the company’s investment potential is closely associated with the evaluation of the attendant risks of the process, various influencing factors, and the expected results. Therefore, the analysis of a number of qualitative and quantitative criteria of the projects and risks, as well as the potential profit-making opportunities in the investment decision making is required. This paper analyzes a decision-making strategy based on qualitative estimates obtained by investigating the risks posed, the management methods used, and the application of the proposed methods for assessing the contractor’s risk in construction companies.
Trajectory Prediction of Assembly Alignment of Columnar Precast Concrete Members with Deep Learning
Authors: Zhang Ke , Tong Shenghao , Shi Huaitao
Published: May 2019

During the construction of prefabricated building, there are some problems such as a time consuming, low-level of automation when precast concrete members are assembled and positioned. This paper presents vision-based intelligent assembly alignment guiding technology for columnar precast concrete members. We study the video images of assembly alignment of the hole at the bottom of the precast concrete members and the rebar on the ground. Our goal is to predict the trajectory of the moving target in a future moment and the movement direction at each position during the alignment process by assembly image sequences. However, trajectory prediction is still subject to the following challenges: (1) the effect of external environment (illumination) on image quality; (2) small target detection in complex backgrounds; (3) low accuracy of trajectory prediction results based on the visual context model. In this paper, we use mask and adaptive histogram equalization to improve the quality of the image and improved method to detect the targets. In addition, aiming at the low position precision of trajectory prediction based on the context model, we propose the end point position-matching equation according to the principle of end point pixel matching of the moving target and fixed target, as the constraint term of the loss function to improve the prediction accuracy of the network. In order to evaluate comprehensively the performance of the proposed method on the trajectory prediction in the assembly alignment task, we construct the image dataset, use Hausdorff distance as the evaluation index, and compare with existing prediction methods. The experimental results show that, this framework is better than the existing methods in accuracy and robustness at the prediction of assembly alignment motion trajectory of columnar precast concrete members.
An Efficient Source Location Privacy Protection Algorithm Based on Circular Trap for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wang Yiting , Liu Liang , Gao Wenzhao
Published: May 2019

With the aim of addressing the problem of high overhead and unstable performance of the existing Source Location Privacy (SLP) protection algorithms, this paper proposes an efficient algorithm based on Circular Trap (CT) which integrates the routing layer and MAC layer protocol to provide SLP protection for WSNs. This algorithm allocates time slots for each node in the network by using Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) technology, so that data loss caused by channel collisions can be avoided. At the same time, a circular trap route is formed to induce an attacker to first detect the packets from the nodes on the circular route, thereby moving away from the real route and protecting the SLP. The experimental results demonstrate that the CT algorithm can prevent the attacker from tracking the source location by 20% to 50% compared to the existing cross-layer SLP-aware algorithm.
Field Fluctuations and Casimir Energy of 1D-Fermions
Authors: Donaire Manuel , Muñoz-Castañeda José María , Nieto Luis Miguel , Tello-Fraile Marcos
Published: May 2019

We investigate the self-adjoint extensions of the Dirac operator of a massive one-dimensional field of mass m confined in a finite filament of length L. We compute the spectrum of vacuum fluctuations of the Dirac field under the most general dispersionless boundary conditions. We identify its edge states in the mass gap within a set of values of the boundary parameters, and compute the Casimir energy of the discrete normal modes. Two limit cases are considered, namely, that of light fermions with m L ≪ 1 , and that of heavy fermions for which m L ≫ 1 . It is found that both positive and negative energies are obtained for different sets of values of the boundary parameters. As a consequence of our calculation we demonstrate that the sign of the quantum vacuum energy is not fixed for exchange-symmetric plates (parity-invariant configurations), unlike for electromagnetic and scalar fields.
Some Symmetric Identities for the Multiple (p, q)-Hurwitz-Euler eta Function
Authors: Hwang Kyung-Won , Ryoo Cheon Seoung
Published: May 2019

The main purpose of this paper is to find some interesting symmetric identities for the ( p , q ) -Hurwitz-Euler eta function in a complex field. Firstly, we define the multiple ( p , q ) -Hurwitz-Euler eta function by generalizing the Carlitz’s form ( p , q ) -Euler numbers and polynomials. We find some formulas and properties involved in Carlitz’s form ( p , q ) -Euler numbers and polynomials with higher order. We find new symmetric identities for multiple ( p , q ) -Hurwitz-Euler eta functions. We also obtain symmetric identities for Carlitz’s form ( p , q ) -Euler numbers and polynomials with higher order by using symmetry about multiple ( p , q ) -Hurwitz-Euler eta functions. Finally, we study the distribution and symmetric properties of the zero of Carlitz’s form ( p , q ) -Euler numbers and polynomials with higher order.
Perception of Human Age from Faces: Symmetric Versus Asymmetric Movement
Authors: Kamachi Miyuki G. , Chiba Tsukasa , Kurosumi Motonori , Mizukoshi Koji
Published: May 2019

Dynamic movements of a face affect human perception of a person’s identification, emotional expression, speech, and so on. Findings of studies related to age perception, however, have mainly been obtained from static features of texture such as wrinkles and spots on the skin. Our goal is to investigate the perception of human age related to dynamic information. Systematically manipulated bilateral symmetric and asymmetric facial movements were utilized as stimuli in the age perception experiment. All images were low-pass filtered so that the judgment would not depend on detailed texture information. In the experiment, viewers judged the age level (the first half (indicating 20–24 and 60–64) or the latter half (indicating 25–29 and 65–69) of two age groups: 20’s and 60’s. Results revealed that faces with symmetric dynamic movements of expression (from a neutral face to one pronouncing “i”) were not only judged at the level of chance, but were also perceived to be statistically significantly younger than faces with asymmetric dynamic movements. It was also found that types of asymmetry were also effective in age perception, which might be a reflection of laterization of facial processing in a human brain.
Type I Toxin-Antitoxin Systems in Clostridia
Authors: Soutourina Olga
Published: May 2019

Type I toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules are abundant in both bacterial plasmids and chromosomes and usually encode a small hydrophobic toxic protein and an antisense RNA acting as an antitoxin. The RNA antitoxin neutralizes toxin mRNA by inhibiting its translation and/or promoting its degradation. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the type I TA modules identified in Clostridia species focusing on the recent findings in the human pathogen Clostridium difficile. More than ten functional type I TA modules have been identified in the genome of this emerging enteropathogen that could potentially contribute to its fitness and success inside the host. Despite the absence of sequence homology, the comparison of these newly identified type I TA modules with previously studied systems in other Gram-positive bacteria, i.e., Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, revealed some important common traits. These include the conservation of characteristic sequence features for small hydrophobic toxic proteins, the localization of several type I TA within prophage or prophage-like regions and strong connections with stress response. Potential functions in the stabilization of genome regions, adaptations to stress conditions and interactions with CRISPR-Cas defence system, as well as promising applications of TA for genome-editing and antimicrobial developments are discussed.
Varanid Lizard Venoms Disrupt the Clotting Ability of Human Fibrinogen through Destructive Cleavage
Authors: Dobson James S. , Zdenek Christina N. , Hay Chris , Violette Aude , Fourmy Rudy , Cochran Chip , Fry Bryan G.
Published: May 2019

The functional activities of Anguimorpha lizard venoms have received less attention compared to serpent lineages. Bite victims of varanid lizards often report persistent bleeding exceeding that expected for the mechanical damage of the bite. Research to date has identified the blockage of platelet aggregation as one bleeding-inducing activity, and destructive cleavage of fibrinogen as another. However, the ability of the venoms to prevent clot formation has not been directly investigated. Using a thromboelastograph (TEG5000), clot strength was measured after incubating human fibrinogen with Heloderma and Varanus lizard venoms. Clot strengths were found to be highly variable, with the most potent effects produced by incubation with Varanus venoms from the Odatria and Euprepriosaurus clades. The most fibrinogenolytically active venoms belonged to arboreal species and therefore prey escape potential is likely a strong evolutionary selection pressure. The results are also consistent with reports of profusive bleeding from bites from other notably fibrinogenolytic species, such as V. giganteus. Our results provide evidence in favour of the predatory role of venom in varanid lizards, thus shedding light on the evolution of venom in reptiles and revealing potential new sources of bioactive molecules useful as lead compounds in drug design and development.
Interactive Effects of [CO2] and Temperature on Plant Chemistry of Transgenic Bt Rice and Population Dynamics of a Non-Target Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) under Different Levels of Soil Nitrogen
Authors: Liu Yanmin , Dang Zhihao , Wang Yanhui , Parajulee Megha N. , Chen Fajun
Published: May 2019

Gaining a better understanding of the interactive effect of projected atmospheric CO2 level increase and the Earth’s rising temperature on plant chemistry (nutritional and defensive characteristics) of transgenic crops is essential when attempting to forecast the responses of target and non-target insects to climate change. In this study, effects of carbon dioxide (CO2; elevated versus ambient), temperature (T; high versus low), and their interactions on leaf nitrogen content (N%) and C:N ratio of transgenic Bt rice and its non-Bt isoline grown under low- and high-N fertilizer were systematically analyzed together with the resulting insect population dynamics of a non-target planthopper Nilaparvata lugens (Stâl) in open-top-chamber experiments. The results indicated that under low-N treatment, elevated CO2 at low T (i.e., eCO2) (compared to ambient CO2 at low T, i.e., CK) significantly decreased N% and Bt-toxin content and significantly increased C:N ratio in leaf sheath and leaf of Bt rice, especially during the tillering stage, whereas inverse effects of high T were shown on the plant chemistry of Bt rice, especially during heading stage. The combination of elevated CO2 and high T (i.e., Combined) (in contrast to CK) significantly increased N% and decreased C:N ratio in leaf sheath of Bt rice during the heading stage under low-N fertilizer, while significantly decreased N% and increased C:N ratio in leaf of Bt rice during the tillering stage, regardless of fertilizer-N level, and significantly increased Bt-toxin content in leaf sheath and leaf during the tillering stage under both low- and high-N. Moreover, no discernable relationships between Bt-toxin content and N% or leaf C:N ratio were observed at any CO2 or N levels evaluated. Furthermore, transgenic treatment, temperature and fertilizer-N level interactions, and CO2 and fertilizer-N level interactions all significantly affected the population dynamics of N. lugens. Specifically, high-N significantly enhanced the population dynamics of N. lugens fed on non-Bt rice grown under eTemp and Bt cultivar significantly reduced the population dynamics of N. lugens under eCO2 regardless of N fertilizer levels. The study demonstrates that the planting of transgenic Bt rice would not increase the risk of increased N. lugens severity under the combined condition of elevated CO2 and increased temperature, particularly under moderate level of N fertility.
The Unique Blazar OJ 287 and Its Massive Binary Black Hole Central Engine
Authors: Dey Lankeswar , Gopakumar Achamveedu , Valtonen Mauri , Zola Stanislaw , Susobhanan Abhimanyu , Hudec Rene , Pihajoki Pauli , Pursimo Tapio , Berdyugin Andrei , Piirola Vilppu , Ciprini Stefano , Nilsson Kari , Jermak Helen , Kidger Mark , Komossa Stefanie
Published: May 2019

The bright blazar OJ 287 is the best-known candidate for hosting a nanohertz gravitational wave (GW) emitting supermassive binary black hole (SMBBH) in the present observable universe. The binary black hole (BBH) central engine model, proposed by Lehto and Valtonen in 1996, was influenced by the two distinct periodicities inferred from the optical light curve of OJ 287. The current improved model employs an accurate general relativistic description to track the trajectory of the secondary black hole (BH) which is crucial to predict the inherent impact flares of OJ 287. The successful observations of three predicted impact flares open up the possibility of using this BBH system to test general relativity in a hitherto unexplored strong field regime. Additionally, we briefly describe an ongoing effort to interpret observations of OJ 287 in a Bayesian framework.
Correlation in Expression between LTR Retrotransposons and Potential Host Cis-Targets during Infection of Antherea pernyi with ApNPV Baculovirus
Authors: Feng Min , Ren Feifei , Zhou Yaohong , Zhang Nan , Lu Qiuyuan , Swevers Luc , Sun Jingchen
Published: May 2019

The published genome sequence of Antheraea yamamai (Saturnnidae) was used to construct a library of long terminal repeat (LTR)-retrotransposons that is representative of the wild silkmoth (Antherea) genus, and that includes 22,666 solo LTRs and 541 full-length LTRs. The LTR retrotransposons of Antheraea yamamai (AyLTRs) could be classified into the three canonical groups of Gypsy, Copia and Belpao. Eleven AyLTRs contained the env gene element, but the relationship with the env element of baculovirus, particularly A. yamamai and pernyi nucleopolyhedrovirus (AyNPV and ApNPV), was distant. A total of 251 “independent” full-length AyLTRs were identified that were located within 100 kb distance (downstream or upstream) of 406 neighboring genes in A. yamamai. Regulation of these genes might occur in cis by the AyLTRs, and the neighboring genes were found to be enriched in GO terms such as “response to stimulus”, and KEGG terms such as “mTOR signaling pathway” among others. Furthermore, the library of LTR-retrotransposons and the A. yamamai genome were used to identify and analyze the expression of LTR-retrotransposons and genes in ApNPV-infected and non-infected A. pernyi larval midguts, using raw data of a published transcriptome study. Our analysis demonstrates that 93 full-length LTR-retrotransposons are transcribed in the midgut of A. pernyi of which 12 significantly change their expression after ApNPV infection (differentially expressed LTR-retrotransposons or DELs). In addition, the expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and neighboring DELs on the chromosome following ApNPV infection suggests the possibility of regulation of expression of DEGs by DELs through a cis mechanism, which will require experimental verification. When examined in more detail, it was found that genes involved in Notch signaling and stress granule (SG) formation were significantly up-regulated in ApNPV-infected A. pernyi larval midgut. Moreover, several DEGs in the Notch and SG pathways were found to be located in the neighborhood of particular DELs, indicating the possibility of DEG-DEL cross-regulation in cis for these two pathways.
Composite Analysis of the Virome and Bacteriome of HIV/HPV Co-Infected Women Reveals Proxies for Immunodeficiency
Authors: Siqueira Juliana , Curty Gislaine , Xutao Deng , Hofer Cristina , Machado Elizabeth , Seuánez Héctor , Soares Marcelo , Delwart Eric , Soares Esmeralda
Published: May 2019

The human cervical microbiome is complex, and its role in health and disease has just begun to be elucidated. In this study, 57 cervical swab samples from 19 HIV/HPV co-infected women were analyzed for both virome and bacteriome composition. Virome analysis focused on circular DNA viruses through rolling circle amplification followed by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Data were assigned to virus families and genera, and HPV types were identified. NGS data of bacterial 16S from a subset of 24 samples were assigned to operational taxonomic units and classified according to vaginal microbiome community state types (CSTs). Four viral families were found: Papillomaviridae, Anelloviridae, Genomoviridae, and Herpesviridae. Papillomavirus reads were more abundant in women with premalignant cervical lesions, which were also strongly associated with multiple (≥3) high-risk HPV infection. Anellovirus read abundance was negatively correlated with host CD4+ T-cell counts. The bacteriome revealed the presence of CST III and CST IV, and women with ≥1% frequency of genomovirus or herpesvirus reads displayed an increased risk of carrying CST IV. By characterizing the composition of the cervical circular DNA viruses and the bacteriome of HIV/HPV co-infected women, we identified putative interactions between these two microorganism communities and their associations with patients’ clinical characteristics, notably immunodeficiency status.
Novel Bat Alphacoronaviruses in Southern China Support Chinese Horseshoe Bats as an Important Reservoir for Potential Novel Coronaviruses
Authors: Lau Susanna K.P. , Wong Antonio C.P. , Zhang Libao , Luk Hayes K.H. , Kwok Jamie S. L. , Ahmed Syed S. , Cai Jian-Piao , Zhao Pyrear S.H. , Teng Jade L.L. , Tsui Stephen K.W. , Yuen Kwok-Yung , Woo Patrick C. Y.
Published: May 2019

While bats are increasingly recognized as a source of coronavirus epidemics, the diversity and emergence potential of bat coronaviruses remains to be fully understood. Among 1779 bat samples collected in China, diverse coronaviruses were detected in 32 samples from five different bat species by RT-PCR. Two novel alphacoronaviruses, Rhinolophus sinicus bat coronavirus HKU32 (Rs-BatCoV HKU32) and Tylonycteris robustula bat coronavirus HKU33 (Tr-BatCoV HKU33), were discovered from Chinese horseshoe bats in Hong Kong and greater bamboo bats in Guizhou Province, respectively. Genome analyses showed that Rs-BatCoV HKU32 is closely related to BatCoV HKU10 and related viruses from diverse bat families, whereas Tr-BatCoV HKU33 is closely related to BtNv-AlphaCoV and similar viruses exclusively from bats of Vespertilionidae family. The close relatedness of Rs-BatCoV HKU32 to BatCoV HKU10 which was also detected in Pomona roundleaf bats from the same country park suggests that these viruses may have the tendency of infecting genetically distant bat populations of close geographical proximity with subsequent genetic divergence. Moreover, the presence of SARSr-CoV ORF7a-like protein in Rs-BatCoV HKU32 suggests a common evolutionary origin of this accessory protein with SARS-CoV, also from Chinese horseshoe bats, an apparent reservoir for coronavirus epidemics. The emergence potential of Rs-BatCoV HKU32 should be explored.
Environmental Surveillance for Poliovirus and Other Enteroviruses: Long-Term Experience in Moscow, Russian Federation, 2004–2017
Authors: Ivanova Olga E. , Yarmolskaya Maria S. , Eremeeva Tatiana P. , Babkina Galina M. , Baykova Olga Y. , Akhmadishina Lyudmila V. , Krasota Alexandr Y. , Kozlovskaya Liubov I. , Lukashev Alexander N.
Published: May 2019

Polio and enterovirus surveillance may include a number of approaches, including incidence-based observation, a sentinel physician system, environmental monitoring and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance. The relative value of these methods is widely debated. Here we summarized the results of 14 years of environmental surveillance at four sewage treatment plants of various capacities in Moscow, Russia. A total of 5450 samples were screened, yielding 1089 (20.0%) positive samples. There were 1168 viruses isolated including types 1–3 polioviruses (43%) and 29 different types of non-polio enteroviruses (51%). Despite using the same methodology, a significant variation in detection rates was observed between the treatment plants and within the same facility over time. The number of poliovirus isolates obtained from sewage was roughly 60 times higher than from AFP surveillance over the same time frame. All except one poliovirus isolate were Sabin-like polioviruses. The one isolate was vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 with 17.6% difference from the corresponding Sabin strain, suggesting long-term circulation outside the scope of the surveillance. For some non-polio enterovirus types (e.g., Echovirus 6) there was a good correlation between detection in sewage and incidence of clinical cases in a given year, while other types (e.g., Echovirus 30) could cause large outbreaks and be almost absent in sewage samples. Therefore, sewage monitoring can be an important part of enterovirus surveillance, but cannot substitute other approaches.
Human Hepatitis B Virus Core Protein Inhibits IFNα-Induced IFITM1 Expression by Interacting with BAF200
Authors: Li Tongya , Ke Zunlong , Liu Weiyong , Xiong Ying , Zhu Ying , Liu Yingle
Published: May 2019

Human hepatitis B virus core protein (HBc) is a structural protein of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and contributes to HBV regulation of host-cell transcription. However, the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation remain poorly characterized. To dissect the function of HBc, a yeast two-hybrid was performed to identify HBc-binding proteins, and the C-terminal of BRG1/hBRM-associated factors 200 (BAF200C) was identified. Then, the existence of HBc interactions with BAF200C and full-length BAF200 was confirmed via co-immunoprecipitation assays in 293T, HepG2 and HepG2-NTCP cells. Furthermore, we show that the binding between HBc and BAF200 was of vital importance to HBc mediated downregulation of interferon-induced transmembrane protein 1 (IFITM1) expression, and the mechanisms for the downregulation were disclosed as follows. Basal level of IFITM1 expression depends on BAF200, rather than the JAK–STAT1 pathway. The interaction of HBc with BAF200 disturbs the stability of the polybromo-associated BAF (PBAF) complex and results in the suppression of IFTM1 transcription. Finally, the antiviral effects of IFITM1 on cell proliferation and HBV replication were found to be partially restored when HBc was co-transfected with BAF200. Collectively, our findings indicate that HBc plays a role in HBV resistance against the antiviral activities of IFNα, providing details about HBV evasion of host innate immunity.
Experimental and Signal Processing Techniques for Fault Diagnosis on a Small Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine Generator †
Authors: Natili Francesco , Castellani Francesco , Astolfi Davide , Becchetti Matteo
Published: May 2019

Small horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) is a technology characterized by non-trivial critical points, basically because it is targeted for domestic use and therefore cheap manufacturing and control must conjugate with good efficiency under possibly complex flow conditions (especially in urban environment). Therefore, dynamical control optimization and noise and vibration mitigation are pressing issues for this kind of technology. Despite this, it is peculiar of small HAWTs that the generator constitutes a non-negligible fraction of the total mass and therefore the electromechanical coupling is relevant, condition monitoring of small HAWT generators is an overlooked topic. The present work is a test case study of damage diagnosis on a permanent magnet generator of a HAWT having 3 kW of maximum power and 2 m of rotor diameter. The experimental analysis is conducted through wind tunnel tests and on a generator test rig where a damaged and an undamaged generators have been driven at different rotational speeds. Vibration measurements are collected in the wind tunnel through radial accelerometers near the rear bearing of the shaft and in the test rig through uni-axial accelerometers (fixed in radial positions, in order to be aligned with front and rear bearings). The test rig data results are particularly useful for studying the low-frequency tail of the vibration spectrum, where the characteristic frequencies of the bearing are located. The experimental data are analyzed in the time and frequency domain for feature extraction: a fault in the cage of the bearing supporting the generator is diagnosed using in particular the spectral coherence analysis.
A Two Decadal (1993–2012) Numerical Assessment of Sediment Dynamics in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Zang Zhengchen , Xue Z. George , Xu Kehui , Bentley Samuel J. , Chen Qin , D’Sa Eurico J. , Ge Qian
Published: May 2019

We adapted the coupled ocean-sediment transport model to the northern Gulf of Mexico to examine sediment dynamics on seasonal-to-decadal time scales as well as its response to decreased fluvial inputs from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River. Sediment transport on the shelf exhibited contrasting conditions in a year, with strong westward transport in spring, fall, and winter, and relatively weak eastward transport in summer. Sedimentation rate varied from almost zero on the open shelf to more than 10 cm/year near river mouths. A phase shift in river discharge was detected in 1999 and was associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event, after which, water and sediment fluxes decreased by ~20% and ~40%, respectively. Two sensitivity tests were carried out to examine the response of sediment dynamics to high and low river discharge, respectively. With a decreased fluvial supply, sediment flux and sedimentation rate were largely reduced in areas proximal to the deltas, which might accelerate the land loss in down-coast bays and estuaries. The results of two sensitivity tests indicated the decreased river discharge would largely affect sediment balance in waters around the delta. The impact from decreased fluvial input was minimum on the sandy shoals ~100 km west of the Mississippi Delta, where deposition of fluvial sediments was highly affected by winds.