bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating the Composition of Food Nutrients from Hyperspectral Signals Based on Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Ahn DaeHan , Choi Ji-Young , Kim Hee-Chul , Cho Jeong-Seok , Moon Kwang-Deog , Park Taejoon
Published: April 2019

There is an increasing demand for acquiring details of food nutrients especially among those who are sensitive to food intakes and weight changes. To meet this need, we propose a new approach based on deep learning that precisely estimates the composition of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from hyperspectral signals of foods obtained by using low-cost spectrometers. Specifically, we develop a system consisting of multiple deep neural networks for estimating food nutrients followed by detecting and discarding estimation anomalies. Our comprehensive performance evaluation demonstrates that the proposed system can maximize estimation accuracy by automatically identifying wrong estimations. As such, if consolidated with the capability of reinforcement learning, it will likely be positioned as a promising means for personalized healthcare in terms of food safety.
Automatic Calibration of an Industrial RGB-D Camera Network Using Retroreflective Fiducial Markers
Authors: Aalerud Atle , Dybedal Joacim , Hovland Geir
Published: April 2019

This paper describes a non-invasive, automatic, and robust method for calibrating a scalable RGB-D sensor network based on retroreflective ArUco markers and the iterative closest point (ICP) scheme. We demonstrate the system by calibrating a sensor network comprised of six sensor nodes positioned in a relatively large industrial robot cell with an approximate size of 10   m × 10   m × 4 m . Here, the automatic calibration achieved an average Euclidean error of 3 c m at distances up to 9.45 m . To achieve robustness, we apply several innovative techniques: Firstly, we mitigate the ambiguity problem that occurs when detecting a marker at long range or low resolution by comparing the camera projection with depth data. Secondly, we use retroreflective fiducial markers in the RGB-D calibration for improved accuracy and detectability. Finally, the repeating ICP refinement uses an exact region of interest such that we employ the precise depth measurements of the retroreflective surfaces only. The complete calibration software and a recorded dataset are publically available and open source.
Wireless Sensor Networks for Big Data Systems
Authors: Kim Beom-Su , Kim Ki-Il , Shah Babar , Chow Francis , Kim Kyong Hoon
Published: April 2019

Before discovering meaningful knowledge from big data systems, it is first necessary to build a data-gathering infrastructure. Among many feasible data sources, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are rich big data sources: a large amount of data is generated by various sensor nodes in large-scale networks. However, unlike typical wireless networks, WSNs have serious deficiencies in terms of data reliability and communication owing to the limited capabilities of the nodes. Moreover, a considerable amount of sensed data are of no interest, meaningless, and redundant when a large number of sensor nodes is densely deployed. Many studies address the existing problems and propose methods to overcome the limitations when constructing big data systems with WSN. However, a published paper that provides deep insight into this research area remains lacking. To address this gap in the literature, we present a comprehensive survey that investigates state-of-the-art research work on introducing WSN in big data systems. Potential applications and technical challenges of networks and infrastructure are presented and explained in accordance with the research areas and objectives. Finally, open issues are presented to discuss promising directions for further research.
Sensor Fusion and State Estimation of IoT Enabled Wind Energy Conversion System
Authors: Noor-A-Rahim Md. , Khyam M. O. , Li Xinde , Pesch Dirk
Published: April 2019

The use of renewable energy has increased dramatically over the past couple of decades. Wind farms, consisting of wind turbines, play a vital role in the generation of renewable energy. For monitoring and maintenance purposes, a wind turbine has a variety of sensors to measure the state of the turbine. Sensor measurements are transmitted to a control center, which is located away from the wind farm, for monitoring and maintenance purposes. It is therefore desirable to ensure reliable wireless communication between the wind turbines and the control center while integrating the observations from different sensors. In this paper, we propose an IoT based communication framework for the purpose of reliable communication between wind turbines and control center. The communication framework is based on repeat-accumulate coded communication to enhance reliability. A fusion algorithm is proposed to exploit the observations from multiple sensors while taking into consideration the unpredictable nature of the wireless channel. The numerical results show that the proposed scheme can closely predict the state of a wind turbine. We also show that the proposed scheme significantly outperforms traditional estimation schemes.
Energy and Distance-Aware Hopping Sensor Relocation for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Kim Moonseong , Park Sooyeon , Lee Woochan
Published: April 2019

Recent advances in big data technology collecting and analyzing large amounts of valuable data have attracted a lot of attention. When the information in non-reachable areas is required, IoT wireless sensor network technologies have to be applied. Sensors fundamentally have energy limitations, and it is almost impossible to replace energy-depleted sensors that have been deployed in an inaccessible region. Therefore, moving healthy sensors into the sensing hole will recover the faulty sensor area. In rough surfaces, hopping sensors would be more appropriate than wheel-driven mobile sensors. Sensor relocation algorithms to recover sensing holes have been researched variously in the past. However, the majority of studies to date have been inadequate in reality, since they are nothing but theoretical studies which assume that all the topology in the network is known and then computes the shortest path based on the nonrealistic backing up knowledge—The topology information. In this paper, we first propose a distributed hopping sensor relocation protocol. The possibility of movement of the hopping sensor is also considered to recover sensing holes and is not limited to applying the shortest path strategy. Finally, a performance analysis using OMNeT++ has demonstrated the solidification of the excellence of the proposed protocol.
Fault Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks through the Random Forest Classifier
Authors: Noshad Zainib , Javaid Nadeem , Saba Tanzila , Wadud Zahid , Saleem Muhammad Qaiser , Alzahrani Mohammad Eid , Sheta Osama E.
Published: April 2019

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are vulnerable to faults because of their deployment in unpredictable and hazardous environments. This makes WSN prone to failures such as software, hardware, and communication failures. Due to the sensor’s limited resources and diverse deployment fields, fault detection in WSNs has become a daunting task. To solve this problem, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Random Forest (RF), and Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) classifiers are used for classification of gain, offset, spike, data loss, out of bounds, and stuck-at faults at the sensor level. Out of six faults, two of them are induced in the datasets, i.e., spike and data loss faults. The results are compared on the basis of their Detection Accuracy (DA), True Positive Rate (TPR), Matthews Correlation Coefficients (MCC), and F1-score. In this paper, a comparative analysis is performed among the classifiers mentioned previously on real-world datasets. Simulations show that the RF algorithm secures a better fault detection rate than the rest of the classifiers.
Performance Improvement of a Nonvolatile UV TD Sensor Using SAHAOS with a High Temperature Annealed, Partially Nano-Crystallized Trapping Layer
Authors: Hsieh Wen-Ching
Published: April 2019

This study shows that a silicon–aluminum oxide–hafnium aluminum oxide-silicon oxide–silicon capacitor device with a high temperature pre-metal-anneal-treated and partially-nanocrystallized hafnium aluminum oxide, (hereafter PNC-SAHAOS) can successfully increase the performance of a nonvolatile ultraviolet radiation total dose (hereafter UV TD) sensor. The experimental results show that the UV-induced threshold voltage VT shift of PNC-SAHAOS was 10 V after UV TD 100 mW·s/cm2 irradiation. The UV-induced charge density of PNC-SAHAOS is almost eight times that of amorphous silicon–aluminum oxide–silicon nitride–silicon dioxide–silicon SANOS. Moreover, the charge fading rate of ten-years retention on PNC-SAHAOS, even at 85 °C, is below 10%. At 85 °C, the charge fading rate of ten-years retention on amorphous SANOS is almost twice that on PNC-SAHAOS. These results strongly suggest that PNC-SAHAOS could be the most promising candidate for next-generation nonvolatile UV TD sensor technology.
RFID-Based Crack Detection of Ultra High-Performance Concrete Retrofitted Beams
Authors: Bruciati Benjamin , Jang Shinae , Fils Pierre
Published: April 2019

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is a novel material with multiple known uses and many still yet to be discovered. Recently, the use of encasing welded shear studs in UHPC on the web of corroded steel beams was developed. This creates a bearing force transfer mechanism to bypass the corroded web plate. This new material and its uses come with many uncertainties in the short and long term. Structural health monitoring (SHM) can be a tool to observe the development. Specifically, radio frequency technology (RFID) can be used. RFID has existed commercially since the 1960s and has been used as a crack sensor before, but never with UHPC. RFID-based crack sensing is being used to monitor the UHPC retrofit. A crack is simulated on the UHPC specimen and then a commercial, low cost tag is secured. Using backscatter power, the tag reads the crack existence and its increasing volume with every new damage stage. Using a damage index, comparing the uncracked and each cracked stage, this method is not restricted to the raw received signal strength indicator (RSSI), which could be different at each tag. With this sensor, the small cracks that occur in UHPC during its creation can be monitored to ensure the capacity of the retrofitting is maintained. The tested RFID-based crack sensor can be used on various other forms of UHPC.
A Miniature Fabry Perot Sensor for Twist/Rotation, Strain and Temperature Measurements Based on a Four-Core Fiber
Authors: Budinski Vedran , Donlagic Denis
Published: April 2019

In this article, a novel miniature Fabry-Perot twist/rotation sensor using a four core fiber and quadruple interferometer setup is presented and demonstrated. Detailed sensor modeling, analytical evaluation and test measurement assessment were conducted in this contribution. The sensor structure comprises a single lead-in multicore fiber, which has four eccentrically positioned cores, a special asymmetrical microstructure, and an inline semi-reflective mirror, all packed in a glass capillary housing. A four core fiber positioned in front of a special asymmetrical microstructure and the inline semi reflective mirror defines four Fabry-Perot interferometers. Rotation of the sensors’ asymmetrical microstructure around the axis of the in-line four core fibers´ modulates the path lengths of all four interferometers simultaneously. Proper processing of path length changes of all four interferometers allows for unambiguous and temperature independent determination of the sensor’s rotation angle.
Supply Chain Analysis of Cross Border Importing E-Commerce Considering with Bonded Warehouse and Direct Mailing
Authors: Xu Yaqing , Gui Hong , Zhang Jiang , Wei Yihua
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we consider a cross-border supply chain system that has an import e-commerce company and an overseas supplier. We first considered a pure bonded warehouse mode in which the e-commerce company makes bulk purchase from an overseas supplier to a bonded warehouse and will deliver goods to customers from the bonded warehouse when customers order online. We constructed a Stackelberg model to obtain the equilibrium solution by using backward induction, and then properties of equilibrium strategy and equilibrium profit is discussed. We then studied the combined bonded warehouse and direct mailing mode in which the e-commerce company will purchase a single piece and mail to the customer directly if the bonded warehouse is out of stock. Analytical results demonstrate that the combined bonded warehouse and direct mailing mode may increase the profit of suppliers and decrease the profit of e-commerce companies.
Examining German Media Coverage of the Re-Evaluation of Glyphosate
Authors: Villnow Veronika , Rombach Meike , Bitsch Vera
Published: April 2019

This study investigates media coverage of the re-evaluation process of glyphosate from 1 January 2015 to 31 March 2018. In a comparative, qualitative print media analysis, the promotion of claims and the use of narratives of Die Zeit, a weekly newspaper, and top agrar, an agricultural trade journal, are explored. Results identify noticeable differences in both media outlets’ news reporting. Whereas Die Zeit focused on potential health risks and the scientific controversy, top agrar’s coverage emphasized the harmlessness of glyphosate. The multifaceted use of narratives by Die Zeit contrasts with the comparatively low use of narratives by top agrar.
Port-2-Port Communication Enhancing Short Sea Shipping Performance: The Case Study of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean
Authors: Michaelides Michalis , Herodotou Herodotos , Lind Mikael , Watson Richard
Published: April 2019

The sustainability of Short Sea Shipping (SSS) is central to a clean, safe, and efficient European Union (EU) transport system. We report on key challenges for advancing reliability, quality, and safety, and removing unnecessary costs and delays at SSS hubs, with a particular focus on Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean. Specifically, we consider the effect of port-2-port (P2P) communication on port efficiency by investigating the factors influencing the various waiting times at the Port of Limassol, both from a qualitative and a quantitative perspective. The qualitative results are based on the views of key stakeholders involved in the port call process. The quantitative analysis relies on data from over 8000 port calls during 2017–2018, which are analyzed with respect to ship type, port of origin, and shipping agent. The calculated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) include arrival punctuality, berth waiting, and berth utilization. The analysis clearly reveals considerable variation in agent performance regarding the KPIs, suggesting a lack of attention to the social aspect of a port’s socio-technical system. We propose measures for improving agent performance based on the principles of Port Collaborative Decision Making (PortCDM), including P2P communication, data sharing and transparency among all involved in a port call process including the agents, and open dissemination of agent-specific KPIs.
Green Credit and Company R&D Level: Empirical Research Based on Threshold Effects
Authors: Chen Huiying , Liu Chuanzhe , Xie Fangming , Zhang Tong , Guan Fangyuan
Published: April 2019

Commercial banks follow sustainable development strategies to provide green credit for companies. As the main target for banks to issue green credit, environmental protection companies carry out research and development (R&D) activities for the purposes of protecting the environment and sustainable development. Therefore, the R&D level of environmental protection companies is a measure of whether the green credit policy meets its purpose. Therefore, it is particularly important to study green credit from a company perspective. This paper used panel data from 24 environmental protection companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange from 2012 to 2017 and adopted a threshold model to examine the relationship between green credit and company R&D level. The results indicate that there is a positive but nonlinear relationship between green credit and company R&D levels. The empirical analysis through the threshold model shows that a threshold effect remains on the relationship and this threshold effect is caused by the levels of firm size, bank lending, and government subsidies.
The Effects of Ecological Policy of Kyrgyzstan Based on Data Envelope Analysis
Authors: Hao Yun , Yang Degang , Yin Jingjing , Chen Xi , Bao Anming , Wu Miao , Zhang Xiaoyun
Published: April 2019

Kyrgyzstan is located in the runoff formation area of Aral Sea basin. The ecological protection of this country has a great effect on the downstream and Aral Sea conservation. There were a few studies about this region carried out from ecological policy aspects. The aim of this study was two-fold. First, we characterized the eco-policy system structure of Kyrgyzstan in different stages. It means the transition from “command and control” to “market-based” ecological policy. The priority of ecological policy was changed from “sustain economic growth and poverty reduction” to “sustainable development and green economy”. We then used a data envelope analysis method to evaluate the effects of eco-policy and government governance through eco-efficiency. The results are that (1) the eco-efficiency achieved the relative optimal state and the ecological policy obtained a relatively positive effect as a whole; (2) economic development promotes the protection of the ecological environment. It is the first time that quantitative method has been used to analyze the effects of ecological policy of Kyrgyzstan. The model results can reflect comprehensive effects of ecological policy in social, economic, and ecological aspects. This study provides a reference for those who want to shape the next generation of eco-environmental policies both in Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries.
Development of a Homogenous Cement Slurry Using Synthetic Modified Phyllosilicate while Cementing HPHT Wells
Authors: Elkatatny Salaheldin
Published: April 2019

Cement slurry segregation has a detrimental impact on the cement matrix efficiency in term of zonal isolation. In this study, synthetic modified phyllosilicate (SMP) dispersant, which is known as laponite RD is suggested to reduce the slurry segregation and enhance the vertical homogeneity of the cement matrix in term of density distribution. Seven cement slurries were prepared with different SMP concentrations using molds with different dimensions based on the targeted test, then cured for 24 h at 140 °C and 3000 psi using a high-pressure and high-temperature curing chamber. After that, the samples’ density distribution was evaluated using a direct density measurement and computer tomography (CT) scan imaging technique, and the effect of SMP on the cement rheological parameters, permeability, and compressive strength and were also evaluated. The performance of SMP was then compared with a commercial dispersant. As a result, 0.3% by weight of cement (BWOC) of SMP is found to considerably reduce the vertical density variation along the cement column to 0.46% compared with a density variation of 4.78% for the slurry with the commercial dispersant. The CT scan images confirmed the vertical homogeneity of the slurry with 0.3% BWOC of SMP. Addition of 0.3% BWOC of SMP increased the yield point of the cement slurry to 60.6 MPa compared with 20.5 MPa for the slurry with 0.25% of the commercial dispersant. Adding 0.3% BWOC of SMP into the cement formulation decreased the permeability by 37.1% compared with the commercial dispersant. The sample with 0.3% BWOC of SMP has a compressive strength of 43.9 MPa.
Biodiesel and Crude Glycerol from Waste Frying Oil: Production, Characterization and Evaluation of Biodiesel Oxidative Stability with Diesel Blends
Authors: Harabi Mariem , Neji Bouguerra Soumaya , Marrakchi Fatma , P. Chrysikou Loukia , Bezergianni Stella , Bouaziz Mohamed
Published: April 2019

Waste oils are becoming increasingly more important as feedstock for the production of fuels and glycerol as byproduct. Optimization of homogeneous transesterification of waste frying oil (WFO) to biodiesel over hydroxide potassium (KOH) catalyst have been investigated. In this respect, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to determine the relationships between methanol and WFO molar ratio (3:1–12:1), KOH concentration (0.5%–2%) and temperature (25–65 °C) on the conversion yield. Transesterification of WFO produced 96.33% maximum methyl ester yield at the optimum methanol/WFO molar ratio 7.3:1, KOH loading 0.5 wt. % and the reaction temperature was 58.30 °C. The physicochemical properties of optimized biodiesel met the requirements of the European Norm 14214, such as kinematic viscosity at 40 °C 4.57 mm/s2, the sulfur content 0.005 wt. %, and the density at 15 °C 889.3 kg/m3. This study also examined the accelerated oxidation of biodiesel and biodiesel/diesel blends under combined temperature and air effect at different periods of time while measuring their acidity. Results have shown that total acid number increased proportionally to the biodiesel content of the biodiesel/diesel blends from 0.5 mgKOH/g for B7 (7% (v/v) biodiesel and 93% (v/v) diesel) up to 2.8 mg KOH/g for B100 (100% biodiesel). The synthesized trans-esterified oil can be a potential alternative to petrodiesel, hence its application at an industrial scale. This work also reports some properties of crude glycerol (CG) derived from biodiesel from WFO. The glycerol yield (%), pH, water content (wt. %), density at 15 °C (g/cm3), and kinematic viscosity at 40 °C (mm2/s) was analyzed according to standard test methods.
The Solution Equivalence to General Models for the RIM Quantifier Problem
Authors: Hong Dug Hun
Published: April 2019

Hong investigated the relationship between the minimax disparity minimum variance regular increasing monotone (RIM) quantifier problems. He also proved the equivalence of their solutions to minimum variance and minimax disparity RIM quantifier problems. Hong investigated the relationship between the minimax ratio and maximum entropy RIM quantifier problems and proved the equivalence of their solutions to the maximum entropy and minimax ratio RIM quantifier problems. Liu proposed a general RIM quantifier determination model and proved it analytically by using the optimal control technique. He also gave the equivalence of solutions to the minimax problem for the RIM quantifier. Recently, Hong proposed a modified model for the general minimax RIM quantifier problem and provided correct formulation of the result of Liu. Thus, we examine the general minimum model for the RIM quantifier problem when the generating functions are Lebesgue integrable under the more general assumption of the RIM quantifier operator. We also provide a solution equivalent relationship between the general maximum model and the general minimax model for RIM quantifier problems, which is the corrected and generalized version of the equivalence of solutions to the general maximum model and the general minimax model for RIM quantifier problems of Liu’s result.
A Refined Approach for Forecasting Based on Neutrosophic Time Series
Authors: Abdel-Basset Mohamed , Chang Victor , Mohamed Mai , Smarandache Florentin
Published: April 2019

This research introduces a neutrosophic forecasting approach based on neutrosophic time series (NTS). Historical data can be transformed into neutrosophic time series data to determine their truth, indeterminacy and falsity functions. The basis for the neutrosophication process is the score and accuracy functions of historical data. In addition, neutrosophic logical relationship groups (NLRGs) are determined and a deneutrosophication method for NTS is presented. The objective of this research is to suggest an idea of first-and high-order NTS. By comparing our approach with other approaches, we conclude that the suggested approach of forecasting gets better results compared to the other existing approaches of fuzzy, intuitionistic fuzzy, and neutrosophic time series.
Long-term Effects of Snake Envenoming
Authors: Waiddyanatha Subodha , Silva Anjana , Siribaddana Sisira , Isbister Geoffrey K.
Published: April 2019

Long-term effects of envenoming compromise the quality of life of the survivors of snakebite. We searched MEDLINE (from 1946) and EMBASE (from 1947) until October 2018 for clinical literature on the long-term effects of snake envenoming using different combinations of search terms. We classified conditions that last or appear more than six weeks following envenoming as long term or delayed effects of envenoming. Of 257 records identified, 51 articles describe the long-term effects of snake envenoming and were reviewed. Disability due to amputations, deformities, contracture formation, and chronic ulceration, rarely with malignant change, have resulted from local necrosis due to bites mainly from African and Asian cobras, and Central and South American Pit-vipers. Progression of acute kidney injury into chronic renal failure in Russell’s viper bites has been reported in several studies from India and Sri Lanka. Neuromuscular toxicity does not appear to result in long-term effects. Endocrine anomalies such as delayed manifestation of hypopituitarism following Russell’s viper bites have been reported. Delayed psychological effects such as depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder and somatisation have been reported. Blindness due to primary and secondary effects of venom is a serious, debilitating effect. In general, the available studies have linked a clinical effect to a snakebite in retrospect, hence lacked accurate snake authentication, details of acute management and baseline data and are unable to provide a detailed picture of clinical epidemiology of the long-term effects of envenoming. In the future, it will be important to follow cohorts of snakebite patients for a longer period of time to understand the true prevalence, severity, clinical progression and risk factors of long-term effects of snake envenoming.
Purification and Biochemical Characterization of TsMS 3 and TsMS 4: Neuropeptide-Degrading Metallopeptidases in the Tityus serrulatus Venom
Authors: Cajado-Carvalho Daniela , da Silva Cristiane Castilho Fernandes , Kodama Roberto Tadashi , Mariano Douglas Oscar Ceolin , Pimenta Daniel Carvalho , Duzzi Bruno , Kuniyoshi Alexandre Kazuo , Portaro Fernanda Vieira
Published: April 2019

Although omics studies have indicated presence of proteases on the Tityus serrulatus venom (TsV), little is known about the function of these molecules. The TsV contains metalloproteases that cleave a series of human neuropeptides, including the dynorphin A (1-13) and the members of neuropeptide Y family. Aiming to isolate the proteases responsible for this activity, the metalloserrulase 3 and 4 (TsMS 3 and TsMS 4) were purified after two chromatographic steps and identified by mass spectrometry analysis. The biochemical parameters (pH, temperature and cation effects) were determined for both proteases, and the catalytic parameters (Km, kcat, cleavage sites) of TsMS 4 over fluorescent substrate were obtained. The metalloserrulases have a high preference for cleaving neuropeptides but presented different primary specificities. For example, the Leu-enkephalin released from dynorphin A (1-13) hydrolysis was exclusively performed by TsMS 3. Neutralization assays using Butantan Institute antivenoms show that both metalloserrulases were well blocked. Although TsMS 3 and TsMS 4 were previously described through cDNA library studies using the venom gland, this is the first time that both these toxins were purified. Thus, this study represents a step further in understanding the mechanism of scorpion venom metalloproteases, which may act as possible neuropeptidases in the envenomation process.
Fate of Ergot Alkaloids during Laboratory Scale Durum Processing and Pasta Production
Authors: Tittlemier Sheryl A. , Drul Dainna , Roscoe Mike , Turnock Dave , Taylor Dale , Fu Bin Xiao
Published: April 2019

The fate of ergot alkaloids during the milling of durum and subsequent production and cooking of pasta was examined. Durum samples containing varying amounts of ergot sclerotia (0.01–0.1% by mass) were milled, and all milling product was analyzed for 10 ergot alkaloids using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Spaghetti was prepared from the semolina obtained during milling. Ergocristine, ergocristinine, and ergotamine were the predominant ergot alkaloids observed in the milling fractions and spaghetti. Approximately 84% of the total ergot alkaloid mass of the whole grain durum resided in the milling product fractions associated with the outer kernel layers (bran, shorts, feeds). No consistent loss of ergot alkaloids was observed during the production or cooking of spaghetti. However, changes in the ratio of R- to S-enantiomers occurred during the milling and cooking of spaghetti. Products containing bran, shorts, and feeds, as well as cooked spaghetti, contained a higher proportion of the less biologically active S-enantiomers. The results of this study emphasize the need to monitor R- and S-enantiomers, and to consider food and feed products, as opposed to whole grain, when assessing any exposure of consumers to ergot alkaloids.
African Swine Fever Status in Europe
Authors: Cwynar Przemyslaw , Stojkov Jane , Wlazlak Klaudia
Published: April 2019

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease that affects the domestic pig and wild boar population. The aim of this study was to describe the introduction and spread of the ASF virus in Western Europe (1960–1995) and in Eastern Europe (2007–2018), with particular emphasis on the current ASF situation in Poland and its challenges and future perspectives. The first ASF outbreak in Europe was reported in Portugal in 1957, with the virus spreading over most of Western Europe over the next 30 years. In Eastern Europe, the virus was first observed in Georgia in 2007, from where the disease spread quickly to other neighboring countries, reaching Poland in 2014. Since then, there have been 3341 confirmed cases in the wild boar population in Poland. Although there have been no confirmed cases of wild boars coming into contact with domestic pigs, the first notified case concerning domestic pigs was reported in July 2014. Since then, there have been a total of 213 confirmed outbreaks of ASF on Polish pig farms. Given the virulence of the ASF virus and the myriad of transmission routes across Europe, the monitoring of this disease must be a priority for Europe.
Discovery and Further Studies on Giant Viruses at the IHU Mediterranee Infection That Modified the Perception of the Virosphere
Authors: Rolland Clara , Andreani Julien , Cherif Louazani Amina , Aherfi Sarah , Francis Rania , Rodrigues Rodrigo , Silva Ludmila Santos , Sahmi Dehia , Mougari Said , Chelkha Nisrine , Bekliz Meriem , Silva Lorena , Assis Felipe , Dornas Fábio , Bou Khalil Jacques Yaacoub , Pagnier Isabelle , Desnues Christelle , Levasseur Anthony , Colson Philippe , Abrahão Jônatas , La Scola Bernard
Published: April 2019

The history of giant viruses began in 2003 with the identification of Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus. Since then, giant viruses of amoeba enlightened an unknown part of the viral world, and every discovery and characterization of a new giant virus modifies our perception of the virosphere. This notably includes their exceptional virion sizes from 200 nm to 2 µm and their genomic complexity with length, number of genes, and functions such as translational components never seen before. Even more surprising, Mimivirus possesses a unique mobilome composed of virophages, transpovirons, and a defense system against virophages named Mimivirus virophage resistance element (MIMIVIRE). From the discovery and isolation of new giant viruses to their possible roles in humans, this review shows the active contribution of the University Hospital Institute (IHU) Mediterranee Infection to the growing knowledge of the giant viruses’ field.
Threshold Responses in the Taxonomic and Functional Structure of Fish Assemblages to Land Use and Water Quality: A Case Study from the Taizi River
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Wang Xiao-Ning , Ding Hai-Yu , Dai Yang , Ding Sen , Gao Xin
Published: April 2019

Biological functional traits help to understand specific stressors that are ignored in taxonomic data analysis. A combination of biological functional traits and taxonomic data is helpful in determining specific stressors which are of significance for fish conservation and river basin management. In the current study, the Taizi River was used as a case study to understand the relationships between the taxonomic and functional structure of fish and land use and water quality, in addition to determining the thresholds of these stressors. The results showed that taxonomic structure was significantly affected by the proportion of urban land and specific conductivity levels, while functional metrics were influenced by the proportions of farmland and forest. Threshold indicator taxa analysis found that Phoxinus lagowskii, Barbatula barbatula nuda, Odontobutis obscura, and Cobitis granoei had negative threshold responses along the gradients of urban developments and specific conductivity. There was a significant change in fish taxonomic composition when the proportion of urban land exceeded a threshold of 2.6–3.1%, or specific conductivity exceeded a threshold of 369.5–484.5 μS/cm. Three functional features—habitat preference, tolerance to disturbances, and spawning traits—showed threshold responses to the proportion of farmland and forest. The abundance of sensitive species should be monitored as part of watershed management, as sensitive species exhibit an earlier and stronger response to stressors than other functional metrics. Sensitive species had a positive threshold response to the proportion of forest at 80.1%. These species exhibited a negative threshold response to the proportion of farmland at 13.3%. The results of the current study suggest that the taxonomic and functional structure of fish assemblages are affected by land use and water quality. These parameters should be integrated into routine monitoring for fish conservation and river basin management in the Taizi River. In addition, corresponding measures for improving river habitat and water quality should be implemented according to the thresholds of these parameters.
Seasonal Fluxes of Dissolved Nutrients in Streams of Catchments Dominated by Swidden Agriculture in the Maya Forest of Belize, Central America
Authors: Buck David G. , Esselman Peter C. , Jiang Shiguo , Wainwright Joel D. , Brenner Mark , Cohen Matthew J.
Published: April 2019

The biogeochemistry of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in tropical streams and rivers is strongly regulated by the pronounced seasonality of rainfall and associated changes in hydrology. Land use and land cover change (LULCC) can also be a dominant driver of changes in stream biogeochemistry yet responses are not fully understood and vary across different LULCC scenarios. We measured dissolved and total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in four tributary streams of the Temash River watershed in southern Belize, Central America. The dominant land use practice in each of the four study catchments was swidden agriculture. We documented a strong seasonal control on the export of nutrients from these study systems with daily N fluxes increasing approximately 10-fold during the onset of the rainy season. P fluxes increased almost 4-fold during the same time period. Comparisons with nutrient export coefficients from other tropical streams suggest that nutrient export in streams of the Temash River watershed is similar or slightly lower. Establishing improved understanding of the terrestrial and hydrologic controls of N and P transport across the terrestrial-aquatic boundary and developing a comprehensive nutrient budget that includes inputs and outputs associated with crop production is warranted in future work.
Impacts of Intermittent Water Supply on Water Quality in Two Palestinian Refugee Camps
Authors: Alazzeh Shatha , Galaitsi S. E. , Bishara Amahl , Al-Azraq Nidal , Durant John L.
Published: April 2019

We investigated the quality of treated drinking water in Aida Camp and Alazzah Camp, two Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank. Water supply in the two camps is intermittent: Water deliveries are first stored in a centrally located community tank before being pumped through distribution networks to users, who then store the water in rooftop tanks. Between March 2016 and June 2017, we examined water quality within the distribution system in the camps, testing 520 samples in Aida Camp and 198 samples in Alazzah Camp for total coliforms, Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, and residual chlorine. We observed deterioration in water quality in both camps, but the deterioration was more pronounced in Aida Camp where 2.5% of community-tank samples, 5.0% of network samples, and 10% of rooftop-tank samples contained one or more colonies (per 100 mL) of total coliform bacteria. In Alazzah Camp, 3.7% of community-tank samples, 2.5% of network samples, and 5% rooftop-tank samples contained one or more colonies (per 100 mL) of total coliform bacteria. E. coli was detected in two samples from Aida Camp and one sample from Alazzah Camp. In both camps, average residual chlorine concentrations were higher in the community tanks than in rooftop tanks. The main factor influencing water quality deterioration in rooftop tanks in Aida Camp appears to be air temperature. We recommend more systematic water testing in the camps and greater transparency in reporting test results to camp residents.
Assessment of Water Quality Across Irrigation Schemes: A Case Study of Wetland Agriculture Impacts in Kilombero Valley, Tanzania
Authors: Alavaisha Edmond , Lyon Steve , Lindborg Regina
Published: April 2019

Coupled change in land and water use due to increased farming intensity is a main factor affecting water quality and quantity, ecological functions and biodiversity globally. Prolonging growing seasons and increasing productivity in wetlands through irrigation have been targeted for increasing food security, particularly in developing countries. Nevertheless, irrigation and drainage have often been associated with degradation of water quality through increased agrochemical and fertiliser runoff and leaching at local scales. In this study, we investigated water quality in streams used for irrigation in a wetland area in Kilombero Valley, Tanzania. We measured physical-chemical water parameters and collected macroinvertebrates with different sensitivity to water quality across several small irrigation schemes covering various conditions. Turbidity, temperature, nitrate-N, and ammonium-N were significantly higher at sampling sites downstream of irrigation compared to upstream. Macroinvertebrate diversity, richness and average score per taxa (ASPT) were higher in general in sampling sites upstream of irrigation, with more sensitive macroinvertebrates decreasing in abundance downstream. There was a positive correlation between physical-chemical parameters and macroinvertebrate indices across the sites. We demonstrate that macroinvertebrate indices can be used as a quick assessment of water quality in response to irrigation schemes in small-scale farming systems of Tanzania. This in turn can allow us to track changes affecting wetland ecosystem function and biodiversity at higher trophic levels and across larger scales, thereby providing useful early warnings to help avoid widespread degradation under widespread agricultural intensification.
Development of a Large Flood Regionalisation Model Considering Spatial Dependence—Application to Ungauged Catchments in Australia
Authors: Haddad Khaled , Rahman Ataur
Published: April 2019

Estimation of large floods is imperative in planning and designing large hydraulic structures. Due to the limited availability of observed flood data, estimating the frequencies of large floods requires significant extrapolation beyond the available data. This paper presents the development of a large flood regionalisation model (LFRM) based on observed flood data. The LFRM assumes that the maximum observed flood data over a large number of sites in a region can be pooled together by accounting for the at-site variations in the mean and coefficient of variation. The LFRM is enhanced by adding a spatial dependence model, which accounts for the net information available for regional analysis. It was found that the LFRM, which accounts for spatial dependence and that pools 1 or 3 maxima from a site, was able to estimate the 1 in 1000 annual exceedance probability flood quantile with consistency, showing a positive bias on average (5–7%) and modest median relative errors (30–33%).
Geotecnologías en la enseñanza de Geociencias en el instituto pedagógico de Maturín
Authors: Montilla Pacheco Argenis de Jesús , Agüero Corzo Eucaris del Carmen , Mora Pisco Lilia Lourdes
Published: April 2019

El presente trabajo tiene como propósito analizar el uso y manejo de geotecnologías en la enseñanza de las geociencias en las carreras de Ciencias de la Tierra y Geografía del Instituto Pedagógico de Maturín (IPM). Se abordó como una investigación de campo, con un diseño descriptivo, utilizando una muestra de 13 docentes y 64 estudiantes de las carreras mencionadas a quienes se les aplicó un cuestionario. Como resultado se encontró que no todos los docentes utilizan estas geotecnologías en su labor académica, sin embargo, manifiestan en su totalidad, al igual que los estudiantes, estar de acuerdo con el empleo de ellas en la enseñanza de las geociencias y en el estudio del paisaje. Se concluye que el uso de las mismas es de importancia y que están dadas las condiciones para su aplicación en el aula de clase, con lo cual será posible mejorar el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje en el ámbito de las geociencias en el Instituto Pedagógico antes señalado.
La falta de enseñanza de la geometría en el nivel medio y su repercusión en el nivel universitario: análisis del proceso de nivelación de la Universidad Técnica de Manabí.
Authors: Aray Andrade Carlos Alberto , Párraga Quijano Orlando Francisco , Chun Molina Raúl
Published: April 2019

La geometría es una rama multifacética de las matemáticas. Su riqueza, producto de la estrecha relación con otros dominios matemáticos, las ciencias naturales y sociales y la vida cotidiana, abarca varias dimensiones. En este contexto, el propósito de este artículo es presentar los resultados obtenidos de la investigación realizada en la Universidad Técnica de Manabí a docentes y alumnos para conocer su percepción sobre la necesidad de la enseñanza y aprendizaje de la geometría plana en el nivel secundario y su repercusión en el ámbito educativo superior. Los resultados muestran que la falta de enseñanza de la geometría en la educación secundaria ha provocado un vacío en el conocimiento holístico de la matemática, lo cual dificulta la enseñanza de materias como análisis matemático, álgebra lineal, geometría descriptiva, física, estática y topografía. La destreza para la resolución de problemas geométricos desarrolla un coherente razonamiento deductivo y al existir esta carencia en el nivel medio este tipo de habilidades y destrezas no se potencian en el ámbito educativo superior.
TORREFACTION OF OIL PALM FRONDS (OPF) AS A POTENTIAL FEEDSTOCK FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION PROCESSES
Authors: Thaim Thuraiya , Rasid Ruwaida Abdul , Ismail Wan Muhamad Syafiq Wan
Published: April 2019

Oil palm fronds (OPF) and trunks contribute the highest biomass availability compared with other oil palm wastes. At the moment, they are usually left on the ground around the plantation area to decompose naturally and fertilize the soil. Previous researchers have focused on torrefaction of wood residues and other agricultural biomass with less attention has been paid to the utilization of Malaysia’s biomass such as OPF. Therefore, in this study, torrefaction of OPF was conducted in a tubular reactor at temperatures between 200 and 300 °C and residence time of 30 min. The results reveal an improved heating value as the temperature was increased, from 16.81 to 20.32 MJ/kg after the torrefaction process. The van Krevelen diagram also proved that torrefaction OPF could be classified as an intermediate, between raw OPF and coal. This proves the potential of OPF as one of the alternative feedstocks for energy production process through torrefaction.
Filtering Solar-Like Oscillations for Exoplanet Detection in Radial Velocity Observations
Authors: Chaplin W. J. , Cegla H. M. , Watson C. A. , Davies G. R. , Ball W. H.
Published: April 2019

Cool main-sequence, subgiant, and red giant stars all show solar-like oscillations, pulsations that are excited and intrinsically damped by near-surface convection. Many overtones are typically excited to observable amplitudes, giving a rich spectrum of detectable modes. These modes provide a wealth of information on fundamental stellar properties. However, the radial velocity (RV) shifts induced by these oscillations can also be problematic when searching for low-mass, long-period planets; this is because their amplitudes are large enough to completely mask such minute planetary signals. Here we show how fine-tuning exposure times to the stellar parameters can help efficiently average out the solar-like, oscillation-induced shifts. To reduce the oscillation signal to the RV precision commensurate with an Earth analog, we find that for cool, low-mass stars (near spectral type K), the necessary exposure times may be as short as ∼4 minutes, while for hotter, higher-mass stars (near spectral type F, or slightly evolved), the required exposure times can be longer than 100 minutes. We provide guideline exposure durations required to suppress the total observed amplitude due to oscillations to a level of 0.1 m s−1, and a level corresponding to the Earth-analog reflex amplitude for the star. Owing to the intrinsic stochastic variability of the oscillations, we recommend in practice choosing short exposure durations at the telescope and then averaging over those exposures later, as guided by our predictions. To summarize, as we enter an era of 0.1 m s−1 instrumental precision, it is critical to tailor our observing strategies to the stellar properties.
C/2010 U3 (Boattini): A Bizarre Comet Active at Record Heliocentric Distance
Authors: Hui 許文 Man-To 韜 , Farnocchia Davide , Micheli Marco
Published: April 2019

We present a photometric and dynamical study of comet C/2010 U3 (Boattini), which was seen active in prediscovery data as early as 2005 November at a new inbound record heliocentric distance of r
H = 25.8 au. Two outburst events around 2009 and 2017 were observed. The coma and tail of the comet consist of dust grains of ∼10 μm in radius, ejected protractedly at speeds ≲50 m s−1 near the subsolar point, and are subjected to the Lorentz force, solar gravitation, and radiation pressure force all together. The prolonged activity indicates that sublimation of supervolatiles (e.g., CO, CO2) is at play, causing a net mass-loss rate ≳1 kg s−1. To sustain the mass loss, the nucleus radius has to be ≳0.1 km. The color of the cometary dust, similar to other long-period comets, is redder than the solar colors, but we also observed potential color variations when the comet was at 10 < r
H < 15 au, concurrent with the onset of crystallization of amorphous water ice, if at all. Using publicly available and our refined astrometric measurements, we estimated the precise trajectory of the comet and propagated it backward to its previous perihelion. We found that the comet visited the planetary region 1.96 ± 0.04 Myr ago, with barycentric perihelion distance q = 8.364 ± 0.004 au. Thus, C/2010 U3 (Boattini) is almost certainly a dynamically old comet from the Oort cloud, and the observed activity cannot be caused by retained heat from the previous apparition.