bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Idea of Using Blockchain Technique for Choosing the Best Configuration of Weights in Neural Networks
Authors: Winnicka Alicja , Kęsik Karolina
Published: August 2019

The blockchain technique is becoming more and more popular due to its advantages such as stability and dispersed nature. This is an idea based on blockchain activity paradigms. Another important field is machine learning, which is increasingly used in practice. Unfortunately, the training or overtraining artificial neural networks is very time-consuming and requires high computing power. In this paper, we proposed using a blockchain technique to train neural networks. This type of activity is important due to the possible search for initial weights in the network, which affect faster training, due to gradient decrease. We performed the tests with much heavier calculations to indicate that such an action is possible. However, this type of solution can also be used for less demanding calculations, i.e., only a few iterations of training and finding a better configuration of initial weights.
Algorithmic Matching Attacks on Optimally Suppressed Tabular Data
Authors: Minami Kazuhiro , Abe Yutaka
Published: August 2019

The objective of the cell suppression problem (CSP) is to protect sensitive cell values in tabular data under the presence of linear relations concerning marginal sums. Previous algorithms for solving CSPs ensure that every sensitive cell has enough uncertainty on its values based on the interval width of all possible values. However, we find that every deterministic CSP algorithm is vulnerable to an adversary who possesses the knowledge of that algorithm. We devise a matching attack scheme that narrows down the ranges of sensitive cell values by matching the suppression pattern of an original table with that of each candidate table. Our experiments show that actual ranges of sensitive cell values are significantly narrower than those assumed by the previous CSP algorithms.
Glucocorticoids and Catecholamines Affect in Vitro Functionality of Porcine Blood Immune Cells
Authors: Reiske Lena , Schmucker Sonja , Steuber Julia , Stefanski Volker
Published: August 2019

Stress hormones exert important modulating influences on the functionality of immune cells. Despite its major role as a livestock animal and its increasing use as an animal model, knowledge about this relationship in the domestic pig is rare. This study therefore aimed to characterize the effect of glucocorticoids and catecholamines on the proliferation and cytokine production of porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Blood was obtained from donor pigs equipped with indwelling catheters to exclude stress hormone exposition before in vitro testing. PBMC were stimulated in the presence of cortisol, adrenaline or noradrenaline at concentrations resembling low to high stress conditions. Proliferation was determined via 3H-thymidine incorporation, and TNFα producers were quantified by intracellular cytokine staining. Cortisol led to a decrease in mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and the number of TNFα producing cells. In contrast, catecholamines increased proliferation while exerting repressive or no effects on the number of cytokine producers. Remarkably, in concentrations presumably found in lymphatic tissue in stress situations, noradrenaline suppressed lymphocyte proliferation completely. The shown repressive effects might especially have implications on health and welfare in pigs. The obtained results provide a preliminary database for extended studies on the molecular mechanisms of glucocorticoid and catecholamine actions on porcine immune cells.
Design, Deployment and Evolution of Heterogeneous Smart Public Lighting Systems
Authors: Pasolini Gianni , Toppan Paolo , Zabini Flavio , De Castro Cristina , Andrisano Oreste
Published: August 2019

Street lighting characterizes many smart city initiatives around the world. In fact, significant savings can be achieved by not only replacing traditional luminaires with low-power LEDs, but also providing streetlights with smart light controllers and network connectivity, allowing the introduction of a sensible light intensity management and reduction of maintenance costs. Moreover, if designed with a far-looking view, smart lighting infrastructure could also support city-wide Internet of Things services, becoming key enablers of the smart city revolution, also in the 5G perspective. In this paper, we provide a thorough discussion on network architectures and communication technologies that could be adopted for smart public lighting applications, showing their benefits and downsides. Starting with significant activity on research, implementation and in-field testing, we also outline the steps required for the deployment of a smart public lighting infrastructure, each discussed in accordance with the network topology considered. Finally, we introduce some additional services that a smart public lighting infrastructure could support and discuss the benefits that would arise from integration with the upcoming 5G cellular network.
Numerical Simulation Study on the Effects of Course Keeping on the Roll Stability of Submarine Emergency Rising
Authors: Zhang Shudi , Li Hongwei , Zhang Tiedong , Pang Yongjie , Chen Qinglong
Published: August 2019

A direct numerical simulation method based on Reynolds Average Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations is used to carry out numerical prediction studies of submarine emergency rising in this paper. Firstly, a numerical simulation of the nonpropelled model without rudder manipulating is accomplished as the basis of this study. The numerical prediction results are in good agreement with the experimental data, which proves the feasibility and accuracy of the direct numerical simulation method. Meanwhile, both model tests and numerical simulation results reveal the strong coupling effect between roll and yaw motions during the underwater ascending process. Based on the above observation and analysis, another two numerical simulations, whose grids are identical with the non-manipulation simulation, are conducted respectively under the condition of rudder steering, i.e., course keeping simulation and self-propulsion simulation. An optimized S surface controller based on conditional determination is designed to manipulate the rudders. As a result, the yaw angle of the latter two simulations is limited within the range of 0.2° and 0.8° respectively, proving the effectiveness of the S surface controller. Correspondingly, the maximum roll angle is reduced by 96% and 70% respectively, which demonstrates that the roll stability is significantly enhanced by improving the course keeping ability of the model. Moreover, it is also proven from the perspective of reverse verification that, the excessive yaw deviation is the root cause of emergency rising roll instability for the situation of incidence angle lower than 30°.
Introduction of Building Information Modeling in Industrial Engineering Education: Students’ Perception
Authors: Sánchez Alberto , Gonzalez-Gaya Cristina , Zulueta Patricia , Sampaio Zita
Published: August 2019

The building information modeling (BIM) methodology is becoming a mandatory requirement in the development of projects within the world context. Consequently, technical schools have been introducing BIM in their curricula. The present study aims to evaluate student perceptions concerning the advantages and difficulties of incorporating BIM into the formal teaching system as part of the degree in industrial engineering. Students’ understanding and satisfaction were analyzed while using BIM in the development of the practical component of a didactic industrial project. The evaluation was based on a Likert survey with five levels, and the results were interpreted using a factor analysis and ascending hierarchical classification. To identify possible relationships between student satisfaction with the BIM implementation and the factors obtained, a multiple regression analysis was performed. It was determined that students have a high perception of BIM utility and consider the use of the BIM tool that is intuitive and easy to learn, including during the autonomous learning process. The results show a direct correlation between the benefits of BIM implementation in industrial projects and the advantages of defining teamwork within collaborative projects. The incorporation of BIM as a mandatory subject in the industrial engineering curriculum appears to be successful, and the results are encouraging.
Numerical Investigation on Unsteady Separation Flow Control in an Axial Compressor Using Detached-Eddy Simulation
Authors: Zhang Mingming , Hou Anping
Published: August 2019

Unsteady excitation has proved its effectiveness in separation flow control and has been extensively studied. It is observed that disordered shedding vortices in compressors can be controlled by unsteady excitation, especially when the excitation frequency coincides with the frequency of the shedding vortex. Furthermore, former experimental results indicated that unsteady excitation at other frequencies also had an impact on the structure of shedding vortices. To investigate the impact of excitation frequency on vortex shedding structure, the Detached-Eddy Simulation (DES) method was applied in the simulation of shedding vortex structure under unsteady excitations at different frequencies in an axial compressor. Effectiveness of the DES method was proved by comparison with URANS results. The simulation results showed a good agreement with the former experiment. The numerical results indicated that the separation flow can be partly controlled when the excitation frequency coincided with the unsteady flow inherent frequency. It showed an increase in stage performance under the less-studied separation flow control by excitation at a certain frequency of pressure side shedding vortex. Compared with other frequencies of shedding vortices, the frequency of pressure side shedding vortex was less sensitive to mass-flow variation. Therefore, it has potential for easier application on flow control in industrial compressors.
East Asian Summer Atmospheric Moisture Transport and Its Response to Interannual Variability of the West Pacific Subtropical High: An Evaluation of the Met Office Unified Model
Authors: Rodríguez José M. , Milton Sean F.
Published: August 2019

In this study, the atmospheric moisture transport involved in the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) water cycle is examined. Observational estimates are contrasted with the Met Office Unified Model (MetUM) climate simulations to evaluate the model’s ability to capture this transport. We explore the role of large circulation in determining the regional water cycle by analyzing key systematic errors in the model. MetUM exhibits robust errors in its representation of the summer Asian-Pacific monsoon system, including dry biases in the Indian peninsula and wet biases in the tropical Indian Ocean and tropical West Pacific. Such errors are consistent with errors in the atmospheric moisture convergence in the area. Diabatic heating biases in the Maritime Continent domain are shown, via nudging sensitivity experiments, to play a crucial role in remotely forcing the model circulation and moisture transport errors in the East Asian area. We also examine changes in the regional water cycle in response to interannual variability of the West Pacific subtropical high (WPSH). It is shown by water budget analysis that, although the model in general is not able to faithfully reproduce the response on a month to month basis, it gives comparable seasonal trends in regional moisture convergence and precipitation associated with shifts of the WPSH.
Role of the Exosome in Ovarian Cancer Progression and Its Potential as a Therapeutic Target
Authors: Nakamura Koji , Sawada Kenjiro , Kobayashi Masaki , Miyamoto Mayuko , Shimizu Aasa , Yamamoto Misa , Kinose Yasuto , Kimura Tadashi
Published: August 2019

Peritoneal dissemination is a distinct form of metastasis in ovarian cancer that precedes hematogenic or lymphatic metastasis. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles of 30–150 nm in diameter secreted by different cell types and internalized by target cells. There is emerging evidence that exosomes facilitate the peritoneal dissemination of ovarian cancer by mediating intercellular communication between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment through the transfer of nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids. Furthermore, therapeutic applications of exosomes as drug cargo delivery are attracting research interest because exosomes are stabilized in circulation. This review highlights the functions of exosomes in each process of the peritoneal dissemination of ovarian cancer and discusses their potential for cancer therapeutics.
Insights into the Pyrolysis Processes of Ce-MOFs for Preparing Highly Active Catalysts of Toluene Combustion
Authors: Sun Wenjie , Li Xiaomin , Sun Chao , Huang Zhen , Xu Hualong , Shen Wei
Published: August 2019

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently been used as precursors of the catalysts for the combustion of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the present work, three kinds of CeO2 catalysts were successfully synthesized from Ce-MOF-808, Ce-BTC, and Ce-UiO-66, with specific topological structures and coordinate environments. Catalysts with small particle size, stacking mode, and structural defects could be created by pyrolysis of Ce-MOFs, which affects the activity in the toluene combustion significantly. Raman spectra, XPS, and OSC studies were performed to reveal the formation of defect sites. The thermal redox properties were determined by H2-TPR. Catalytic activity tests were conducted on the toluene combustion, and CeO2-MOF-808 showed the best catalytic performance (T90 = 278 °C) due to its having the largest specific surface area, abundant active surface oxygen species, and low-temperature reducibility.
The Nucleolus: A Multiphase Condensate Balancing Ribosome Synthesis and Translational Capacity in Health, Aging and Ribosomopathies
Authors: Correll Carl C. , Bartek Jiri , Dundr Miroslav
Published: August 2019

The nucleolus is the largest membrane-less structure in the eukaryotic nucleus. It is involved in the biogenesis of ribosomes, essential macromolecular machines responsible for synthesizing all proteins required by the cell. The assembly of ribosomes is evolutionarily conserved and is the most energy-consuming cellular process needed for cell growth, proliferation, and homeostasis. Despite the significance of this process, the intricate pathophysiological relationship between the nucleolus and protein synthesis has only recently begun to emerge. Here, we provide perspective on new principles governing nucleolar formation and the resulting multiphase organization driven by liquid-liquid phase separation. With recent advances in the structural analysis of ribosome formation, we highlight the current understanding of the step-wise assembly of pre-ribosomal subunits and the quality control required for proper function. Finally, we address how aging affects ribosome genesis and how genetic defects in ribosome formation cause ribosomopathies, complex diseases with a predisposition to cancer.
Teratogenic Rubella Virus Alters the Endodermal Differentiation Capacity of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Bilz Nicole C. , Willscher Edith , Binder Hans , Böhnke Janik , Stanifer Megan L. , Hübner Denise , Boulant Steeve , Liebert Uwe G. , Claus Claudia
Published: August 2019

The study of congenital virus infections in humans requires suitable ex vivo platforms for the species-specific events during embryonal development. A prominent example for these infections is rubella virus (RV) which most commonly leads to defects in ear, heart, and eye development. We applied teratogenic RV to human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) followed by differentiation into cells of the three embryonic lineages (ecto-, meso-, and endoderm) as a cell culture model for blastocyst- and gastrulation-like stages. In the presence of RV, lineage-specific differentiation markers were expressed, indicating that lineage identity was maintained. However, portrait analysis of the transcriptomic expression signatures of all samples revealed that mock- and RV-infected endodermal cells were less related to each other than their ecto- and mesodermal counterparts. Markers for definitive endoderm were increased during RV infection. Profound alterations of the epigenetic landscape including the expression level of components of the chromatin remodeling complexes and an induction of type III interferons were found, especially after endodermal differentiation of RV-infected iPSCs. Moreover, the eye field transcription factors RAX and SIX3 and components of the gene set vasculogenesis were identified as dysregulated transcripts. Although iPSC morphology was maintained, the formation of embryoid bodies as three-dimensional cell aggregates and as such cellular adhesion capacity was impaired during RV infection. The correlation of the molecular alterations induced by RV during differentiation of iPSCs with the clinical signs of congenital rubella syndrome suggests mechanisms of viral impairment of human development.
MicroRNA-34a and MicroRNA-181a Mediate Visfatin-Induced Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress via NF-κB Pathway in Human Osteoarthritic Chondrocytes
Authors: Cheleschi Sara , Tenti Sara , Mondanelli Nicola , Corallo Claudio , Barbarino Marcella , Giannotti Stefano , Gallo Ines , Giordano Antonio , Fioravanti Antonella
Published: August 2019

Current evidence suggests a complex interaction between adipokines and microRNA (miRNA) in osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis. The present study explored the role of miR-34a and miR-181a in regulating apoptosis and oxidative stress induced by visfatin in human OA chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were transfected with miR-34a and miR-181a inhibitors and stimulated with visfatin for 24 h, in the presence of nuclear factor (NF)-κB inhibitor (BAY-11-7082, 2 h pre-incubation). Apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were detected by cytometry, miRNA, antioxidant enzymes, nuclear factor erythroid (NRF)2 and B-cell lymphoma (BCL)2 expressions by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (real time PCR) and western blot. P50 NF-κB subunit was measured by immunofluorescence. Visfatin significantly induced apoptosis and superoxide anion production, increased miR-34a, miR-181a, superoxide dismutase (SOD)-2, catalase (CAT), NRF2 and decreased BCL2 gene and protein expression in OA chondrocytes. All the visfatin-caused effects were suppressed by using miR-34a and miR-181a inhibitors. Pre-incubation with BAY-11-7082 counteracted visfatin-induced expression of miRNA, BCL2, SOD-2, CAT and NRF2. Inhibition of miR-34a and miR-181a significantly reduced the activation of p50 NF-κB. Visfatin confirms its ability to induce apoptosis and oxidative stress in human OA chondrocytes; these effects appeared mediated by miR-34a and miR-181a via NF-κB pathway. We highlight the relevance of visfatin as potential therapeutic target for OA treatment.
Inhibition of the Adenosine A2A Receptor Mitigates Excitotoxic Injury in Organotypic Tissue Cultures of the Rat Cochlea
Authors: Han Belinda RX , Lin Shelly CY , Espinosa Kristan , Thorne Peter R , Vlajkovic Srdjan M
Published: August 2019

The primary loss of cochlear glutamatergic afferent nerve synapses due to noise or ageing (cochlear neuropathy) often presents as difficulties in speech discrimination in noisy conditions (hidden hearing loss (HHL)). Currently, there is no treatment for this condition. Our previous studies in mice with genetic deletion of the adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) have demonstrated better preservation of cochlear afferent synapses and spiral ganglion neurons after noise exposure compared to wildtype mice. This has informed our current targeted approach to cochlear neuroprotection based on pharmacological inhibition of the A2AR. Here, we have used organotypic tissue culture of the Wistar rat cochlea at postnatal day 6 (P6) to model excitotoxic injury induced by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)/kainic acid (NK) treatment for 2 h. The excitotoxic injury was characterised by a reduction in the density of neural processes immediately after NK treatment and loss of afferent synapses in the presence of intact sensory hair cells. The administration of istradefylline (a clinically approved A2AR antagonist) reduced deafferentation of inner hair cells and improved the survival of afferent synapses after excitotoxic injury. This study thus provides evidence that A2AR inhibition promotes cochlear recovery from excitotoxic injury, and may have implications for the treatment of cochlear neuropathy and prevention of HHL.
Direct Visualization of Spatial Inhomogeneity of Spin Stripes Order in La1.72Sr0.28NiO4
Authors: Campi Gaetano , Poccia Nicola , Joseph Boby , Bianconi Antonio , Mishra Shrawan , Lee James , Roy Sujoy , Nugroho Agustinus Agung , Buchholz Marcel , Braden Markus , Trabant Christoph , Zozulya Alexey , Müller Leonard , Viefhaus Jens , Schüßler-Langeheine Christian , Sprung Michael , Ricci Alessandro
Published: August 2019

In several strongly correlated electron systems, the short range ordering of defects, charge and local lattice distortions are found to show complex inhomogeneous spatial distributions. There is growing evidence that such inhomogeneity plays a fundamental role in unique functionality of quantum complex materials. La1.72Sr0.28NiO4 is a prototypical strongly correlated perovskite showing spin stripes order. In this work we present the spatial distribution of the spin order inhomogeneity by applying micro X-ray diffraction to La1.72Sr0.28NiO4, mapping the spin-density-wave order below the 120 K onset temperature. We find that the spin-density-wave order shows the formation of nanoscale puddles with large spatial fluctuations. The nano-puddle density changes on the microscopic scale forming a multiscale phase separation extending from nanoscale to micron scale with scale-free distribution. Indeed spin-density-wave striped puddles are disconnected by spatial regions with negligible spin-density-wave order. The present work highlights the complex spatial nanoscale phase separation of spin stripes in nickelate perovskites and opens new perspectives of local spin order control by strain.
Biochar Effects on Two Tropical Tree Species and Its Potential as a Tool for Reforestation
Authors: Lefebvre David , Román-Dañobeytia Francisco , Soete Judith , Cabanillas France , Corvera Ronald , Ascorra César , Fernandez Luis E. , Silman Miles
Published: August 2019

Research Highlights: We find that biochar plus fertilizer has synergistic and positive effects on seedling growth and robustness, but slightly lowers early seedling survival. Biochar plus fertilizer has the potential to greatly decrease costs associated with afforestation as compared to traditional fertilization and gives better results. Background and Objectives: Biochar can improve soil fertility and plant yield in crops. However, there is little information regarding the effects of biochar on trees, even though reforestation/afforestation projects are increasing and are often unsuccessful due to soil fertility limitations. This study aims to increase knowledge of biochar use as a reforestation tool. Materials and Methods: We measured survival and growth in an early ((Guazuma crinita Mart. [n = 240])) and a late (Terminalia amazonia (J.F. Gmel.) Exell. [n = 240]) successional species under 6 different biochar treatments in a 6-month nursery experiment. Results: (i) Survival was highest in the 1 t/ha biochar treatment, while treatments containing fertilizers or biochar at 5 t/ha lowered the survival rate of both species compared to the control; (ii) simultaneous addition of biochar and fertilizer lead to significant increases in height, diameter, total number of leaves, and aboveground and belowground biomass of both species as compared to other treatments; (iii) biochar treatment containing 1 t/ha with and without fertilizer showed significantly better results than applications of 5 t/ha; and (iv) Guazuma crinita responded more strongly to treatments containing biochar and fertilizers compared to Terminalia amazonia, which is suggestive of greater synergetic effects of biochar and fertilizer addition on early successional tree species. Conclusions: Applying biochar and fertilizer is synergistic and outperforms any single treatment, as well as the control, in terms of plant performance. This case study suggests that biochar can greatly improve reforestation/afforestation projects by increasing plant performance while substantially reducing fertilizer and labor maintenance costs. Field experiments and testing of additional species is needed to generalize the findings.
Quality of Experience (QoE)-Aware Fast Coding Unit Size Selection for HEVC Intra-Prediction
Authors: Erabadda Buddhiprabha , Mallikarachchi Thanuja , Hewage Chaminda , Fernando Anil
Published: August 2019

The exorbitant increase in the computational complexity of modern video coding standards, such as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), is a compelling challenge for resource-constrained consumer electronic devices. For instance, the brute force evaluation of all possible combinations of available coding modes and quadtree-based coding structure in HEVC to determine the optimum set of coding parameters for a given content demand a substantial amount of computational and energy resources. Thus, the resource requirements for real time operation of HEVC has become a contributing factor towards the Quality of Experience (QoE) of the end users of emerging multimedia and future internet applications. In this context, this paper proposes a content-adaptive Coding Unit (CU) size selection algorithm for HEVC intra-prediction. The proposed algorithm builds content-specific weighted Support Vector Machine (SVM) models in real time during the encoding process, to provide an early estimate of CU size for a given content, avoiding the brute force evaluation of all possible coding mode combinations in HEVC. The experimental results demonstrate an average encoding time reduction of 52.38%, with an average Bjøntegaard Delta Bit Rate (BDBR) increase of 1.19% compared to the HM16.1 reference encoder. Furthermore, the perceptual visual quality assessments conducted through Video Quality Metric (VQM) show minimal visual quality impact on the reconstructed videos of the proposed algorithm compared to state-of-the-art approaches.
Uncertainty Quantification of Non-Dimensional Parameters for a Film Cooling Configuration in Supersonic Conditions
Authors: Salvadori Simone , Carnevale Mauro , Fanciulli Alessia , Montomoli Francesco
Published: August 2019

In transonic high-pressure turbine stages, oblique shocks originating from vane trailing edges impact the suction side of each adjacent vane. High-pressure vanes are cooled to tolerate the combustor exit-temperature levels, then it is highly probable that shock impingement will occur in proximity to a row of cooling holes. The presence of such a shock, together with the inevitable manufacturing deviations, alters the location of the shock impingement and of the performance parameters of each cooling hole. The present work provides a general description of the aero-thermal field that occurs on the rear suction side of a cooled vane. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to evaluate the deterministic response of the selected configurations in terms of adiabatic effectiveness, discharge coefficient, blowing ratio, density ratio, and momentum ratio. Turbulence is modelled by using both the Shear Stress Transport method (SST) and the Reynolds Stress Model (RSM) implemented in ANSYS® FLUENT®. The obtained results are compared with the experimental data obtained by the Institut für Thermische Strömungsmaschinen in Karlsruhe. Two uncertainty quantification methodologies based on Hermite polynomials and Padè–Legendre approximants are used to consider the probability distribution of the geometrical parameters and to evaluate the response surfaces for the system response quantities. Trailing-edge and cooling-hole diameters have been considered to be aleatory unknowns. Uncertainty quantification analysis allows for the assessment of the mutual effects on global and local parameters of the cooling device. Obtained results demonstrate that most of the parameters are independent by the variation of the aleatory unknowns while the standard deviation of the blowing ratio associated with the hole diameter uncertainty is around 12%, with no impact by the trailing-edge thickness. No relevant advantages are found using either SST model or RSM in combination with Hermite polynomials and Padè–Legendre approximants.
Strength Characteristics of Clay-Rubber Waste Mixtures in UU Triaxial Tests
Authors: Jastrzębska Małgorzata
Published: August 2019

This paper presents results of undrained and unconsolidated (UU) triaxial tests related to the influence of tire waste addition on strength characteristics of red clay from Patoka in Southern Poland. Angle of internal friction and cohesion values were estimated for 30 specimens prepared from pure red clay (RC), its mixtures with two different fractions of shredded rubber in 5%, 10%, and 25% mass proportions as well as for pure powder (P) and granulate (G). It has been observed that the addition of granulate contributes more to the increase in the angle of friction than the addition of powder (ΔΦuu = +1% (G-5) / +16% (G-10) / +31% (G-25), ΔΦuu = +1% (P-5) / +10% (P-10) / +19% (P-25)). On the other hand, rubber additions reduce cohesion in mixtures, and the effect is enhanced with increases in their grain size and percentage composition (Δcuu = −31% (G-5) / −63% (G-10) / −87% (G-25), Δcuu = −67% (P-5) / −58% (P-10) / −58% (P-25)). It has been noticed that a change of parameters Φuu and cuu causes a decline of shear stresses at increasing granulate content. There is an inverse relationship for powder. At the same time, it has been shown that the failure strain, hence a change in red clay-rubber (RCR) mixtures plasticity, is related to the level of confining stress σ3 and the type of rubber waste. Results of tests and their comparison with results of other researchers show that each time it is necessary to experimentally verify a given soil with specific rubber waste.
A Multicriteria Model for the Assessment of Countries’ Environmental Performance
Authors: Guijarro Francisco
Published: August 2019

Countries are encouraged to integrate environmental performance metrics by covering the key value-drivers of sustainable development, such as environmental health and ecosystem vitality. The proper measurement of environmental trends provides a foundation for policymaking, which should be addressed by considering the multicriteria nature of the problem. This paper proposes a goal programming model for ranking countries according to the multidimensional nature of their environmental performance metrics by considering 10 issue categories and 24 performance indicators. The results will provide guidance to those countries that aspire to become leaders in environmental performance.
The Determinants of FDI in Sub-Saharan Economies: A Study of Data from 1990–2017
Authors: Jaiblai Prince , Shenai Vijay
Published: August 2019

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) can bring in much needed capital, particularly to developing countries, help improve manufacturing and trade sectors, bring in more efficient technologies, increase local production and exports, create jobs and develop local skills, and bring about improvements in infrastructure and overall be a contributor to sustainable economic growth. With all these desirable features, it becomes relevant to ascertain the factors which attract FDI to an economy or a group of adjacent economies. This paper explores the determinants of FDI in ten sub-Saharan economies: Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Cameroun, and Senegal. After an extensive literature review of theories and empirical research, using a set of cross-sectional data over the period 1990–2017, two econometric models are estimated with FDI/GDP (the ratio of Foreign Direct Investment to Gross Domestic Product) as the dependent variable, and with inflation, exchange rate changes, openness, economy size (GDP), income levels (GNI/capita (Gross National Income) per capita), and infrastructure as the independent variables. Over the period, higher inflows of FDI in relation to GDP appear to be have been attracted to the markets with better infrastructure, smaller markets, and lower income levels, with higher openness and depreciation in the exchange rate, though the coefficients of the last two variables are not significant. These results show the type of FDI attracted to investments in this region and are evaluated from theoretical and practical viewpoints. FDI is an important source of finance for developing economies. On average, between 2013 and 2017, FDI accounted for 39 percent of external finance for developing economies. Policy guidelines are formulated for the enhancement of FDI inflows and further economic development in this region. Such a study of this region has not been made in the recent past.
Structural Comparison of a Promiscuous and a Highly Specific Sucrose 6F-Phosphate Phosphorylase
Authors: Franceus Jorick , Capra Nikolas , Desmet Tom , Thunnissen Andy-Mark W.H.
Published: August 2019

In family GH13 of the carbohydrate-active enzyme database, subfamily 18 contains glycoside phosphorylases that act on α-sugars and glucosides. Because their phosphorolysis reactions are effectively reversible, these enzymes are of interest for the biocatalytic synthesis of various glycosidic compounds. Sucrose 6F-phosphate phosphorylases (SPPs) constitute one of the known substrate specificities. Here, we report the characterization of an SPP from Ilumatobacter coccineus with a far stricter specificity than the previously described promiscuous SPP from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum. Crystal structures of both SPPs were determined to provide insight into their similarities and differences. The residues responsible for binding the fructose 6-phosphate group in subsite +1 were found to differ considerably between the two enzymes. Furthermore, several variants that introduce a higher degree of substrate promiscuity in the strict SPP from I. coccineus were designed. These results contribute to an expanded structural knowledge of enzymes in subfamily GH13_18 and facilitate their rational engineering.
From Green Remediation to Polymer Hybrid Fabrication with Improved Optical Band Gaps
Authors: Brza M. A. , Aziz Shujahadeen B. , Anuar H. , Al Hazza Muataz Hazza F.
Published: August 2019

The present work proposed a novel approach for transferring high-risk heavy metals tometal complexes via green chemistry remediation. The method of remediation of heavy metals developed in the present work is a great challenge for global environmental sciences and engineering because it is a totally environmentally friendly procedure in which black tea extract solution is used. The FTIR study indicates that black tea contains enough functional groups (OH and NH), polyphenols and conjugated double bonds. The synthesis of copper complex was confirmed by the UV-vis, XRD and FTIR spectroscopic studies. The XRD and FTIR analysis reveals the formation of complexation between Cu metal complexes and Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) (PVA) host matrix. The study of optical parameters indicates that PVA-based hybrids exhibit a small optical band gap, which is close to inorganic-based materials. It was noted that the absorption edge shifted to lower photon energy. When Cu metal complexes were added to PVA polymer, the refractive index was significantly tuned. The band gap shifts from 6.2 eV to 1.4 eV for PVA incorporated with 45 mL of Cu metal complexes. The nature of the electronic transition in hybrid materials was examined based on the Taucs model, while a close inspection of the optical dielectric loss was also performed in order to estimate the optical band gap. The obtained band gaps of the present work reveal that polymer hybrids with sufficient film-forming capability could be useful to overcome the drawbacks associated with conjugated polymers. Based on the XRD results and band gap values, the structure-property relationships were discussed in detail.
Managing Floral Resources in Apple Orchards for Pest Control: Ideas, Experiences and Future Directions
Authors: Herz Annette , Cahenzli Fabian , Penvern Servane , Pfiffner Lukas , Tasin Marco , Sigsgaard Lene
Published: August 2019

Functional biodiversity is of fundamental importance for pest control. Many natural enemies rely on floral resources to complete their life cycle. Farmers need to ensure the availability of suitable and sufficient floral biodiversity. This review summarizes 66 studies on the management of floral biodiversity in apple orchards, published since 1986. Approaches followed different degrees of intervention: short-term practices (mowing regime and weed maintenance, cover crops), establishment of durable ecological infrastructures (perennial flower strips, hedgerows) and re-design of the crop system (intercropping, agroforestry). Although short-term practices did not always target the nutrition of natural enemies by flowering plants, living conditions for them (alternative prey, provision of habitat) were often improved. Perennial flower strips reliably enhanced natural enemies and techniques for their introduction continuously developed. Resident natural enemies and their impact in pest control reacted positively to the introduction of a more diversified vegetation, whereas the response of very mobile organisms was often not directly linked to the measures taken. A careful selection and management of plants with particular traits exploitable by most natural enemies emerged as a key-point for success. Now the elaborated design of such measures needs to be adopted by stakeholders and policy makers to encourage farmers to implement these measures in their orchards.
Noise Cancellation for HIPERLAN/2 with Open Loop Transmit Diversity Technique
Authors: Yahya Maan A. , Alsaif Omar Ibrahim , Saleh Ibrahim Ahmed , Abdulkhaleq Ahmed M. , Ojaroudi Parchin Naser , Al-Yasir Yasir I. A. , Abd-Alhameed Raed A.
Published: August 2019

A new proposed method is presented, where multiple antennas have been applied into HIPERLAN/2 system in addition to employing space-time diversity technique, especially the Alamouti technique. The suggested approach is used to cancel or reduce the effect of the transmitted power using a feedback signal process within the transceiver unit, especially when the antennas are closely located and working in full-mode duplexing. Several parameters including the transmitted power, the received power, and the feedback accuracy have been considered for testing the performance of the system in term of the signal to noise ratio (SNR) versus bit error rate (BER). A software programme using MATLAB and Simulink is implemented to evaluate the proposed method. The results showed that the system performance is heavily dependent on the amount of the mismatch in the feedback, the received power, and the transmitted power. The performance of the system decreases as the feedback accuracy increases when the transmitted power and the received power are constant. At the same time, the performance of the system decreases as the transmitted power increases when the received power and the mismatch are constant. Finally, the increase in the received power enhances the system performance when the other parameters are constant.
Is Hyperuricemia, an Early-Onset Metabolic Disorder, Causally Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Events in Han Chinese?
Authors: Chiang Kuang-Mao , Tsay Yuh-Chyuan , Vincent Ng Ta-Chou , Yang Hsin-Chou , Huang Yen-Tsung , Chen Chen-Hsin , Pan Wen-Harn
Published: August 2019

Background: Serum uric acid (SUA) has gradually been recognized as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, whether the relationship is causal remains controversial. Methods: We employed two methods to demonstrate the importance of SUA in CVD development. First, we examined the onset sequence of hyperuricemia in relation to five cardiometabolic (CM) diseases. Second, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to causally infer the relationship between SUA and CVD. The information collected from the Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Two-Township Study (CVDFACTS) and Taiwan Biobank was used, respectively. Results: The onset sequence study showed that hyperuricemia and hypo-alpha-lipoproteinemia (low HDL-C) have earlier ages of onset than other CM diseases. For the MR analysis, the high weighted genetic risk score (WGRS) group had a significantly increased cumulative lifetime risk of CVD compared with the low WGRS group (OR = 1.62, (1.17−2.23), P = 0.003). Sensitivity analysis using the WGRS derived from other populations’ SUA-influential SNPs revealed similar results. Conclusions: We showed that hyperuricemia is an earlier-onset metabolic disorder than hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and diabetes mellitus, indicating that high SUA plays an upstream role in CM development. Moreover, our MR study results support the idea that hyperuricemia may play a causal role in CVD development. Further validation studies in more populations are needed.
Reconfigurable Analog Preprocessing for Efficient Asynchronous Analog-to-Digital Conversion
Authors: Kelly Brandon M. , DiLello Alexander T. , Graham David W.
Published: August 2019

Wearable medical devices, wireless sensor networks, and other energy-constrained sensing devices are often concerned with finding specific data within more-complex signals while maintaining low power consumption. Traditional analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) can capture the sensor information at a high resolution to enable a subsequent digital system to process for the desired data. However, traditional ADCs can be inefficient for applications that only require specific points of data. This work offers an alternative path to lower the energy expenditure in the quantization stage—asynchronous content-dependent sampling. This asynchronous sampling scheme is achieved by pairing a flexible analog front-end with an asynchronous successive-approximation ADC and a time-to-digital converter. The versatility and reprogrammability of this system allows a multitude of event-driven, asynchronous, or even purely data-driven quantization methods to be implemented for a variety of different applications. The system, fabricated in standard 0.5 μ m and 0.35 μ m processes, is demonstrated along with example applications with voice, EMG, and ECG signals.
Non-Hydrostatic Modeling of Waves Generated by Landslides with Different Mobility
Authors: Mulligan Ryan P. , Take W. Andy , Bullard Gemma K.
Published: August 2019

Tsunamis are generated when landslides transfer momentum to water, and these waves are major hazards in the mountainous coastal areas of lakes, reservoir, and fjords. In this study, the influence of slide mobility on wave generation is investigated using new: (i) experimental observations; (ii) theoretical relationships; and (iii) non-hydrostatic numerical predictions of the water surface and flow velocity evolution. This is accomplished by comparing landslides with low and high mobility and computing the momentum flux from landslides to water based on data collected in laboratory experiments. These slides have different materials, different impact velocities, different submarine runout distances, and generate very different waves. The waves evolve differently along the length of the waves’ flume, and the experimental results are in close agreement with high-resolution phase-resolving simulations. In this short communication, we describe new research on landslide generated waves conducted at Queen’s University, Canada, and presented at Coastlab18 in Santander, Spain.
The Bondo Society as a Political Tool: Examining Cultural Expertise in Sierra Leone from 1961 to 2018
Authors: Ibrahim Aisha Fofana
Published: August 2019

This paper focuses on the politics of the Bondo—the competition among social groups for an exclusive influence on the National strategy for the reduction of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). In the first part, this paper shows how the Bondo—a women’s only secret society—has become a site of contestation for not only pro- and anti-FGM/C advocates, but also elite male politicians who have, since independence in 1961, continued to use the Bondo space for political gains. The use of the Bondo for political leverage and influence pre-dates independence and is as old as the society itself. The second part of this paper discusses the legitimacy of expertise as central to this debate, in which each group competes to become the leading expert. Thus, even though human rights/choice discourse currently dominates the FGM/C debate, traditional expertise remains valid in the formulation of community by-laws as well as state policies and laws. This can be seen in the recent attempt by the state to develop a National Policy for the Reduction of FGM/C in which the expertise of all three groups was sought. Using data from existing literature and personal interviews, this paper interrogates this contention by describing how the role of cultural experts—especially the Soweis—has been politicized in the stalemate over the enactment of the National Policy for the Reduction of FGC. This paper concludes with considerations about the complexity of Bondo expertise, in which opposing parties use similar arguments to evoke the human rights discourses on women’s rights and bodily integrity/autonomy. It argues that a better knowledge of these dynamics as they develop in Sierra Leone and other African countries would be useful to the European jurisdiction.
Performance and Microstructure of Cold Recycled Mixes Using Asphalt Emulsion with Different Contents of Cement
Authors: Yang Yanhai , Yang Ye , Qian Baitong
Published: August 2019

Cold recycled mixes using asphalt emulsion (CRME) is an economical and environmentally-friendly technology for asphalt pavement maintenance and rehabilitation. In order to determine the optimum range of cement contents, the complex interaction between cement and asphalt emulsion and the effects of cement on performance of CRME were investigated with different contents of cement. The microstructure and chemical composition of the fracture surface of CRME with different contents of cement were analyzed in this paper as well. Results show that the high-temperature stability and moisture susceptibility of CRME increased with the contents of cement increasing. The low-temperature crack resistance ability gradually increased when the content of cement is increased from 0% to 1.5%. However, it gradually decreased when the content of cement is increased from 1.5% to 4%. Cold recycled mixes had better low-temperature cracking resistance when the contents of cement were in the range from 1% to 2%. The results of microstructure and energy spectrum analysis show that the composite structure is formed by hydration products and asphalt emulsion. The study will be significant to better know the effects of cement and promote the development of CRME.